VOLKSWAGEN

Europe's biggest carmaker Volkswagen AG plans to hire around 50,000 workers worldwide in the medium-term, including 5,000-6,000 in Germany by 2015.

Volkswagen of America Inc. on Wednesday reported that its US auto sales rose 24 percent on strong sales of its Jetta family of cars and wagons.

Toyota Motor Corp. is negotiating a deal to license its expertise in hybrid vehicles and to supply car parts to its Chinese partner, FAW Group Corp by 2012.

Sanyo Electric, a leading manufacturer of rechargeable battery technologies, has announced the completion of its new factory for the lithium-ion batteries in Japan.

Televison show host Oprah Winfrey has given her studio audience 275 Volkswagen New Beetles on Monday as part of Oprah's Favorite Things promotion.

Registration of European passenger cars slumped by 16.6 percent in October against the numbers recorded in the corresponding period a year ago

Top carmakers let cautious optimism creep into their outlooks at the Paris Auto Show on Thursday, pinning hopes on emerging markets to dispel dark clouds over major western economies.

Volkswagen is slightly more optimistic on the global car market's outlook now and still expects to outperform the worldwide market, the German carmaker's sales chief Christian Klingler said.

Volkswagen AG will invest $550 million in developing a new engine facility in Mexico to supply parts to two of its North American plants, the German automaker said on Wednesday.

General Motors will invest $655 million to expand capacity at its Opel factory in Hungary and Volkswagen's Audi may also expand production at its plant, both seen as boosting investor sentiment toward the country.

Top Chinese automaker SAIC Motor Corp said on Monday it and Baosteel will jointly build a lab to research and develop new steel products to make cars lighter.

Strengthening dealer networks, successfully launching a redesigned Jetta, and boosting used-car sales are top priorities for Volkswagen America Inc under Jonathan Browning, the unit's new chief executive.

The luxury market which has so far been dominated by the West is facing stiff competition from China. Top global luxury brands like Burberry and Coach are trying to affirm supremacy in market by pouring funds in multi-billion dollars and function on their own instead of running on a franchise basis.

German carmaker Volkswagen is planning a new assembly line at Russia's GAZ in order to boost production in the booming market.

U.S. safety regulators have opened a preliminary investigation into claims Hyundai Motor Co's best-selling car in America, the Sonata sedan, may have steering problems.

Swedish truckmaker Scania will develop new truck cabs with Porsche Engineering, in another step toward firming up ties under the Volkswagen umbrella.

Volkswagen AG's management is eyeing the potential acquisition of the Alfa Romeo brand should Fiat SpA consider putting it up for sale.

China's BYD Co Ltd, backed by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett, warned on Monday of a slowdown in car sales during the second half of the year and said it will launch new models to lessen the impact.

German automaker Volkswagen AG struck a deal with workers at its Mexican plant to avoid a strike threatened by the factory's union

Porsche AG will meet strict U.S. fuel economy standards of 35.5 miles per gallon when they go in force by 2016, Detlev Von Platen, the German automaker's North American president

India's top car maker Maruti Suzuki may manufacture cars for German auto firm Volkswagen's global market on a contract basis, three newspapers said on Thursday, citing Maruti's managing director.