U.S. auto sales rise 5 percent in July

General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. posted their smallest U.S.

Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid – again

Volvo V60 Plug-in Diesel Hybrid Last month we reported on the innovative Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid, a proper advance in hybrid gubbins which Volvo are planning on revealing – in practically production-ready form – at next weeks Geneva Motor Show. We first reported Volvo’s intention to bring a diesel hybrid to market by 2012 back in 2009, and the story we ran at the end of January was confirmation of that. But now Volvo has churned out a chunky press release to tell us exactly what the V60 plug-in hybrid will offer, so we thought we ought to revisit this story one more time before Geneva.

GM shifts gears, will keep Opel

General Motors' board of directors has decided that it will keep the Opel business and restructure it, putting an end to plans to sell the European operations to auto supplier Magna International. GM said it expects the restructuring of Opel to cost $4.42 billion (3 million euros), which it says is lower than the costs associated with outside bids for the company. GM said it will soon present its restructuring plans for Opel to the German government and other governments in Europe.