GM to keep GMC, Pontiac, exec says

A senior General Motors executive today denied reports that President Barack Obama's automotive task force has pressured the automaker to dump GMC and Pontiac. Company sales chief Mark LaNeve also denied rumors that GM plans to terminate the franchise agreements of poorly performing dealers before June 1 to accelerate its dealership consolidation campaign. "The strategy we laid out for you [in February] is still the strategy," LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, said today in an interview with Automotive News.

Porsche Macan means 1,000 extra jobs at Porsche

The Porsche take on the Audi Q5 – the new Porsche Macan – looks set to be Porsche’s biggest selling model ever and means 1,000 new jobs at Porsche. The ‘baby’ Cayenne – the Porsche Macan – is Porsche’s take on the Audi Q5 and a model that looks set to take Porsche’s sales to levels undreamed of a decade ago (pre-Cayenne). But although the Macan is based on the Q5 – just as the Cayenne shares its underpinnings with the Q7 and Touareg – Porsche say it will still be a red-blooded Porsche – the ‘Sports’ car in its sector – when it goes on sale later in 2013, so we don’t expect to see a lethargic eco diesel under the bonnet, although a fettled 2.0 litre TDI is highly likely.

Volvo partnership to improve cyclist safety

Volvo has teamed up with an extreme sports company in a bid to improve safety between cars and cyclists. The manufacturer has signed an agreement with Swedish firm POC – a company that develops high-tech protective sports gear. On Bing: see pictures of the Volvo XC Concept Coupé Find out how much a used Volvo costs on Auto Trader Research between the new partnership will initially concentrate on communication between cars and cyclists.