GM, Ford and Chrysler sales advance on crossover, small-car demand

General Motors, Ford and Chrysler posted higher July sales, helped by demand for crossovers as well as small, fuel-efficient vehicles. GM said today its sales rose 8 percent last month from a year ago, with passenger car demand rising 8 percent and crossover sales increasing 20 percent. At Ford, sales rose 6 percent, with car demand advancing 3 percent and light truck sales up 12 percent.

Hangover affects driving ability 'as much as being drunk'

A HANGOVER following a night of heavy drinking can impair driving performance as much as driving under the influence of alcohol, according to new research. Scientists at universities in the UK and the Netherlands found that the effects of a night's heavy drinking last longer than a measurable blood alcohol concentration and that hangover immunity is largely a myth. In research conducted at the University of the West of England, participants who had been drinking the night before undertook a 20-minute simulation of driving in a mixed urban and rural setting.

EV maker Coda trims staff

Not much more could go wrong for electric-car maker Coda, which has struggled to sell its four-door EV in the United States since officially launching it here in March. But Web reports, first seen at www.plugincars.com, say the company laid off 50 employees, or 15 percent of its workforce, last week, mostly in the sales and marketing departments. Efforts by Autoweek to contact Coda have not been successful.