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Lexus sales rising strongly in Europe – up 33 per cent in Western Europe

The new Lexus IS (pictured) is leading Lexus’s sales growth in europe There’s lots to like about the Lexus range (even if we would like to see proper gearboxes proliferate), and it seems buyers across Europe are getting more and more enamoured of Toyota’s luxury brand. Lexus are reporting soaring sales in Europe so far in 2014, with sales up by 25.4 per cent over the same period in 2013 (and by 33 per cent in Western Europe) and the Lexus IS leading the way. Lexus IS sales were up to 6,923, followed by the Lexus RX SUV and the compact Lexus CT, with even the massively expensive Lexus LS chipping in 265 sales in the first six months of the year.

GM posts $2.5 billion profit, led by North America

General Motors on Thursday posted a profit of $2.5 billion for the second quarter, led by strong results in North America. GM's net income for the April-through-June period nearly doubled from $1.3 billion in the year-earlier quarter. It was GM's sixth consecutive quarterly profit since exiting bankruptcy in mid-2009.

Renault looking to 'relaunch the 5 below Clio'

Spurred on by the success of BMW's Mini, Fiat's 500 and VW's Beetle, Renault is actively considering the relaunch of the 5 to slot below the Clio, CAR has learned. However, a new Renault 5 would not be a retro car, according to senior sources in Paris. 'We have no retro cars in our plan,' said our mole.