Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Crunch watch Mar 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Ben Pulman and Tim Pollard Motor Industry 31 March 2009 13:48 Tuesday 31 March 2009• Porsche said that its earnings before tax rose to €7.3 billion in the six months to the end of January – including a €6.8bn windfall from its VW share options (Financial Times)• Fritz Henderson, GM's president and chief operating officer, will step up to replace Rick Wagoner, who was ousted on Sunday as CEO of General Motors (Financial Times)• President Obama is essentially CEO-in-chief of GM – despite not owning a single cent of stock, says Detroit News commentator (Detroit News)• German chancellor Angela Merkel gives assurances that any would-be investors in GM's European arm will be given state support. Opel is asking for €3.3 billion in aid – and up to 25,000 jobs in Germany depend on it, with up to 300,000 jobs across Europe including Saab and Vauxhall (BBC News)Monday 30 March 2009• General Motors' chief executive Rick Wagoner has been ordered to resign by US president Barack Obama with immediate effect. It's part of Obama's administration's critique of GM and Chrysler's turnaround plans – he's understood to be unhappy with the plans submitted (BBC News)• New GM non-executive chairman Kent Kresa has admitted that at the company's next general meeting it will have 'a majority of new directors' (General Motors)• Chrysler will receive US government aid for the next 30 days, but the Obama administration has said that if the company cannot secure a tie-up with the Fiat Group within that time period it will not receive any more money from the taxpayers and could go into liquidation.

2010 Lexus RX 350 gets $37,625 sticker

The redesigned 2010 Lexus RX 350 gets a sticker price of $37,625 for the front-drive model, and $39,025 for the all-wheel-drive model. The new RX goes on sale later this month. Lexus engineers have coaxed an additional 5 hp from the 3.5-liter V6, bringing the output to 275 hp.

First Motorway Service Station Pub opens on M40

The Hope & Champion pub (pictured) opens at Beaconsfield Services on the M40 Where to stop for a bite to eat on UK motorways can often be a bit of a lottery, with many oif us seeking a pub just off the motorway for a bit of a break and a spot of lunch. But now, amid some controversy and complaints from safety groups, JD Wetherspoons has opened the first pub at a motorway services, with the Hope and Champion open for business at Beaconsfield Services on the M40. The Hope and Champion will be open from 4am to 1am, seven days a week, and serve the usual JD Wetherspoons fodder of passable meals and drinks and, say JD Wetherspoons, a wide range of non-alcoholic drinks, tea and coffee.