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Toyota and Mercedes-Benz are top global car brands

Toyota & Mercedes-Benz are the Top Global Automotive Brands 2011 Interbrand, a branding consultancy, delivers a report on the world’s brands every year, and in 2011, despite recall woes and the devastation of the Japanese Tsunami, Toyota leads the automotive brands, with luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz just behind. Interbrand uses three measures to gauge how effective a brand is – performance of branded product, the brands ability to secure earnings and the role of the brand in purchasing decisions – to come up with a chart of the top 100 world brands. At the top of the tree are companies like Coca Cola, IBM, Microsoft and Google, but car brands do well with Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Honda, VW, and Ford all making it in to the top 50.

Renault Frendzy concept

Renault has revealed details of the Frendzy concept ahead of its anticipated debut at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show. Fully electric, and with an asymmetrical design, the compact vehicle is the fourth 'life-cycle' concept to be unveiled since Laurens van den Acker took over from Patrick leQuement. Designed by Deyan Denkov (exterior) and RCA graduate Ana Zadnik (interior), the Frendzy's design blends the utility of a commercial business vehicle and the comfort of a family car.

GM expands credit union program nationally

General Motors on Wednesday launched a nationwide test program that gives 90 million credit union members access to the company's Credit Union Member Discount Program with participating GM dealers. The "Invest in America" program also gives members access to financing on new-vehicle purchases. This follows a four-state Midwest program GM began early last month.