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News watch March 2010: today's auto industry news

Tuesday 30 March 2010• Mercedes has dismissed claims that its Maybach brand is for sale, after reports in the Chinese media claimed Chinese car company BYD was considering a bid for the upmarket offshoot. BYD has also denied the claims (Reuters)• Toyota president Akio Toyoda has promised his company will listen more carefully to customers and react faster in a bid to regain credibility after the Japanese car manufacturer was forced to recall millions of vehilces over safety fears (BBC)• The Obama administration is expected to unveil its finalised fuel economy and tailpipe emissions through to 2016 this week, to coincide with the opening of the 2010 New York auto show (Detroit News)  Monday 29 March 2010• Toyota has agreed to licence the hybrid technology in the Prius to Mazda, which will combine the electric system with its next-gen Sky engines. It’s part of Mazda’s plans to increase the average fuel economy of its vehicles by 30% by 2015 (compared to 2008 levels) and it hopes to have its first hybrid vehicle on sale in Japan by 2013 (Mazda)• Ford and Chinese car company Geely have signed a stock purchase agreement that will allow the latter to acquire 100% of Volvo (along with related assets including intellectual property rights).

Preview: Fisker Surf

Fisker has released the first image of its new Surf vehicle, set to debut at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show. Focusing on continuing with the company's philosophy, 'Pure Driving Passion' - the electric vehicle with extender range is said to be akin to the Fisker Karma sedan, but Fisker has intriguingly promised a new twist. Other than this and the sole image of the Surf, details of the car have been kept secret in the build-up to this year's Frankfurt motor show. CDN will be bringing you all the details and pictures from the show next week.

2015 Honda Pilot line to get SE trim

Honda is spicing up its 2015 Pilot line by adding a model between the EX and EX-L trim levels. The LX model starts at $30,700--a bump of $200 over the previous year--and the two-wheel-drive SE model starts at $33,950. The eight-passenger Pilot SE comes with pewter gray aluminum-alloy wheels, SE badging, a one-touch moonroof, satellite radio and a DVD player.