Daihatsu Move 1999 Fuel Pump [8520600] on 2040-parts.com

Saturn alerts customers it is considering a spinoff

Saturn has begun alerting customers that it may be spun off by General Motors as an independent marketing and distribution company. In a letter sent to about 1.5 million Saturn owners Wednesday night, Saturn said it would have to line up products to sell--either from other manufacturers or from GM in the role of a vendor--after GM's current commitment to build Saturn products ends after the 2012 model year. "The Saturn Distribution Corporation already exists as an indirect subsidiary of GM," wrote Jill Lajdziak, general manager of Saturn, in the letter.

VW exec Jacoby reportedly heading to Volvo

Volkswagen of America said it is in talks with CEO Stefan Jacoby, who reportedly has been tapped to run Volvo Car Corp. In the meantime, VW has temporarily named two executives to take over Jacoby's duties, the German automaker said in a statement Thursday. "We are holding contract talks with Stefan Jacoby," the statement said.

U.S. auto sales rise 5 percent in July

General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. posted their smallest U.S.