Ferrari auction raises funds for Japan relief

Car lovers came together for a good cause at the Italian Embassy in Tokyo on Monday. More than 200 people participated in a Ferrari charity auction, which raised more than 500,000 euros, or about $723,000 at current exchange rates. Proceeds will benefit the city of Ishinomaki, which was severely hit by the earthquake in Japan in March.

Ebay-GM partnership generates interest but limited sales

General Motors Co.'s effort to sell new cars on eBay in California is generating interest but recording few sales on the Internet auction site. In the first nine days of the program, GM dealers listed 16,228 vehicles on eBay and completed 45 sales, according to data available on the Web site. But GM said the eBay exposure is prompting customers to visit dealerships to complete sales that aren't recorded on eBay.

June sales get a pick-me-up from pickups

If there's a bright spot in June's tepid light-vehicle sales, it came from an unlikely segment. After slumping for several years as the economy tanked and gas prices spiked, pickup demand is rising faster than the overall sales gains of most automakers--serving as a pillar once again during the industry's fledgling recovery. And most of the buyers returning to showrooms are pickup enthusiasts, automakers say.