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Crunch watch Apr 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard and Ben Pulman Motor Industry 30 April 2009 17:21 Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour  Thursday 30 April 2009• It's official: president Barack Obama confirms this afternoon Chrysler will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it strikes a patnership with Fiat (Automotive News, subscription required)• 'Over the past month, seemingly insurmountable obstacles have been overcome,' says Obama. 'Chrysler and Fiat have formed a partnership that has a strong chance of success' • Chrysler is filing for bankruptcy protection under Section 363(b) of Chapter 11 bankruptcy code – expected to last for 30-60 days (Detroit News)• Treasury to pay Chrysler $4.5 billion 'in exit financing'• Chrysler tipped to get new board of directors.

Restyled 2014 Mazda 3 preens in Frankfurt

The new Mazda 3 made its first auto show appearance on Tuesday in Frankfurt. It's the first time we've seen the hot hatch since its five-city launch in June that coincided with the 10-year anniversary of the first 3. It's the third member of the family to use the Kodo design style, which means “soul of motion.” Here in the States, the 3 will offer two gasoline engines, both with direct injection.

Hungarian GP qualifying: Rosberg on pole for Mercedes – Hamilton out of qualifying after car fire

Hungarian GP qualifying: Rosberg (pictured) on pole for Mercedes Lewis Hamilton seems to have had most of the unreliability problems that have hit Mercedes this year, but a fire in his car before he even set a time in qualifying for the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix today in Budapest was a cruel blow to his title chances. Hamilton managed to limp his stricken car in to the pits as flames licked round the back after what appears to have been a fuel leak, but that means Hamilton will start from the back of the grid tomorrow, making it incredibly difficult to get even close to Rosberg who finished qualifying on pole. Behind Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel managed to put the Red Bull in second, with Williams’ Botas in third during a final qualifying that saw rain drench the first corner, nearly claiming Rosberg and sending McLaren’s Magnussen in to the tyre barrier and out of Q3.