Ford burns through $5.5 billion in 4th quarter as losses mount

Ford Motor Co., the only U.S. automaker operating without federal loans, burned through $5.5 billion in cash during the final three months of 2008 as losses mounted. Ford finished the year with cash reserves of $13.4 billion.

Fiat 500 Electric 2012 launch

The Fiat 500 Electric Concept was at the Detroit Motor Show this year At the 2010 Detroit Motor Show Fiat brought along an electric concept version of the Fiat 500, together with a Chrysler-badged Lancia as a clear indication that times are changing at Chrysler. And it would appear they’re changing even more quickly than we expected with the announcement that the Fiat 500 EV is going in to production, and will go on sale in the US in 2012. Obviously spurred on by the unexpected success in recent years of that other motoring retro icon the MINI, Fiat are pushing ahead with plans to introduce the regular Fiat 500 in to North America in 2010, although that will be preceded by the 500 Abarth and 500C Abarth, which will be the first versions of the 500 to reach American shores.

A-Roads ‘greatest risk to drivers’

THE MOST DANGEROUS roads in the UK are A-roads, which are seven times more dangerous than motorways according to new research by the Road Safety Foundation. While 99% of motorways are rated in the "'low risk" category, 97% of single carriageway A-roads are not. The overall risk of death and serious injury on motorways and A-roads is lowest in the West Midlands and highest in the East Midlands, the poll revealed.