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Porsche nearing 900 orders for its 918 Spyder hybrid concept

When Porsche AG showed the 918 Spyder at the Geneva show in March, we said it was a car to “make anyone a believer in hybrid supercar tech.” Well, maybe not anyone, but Porsche now says it has almost 900 potential buyers for the two-seater hybrid prototype as the German automaker gets closer to approving production. Porsche development chief Wolfgang Duerheimer said he is confident the company will soon reach the threshold of 1,000 orders, which is how many the company needs to “make a sound business case.” The 918 has 680 hp and, according to Porsche, will get 78 mpg and run from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds. Porsche said it wants to double its overall vehicle sales to 150,000 in the next five years or so.

VW Routan minivan to be dropped from lineup

Volkswagen will end sales of the Routan minivan, a rebadged Chrysler-built minivan that VW has sold since 2008, the company's top U.S. executive said Wednesday. The Routan will be phased out this year, with most units destined for "internal purposes" such as VW's corporate fleet, said Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America.

Detroit auto show 2009: NAIAS preview and review A-Z

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 13 January 2009 17:00 Day Two is below. Scroll to the bottom for coverage from Day One 4.10pm: The EndThere's a real sense of humility, of stifled exhibition at the NAIAS 2009. Detroit's show is usually a byword for showmanship and razzmatazz.