Impreza 2009 Chassis Sensor 1154642 on 2040-parts.com

GM Europe weeks from running out of cash

By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 03 March 2009 19:03 GM Europe will run out of cash ‘early in the second quarter’ of 2009, unless the divison secures $3.3bn in funding from European governments. Speaking today (Tuesday 3 March), GM chief operating officer Fritz Henderson revealed that insolvency loomed, due to the plunge in European car sales and GM’s liquidity crisis in North America. He ruled out a swift cash injection from private investors, saying that no talks had taken place and that lengthy negotiations and due diligence would take too long.

Merc to revive straight six, plus 4cyl and smaller V8s

Mercedes has just signed off a new engine family which will see most full-sized Mercs in future run four-cylinders, downsized V8s and… straight sixes. A friendly Mercedes engineer recently met CAR to disclose the engine plans for future models, including the surprise disclosure that Merc plans to switch to straight sixes, like its rivals over in Munich.  It's fair to say I almost choked on my breakfast croissant when I found out the details of the next MB engine generation which has just been signed off for release in 2015. Mercedes' future four-cylinder engines Again, there will be a family of new low-cost fours, and the big-bore V8s will be replaced by a series of downsized turbocharged 4.0-litre units.

To Infiniti and beyond at Goodwood

LUXURY Japanese car maker Infiniti gave the UK public something to savour at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, with a high-octane combination of well-known faces and high-speed timed runs up the famous hill-climb. Christian Horner, team principal of Formula One team Red Bull, took turns at the wheel of the 568-horspower Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge prototype, sharing driving duties with professional racer Sébastien Buemi. Members of the public queued for access to the road-going Q50 range, which was also on offer for hill-driving duties, and some were even treated to a turn in the FX Vettel Edition: a chunky SUV with handling and performance tuned with the direct input of four-time F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel.