Nissan plans to build the Infiniti JX in Tennessee

Nissan Motor Co.'s assembly plant in Smyrna, Tenn., will build the new seven-passenger Infiniti JX crossover next year, the chairman of Nissan Americas said Wednesday. The move is part of Carlos Tavares' mission of getting Nissan and Infiniti products out of yen and into dollars, but that will require the automaker to move some products around. Tavares also wants to buy more parts from North American suppliers.

BMW 5-series (2010) photos and video of new F10

Let’s start with the tech: BMW claims the new 5-series is the first car in its class to feature start-stop tech, an eight-speed automatic transmission and double wishbone front suspension. The new 5-series is also the first BMW to get the company's new Park Assist tech, slotting the car into a space by twiddling the wheel, leaving the driver to operate on the accelerator and brake pedals. A bit like a VW Touran, then.

Mercedes-Benz courts Renault for new Smart model based on Twingo

Mercedes-Benz is set to join forces with Renault in a deal aimed at providing its underdeveloped Smart division with a contemporary-engineered front-engine/front-wheel-drive platform as the basis for a frugal new Forfour model. The new Smart, due out in 2013, is planned to sit on a lightly modified version of the Renault Twingo’s underpinnings, complete with a 93.3-inch wheelbase. Speaking about the new car over the weekend, a highly placed Mercedes-Benz official told AutoWeek: “It’s a key component in plans to grow the Smart brand.