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News watch April 2011: today's auto industry news

Come to CAR Magazine's news aggregator as we round up the daily stories in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hourFriday 28 April 2011• Due to UK royal wedding national public holidays, CAR Online news coverage will be reduced until CAR reopens on Tuesday 3 May (CAR)• The Saab financial situation continues to develop. Both the Swedish National Debt Office and General Motors are said to have given their approval for the proposed lease-back sale of Saab property to investor Vladimir Antonov.

Maserati shows Alfieri concept at the Geneva motor show

It's named the Alfieri concept, which Maserati will be the first to tell you is not the "Guyfieri." Otherwise, it'd come with a golden roof, a Ferrari V8 slathered in beer batter, and a deep-fried interior reeking of Cheetos and desperation. Make that balsamic vinegar, according to Maserati, the dark condiment evidently imbued with "a centenary tradition of craftsmanship and passion." Much like Maserati's celebration of its 100-year history at this Geneva auto show, as represented by the silver ingot shown above. Indeed the Alfieri concept, a gorgeous wide-grilled sports car more in line with the Porsche 911 than its own GranTurismo, is a celebration of Alfieri Maserati, one of the five brothers who founded the eponymous company.

Ford's forgotten T-Drive program

Digital boss Andy Stoy recently passed along this little piece of nearly forgotten Ford history from the early 1990s. We know that our girl Murilee Martin dug this up way back in 2010, but the wonder of the Ford T-Drive system is worth revisiting. According to Drivingenthusiast.com, “T-drive is a system consisting of a transversally located inline engine, a transmission and associated packaging.” The transmission is mounted to the side of the engine, or the back, depending on how you look at things.