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Car makers shun Detroit show NAIAS 2009

By Simon Stiel Motor Shows 27 November 2008 11:28 The number of car makers pulling out of Detroit's major auto show, the North American International Auto Show 2009, is growing. The very survival of Detroit is being questioned as Congress debates the $25 billion aid package to save GM, Ford and Chrysler – and now it looks as if the NAIAS is under threat too. In the past weeks, Ferrari, Land Rover, Rolls Royce, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Suzuki have announced their withdrawal from the show, which is scheduled to begin on 11 January 2009.

Audi develops new A2; plans for U.S. unclear

Audi is developing a reincarnation of the A2 small car that will slot between the A3 and the A1 minicar introduced in Geneva last week. "There's clearly room for another product and another concept between the A3 and A1," Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said on the sidelines of the Geneva auto show. Michael Dick, Audi's board member for technology, said in an interview that the company's push to add electric variants will play a role with the next-generation A2 "in the near future." The German media have reported that the A2 is expected by 2014.

Vauxhall and Opel 'not for sale' - CEO Akerson

GM chief executive Dan Akerson has overnight dismissed claims that its Vauxhall/Opel European division is for sale. CAR's European editor Georg Kacher, and media outlets in Germany, reported last month that German chancellor Angela Merkel had weighed in to the debate and encouraged Volkswagen to step in and take GM Europe off GM's hands. Vauxhall and Opel have also been linked to a possible sale to the Chinese.