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Ford overhauls Michigan plant to build new Focus

Ford will spend $550 million to retool an assembly plant in suburban Detroit to build the redesigned 2011 Ford Focus. Production is to start next year. As part of the overhaul, the plant, known as Michigan Assembly, also will build an electric-powered version of the new Focus.

News watch December 2010: today's auto industry news

Welcome 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 31 December 2010• A judge in Manhattan has dismissed two lawsuits from hedge funds claiming for $2bn losses when it bought VW shares in 2008. Elliott Associates LP, Black Diamond Offshore and 39 other funds filed a complaint, claiming Porsche misled short-sellers who hadn't realised that Porsche had cornered the market in VW shares (Automotive News)Thursday 30 December 2010• Volvo plans to hire an extra 200 staff as it claims demand for its cars is rising.

Kia Forte

Kia has released renderings of its 2014 Forte model, known as the K3 in Korea and the Cerato in the European market, ahead of its debut at this year's Los Angeles auto show in November. The renderings show the Kia family tiger nose grille, while a rising line sweeps from the front to the rear, giving the car a much more aggressive stance than its predecessor. A steeply-raked windscreen and blacked-out side window frames, emphasized by a chrome strip around the side graphics, creating a more dynamic profile.