MINI’s big Porsche competing PR shambles +video

The MINI-v-911 at Atlanta Track (click image to enlarge track map) So MINI threw down a challenge to Porsche. “Come Race us” they said. “No thanks”, said Porsche.

News watch March 2010: today's auto industry news

Tuesday 30 March 2010• Mercedes has dismissed claims that its Maybach brand is for sale, after reports in the Chinese media claimed Chinese car company BYD was considering a bid for the upmarket offshoot. BYD has also denied the claims (Reuters)• Toyota president Akio Toyoda has promised his company will listen more carefully to customers and react faster in a bid to regain credibility after the Japanese car manufacturer was forced to recall millions of vehilces over safety fears (BBC)• The Obama administration is expected to unveil its finalised fuel economy and tailpipe emissions through to 2016 this week, to coincide with the opening of the 2010 New York auto show (Detroit News)  Monday 29 March 2010• Toyota has agreed to licence the hybrid technology in the Prius to Mazda, which will combine the electric system with its next-gen Sky engines. It’s part of Mazda’s plans to increase the average fuel economy of its vehicles by 30% by 2015 (compared to 2008 levels) and it hopes to have its first hybrid vehicle on sale in Japan by 2013 (Mazda)• Ford and Chinese car company Geely have signed a stock purchase agreement that will allow the latter to acquire 100% of Volvo (along with related assets including intellectual property rights).

Vauxhall Corsa gets a 2010 eco facelift

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 19 November 2009 00:01 Blink and you'll miss it – but your accountant won't. The new 2010 model year Vauxhall Corsa has been nipped and tucked, tweaked and polished to produce an impressive average 13% fuel saving across the range.Five out of the six Corsa engines now produce less than 125g/km and the 2010 Corsa Ecoflex diesel now manages up to 76.3mpg (on the Government's not-especially-representative combined figures).How have they made the Corsas so much cleaner?Just good old-fashioned engine tuning, apparently. Most models also come with an eco gearshift indicator to guilt-trip drivers into shifting up at the earliest opportunity.Vauxhall claims it'll sell more sub-125g/km cars than any other model range in the UK in 2010; all manual gearbox Corsas will qualify for free tax discs from next spring when Britain's new VED rates come into force.Anything else new on the 2010 Corsa?It's not just fuel-saving, miser-making tips.