(October 18, 2010) HERNDON, Va. — Audi TDI clean diesel technology— with its ability to reduce carbon emissions by 20 percent and its 30 percent fuel-economy gains over comparable gasoline engines — has demonstrated it belongs in the conversation surrounding America’s pressing energy concerns.

Validation of that came last year when the Green Car Journal named the Audi A3 TDI as its 2010 Green Car of the Year, and into this year when U.S. consumer demand for Audi TDI models tripled original expectations.

(October 18, 2010) WEST POINT, Ga. — Kia has been perhaps more of a boon for this aera southwest of Atlanta than first thought just a few years ago.

Kia this month launched a second shift of production at the new West Point facility hiring more than 600 new team members to prepare for the addition of the second production shift bringing the total number of jobs created at the plant to more than 2,000.

(October 18, 2010) Jaguar Land Rover said Friday it no longer plans to close one of its three auto plants in England after reaching an agreement with trade unions.

JLR, which Ford Motor Co. sold to India's Tata Motors in 2008, said it would be significantly increasing the number of models in its range and creating thousands of jobs over the next decade.

(October 17, 2010) DEARBORN, Mich. — The all-new Ford Explorer has been turning heads with its eye-catching, modern design, and things will be no different when it hits the floor of the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show this year, which will be held Nov. 2-5 in Las Vegas.

(October 16, 2010) TOKYO  — Ford  plans to sell a majority of its stake in Mazda Motor Corp. to Sumitomo group firms and other companies with close business ties with Mazda, the Nikkei business daily reported on Friday.

Ford, the top shareholder in the Japanese automaker with 11 percent stake, is expected to reduce its interest to 3 percent or less, the daily reported.

(October 16, 2010) DETROIT — General Motors is recalling 322,409 Chevrolet Impalas from the 2009 and 2010 model years to inspect for a small number of vehicles whose front seat belt webbing may not have been properly secured to the lap belt anchor pretensioner mounted to the side of the seat nearest the door.

(October 15, 2010) Ford said Thursday that it has priced the 3.5-liter turbocharged V-6 engine $1,750 above its entry-level engine for its 2011 F-150 pickups.

The V6 engine, which Ford brands as EcoBoost, is expected to get the best fuel economy of Ford’s four new engines for the truck and it has the highest towing capacity.

(October 15, 2010) PARIS – The new Chevrolet Aveo will go into production in Seoul, Korea next year, and begin a rollout that will include a U.S.-assembled version of the car in 2012.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm stopped by the Aveo display on Friday during a tour of the Paris Motor Show.

(October 15, 2010) SYDNEY — The all-new Ford Ranger – the latest in a wave of global vehicles — makes its worldwide debut Thursday at the Australian International Motor Show. The all-new Ranger has a powerful presence and promises to give pickup truck owners more can-do capability and a transformed truck ownership experience.

(October 14, 2010) Nissan has announced U.S. pricing for the refreshed 2011 Nissan Murano Crossover SUV, which is on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide.

The Murano is base trim will sticker for $28,500 not including destination charge.