(June 2, 2011)  DEARBORN, Mich. -- Ford is expanding its range of fuel-efficient powertrains in North America with the addition of a new 1.0-liter EcoBoost  three-cylinder – the smallest engine Ford has ever built – and an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.

In addition, Ford's next generation of hybrid vehicles, including a new plug-in hybrid that will launch next year, will have a Ford-engineered transmission that will be built in Michigan.

(June 2, 2011) Toyota is offering an estimated six months of free fill-ups (5,000 miles maximum) for the purchase of a new Aygo, Yaris, Auris and Verso in the UK. That's a deal that might move a view vehicles off the lots in the United States as well.

Each new car will be sold with a pre-loaded Visa card covering the cost of 5,000 miles of motoring – about the distance covered on average in six months of driving.

(June 1, 2011) May light vehicle sales in the U.S. were mixed with more losers than winners. As expected Honda and Toyota saw their sales falter because of low inventory created by parts shortages following the March earthquake in Japan.

Toyota sold 108,387 units, a decrease of 33 percent compared to the same period last year. Honda was down 23 percent compared to May 2010 with sales of 90,773. Year-to-date, Toyota is down 1 percent and Honda is up 7 percent.

(June 1, 2011) TORRANCE, Calif. — Toyota today announced that it will conduct a voluntary safety recall involving approximately 52,000 first-generation 2001 through 2003 Prius vehicles sold in the U.S. to replace the electric power steering pinion shaft attachment nuts.

The announcement is for U.S. vehicles included in Toyota’s global recall of 106,000 vehicles.