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• January Auto Sales: Volkswagen

  HERNDON, Va.-- Volkswagen of America Inc. said Friday that U.S. auto sales rose 7 percent in January and marked the company's highest sales in the month since 1974.. BY THE NUMBERS: VW sold 29,018 vehicles, up from 27,208 in January 2012. TOP SELLERS: Sales of the Jetta fell 4 percent, but it was still VW's biggest seller in the U.S., at 10,522..

• Toyota tops car brands in U.S. consumer perception -survey

  DETROIT, Feb 1- Toyota Motor Corp again topped an annual U.S. consumer survey on brand perception released on Friday as all the top automakers' scores rose from last year.

• Toyota Top Auto Brand, Tesla Gaining: Survey

  

  It's becoming routine for Toyota. The latest survey of how Americans perceive various car brands ranks the Japanese auto maker as number one.

• UPDATE 1-US backs off goal of 1 mln electric cars by 2015

  WASHINGTON/ DETROIT, Jan 31- The U.S. Department of Energy on Thursday eased off President Barack Obama's stated goal of putting 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015, and laid out what experts called a more realistic strategy of promoting advanced-drive vehicles and lowering their cost over the next nine years.

• U.S. affirms commitment to EVs but eases off time-frame goal

  WASHINGTON/ DETROIT, Jan 31- The U.S. Department of Energy laid out a strategy on Thursday to promote green cars and lower their cost over the next nine years, but eased off its previously stated goal of putting 1 million electric cars on the road by 2015..

• UPDATE 1-AutoNation earnings beat Wall Street estimates

  Jan 31- AutoNation Inc, the largest U.S. auto dealer group, said strong new vehicle sales boosted its fourth-quarter net income by 20 percent and revenue by 13 percent. In early trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, AutoNation shares were up 0.6 percent at $45.35.

• AutoNation 4Q profit up 20 pct; plans rebranding

  DETROIT-- AutoNation Inc., the country's largest auto dealership chain, said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income rose almost 20 percent as the U.S. auto sales rebound continued to gain momentum. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., company also announced that its 210 U.S. domestic and import dealers will be branded as AutoNation stores this year.

• UPDATE 2-Infineon boosts sales forecast as carmakers restock

  FRANKFURT, Jan 31- German chipmaker Infineon forecast a rise in second-quarter sales and operating profit on Thursday as its key car clients started to restock, and said broader demand would also pick up.

• AutoNation CEO on Record Earnings Results 

  

  Mike Jackson, AutoNation chairman & CEO, weighs in on the company's fiscal fourth quarter, and discusses a new branding plan.

• UPDATE 3-Fiat debt grows as recovery spending mounts

  DETROIT/ MILAN, Jan 30- Fiat said on Wednesday its debt grew by about 1 billion euros in 2012 as European car sales tumbled 14 percent, leaving the Italian carmaker ever more dependent on strong growth at U.S. unit Chrysler.

• UPDATE 1-Fiat CEO keen for Chrysler buyout

  MILAN, Jan 30- Fiat SpA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said the Italian automaker would like to see the minority holder of U.S. affiliate Chrysler Group LLC sell out as soon as possible. It's up to them, "he said, referring to a United Auto Workers union retiree healthcare trust called VEBA that owns 41 percent of Chrysler.

• UPDATE 2-Fiat debts grow as recovery spending mounts

  DETROIT/ MILAN, Jan 30- Fiat said on Wednesday its debt grew by about 1 billion euros in 2012 as European car sales tumbled 14 percent, leaving the Italian carmaker ever more dependent on strong growth at U.S. unit Chrysler.

• UPDATE 1-Chrysler sees higher 2013 profit as comeback continues

  Jan 30- Chrysler Group LLC, the U.S. automaker majority owned by Italy's Fiat, said its 2013 profit would come in toward the low end of its initial business plan, and it cut its 2014 free cash flow forecast by two-thirds.

• Chrysler Earnings Jumps on Higher Sales

  

  In another sign of its turnaround, Chrysler said its profit jumped to $1.7 billion in 2012 as sales rose 18 percent.

• UPDATE 2-Toyota to recall 1 mln vehicles for airbag, wiper glitches

  TOKYO, Jan 30- Toyota Motor Corp will recall 1.1 million cars globally for two separate defects, including 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in the United States to fix airbags that could be deployed inadvertently, the automaker said on Wednesday.

• Will the Car Market Start to Recover in 2013? 

  

  Juergen Pieper, co-head of research at Bankhaus Metzler, tells CNBC why the European car market outlook is not as pessimistic as has been made out, although it should be braced for a tough start to 2013.

• Toyota to Recall 752,000 Corollas in US for Airbag Problems

  

  Toyota Motor will recall 1.1 million cars globally for defects, including 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in the United States to fix airbags that could be deployed inadvertently, the automaker said on Wednesday.

• UPDATE 1-Toyota to recall 752,000 Corollas in U.S. for airbag problems

  TOKYO, Jan 30- Toyota Motor Corp will recall 1.1 million cars globally for defects, including 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in the United States to fix airbags that could be deployed inadvertently, the automaker said on Wednesday.

• Chinese Firm Wins A123 Despite US Tech Transfer Fears

  

  China's largest auto parts maker won U.S. government approval to buy A123 Systems Inc, a bankrupt maker of electric car batteries that was funded with U.S. government money, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

• China's Used Car Market Outpaces New Sales Growth

  

  Used car sales in China grew faster than new car sales for a second straight year in 2012, and should account for half of all sales within seven years as the world's biggest autos market matures.