A round up of this week's other stories in brief
New Ford Ka arrives with choice of Fiat 500 engines
It all started in the spotlights of the 2005 Geneva Motor Show: Sergio Marchionne, boss of Fiat, and the then chief of Ford Europe, Lewis Booth, began talks about a co-operation for a new city-car project, namely a replacement for the Ford Ka and a successor of the Fiat Seicento. Two years later, the first of the twins was born: the Fiat 500.
This is the second fruit from that deal, the new Ford Ka. The delay in releasing the Ford is down to the time it takes to develop and build construction robots for the interior. Both the Fiat 500 and the new Ford Ka, will be built in Fiat's Tychy plant in Poland. All three engines from the Fiat 500 will be available for the Ka.
Wagoner defends SUV reliance
Rick Wagoner, General Motors' chief executive, has mounted a robust defence of Detroit carmakers' dependence on SUVs and pick-up trucks, dismissing criticism that the companies were to blame as demand for those vehicles has collapsed.
"Is it the US manufacturers who are stupid? I don't think so," Wagoner said in an interview with the Financial Times, referring to GM, Ford Motor and Chrysler.
Wagoner noted Detroit's Japanese rivals had spent more than a decade trying to match its leadership in SUVs and pick-up trucks.
In a clear reference to Toyota, he said the foreign companies had spent billions of dollars on pick-up plants that came on stream "five minutes before" the oil price began to soar.
Referring to the wrenching adjustments being forced on carmakers by the high oil price, Wagoner compared the current uncertainty over the future of the petrol-powered car with the earliest days of the automotive industry.
GM's view is that electricity in various forms would increasingly provide the power for cars, he said.
Improved efficiency for new 911
Porsche's new 911, due out later this summer, is set to feature direct fuel injection and double clutch technology along with increased performance and improved fuel efficiency. The flat-six engines will move over to Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), as already seen on the Cayenne V-engines. T
he technology allows the engines to produce more power whilst using less fuel and reducing running costs. Maximum output of the 911 Carrera 3.6-litre is up by 20bhp to 345bhp, while the Carrera S 3.8-litre power unit is up by 30bhp to 385bhp.
Available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or the PDK double-clutch transmission, the 3.6-litre engine has an emissions level of 225g/km, scraping into the second last tax band of 32 per cent.