MITSUBISHI MAKEOVER: Mitsubishi will soon announce a dramatic overhaul of its worldwide operations. As part of a review led by Smart boss Andreas Renschler, Plan V as it's being called is designed to cut huge losses and could streamline the model line-up. It's also likely to lead to more platform sharing with sister firm Chrysler. Renschler is now tipped to replace Rolf Eckrodt as chairman of the car firm later this year.
BUYING SPREE: British car sales reached a record in the first three months of the year as drivers took low-interest loans and remortgaged homes to buy new cars. Sales of 466,955 in March were the highest since the twice-yearly number plate system was introduced in 1999 and meant the rolling 12-month figure also hit a record.
TYRE TEST WINNER: Bridgestone tyres have topped rankings in tests of summer tyres by Germany's car magazine, ADAC Motorwelt. The firm's Irish operation recently opened new offices and a distribution centre in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.
OPEN SESAME: Peugeot's Sésame concept (below) is to become reality. The mini-MPV will feature the same sliding doors as the concept when it goes into production in early 2005. Based on the same platform as Citroën's C2 and C3, it will be slightly larger than the 206, and may be called the 207 (the Sésame name is unlikely to survive). It will make its debut at the Paris show later in the year.
FORD'S PAY: Bill Ford got about €12 million in compensation for 2003, a year that saw the carmaker return to profit for the first time since 2001. The company disclosed that the chairman's compensation included a stock option grant covering 4 million shares with a strike price of $9.82, well below Ford's close at $13.59 last Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange. Ford has forgone a cash salary since he ousted former CEO Jacques Nasser, who led the company to a €4.5 billion loss in 2001.