Clunkers records $2.88 billion in rebates

Dealers submitted a total of 690,114 cash-for-clunkers deals for $2.88 billion in rebates by last night's 8 p.m. deadline, coming in under the $3 billion budget for the popular program, the U.S. Transportation Department said today.

What VW should do next

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 23 November 2006 09:59 A new boss takes the reins of VW in January, and Martin Winterkorn has some big decisions to make about VW's plans. VW's future model policy lacks variety. But it's been like that for years, with the people's car maker slow to pick up on booming niches like mid-size MPVs and SUVs, or folding tin-top cabrios.

Luxgen Luxgen5 sedan

Luxgen, Taiwan's only automotive manufacturer with its own design and development center, has announced the launch of the Luxgen5 sedan, which the company says has three design aesthetic elements: surfacing performance, re-curved strokes and intelligent airfoil. What this translates to is a silhouette comparable to the Opel Insignia, with an arcing A-pillar that runs through the cant rail onto the high rear deck. The DRG boasts a large grille, where the chromed ‘wing' motif runs into the LED lamp graphics. The sculpted flanks feature an array of character and detail lines that fall into the ‘re-curved strokes' category of the Luxgen design language.