Used 190/50zr17 Michelin 190/50/17 Rear Motorcycle Tire Pilot Power (223) on 2040-parts.com

News watch September 2011: today's auto industry news

Come to CAR Magazine's news aggregator as we round up the daily stories in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hourFriday 30 September 2011• Toyota and Honda have both returned to full production after Easter's disastrous earthquake. September car sales will be released next week, and Bloomberg predicts a rise to 12.8 million seasonally adjusted annual rate (Bloomberg)• The US now predicts a slightly smaller 2011 full-year sales total.

New BMW M5 & M6 Competition Package & new 518d prices revealed

The competition package for the new M5 & M6 costs from £5,500 The arrival of the newly refreshed BMW 5 Series saw the arrival of a new entry-level point – the 518d – and the option at the other end of the scale of a Competition Package for both the M5 and M6 (in all three varieties). Now, BMW has decided how much they are going to cost you. The Competition Package for the M5 and M6 comes in a bit steeper than we’d expected (we reckoned it would cost around £5k), with the cheapest option being on the M6 Gran Coupe £5,500) and the most expensive on the M5 saloon (£6,700).

Aston Martin Vantage upgraded for 2012

Aston Martin's Vantage receives upgrades for 2012, with the base Vantage V8 getting the most attention. The Vantage V8 retains the 4.7-liter, 420-hp V8 and six-speed manual as standard equipment, but it now will be offered with the optional seven-speed Sportshift II from the Vantage S. The automatic transmission has closer ratios, a lower final drive ratio and quicker shifts than the previous Sportshift unit.