07 08 09 10 Silverado 1500 Onstar Module on 2040-parts.com

GM's historic Willow Run plant closes

After 68 years of arming the nation and putting America on wheels, the Willow Run manufacturing plant in southeast Michigan closed on Thursday. The 5-million-square-foot powertrain plant, owned by Motors Liquidation Corp., the remnants of the former General Motors Corp., has fallen victim to GM's 2009 bankruptcy and subsequent restructuring. About 300 workers left at the plant will either “retire, transfer to another campus or go on layoff,” said Chris Lee, a spokesman for the reorganized General Motors Co.

2009 BMW Z4 announced

BMW has officially released details of the next BMW Z4, due to be shown at Detroit and in UK showrooms in the spring. The new Z4 looks like a big improvement on the outgoing model. The old Z4 had Marmite looks – you loved it or hated it – but the new BMW Z4 has much more voluptuous lines.

VW to buy Italdesign Giugiaro, sources say

Volkswagen AG will buy a controlling stake in Italy's largest design and engineering firm, Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A., two industry sources confirmed to Automotive News Europe. One of the sources said that an announcement could come as early as next week. Italdesign and VW representatives declined to comment.