Charles Smart-y 50 Amp Shore Power on 2040-parts.com

Vauxhall, Opel, Pegueot, Citroen merger talks fail

Talks between GM Europe and PSA (Peugeot Citroen) have failed as a French government bailout for PSA looks imminent. When we reported in March that G.M. Europe (Vauxhall and Opel) has signed an agreement with PSA (Peugeot Citroen) to cut costs and share platforms we thought it a pointless gesture; the savings, compared to the huge losses, were minimal.

Video: The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo concept build process

Porsche has released a video featuring Style Director Michael Mauer charting the design process of the Panamera Sport Turismo concept. The 10-minute YouTube video, which also features General Manager Advanced Design Style Mitja Rorkert, follows the build process through each modeling phase right up until the presentation of the show car at this year's Paris motor show. "It always presents a special challenge when we develop a new kind of car for the Porsche brand," says Mauer, "precisely because we haven't been in the segment before, and the question of whether it matches the Porsche brand always looms in the background." We were impressed at the Panamera Sport Turismo concept's unveiling, particularly with its stance and detail execution, so the video is a chance to see just how this concept came into being.

Fiat, Magna, investment firm are three finalists to buy Opel

Italian automaker Fiat, Canadian parts maker Magna International and Belgian investment firm RHJ International look to be the final three bidders for General Motors' Opel subsidiary. Fiat has confirmed that it put in a bid for Opel. Final bids for Opel were due Wednesday evening.