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Crunch watch August 09: the auto industry

By Tim Pollard, Alex Michaelides, Ben Pulman and Freddie Fulton Motor Industry 31 August 2009 10:00 Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour  Monday 31 August 2009• Bank holiday today in UK; staff on a well earned break from Crunchwatch!Friday 28 August 2009• Toyota will stop producing vehicles at the New United Moor Manufacturing plant in California next March. Company officials and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the decision, which comes in the wake of factory partner GM’s announced that it would abandon the venture back in June (Detroit News)• Tengzhong may finalise its deal to buy Hummer from GM next week, well placed sources told AN (Automotive News, subscription required)• German economics minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg says it is 'hardly realistic' for GM to keep hold of its European outfit Opel and Vauxhall (Automotive News Europe, subscription required)• Ford's US cop car favourite, the Crown Victoria, is going to cease production in 2011 (Detroit News)Thursday 27 August 2009• Nissan and Chrysler have abandoned plans to build cars for each other in the wake of Chrysler’s alliance with Fiat.

Nissan 2020 Vision Gran Turismo concept

Nissan is the latest manufacturer to unveil a virtual concept car for Polyphony's Gran Turismo game, appropriately based on its GTR flagship.Designed by the team at Nissan Design Europe in London, the 2020 Vision Gran Turismo takes the broad themes of the GTR and transposes them into a far more extreme expression of its character. The vertical front and circular rear lamps are familiar, while the tapered DLO and bodyside graphic are also recognizable, but its proportions are new – wildly low and wide. Wilder still is its surfacing, with extreme offsets through its body section, layered aero elements and wheel arches that incorporate exhaust outlets behind the front wheels and a Gandini-like hexagonal rear graphic.The rear of the Visions Gran Turismo is dominated by the vast lower venturi to suck it to the (virtual) circuit and an equally dominant wing pressing it down, bracketed by the iconic four round lamps.

Chevrolet GPiX concept

The 25th São Paulo Auto Show marked the debut of a new concept from General Motors: the Chevrolet GPiX crossover coupe. Developed by General Motors Design in Brazil, the concept represents a potential new segment for the auto giant in the emerging Latin American market. "It offers the sporty design and versatility necessary for a country with the continental dimensions of Brazil," said Carlos Barba, General Director of Design for GM Latin America, Africa and Middle East.