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Techno group Daft Punk's Ferrari 412 being auctioned for Japan fundraiser

Here's a car that will appeal to Ferrari fans and techno fans--the 1987 Ferrari 412 shown at the start of the 2007 movie Daft Punk's Electroma. The Ferrari is one of several musician-related items being auctioned off by EMI Group as a fundraiser for disaster-relief efforts in Japan. The car is in mint condition, still wears the HUMAN license plate as seen in the movie, and it has been signed by Daft Punk members Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter.

GM to keep GMC, Pontiac, exec says

A senior General Motors executive today denied reports that President Barack Obama's automotive task force has pressured the automaker to dump GMC and Pontiac. Company sales chief Mark LaNeve also denied rumors that GM plans to terminate the franchise agreements of poorly performing dealers before June 1 to accelerate its dealership consolidation campaign. "The strategy we laid out for you [in February] is still the strategy," LaNeve, GM's vice president of vehicle sales, service and marketing, said today in an interview with Automotive News.

Japan-market Toyota Corolla gets upscale and safety features

Toyota Motor Corp. is packing the redesigned 11th-generation Corolla with new technologies in a bid to give the compact a more upscale feel. Standard or optional on the Japanese version of the Corolla are such features as climate-controlled seats, automatic high-beam headlamp dimmers, safety belts with pre-tensioners and interior lights that turn off automatically.