Colombo - Tamil rebels launched a suicide attack on two merchant ships off a harbour in northern Sri Lanka causing considerable damage to the hull of one of the ships Wednesday morning, the Defence Ministry said.

The ships, carrying essential supplies for civilians in the north. came under attack off Kankesanthurai harbour, 410 kilometres north of the capital.

Navy spokesman Commander DKP Dassanayke said that three LTTE suicide vessels came for the attack and one of the boats exploded close to the merchant ship Nilwala causing damage.

Dearborn, U. S. - Ford has revealed small details of the 2010 model Ford Mustang that it is planning to unveil at the Los Angeles Motor Show next month.

Teaser images released by Ford reveal exterior modifications to the front, rear flank and wheels. The dashboard gets a new instrument cluster with revised gauges, as well as new vents and glove box. The famous badge, depicting a pony, has also been redesigned with a more dynamic and edgy appearance.

Previous spy shots revealed a deeper grille than the previous model, new headlights and a lowered bumper with Ford retaining the basic unmistakeable rectangular Mustang shape that has been a hallmark since it was first launched in 1964.

Paris - Renault and Nissan are planning to mass produce electric-drive cars for the French market by 2011 with the car maker signing a memorandum of understanding with the electricity producer EDF to develop supporting battery recharging infra-structure.

Until January 2010, the partners will study all the necessary technical and other requirements to supply "high-performance and affordable electric vehicles" by 2011, Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn announced.

Los Angeles - Mazda will debut a fully redesigned version of its top selling compact Mazda 3 at the Los Angeles Motor Show next month, the Japanese car maker has announced.

Five years after its first launch, the 2010 model Mazda 3 has been refined with more dynamic design features such as pronounced fenders and angular headlights.

Mazda also claims improved fuel economy and a quieter ride compared to the predecessor model.

After the world debut of the U. S. Specification sedan fitted with 2 and 2.5-litre engines, the five-door hatchback will be unveiled in line with the company's global sales schedule, the car maker announced.

Hamburg - Major car makers are falling over each other with announcements of plans to produce zero-emission electric drive and fuel-saving hybrid vehicles with experts agreeing that demand for such vehicles is so high that the industry will probably not be able to meet it fully in the coming years.

All the big car makers had an electric-drive vehicle on show including the French, Japanese, German and U. S. manufacturers, at the recent Paris Motor Show. After spending decades in the backyards of hobby mechanics the electric car is becoming a realistic alternative, triggered by a leap in lithium-ion battery technology that is lighter and more compact than the heavy nickel-cadmium version.

Los Angeles - Nissan is expected to showcase its new 370Z at the Los Angeles Motor Show next month with spy shots revealing a shorter and more aggressive styling than the 350Z and an overhauled interior.

According to several reports, it will get the 3.7-litre V6 motor from the Infiniti G37 with an output of 330 hp mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

Spy pics reveal a sharp roofline, new front and rear, wide wheel arches and steep windscreen.