Hamburg - The familiar cluttering sound of motorbike scooters that has reigned in southern European for more than a century may be ending as an electric scooter silently takes over the streets.

Until a few years ago, the electric scooter was considered an inventors' joke with a cumbersome heavyweight battery pack that made it about as manoeuvrable as a loaded Bedford truck. But the latest battery-driven scooters and bikes can hardly be distinguished from their petrol-driven cousins with the new battery technology making it possible to hide the battery pack in the bodywork, giving it the same optimal weight distribution as in conventional bikes.

London, Oct 28 : Ferrari believes that a move to use standardised engines would negate their reason for existing in Formula One. 

Ferrari warned on Monday that they could quit formula one if the sport’s governing body continues with its plans to slash costs, the Guardian reported. 

The famous Italian team, which has been in Formula One since its inauguration in 1950, sent a firm signal to the FIA president, Max Mosley, that his idea of introducing so-called standard engines into the sport would take away their raison d’être for competing in motor racing.

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, expressed his concerns over the situations under which Ratan Tata had to shift the Nano car project from West Bengal to Gujarat. Furthermore, the PM added that there is an earnest need for industrialization in the country. 

Nano episode had been making headlines in Media from quite some time now, and when Mr.Singh was asked to comment on it, he said, "Well, we are a free democratic country. It is certainly sad the circumstances in which Ratan Tata had to move his project."

Frankfurt - Rare Volkswagen shares commanded giddying prices Monday on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange after Porsche announced it was within sight of 
75-per-cent control of Europe's biggest carmaker.

The stock spiked 200 per cent before settling to 520 euros at the close of electronic trading, up 146 per cent from Friday.

Analysts said it was not luxury car-maker Porsche that was paying the high price, but short sellers who had expected the stock to fall in value and suddenly needed to settle contracts.

Stuttgart - Daimler is to idle factories for five weeks because world sales of its Mercedes cars have slumped, a newspaper reported on Sunday, quoting a company spokesman.

The report came as Germany's other main premium car manufacturer, BMW, announced a four-day standstill at one of its car plants, in Leipzig, eastern Germany, amid signs that the world recession will be worse than so far feared.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung said the Mercedes closure would begin in mid-December, but gave no precise date. It said stocktaking would take place on December 12 and plants would not re-open before an annual holiday break at Christmas. Plants re-open on January 12.