Bucharest - Renault SA's Romanian plant will halt production for three weeks as the country's car market slows, a news agency reported Monday.

Employees at Dacia, which makes budget-priced compact cars mostly for export, will get 85 per cent of pay during the November 20-December 7 break, the Mediafax agency said.

From January through October, Dacia's production ran at 17 per cent above last year's level. But production recently was halted for four days because of slowing demand.

Riga - With sales of new cars in Latvia shrinking by more than a third in the first ten months of 2008 according to figures released Monday, it was left to carmakers at opposite ends of the price spectrum to report the strongest results.

Total sales of new cars in the Baltic country for January to October dropped to 10,434 from 17,239 in the same period last year, according to the Latvian Authorized Car Dealers Association.

Sydney  - Australia's three foreign-owned carmakers will receive subsidies worth 6.2 billion Australian dollars (4.3 billion US dollars) over the next 13 years, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Monday.

Around 20 per cent of the cash going to Toyota Motor Corp, GM Holden Ltd and the Ford Motor Co will be reserved for hybrids and low-emission vehicles.

Australia's automotive trio roll out petrol-thirsty six-cylinder cars that have lost their appeal in the local market because of higher petrol prices and environmental concerns.

Pune, Nov. 9 : Small-scale industry workers in Pune on Saturday lamented dull prospects due the cost cutting measures of Tata Motors.

Tata Motors Ltd, India''s largest vehicle maker, is closing two of its commercial vehicle plants for six days later this month to avoid inventory build-up, a spokesman for the company said on Friday.

Its commercial vehicle plant in Pune, in the western state of Maharashtra, will be shut from Nov. 21-26, while its commercial vehicle plant in Lucknow will be shut from Nov. 10-15, he said.

German luxury car manufacturer, Audi launched a super sports model 'Audi R8' in India. The mid-engine sports car is available at Rs 1.17 crore including central sales tax, transportation and other charges.

The sports car is equipped with an engine displacement of 4,163 cc and a power output of 420 hp. It can attain a maximum speed of 301 km. R8 comes with six-speed R-tronic gearbox and an all-aluminium space frame body. It's highly sophisticated interior and exterior design offers luxurious feel to driver with a number of interior options. The company is committed to make it as the most successful premium brand by 2015.

Washington - Congressional leaders Saturday joined president-elect Barack Obama's call for support of the ailing auto industry, sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson to tap money from the 700-billion-dollar financial rescue package.

"A healthy automobile manufacturing sector is essential to the restoration of financial market stability, the overall health of our economy, and the livelihood of the automobile sector's workforce," said Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.