Hamburg  - The new Mazda2 three-door supermini is now available in European showrooms with an entry price of around 11,450 euros (17,770 dollars), the Japanese car maker has announced.

The three-door version comes at 500 euros cheaper than the five- door version which was introduced late last year.

The 1.3-litre engine fitted to both models comes in a 55 kW/75 hp and 63 kW/86 hp version. The 1.5-litre engine develops 76 kW/103 hp. In addition Mazda offers a 1.4-litre diesel version with 50 kW/86 hp.

Hamburg  - German businessman Oliver Schmidt dislikes the word "museum" and that is why visitors to a fascinating new display of cars in the heart of Hamburg will find no reference to it.

Munich/Schwalbach - Car designers are currently probing new ways to avoid one of the most dangerous hazards of night driving - drowsiness and falling asleep at the wheel.
Many car crashes can be traced back to such momentary losses of concentration, a sudden sleepiness which can easily cause a motorist to veer onto the wrong side of the road with potentially fatal consequences.
To combat this phenomenon, an increasing number of new vehicles are being fitted with a bleeper that can alert the driver before he or she succumbs.
Now scientists are looking into a new way to fight grogginess at the wheel using high-intensity interior lights which prevent the driver from getting tired in the first place.

Sydney  - Japanese car-maker Toyota will get a government subsidy for building hybrid petrol-electric Camrys at its Melbourne factory, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Tuesday while on a v

Stuttgart  - Sports car manufacturer Porsche lost one hour's production Thursday as the powerful IG Metall trade union called members off the job to press demands for paid early retirement.

With the aim to strengthen its presence in Eastern India, TVS Motor Co, Chennai-based two wheeler maker, has signed up a manufacturing deal with Mahabharat Motors Manufacturing Co.