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For the last six weeks, Ford's top executives met almost daily to craft a plan to keep the company solvent in the face of the worst financial crisis in decades. Surrounded by black-and-white photographs of Henry Ford and the Model T in the Thunderbird Room on the 11th floor of Ford's world headquarters, they waged a battle to decide Ford's future.

Executives from Detroit's Big Three automakers and the president of the United Auto Workers are scheduled to testify Wednesday before a House committee in a dramatic show of support for $25 billion in emergency loans to help the ailing automakers.

President-elect Barack Obama has raised the idea of appointing a so-called "auto czar" to oversee emergency federal aid to automakers, exact tough corporate reforms and ensure taxpayers earn a return on any investment in the auto industry.

Advocates for the nation's automakers are warning that the collapse of the Big Three - or even just General Motors - could set off a catastrophic chain reaction in the economy.

China Automotive systems, a power steering components and systems supplier in China, has received its initial purchase order for power steering gears from a global automotive manufacturer headquartered in North America.

EV Transportation, owner of EV Rental Cars, has announced that it is taking delivery of the new 2008 Toyota hybrids to add to its fleet of environmentally-friendly rental vehicles.

US-based heavy-truck and diesel engine manufacturer Navistar International has announced the reorganization of its truck business into four business units to focus on customers, products and growth opportunities.

I'm not a big fan of SUVs, but even I had to think twice about updating this list. Demand for SUVs is down, which means there are some great deals...

The world's largest Mercedez Benz facility is being set up in the Mussafah district of Abu Dhabi. Launched by Al Fahim Group's Emirates Motor Company and scheduled to be operational in the first quarter of 2009, the facility, which will span a total area of one million square feet, will feature a 4,382 sq metre showroom, 20,873 sq metre service centre with over 250 work-bays, 7,196 sq metre for spare parts, a multi-story parking lot and staff accommodation.

A website called Universal Motoring History has turned a comprehensive film archive into a free online motoring history resource. Try it...