The worst is yet to come for Europe's troubled automotive industry, Ford chief financial officer Bob Shanks warned in an interview Tuesday.

European auto sales plunged to the lowest point for 17 years in 2012, trade data showed on Wednesday, revealing the dire state of the sector despite the global strength of German automakers.

Pickup trucks may be the essence of the identity of the American working man, rugged, beefy, and powerful, but they're now also about soft leather interiors, iPad mounts, easy steps to scale the rising floorlines and fuel efficiency.

From navigation systems serving as game consoles to sound systems doubling as amplifiers and nail polish matching a paint job, automakers are trying new tricks to lure fickle young buyers.

Renault announce plans Tuesday to cut its staff in the country by 7,500 workers to become more competitive and prepare for the hiring of others with specific skills.

The green car market is only inching along in the United States, hampered by high comparative costs and limited ranges on pure electric vehicles, but automakers remain confident their time will come.

Shelby American, the classic builder of hyper-powered muscle cars with the bulked-up Mustang styling, took aim at the tuner generation Tuesday with a new compact based on Ford's Focus.

Luxury carmakers should be smiling. The resurgent US market, China's booming wealth sector and other rising large economies, are delivering strong sales to the likes of BMW, Mercedes Benz and Bentley.

Toyota launched a new hybrid version of its IS luxury Lexus sedan at the Detroit auto show Tuesday, but it will only be available in showrooms in Japan and Europe.

Stand-out styling, performance and luxury were on display as global automakers sought to stake out ground in the high-profit premium car sector at the Detroit auto show.

Nissan said it would slash the price of its pioneering all-electric Leaf sedan to boost sales, after a disappointing 2012.

Honda unveiled Monday a stylish "urban SUV" concept at the heart of a small car onslaught aimed at helping the Japanese automaker boost global sales by 50 percent over the next four years.

Luxury carmaker Bentley wants you comfortable in a Force 5 hurricane -- the four-seat convertible that it launched Monday can hit 202 miles per hour (325 kph) with the top down.

Honda chief Takanobu Ito expressed hope Monday that China and Japan will resolve their row over disputed islands given the key economic ties between the two countries.

German auto power Daimler could take a stake in its Chinese partner BAIC as it seeks to raise funds on capital markets, Daimler chief Dieter Zetsche said Monday at the Detroit auto show.

Stand-out styling, performance and luxury dominated the Detroit auto show Monday as carmakers jostled for position amid booming sales and renewed optimism after a deep downturn.

Toyota on Monday regained the global sales crown lost when the 2011 Japanese tsunami devastated its supplies as US rival General Motors saw its share of the global market shrink.

Luxury and sports cars will be in the spotlight when the Detroit auto show opens Monday amid booming sales and renewed optimism as the US economy rebounds from a deep downturn.

Toyota regained the global sales crown lost when the 2011 Japanese tsunami devastated its supplies as US rival General Motors saw its share of the global market shrink.

Luxury and sports cars will be in the spotlight when the Detroit auto show opens Monday amid booming sales and renewed optimism as the US economy rebounds from a deep downturn.