DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler Group LLC reported its first quarterly net profit since emerging from bankruptcy nearly two years ago, helped by a revamped lineup of cars and trucks as well as higher vehicle prices.

DETROIT (Reuters) - A dozen people, including 10 current or former Delta Air Lines baggage handlers, face drug trafficking and related charges in a probe of cocaine and marijuana smuggling, federal officials said on Thursday.

Japanese automaker Nissan has recalled nearly 271,000 sport utility vehicles in the United States and Canada to fix a defective steering column which can crack when exposed to road salt, officials said.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co Ltd recalled nearly 271,000 older-model Pathfinder and Infiniti QX4 SUVs in North America due to the chance that road salt and water could collect to cause a loss of steering, U.S. safety regulators said.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co Ltd recalled nearly 271,000 older-model Pathfinder and Infiniti QX4 SUVs in North America due to the chance that road salt and water could collect to cause a loss of steering, U.S. safety regulators said.

South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor and the local unit of French automaker Renault SA will recall almost 150,000 cars due to a manufacturing defect and a safety problem, officials said Monday.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp has told its U.S. dealers that about 21,000 RAV4 small SUVs from model year 2009 will be inspected for signs of peeling paint on fuel tanks, according to a notice.

British luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover, owned by India's Tata Motors, plans to open its first assembly plant in India by the end of May, a report said Tuesday.

"Outlander Sport" goes head to head with the Frog-like Juke. Mitsubishi RVR, Nissan Juke - A Tale of Two CVT Crossovers By Jim Bray TechnoFile.com One has a schnoz like Darth Vader's mask, the other looks like a legless frog on a skateboard, and the makers of both vehicles think they represent compelling solutions to customers' need for a small and capable crossover/wagon. Do they? It depends upon what you're looking for in a vehicle, of course. Mitsubishi's RVR (or "Outlander Sport" in the U.S.) is the tall wagon whose proboscis causes a great disturbance in the force. It's more like a conventional wagon than the Juke ? the second vehicle under dissection, er, discussion here. The little Juke is more of a conventional SUV or crossover. Between them, Mitsubishi and Nissan have a lot of bases covered for people seeking a reasonably small utilitarian vehicle. Both vehicles sport ? no intimation of sportiness intended ? four cylinder engines that get their power to the wheels via continuo

One's a luxury ute, the other a smug-emitting hybrid. Mercedes GLK 350 4Matic and Toyota Prius ? Utility Meets Political Correctness By Jim Bray TechnoFile.com Mercedes-Benz' "entry level" SUV offers a lot of benefits for the luxury-minded consumer, while Toyota's third generation Prius is a rolling political statement that's definitely not aimed at the automotive enthusiast. Let's talk about the Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 4MATIC first. I got my test sample just as we received a bunch of snow, and it proved to be a wonderful time to test such a vehicle ? except that it forced me to actually leave the house on some very, very chilly days. At least I got to go out in a Mercedes-Benz! The midsize GLK goes head to head with such worthy competitors as the Volvo XC60, VW Touareg, Lexus RX 350, BMW X5 and Audi Q5. And 'twould be tough, indeed, to decide between 'em if it were my money. The GLK 350 (as do many of today's vehicles) gets its motivation from a 3.5 liter, 24-valve V6 engine. This parti

Big SUV gets major overhaul for 2011. New Explorer Covers New Territory for Ford By Jim Bray TechnoFile.com Quebec, Canada ? It bristles with high tech new features, and Ford is hoping its new Explorer will be discovered by armies of consumers searching for just the right big SUV. Ford introduced the all-new 2011 Explorer to a group of media folk at a "Winter Adventure" in the ultra-frosty climes of Quebec City and environs, an event that also proved the value of a good heating system for that time of year, when the temperature drops to near Absolute Zero. Fortunately, the Explorer's heater works well! Even better, there's a lot more about it that works well, including the MyFord Touch interface and a bunch of safety and driving aid features that can help keep the Explorer planted wheels down regardless of the terrain. Ford claims its reinvented Explorer offers best-in-class fuel economy as well as improved driving dynamics. The company also says the new, unibody-based Explorer raises

The South Korean unit of US auto giant GM on Wednesday unveiled a new hatchback as part of an ambitious plan to introduce eight models this year to expand its domestic and global market share.

EL PASO, Texas (Reuters) - U.S. customs agents in Texas seized a tripod-mounted machine gun they found on the back seat of a sport utility vehicle headed into Mexico and arrested the driver, authorities said on Tuesday.

Japan's Suzuki Motor said Monday it had resumed production in Egypt following a week-long suspension in the wake of bloody anti-government protests in the country.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co will increase production for deliveries to its U.S. dealers by 13 percent in the first quarter of 2011 and may add third shifts to some of its plants, Ford sales executives said on Sunday.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler Group LLC canceled first production shifts at several plants in eight locations on Wednesday due to a shortage of parts.

Japan's Nissan Motor has halted its production in Egypt at least for this week due to deepening turmoil in the country hit by bloody anti-government protests, a spokeswoman said Monday.

New generation SUV grows in size, shrinks its footprint.     VW Touareg Ups Its Own Ante for '11 By Jim Bray TechnoFile.com It's bigger, more graceful and more efficient than the previous generation and you can get it in a hybrid if that's important to you. It's also comfortable and luxurious, kind of a "less well-heeled man's" Porsche Cayenne. The difficult to spell Touareg is Volkswagen's full-sized SUV and it's a fine one. And for 2011 the Touareg, promoted as the second generation of the vehicle, there are substantial changes from the original model. VW says the new Touareg is wider and shorter than its predecessor, "for a stronger presence". It's also longer, with a longer wheelbase that translates into more interior space ? and it manages to do all this while weighing approximately 350 pounds less than the old Touareg. It's also supposed to feature an improved ride, more function and convenience and offers customers three engine choices: the supercharged hybrid, the very nice V6

Chances are you'll be able to save money on premiums.. Chances are you'll be able to save money on premiums.

In another sign of the US auto industry's recovery, Chrysler Group has said it plans to build a new sport utility vehicle for Italy's Maserati in North America.