A rebound in pickup truck sales led the way, especially for the Detroit automakers. Small businesses are replacing aging trucks that they've kept since the Great Recession.

6. Nissan cuts prices on 7 US models - Friday, April 26, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is cutting prices on seven of its 18 models in the U.S., hoping its cars and trucks will show up in more Internet searches by shoppers.

The price cuts vary with the amount of equipment on each model and run from 2.7 percent, or $580, on the top-selling Altima midsize car to 10.7 percent, or $4,400, on the Armada big SUV. Other models getting price cuts include the Sentra compact car, Juke small crossover SUV, Murano midsize crossover, Rogue small crossover and the Maxima full-size car.

7. Honda's quarterly profit rises despite China woes - Friday, April 26, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Honda's fiscal fourth quarter profit rose nearly 6 percent as the Japanese automaker's recovery from floods in Thailand the previous year offset recent sales losses in China.

Honda Motor Co. reported Friday a quarterly profit of 75.7 billion yen ($765 million), up from 71.5 billion yen the same period the previous year. Quarterly sales jumped 14 percent to 2.74 trillion yen ($27.7 billion).

8. Toyota top-selling automaker despite China fall - Friday, April 19, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota held onto its status as the world's top-selling automaker in the first quarter of this year, although the three-way race with General Motors and Volkswagen is proving tight, as its sales fall in China and Japan.

9. Toyota to build Lexus in Kentucky, add 750 jobs - Friday, April 19, 2013

GEORGETOWN, Ky. (AP) — Toyota will start building the Lexus ES 350 at a factory in Georgetown, Ky., starting in 2015, producing a luxury brand vehicle for the first time in the United States.

10. European car sales plummet, even in solid Germany - Friday, April 12, 2013

MILAN (AP) — Europe's auto market is in freefall. Once the motor for Europe's economy, the car industry has fallen victim to the region's widening recession and soaring unemployment. Carmakers have suffered 18 straight months of declining sales as people worried that they might soon be out of a job put off making big purchases.

11. Toyota's hybrid vehicle sales pass 5 million - Friday, April 12, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota's global sales of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles have surpassed 5 million in a milestone for a technology that was initially greeted with skepticism.

The Japanese automaker, which said Wednesday it had sold 5.125 million hybrid vehicles as of the end of March, started selling the Prius, the world's first mass produced hybrid passenger car, in 1997. Gas-electric hybrids deliver fuel efficiency by switching back and forth between a gasoline engine and electric motor depending on speed and other driving conditions, and recharges as it travels.

12. GM to roll out new line of smaller pickups - Friday, April 12, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors plans to roll out a line of completely revamped midsize pickup trucks, with gas mileage and features designed to take sales from Toyota's market-leading Tacoma.

The trucks will replace the aging Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. Mark Reuss, GM's North American president, said Tuesday that the trucks will be able to do 95 percent of the work that a big truck can do.

13. Japanese, other automakers hit with air bag recall - Friday, April 12, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — Six automakers, including Toyota, Honda and Nissan, are recalling nearly 3.4 million older-model vehicles worldwide because of defective air bags that can send shrapnel flying into the passenger compartment.

14. Toyota, Honda, Nissan announce air bag recall - Friday, April 05, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota, Honda and Nissan are recalling more than 2 million vehicles globally for an identical problem with air bags on the passenger side whose inflator may burst, sending plastic pieces flying.

15. Ford says Focus is best-selling car the world - Friday, April 05, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says its Focus small car was the best-selling vehicle nameplate in the world last year, with just over 1 million sold.

16. Nissan, Honda, Toyota shares boosted by Japan stimulus - Friday, April 05, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. shares of Japanese automakers are soaring Thursday as investors expect them to benefit from Japan's aggressive actions to stimulate its economy.

Shares of Nissan Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. all rose more than 4 percent after the Bank of Japan said it will increase the amount of cash in circulation.

17. Japan, EU agree to start free-trade negotiations - Friday, March 22, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Japan and the European Union agreed Monday to start negotiations for a free-trade pact encompassing nations that account for nearly a third of the world economy.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso spoke by telephone for 30 minutes late Monday, a Japanese government spokesman said. A Japan-EU summit set to begin Monday in Tokyo was shelved because of the financial crisis in Cyprus.

18. Toyota chief stresses safe growth - Friday, March 01, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — After four tumultuous years bookended by an unprecedented recall crisis and a return to the top of the global auto industry, Akio Toyoda is refashioning Toyota Motor Corp. into a leaner company that's more imbued with the venture spirit of founder Kiichiro Toyoda, his grandfather.

19. Former GM executive tapped for Toyota board - Friday, March 01, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota has tapped a former executive at U.S. rival General Motors to join its board, the first time in the Japanese automaker's 76-year history it is appointing directors from outside the company.

20. Volkswagen's Golf named Europe's Car of the Year - Friday, March 01, 2013

GENEVA (AP) — The Volkswagen Golf has been named Europe's Car of the Year by automotive journalists from more than 20 countries.

Introduced in 1974 and recently redesigned, the hatchback is the company's mass-market flagship — and a key element in its ambition to overtake Toyota as the world's biggest carmaker.

21. Toyota pays $29M to states to settle safety suit - Friday, February 15, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota said Thursday it will pay $29 million to 29 states and American Samoa as part of a settlement related to its safety recalls.

State attorneys general sued Toyota in 2010 after it recalled 14 million vehicles globally for accelerating without warning. The lawsuit accused Toyota of failing to notify customers promptly about the problems.

22. Tennessee part of $29M agreement with Toyota - Friday, February 15, 2013

NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee has joined 29 other states in a $29 million agreement with Toyota Motor Corp. over allegations the company concealed safety issues related to unintended acceleration.

23. Nissan quarterly profit dives on China sales slump - Friday, February 08, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan Motor Co. reported a 35 percent plunge in October-December profit to 54.1 billion yen ($579 million) as global sales languished, especially in China, where anti-Japanese sentiment flared over a territorial dispute.

24. Toyota raises annual forecasts on profit rise - Friday, February 01, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. raised its fiscal year profit forecast Tuesday to triple what it eked out for the disaster-struck previous year, as the world's top automaker continued on a comeback roll as sales surged, especially in the U.S.

25. 5 Super Bowl ads that enlist viewer help - Friday, February 01, 2013

Advertisers are finding new ways to get viewers into the game during Super Bowl XLVII, which airs on CBS on Sunday. Here are 5 campaigns that enlist viewer help in one form or another.

1. Coca-Cola created an online game that pits a troupe of showgirls, biker-style "badlanders" and cowboys against each other in a race to find a Coke in the desert. Viewers are encouraged to vote for their favorite group and set up obstacles that delay other groups on CokeChase.com. Obstacles include a traffic light or getting a pizza delivered, which both waste time. Coca-Cola's online game is alluded to in a Super Bowl ad and the winning group — which has the most "for" votes and the least "obstacle" votes will be announced after the Big Game. Coke will also give the first 50,000 people who vote a free Coke.

26. Honda profit surges, trims forecast on China - Friday, January 25, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Honda's quarterly profit surged nearly 63 percent as production recovered after disruptions from natural disasters, but the Japanese automaker slightly lowered its full-year profit forecast because of sales losses in China.

27. Toyota recalls 1.29M vehicles for air bags, wipers - Friday, January 25, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is recalling 907,000 vehicles, mostly Corolla models, around the world for faulty air bags and another 385,000 Lexus IS luxury cars for defective wipers.

Toyota Motor Corp. spokesman Naoto Fuse said Wednesday that two crashes were reported in the U.S. related to the air bag problem, but Toyota had not been able to confirm them. Fuse said it was unclear whether anyone had been injured in the two crashes. Toyota has confirmed 18 cases in the U.S. of abrasion-type injuries from the air bag problem, he said.

28. Nissan, Ford, Daimler to research hydrogen cars - Friday, January 25, 2013

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is joining with Daimler and Renault-Nissan to speed development of cars that run on hydrogen, with hopes of bringing a vehicle to market in as little as four years.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles generate electricity after a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen is stored in special high-pressure tanks, and the only emissions are water vapor and heat.

29. Toyota leads industry with nearly 9.75M vehicles sold last year - Friday, January 25, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Now it's official: Toyota is once again the world's top automaker.

Toyota Motor Corp. released its tally for global vehicle sales for last year Monday at a record 9.748 million vehicles — a bigger number than the estimate it gave last month of about 9.7 million vehicles.

30. Toyota, BMW working on new battery technology - Friday, January 18, 2013

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. and BMW Group are working together on next-generation batteries for green vehicles called "lithium-air" as their collaboration, first announced in late 2011, moves ahead in fuel cells, sports vehicles and other fields.

31. Toyota settles in case of 2 killed in Utah crash - Friday, January 18, 2013

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. has settled with family members of two people killed in a sudden-acceleration crash in Utah as part of a lawsuit that was to go to court next month and serve as a test case for a group of hundreds more that are pending.

32. $1 billion deal major step in Toyota legal trouble - Friday, December 21, 2012

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With a proposed payout of more than $1 billion, one major chapter of a nearly four-year legal saga that left Toyota Motor Corp. fighting hundreds of lawsuits and struggling with a tarnished image has ended, though another remains.

33. Toyota plans to sell 9.7 million vehicles in 2012 - Friday, December 21, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota expects to sell a record 9.7 million vehicles this year, bouncing back by 22 percent from a disaster-struck 2011. It has set an even higher target of 9.91 million vehicles for 2013.

34. Black boxes in cars raise privacy concerns - Friday, December 07, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many motorists don't know it, but it's likely that every time they get behind the wheel, there's a snitch along for the ride.

In the next few days, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to propose long-delayed regulations requiring auto manufacturers to include event data recorders — better known as "black boxes" — in all new cars and light trucks. But the agency is behind the curve. Automakers have been quietly tucking the devices, which automatically record the actions of drivers and the responses of their vehicles in a continuous information loop, into most new cars for years.

35. Toyota recalls vehicles for steering, pump defects - Friday, November 09, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 2.77 million vehicles around the world for a water pump problem and a steering shaft defect that may result in faulty steering — the latest in a spate of quality woes for Japan's top automaker.

36. Toyota tests cars that communicate with each other - Friday, November 09, 2012

SUSONO, Japan (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. is testing car safety systems that allow vehicles to communicate with each other and with the roads they are on in a just completed facility in Japan the size of three baseball stadiums.

37. Mazda to produce Toyota-brand vehicles in Mexico - Friday, November 09, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Mazda Motor Corp. will make Toyota-brand subcompacts at its new plant in Mexico, allowing Japan's top automaker to strengthen its North American model lineup.

38. Nissan profit rises 8 percent, cuts forecasts - Friday, November 02, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan's quarterly profit rose nearly 8 percent, but the Japanese automaker lowered its full-year forecasts Tuesday because of a sales slump in China and weakness in Europe.

Nissan Motor Co. reported a July-September net profit of 106 billion yen ($1.3 billion), slightly better than the 96 billion yen ($1.2 billion) profit forecast by analysts surveyed by FactSet. Quarterly sales improved 5.5 percent to 2.4 trillion yen ($30 billion).

39. Toyota quarterly profit triples, raises forecast - Friday, November 02, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota's quarterly profit tripled, driven by a recovery from natural disasters, and the company raised its full-year earnings forecast Monday despite a sales slump in China.

Toyota Motor Corp., on track to regain the crown of world's No. 1 automaker this year, reported a July-September net profit of 257.9 billion yen ($3.2 billion) compared with an 80.4 billion profit a year earlier. The result was better than the 238 billion yen ($3 billion) quarterly profit forecast by analysts surveyed by FactSet.

40. Mitsubishi Motors profit improves on cost cuts - Friday, October 26, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Mitsubishi Motor Corp.'s fiscal second-quarter net profit improved 60 percent to 10.1 billion yen ($126 million) on cost cuts, but the Japanese automaker lowered its projection Tuesday for China, where a bitter territorial dispute is sending sales plunging.

41. Toyota on top in latest Consumer Reports survey - Friday, October 26, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — And the winner is ... Japan.

Japanese brands took the top seven spots in Consumer Reports' annual reliability rankings, pushing aside their U.S. and European rivals. Toyota Motor Corp.'s Scion, Lexus and Toyota brands took the top three spots and the Toyota Prius C, a subcompact hybrid, got the best overall score. Mazda, Subaru, Honda and Acura were close behind.

42. Chrysler 3Q profit nearly doubles - Friday, October 26, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Strong U.S. sales powered Chrysler to a healthy third-quarter profit.

The company on Monday reported net income of $381 million, up 80 percent from $212 million a year earlier. The profit was due mainly to a 13-percent sales increase in the U.S., where Chrysler does three quarters of its business. The company sold nearly 417,000 cars and trucks in the U.S. under the Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat and Chrysler brands.

43. Nissan to add shift, 800 jobs at Tennessee plant - Friday, October 19, 2012

NASHVILLE (AP) — Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co. announced Friday it will add a third shift at a vehicle assembly plant in Tennessee, adding more than 800 jobs.

44. Southern auto industry wary of Mexican competition - Friday, October 12, 2012

CHATTANOOGA (AP) — Southern states accustomed to luring investments away from the Midwest are casting a wary eye to competition from Mexico.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam was asked at the Southern Automotive Conference on Thursday about what steps are being taken to keep investments from moving abroad, especially in light of a recent decision by German automaker Audi to build its first North American plant in Mexico.

45. Toyota recalls 7.43 million vehicles globally - Friday, October 05, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 7.43 million vehicles in the U.S., Japan, Europe and elsewhere around the world for a faulty power-window switch — the latest, massive quality woes for Japan's top automaker.

46. Dow falls 128, with Chevron and Alcoa leading way - Friday, October 05, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) — Downbeat reports from Alcoa and Chevron at the start of corporate earnings season pulled stock indexes lower for a third straight day Wednesday. The Dow Jones industrial average slumped 128 points, its steepest loss since late June.

47. Toyota, Honda sales plunge in China on islands row - Friday, October 05, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Sales of Toyota and Honda vehicles nosedived in China during September as anti-Japanese sentiment flared over a territorial dispute that threatens to hobble what was a booming business relationship between Japan and its biggest export market.

48. GM's 3Q stock rise surprises industry - Friday, September 28, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Surprise! The top-performing stock among automakers in the U.S. this quarter is General Motors.

The company, which endured management upheaval during the quarter and announced that it would lose substantial cash in Europe, saw its shares rise almost 18 percent from July through late September. The gain was the best since the first quarter of this year, when the stock climbed about 23 percent. GM posted strong profits in that period.

49. Toyota plans expanded range of hybrids - Friday, September 21, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. is boosting its green vehicle lineup, with plans for 21 new hybrids in the next three years, a new electric car later this year and a fuel cell vehicle by 2015 in response to growing demand for fuel efficient and environmentally friendly driving.

50. WHY IT MATTERS: China's auto parts industry - Friday, September 14, 2012

The issue: The U.S. government has challenged Chinese policies it says improperly subsidize exports of auto parts in violation of World Trade Organization free trade rules. The issue is politically sensitive at a time when Western governments are trying to boost exports, especially of higher-value industrial goods, to cut high unemployment. China is the world's biggest auto market but rapid sales growth is slowing, increasing pressure on Beijing to avert the loss of manufacturing jobs.

51. Nissan chief pitches electric taxis to Hong Kong - Friday, September 07, 2012

HONG KONG (AP) — Nissan President Carlos Ghosn met Wednesday with Hong Kong's leader to pitch a proposal for the Japanese car maker to supply electric taxis to the southern Chinese city.

Ghosn's visit with Leung Chun-ying is part of an effort to sell Nissan's electric taxi technology to cities around the world looking to upgrade their taxi fleets to more environmentally friendly models.

52. Ford on track to beat Toyota with best-selling car - Friday, August 31, 2012

RAYONG, Thailand (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says its Focus small car is on track to become the best-selling car in the world this year, trumping the Toyota Corolla.

Ford sold 489,616 Focus sedans and hatchbacks worldwide in the first half of 2012. That was almost 27,000 more than the perennial best-seller, the Toyota Corolla.

53. Luxury cars do poorly in new crash tests - Friday, August 10, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Most midsize luxury cars — including the Mercedes-Benz C-Class — performed poorly in a new frontal crash test developed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The new test is designed to replicate what happens when a car strikes another car or a fixed object like a tree or utility pole. The test strikes 25 percent of a car's front end into a five-foot rigid barrier at 40 miles per hour.

54. Toyota raises sales plan as quarterly profit zooms - Friday, August 03, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota raised its sales target for this year to a record 9.76 million vehicles and reported a strong recovery in quarterly profit Friday, underlining its bounce back from a disaster plagued 2011.

55. Honda's profit quadruples on disaster recovery - Friday, July 27, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Honda's quarterly profit quadrupled to 131.7 billion yen ($1.7 billion) as the Japanese automaker bounced back from last year's natural disasters with more vehicles sold across all key regions except for Europe.

56. Toyota takes first-half global sales lead from GM - Friday, July 20, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota bounced back from safety recalls and natural disasters, selling 4.97 million vehicles globally in the first half of the year to retake its crown as the world's top automaker from General Motors Co.

57. Renault, Nissan invest in South Korea production - Friday, July 20, 2012

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The French-Japanese auto alliance of Renault and Nissan is investing $160 million in its South Korean unit to produce Nissan-branded vehicles mostly destined for the United States, taking advantage of the South Korea-U.S. free trade agreement and a more favorable exchange rate.

58. Belcourt Theatre names new executive director - Friday, July 20, 2012

The Belcourt Theatre board of directors has promoted managing director Stephanie Silverman to executive director. In addition, the board elected new officers for its 2012-2013 term:

59. Carmakers report strong June sales, easing worries - Friday, June 29, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — From mini cars to monster pickups, sales of vehicles charged higher in June and eased concerns that Americans would be turned off by slower hiring and other scary headlines.

Automakers reported big gains over June of last year. Chrysler posted its best June in five years. Sales surged at Volkswagen, which is on track for its best year in the U.S. since 1973.

60. Nissan chief wary despite quick disaster recovery - Friday, June 22, 2012

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said Tuesday the automaker needs to conserve cash despite its quick recovery from a year of disasters as the global economic outlook is highly uncertain.

61. Mazda, Fiat to work together on small convertible - Friday, May 18, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Mazda Motor Corp. and Fiat SpA are working together on developing and manufacturing a roadster, or two-seater convertible, although the automakers will come up with different, distinctly styled models.

62. Nissan profit soars on record sales amid disaster - Friday, May 11, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan Motor Co.'s January-March profit more than doubled to 75.3 billion yen ($941 million) as the Japanese automaker achieved record sales despite production disruptions from last year's tsunami.

63. Toyota quarterly profit quadruples on recovery - Friday, May 04, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota's quarterly profit more than quadrupled to 121 billion yen ($1.5 billion), and the automaker gave upbeat forecasts as it recovers from a sales plunge caused by the tsunami in Japan last year.

64. Auto sales surge in March, led by small cars; Nissan up 12% - Friday, March 30, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Appealing small cars, low interest rates, truck deals and unseasonably warm weather helped the auto industry achieve its best monthly performance in almost four years in March.

65. Apple pledge could lead to China wage hikes - Friday, March 30, 2012

BEIJING (AP) — A pledge by the manufacturer of Apple's iPhones and iPads to limit work hours at its factories in China could force other global corporations to hike pay for Chinese workers who produce the world's consumer electronics, toys and other goods.

66. Nissan not planning Datsun for developed markets - Friday, March 16, 2012

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Nissan's revival of the Datsun won't include developed markets, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said Wednesday, outlining a strategy to target the revamped brand at emerging nations where the biggest growth is expected for affordable stylish vehicles.

67. Big sales for small cars in February - Friday, March 02, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Small cars sold big in February.

With gasoline prices spiking 30 cents last month, demand soared for compact cars like the Focus and Civic. That lifted U.S. sales for Ford, Honda and other major automakers that reported February sales on Thursday.

68. For car buyers, it's harder to end up with a lemon - Friday, February 17, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Car shoppers today are less likely to end up with a lemon.

In the past five years, global competition has forced automakers to improve the quality and reliability of their vehicles — everything from inexpensive mini-cars to decked-out luxury SUVs.

69. GM records its highest profit ever: $7.6 billion - Friday, February 10, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors earned its largest profit ever in 2011, two years after it nearly collapsed.

Strong sales in the U.S. and China helped the carmaker turn a profit of $7.6 billion, beating its old record of $6.7 billion in 1997 during the pickup and SUV boom.

70. Lexus tops as survey finds more auto dependability - Friday, February 10, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Lexus is the top performer in a survey of vehicle dependability released Wednesday, but most other brands also showed improvement in an industry that has reached historically high dependability levels.

71. Toyota lifts profit forecast as disaster woes fade - Friday, February 03, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota's quarterly profit slid 13.5 percent on production setbacks caused by last year's tsunami disaster and the flooding in Thailand, but Japan's top automaker raised its annual earnings forecast, saying a recovery is on track.

72. Chrysler posts 1st annual net profit since 1997 - Friday, January 27, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — Higher sales of Jeeps and other new vehicles propelled Chrysler to its first annual net income since 1997, capping a pivotal turnaround that many thought would never happen.

The U.S. automaker, now privately held and majority owned by Italy's Fiat SpA, earned $183 million last year, reversing a $652 million loss in 2010, its first full year out of bankruptcy protection.

73. Toyota global sales forecast rises on green demand - Friday, January 20, 2012

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota raised its global sales target for this year to 8.58 million vehicles, up 21 percent from the previous year, as incentives for ecological cars lift demand in Japan.

Toyota Motor Corp., which struggled from production interruptions last year caused by Japan's tsunami and flooding in Thailand, raised its forecast for Japan sales Wednesday to 1.63 million vehicles from an earlier 1.53 million. The latest forecast marks a 36 jump from the previous year.

74. GM retakes title of top-selling global automaker - Friday, January 20, 2012

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. has retaken the title of world's top-selling automaker, selling just over 9 million cars and trucks across the globe.

75. Toyota aims to sell 8.48 million vehicles in 2012 - Friday, December 23, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota is aiming for a comeback, targeting record global sales of 8.48 million vehicles in 2012 and an even bigger number in 2013, after being battered this year by the March disaster in Japan and flooding in Thailand.

76. Toyota unveils high-tech concept car ahead of show - Friday, November 25, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota's president unveiled a futuristic concept car resembling a giant smartphone to demonstrate how Japan's top automaker is trying to take the lead in technology at the upcoming Tokyo auto show.

77. Toyota recalls 550,000 cars for steering issue - Friday, November 04, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it is recalling about 550,000 vehicles worldwide — mostly in the United States — for problems that could make it harder to steer.

78. Toyota quarterly profit drops 18.5 percent to $1B - Friday, November 04, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota said its quarterly profit slid 18.5 percent to 80.4 billion yen ($1 billion) on plunging sales caused by parts shortages from the tsunami disaster in northeastern Japan and warned it faces a new challenge from flooding in Thailand.

79. Honda's profit sinks, Thai flooding clouds outlook - Friday, October 28, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Honda's quarterly profit tumbled 56 percent, battered by the strong yen and production disruptions from the March tsunami disaster that are likely to be compounded by flooding in Thailand.

80. Nissan aims to be world No. 1 in green vehicles - Friday, October 21, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan Motor Co. is aiming to be the world's No. 1 in green cars, targeting cumulative sales of 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles by 2017 with alliance partner Renault SA of France.

81. Chrysler, United Auto Workers agree on contract - Friday, October 07, 2011

DETROIT (AP) — The last of Detroit's carmakers has reached a deal with the United Auto Workers union.

Chrysler Group LLC and negotiators for the UAW agreed on a new four-year contract early Wednesday that creates 2,100 new jobs. The company will also invest $4.5 billion in its plants under the deal, which covers 26,000 U.S. workers. No other details were immediately available. Chrysler's workers must still ratify the agreement.

82. Toyota global production bounces back in August - Friday, September 23, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday its global production rose for the first time in a year in August as Japanese automakers continued to recover from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

83. Detroit Three, UAW extend contract, keep talking - Friday, September 16, 2011

DETROIT (AP) — Negotiations between General Motors, Chrysler and the United Auto Workers union carried on Thursday even though bargainers missed a deadline for agreeing on a new contract.

The union, which represents 111,000 workers at Detroit's carmakers, agreed to keep working under the old GM and Chrysler contracts, which expired Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. While missing a deadline could have brought a strike in past years, GM and Chrysler workers have limited ability to strike under the terms of their government bailout agreements.

84. UAW extends Chrysler, GM contracts after deadline - Friday, September 09, 2011

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union extended its contracts with General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC early Thursday after failing to meet a deadline to reach a new agreement.

85. Nissan develops cheaper, smaller charger for EVs - Friday, September 09, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan has developed a charger for electric vehicles that's smaller, about half the price, and easier to install.

Nissan Motor Co., Japan's No. 2 automaker, said Monday the new charger will go on sale in November in Japan and is planned later for the U.S. and Europe, although dates are not set.

86. Ford, Toyota to work together on hybrid trucks - Friday, August 19, 2011

DEARBORN, Michigan (AP) — Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. have decided to work together on a gas-electric hybrid engine to power pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.

87. Car dealers fear economy could scare off buyers - Friday, August 12, 2011

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — Jeff Swanson was in the market for a new car just a few weeks ago. Then the stock market went crazy.

So Swanson, 25, decided to keep his 10-year-old Pontiac Grand Prix for at least another year. Gyrations in stocks and talk of a weakening economy rattled Swanson's confidence about taking on another payment, even though his new job running a home for mentally disabled people seems to be secure.

88. GM says 2Q profit nearly doubles on sales, prices - Friday, July 29, 2011

DETROIT (AP) — After years of big discounts, GM is finally getting a good price for its cars and trucks, and it's helping the company's bottom line.

General Motors Co. surprised Wall Street Thursday by doubling its second-quarter profit. A big reason was higher prices for its vehicles worldwide.

89. Toyota tells suppliers to prepare for growth - Friday, July 29, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota has told its suppliers in Japan to prepare for ramped up production in 2012 and following years, signaling that the automaker is confident it's back on a growth track after being hit by massive recalls and the tsunami disaster.

90. Toyota ekes out quarterly profit, raises forecast - Friday, July 29, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota eked out a 1.1 billion yen ($14 million) quarterly profit and raised its annual earnings forecast Tuesday as it mounts a comeback from the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.

91. Nissan quarterly profit drops 20 percent - Friday, July 22, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan's quarterly profit dropped a smaller-than-expected 20 percent as Japanese automakers took a battering from the quake and tsunami disaster that disrupted car production and destroyed dealerships.

92. Nissan works on recharging Leaf with solar power - Friday, July 08, 2011

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Japanese automaker Nissan is testing a super-green way to recharge its Leaf electric vehicle using solar power, part of a broader drive to improve electricity storage systems.

93. Companies ordered more factory goods in May - Friday, July 01, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — Businesses requested more airplanes, autos, and oil drilling equipment in May The jump in factory orders after a sluggish spring suggests supply disruptions stemming from the Japan crisis are fading.

94. GM, Ford June sales rise as gas prices fall - Friday, July 01, 2011

DETROIT (AP) — Falling gas prices brought truck buyers back to showrooms last month. Still, pump prices remained high enough that shoppers snapped up smaller cars as well.

Industry analysts expect overall U.S. sales to rise 13.5 percent from last June, to around 1.1 million cars and trucks. Automakers were reporting June sales throughout the day on Friday.

95. Toyota to recall 82,200 vehicles in the US - Friday, June 24, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday it will recall about 82,200 hybrid SUVs in the U.S. due to computer boards with possible faulty wiring.

96. Nissan expects 15 pct drop in profit for this year - Friday, June 17, 2011

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Nissan is forecasting a 15.4 percent drop in profit for the fiscal year through March 2012 because of production disruptions from the March earthquake and an unfavorable exchange rate.

97. Disasters send Japanese economy into recession - Friday, May 13, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's economy shrank in the first quarter, veering back into recession as factory production and consumer spending wilted in the aftermath of March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Real gross domestic product — a measure of the value of all goods and services produced domestically — contracted at an annualized rate of 3.7 percent in the January-March period, the Cabinet Office said Thursday.

98. Nissan posts $380 million quarterly profit - Friday, May 06, 2011

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan rounded out a record year for car sales by returning to profit in the fourth quarter but Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn acknowledged serious challenges from Japan's natural disasters.

99. Unemployment applications hit 8-month high - Friday, April 29, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits surged last week to the highest level in eight months, a troubling sign a day ahead of the government's report on April employment.

100. GM earns $3.2 billion in 1Q on higher sales - Friday, April 29, 2011

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. reported its highest quarterly profit in more than a decade, helped by demand for fuel-efficient cars and a big gain from selling its stake in its former auto parts business.