Nissan Motor Co. is going to get back on a solid growth trend launching new mini vehicle model in Japan Thursday to beef up its lineup for the domestic market.

Toyota said Thursday global sales of its hybrid vehicles have topped 1 million, a landmark for the Japanese automaker that leads the world in "green" cars.

China's biggest domestic automaker, Chery Automobile Co., announced plans Thursday for a venture with an Israeli partner to make sedans and sport utility vehicles, possibly for export to the United States, a government news agency reported.

A day after Germany's Daimler sold its U.S. Chrysler division to a private equity firm in New York, there are doubts whether the U.S.-based company can return to profitability.

France's Renault SA once again lost out as European car sales slowed in April with gains in faster-growing eastern Europe failing to outweigh a slump in major car-buying nations Germany, France and Spain.

Ford Motor Co., Japanese affiliate Mazda and China's Changan Automotive Group began full production Thursday at a new engine plant in eastern China's Nanjing aimed at supplying the companies' expansions in the fast growing market.

France's Renault SA on Tuesday is introducing its low-cost Logan sedan in India through a joint venture with local automaker Mahindra & Mahindra, boosting competition in the fast growing Indian car market.

German automaker BMW AG on Thursday opened its first manufacturing plant in India and rolled out the 3-series sedan for one of the world's fastest growing car markets, a news report said.