60 61 62 63 64 Lincoln Auto Car Compass Illuminated on 2040-parts.com

Capitol Hill notebook: Obama defends autos, Akerson defends the Chevrolet Volt

Less than 10 hours after President Barack Obama wrapped up his third State of the Union address, manufacturing and automobiles continued to command the spotlight on Wednesday in Washington. The day began with General Motors CEO Dan Akerson defending the Chevrolet Volt before a U.S. House committee hearing, saying he didn't want it to become a "political punching bag," according to testimony provided by the company.

Daimler, Renault-Nissan announce alliance

Daimler and Renault-Nissan unveiled the details of an international alliance on Wednesday in a landmark collaboration designed to fortify the three historic automakers by sharing technology and reducing costs around the world. AutoWeek first broke news of the deal last week. Renault-Nissan and Daimler will work together on several specific projects, including small cars, engines and commercial vehicles.

Panda Antarctica starts epic trip to Sochi Games

THE WINTER-THEMED limited-edition Fiat Panda 4x4 Antarctica has set out on an epic commute from Turin to its Winter Olympics home in Sochi, Russia. The Panda Antarctica, in association with sponsors Nokia, Nitro Snowboards and Beats by Dr Dre, began its journey last week. It’s a marketing exercise aimed at young people, who might be into fashion or winter sports and who just might buy a Panda.