FTC Okays Automakers' Covisint Online Exchange
      The largest attempt by an industry to do business on the Internet cleared a major hurdle with Federal Trade Commission approval of Covisint, an online exchange set up by General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., DaimlerChrysler AG, Renault and Nissan. The automakers plan to conduct on the Internet nearly all the $300 billion in purchases they make each year.

General Motors Invests in Suzuki
      General Motors Corp. said it is investing $600 million to double its stake in Suzuki Motor Co., its latest effort to expand in the Asian auto market. The deal gives GM a 20 percent position in Suzuki and calls for GM Chairman Jack Smith to join Suzuki's board, becoming the first outsider and GM representative to do so.

Toyota Will Offer GM's OnStar in Lexus Models
      Toyota Motor Corp. said it will offer General Motors Corp.'s OnStar global-positioning satellite technology as an option in the Lexus LS 430 sedan. Ford Motor Co. in July introduced a competing service, Wingcast, which Nissan Motor Co. plans to use in its Infiniti luxury vehicles.

Partnership Agreement Allows Online Car Loans
      LoanFirst.com of Austin, Tex., will combine with American Management Systems, Fairfax, Va., to help car dealers quickly provide customers with multiple financing options. The partnership gives Loanfirst.com, which connects auto dealers and lending institutions, access to the AMS NetCredit eLending network, which offers processing and decision support for credit applications.

California Air Board Firm on 2003 Electric Cars Requirement
      Despite the opposition of automakers, California's top air-quality regulators unanimously refused to back off a first-in-the-nation requirement that 10 percent of cars sold in the state in 2003 be nonpolluting. "Our future depends on the continuing march to zero-emission vehicles. We need to stay the course," said the chairman of the Air Resources Board. "That's what the people of California expect and want."

U.S. Auto Dealers Expand Into Online Sales Market
      The number of U.S. car dealers with Web sites has grown to 83 percent from 74 percent over the past year, reports the National Automobile Dealers Association after a survey of 2500 dealers.

GM Executive Named to Top Daimler U.S. Position
      DaimlerChrysler AG hired a public relations executive from General Motors Corp. to run communications for its U.S. unit. Antonio Cervone, 37, will become vice president of communications for the Chrysler Group, reporting directly to James Holden, head of DaimlerChrysler's U.S. operation.

Smoggy Cars Entering U.S. Despite Tough Law
      A U.S. law intended to keep heavily polluting cars from entering California from Mexico has yet to be enforced, although it went into effect 17 months ago. A Los Angeles Times report says federal border inspectors have not imposed a fine or denied entry to a single motorist because of confusion among the agents.

Study Shows Car Buyers Get Price Break Online
      Consumers who buy cars online get a 2 percent price break, according to the first academic study of Internet car pricing, completed by the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business and the Yale School of Management and based on analysis of purchase data from car referral service Autobytel.com.

Ford Passes on Bid to Acquire Daewoo Motor
      Ford Motor Co. gave up on its bid to acquire Daewoo Motor Co., a blow to creditors of the insolvent South Korea auto manufacturer. A creditors' restructuring committee had picked Ford in June as the only candidate to negotiate a purchase agreement.