Ford Motor Co. is offering to buy out 81 dealerships, most of them minority-owned, but some dealers say the company is not giving them enough time to decide.

  FRANKFURT, Germany -- Audi AG, the luxury carmaker owned by Volkswagen, said Tuesday that its 2007 profit climbed 26 percent on a sales rise of almost 8 percent worldwide that included a 3.8 percent increase in the United States.

  Nissan wants to talk about more than a way to drive at its soon-to-be-finished Americas headquarters. The Japanese automaker is showing off "green"features of the $100 million project as a kind of image signpost for car and truck buyers increasingly focused on environmental concerns.

  WASHINGTON -- Despite tight credit markets, two auto suppliers have made major progress in emerging from bankruptcy after months of unsuccessfully trying to raise exit financing.

  In the long-running saga of Porsche's effort to take control of Europe's largest carmaker, the sports car maker now appears to be maneuvering to more than double its stake of 31 percent in Volkswagen AG, according to the latest report.

  SAN DIEGO -- A California appeals court said a woman who was paralyzed after her Ford Explorer rolled over is entitled to $82.6 million in damages from the automaker.

  FRANKFORT, Ky. -- In the new supercharged version, the 620 horsepower Corvette ZR1 has a top speed of more than 200 mph, rivaling even the fastest, most expensive European sports cars.

  DETROIT -- Negotiators for the United Auto Workers and American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc . were back at the bargaining table Monday as the impact of a strike against the auto parts supplier continues to grow. American Axle spokeswoman Renee Rogers said talks resumed Monday morning after a full weekend of bargaining. She did not know if any progress had been made. General Motors Corp . said parts shortages from the strike are forcing it to shut down part or all of 28 plants, affecting 37,000 hourly workers. GM shares fell to a 52-week low on Monday, closing at $20.59. About 3,600 UAW workers at five American Axle plants in Michigan and New York have been on strike since Feb. 26.

  GREER, S.C. -- BMW will spend $750 million to expand its South Carolina production facility and create 500 new jobs, doubling the size of its U.S. manufacturing operations, the company said today.

  WASHINGTON -- The government is investigating whether 2008 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky sports roadsters with turbo engines have enough brake power assist.