automaker

Toyota (TM) took the spot as the world's No.1 car company in 2009, replacing GM (GM) which held the honor for decades. Now, GM has taken the position back based on its data from the first half and numbers from Toyota and VW. VW actually claimed the second spot and pushed Toyota into third. It has...

Ford has had been nothing but full of good news lately: it recently reported a sharp rise in net income to $2.6 billion and it said that it would maintain its market share in the U.S. America for the balance of the year. So why is Wall Street pessimistic on the stock?

Mazda Motors posted a quarterly loss for October through December, down from a profit for the same period last year. The loss comes in spite of slightly higher revenue. The stronger yen and weak demand cut into the company's income.

2010 may be the year of the car recall, with the U.S.'s six-largest suppliers recalling more than 19 million vehicles over the last 12 months. Toyota, which recalled about 7 million cars this year, tops the list. General Motors, at about 4 million, came in second.

Year-over-year gains are again likely when automakers report November U.S. sales figures Wednesday. But a drop from this October's level is on tap. Detroit probably fared better than its foreign counterparts as sales rebounded further from last year's anemic levels.

Ford Motor announced Wednesday that it had reduced its debt by $1.9 billion after note-holders converted their debt into 274 million shares of common stock. The automaker's annual interest expenses will be reduced by $180 million because of the lower debt.

GM reportedly plans to raise the price range on its pending initial public of stock to as much as $33 a share. The increase to $31 to $33 a share from the initial $26 to $29 a share is being prompted by strong demand for the stock.

Toyota has asked a federal court to dismiss lawsuits seeking damages related to the recall of millions of vehicles for possible unintended acceleration. The automaker has a simple argument: No one has ever demonstrated what is wrong with Toyota's cars, if anything.

Honda Motor (HMC) and Isuzu Motors are recalling several small sports-utility vehicles from the 1998 to 2002 model years to fix suspension problems caused by road deicing products. Models involved include 1998 through 2002 Honda Passports, 1998 through 2002 Isuzu Rodeos and 2002 Isuzu Axioms,...

Ford Motor (F) reported higher sales in September on strong demand for fresh models, as sales rose 46% compared to September 2009, the company said Friday.