This Just In: New on the Net

It’s Monday, but that’s ok. I know, from experience, that I’m lucky to have a job I enjoy. Anyway, here’s the news:

• The General has seemed to weather the American Axle strike pretty well, but now the UAW has called a strike at a Kansas plant which makes the Malibu. It’s unclear if the motivation for the strike is based on actual grievances or just being used to make the GM help solve the AA fiasco. Automotive News
• Pininfarina has announced that it will dedicate one of its factories to electric car production. The car  hasn’t debuted yet, but the Italian coach builder has said that it will be available in the United States in 2010, and will have 155 miles range. Sounds cool, but I’ll believe it when I see it. AutoWeek
• Most of the time, when you hear a Lada mentioned, it’s as a punchline, or it’s being somehow compromised in a photo lifted from English Russia. But this one is designed to campaign in the WTCC series. Who knew? Jalopnik
• Looks like the shot of the M1 Prototype which was making the rounds on the internet is just a PhotoChop. Kind of a shame, as it’s a really sexy looking car. Hopefully BMW is taking notes. CarScoop