A round-up of today's other motor stories in brief...
European Legislators water down tough emission regulations
Car companies have won a "green" battle with European regulators over new emission rules. MEPs have agreed a deal with the Council of Ministers that waters down tough new carbon dioxide emission regulations.
Originally, the European Commission had proposed reducing average new car CO2 emissions across Europe from 158g per kilometre to 130g/km by 2012.
MEPs have now agreed that the new targets will be phased in over three years so that manufacturers only have to meet targets in all their vehicles by 2015.
Also, penalties will be reduced for manufacturers that miss targets by a small margin. However, a challenging EU-wide long-term target of 95g/km by 2020 will be added to the regulation.
It does, however, include special allowances for smaller firms like Jaguar and Land Rover, and reduced penalties for those that narrowly miss the targets.
Staff Cuts at Aston Martin
Aston Martin is cutting up to one-third of its staff because of a fall in sales of its sports cars. The cuts, among the biggest by a UK carmaker, underline the extent to which the global slowdown is hitting the top end of the luxury car segment. They come three days after Rolls-Royce said it was cutting jobs and closing its plant temporarily.
Aston said it was to shed up to 300 permanent staff and a "similar number" of temporary workers. The brand, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire, employs about 1,850 people including contractors.
Ulrich Bez, the chief executive, said the cuts were "regrettable but necessary" amid "extraordinary market conditions". The brand, owned by Investment Dar and Adeem Investment of Kuwait, said last week it would be extending its Christmas break by two weeks.
Sales of the V8 Vantage and DB9 models suffered as the downturn bit deeper. Volumes in the UK, which accounts for about one-third of sales, fell 25 per cent in the year to October.
Makers of highest-priced cars had until recently claimed to be relatively impervious to the slowdown. Rolls-Royce, owned by BMW, said on Friday said it was cutting 40 jobs at Goodwood, and closing the plant for two days this week. Bentley has announced production and job cuts at its plant in Crewe.
Four Irish adventurers bound for Mongolia
Four Irish adventure enthusiasts have made it to the final International Selections to take part in the Land Rover 2009 G4 Challenge in Mongolia.
They are Sarah Keane from Skerries, Adrian Hennessy from Kilfinnan in Co Limerick, Malcolm Daly from Tipperary and Susie Mitchell from Carlow.
They're pictured here with (in centre) Land Rover marketing manager Damian Hughes.
They will go to the G4 International Selections in February, from which one man and one woman will go on to represent Ireland in the challenge.
The main event next year will be held in Mongolia, where two competitors from each of 19 countries will fight it out in a series of gruelling adventure racing events, orienteering, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking and, of course, some rough driving.