Transportation

Oct 5 Reuters) - Tighter environmental standards are forcing truck makers to use more aluminum in manufacturing to save weight, a trend that could make Alcoa's business making wheels for commercial vehicles a bright spot in its earnings release next week.

Toyota Motor Corp's China sales fell about 40 percent in September from the year before, while those of rivals such as Hyundai and BMW jumped, underscoring how badly Japanese brands have been hit by a territorial row between the two countries.

South Africa has agreed to guarantee $600 million in loans for troubled state airline South African Airways over the next two years, a move that could put further pressure on the government's strained budget.

Car sales dropped further in austerity-hit France and Spain last month, and France's CCFA auto industry association cut its full-year market forecast, highlighting the pain for automakers that have warned there is no recovery in sight.

Dutch sportscar maker Spyker NV , which is suing General Motors Co for more than $3 billion on behalf of its subsidiary Saab, said on Monday it will oppose the U.S. automaker's motion to dismiss the case.

India's Kingfisher Airlines Ltd said it was cancelling several flights on Monday due to employee unrest, in a fresh blow to the ailing carrier and sending its shares down by their daily limit of 5 percent.

The automaker is planning to open nine new plants in its Asia Pacific Africa region.

Unresolved tax and legal issues had drawn out battle to complete their long-planned integration, but the two companies will forge ahead with tighter manufacturing links.

The auto maker has reportedly let Joel Ewanick go over failure to properly report financial details about a recent sponsorship deal

Daimler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche hopes to return the automaker to the top spot in the premium car market ahead of Audi and BMW by 2020, he said in an interview with a German paper.

Ford Motor Co is on track to sell 2.

CHARLESTON, S.

General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen, daunted by likely political roadblocks, scrapped plans for a joint mid-size car programme within their nascent alliance while adding engine cooperation.

General Motors Co's loss-making Opel division agreed to sell six European facilities to its U.S. parent in return for winning extended funding, according to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Boeing Co said it booked 50 new orders for planes in the latest week, including orders for 31 of its widebody 777 jet, worth about $9 billion at list prices.

General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen scrapped plans for a joint mid-size car program, narrowing the scope for vehicle sharing within their nascent alliance while adding engine cooperation.

Boeing Co said it booked 50 new orders for planes in the latest week, including orders for 31 of its widebody 777 jet, worth about $9 billion at list prices.

PSA Peugeot Citroen plans to reduce its monthly cash burn excluding restructuring costs by half to 100 million euros ($133 million) next year, Chief Executive Philippe Varin said in an interview published in Le Monde newspaper.

Mitsubishi Motors will recall about 1.

The gathering had the air of a post-mortem.