41.   Volkswagen AG, the German automaker, offered severance pay and other benefits to encourage workers to retire early at its largest factory in Brazil.

42.   A fund set up this year by Volkswagen to compensate its former slave laborers from the Nazi era has made its first payments, the German automaker said Wednesday.

43.   A top BMW executive said Wednesday that the German automaker is not considering building Land Rovers at its new plant in South Carolina.

44.   After sharing the results with DaimlerChrysler, the German automaker agreed to redesign the latch on models still being produced and replace the lock system on those already sold.

45.   Asian automakers Kia and Hyundai, along with German automaker Volkswagen, made huge gains in markets for smaller cars.

46.   BMW shares rose Tuesday on speculation that the German automaker may have sold its Rover holdings to make itself a more attractive takeover candidate.

47.   Chrysler Corp. will merge with German automaker Daimler-Benz in a multibillion-dollar deal that will reshape the auto industry, The Associated Press learned early Thursday.

48.   Chrysler Corp. will merge with German automaker Daimler-Benz in a multibillion-dollar deal that will reshape the auto industry, the companies announced Thursday.

49.   Even before BMW began wooing Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to form an auto alliance, the German automaker already had a foot in the door.

50.   German automaker BMW has been given the nod to take over Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the owners of the prestigious British carmaker announced Monday.