• Fiat will miss its target of 2.7 million sales next year, by half a million units. Combined Fiat-Chrysler sales remain on course to swell by 400,000 to 4.6 million cars, and CEO Sergio Marchionne is confident of shifting 5.9 million cars in 2014 (Automotive News Europe)
• Silverstone has been given outline planning consent for its 'Masterplan'. The Northamptonshire-based circuit wants to develop business and technology parks, a museum of car parts and new retail, leisure and spectator facilities, creating up to 8,400 jobs (Silverstone Circuits)
• UK trade body the SMMT reports that car production rose 8.5% in November 2011. This reflects the year-long rise in output at British car factories, swelling by 6.1% year to date (SMMT)
• Lola and Drayson Racing Technologies will unveil their new electric race car at the 2012 MIA International Low Carbon Conference (Lola-Drayson)
• The spectre of double-dip recession dented European new car registrations last month. Sales for the 11 months to December, declined by 1.1% to 12 million registrations, with France and Italy leading the decline (Automotive News Europe)
