Note: Please excuse the technical difficulties we had in bringing you the Morning News in the morning. As a make-good, here the expanded version, including U.S. sales coverage.  Congrats, everyone.

• Cheap fuel spurs near record US car sales – FT: January sales surge past already high expectations
• FCA US net income falls 57% to $1.2 billion – Freep: FCA US, previously Chrysler, will pay workers about $2,750, on average, in profit sharing.
• Fiat Chrysler says N. American profit margin hurt by recalls – Reuters: DETROIT, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said its annual operating profit in North. America would have been a percentage point higher at 5.2 percent. excluding the high costs associated with recall campaigns in. 2014.
• Nissan flashes a true-to-concept 2016 Maxima – Automotive News: Nissan’s redesigned 2016 Maxima sport sedan will reach U.S. showrooms this year looking remarkably like a concept car the company unveiled at the 2014 Detroit auto show. The redesigned model goes on sale this spring.
• Ford remains cool on global motorsport return – Autocar: Ford of Europe boss says the Blue Oval will concentrate on its road car business before looking at a return to top-level racing
• U.S. Chrysler Division Earnings Fall – WSJ: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said its U.S. division—formerly known as Chrysler Group LLC—said fourth-quarter net income was more than halved compared with the same period in 2013 even as revenue grew 8.2% during the period.
• UPDATE 2-Trucks, SUVs drive U.S. vehicle sales in January – Reuters: DETROIT, Feb 3 (Reuters) – January U.S. car sales by the three Detroit-based automakers topped analysts’ expectations, as low gasoline prices and easy credit terms helped fuel sales of utility vehicles and big pickups.

• Ford Bringing New Focus RS to US for 1st Time – thedetroitbureau.com: Ford will be giving performance fans a new option, the maker today rolling out an all-new version of its hot hatch Focus RS and confirming it will come to the U.S. market for the first time. Expect the new 5-door Focus RS to deliver “in excess of” 300 hp through a new torque-vectoring AWD system, reports TheDetroitBureau.com..
• BRIEF-TOYOTA U.S. sales in January rose 15.6 percent to 169,194 vehicles – Reuters: DETROIT, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp : * Says U.S. sales in January rose 15.6 percent to 169,194 vehicles
• BRIEF-Ford’s new F-150 makes up 18 pct of overall F-150 retail mix in January – Reuters: DETROIT, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co : * Says expects U.S. industry annual sales rate in January of high 16 million to
• Ford Reveals Focus RS – WSJ: Ford Motor revealed a new rally sport, or RS, version of its Focus compact that will have at least 320 horsepower and all-wheel drive, expanding its line of performance-oriented versions of standard cars.
• Japan, US eye TPP penalty system / Auto parts tariffs a key contention Auto parts tariffs a key … – Via Google News: It was agreed that the United States will abolish tariffs on cars and auto … The main focus in the automobile field regarding the Japan-U.S. TPP talks is …
• GM’s January sales rise 18%, Ford up 15% and FCA jump 14% – Freep: FCA benefited as much or more than other automakers from declining gasoline prices because 72% of its sales are pickup trucks, SUVs and vans, as opposed to passenger cars.
• German New Car Registrations Rise in January — Update – Via Google News: FRANKFURT–New car registrations in Germany rose on the year in January … Nevertheless, analysts are positive on the automobile sector this year, …
• GERMANY: Ford RS brand goes global – Just-auto: Ford will take its RS performance brand global for the first time when it launches its new hot Focus model early next year.
• Car makers face ‘real world’ emissions tests in EU pollution clampdown – Via Google News: New regulations will force car-makers to measure pollution emissions in … a spokesperson for the European Automobile Manufacturers Association …
• BRIEF-Nissan’s U.S. sales in January rose 15.1 percent – Reuters: DETROIT, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Nissan Motor Co Ltd : * Says company’s U.S. sales in January rose 15.1 percent to 104,107 vehicles * U.S. exec says January auto sales sustained momentum from last year due to
• Automakers Report Big U.S. Sales Jump in January – NY Times: Automakers reported double-digit U.S. sales increases in January, a sign that car sales didn’t falter even with a major snowstorm hitting the Northeast.
• US: Uber forms partnership for advanced technologies centre – Just-auto: Uber has announced that it is to form the Uber Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh. The new centre will operate in partnership with the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and will focus on emerging driverless vehicle technologies.
• German new car sales up in January: Report – Via Google News: A total of 211,337 new cars were registered last month, an increase of 2.6 percent over the figure for the same month last year, the federal automobile …
• Chrysler Sales Jump in January – WSJ: Fiat Chrysler said Tuesday that vehicle sales in the U.S. grew 14% in January, typically a slower month for the industry, as the Big Three auto maker again posted robust gains in its Jeep and Ram brands.
• GM, Nissan, Ford, FCA ride truck wave to big U.S. sales gains – Automotive News: Strong truck demand, fueled by lower prices at the pump, helped GM, Ford, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler post double-digit U.S. sales increases in January.
• GM, Ford, Nissan, Fiat Chrysler ride truck demand to double-digit gains – Automotive News: Strong truck demand, fueled by lower prices at the pump, helped GM, Ford, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler post solid double-digit sales increases in January. Deliveries rose 18 percent at GM, 15 percent at Ford and Nissan and 14 percent at FCA.
• Fiat Chrysler rides Jeep, Ram demand to 14% advance – Automotive News: Fiat Chrysler posted a 14 percent increase in U.S. sales in January, matching forecasts, on another month of robust deliveries at Jeep and Ram. Overall, light-vehicle sales are forecast to reach 1.
• Mazda plots performance MPS brand revival – Autocar: MPS brand remains on hold while Mazda determines which models to launch under itMazda’s high-performance MPS brand remains on hold as the company evaluates exactly what sort of models it wants to launch under it.Speaking to Autocar at the launch of the new Mazda 2, the car’s chief engineer, Ayumu Doi, revealed that MPS was a brand Mazda was “always investigating” as it tried to establish how the performance arm would work under Mazda’s new Skyactiv technology banner.Doi said MPS was “not dead” and the firm was evaluating how it could further extend its ‘fun to drive’ mantra with a new MPS per
• JAPAN: Mitsubishi Motors lowers full year volume forecast – Just-auto: Mitsubishi Motors announced single digit growth in sales and operating profits for the first nine months of its fiscal year but has revised down its full year unit volume forecast, leaving profit predictions untouched.
• INDIA: FCA recruits JLR executive – Just-auto: A former Jaguar Land Rover executive now heads Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in India.
• UK: Ricardo-AEA to approve hydrogen refuelling stations – Just-auto: Ricardo-AEA has been selected, in partnership with E4tech, to deliver the UK government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) hydrogen refuelling stations infrastructure grant scheme to support a UK hydrogen fuel network capable of servicing fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).
• US: Tenneco Q4 net income down – Just-auto: Tenneco has reported fourth quarter 2014 net income of US$21m after $46m of restructuring, pension and refinancing expenses. Fourth quarter 2013 net income was $54m.
• AutoNation’s Q4 profits rise on strong gains in all segments – Automotive News: AutoNation’s fourth-quarter net income rose 7 percent to $117 million, powered by strong year-end vehicle sales and improvements in all business categories. Adjusted for one-time events, the company’s earnings rose 15 percent.
• Renault confirms larger crossover for 2017 – Autocar: Renault will make a larger crossover than the Kadjar, which is due to arrive in 2017 and is expected to share a platform with the Nissan X-TrailRenault will make a D-segment crossover that will sit above the newly revealed Kadjar and rival the likes of the Nissan X-Trail.
• BMW patches internet of things security flaw to stop hackers opening car doors – Via Google News: The flaw was first discovered by the German Automobile Association … ?BMW Group is increasing the security of data transmission in its vehicles.
• Qoros Names Former Head of GM China Operations as CEO – Via Google News: … to Qoros partner Chery Automobile Co., according to a Qoros spokesman. … Qoros produces cars in China and is a 50-50 joint venture between …
• CHINA: Hanergy to build thin film solar battery cars – Just-auto: China’s Hanergy Holding Group said it was developing a car exclusively powered by solar energy, which it hoped would go into commercial production in the fourth quarter of this year.
• Global Auto Sales Expected to Near 90 Mil in 2015 – thedetroitbureau.com: With the U.S. market continuing its rebound and Europe finally showing signs of recovery after a long economic slump, global auto sales are expected to reach a new record of nearly 89 million vehicles this year. “Slower, not lower,” forecasts IHS Automotive – but it warns there are some dark clouds forming. The story from TheDetroitBureau.com.
• Hyundai Cuts Price of Tucson FCV 43% in South Korea – Wards: The South Korean automaker is slashing the price of the Tucson fuel-cell vehicle in its home market and will drop European prices next month.
• Hanergy announces solar-powered car plans – Via Google News: … to the automobile industry”, adding that it has been working with multiple partners to intrgrate solar into cars and other solar-automobile applications.
• 2016 Ford Focus RS leaked – first pictures – Autocar: All-new Focus RS gets 330bhp and could come with all-wheel drive, as the first pictures of the new performance model hit the web
• Honda says January China auto sales down 6.6 per cent year-on-year – Via Google News: SHANGHAI: Honda Motor Co Ltd and its two Chinese joint ventures sold 59,065 vehicles in China in January, down 6.6 per cent from a year earlier, …
• Nissan says Jan China sales up 22.2 pct – Reuters: SHANGHAI, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Nissan Motor Co Ltd andits Chinese joint venture partner sold 116,400 vehicles in China. in January, up 22.2 percent from a year earlier, the Japanese. carmaker said on Tuesday.
• Honda says Jan China auto sales down 6.6 pct y/y – Reuters: SHANGHAI, Feb 3 (Reuters) – Honda Motor Co Ltd andits two Chinese joint ventures sold 59,065 vehicles in China in. January, down 6.6 percent from a year earlier, the Japanese. automaker said on Tuesday.
• BMW dominates Super Bowl returns; Volvo’s game-changing interception – Automotive News: In ‘Newfangled Idea,’ the luxury automaker plowed the depths of the Internet abyss.*
• Claims surge at deadline for GM ignition-switch compensation fund – Washington Post: The fund reviewing compensation claims linked to a deadly ignition-switch defect in some General Motors cars has approved 51 payments for deaths and eight for catastrophic injuries — numbers that are sure to rise as hundreds of remaining claims are vetted, the fund’s deputy administrator said Monday.Read full article >>
• Chrysler to recall more than 228,000 Jeep Cherokees: NYT – Reuters: (Reuters) – Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV  will recall more than 228,000 Jeep Cherokees to upgrade the software as their airbags could unexpectedly inflate without a crash, the New York Times reported on Monday.
• Lagging technology hinders China’s new-energy car sector – Via Google News: China recorded 320% growth in annual sales, reaching 74,763 vehicles … Among local car makers, Chery Automobile sold over 10,000 new-energy …