Washington, November 27: General Motors has fired ace golfer Tiger Woods as its spokesman, in a bid to cut costs.

Issuing a statement in this regard, the company said that the parting was amicable.

The automaker said that while it wanted to reduce costs, Woods wanted to spend more time with his family.

A representative for Woods hinted that the golfer would sign a deal with another carmaker anytime soon.

He, however, revealed that Woods would not appear alongside a golf bag with the Buick logo anymore.

Munich  - BMW engineers are working on a new car key with an integrated credit card chip for simple pay functions at the filling station or shopping centre, according to BMW researcher Hans-Joerg Voegel.

The chip is designed to communicate with a card reader and the customer only has to place his/her car key on the counter and leaving behind a signature.

But, according to Voegel, engineers are looking at incorporating other personal data such as favourite radio stations, a telephone directory or subscriptions to BMW's Online platform "Connected Drive."

Bottrop, Germany  - The German tuning specialist Brabus has given the Tesla electric roadster special treatment with white paintwork, new alloys and a sound generator that simulates engine noise from a V8 to a Formula 1 racing car.

Normally focused on the tune-up of Mercedes and Smart cars, Brabus is planning to unveil its first zero-emission project at the upcoming Essen Motor Show starting on November 29 to December 7.

Ingolstadt, Germany  - Audi is planning to revive its microcar the A2 as a sport model with a high roof to round off the compact A1 and A3 model segments, the German auto magazine Auto Bild reports.

A Sportback version with a longer rear is also being planned for 2014, the magazine said.

An Audi spokesman declined to comment on the Bild report, but Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said earlier: "We are looking at different scenarios including a new A2."

Hamburg  - Even though car air conditioners (AC) work overtime during the summer, they should also be switched on during winter to remove damp air from the cockpit and prevent the windscreen from fogging-up, manufacturers recommend.

The air in the vehicle is not only heated up, but also dried as the defrost function helps clear the windscreen. Many car heating systems automatically engage the air conditioner in the defrost position. But if the car has no automatic climate control, the

defrost position should be adjusted manually.

A car AC is basically designed to move heat from the car interior to the exterior similar to a refrigerator.

Crewe, England  - Bentley has upgraded its luxury Azure T convertible with a more powerful 500 hp engine and stylistic cues to enhance the sporty image.

The Azure T comes with 20-inch, five-spoke wheels, front wing vents, a dark tinted matrix grille and a sculpted, retractable "Flying B" bonnet mascot.

The twin-turbocharged V8 engine, produces 500 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque, has been given a boost of 11 per cent in power and torque was increased 14 per cent over its 450bhp/875 Nm Azure stable mate.