Nutson's Nuggets: Last Week's (October 10-15) Automotive Factoids - In Case You Were Not Paying Attention

Each week Larry Nutson, The Auto Channel's Chicago Bureau Chief, gives you last weeks automotive news highlights you may have missed, or you can catch up on the past 16 years of automotive news in The Auto Channel Autmotive News Archive.

* General Motors is delaying plans to add a second shift at its Detroit-Hamtramck Chevrolet Volt factory after finding more efficient ways to build the car. Plans were to add a total of 2,500 workers on two shifts. During a four-week shutdown this summer, GM made its production line and body shop more efficient, allowing the company to make twice as many Volts in the same amount of time. Instead, only 300 additional workers are needed.

* Officials are waving a green flag for the Detroit Grand Prix next summer on Belle Isle. Last month, the City Council approved a request from racing officials, clearing one of the first hurdles in bringing the race back to Belle Isle on June 1-3, 2012.

* General Motors says it’s recalling about 6,000 Chevrolet Corvette Coupes over a concern they may fail to meet a federal safety standard covering rear hinges. GM said the condition could allow the rear hatch to separate from the vehicle in a crash. The recall involves the 2011-2012 model years.

* Mazda unveiled its new 2012 Mazda3 this week to the automotive media. In addition to exterior and interior design and styling improvements, the Mazda3 features the new SkyActiv Technolgy which includes engine and transmission design improvements to achieve 40 mpg on the highway without sacrificing performance or fun to drive.

* General Motors said that it will introduce an electric version of its Chevrolet Spark minicar in 2013. The Spark EV will be the first all-electric vehicle for GM following the 2010 debut of its plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt. The EV will come after the gasoline version of the Spark, which is slated for a U.S. launch "mid-year" 2012, Chevy said.

* Just eight days after reaching a tentative agreement with Ford Motor Company, the UAW reached a tentative agreement with Chrysler Group LLC, completing its third agreement with domestic automakers in a month. Both the Ford and Chrysler agreements still need to be ratified by the UAW membership.

* Ford has named its 20 cool places to charge an electric vehicle, including CenturyLink Field in Seattle, wineries in Napa Valley, downtown Chicago and a resort in Hawaii. Whether it's stopping at the zoo, a museum or shopping in a downtown area, vehicle charging stations are popping up in a variety of locations across the country. Charging locations were evaluated based on a number of factors including proximity to a scenic view, landmark/attraction, or dining and shopping centers.

* Saab Automobile announced that it has received a loan from Chinese automaker Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile Co. Youngman had a agreed to take a 29% stake in Spyker - now Swedish Automobile - last June for a sum of $195.5 million, but the loan Saab received this week is said to be part of a $97 million loan aimed at keeping Saab afloat while it's in bankruptcy and until Saab, Youngman and Pang Da can get their proposed j-v approved by the Chinese government.