FURTHER mergers and acquisitions in the global automotive industry are on the cards - and General Motors is in the vanguard to acquire further businesses. Chairman and chief executive Jack Smith said at the North American Auto Show in Detroit that the spate of deals sparked by the 1998 merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler Corporation was 'not over yet'.

He admitted that General Motors would like to add to its European brands of Vauxhall, Opel and Saab saying: 'There is room for more.' However, he refused to speculate on which manufacturers GM would be interested in and dismissed any interest in BMW, saying: 'It is a great brand, but it is not for sale. I don't want to speculate.'