Peugeot

A bid to end a damaging monthlong strike at Peugeot, France's biggest private auto maker, appeared to be in jeopardy today after strikers refused to end their occupation of a key foundry. Trade union officials said one group of strikers voted to continue a sit-in at the Mulhouse foundry in eastern France.

Chrysler said Monday that it is selling its minority stake in Peugeot, the French auto maker, in order to free up more cash for spending on new cars and trucks in the United States. The No. 3 auto maker said its 12.5% holding of Peugeot stock and stock warrants, currently worth about $275 million, will be sold by June 11. The proceeds will go directly into Chrysler's capital spending program. "This is a strategic decision based on our investment priorities," Chrysler Chairman Lee A.

The French government suggested today that Peugeot, the nation's largest private industrial company, link up with Fiat of Italy to form an auto group big enough to withstand growing Japanese competition in Europe. The comment from a highly placed French official was made days after Daimler-Benz AG of West Germany and Mitsubishi Corp. of Japan announced a wide-ranging cooperation agreement involving cars and other industrial sectors.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Tuesday that it was in talks with PSA Peugeot Citroen to form a partnership, but the French firm ruled out a share deal and Japanese analysts doubted the negotiations would quickly boost the troubled Japanese car manufacturer's business.

Bombs exploded at three Paris office buildings almost simultaneously early today, wounding one person and damaging the structures, fire officials said. Direct Action, an extreme left-wing group, reportedly said it set off the blasts at the headquarters of the auto maker Peugeot and at the multistory Manhattan Tower and the Total Tower because of their commercial links with the white-led minority government of South Africa.

Volkswagen and PSA Peugeot Citroen, Europe's two biggest automakers, named new chief executives Tuesday as they seek to defend their home markets against rising Japanese rivals. Volkswagen of Germany unexpectedly named Martin Winterkorn, head of Audi, the company's most profitable division, to replace Bernd Pischetsrieder. Peugeot of France chose Christian Streiff, who last month resigned as head of plane maker Airbus, to succeed the retiring Jean-Martin Folz. Toyota Motor Corp.

They began with a hose and a few rags when Amilcar Santa Cruz and his 30 siblings and cousins set up a carwash in Havana's Miramar district, a little family business to help make ends meet. And that's all it was for several years. But in the last few months, the business has exploded. The carwash today is a bustling piece of new Cuban enterprise, complete with metal roofing, fluorescent lighting, a cafe and a full line of air fresheners to hang from the rearview mirror. "Everyone here is real hardworking," Santa Cruz said.