News In Brief

GM and Chrysler clash over GM's Toyota link Washington

Auto giants Chrysler and General Motors collided on Capitol Hill - sharply disagreeing on the merits of plans by GM to build a new line of small cars with Toyota.

Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca testified Wednesday that the venture would violate antitrust laws, create a monopoly, push 300,000 US auto workers out of their jobs, and escalate prices.

But Marina Whitman, a GM vice-president and chief economist, told the House Commerce and Transportation subcommittee that the plan would allow GM to learn and apply Japan's more efficient production techniques - to the benefit of the industry and consumers.