DETROIT—GM is hiring 200 people at its Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant ahead of starting production of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu later this summer.

TORONTO—Two of Canada’s most prominent unions—the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union—are holding merger talks in what could become the biggest consolidation in Canadian labor history.

HUNTSVILLE, AL—Toyota plans to invest $80 million to expand its engine assembly plant here. The automaker will also add 125 jobs.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL—One person was killed Tuesday morning, and 10 others were injured, in an explosion at an auto parts assembly plant here.

WENTZVILLE, MO— GM began construction yesterday on a $380 million expansion of its assembly plant here.

LAFAYETTE, IN—Subaru is planning to invest $75 million to expand its assembly plant here. The expansion will add 100 jobs.

MUNICH, Germany—Mexico, Brazil, Hungary and Slovakia are among the countries that could land a new BMW assembly plant.

TOKYO—Magna Steyr has signed a contract with Nissan to assemble Infiniti’s future entry-level luxury compact car. Production is expected to begin in 2014.

ROSSENDALE, UK—A British truck manufacturer has improved productivity by more than 50 percent by using a structural adhesive to bond vehicle bodies.

DETROIT—A reporter discovers that life on GM’s Cadillac assembly line is not that easy.