The 2009 HUMMER H2 will be the first HUMMER to utilize GM’s E85 FlexPower, with the H3 following later in 2009. The new H2 will be able to run on E85 ethanol, standard gasoline, or any combination of the two fuels. E85 is a cleaner-burning, higher-octane fuel that can help reduce dependency on oil, but may not necessarily achieve the same fuel economy as regular gas.

Chevrolets are rarely seen on the streets of Paris. But General Motors (GM) has chosen the Paris Motor Show, which opens to the public on Oct. 4, to launch one of the most important new Chevy models in years.

The Cruze, a compact sedan set to go on sale in Europe next March and in the U.S. in 2010, will be Chevrolet’s first global small car. With its sleek, arched roofline and high-tech interior, “it’s one of the global Chevrolet products that are the future of where this brand is going to be,” says Wayne Brannon, Chevy’s European chief.

Toyota, the Ford Motor Company and Chrysler each said Wednesday that their sales in the United States fell more than 30 percent in September, as volatility in the financial markets compounded what already had been a miserable year for the auto industry.

But sales were better than expected at General Motors, which reported a 16 percent decline and estimated that its market share rose to the highest level in more than three years.