SHITING GEARS: The shake-up at General Motors' Opel subsidiary in Europe gathered speed as two more top executives left their posts.

ON THEIR WAY: Opel said Chief Financial Officer Mark James will be replaced by Michael Lohscheller, until now CFO of Volkswagen's US business. Research and development head Rita Forst is also resigning her post, to be taken over by another Opel executive, Michael Ableson.

OUT OF GAS? European demand for mass-market cars like the ones Opel builds continues to weaken. Consumers are cautious in countries like Spain and Italy, where unemployment is high and government finances are shaky.