Auto News 5

Nissan is to assemble Infiniti luxury models in the central Hebei province of China from 2014, according to an agreement signed this week.

Toyota is looking like it's got this hybrid lark sorted. Just as it was rolling out the Yaris hybrid to European journalists came news the Prius line alone - never mind Aurion and assorted Lexus models - was the world's third top selling nameplate in the first quarter with sales of 247,230, behind the Corolla (300,800) and Focus (277,000). More than makes up for the failure of the 'ybrid-only Lexus HS250, eh?

Continuing just-auto's series of interviews with leading manufacturers of occupant restraints systems, Matthew Beecham talked with Dr Swen Schaub, senior manager, Engineering Strategies & Communications for TRW's OSS (Occupant Safety Systems) business.

The Skoda Yeti is being updated to keep it on top in the small 4x4 class

For 2013, Ford not only freshened the

Just as they were launching the new B-segment Yaris hybrid in Europe came news Toyota executives were delighted to highlight; the Prius line, launched initially only in Japan 15 years ago, was the world's third best-selling car line in the first quarter as US demand and incentives in Japan turned it into a mainstream hit.

Fiat has no plans to buy a stake in Mazda but will move forward soon to increase its stake in Chrysler to over 60%.

Indonesia's largest vehicle manufacturer, PT Astra Daihatsu Motor, is recalling more than 50,000 Gran Max light commercial vehicles and the Sirion small passenger car due to factory defects.

The Eurozone and Greek crises and the newly implemented FTA between the US and Colombia slowed the market last month to 24,941 units, up just 2.4% year on year.

New vehicle importers that do not also have manufacturing operations in Brazil are starting to experience increasing difficulties remaining in the market and supporting dealers following the excise (IPI) tax rise.

Record profit and sales for Jaguar Land Rover, thanks to Chinese expansion and success of Range Rover Evoque

BMW announces details and specification of the new 6 Series Gran Coupe, with prices starting from £61,390

What is it?

Britain’s got talent in the car industry all over the world – so we count down our 50 top homegrown movers and shakers

Toyota gets factory engineers in to fix a noisy fault on an Avensis, after Auto Express gets involved

Alfa Romeo is developing a new MX-5 based Spider, and our exclusive images show how it could look

All Nokia branding has been removed from the World Rally Championship web site after the cellular phone giant terminated his partnership with the WRC.

Autosport reports that WRC Commission president Jarmo Mahonen admitted last week's Acropolis Rally would be the final event in the association between the WRC and Nokia.

Wednesday, the news was confirmed by the fact that all Nokia branding was removed from the official web site of the World Rally Championship.

Photo: WRC

Autosport added that Mahonen admitted the loss of the deal, reckoned to have been a long-term commitment was a significant blow to the series.

The president also said that the loss of the WRC promoter at the start of the year was a contributing factor in the demise of the partnership.

The Canadian Formula Tour 1600 series kicked-off last weekend its 2012 racing season.

Twenty drivers took the start of the first of three Mont-Tremblant double header programs, where the sun was shining. It was also the first race weekend of the new Toyo R888 tire era.

Xavier Coupal, Nathan Blok and Didier Schraenen. (Photo: formulatour1600)

This season, expect young guns Nathan Blok and Xavier Coupal - who split a win each last weekend -, Jean-Philippe Jodoin and Marc-Antoine Cardin to challenge for glory.

Block is the defending champion, and Coupal the aspiring rival who had the chance to defend his country's colour at last year's British Formula Ford Festival.

Jodoin is one of few drivers to race the new Honda Fit engine. In the fight with 15-year-old rookie Cardin, Jodoin has the advantage of a few more race under his belt.

That being said, old timers Didier Schraenen and Michel Bonnet, are expected to shine just as much. They both scored a podium in Tremblant. Chances are, for his 25th race season, Schraenen will want more than just third places.

But right now, he and everybody else are looking forward to the Formula 1 weekend, held at the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve June 8-10. Drivers will then have a chance to race again in the streets of Trois-Rivières, revisit Mont-Tremblant twice and see for the first time what the Calabogie Motorsports Park is like to race.

Adapted from wrc.com

Two-time World Rally Champion Marcus Gronholm captured victory in a rallycross event in the USA.

Gronholm, who swept to world title glory in 2000 and 2002, was competing in the opening round of the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday.

Photo: WRC

Not only did the Finn claim victory in his Ford Fiesta Mk7, he also scored maximum points after progressing through the seeding and heat stages with a clean sheet of wins, before securing top honours in the eight-lap decider against 10 rivals, despite hefty rear contact from a rival driver.

“I'm really pleased for the Best Buy Racing Rallycross Team, this is what we came here to do,” said Gronholm.

“Since Friday you have been used to fighting maybe three other cars at a time in the heats, then suddenly there are ten cars on track [for the final] which really changes everything. With so many cars, staying out of trouble is really important and I got a big push from behind at one stage, I dropped quite a bit, but managed to get it all together. I'm enjoying the moment, but pretty soon we'll start taking a look at [the next round in] Texas which isn't so long away.”

From GMM

Jaime Alguersuari was also caught up in the latest Italian earthquake that killed 15 people and forced Ferrari to send its employees home on Tuesday.

The former Toro Rosso driver told Spanish sports newspaper AS that he was near the epicentre of the magnitude-5.8 quake as he prepared to test a kart this week.

Asked if he is okay, Spaniard Alguersuari said: "Yes, everything's fine, but this morning at the hotel I had a hard time, I was really scared."

"I was in the shower and I just ran out. At first I wasn't worried because I'd experienced something similar in Japan, but soon I realised that everything was shaking and getting strong and that this was much worse. There was a point at which I kept thinking 'it's all over' -- I thought the building was coming down. So I put on a towel and ran down to reception and into the street. It all lasted about two minutes and I realised that, yes, in a moment everything can change. It was an experience."