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High speed testing of Jaguar F-Type R gets underway, and we have the best pictures yet

Images of the Skoda Rapid's sister car, the SEAT Toledo, have been leaked

First pictures of the production-ready SEAT Toledo - sister car to the Skoda Rapid - have been leaked

General Motors is transferring Opel's design chief to the United States to lead Cadillac and Buick styling and is moving the head of Buick and GMC styling to the top design post in Europe.

First official pictures of the new Skoda Rapid have been released, and the Focus rival is set to start from £13k

Fears that Chrysler would be "Italianized" when Fiat took control of the U.S. automaker once seemed reasonable.

Fears that Chrysler would be "Italianized" when Fiat took control of the U.S. automaker once seemed reasonable.

China is considering tax exemptions and subsidises for buyers of energy-saving vehicles in an attempt to boost its low-emissions auto sector, the Shanghai Securities News reported on Tuesday.

BMW, Renault and Autoliv have been chosen as the 2012 winners of the third annual Automotive News Europe/Automotive Intelligence Center L.E.A.D.E.R. awards. L.E.A.D.E.R.

China is considering tax exemptions and subsidises for buyers of energy-saving vehicles in an attempt to boost its low-emissions auto sector, the Shanghai Securities News reported on Tuesday.

Renault is considering adding two upscale brands and further expanding in emerging markets to decrease the automaker's reliance on Europe's shrinking volume car market, the carmaker's Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares said.

The European auto industry has been rocked by overcapacity, high debt and lagging sales.

Bob Remenar, who saved supplier Nexteer with a series of bold actions, has stepped down as CEO of the former GM and Delphi unit to become head of Diversified Machine.

Renault is considering adding two upscale brands and further expanding in emerging markets to decrease the automaker's reliance on Europe's shrinking volume car market, the automaker's COO Carlos Tavares said.

The Japanese manufacturer believes it can sell 20,00 electric Leaf during the current financial term. The biggest problem right now is about whether or not the factory in Japan can sustain the demand.

The new Smyrna plant, in Tennessee, will only start production in December; only at that time will it be able to supply Leaf cars to the American consumers.

Sales of the Leaf have dropped in the last two months, because of product shortage in the dealerships. Currently, Nissan's electric vehicle is only sold in seven States, but it could be introduce to the whole country as soon as next year.

Nissan has made 1.18 million cars in the United States and in Mexico last year, never before has it produced more vehicles. Figures could reach 1.35 million next year if everything goes well.

Source: Bloomberg

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

At first, many people thought it was a joke or a mirage. Truth is, the DeltaWing might very well be the future of auto racing.

And we're not talking about a concept, here: this car is already making a mark on the track and the racing scene including the biggest and most renowned endurance event in the world - the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

For sure, the DeltaWing is a sight to behold and looks like nothing else on the road right now. But let's focus on the technical aspect, if you don't mind. Its developer explained how auto racing has to reclaim its rightful place and lead the way in terms of new technologies. The team of engineers started from scratch and brainstormed tons of interesting ideas.

Photo: WR12

Their plan was to create an innovative race car powered by a relatively modest 300-hp Nissan engine and helped by super-efficient aerodynamics. The DeltaWing can reach a speed of 300 km/h in a straight line. The long, wind-slicing body generates little to no drag, while the massive delta-shaped floor produces the downforce, resulting in a race car with no wings.

The two tiny wheels up front are close to each other and make the nose of the car quite sharp and nimble. The entire tail has been carefully designed to ensure maximum overall balance, meaning no understeering or oversteering.

Michelin came up with unique tires for the DeltaWing. They can last through ten relays at Le Mans, or a distance of about 1,500 kilometres, whereas a normal race tire seldom tops 500 kilometres.

That's good news for environmentalists, much like the fact that the DeltaWing burns roughly half the amount of fuel of an LMP1 car. So despite its small 40-litre fuel tank, the DeltaWing can travel the same distance between pit stops as the mighty Audis and Toyotas!

I'll admit that I was one of those who initially mocked the project, but I have since come to realize that the DeltaWing is incredibly efficient and just as fast as the times announced by the company. In a word: bravo! Take a serious look at it as we may already be witnessing the future of the sport.

Auto123.com had an interview with Frenchman Simon Pagenaud who stands sixth in provisional point standings of the IZOD IndyCar series after eight rounds.

Question: Simon, you're standing in sixth place after eight races. Is this what you expected befeore your season with Sam Schmidt Motorsport?
Simon Pagenaud: I race to win, and my ambitions are high, but as the begineer in this series I have to be reasonable. Being in the top six in the championship is one of my goals this year.

Simon Pagenaud (Photo: WRI2)

You seemed to be pretty comfortable on the street circuits. How do you evaluate your performance on oval tracks ?
Much better than I could imagine. I feel at ease. However, the complexity of the races on an oval open up opportunities that I did not expect. You see several championship contenders making mistakes and that give you the opportunity to move up in the standings. For now, we have not taken benefit of those opportunities. I am currently building my experience and it goes step by step.

What are the areas where you think you can still make progress (oval or road racetracks) with the team?
Even when the weekend runs perfectly, there is always a possible progression whatsoever in the use of tires, changing the balance of the car during the race, the pit stops, the restarts, overtaking, human relations and communication in the race, how to make progress with the engine, brakes, downforce a different strategy for the different gearbox, etc. ... we could probably talk of this all day ! In motorsport, the development and progress must be part of everyday's life in different departments. Right now for the road courses I try to make the team focus on giving me a car with more grip, more stability and constant in the fast corners. On the ovals, we would need something quite similar. The balance is good but the car slides with its four wheels and it is not easy to control or even adjust.

Simon Pagenaud (Photo: WRI2)

How do you rate your first experience at the Indy 500?
Fine. I think we did a good job! If I went back this weekend I'd be much stronger. However I can not be satisfied with 16th place. But I learned what I needed to learn, I reached the end of the race and next year the goal will be to fight for the win.

It seems that you really found your marks on the oval tracks, is it your feeling?
Yes, I love this sport. I am discovering my own style of driving on oval. I just figured out what the car needed to get me at ease and so fast ! This learning phase is very important, but there are a lot of little details when racing on the ovals. From outside it seems very simple but it is not, this is very technical.

It seems also that the public discovered you during the Long Beach race. Did you feel that your status had changed at the end of this race with fans, and even within the paddock?
I am fortunate to be well known in the USA where endurance racing is much appreciated. I am not a stranger, but indeed in the paddock, many are surprised with our level of performances with Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Ben Bretzman, my longtime engineer came with me on the team and we push the other one and each in our fields! But I think the truth is that is very hungry!

Have you ever contacts for next year?
It is too early to talk about next year. Sam Schmidt has an option for my services for 2013.

The Swedish manufacturer presented at the CityArena of Gothenburg the Volvo S60 Polestar, which combines Volvo's legendary driving experience with high level performances and manoeuvrability.

Photo: Polestar

"We are proud to present Polestar's interpretation of the Volvo S60," says Christian Dahl, founder and CEO of Polestar. The T6 engine was modified, making the 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of over 300 km/h possible; and the chassis was lowered, widened and reinforced.

Robert Dahlgren, Polestar racing driver says: "To me the Volvo S60 is a very well sorted car from start. In our concept car we have developed chassis, engine and transmission just like we want it, and the result is a huge leap forward in terms of handling and performance. It is, by far, the most impressive street Volvo I've ever driven. But I must also say that the genuine Volvo feeling is still there."

Volvo specified that only a limited number of Polestar would be produced, depending the market's welcome.

Martin Whitmarsh, director of the McLaren Formula 1 team told British magazine Autosport that Grand Prix racing had not choice but to move to greener engines.

Whitmarsh explained that the move to more environmentally friendly, smaller turbo engines from 2014 is a crucial step forward for F1.

Engine suppliers are currently developping and even test benching their new 1.6-litre turbo engines, and the introduction of a new engine formula will translate into higher costs for the teams.

Illustration of the PURE V6 turbo engine. (Image: PURE)

Some say that the annual costs for power trains (engines. KERS and transmissions) will jump to an estimated 20 million euros per year.

Talking to Autosport, Whitmarsh said "If you introduce rule changes - all for good reasons to make the sport socially relevant and to make the technologies appropriate, there will inevitably be a cost of so doing. And that is something we have to be balanced about and very cautious about”.

The McLaren boss thinks that if F1 stuck long-term to the current V8 normally aspirated engines then it could leave itself open to criticisms about not having environmental concerns.

"If F1 is perceived as a gas-guzzling sport that has no regard to the technologies that are very relevant to automotive companies, then we really promote the wrong image. F1 should be about efficiency,” Whitmarsh added.

"People are talking about the efficient use of resources. No sport should be at liberty to spend almost unlimited amounts of money and resource with no focus on efficiency,” he ended.

GM Canada has announced its luxury crossover compact vehicle, going on sale starting from the third quarter, would go for the price of $ 39,830 - plus $ 1,500 of freight costs.

The 2013 Terrain Denali is GMC's safest vehicle ever put on the market.

It's also very technologically advanced performant and luxurious. The steering wheels, door upholstery and seats are all draped in leather. On the technology side, GMC fitted the new Terrain Denali with Intellilink, a voice-commanded infotainement system with Bluetooth smartphone integration.

The Terrain Denali also features lane departure warning and forward collision alert, which uses the industry's first camera avoidance system to both visually and audibly warn drivers when a collision is imminent.

Power comes standard from a 4-cylinder 2.4L engine, or from an optional 304-horsepower V6. No word yet on fuel consumption figures of either engine. Other options, all at extra costs, include a four-wheel drive powertrain, 19-inch wheels (instead of 18-inch), Colour Touch Navigation and a towering package.

Photo: General Motors