Auto News 5

The fragility of the automotive supply chain has been highlighted by natural disasters, particularly in Asia over the past 18 months. This month's management briefing considers how fragile the supply chains of international manufacturing firms have become and the strategic responses now being formulated in response to the Thai floods. This third instalment looks at the impact of the floods on the local operations of the Japanese OEMs

French supplier association, FIEV, says PSA Peugeot Citroen has no other solution than to implement its controversial plan to cut thousands of staff and close its factory near Paris.

News 22 Oct, 2012

VW bosses have revealed more details on plans to introduce a Dacia-rivalling budget brand

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ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: I have been a growing fan of Audi for years and I really liked the

News 22 Oct, 2012

Volkswagen has unveiled a chunky, five-door Taigun concept at the Sao Paulo Motor Show in Brazil

Pictures 22 Oct, 2012

General Motors is looking to gain close to complete control of its South Korean unit by buying a 17 percent stake held by the unit's second-biggest shareholder. South Korea is a small market for GM, but the country is one of the U.S.

With Europe in the midst of a five-year sales slump that is not forecast to end until 2015 at the earliest, volume automakers are taking dramatic steps to stop bleeding cash.

A few months after Tata Motors acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford, the global economy imploded. Chairman Ratan Tata admits to some anxious moments, but says he is confident about the future of Jaguar and Land Rover.

Volkswagen plans to invest $4.4 billion in upgrading its model lineup and factories in Brazil as part of its goal to become the world's biggest carmaker by 2018.

On Sunday evening, Gary Paffett (Mercedes) expressed his disapointment after he has been beaten by Bruno Spengler (BMW) in the title chase.

The Brit led the championship for the whole season after he took win in the opening round in Hockenheim, but he missed the title despite his second position in the final round in Hockenheim behind Bruno Spengler (BMW) who finally clinched championship for four points.

Gary Paffett, Mercedes, in Hockenheim. (Photo: René Fagnan)

"My team has done brilliantly well this season in terms of performance and it is very unfortunate that we missed winning the championship title in the last race by four points, said Paffett after the race. So in the immediate aftermath of the race, disappointment sits deep, of course, because from my point of view we deserved to win the championship title just as much as Bruno Spengler and BMW."

"Congratulations to Bruno on his first DTM title!", he added. "We will go on the attack again next year to take the championship"

On my way home last night, I was about to head downhill on a busy boulevard that leads to my town. In oncoming traffic a Honda Odyssey is frantically flashing its headlights, and five cars behind it there's an old Chevy Blazer doing the same thing.

It can only mean one thing: There's a cop waiting for speeders at the bottom of the hill.


No worries; I don't drive over the speed limit on city streets, and in my neck of the woods I know exactly where the local men and women in blue hide, and what their unmarked police cars look like. A dark blue Chevy Impala with tinted windows can be quite stealthy when you're driving with your brain on autopilot.

Anyway, as I rolled past the police cruiser, smiling and waving, I started wondering if the two drivers who flashed their headlights were doing the right thing. Sure, they're just trying to be helpful and prevent someone from getting a speeding ticket.

On the other hand, why should we be so nice to speeders? I'm sure they'll learn their lesson quicker after paying a few tickets rather than having fellow motorists warn them about an upcoming speed trap.

I especially don't want anyone flashing a speeder on my street; a 30 km/h limit may seem slow, but not in a residential area with kids playing in their front yards. While driving 20 km/h over the limit on the highway may seem harmless, it can be deadly on neighbourhood streets.

So please stop flashing your headlights at me; if I'm driving over the speed limit and get nailed by the cops, I deserve to pay the price of the ticket.

Volkswagen is set to unveil a new small SUV concept this week at the Sao Paulo Auto Show in Brazil.

Called Taigun, this three-door model stands 3.86 metres long, making it almost 60 centimetres shorter than the Tiguan. The horizontal lines, especially up front with the grille, are very reminiscent of Volkswagen's two existing SUVs.

The Taigun concept boasts a 1.0L three-cylinder TSI engine that produces 108 horsepower and sends the vehicle from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 186 km/h. Fuel consumption amounts to 4L/100km, according to Volkswagen.

Elsewhere, the two-piece tailgate (the upper section swings upward, while the lower section flips down) gives access to a 280-litre cargo area that expands to 987 litres when the rear seatbacks are folded flat.

Photo: Volkswagen

Chevrolet's stand at the upcoming SEMA Show will pack more performance cars than ever, from the small new Spark to the iconic Corvette.

The list includes the Malibu Turbo Performance Concept (the fastest Malibu ever built), 2014 Impala Concept, Spark Z-Spec and Sinister, Sonic Z-Spec 1 and Z-Spec 2.5, and Cruze Upscale.

As for customized versions of the Camaro and Corvette, GM is letting fans wait until SEMA to find out.

''At Chevrolet, performance comes in many different forms that appeal to many different customers -- and that's exactly what we demonstrate at the SEMA Show,'' said Chris Perry, vice president of Chevrolet marketing. ''We play close attention to the reaction our concepts receive, because the feedback helps determine the viability for producing new accessories and even special-edition production vehicles.''

Photo: General Motors

After focusing on all-electric cars such as the LEAF, Nissan is now giving hybrid vehicles some much-needed attention. In fact, it plans to introduce about one hybrid model a year over the next several years.

The Japanese automaker's first front-wheel-drive hybrid system developed in-house is expected to debut next year in the Infiniti JX crossover.

A plug-in hybrid will reportedly follow in 2015. Meanwhile, some of the technologies associated with hybrid vehicles, including regenerative braking systems, will trickle down to mainstream Nissan products.

"Our aim is not how can we apply it to just a single vehicle, but extend it across the lineup as much as possible, as soon as possible," Mitsuhiko Yamashita, executive vice president for global R&D, told Automotive News.

From GMM

McLaren is reportedly seeking a new engine partner for its famous formula one team.

The Woking based team has been powered by Mercedes engines since 1995, but the German carmaker now has its own, entirely separate works team.

Indeed, McLaren's current Mercedes relationship will soon end, leaving the Martin Whitmarsh-led team having to become a normal engine 'customer' like Sahara Force India.

Honda, the Japanese carmaker who in the past enjoyed a successful F1 partnership with McLaren, has been mentioned as a possible alternative, particularly with the sport's rules switching from V8 to turbo V6s in 2014.

Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, McLaren-Honda, in Suzuka, 1989.

Honda pulled out of F1 after the 2008 season.

"I follow the rules, certainly, and if they present an opportunity then it would be nice to go back (to F1)," Honda's head of research and development Yoshiharu Yamamoto admitted this month.

The Sun newspaper said McLaren is indeed "looking to ditch Mercedes and reunite with Honda".

"There is no way McLaren will stay as a customer for Mercedes engines," a source is quoted as saying.

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel is reportedly following Fernando Alonso's lead, as the pair knuckle down for their four-race battle to the 2012 title.

We reported a week ago that Spaniard Alonso has imposed a 'media muzzle' on himself for the decisive flyaway trek through India, Abu Dhabi, the US and Brazil, and will even slash the time he spends with Ferrari's crucial sponsors.

Ahead of the Indian grand prix this weekend, the local Telegraph newspaper said championship leader Vettel is taking a similar approach as he aims for a third consecutive drivers' title.

Set to arrive in Delhi on Wednesday, the German has told Red Bull "to not schedule possible distractions like promotionals", the newspaper said.

"Four races remain and he's determined to stay focused ... he wants to make it three in a row ... he seems obsessed," a source told the Telegraph.

Indeed, Vettel will not attend Red Bull's media event - a game of cricket with Indian star Gautam Gambhir - on Wednesday, even though his teammate Mark Webber will be there.

Ferrari is also leaving no stone unturned as it seeks to close the gap on Red Bull's now-dominant 2012 car.

Italy's Autosprint said the Maranello team tested a newly-updated F2012 for Alonso at the Idiada facility in Spain last Thursday, with Davide Rigon at the wheel.

From press release

Red Bull Racing has confirmed Antonio Felix da Costa and Robin Frinjs for the Youg Driver tests at Abu Dhabi in november.

Antonio Felix da Costa will be at the wheel for the first two days of the Abu Dhabi test before handing over to Dutch driver Robin Frijns.

Portuguese driver Felix da Costa is a member of the Red Bull Junior team and recently finished third in the GP3 Championship. He also competed in six of the nine rounds of the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 series, taking four wins and finishing fourth-place overall. The 21-year-old recently drove a Red Bull Racing RB7 at a Show Car event in Seoul, Korea.

Antonio Felix da Costa. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

Robin Frijns has just been crowned the Formula Renault 3.5 series Champion. Thanks to our partnership with the World Series by Renault, Robin's success has earned him a day's testing in the RB8 at the Yas Marina Circuit. At the start of the series, Red Bull Racing announced it would award a testing day to the winner.

Robin Frijns. (Photo: Renault)

From GMM

No longer facing arrest over bounced cheques, Sahara Force India chief Vijay Mallya could still endure a trying race weekend in his native India.

The Hindustan Times newspaper reports that unpaid and grounded staff of the billionaire's beleaguered Kingfisher airline intend to confront Mallya at the Buddh circuit this weekend.

"We have planned to stage a dharna (sit-in protest) when Mr Vijay Mallya comes at the grand prix," an unnamed Kingfisher engineer said. "A protest at the sporting event will highlight our plight to the entire world."

An air hostess added: "What is the option left before us but to protest? All of us are in deep financial crisis, but (Mallya) is unperturbed. (He is,) in fact, mocking at our misery with (his) lifestyle."