Auto News 5

News 28 Nov, 2012

All-electric Fiat 500 city car will go on sale in the US from next year

News 23 Nov, 2012

A high-performance, 1,000kg version of the Audi TT is under consideration

The new 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish will be showcased at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show this week.

News 7 Dec, 2012

Our images show how the next-generation Vauxhall Corsa could look when it arrives in 2014

News 23 Nov, 2012

Audi is considering a diesel-electric hypercar, using technology from its Le Mans racer, to sit above the R8 in the range

Pictures 7 Dec, 2012

News 23 Nov, 2012

Peugeot has confirmed it will continue its partnership with a new city car

BMW Group expects to sell a combined 1 million cars in China within three years, a company spokeswoman told Automotive News Europe, confirming comments from a senior executive at the automaker's joint venture in the country.

BMW Group expects to sell a combined 1 million cars in China over the three years through 2014, a company spokeswoman said, confirming comments from a senior executive at the automaker's joint venture in the country.

BMW Group aims to sell 1 million cars in China in the next three years, according to an executive at the automaker's joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive. Last month, China sales at the group rose 52 percent to 27,828.

Infotainment and safety features once reserved for luxury cars are now showing up in compact and subcompact models as mass-market automakers increasingly use high-tech features as key selling tools.

Wendelin Wiedeking, whose celebrated 16-year run as Porsche's CEO came to a bad end in 2009, has gone into the pizza and pasta business.

After a round of bankruptcies and buyouts, the world of roof system suppliers has narrowed to three major players: Webasto Roof Systems, Magna Car Top Systems and Valmet Automotive.

With North American vehicle production headed toward 15 million-plus units next year, automakers are encountering a new breed of supplier: the one that says "no."

Japan's automakers are gearing up for the biggest wave of North American production expansion in a decade.

From GMM

According to strong paddock rumours, Sunday's Brazilian grand prix will be the last lap for ailing backmarkers HRT.

Publicly looking for a buyer, it is reported that staff have actually already been served with pending redundancy notices that will come into effect after the chequered flag waves on Sunday.

"None of us know what will happen," team driver Pedro de la Rosa, who was expected to stay at the Spanish team in 2013, admitted to reporters in Brazil.

Photo: HRT F1 Team

When asked about the redundancy notices, he answered: "All I know is that we are here and that everyone here has not received anything."

"What happens after is unknown," added Pedro de la Rosa. "I hope the team continues but at this moment in time I cannot say any more."

Rookie driver Stoffel Vandoorne was quickest in the third day of Formula Renault 3.5 collective test at Alcaniz, Spain.

After Kevin Magnussen emerged fastest Wednesday and Thursday, Stoffel Vandoorne, from Belgium set the best performance on Friday. He set the best time in both session.

This season, Vandoorne contested the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup.

Stoffel Vandoorne, DAMS. (Photo: Renault)

Carlos Sainz Jr, Norman Nato and Marco Sorensen were the other top drivers of the day.

Friday morning:
1 - Stoffel Vandoorne - Fortec - 1'39"362
2 - Carlos Sainz - Dams - 1'39"432
3 - Norman Nato - Dams - 1'39"588
4 - Daniil Kvyat - Fortec - 1'39"637
5 - Marco Sorensen - Lotus - 1'39"780
etc.

Friday afternoon:
1 - Stoffel Vandoorne - Fortec - 1'39"085
2 - Carlos Sainz - Dams - 1'39"446
3 - Nico Muller - Draco - 1'39"547
4 - Marco Sorensen - Lotus - 1'39"592
5 - Norman Nato - Dams - 1'39"773
etc.

From GMM

Ron Dennis did not attend a farewell party for Lewis Hamilton last week in Austin, and he will not be in Brazil for his former protege's last race for McLaren.

The news adds to the perception that Briton Hamilton - who was nurtured through his formative years by the McLaren supremo and brought into F1 in 2007 - has fallen out badly with Dennis over the 27-year-old's Mercedes switch.

Referring to a farewell party in Austin last weekend, Daily Mail journalist Jonathan McEvoy wrote: "Dennis instead chose to attend what a team spokesman described as 'an important cocktail reception hosted by Exxon Mobil executives at which he was guest of honour'."

But after Hamilton won the US grand prix, Dennis refused to wear McLaren's customary 'rocket-red' victory t-shirt.

And the 65-year-old "has decided not to travel to Sao Paulo for Hamilton's farewell race", McEvoy revealed.

Team McLaren, except Ron Dennis, celebrating Hamilton's victory at Austin. (Photo: WRi2)

Ron Dennis said in Austin last week: "Obviously the media thinks there's some issue between Lewis and I -- there's absolutely no issue between us.

"Sometimes the circumstances in a relationship don't balance, don't match," he told the British broadcaster Sky.

But there are rumours Hamilton and Dennis fell out very badly over the negotiations for a new driving contract for 2013 and beyond.

"I do know what has happened," an unnamed 'senior figure' told the Daily Mail. "Everyone makes mistakes and Ron made a mistake. Everything went pear-shaped and I don't think it would be fair to say any more than that."

A McLaren spokesman responded: "Ron and Lewis plan to get together socially in the near future, as they've both said a number of times recently."

On Friday, Lewis Hamilton of the McLaren-Mercedes team set the best time on both free practice sessions of the Grand Prix of Brazil in Sao Paulo.

Hamilton, who will contest his final Grand Prix for McLaren on Sunday, set the fastest time in the morning practice session. The Briton set the best time in 1m14.131 with the MP4-27 fitted with a set of 2013 Pirelli prototype tires.

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren (Photo: WRI2)

Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing was second-fastest on a set of the current hard tires, just 0.009 second down to Hamilton.

Vettel's teammate, Mark Webber, was third quickest, also on a set of hard tires. Jenson Button was fourth, followed by Vettel's championship rival, Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Romain Grosjean (Lotus).

It got hotter during the afternoon session as the air temperature reached 33 degrees.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull (Photo: WRI2)

Hamilton was quick out of the box, but Massa and then Vettel went even faster.

Grosjean was the first driver to run on medium tires, and he set the best time.

Hamilton retook first place before he began a series of long runs, as did most other drivers. We saw several drivers locking up the wheel under braking.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari (Photo: WRI2)

Hamilton was slightly quicker than Vettel and Alonso during the long runs.

The McLaren driver classified first again in front of Vettel, Webber, Massa, Alonso, and Michael Schumacher (Mercedes AMG), contesting the very last Grand Prix in his career.

Grand Prix of Brazil, Sao Paulo, Friday's first practice session*:
1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'14"131 - 33 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'14"140 - 35
3 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'14"198 - 34
4 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'14"217 - 31
5 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'14"392 - 28
6 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'14"716 - 29
7 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'14"719 - 33
8 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'14"738 - 34
9 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'15"015 - 37
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'15"050 - 32
11 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'15"114 - 36
12 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'15"255 - 31
13 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'15"396 - 32
14 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'15"413 - 23
15 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'15"587 - 35
16 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'15"701 - 16
17 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'16"048 - 35
18 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'16"315 - 36
19 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'16"460 - 32
20 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'16"506 - 31
21 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'16"617 - 30
22 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'17"234 - 26
23 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'17"678 - 15
24 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'17"895 - 13

Grand Prix of Brazil, Sao Paulo, Friday's second practice session*:
1 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'14"026 - 35 laps
2 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'14"300 - 40
3 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'14"523 - 37
4 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'14"553 - 37
5 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'14"592 - 37
6 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'14"654 - 36
7 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - 1'14"669 - 40
8 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'14"883 - 40
9 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'14"994 - 37
10 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'15"129 - 39
11 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'15"131 - 40
12 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'15"371 - 39
13 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'15"432 - 45
14 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'15"542 - 35
15 - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'15"839 - 43
16 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'15"902 - 39
17 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'15"953 - 47
18 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'16"048 - 40
19 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'16"126 - 39
20 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'16"665 - 42
21 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'17"244 - 15
22 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'17"675 - 42
23 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'18"127 - 31
24 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'18"139 - 15

*Unofficial timing

From press release

Charles Pic has today been announced as one of Caterham F1 Team's race drivers for the 2013 season and beyond.

Cyril Abiteboul, Team Principal of Caterham F1 Team: "We are thrilled that Charles has decided to join us for his second season in F1 and beyond. Throughout the 2012 season we have been monitoring the progress that Charles has made, challenging us on several occasions in qualifying, and it is clear that he is a special talent. As the year has progressed he has performed extremely well against a very experienced teammate and we are looking forward to seeing him develop further within the environment we will provide in 2013 and beyond."

"We will continue growing together, and the energy and image he will bring to our team and his partners will be a very positive influence on the seasons that lie ahead. Being able to make this announcement before the end of the current season gives us the chance now to allow Charles and the team to prepare fully for the 2013 season and quickly learn how to maximise the performance benefits of the Renault Sport F1 and Red Bull Technology powertrain that will be new to him."

Charles Pic. (Photo: Caterham F1 Team)

Charles Pic: "I am very proud to be able to confirm that I am joining Caterham F1 Team next year and I'm looking forward to many seasons of successful racing co-operation. I'm enthusiastic to have the opportunity to continue to grow in a team that has a technical relationship with a number of French global companies, including Renault and Total, plus an official partnership with EADS. It is clear that the team has great ambitions for the future: the investments already made and the decisions taken in the last few months show how committed the shareholders are to succeed and demonstrates their willingness to keep going forward."

"The prospect of the automotive industry project nurtured by Caterham Group to produce sports road cars in conjunction with Renault is another reason for my decision to join the team. I am very excited about starting my second year in F1 with a team that has so much potential. Caterham F1 Team has everything in place to help it move into a position to fight with a number of teams ahead. I know how determined the team is to keep progressing and I am looking forward to playing my part in helping them move up the grid."

Jean-François Caubet, Managing Director of Renault Sport F1, added: "We are always motivated to see promising drivers in our partner teams and Charles is no exception. Additionally, France remains the largest Renault market and having another young, dynamic French driver join the Renault stable will give us further branding, marketing and PR opportunities, both for our F1 involvement and road car range in France and the rest of Europe. We look forward to working with him closely over the coming years."