Auto News 5

After a long, nine-year life cycle for the first Ford Brazil EcoSport compact SUV, finally comes the 'MkII', clearly evolved from its popular predecessor and now destined for global sale and additional production outside South America.

Videos 13 Aug, 2012

German carmaker follows up Audi RS5 teaser image by teaming up with Ducati

Nissan Europe has told just-auto that despite the launch of a new Pathfinder in North America, there are no plans to replace the model that has been built in Barcelona since 2005.

Jaguar said its latest model, the F-Type, will be unveiled at the Paris auto show. The convertible will go on sale next spring and will be the brand's first proper sports car since the E-Type, which became a 1960s icon and ceased production in 1974.

Jaguar said its latest model, the F-Type, will be unveiled at the Paris auto show. The convertible will go on sale next spring and will be the brand's first proper sports car since the E-Type, which became a 1960s icon and ceased production in 1974.

Sergio Marchionne drives a hard bargain. After all, the Fiat CEO gained control of Chrysler in 2009 for nothing. Now, he may have met his match in his own boardroom.

Ford received a vote of confidence from Standard and Poor's Ratings Services that the automaker will act decisively to fix its struggling European operations.

When it comes to a future product plan, less is more as far as the Lincoln brand is concerned.

Sergio Marchionne drives a hard bargain. After all, the Fiat CEO gained control of Chrysler in 2009 for nothing. Now, he may have met his match in his own boardroom.

Although circumspect about the health of the overall market, Toyota Motor Corp. is forging ahead with plans to rapidly expand North American production and sourcing and possibly shift assembly of at least one vehicle from Japan to North America.

Not only have Hyundai and Kia been piling up market share in recent years, they have moved steadily into higher-priced segments.

Chrysler Group dealers are replacing malfunctioning cylinder heads on a small percentage of 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engines. And a recent shortage of replacement heads means some customers have been without their vehicles for weeks, some dealers say.

When General Motors' then-marketing chief Joel Ewanick approached Manchester United in the spring about a sponsorship deal, he had an authorized annual budget of about $70 million to play with.

When Akio Toyoda and Elon Musk shook hands during dinner at Musk's Bel Air, Calif., mansion in May 2010, there were big grins all around. The two had just agreed that their companies would co-develop an electric vehicle ...

Ford launched a nationwide iPad program on Aug. 1. About 140 of the automaker's roughly 3,300 dealerships have signed up so far. Ford says the optional application is linked to Ford's ordering and sales reporting systems.

The Volkswagen brand's U.S. operations seeks to accomplish what few other mass-market brands have achieved here: nearly quadruple U.S. annual sales from 2008 to 2018.

As government support for electrification has waned in the United States, EV and battery makers increasingly are turning to China for investment and manufacturing sites.

The Volkswagen brand's U.S. operations seeks to accomplish what few other mass-market brands have achieved: nearly quadruple annual sales from 2008 to 2018.

From GMM

F1's three engine manufacturers for 2014 are hard at work on their new turbo V6 designs, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reported.

The publication said Craig Pollock's new venture Pure is no longer operating, while it is now common knowledge in the F1 paddock that HRT and Marussia supplier Cosworth is unlikely to still be on the grid for the radical new rules.

That leaves just Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault, with Auto Motor und Sport saying the manufacturers are now "in phase two" of the development process for 2014.

It means they are no longer working only with mere prototypes.

Photo: Renault Sport F1

"We have now run a V6 and the programme is more or less in line with our planning," Renault Sport's Rob White said recently. "Our intent is to be 'race intent' in the course of 2013."

Toto Wolff, a Williams shareholder and the Grove team's new executive director, told motorline.cc the British squad will "definitely" still be powered by Renault's existing V8 engine next year.

And then into the V6 rules and beyond?

"That is what we would wish," he said. "Renault has decided to remain in formula one for the long term and talks (between Williams and Renault) are in progress," he added.

From press release

Canadian Tire fires up their engine as the Title Sponsor of ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship in Mont-Tremblant and Rotax Team Canada.

The event will be staged August 24-26 at the karting circuit of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec.

Canadian Tire will also be a a sponsor of Team Canada for the 2012 Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, held from November 28th to December 1st, 2012 at the Kartodromo Internacional Algarve, located close to the city of Portimao in Portugal.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Canadian Tire's sponsorship of the ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship includes:
• Title sponsor of the ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championship;
• Support for the Canadian champions comprising “Team Canada”, participating in the Rotax Max Challenge Grand Finals, held in Portugal, in November against drivers from 60 countries.

“Because I started my career as a karting driver, I value the importance of supporting events such as these,” said Ron Fellows, Canadian Tire's racing ambassador and NASCAR driver.

“I'm pleased that Canadian Tire is sponsoring the ASN Canada FIA Canadian Karting Championships once more which offers young drivers the opportunity to develop their skills and showcase them internationally as well!” Fellows added.