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Nissan said its sales may reach 10 trillion yen ($123 billion) this year depending on the strength of a currency that CEO Carlos Ghosn compared to an over-sized ape.

PSA said it may build cars in India with General Motors, its new global alliance partner, effectively scrapping a planned 650 million euro ($850 million) investment in its own factory.

Johnson Controls (JCI) has boosted second fiscal quarter profit as adjusted earnings per share grew and matched analysts' expectations while quarterly revenues fractionally topped their estimates.

The return of Alfa Romeo to the key US market has moved a step closer with the registering of the 4C brand with the US Patent and Trademark office earlier this month, according to a local report.

Honda unveiled the Concept C - a budget small car - and Concept S - a compact car - at the Beijing show and said that this was the start of a new growth plan that did not rely on the US. Both models were developed in China with partner Dongfeng Motor but the S could be sold globally.

Here's a brief run-down of reports available in our research store that caught our eye over the past week or so...

Western automakers including GM, Daimler, BMW, Audi and PSA are counting on China to maintain growth in their premium offerings, although they expect luxury car sales to rise at a slower pace amid higher fuel costs and a decelerating economy.

General Motors, Daimler, BMW, Audi and PSA are counting on China to maintain growth for their premium offerings, although they expect luxury car sales to rise at a slower pace amid higher fuel costs and a decelerating economy.

Maserati says that the Beijing auto show will be the fourth and final auto-show appearance for its Kubang SUV concept. "After Beijing, we will retire the Kubang concept.

French supplier Faurecia, the world's biggest maker of car interiors and exhaust systems, confirmed its full-year targets after posting an 8.4 percent gain in quarterly sales, helped by strong demand in North America and Asia.

Volkswagen will invest about 170 million euros ($225 million) to build a new plant in Urumqi, western China, capable of making 50,000 vehicles annually starting in 2015, the company said.

BMW's new DTM recruit Bruno Spengler recently drove an M3 on the ice for the German GRIP TV show.

Spengler learned to drive on the icy roads of his native Canada, so he feels quite comfortable behind the wheel of the 414 horsepower M3 on a sheet of ice.

After the demonstration, Spengler embarked in a fun race against the host of the show, Matthias Malmedie. Spengler was behind the wheel of a stunning BMW 2002 - without any driving aids - while Malmedie was driving the M3. The outcome of the race is very interesting !

The video is obviously in German.

Up for auction by Bonhams at the Staffordshire County Showground in England at the end of the month is a 1995 Ferrari 900-cc motorcycle by David Kay Engineering. Along with the prancing horse, the one-of-a-kind bike comes with quite a story.

Photo: Bonhams

When MV Agusta engineer David Kay requested permission to build a one-off motorcycle complete with Ferrari logo in 1990 in honour of his late father, he got a letter back from Piero Ferrari containing “approval to place the Ferrari badge on your motorbike.”

Powered by a 900-cc DOHC 4-cylinder scratch-built engine and featuring Terry Hall-built aluminum bodywork, the bike reportedly sounds like “a Messerschmitt chasing a Spitfire.” It was never tested to its full capacity, but has an estimated top speed of 265 km/h, produces 105 bhp and weighs only 172 kg.

Kay's inspired came from Enzo Ferrari's having started his motorcycle racing days on a Scott two-stroke; the project took more than 3,000 hours to complete. It has spent most of its life in Kay's drawing room. Bonhams estimates it will go for between $120,000 and $160,000.


_{Source: Bonhams}

From Sahara Force India

The Sahara Force India F1 Team Academy stepped up a gear this month as the team's three young Indian racers, Arjun Maini, Tarun Reddy and Jehan Daruvala began their European karting careers.

The three youngsters are competing in the British Super One Championship, Britain's premier kart championship incorporating the KF3 Class MSA British Championships for juniors.

Photo: Sahara Force India

KF3 is an international CIK class using a medium power 125cc water-cooled engine with an electric self-starter and centrifugal clutch. With a standard chassis, single rear brake and bodywork, the karts are capable of producing speeds of up to 115km/h. It's the ideal proving ground for aspiring racers and has helped produce numerous Formula One stars, including current Sahara Force India racer, Paul Di Resta.

Photo: Sahara Force India

Arjun, Tarun and Jehan's 2012 KF3 Academy programme will be managed on behalf of Sahara Force India by Ricky Flynn with karts painted in the familiar colours of the Indian flag.

They will have legendary kart champion, Terry Fullerton, as their mentor and driver coach, while Louis Di Resta, father of Paul, will help coordinate the project.

Motorsport fans now have a chance to experience a professional racing simulator since Vortex Racing, a new business opened recently in Montreal, Quebec features eight Hexatech full motion driving simulators by Cruden.

Vortex Racing (Photo: Sebastien D'Amour/Auto123.tv

“Six of our simulators are equipped with formula-style race car bodies while two ‘multipurpose' simulators will be designated for professional use,” Montreal entrepreneur and businessman, Mayer Soued, owner of Vortex Racing, told us.

“All simulators can be linked together and feature a variety of international race circuits and cars, allowing customers to progress up the ranks from Formula Ford 1600, to GP3, GP2 to Formula One”, he added.

“There a few simulation centres like this in Europe but Vortex Racing is the first one located in in North America. And we have the latest version of the software. For the more advanced drivers and the professionals, we can modify some 30 parameters of the car, such as tire pressure, wing angle, engine characteristics, height ride and more. We also record everything on a system that is similar to the data acquisition decide of the real cars. So once the run is done, we can provide real feedback to the driver,” Soued added.

Vortex Racing (Photo: Sebastien D'Amour/Auto123.tv

Vortex Racing took delivery of eight latest-generation Cruden Hexatech full motion driving simulators.

The electromechanical, 6-DOF simulators are the exact same professional equipment that provide highly accurate force feedback and professional motion-cueing to racing drivers and engineers in F1 and other international motorsport championships for training, race car development and off-track testing.

Vortex Racing (Photo: Sebastien D'Amour/Auto123.tv

The centre is conveniently located at the Lachine Business Park close to the Montreal-Trudeau airport where it is expected to attract leisure and corporate guests from the local area as well as professional racing drivers and race teams from a wider catchment.

“As a former ski racer I appreciate how hard it is to create that special zone of total concentration where the whole world ceases to exist. The Vortex Racing simulator centre will provide its guests with this unique sensation” Soued told us.

For additional information: www.vortexracing.ca

From Lotus F1 Team

Lotus F1 Team announced Tuesday its driver line-up for the forthcoming Mugello test on May 1-3.

The team's third driver Jérôme D'Ambrosio will get his first taste of the podium-finishing E20.

D'Ambrosio will drive for the first day of the test, followed by team race drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean on the second and third days respectively.

“Jérôme has been very patiently attending all the races and has been a conscientious and regular visitor to Enstone since he was announced as our third driver,” said Eric Boullier, Team Principal.

Jérôme D'Ambrosio. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

“It's clear he has been very eager to get behind the wheel and it will be invaluable for us as a team that he gets this opportunity. We have given him a full day to get to grips with the E20, and look forward to receiving his feedback from the test. We had a good result in Bahrain, but as always we need to keep pushing forward. Mugello will give us an opportunity to try out a few new parts and hopefully make another step forward,” he added.

“It's an amazing opportunity for me, and I'd like to thank Lotus F1 Team for giving me the chance to experience the E20; it's a great car and I can't wait to drive it,” said Jérôme D'Ambrosio.

“I know the team from my rookie day in Abu Dhabi in 2010, and I've felt very comfortable at Enstone this year which I'm sure will be a big help. Kimi and Romain needed time in the car during the winter after two years away, so the fact that this test has been put on the calendar after the first four races of the season gives me an opportunity to drive. It will be very valuable for me to get back into a Formula 1 car after 6 months, which has felt like quite a while. I've said all along that a third driver position with a top team would be much better for my career this year, and I'm starting to see the benefits of that strategy. I've learnt a lot so far with Lotus F1 Team, and this is just the beginning,” D'Ambrosio added.

NOTE: Auto123.com will be reporting live from the opening round of the 2012 DTM championship at Hockenheim, Germany. Don't miss the action with our exclusive reports and photos.

A new-for-2012 DTM championship kicks off this weekend at the traditional Hockenheim season-opener.

A new set of rules means a whole new championship in 2012. With it, is the much-anticipated comeback of German manufacturer BMW, after a 20 years hiatus. Add familiar rivals Mercedes and Audi to the mix, and you can see 2012 is building up to be a good one.

The three new cars: BMW M3 DTM, Audi A5 DTM and AMG Mercedes C-Coupe. (Photo: dtm.com)

Audi may have lost Martin Tomczyk - the series' reigning champion - to BMW, but apart from that, the Ingolstadt firm is putting the same cards on the table as far as drivers go.

Top guns Mattias Ekström, Timo Scheider, Mike Rockenfeller and young guns Miguel Molina, Felipe Albuquerque, Edoardo Mortara are all coming back and expected to get a go at the title. Do not discount female driver Rahel Frey, from Switzerland. She's not new to the team either.

The only fresh face will therefore be Frenchman Adrien Tambay, the son of former F1 driver Patrick Tambay, who is making his series' debut. The only other notable change is the switch from the Audi A4 DTM car to the shinning-new A5 machine.

Audi's last year's victim, Mercedes, will be looking for ways to hit the ground running this season. The C-Class Coupé replaced the old C-Class, and will be driven by long-time (and may be best) Merc driver Gary Paffett, joined by former Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher and Britain's Jamie Green.

A lot of pressure will be resting on Mercedes' Junior Team, re-born from its ashes this year. Driver Christian Vietoris may already have experienced the DTM last year, but he will face impressive teammates in reigning F3 Euroseries champion Roberto Mehri and 2011 World Series by Renault title holder, Canadian Robert Wickens.

Mercedes have also put their faith in a former Grand Prix winner: David Coulthard, back for a third season. Susie Wolff, née Stoddart, is entering her seventh DTM season.

Bruno Spengler, BMW (Photo: dtm.com)

But none of them can outshine newcomer BMW, which, after a number of years spent in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), has decided to revert to its roots.

The Bavarians have spared no effort and hired last year's two title protagonists: Tomczyk and Bruno Spengler. After many years with Mercedes, the Canadian felt it was time for a change. They will both be joined by BMW's factory drivers Andy Priaulx, Augusto Fargus - WTCC refugees - ALMS winner Joey Hand and endurance specialist Dirk Werner.

Mercedes' and Audi's recent experience with the DTM logically puts BMW last in the pecking order, but given the long motorsport tradition all three brands have, none can be labelled-out.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso has backed his beleaguered teammate Felipe Massa.

Massa is fighting to save his Ferrari seat, but his team boss Stefano Domenicali insists the Brazilian also "needs to improve" for the sake of his very "future in formula one".

On the other hand, the Maranello based team is more than enthralled with the occupant of the sister F2012, Fernando Alonso.

Felipe Massa, Luca di Montezemolo and Fernando Alonso. (Photo: Ferrari)

In fact, Domenicali told El Mundo newspaper last weekend that Ferrari has a "moral obligation" to the Spaniard, that might also extend to his involvement "in the important issues".

One important issue is the identity of his 2013 teammate.

On Massa, Fernando Alonso is quoted by El Pais newspaper after Massa finished ninth in Bahrain: "He had a great start, pulled away from the traffic and ran a super race. But we didn't discover this just now: Felipe has won in Bahrain twice. He doesn't need to prove anything."

From Caterham F1 Team

Caterham F1 Team has confirmed that Rodolfo Gonzalez will be joining regular race drivers at the fourth official test of the 2012 Formula 1 season, taking place at Mugello, Italy.

Gonzalez will be driving alongside Vitaly Petrov and Heikki Kovalainen at the test scheduled from May 1 to 3.

Gonzalez, currently competing with Caterham Racing in the 2012 GP2 series, will be in the car on May 1st. Vitaly Petrov will take over on May 2 and Heikki Kovalainen on May 3.

Photo: Caterham F1 Team

From GMM

Jean Alesi would like to see the pressure eased on the shoulders of France's new F1 hope.

Until Sunday, Alesi was the last French driver to have stood on a formula one podium, after taking his Sauber to third at Spa in 1998.

Romain Grosjean therefore ended a 14-year podium drought for France, tasting top-three spoils in just his eleventh race in formula one.

"(Grosjean as) My successor?" Alesi told RMC Sport. "I don't see it that way.

"It's promising but we need to leave him alone now," the 47-year-old veteran of 202 grands prix over 13 seasons insisted.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E20. (Photo: WRi2)

Alesi is referring to the media hype about Grosjean after the first two races, when he failed to get his Lotus around even the first lap in Australia and Malaysia.

He then scored his first ever points in China and seven days later was on the podium, triggering press speculation in France that the tones of 'La Marseillaise' are next.

But there remains other pressures on Grosjean; exalted as France's new hope, and at the same time accused of preventing Kimi Raikkonen from winning in Bahrain by not letting his faster teammate through in the absence of team orders.

"I know what I'm talking about," said Alesi.

"Since the beginning of the season there have been all sorts of comments about him. That isn't right. He needs to have calm and take the time that he needs to get on top of everything. When it's a podium, we're all happy but when it's a bad performance, we all have to be behind him too," he added.