Renault has denied the departure of the French carmaker's chief operating officer Carlos Tavares will affect the formula one programme.
Media reports last week suggested the exit of motor racing enthusiast Tavares would "almost certainly have some impact" on the approach taken in F1 by Renault, who supply engines to multiple teams.
But when asked what the impact will be on F1, Renault Sport chief Jean-Michel Jalinier insisted: "Nothing changes. We have multi-year programmes and, personally, I answer directly to Carlos Ghosn.
"Our commitment remains unchanged, because the new formula one engines are more consistent with our interests," he told the Quattroruote publication at Monza.
Red Bull left Monza scratching its head, after winner Sebastian Vettel and teammate Mark Webber nursed gearbox problems throughout the race weekend.
"We already had problems on Friday," world championship leader Vettel is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.
Before the race, the team had to open the gearbox and replace damaged parts, and during the Italian grand prix, both drivers were instructed to 'short-shift'.
And the drivers were also told to select a 'rain-mode' setting, delivering smoother gear changes, which explains why Fernando Alonso complained about Vettel's flashing red tail light.
Red Bull was alerted to the problem after the telemetry showed high oil temperatures.
Red Bull RB9-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)
"Frankly, it's a mystery," admitted car designer Adrian Newey.
"Monza is particularly hard on the gearbox, but we never had a problem like this," he added. "With Mark it was serious, while for Vettel it was more of a precaution. It is possible that we will open his gearbox in the factory and everything is fine."
Team boss Christian Horner added: "Caterham uses an identical gearbox and had no problems."
FIA presidential candidate David Ward has denied he is siding with F1's old guard Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone in his push to dethrone Jean Todt.
It has been rumoured that Ward, who worked closely with Mosley before Frenchman Todt took over, is being backed strongly not only by Mosley, but also the former FIA president's hand-in-hand powerbroker Ecclestone.
And not only that, the Daily Mail reports that Ward's campaign will be "helped" by Richard Woods, the former right-hand man during the Mosley reign.
"Woods has also acted for Ecclestone, albeit in the shadows," said correspondent Jonathan McEvoy.
"Despite having fingers in many pies, he is fundamentally a Mosley loyalist," he added.
Ward, however, plays down the links.
"I am not Max's man; I am not Bernie's man," he insisted, also denying that Mosley or Ecclestone are bankrolling his campaign.
Incumbent Todt, however, sounded less sure about Ward's continuing links to Mosley and Ecclestone.
"Don't put me into that please," he told the Telegraph last weekend at Monza. "Because honestly I have my own thoughts. I have very good contact with Max. I like Max. I have always been defending Max. In May he sent me an email saying 'Don't hear the noise that I am interested (in the presidency) or that David is interested ... it's not true. I am not interested'."
To mark the first decade of production at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England, the British luxury car maker unveiled the Phantom Celestial today at the Frankfurt Auto Show.
While the exterior colour scheme evokes the night sky, the interior offers a new take on the Starlight Headliner. The constellations, exactly as they were at midnight on January 1st, 2003 (as verified by the South Downs Planetarium), are represented by over 1,000 fibre optic lights hand-woven into the Celestial Phantom's headlining. The reflection of the “stars” in the surface of the rear drinks compartment lid was meticulously planned and designed.
World-class Dusk leather surfaces and a rear privacy divider's clock replete with four diamonds are included as well.
While the Rolls-Royce Phantom Celestial's price has yet to be announced, it'll quickly bring you down to earth, for sure.
The Toyo Tires F1600 Championship Series is back at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park for the BEMC Indian Summer races, rounds 11 and 12 of the Championship.
The Title fight for A Class honours has two combatants nearly neck-and-neck at the top of the points with only 4 races remaining.
Zach Robichon of Ottawa, Ontario and Jack Mitchell, Jr., of Clarendon Hills, Illinois have almost equal statistics on paper at this point in the season. Before drops Robichon is the points leader based on his consistent finishing record and 3 wins. Mitchell, Jr. is on top of the points after drops so far based on his outright pace and 4 trips to the top step of the podium.
After missing the Calabogie round 4th place Shane Jantzi returns and will be very strong. It is not known at this time whether 3rd place Jesse Lazare will be competing as he just finished up back-to-back weekends in Calabogie with F1600 and last weekend in USF2000 at Laguna Seca.
Wisconson's Max Hanratty could be the dark horse in A Class as his pace and confidence have risen steadily as the season has worn on. He was very strong last time out at CTMP and was in contention for a win. This could be his weekend to break through. He will be joined by teammate Thomas McGregor in a Spectrum Honda.
We are excited that Bob Perona, an IndyCar mechanic from Indiana will be taking advantage of an off weekend and making the trip north with his Piper and competing in this weekend's event. Marc Bishara will also be entered in his Van Diemen.
Craig Willis has been smashing records all season long and sits atop the “B” Class Championship points standings with a comfortable margin over Rookie Connor Wagland and Mike Lee.
Willis may not have all things his way this weekend as ultra-quick Andrew Mason is entered and will be looking for nothing but a win.
A surprise entry is Stephen Adams, a former Esso Protec series front runner and father of last season's A Class champion Michael Adams. He has made it clear he is just out for some fun but suspicions are he will be a great storyline once the green flag is waved.
Steve Bodrug, Bruce Kitchen and Bill Tebbut will also be back to compete in the always intense B Class battle.
Cars will hit the track on Friday for a full day of testing and the racing will begin with Round 1 on Saturday and Round 2 on Sunday afternoon.
Kia today launched a compact crossover concept with butterfly doors at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Called Niro, this Nissan Juke rival stands 4,185 mm long, 1,850 mm wide, and 1,558 mm tall.
Riding on 20'' wheels, the Kia Niro offers 2+2 seating with a 50/50 split rear bench. Under the hood, you'll find a 1.6L turbocharged engine that generates 160 horsepower through a seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox, while the rear wheels are driven by a 33 kilowatt electric motor.
The interior of the Kia Niro features aluminum inserts and a flat-bottomed steering wheel wrapped in leather. The centre screen can display altitude, compass, navigation, Bluetooth, and entertainment information.
Kia doesn't plan to enter production with the Niro, but based on consumer response, this concept may serve as inspiration for a future road model.
Source : caradisiac.com
The completely redesigned 2014 Kia Soul made its European debut today at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Sporting a fresh new look inspired by the 2012 Kia Track'ster concept, the Soul also rides on a new platform and promises improved driving dynamics.
Front and rear LEDs, xenon headlights, and a panoramic sunroof highlight the exterior of the 2014 Kia Soul. The interior will prove quieter and roomier than the current one, including in the cargo area (now amounting to 354 litres).
Available features will include keyless entry and push-button start, automatic climate control, leather seat trim, and ventilated front seats. An optional Infinity sound system, tuned specifically for the 2014 Kia Soul, will also be part of the menu.
Pricing and on-sale dates have yet to be announced.
The Porsche 918 Spyder, officially unveiled today at the Frankfurt Auto Show, recently completed the 20.6 kilometres of the Nurburgring Nordschleife in a time of six minutes and 57 seconds -- 14 seconds faster than the previous Nurburgring record for a street-legal automobile.
“We promised a great deal with the 918 Spyder, namely to redefine performance, efficiency and driving pleasure. We have kept our word,” said Wolfgang Hatz, member of the Porsche AG Board of Management in charge of Research and Development.
As a plug-in hybrid, the new Porsche 918 Spyder paves the way for future generations of super sports cars. This 887-horsepower green monster can sprint from 0-100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds while burning an average of 3.0-3.3L/100km.
BMW AG's board member for manufacturing says he believes the UK will be one of the firm's largest markets for the i3 and i8 plug-in models. Harald Krüger spoke to just-auto.com on the eve of the Frankfurt motor show's media preview days.
The Buick Regal fills a somewhat limited niche -- it's too small and expensive to take on the Honda Accords of the world and yet doesn't quite have the hardware or cachet to challenge premium sport sedans like the BMW 3-series and GM's own Cadillac ATS. (The only direct competitor is the Acura TSX, another slow-selling, rebadged European expat.) It doesn't help the Regal's case that it sits between the cheaper Verano and the bigger, more luxurious LaCrosse. The 2014 Buick Regal attempts to power out of this ditch with upgraded turbo engines, an updated interior, and all-wheel drive.
Concept cars often have design elements that are too wild for series production, and the Smart Fourjoy on display at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show is no exception. Yet if we imagine adding doors, a rear windshield, and a roof, this concept gives a very close preview of the next model from Smart, which is expected to go on sale about a year from now and will likely to be called the ForFour. Not convinced? Smart chief Dr. Annette Winkler says, "The exterior proportions already reveal a lot about the appearance of our four-seater production Smart, which will be launched at the end of 2014 and will also enable families to travel together."
Since the dawn of time, man has labored to stuff tremendous power into subcompact hatchbacks. The MG Metro 6R4, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, Renault R5 Turbo, and Beck's Ford Festiva Shogun were all originally born as no-nonsense commuter cars, but were later transformed into nonsensical sports cars. The Toyota Yaris Hybrid R concept, which debuts at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show, adheres to this age-old tradition, save for one caveat: it's a hybrid-electric vehicle.
Concept cars often have design elements that are too wild for series production, and the Smart Fourjoy on display at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show is no exception. Yet if we imagine adding doors, a rear windshield, and a roof, this concept gives a very close preview of the next model from Smart, which is expected to go on sale about a year from now and will likely to be called the ForFour. Not convinced? Smart chief Dr. Annette Winkler says, "The exterior proportions already reveal a lot about the appearance of our four-seater production Smart, which will be launched at the end of 2014 and will also enable families to travel together."
Since the dawn of time, man has labored to stuff tremendous power into subcompact hatchbacks. The MG Metro 6R4, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, Renault R5 Turbo, and Beck's Ford Festiva Shogun were all originally born as no-nonsense commuter cars, but were later transformed into nonsensical sports cars. The Toyota Yaris Hybrid R concept, which debuts at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show, adheres to this age-old tradition, save for one caveat: it's a hybrid-electric vehicle.
We all know that if there's one thing that delivery trucks like to do (UPS trucks excepted), it's to idle loudly in front of your home or office while filling the air with exhaust fumes as their drivers fill out paperwork on one of those metal pads.
We all know that if there's one thing that delivery trucks like to do (UPS trucks excepted), it's to idle loudly in front of your home or office while filling the air with exhaust fumes as their drivers fill out paperwork on one of those metal pads.
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