Auto News 5

GKN Driveline has said that it continues its expansion in China with a ground breaking for the expansion of its plant in Chongqing.

European car sales fell 5 percent in August with PSA and Volkswagen Group hit hardest by the eurozone slump. Ford's European sales decreased 1 percent last month.

European car sales fell 5 percent in August with PSA and VW Group hit hardest by the euro-zone slump. Eight-month sales also fell 5 percent, bringing deliveries this year to the lowest level since records began.

European car sales fell 5 percent in August with PSA and Volkswagen Group hit hardest by the eurozone slump. Ford's European sales decreased 1 percent last month.

European car sales fell 5 percent in August with PSA and VW Group hit hardest by the euro-zone slump. Eight-month sales also fell 5 percent, bringing deliveries this year to the lowest level since records began.

Eiji Toyoda, who spearheaded Toyota's expansion in the United States as the automaker's longest-serving president, died today at the age of 100.

Eiji Toyoda, who spearheaded Toyota's expansion in Europe and the United States as the automaker's longest serving president, died today. He was 100.

Eiji Toyoda, who spearheaded Toyota's expansion in the United States as the automaker's longest-serving president, died today at the age of 100.

Eiji Toyoda, who spearheaded Toyota's expansion in Europe and the United States as the automaker's longest serving president, died today. He was 100.

Eiji Toyoda, who spearheaded Toyota Motor Corp.'s expansion in the United States as the automaker's longest-serving president, died today at the age of 100.

Opel/Vauxhall says it hopes its Mokka subcompact SUV will rise to the top of Europe's fast-growing small SUV and crossover segment, but market watchers don't see it climbing that high.

In the spot "Trace Your Road" for the new IS Hybrid, Lexus invited some of its Facebook fans to participate in an augmented reality video game with former Formula One driver Jarno Trulli.

Bentley's ultra-luxury SUV will create a new segment when it begins sales in 2016, its global head of sales and marketing said.

Opel/Vauxhall says it hopes its Mokka subcompact SUV will rise to the top of Europe's fast-growing small SUV and crossover segment, but market watchers don't see it climbing that high.

In the spot "Trace Your Road" for the new IS Hybrid, Lexus invited some of its Facebook fans to participate in an augmented reality video game with former Formula One driver Jarno Trulli.

Opel/Vauxhall says it hopes its Mokka subcompact SUV will become market leader of Europe's fast-growing small SUV and crossover segment, but market watchers don't see it climbing that high.

Achieving scale is the only way to survive as a supplier in a fiercely competitive and globalized automotive market, a top executive at IAC Group said. 'Size means you have global presence.

In the spot "Trace Your Road" for the new IS Hybrid, Lexus invited some its Facebook fans to participate in an augmented reality video game with former Formula One driver Jarno Trulli.

From GMM

Red Bull has rejected a proposal that might have levelled the playing field for F1's struggling teams.

Next year, in-season testing will once again be allowed, but midfield teams Sauber and Force India admitted during a recent team managers' meeting that they probably cannot afford to attend every test day.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, Sauber proposed that, instead, they be allowed to substitute a test day for a day of wind tunnel testing with the actual race car.

"This was flatly rejected by Red Bull," said correspondent Michael Schmidt.

"The argument (made by Red Bull) is that they (Sauber) could learn more than on the track, and so they (Red Bull) would be forced to build a 1:1 model. Additionally, they (Red Bull) do not have a suitable wind tunnel."

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

Schmidt insisted, however, that Red Bull is not the only powerful team that is strenuously resisting the push for major cost cutting in formula one.

"The big teams protest so loudly that it's reminiscent of the orchestra that kept playing on the Titanic as it sunk," he said.

Finally, having resisted pressure to get on board until now, FIA president Jean Todt has reportedly signaled his intention to get to work on cost cutting.

"It seems the presidential election campaign also has its positive side effects," said Schmidt.

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel has admitted he will miss his teammate Mark Webber.

The pair, teamed together at Red Bull since 2009, have had an often fraught relationship that arguably broke down completely after this year's 'multi-21' affair.

"You can say what you want about our relationship," triple world champion Vettel told the Austrian magazine Sportwoche, "but in the end we pushed each other very hard.

"I will miss that," said the German, referring to Australian Webber's impending departure for Le Mans-style prototype racing with Porsche.

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Mark Webber admitted to the latest edition of F1 Racing magazine that he decided to call time on his grand prix career due to flagging motivation.

"I've been on the edge with F1, motivation-wise, for the past couple of years," he said.

Indeed, since they went head-to-head for the title in 2010, this season Vettel has clearly had the edge on 37-year-old Webber, who is now almost 100 points behind the championship leader.

But Sebastian Vettel insists Mark Webber still pushes him hard.

"There has always been two or three corners where Mark has me biting my lip," he said. "You try to figure out what he is doing, which keeps you busy enough."

The pair have often clashed in the personality stakes, but Vettel insists that "Even if it is perceived differently from the outside, it was important that I was always hungry".