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News 23 Dec, 2013

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It has been another busy year for us on just-auto. We have covered the global automotive industry news, brought you interviews with key people, analysis and comment of what matters. Editor Dave Leggett reviews some of the main events, the highs and lows, the stand-outs and offers just a hint of what might be in store for 2014.

News 23 Dec, 2013

Almost £600 million has been raked in by local authorities from parking activities

For every gearhead, from the average to the hardcore, a solid collection of wrenches is essential for the completion of almost any mechanical automotive repair (not to mention quite a few jobs around the house).

Ian Callum never grew up a rich boy, but his friends did. His father worked as a lawyer in Dumfries, a market town of 43,000 in the lower corner of Scotland, where the Solway Firth narrows to a point.

The federal government is sending a clear message to auto lenders: It's time for them to rethink the way they pay dealers for arranging loans. The 3-year-old Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the U.S.

Bar mitzvahs, runway fashion shows, fundraisers, dinners and after-parties are among the events held at Porsche of Beachwood in Beachwood, Ohio.

Chris Perry resigned last week as Chevrolet's top U.S. marketer, part of an ongoing overhaul of the bow-tie brand's executive ranks.

In Japan, the hybrid version of the Honda Vezel is expected to account for 90 percent of sales of the new Fit-based compact crossover. Not so in the United States.

It's rare for a seller to reverse course after negotiations are settled. When that does happen, it becomes difficult to reconstruct an offer with the same buyer later or even get as good an offer from a new buyer, brokers say.

Sales of certified used vehicles are heading for a record 2 million-plus units this year, pumped up by more off-lease vehicles returning to the market and by manufacturers' program enhancements.

Joe Eberhardt, named last week as president of Jaguar Land Rover North America, faces the challenge of improving not only the sales but the image of the two luxury brands he'll lead in the U.S. market.

Emotions can play as powerful a role in selling a dealership as dollars and cents do. Many brokers and buyers now recognize the importance of managing a seller's emotions.

Three vendors that assist auto dealers with digital marketing got cash infusions this month or were acquired.

From GMM

Heikki Kovalainen expects to eat his Christmas lunch without knowing if he has a formula one seat for 2014.

Throughout this year, the experienced Finn has been considered a favourite to return to the grid next season with Caterham.

But as the 2013 season ended, and 32-year-old Kovalainen struggled while replacing the hurriedly-departed Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus, Caterham looked increasingly likely to field a pair of sponsored drivers, such as Giedo van der Garde and rookie Marcus Ericsson, in 2014.

Heikki Kovalainen, Lotus E21 (Photo: WRi2)

Kovalainen has travelled from his home in Switzerland to his native Finland for Christmas.

He is already planning ahead for 2014.

"I have been maintaining my training programme for formula one as much as possible," the Finn is quoted by the broadcaster MTV3. "I will have a normal F1 driver's winter.

"The only difference to previous years is that I do not currently have a contract for next season.

"But this has happened more than once in my career, when I didn't know what awaited me for the future but eventually I had something.

"The most serious negotiations are with Caterham," revealed Kovalainen. "But all the different factors need to come together.

"In any case, it should be clarified by the end of January, when the tests begin. But I am not going to end my career," he insisted.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso has acknowledged he did not perform as strongly in 2013 as he did the previous year.

Recently, the Spanish sports daily AS conducted a survey among Alonso's driver rivals asking them to say whether they thought the Ferrari driver or the quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel was the best driver of 2013.

The Spaniard came out on top.

"It's always good to know that you are recognised by your peers," Alonso responded, "but I think 2012 was the best in my career.

"This season, there were times when I did not do well enough, such as when I could have had a little more performance, or when I made a mistake like in Malaysia.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F138 (Photo: WRi2)

"These are things that cannot be repeated next year," he insisted. "We must look to have a year of perfection, like 2012.

"What matters is that you are comfortable with yourself, but there are things that will be improved 2013 to 2014," added Alonso.

It has been rumoured Alonso is slowly but steadily falling out with Ferrari, and that he thought seriously about switching to Red Bull or McLaren for 2014.

The McLaren rumours are still strong, particularly after his old foe at Woking, supremo Ron Dennis, answered "never say never" when considering a return to the famous British team for Alonso.

Asked specifically about Dennis' comments, Alonso would not be moved.

"You cannot comment on everything you read every day," he said, "or you would need someone working for you who only does that."

And Alonso insisted he is happy with his choice of team for 2014, and the start of the new turbo V6 era.

"Maybe some have done well in choosing Red Bull in recent years," he said, "but the safest option for any professional driver is to choose Ferrari.

"They said we (Ferrari) went wrong this year, but just look at Williams or McLaren," added Alonso.

From press release

John Gaw is the new managing director of Prodrive Motorsport.

The former race car driver will oversee all Prodrive's motorsport operations, including the company's MINI rally and rallycross programmes and its expansion into new series.

Gaw joined Prodrive at the beginning of 2011 as managing director for the Aston Martin Racing team and has since overseen significant growth in the racing business. Under his leadership, Aston Martin Racing won nine World Endurance Championship (WEC) rounds in 2013.

In 2014, Prodrive is looking to expand its activities in the US-based Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) and enter the new FIA World Rallycross Championship, with the new MINI RX, which proved its competitiveness this year.

The company is also looking to move into new motorsport series, including Dakar and Formula E.

"These are exciting times for the business," said Gaw.

Prodrive MINI (Photo: WRC Team MINI Portugal)

From GMM

Toro Rosso has tweaked its approach to formula one because it wants to take a step up in the pecking order.

That is the claim of the Faenza based team's Jean-Eric Vergne, who after missing out on the Red Bull vacancy for 2014 has been retained by Toro Rosso.

That surprised many in the paddock, who have seen drivers like Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari perform solidly, but nonetheless lose their places as team owner Red Bull pushes a new generation of youngsters into the seats.

The latest energy drink-sponsored youngster to get his chance is the Russian teen Daniil Kvyat, but for Frenchman Vergne, 2014 will be his third consecutive season with Toro Rosso.

Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso STR8 (Photo: Getty Images)

"The picture with Toro Rosso is that it was a team that has drivers for a year or two but then they have to move on, so it's like a stepping stone team," Vergne, 23, told the Spanish sports daily Marca.

"But I think the philosophy has changed lately because Toro Rosso wants to go a step higher.

"Now, the feeling is that you can spend more time with them, developing for some years together. So I think that if I'm still with them, it's because they believe I can give them something that other drivers cannot," said Vergne.

Meanwhile, Vergne said he believes Red Bull remains the favourite for the 2014 season, despite some tipping an advantage for Ferrari and Mercedes in the new turbo V6 era.

"Aerodynamics is always the key," he said.

"I think Red Bull is still the favourite. They've been working on the new car for a while and I think it will be very strong -- but it will be an interesting year," added Vergne.

From GMM

Gerard Lopez, the owner of the Lotus outfit, believes the vast majority of the teams in formula one are struggling financially.

Lotus' problems have had a high profile in 2013, as the Enstone based team thrived with a competitive car but tackled rumours it was struggling to pay its drivers, employees and suppliers.

But the Russian website f1news.ru quoted Lopez as insisting: "For 80 per cent of the teams, their financial situation is no better than ours.

"If half of those teams say they are leaving formula one, it would lead to the collapse of the championship," he claimed.

Lopez said it is extraordinarily difficult for a team to raise money through investment or traditional sponsorship at present.

"I can go to potential investors and say 'I want to sell millions of cars running on renewable energy and hybrid technology' and they tell me 'Wow! Let's see what we can do!'

"But if I say that I want money for formula one, to participate in one of the biggest sporting events in the world, you don't get the same answer," he added.