Auto News 5

Porsche has begun hiring 1,000 new workers as trial body production for the Macan small SUV they will build began at the Leipzig plant, south of Berlin in eastern Germany.

Mercedes-Benz sold 90,083 cars in February 2013, down from 95,647 a year ago but up 1.3% year to date to 184,978.

News 13 Mar, 2013

Pick up this week's issue to read our full F1 season preview, as well as all the news from the Geneva Motor Show

Pictures See all 9 pictures 28 May, 2014

News 13 Mar, 2013

Jaguar is planning a new XS compact saloon to rival the 3 Series, and we have the best pictures yet

Many vehicles are moving to smaller engines for improved fuel economy, and the 2013

Ford has announced that Ford of Britain chairman Joe Greenwell CBE has elected to retire effective end of April 2013. Mark Ovenden, currently managing director, will add the chairman's role to his responsibilities.

Toyota approved the biggest salary bonus in five years as a weakening yen boosts the value of exports, helping the world's largest automaker project the highest profit since 2008.

Audi is counting on its growing Q line of SUVs to help it drive past BMW brand to No. 1 in global luxury car sales by 2020.

Skoda has made its Octavia station wagon larger and roomier to fend off a growing number of competitors in the compact wagon segment.

Ford's product development team is facing its toughest challenge yet in developing a global design language: creating a Mustang that works outside North America.

Audi is counting on its growing Q line of SUVs to help it drive past the BMW brand to No. 1 in global luxury car sales by 2020.

Audi is counting on its growing Q line of SUVs to help it drive past BMW brand to No. 1 in global luxury car sales by 2020.

From GMM

Gerhard Berger has slammed as "incomprehensible" F1 tire supplier Pirelli's approach to the 2013 season.

"Last year, the tires were quite usable," the former McLaren and Ferrari driver, and ex Toro Rosso co-owner, told the Austrian news agency APA.

"Probably they want to improve the show by providing for one more pitstop (per driver). But it cannot be that, having invested millions in the wind tunnels and the engines and the drivers, you go to the track and can't use the tire," said Berger, referring to the recently-concluded winter test season in chilly Spain.

"It's an unfortunate situation," he added, acknowledging that the situation could be different at the actual races.

Photo: WRi2

He also acknowledged that tires have always been a major talking point in F1, but there was often a tire war, or as Berger described it, a "real game".

"Now that there is one tire, it cannot be that it (the tire factor) governs the entire field," he insisted.

Berger's Austrian countryman, the Red Bull team owner Dietrich Mateschitz, agrees.

"It would be good," he told Blick newspaper, "if we had tires that did not need to be analysed for days and days."

From GMM

Mercedes' new bosses are not responsible for the German marque's apparently sudden speed boost.

That is the claim of former team driver Michael Schumacher, referring to the removal of Norbert Haug and the installation of new co-owners and chiefs Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff.

The Brackley based team had a very strong end to the recent pre-season period, but Schumacher said: "I see it more to do with the background.

"(To do) with the engineers, the infrastructure of the team itself. And I think these steps were taken some time ago," added the great German.

Although team boss Ross Brawn's future now appears very clouded, Schumacher is undoubtedly referring to the Briton's decisions to bring in the likes of technical boffins Bob Bell, Aldo Costa and Geoff Willis.

Mercedes W04. (Photo: WRi2)

Former F1 driver Gerhard Berger agrees.

"I do not think those two (Lauda and Wolff) have been able to have any influence on the performance of the car," he told APA news agency. "Why? Because this (2013) car predates their time. But we must not underestimate the impact of fresh wind."

Another pundit, the 1996 world champion Damon Hill, thinks Mercedes' boosted form is due to the team spending more time than usual last year designing the 2013 car.

"I think Ross Brawn had decided 'Listen, this year is a write-off'," Hill told the Sun. "By the looks of things they'd been focussing on 2013 (last year) and pretty much shelved 2012. They'd looked worse than they are."

Well, the greatest car show on earth. I've been to many auto shows in Europe and North America (Tokyo or Shanghai would be my next goals), and I always walk away (painfully, need better shoes) from Geneva thinking about how brilliant it is.

This was my third time cruising the many pavilions of the Geneva Palexpo, and every time I get lucky with the scale of the event. This year was no exception.

In fact, this may have been the best blow-out auto show I've ever attended. How about I list a few of the unveilings?

• Porsche 911 GT3 / GT3 Cup
• Ferrari LaFerrari
• McLaren P1
• Lamborghini Veneno
• Chevrolet Corvette Stingray convertible
• Rolls-Royce Wraith
• Spyker B6 Venator
• Volkswagen GTI
• Alfa Romeo 4C
• Audi RS6

Shall I go on? Didn't think it was necessary, either. In reality, I could have stopped at the fourth one and my point would have been made abundantly clear.

The cars are one thing -- well no, they're all things, and getting to them can be the most annoying obstacle at an auto show. I won't use any examples, but take the Montreal Auto Show for example; it's on five floors with narrow hallways, small rooms, tight escalators, cramped floor spaces, and it's on in early January (I can complain about my hometown show...). It has poor flow, and so it's tough to get around.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Geneva is the exact opposite. The Palexpo consists of two huge, wide-open spaces that flow into each other with uncanny ease. It takes no more than 10 minutes to walk from one end to the other, and it's impossible to get lost or disoriented. I still lose my way at the Palais des Congres after 10 years...

But let's get back to the cars: Nowhere have I been where so many carmakers are represented. What's more, brands like Qoros, Fornasari, Exagon Motors, Soleil Motors, and countless others have a huge stage on which to display their products. What great exposure for them, and for members of the automotive media.

Then there's the ambiance which is serious and laidback at the same time. There's always a press conference going on (especially on day one, and at the Audi booth), but the show doesn't freeze or stop, and the atmosphere is generally good. Granted, the car business is just about broken in Europe, but enthusiasm still runs deep.

If ever you're in Europe (small place, you know) in early March and love cars, I strongly suggest that you make your way to the Geneva Auto Show. Here's the link to the show's web page: http://www.salon-auto.ch/en/

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has admitted he understands why Danica Patrick is not interested in switching to formula one.

The F1 chief executive said he has been searching for a female driver for his sport "for years".

But American Patrick, who has moved from open wheel IndyCars to NASCAR, has said she has little interest.

"She has everything a driver needs for F1," Ecclestone told Bild newspaper.

"How old is she?" he asked the reporter.

"At 30," Ecclestone continued once learning the answer, "I can understand why she doesn't want to get into formula one. In the US she is already a superstar."

Danica Patrick. (Photo: NASCAR)

Meanwhile, the 82-year-old Briton - who has not travelled to Australia for the 2013 season opener - said he hopes Michael Schumacher makes another return to F1, this time to run a team.

"He is and remains a racer," Ecclestone said. "He wants to win. He would be a very good team leader. If he wants to? I don't know, but I'd like to see it."

Michael Schumacher. (Photo: WRi2)

Finally, after Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda were recently featured in major films, Bernie Ecclestone said he has no interest in being the subject of the next one.

"There were movie deals (proposed), but I don't want that. I don't have the time to waste on something like that," he insisted.

From GMM

This year's F1 grid is the very youngest in the history of the sport.

That is the finding of Spain's AS sports newspaper, having calculated the average age of the drivers on the Melbourne grid this weekend at just over 27 years.

The statistic has been boosted for 2013 by the retirement of 44-year-old Michael Schumacher, making 36-year-old Australian Mark Webber now the oldest driver in F1.

Also helping is the arrival of youngsters including Esteban Gutierrez, Max Chilton (both 21) Valtteri Bottas and Jules Bianchi (both 22).

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber, is the youngest race driver in 2013. (Photo: WRi2)

Originally scheduled for late 2013, the all-new Tesla Model X crossover won't go on sale until a year later.

“Tesla has been intensely focused on Model S, its production and product enhancements and believe there is increased volume potential for Model S. As a result, Tesla has decided to slightly push back the development and timing of Model X to 2014. We do not expect a material impact on our profitability in 2013 or 2014,” the company wrote in a press release.

Unveiled for the first time in 2012, the Model X continued to impress with its “Falcon Wings” doors when it appeared at Detroit's NAIAS earlier this year. The interior was slightly revised to test public reaction to the new approach.

The Tesla Model X will offer a choice of 60kWh and 85kWh battery packs, as well as optional all-wheel drive.

Photo: The Green Car Reports

Photo: Tesla

In a busy year for AJ Allmendinger he's returning to race for Phoenix Racing in Bristol.

After an 11th-place finish Phoenix International Raceway for the James Finch owned team, he announced a two-race IndyCar deal with Penske Racing.

This weekend he returns to the track where he debuted in the Sprint Cup series in 2007.

Allmendinger said "I'm really excited to go racing with Phoenix Racing again. We had a great race at Phoenix a couple of weeks ago and I'm looking forward to getting back behind the wheel of the Guy Roofing Chevy. We're off to a good start and now it's about keeping the momentum rolling.

Photo: Phoenix Racing

"Bristol is a crazy track. Before the most recent resurfacing, you would have two-wide and three-wide racing there. Now that they've ground up some of the top groove, it's a little closer to what Bristol used to be like. There's not quite as much room and you have to be a little more aggressive in making passes. You're seeing more bumping and banging now and it seems like everyone's patience is a little shorter than usual.

"There are a few keys to us having a good day. Of course you need to stay out of trouble. Needless to say, there have been countless drivers with good cars who've been caught up in wrecks and had to watch the checkered flag from the garage. We've got to keep our car in one piece. It's also important to have a car that can work the bottom groove. If you can make passes down low, you're going to have a good race. You've got to know when to be aggressive and when to back off. Sometimes aggression is your best friend at Bristol, and sometimes it's your worst enemy. Keep your emotions in check or you'll probably make some decisions you regret. I'm confident that the guys have prepared a good Guy Roofing Chevrolet for me and we have a good weekend ahead of us."