Auto News 5

Tata Motors' unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has started assembling an entry level Jaguar XF model at its Pune factory which has built the Land Rover Freelander since May 2011.

TRW Automotive says a resurgent US economy is aiding its performance, particularly with new products as the country bounces back from industry-wide turmoil only a few years ago.

Following high demand for the new Golf throughout Europe, with more than 100,000 orders, Volkswagen is planning additional shifts at its main plant in Wolfsburg.

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn said the automaker must take action to increase productivity. 'The best thing we can hope for is a market stabilization' in Europe, he said.

Toyota and BMW are tightening technical ties with plans to jointly develop a sports car platform, lithium-air batteries and new lightweight materials.

Toyota and BMW are tightening technical ties with plans to jointly develop a sports car platform, lithium-air batteries and new lightweight materials.

Plenty of people were surprised this week that the original Batmobile sold for $4.6 million* at Barrett-Jackson.

Volkswagen plans to invest 785 million euros ($1 billion) over the next 5 years in a plant in northern Spain that builds the subcompact Polo model. VW is the third carmaker in recent months to boost investment in the recession-hit country.

Faced with steep sales declines, Renault may dare the previously unthinkable: Closing unproductive car plants in France.

Jaguar Land Rover said fiscal third-quarter profit growth probably stalled because of currency shifts and its cheaper Evoque SUV model attracting a higher share of buyers.

Volkswagen says it is planning additional weekend production to meet demand for the latest version of its best-selling Golf which went on sale at the end of last year.

From GMM

The strong rumours of a McLaren versus Mercedes struggle for the services of top engineer Paddy Lowe continued to develop on Thursday.

The latest behind-the-scenes rumbling is that James Allison, Lotus' young and increasingly highly respected technical director, has been sounded out by McLaren as a potential replacement for Lowe.

James Allison (on the right) discussing with McLaren? (Photo: WRi2)

The Mercedes camp, meanwhile, is sending out mixed messages.

On the one hand, spokespeople are refusing to comment, but there is little doubt the push to secure Lowe is being headed by the new German-speaking guard of Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda.

On the other side, in Brackley on Thursday, the current team principal Ross Brawn told reporters: "I am in charge".

His wading into the saga comes after reports he threatened to quit if Lowe arrives, while McLaren's Martin Whitmarsh and Ron Dennis have apparently offered Lowe more money if he stays put.

"I know all the plans for the future of the team and I hope I'm going to be a part of them for a very long time," said an emphatic Brawn.

Brawn hinted that Mercedes' moves for Lowe are on the basis of succession planning, while rumours of his impending exit have been triggered by his dithering over a "long term commitment".

"Obviously with a lot of additions, I want to see how things go before I make a final long term commitment," said Brawn, who admitted he has "talked to Paddy".

Former Renault Formula 1 driver, Robert Kubica tested a 500-bhp Mercedes C-Coupe DTM at Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia, Spain today, Thursday.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

It was the first proper test of a poweful, purebred race car for Kubica who sustained multiple injuries in an accident on the February 6, 2011 whilst rallying in Italy.

The Pole Kubica wanted to see how he would perform in the cockpit after his long break due to his extensive hand and forearm injuiries.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz published a good number of photos of the test. Mercedes' new director of motorsport, Christian “Toto” Wolff attended the test.

Robert Kubica and Toto Wolff. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

From Mercedes-Benz press release

During this first test session in the DTM, Robert Kubica had to get accustomed to the handling characteristics of a racing car with which he was totally unfamiliar. He covered 114 laps, which equates to 456.570 kilometres, of the 4.005km circuit where he has posted so many test kilometres in Formula 1 in the past.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Robert Kubica:
"My first day of testing in a DTM car was great fun and I learned a lot about the series and the DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé. The first installation lap was in the dry, then a few heavy showers of rain came down and we had to wait for the track to dry out. All in all, it was a good experience, getting to know the car in different weather conditions. I was able to get to grips with the DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé and felt very comfortable in the car, even though after my long break it meant adjusting to the high downforce that a state-of-the art DTM race car produces. I'm very pleased with my performance on this first day of DTM testing and had no problems whatsoever in the car."

Robert Kubica (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

In a time when baseball stadiums have a useful life of 20 years or so there's nothing far out of order concerning a design dating back 55 years. Or perhaps it's really a time for a change.

During the NASCAR Media Tour in Charlotte, Daytona International Speedway's President, Joie Chitwood, revealed some artist renderings which are the prototypes of a proposed redevelopment project.

Photo: Daytona International Speedway

The proposed project is designed to provide a better overall race experience for fans, including upgraded concession areas, entrances, ticket gates, grandstands and seating, as well as interactive common areas that allow for opportunities to watch a race from several vantage points.

Photo: Daytona International Speedway

Photo: Daytona International Speedway

Bryan Herta's team, Barracuda Racing announced Thursday morning that Canadian Alex Tagliani will return to the team as driver of the No. 98 Honda-powered Dallara.

A veteran of the IZOD IndyCar Series, Tagliani clinched a pole position at Texas and led laps in five of the fifteen scheduled races in 2012.

"The 2012 season was strong for us, despite the challenges we faced, and the results don't reflect all our successes," said Tagliani in the team's press release. "In our second season together at Barracuda Racing, we can only climb upward as a team."

"I really think that with Todd engineering, and the experience that Bryan [Herta] and Steve [Newey] bring to the table, our car will be even more competitive. It will be great to show that we are a factor, that we are moving up in the field."

Photo: Bryan Herta Autosport

The 2013 IndyCar season will feature plenty of opportunities for Barracuda Racing to achieve success in the team's Honda-powered, Dallara DW12. Tagliani has already been mentioned as a favorite for the return of the Triple Crown trophy and oval championship. In addition, his sights will be set on a third consecutive pole at Texas Motor Speedway and his life-long goal of winning the Indianapolis 500.

Not only is Tagliani returning with Barracuda Racing, the team takes pride in the return of their entire No. 98 crew for a second year. To lead engineer Todd Malloy, this component is an integral part of a smooth transition from last season.

Two months from today, on March 24, 2013, the IZOD IndyCar Series season kicks off on the streets of St. Petersburg.

This time, we do it in a Mercedes Sprinter.

One has to believe that the German automakers are hell bent on proving that their products can tackle the worst possible (and imaginable) driving conditions on earth.

Matt St-Pierre went out first in the smart fortwo. He drove the fortwo all the way to Inuvik, in the Northwest Territories.

Not having had enough, he took on a similar route towards the Arctic Heavens, this time in a Porsche Cayenne. Our Lesley Wimbush picked up where Matt left off, and she travelled all the way to Cooldfoot, Alaska.

This time around, Lesley heads back out into the frozen North. This trip will be completed at the helm of a Mercedes Sprinter; the opposite end of what the Stuttgart-based German automaker offers in North America.

Check this space as Lesley will update us regularly as she works on getting the Sprinter through Leg 2 of the trip: Anchorage to Coldfoot, and back to Anchorage. Wish her luck.

Truth be told, she'll be fine as Mercedes is very well versed in dealing with these types of expeditions.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Gymkhana sensation, American Ken Block will contest three rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship this season.

Having recently changed team names to the more appropriate Hoonigan Racing Division, Block has revamped the colorway on the team Ford Fiestas inspired by his love of '80s and early '90s skateboarding graphics, Miami Vice-era offshore powerboats and a dash of hair metal and old school hip hop."

Block is expected to contest the Mexican, Australian and Finnish rounds of the WRC. He will also take part in the American pro rally championship.

Last year, Block claimed 9th place in Mexico and in New Zealand.

Photo: Hoonigan Racing Division

Developed by DriversLegalHelpline.co.uk, Crash Mate is a new application for smartphones that records everything after an accident, making it ''the best witness any vehicle driver could ever have after a motoring incident," the company argues.

Geo location markers determine exactly where the accident occurred (with a Google Map overlay). A voice recorder also records anything that can be said at the scene, including admissions of guilt or even aggression from other drivers, which could prove very useful later.

Of course, Crash Mate allows you to take pictures and capture videos of the damage, positions of the vehicles post accident, along with their licence plate numbers. There's even a to-do list after the crash, as well as a unique function to assist in calling emergency services.

Finally, a Send button lets you transfer all the information to your legal counsellor or insurance company, with feedback and advice provided within one hour.

Unfortunately, the Crash Mate app is only available in the U.K. right now.

BMW and Toyota, which announced a strategic deal on fuel cell technology last June, could make it official as early as tomorrow.

The plan is for Toyota to provide BMW with drivetrain and hydrogen storage solutions. The German automaker will use them to build a prototype vehicle by 2015 and possibly enter production around 2020, according to Japan's Nikkei.

As you probably know, fuel cells typically convert hydrogen into electricity to power vehicles, allowing them to run five times longer than battery electric cars. Moreover, it takes just a few minutes to fill a tank with hydrogen, whereas charging a battery requires several hours.


Source: Automotive News

DETROIT, Mi - There was a lot of buzz leading up to the Detroit Auto Show about Inifiniti's new nomenclature: All vehicles, henceforth, will be badged "Q" for sedan and "QX" for crossover followed then by a size-indicating number. If that seems like a move from Audi's playbook, that could be because President Johan de Nysschen came to Infiniti via the German car company.

The new badging helps to further separate Infiniti from parent company Nissan. It's also an attempt to solidify their position as a luxury brand in markets such as Europe and China, where Infiniti is not as recognizable as the German marques. Of all the Japanese brands, Infiniti probably boasts the strongest European character when it comes to driving dynamics -- a feature that should serve them in their pursuit of that market.

Although photos were leaked on the internet prior to the show, Infiniti's new Q-ship was revealed on the Detroit stage amid much pomp and circumstance complete with a flashy performance by Cirque du Soleil.

Based on the Essence concept, the Inifniti Q50 is the first vehicle to wear the new badging.

Photo: Lesley Wimbush

Described as having a "tight, athletic appearance," the Infiniti Q50 bears more than a passing frontal resemblance to the Lexus GS. Crisp, wavy character lines and bulging fender flares create visual drama, and the swept-back roofline suggests fluid movement. Like most of its ilk, however, the Q50 is deep and rather heavy looking.

The waves continue into the interior, which boasts aluminum trim "inspired by Samurai swords" and maple wood that's apparently representative of 16th Century Urushi painting. The driver-centric cockpit features an 8” infotainment touchscreen.

Available in either rear, or all-wheel-drive, the Infiniti Q50 has the same wheelbase as the previous G37. Underhood is the 3.7L, 328 hp carried over from the G27, or Infiniti's Direct Response Hybrid System consisting of a 3.5L V6 combined with an electric motor to produce 354 hp. Both are mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. Unlike most of its competitors, there is no available 4-cylinder option.

The Infiniti Q50 features two world firsts: Direct Adaptive Steering, a drive-by-wire system that, using digital controls, Infiniti claims is far faster and more responsive than traditional mechanical linkages. The driver can choose from four different settings depending on personal preference. And Active Lane Control uses a camera-based stability system to detect crosswinds and road deviations, keeping the Infiniti Q50 on course.

Pricing isn't available yet, but should be announced when the Inifniti Q50 arrives this summer.