Auto News 5

Akebono Brake Industry began constructing Ai-Village, a global training centre, at its Ai-City Headquarters in Hanyu.

Whether we believe the recession is over or not, staying competitive is an increasing challenge. There is near-universal agreement that part of the solution is excellent product, but recruiting the talented engineers needed to do this is increasingly difficult. Is it just a matter of supply and demand or are there deeper challenges? What are the solutions? To find out, we spoke to Chester Boothe of Jonathan Lee Recruitment, one of the automotive industry's leading HR resourcing specialists.

Happy New Year. And all that. Now, for those to whom it applies, the turkey and associated festivities are out of the way for another year, 'tis time to look back at 2012 sales and ahead at 2013.

Upbeat prospects for car-sharing were underlined this week when car hire giant Avis purchased Zipcar for almost $500m. The analysts at Frost & Sullivan have been following the burgeoning car-sharing sector and, in this article, put the latest deal in context.

The government of congestion-choked Chinese city Shanghai wants residents to buy more electric cars so will offer extra rebates and free licence plates to buyers.

News 4 Jan, 2013

Skoda has confirmed six new models for 2013, including the Octavia Estate

Mazda plans to spend a further US$150m on its Guanajuato, Mexico, plant, currently being built, to boost annual capacity from 140,000 to 230,000 by the end of fiscal 2016, the company said in a statement.

Official VFACTS data released on Friday (4 January) by Australia's Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) showed 1,112,032 new passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles were delivered in 2012, setting a new record.

Italy's car market declined by almost a fifth in 2012 as new car demand reeled under the impact of economic recession, fiscal austerity and renewed political uncertainty.

Despite consumer and business uncertainties about the fiscal cliff, US light vehicle sales remained robust in December, pushing total deliveries for the year to 14,492,398, close to the upper end of most analyst predictions.

First Look: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet

Falling in line with the latest E-Class family.

Mercedes-Benz's makeover machine appears to be running at full-tilt, especially when it comes to its E-Class model range. Weeks after the German automaker unwrapped the 2014 E-Class sedan and wagon models, the company is now giving us a look at the updated 2014 E-Class coupe and cabriolet.

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet - Automobile Magazine

First Look: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Cabriolet | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Mazda said capacity at the plant it's building in Mexico that will also make cars for Toyota will be 21 percent larger than planned.

Fiat plans to boost its stake in Chrysler Group to 65 percent by exercising its option to purchase an additional 3.3 percent from the UAW's retiree health-care fund.

BMW sales surged 39 percent in December, powered by the 5-series car line, helping it top Mercedes-Benz in luxury-brand sales in the United States for the second consecutive year.

Operation Red Nose wrapped up its 29th annual campaign with 87,761 rides across the country, including 65,391 in Quebec alone.

For 2012, a total of 58,319 good Samaritans in seven provinces volunteered to give tens of thousands of Canadians a safe ride home during the holidays.

Since launching in 1984, Operation Red Nose has now completed 1,834,323 rides.

Next year will mark the 30th edition and involve the one millionth volunteer.

Source: Opération nez rouge

The 2013 Chevrolet Cruze will feature the industry's first supplemental restraint system that adjusts airbag deployment to the force of a collision.

Other automakers have already come up with something similar; however, the Cruze's ''intelligent'' airbag stands out by relying on a single compressor (instead of two) that regulates air pressure into the airbag.

In a minor collision, the airbag offers less resistance, thereby reducing the risk of injuries related to airbag deployment.

Audi will host the premiere of the 2014 R8 and RS 5 Cabriolet at Detroit's North American International Auto Show, which kicks off on January 14th.

The 2014 Audi R8 will offer three different engine variants: V8, V10, and V10 Plus. They produce 430, 525 and 550 horsepower, respectively, with 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) acceleration in as little as 3.3 seconds.

Photo: Audi

Meanwhile, the all-new 2014 Audi RS 5 Cabriolet boasts a time of 4.9 seconds thanks to a naturally aspirated 4.2L V8 rated at 450 horsepower. At the press of a button, the soft top opens automatically in 15 seconds and closes in 17 seconds.

Photo: Audi

Both models will go on sale this spring. Come back for more details including pricing.

Mazda announced that production capacity at its new assembly plant in Salamanca, Mexico, which is currently under construction, will be increased in the fiscal year ending March 2016.

Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2014, the facility will start with an annual production of 140,000 units. Capacity will then jump to 230,000 units two years later.

This increase will not only accommodate the growing worldwide demand for Mazda's SKYACTIV vehicles, but also the additional annual production of about 50,000 Toyota-branded vehicles (beginning in the summer of 2015).

The Salamanca plant will build Mazda2 and Mazda3 models to be sold throughout North, Central and South America.

From GMM

Caterham is not yet ready to announce its full 2013 driver lineup.

The team has already filled one of this year's race seats with 2012 Marussia rookie and Frenchman Charles Pic.

Rumours on Thursday suggested an announcement about his teammate was imminent, with Bruno Senna and Vitaly Petrov thought to be the front-runners.

Russian Petrov's teammate last year was Finn Heikki Kovalainen.

As for Thursday's rumblings about an imminent announcement, Finnish MTV3 commentator Oskari Saari said: "It was just a rumour then. Caterham says nothing is being announced in the foreseeable future as all options are still being explored."

Photo: Caterham F1 Team

From GMM

Reigning champion Red Bull's 2013 car might not be ready for the first pre-season test in early February.

We have already reported designer Adrian Newey's admission that late development work to ensure the 2012 title somewhat delayed progress of the RB8's successor.

The latest version of the RB8. (Photo: WRi2)

He said in an official Red Bull film that 2012 was "one of the toughest seasons I've been through".

Adrian Newey is now quoted by the Sun newspaper: "We had to keep pushing which made it difficult to introduce developments and simultaneously develop next year's (2013) car. This has compromised the timescales of the new car more than we would have liked."

The BBC reports that Red Bull will confirm next week if the 2013 car, the RB9, will be ready for the first Jerez test on 5 February.