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From GMM

Maria de Villota's post-mortem has confirmed reports the former Marussia tester died of natural causes.

International publications say the 33-year-old died of a heart attack after a suspected brain haemorrhage in a Seville hotel early on Friday.

Germany's Welt newspaper said Spanish authorities are investigating, but rumours de Villota could have committed suicide are wide of the mark.

The report also said no medications or drugs were found in the hotel room or de Villota's body.

"It was absolutely natural causes," a forensic medicine spokesman said in Seville after the autopsy.

Spain's EFE news agency said Isabel de Villota suggested her sister's death was related to her serious head injuries sustained in the Marussia test crash last July.

From GMM

Sergey Sirotkin "can be happy" after kicking off his quest for a F1 super licence on Friday.

The Russian teen, who will line up as Sauber's 2014 race driver if he qualifies for the mandatory credential, was circulating at Fiorano.

Making use of Sauber's relationship with its engine supplier, Sirotkin was at the wheel of a 2009 Ferrari at the fabled Italian team's own test track.

"Sergey has done quite well, as it was his first time in a formula one car," said Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn, not referring to Sirotkin's recent running in a straight line and for a demonstration at Sochi.

"He drove 180 kilometres (at Fiorano)," Kaltenborn is quoted by Speed Week, "and even if we don't want to talk about laptimes, I can summarise by saying that he can be happy."

Ferrari F60, Fiorano

From GMM

Mark Webber sounds unwilling to move over for his teammate Sebastian Vettel at Suzuka.

With Vettel looking to put his fourth title away on Sunday, the German struggled in qualifying with a KERS failure aboard his Red Bull.

But he will be crowned champion in Japan if he wins and Fernando Alonso is ninth or lower.

Retiring teammate Webber on pole is therefore not part of the ideal plan, particularly with memories of the 'Multi-21' team orders affair still lingering.

Mark Webber, Red Bull RB9, Suzuka (Photo: WRi2)

Asked if the drivers will be free to race on Sunday, team boss Christian Horner said coyly after qualifying: "They will do the best they can for the team."

Webber was more specific as he played down the likelihood of following a 'team' plan.

"Seb's had a phenomenal year," said the Suzuka pole sitter.  "He will do his race, I will do my race."

Webber hinted that with Vettel so far ahead in the points standings, and with several races still to run in 2013, his ears are not open to team orders.

"It's not like it's the last race of the championship, obviously, in terms of what can unfold or whatever," he said.

"Normally you talk about these things and they never happen but in general, yeah, we'll be there for ourselves tomorrow."

Considering the Australian has not been on pole position since the Korean Grand Prix of last year, he didn't look very pleased. That's because world champion Vettel, who could win his fourth title on Sunday, struggled all day in Japan with a KERS problem.

"Unfortunately Seb didn't have KERS (for qualifying)," Red Bull team boss Christian Horner told the BBC, "so with that deficit to get on the front row was really a success."

The pole-sitter, who has been outclassed by Vettel all season, agreed: "Sebastian had a problem so it's a bit of a hollow pole but you have to grab the opportunities when you can."

Mark Webber, Red Bull RB9 (Photo: WRi2)

Two fires, aside from Webber's performance, also highlighted the session. The first one involved Jean-Éric Vergne's Toro Rosso STR8, and the second one Esteban Gutierrez's Sauber C32.

A struggling Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) qualified eighth, which is the last position he can afford to finish in if he wants to remain in the title fight with Vettel.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E21 (Photo: WRi2)

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and Romain Grosjean (Lotus), who have been performing well lately, lined up behind the two Red Bull, and just ahead of Felipe Massa (Ferrari) and Nico Rosberg (Mercedes), on the third row. Nico Hulkenberg, at the wheel of his humble Sauber, took seventh.

Veterans Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) and Jenson Button (McLaren) complete the top 10.

Meanwhile, Adrian Sutil (Force India), Charles Pic (Caterham) and Jules Bianchi (Marussia) all line up at the back because of penalties: Sutil for changing his gearbox after free practice, Pic and Bianchi for the third reprimand they picked up in separate incidents last week in Korea.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W04 (Photo: WRi2)

Qualifying results* - Japanese Grand Prix (Suzuka)
1.Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'30"915 - Q3
2.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'31"089 - Q3
3.Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 1'31"253 - Q3
4.Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'31"365 - Q3
5.Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'31"378 - Q3
6.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 1'31"397 - Q3
7.Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'31"644 - Q3
8.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 1'31"665 - Q3
9.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'31"684 - Q3
10.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'31"827 - Q3
11.Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'31"989 - Q2
12.Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'31"992 - Q2
13.Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'32"013 - Q2
14.Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'32"063 - Q2
15.Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'32"093 - Q2
16.Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'32"845 - Q2
17.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'33"357 - Q1
18.Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'34"320 - Q1
19.Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'34"879 - Q1
20.Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'32"890 - Q1**
21.Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'34"556 - Q1***
22.Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'34"958 - Q1***

*Unofficial timing
**Five-place grid penalty
***Ten-place grid penalty

A possible failure of the throttle position sensor has led Nissan Canada to recall 3,452 Infiniti M35 and M45 luxury sedans from 2006-2010.

Infiniti M45 2008. (Photo: Infiniti)

A faulty throttle position sensor will return the engine to idle. In certain cases, an abrupt return to idle could result in the engine stalling, causing a loss of propulsion which, in conjunction with traffic and road conditions, as well as the driver's reactions, could increase the risk of a crash.

Infiniti dealers will therefore replace the throttle position sensor and reprogram the engine control module on all affected units.

Source: Transport Canada

The old General Motors assembly plant in Ste-Thérèse, Quebec (later known as Boisbriand), opened on October 12th, 1965.

As the lone GM production facility in La Belle Province, it started with 939 employees who built the Chevrolet Biscayne and Pontiac Strato Chief.

Thirty-seven years and more than 4 million vehicles later, production ended with the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 on August 27th, 2002. The Ste-Thérèse plant was demolished in 2004.

Source: Boisbriand

Photo: GM

Collectible Classic: 1956-1960 Mercedes-Benz 220S/220SE

A personal luxury two-door with earthy roots.

If you were the prince of Spain, a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 220S is the kind of car that you might give to your girlfriend. At least that's what Philippe de Lespinay tells himself as he looks at this gorgeous, largely unrestored car at his home in California. As he drives beneath the palms along the ocean, he can picture this rare coupe motoring through the French Riviera in the 1950s. And, yes, there's a slim chance that the prince of Spain might once have owned this very car before he became king.

Photo Gallery: Collectible Classic: 1956-1960 Mercedes-Benz 220S/220SE - Automobile Magaze

Photo Gallery: Collectible Classic: 1956-1960 Mercedes-Benz 220S/220SE - Automobile Magaze

Collectible Classic: 1956-1960 Mercedes-Benz 220S/220SE | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

The EPA on Friday sought to calm a furor over its apparent proposal to reduce ethanol use in gasoline next year, saying that no final decisions had been made about the contentious mandate.

The 2014 Cadillac ELR plug-in hybrid will go on sale in January with a sticker price of $75,995, including destination charges.

What is it?

The idea of self-driving cars isn't so farfetched anymore. Even our furloughed bureaucrats think so. But the question now is: whose cars?

Last week the Volvo Club of America held its annual meet in the ski resort of Stratton Mountain, Vt., and we dropped by to take a look.

TRW has announced that it has supplied safety systems on the entry model from Chinese premium brand Qoros.

Crestview Partners is seeking a buyer for Key Safety Systems, a Michigan supplier of airbags, seat-belt systems and other car safety components that could be valued at more than $800 million, according to several people familiar with the matter.

Most Americans are receptive to the idea of a driverless car, a new study says.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: The GLK is my favorite of the Mercedes ' SUVs.

Henry Ford may not have invented the concept of the moving assembly line, but his triumph --

Hyundai unveiled the ultimate Zombie Survival Machine, designed by fan Anson Kuo, at the New York Comic Con on Thursday.

Symphony Teleca aims to reduce recalls by accelerating issue fixes through remote software management. Vanessa Scholfield, QUBE Connected Vehicles analyst, recently spoke to the company to learn more.

News 11 Oct, 2013

Toyota will use new architecture to underpin its cars, starting with the new Prius in 2015