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With a recent petition, Toyota has intensified the pressure on safety regulators to approve new headlights currently forbidden on U.S. roads.

Lincoln is studying the habits of luxury shoppers at Shanghai's luxury malls for new ideas in customer service that eventually could find their way back to U.S. dealerships.

In March, luxury maker Land Rover proudly told an audience at the Geneva auto show that it would soon bring to market the industry's first nine-speed transmission. One month later, Ford Motor Co.

The digital age has spawned effective ways for auto marketers to swipe customers from competitors. By monitoring the online shopping habits of millions of consumers, marketers can place online ads in front of shoppers quickly and precisely.

Automakers in North America failed to make progress in improving relations with suppliers over the past year, an annual study says.

Retired Texas auto dealer Sterling McCall surprised fellow dealers in April when he testified in favor of Tesla Motors Inc.'s bid to carve out an exemption to state franchise law.

The cult of personality surrounding Tesla Motors founder and CEO Elon Musk has wowed the investment community. Operating on the edge of the U.S.

Dakkota Systems' instrument panel factory is joined at the hip to Chrysler's Windsor minivan assembly plant.

Audi has won rounds two and four of its 12-round fight with BMW brand, but the world luxury-car champ is still ahead on the overall scorecard.

Magna International has hiked its full-year sales forecasts after posting a better-than-expected profit and a 9 percent rise in revenue in the first quarter.

Krishnan Anantharaman has joined Automotive News as an assigning editor at the paper's headquarters.

Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer for Fiat and Chrysler, has helped rehabilitate Chrysler Group's image since its 2009 bankruptcy. Chrysler has racked up 37 consecutive months of year-over-year U.S.

From GMM

F1 team Lotus has reportedly sold a $1.5 million stake to a British property investor.

Writing in the Telegraph, F1 business journalist Christian Sylt said the buyer is Andrew Ruhan, who bought a 2 per cent stake from team owner Genii Capital.

Genii's Gerard Lopez confirmed that Ruhan is "a friend and a business partner in some substantial real estate developments, loves cars, racing and has purchased, if I am not mistaken, 2pc of the equity to be on the board and feel involved - for sure, not a substantial deal for either party."

Sylt also revealed in the Telegraph that, having initially refused to let Mercedes onto F1's board as per other top teams, Bernie Ecclestone has now appointed a Daimler executive.

"Correct," Sylt told us. "Pre and post (the sport's floatation), they're on it."

Photo: WRi2

From GMM

Mercedes has been tipped as a likely favourite to win the fabled Monaco grand prix later this month.

Having dominated qualifying in Spain, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton fell spectacularly backwards through the field in the race as the W04 chew mercilessly through Pirelli's tyres.

Toto Wolff, the team's co-owner and director, said the extreme reversal of Saturday's fortunes caused himself and Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche "almost physical pain".

But it could all be different in Monaco.

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona. (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team)

"I think Mercedes has a good chance to win in Monte Carlo," said Swiss commentator and former driver Marc Surer.

"Whoever starts at the front in the principality also has a good chance for victory," he is quoted by Speed Week. "And the degradation of the rear tyres will not be such a big issue there."

Asked if predictions like Surer's are right, Barcelona winner Fernando Alonso said: "Yes, definitely. They've been on pole position for the last three races, they were on pole last year with Michael (Schumacher), so it would be a surprise if they weren't on pole position in Monaco. And it's more difficult to overtake in Monaco, so maybe they can keep good positions for longer."

Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen also agreed: "I think Mercedes will unfortunately be pretty quick there and after that it's difficult to overtake. So you can really expect, from what they did last year and what they did here, that they should be pretty fast there."

Mercedes' Rosberg told DPA news agency: "In qualifying we are very good, so it's very likely that we'll be close to the front (in Monaco) and hopefully I can keep the train behind me."

From GMM

McLaren's cars could go orange in the near future, team boss Martin Whitmarsh has admitted.

Although the Woking based team's cars have been silver since 1997, orange is actually McLaren's traditional race colour, dating back to the Can-Am days of the 60s.

Bruce McLaren, McLaren, Monaco 1968. (Photo: WRi2)

After 2014, however, it looks likely McLaren's long relationship with 'Silver Arrows' carmaker Mercedes will end.

Martin Whitmarsh said in Barcelona on Sunday that he could not comment on reports McLaren will definitely be Honda-powered in 2015, saying the matter was "confidential" between the team and existing partner Mercedes.

Asked, however, if the change of title sponsor for next year in the wake of Vodafone's scheduled departure might be a chance for McLaren to return to orange, Whitmarsh answered: "I really like the idea.

"Orange is a great colour, especially for McLaren," he told the Russian website f1news.ru.

"We use it for our racing GT and it looks great, and we'll continue to move in this direction. F1 is a bit different: the modern business model is one of the main tasks of the team -- to promote the brands of our partners. But if we're lucky enough to find a sponsor who likes orange, you could see that colour again in formula one," added Whitmarsh.

Photo: McLaren

Stefano Coletti took his second win of the GP2 season, and a huge lead in the provisional championship standings at the same time.

The championship race on Saturday was won by Robin Frijns, the reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion who gave Hilmer Motorsport its first GP2 win.

Frijns inherited the lead following an optimal strategy (which saw him come in on lap 6 for a set of Option tires), and his rivals' misfortunes (including a contact between pole sitter Marcus Ericssonn and Sam Bird), to take his maiden GP2 win ahead of Felipe Nasr and Jon Lancaster.

Championship leader Stefano Coletti took 4th position ahead of Tom Dillmann, who had a great comeback from 14th position on the grid.

On Sunday, Johnny Cecotto started from pole, having finished race 1 in 8th position. The Venezuelan driver was quickly overtaken by eventual winner Stefano Coletti, who in turn managed to keep Robin Frijns at bay. Felipe Nasr, who now stands second in the championship, completed the podium.

Race 1:
1 - Robin Frijns - Hilmer - 37 laps in 1h00'38"896
2 - Felipe Nasr - Carlin - 3"316

3 - Jon Lancaster - Hilmer - 12"609

4 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 13"329

5 - Tom Dillmann - Russian Time - 14"325
Etc.

Race 2:
1 - Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 26 laps in 41'49"895

2 - Robin Frijns - Hilmer - 0'691

3 - Felipe Nasr - Carlin - 7'212

4 - Jolyon Palmer - Carlin - 12'129

5 - Johnny Cecotto - Arden - 35'593
Etc.

Championship:
1.Coletti 93 points; 2.Nasr 76; 3.Leimer 54; 4.Frijns 37; 5.Bird 33, etc.

Based in Velizy-Villacoublay in the suburbs of Paris, Peugeot Sport has finished the final livery of the stunning Peugeot 208 T16 that will contest the Pikes Peak hill climb in the United States June 30.

The driver, Sebastien Loeb - the nine-time FIA World Rally Champion -- believes he has the ultimate machine to help him win the famous Race to the Clouds.

The 208 T16 is fitted with monstrous aerodynamic devices and is powered by a turbocharged engine that can produce some 875 horsepower.

Photo: Peugeot Sport

Mitsubishi is apparently looking to bolster its model lineup with a brand new compact sedan for 2015.

At the brand's regional dealer meetings held during the first two weeks of April, dealers were shown a rendering of the car that could be based on the G4 Concept unveiled in Bangkok in March.

“Mitsubishi is looking into introducing a small, entry-level sedan to the United States market, and while we continue to study the market trend and demand for this smaller-segment sedan, we have not come to a concrete decision on when this model may make the U.S. showroom,” a company spokesman said in a statement.

According to Scott Grove, who owns two Mitsubishi dealerships near Chicago, this teaser is the latest sign of a recovery for Mitsubishi, which will launch the redesigned Outlander crossover this summer, followed by the new Mirage small car later in 2013 and a plug-in hybrid Outlander next year.

Photo: Mitsubishi

As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Lamborghini and its head designer Walter De Silva unveiled the Egoista, a supercar concept that represents “hedonism taken to the extreme.”

This single-seater borrows design elements from Apache helicopters including a separate cockpit that can detach from the car itself.

“I am very attached to this Italian brand, being an Italian myself,” he said. “I wanted to pay homage to and think up a vehicle to underline the fact that Lamborghinis have always been made with passion, and with the heart more than the head.”

The Lamborghini Egoista is motivated by a 600-horsepower 5.2L V10 engine. The aluminum and carbon fibre body sports a matte grey finish and uses a special anti-radar material.

Photo: Lamborghini

The 2014 Nissan Versa Note will arrive at Nissan dealers across Canada this June with a base MSRP of under $14,000.

It promises exceptional fuel economy, class-leading cargo space, and standard features like a 12V power outlet, AM/FM/CD/aux audio, and high-definition instruments. Options include NissanConnect with navigation, a Divide N' Hide storage system, a rearview monitor, satellite radio, and a touchscreen display.

Powered by a 1.6L four-cylinder engine that produces 109 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque, the 2014 Nissan Versa Note's fuel consumption ratings have yet to be announced.

The lineup consists of nine trim levels:

• Versa Note 1.6 S, MT: $13,348
• Versa Note 1.6 S, CVT: $14,648
• Versa Note 1.6 SV, MT: $14,998
• Versa Note 1.6 SV, MT, Convenience: $15,678
• Versa Note 1.6 SV, CVT: $16,298
• Versa Note 1.6 SV, CVT, Convenience: $16,978
• Versa Note 1.6 SL, MT: $16,998
• Versa Note 1.6 SL, CVT: $18,298
• Versa Note 1.6 SL, CVT, Technology: $19,018

Photo: Nissan