Auto News 5

NSK says it has developed an electric power steering (EPS) system optimised for modularisation for application to multiple types of global vehicle models.

Bosch says it is cooperating with European Union antitrust authorities as part of an investigation of suppliers in the region.

News 9 Jan, 2014

Sketches of a new VW Beetle Dune concept have been revealed, with a production version a possibility

The last time Cosworth partnered directly with Chevrolet, the world saw the Cosworth Vega. "I had one of those," said Hal Reisiger, CEO of Cosworth.

The 2014 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction extravaganza is just days away, and when bidding begins Jan. 12, it'll kick off the annual week-long frenzy that sees everything from old

We spent 2013 celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911,

After two days of CES electronic overload, we snuck off to Ballys down the strip and had a preview peek at the Bonhams motorcycle auction.

There was already a lot to like about the diesel Volkswagen Jetta TDI, most of it having to do with fewer fill-ups. And so for 2014,

Nissan has announced pricing for its pure-electric

While

News 9 Jan, 2014

A teaser video for the upcoming Porsche 911 Targa has been released, ahead of a Detroit Motor Show debut

Ford of Europe says it's on track to turn a profit again by 2015 after years of heavy losses. A key to the turnaround is the automaker's fast-growing lineup of SUVs, which Ford of Europe sales boss Roelant de Waard expects to earn strong margins.

Departing General Motors CEO Dan Akerson says he believes the appointment of Mary Barra as his successor instantly transformed the image of GM into that of a more progressive company.

There will be more Google in your next car and your first smartwatch might come from an automaker rather than a computer maker. Those are some of my takeaways from this year's CES.

After a season of unexpected struggle at McLaren, Mexican race car driver Sergio Perez enters a new chapter in his Formula 1 career this year, lining up at Sahara Force India.

Despite the lack of results he faced at McLaren in 2013, Perez is disappointed, but not unhappy.

“I don't regret anything: McLaren is a great team and I will always respect them. Unfortunately, for various reasons, the season did not go as expected and we ended up without a podium. The situation I am in now is different, but it's also exciting,” said Perez to Formula1.com.

McLaren boss, Martin Whitmarsh played a major role in finding Perez a new home in Sahara Force India.

“When it was confirmed that I was leaving McLaren, Sahara Force India was always my first option. It is a very good team and in the same way as me, it is hungry for success,” Perez said in the interview.

Sergio Perez and Dr Vijay Mallya. (Photo: Sahara Force India F1 Team)

“The discussions with Sahara Force India started around the time of the race in Austin. I attended a couple of meetings and held several telephone conferences before everything came to a positive agreement. The official announcement that I was going to race for Force India then came on December 10 at the Mexican Embassy in London with Vijay Mallya. It was a quite emotional moment,” he added.

The Mexican strongly believes in the potential of Vijay Mallya's team.

“It is a team that has constantly progressed - and a lot recently when they finished sixth in the constructors' championship - so I think this is a great opportunity for me. I feel confident that together with Sahara Force India we can do a good job over the winter and start the season in good shape. The team did that last year and they have been focused on the 2014 car for a long time. These are all positives,” he said.

Perez will have a new teammate to work with in 2014, German Nico Hulkenberg.

“Nico is a very competitive and experienced driver. I hope to learn as much from him as I can and I'm definitely looking forward to racing next to him,” Perez explained.

“I hope to learn as much from Nico as I expect him to learn from me, so eventually we will embark on a steep, two-way learning curve - hopefully with eyebrow raising results! I think I'm a better driver after the year with McLaren, and being strong in every area is - and always will be - my focus,” Perez concluded.

Mazda North American Operations has just announced that its SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engine won't be launched in Canada and the U.S. this spring as originally planned.

While the SKYACTIV-D can meet emission regulation requirements without the use of an NOx after-treatment system, the Japanese automaker decided that further development is required to deliver the right balance between fuel economy and ''Zoom-Zoom'' driving performance.

Further information on the launch date for North America, technical specifications, and fuel consumption numbers will be available at a later date.

Source : Mazda North American Operations

Photo: Mazda

Volkswagen is set to unveil a new Beetle Dune concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week. If the name sounds familiar, it's because the German automaker also used it for a previous concept based on the 2000 New Beetle.

This off-road variant of the Bug features larger wheel arches, beefier bumpers, two inches of extra ground clearance, and a ski rack on the roof. Derived from the Beetle R-Line, it houses a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that produces 210 horsepower through a 6-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG).

We'll give you more details about the Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept after its official debut.

Source : motorauthority.com

Photo: Volkswagen

On January 14th at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Lexus will reveal the new RC F coupe, whose 5.0L engine packs more than 450 horsepower, making it the most powerful V8 road-going car Lexus has ever built.

The exterior of the Lexus RC F features large 19'' alloy wheels, air ducts on the hood and front fenders, numerous carbon fibre elements, quadruple tailpipes, and the brand's spindle grille with a single F mesh section that extends all the way from the hood line to the lower lip.

Inside, you'll find exclusive gauges, seats, steering wheel, trim detailing, and pedals. Five leather trims will be available, all with contrast stitching.

The Lexus RC F is expected to go on sale by the end of 2014; the exact time remains to be announced.

Photo: Lexus

From press release

Organizers of the Honda Indy Toronto have announced the support series line-up for its 2014 event, taking place this summer from July 18-20.

The event will feature a thrilling and diverse line-up of on-track entertainment to complement the two full-points IndyCar Series races headlining the weekend.

Returning to the event after a popular debut in 2013 is Robby Gordon's SPEED Energy Stadium Super Trucks, which will feature high-powered off-road trucks racing side-by-side on the challenging street course, including huge jumps, crossovers, whoop sections and many tight corners.

James Hinchcliffe, Andretti Autosport (Photo: Paolo Pedicelli)

Exotic car racing will turn heads at the Honda Indy Toronto with the addition of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Michelin, the first time the series has ever raced here on the streets of Toronto.

The unique series features semi-professional drivers racing in one of the largest single-make series in North America.

Also, making its return for a second consecutive year is the Acura Sports Car Challenge featuring the Pirelli World Challenge, a competitive production based series that allows teams, manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers a chance to test their products in a race series limited to 50 minutes.

To celebrate young drivers getting their start in racing, the Honda Indy Toronto will feature Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship and, another new addition, the Formula 1600 Series - which has helped showcase some of Canada's most decorated road racing stars, bringing them to the front lines of motorsport.

From GMM

Sahara Force India will feature Telmex colours in 2014 and an unique 'hump' on the top of the monocoque, the Italian publication Omnicorse reports.

Swiss rival Sauber announced just before Christmas that, with Mexican Esteban Gutierrez staying on board for 2014, the logos of magnate Carlos Slim's brands Telmex and Telcel will still be worn by the team this year.

Sahara Force India, however, has signed McLaren refugee Sergio Perez for 2014, another Mexican driver prominently backed by billionaire Slim.

The Sahara Force India VJM06. (Photo: WRi2)

As well as some details of the 2014 livery, Omnicorse also claims to know that the Silverstone based team's technical boss Andy Green has "a few surprises" for the F1 paddock up his sleeve for when the new VJM07 is unveiled.

The unloved 'step noses' of 2012 mainly disappeared last year, when the FIA allowed teams to install a 'vanity panel' to disguise the unseemly solutions.

But with the bodywork regulations changing yet again in 2014, Omnicorse claims Green's new Force India will have a 'hump' not on the nose, but directly atop the monocoque.

The report speculates that the solution directs more air underneath the car, without compromising the amount of space necessary inside the cockpit.

Vijay Mallya-led Force India finished the 2013 constructors' championship in sixth place.