Auto News 5

News 5 Mar, 2014

Ferrari announces three new FF specifications through its Tailor Made programme, plus Apple CarPlay

New vehicle sales in Taiwan fell by 2.9% year on year in February to 20,796 units, reflecting fewer working days in the month due to the Lunar New Year holidays.

Malaysia's first national car company, Proton Holdings, is seeking government funding for the development of its next generation of passenger cars, including electric vehicles, according to local reports.

BMW Group plans to sell more than 2 million vehicles this year as demand grows in China and the U.S. and the automaker pushes to stay ahead of Audi and Mercedes in global brand sales.

News 5 Mar, 2014

Alfa Spider and MX-5 joint venture still on, but Alfa badge could be swapped for another Fiat-Chrysler brand

China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group has acquired US electric vehicle company Emerald Automotive for an undisclosed sum, according to reports in China.

News 5 Mar, 2014

The Audi A3, Mazda 3 and BMW 4 Series make up the three finalists for the World Car of the Year

News 5 Mar, 2014

We scoured the Geneva Motor Show stands to bring you the ten best concept cars of the 2014 event

News 5 Mar, 2014

Ford reveals extent of the changes to the Focus ST hot-hatch, including a diesel version to rival Golf GTD

Trevor Mann, Nissan's Europe chairman, is counting on the recently launched second-generation Qashqai and the automaker's forthcoming compact hatchback to help the automaker reclaim the title of top-selling Asian brand in Europe by 2016.

The Renault Twingo will stand out in Europe's crowded minicar segment because of its rear-engine layout and rear-wheel drive.

From GMM

Red Bull's early-season technical crisis is plumbing new depths, with news the reigning world champions are calling upon junior team Toro Rosso for help.

Italy's authoritative Autosprint reports that Red Bull has asked the Faenza based sister team for assistance on the all-new 'brake by wire' technology, which is tied in with the highly-sophisticated 'ERS' systems.

"The fact that Red Bull wants to use someone else's (system) says a lot about the size of Red Bull's other problems," said veteran correspondent Alberto Antonini.

One of those bigger problems is with extreme "turbo lag", Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko admits.

"You step on the gas," he told Austrian television Servus TV, "but the power comes all of a sudden, the wheels spin, the car slides and you lose speed.

"We are working with Renault on the test benches day and night to improve the situation for Melbourne," added Marko.

Photo: WRi2

World champion Sebastian Vettel, however, is expecting to struggle next weekend.

"If half the drivers fail to finish, then maybe we could take a few points," he said.

"At the moment we have bigger problems to solve than just the pace."

Alfa Romeo introduced the new 4C Spider today at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show. Actually, it's an exercise in style aimed at selecting the contents to be implemented in standard production scheduled for the beginning of next year.

Photo: Alfa Romeo

The 4C Spider concept stands out with an exclusive three-layer Glossy White livery. The soft stop incorporates a glass rear window. Meanwhile, the interior is highlighted by carbon fibre trim and leather seating.

Photo: Alfa Romeo

Under the hood of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is a new 1.75L turbocharged gasoline engine whose aluminum block contributes to a 22kg weight saving. The centre-mounted tailpipes use carbon and titanium. Distinctive 18'' front and 19'' rear wheels complete the package.

From GMM

Almost a year ago, Bernie Ecclestone stunned F1's headline writers when he said plans were afoot for a race in Baku.

Seasoned journalists quickly discovered it is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, an oil-rich former soviet state at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

Now, London's Times newspaper has quoted the F1 chief executive as saying Baku could be on the annual calendar as soon as next year.

"They are talking about 2015," said Ecclestone. "That may be a bit soon unless it is the end of the season. That is a possibility but 2016 is more likely."

Jacques Villeneuve driving the BMW Z4 in the Baku street circuit. (Photo: WRi2)

To Azerbaijan's north is Russia, whose president is Vladimir Putin, a man with controversial views on homosexuality that Ecclestone said recently he backs.

Indeed, even with the Ukrainian conflict in full swing, Bernie Ecclestone plans to shortly travel to Russia to meet with Putin about converting Sochi's new grand prix venue for floodlit racing in the future.

Bernie Ecclestone said Russia is a "no brainer" for F1.

"We have to be there," he said. "It is a huge market and full of potential fans for the sport. They really want F1 and we want a race there to work.

"I have no problem with Vladimir," Ecclestone is also quoted by the Daily Mail. "He ran a good winter olympics. We get on very well -- no problems."

Less secure on the F1 calendar is Germany's Nurburgring race, after Bernie Ecclestone was outbid despite offering to buy the fabled track for $50 million.

Bernie Ecclestone told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt that a decision about another buyer for the Nurburgring is due on Wednesday.

"The German grand prix is in trouble because they haven't got any money," Ecclestone is quoted by City A.M.

"When I go to an auction I want to leave a bid, which is what I did, and somebody could offer more. I don't know what's happening there," he added.

In an interview on Sky Sports News, McLaren driver Jenson Button admitted that the return of Ron Dennis has given a lot more confidence within the team.

“He is quite an unusual character Ron (Dennis), I have a lot of respect for what he has done in the sport - this team wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Ron - and I think everyone is excited, he is looking forward to this challenge and it gives everyone a lot more confidence within in the team,” Button told Sky Sports News.

Jenson Button, McLaren, Jerez test 2014 (Photo: McLaren)

Button admitted that it's been a messy winter for a lot of people in terms of mileage on circuit.

“The two that you would pick out that look strong and consistent are Mercedes and Williams. I think those are the two teams to beat right now,” Button declared.

“I'm not really sure Ferrari is third quickest either. The Force India looks quick, the Red Bull when it is running is very quick. I think you will see Red Bull putting in very good laps in qualifying. Whether they can get to the end of a race or not I don't know. For any team, to get to the end of a race is very difficult, especially at the start of the season,” Button added.

The former World Champion admitted that the management of electric power will be quite complex.

“We are limited to charging two megajoules per lap, but we have four megajoules to use - basically that is how much we can use from the electric motor and it is a lot of power, we struggle to use four megajoules over a lap and at some circuits I don't think we will even get close. In a race situation it is something we will use like we did last year with KERS to overtake cars.

“The problem is, if you use it all over one lap in a race, you are left with very little for the next lap and it could be very easy for the car you have just overtaken to pass you again. So there is lots of playing around and also using the megajoules in different ways helps with the fuel usage and driveability of the car,” he admitted.

Button says he's confident for the Melbourne race in about 10 days.

“If you took the initial package of everyone at the first test you would say that we are quite confident. But now it is difficult to know; we haven't put the new package on the car and we don't know where we are going to be in Melbourne. But I am looking forward to it. I don't think we are really going to know the pecking order until we get three or four races in - and again it could change as the update kits come,” Button told Sky Sports News.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is not ruling out tweaking F1's radical new engine regulations.

The sport's chief executive is unashamedly no fan of the new turbo V6 era, having fought hard against replacing the screaming naturally-aspirated engines with the muted but 'greener' power units of the future.

"We have got the new engines. I don't like them," he told journalist Christian Sylt, editor of the F1 trade guide Formula Money.

"Maybe we can up the fuel restrictions and they can rev higher. We will have to wait and see," said Ecclestone.

Making clear he is not simply opposed to any change, the 83-year-old insisted he doesn't even mind the look of the questionably-aesthetic new noses.

"You get used to the looks," he said. "Whenever there's a change people say I don't like it. Don't think you're going to get used to no noise though."

Photo: Renault Sport F1

Like the noses, Ecclestone also doesn't mind that the run of dominance enjoyed by Red Bull seems to be over.

"Many fans want to see Vettel lose now," he told Germany's Bild newspaper. "After all, they won the championship not once but for four years.

"But I've never seen the point in changing the engines to save energy," Ecclestone insisted. "That's something you can do in street cars, but not in formula one.

"We need to be loud and fast," the Briton added, "and one thing is certain: this whole thing has cost a giant mountain of money."

Meanwhile, Ecclestone claims he could have avoided the criminal trial in Munich, which is set to start in April and could end his long reign over F1.

"I could have stopped it with money," he said, "but I didn't pay. Now I hope for the best."

From press release

While the Metro Infrastructure 1968 Chevy Camaro will get a new look this year, team owner and driver Rocky Di Lecce said he will focus more on his driving skills this year in the hopes of continued success in the Pro Modified Racing Association.

But his success will be hard to beat in 2014, as the Camaro driver won an unprecedented five of six regular PMRA events and the series championship, and topped off his season with a big win at the International Pro Mod Challenge at the SuperChargers Showdown in Maryland last September.

"We are going to change the car's wrapping and lighten it up a bit," said Di Lecce. "It's a bit heavy."

But Di Lecce added he plans to concentrate more with his role in racing, noting that the car's preparation and performance was impeccable, but he wants to bring more to the table as a driver.

"I have to smarten up a bit, he said. All the rounds we lost last season were due to driver error. You always want to improve," he added. "That is going to be my biggest challenge for the new season."

With a consistency and car prep second to none, Di Lecce and team dominated the PMRA in 2013, winning the first five of six regular races. He has raced for about 20 years, but last year was his second in PMRA competition. He credits his success to his crew, who gave him a solid car every time he went to the starting line.

Heading up the team is crew chief Angelo Aceto, with Emilio Aceto, Kevin Cooper, Tony Presto, Michael Aceto, Robbie Cesario and Nadia Di Lecce all contributing to the winning effort. Metro Infrastructure and Midway Auto contribute to the team's sponsorship.

The Camaro is a Tim McAmis Race Cars product, powered by a 526-cubic inch Brad Anderson (BAE) Supercharged Hemi, with a Kobelco supercharger on topped and fuelled with a Waterman Racing Components system. A Lenco Drive sits behind the engine.

Di Lecce will start his 2014 season May 16-18 at the Grand Bend Motorplex with the RPM Magazine / Lucas Oil Spring Blowout, the first of six regular PMRA contests this year.

Now in its 10th year, the Pro Modified Racing Association, www.PMRA.ca competes with its two companion series, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, www.Quick32.ca and the Pro Bike & Sled Series, www.PBSS.ca travelling and racing together throughout the racing season, offering an exciting and diverse package of drag racing action.

From GMM

Mercedes heads into next weekend's season opening Australian grand prix as the overwhelming early 2014 favourite.

"Mercedes and Williams look very strong," agreed German driver Nico Hulkenberg, whose similarly Mercedes-powered Force India team has also impressed in winter testing.

"They're standing out. McLaren is also fast," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. "At the moment, the Mercedes teams are a bit in front."

Mercedes' three customer teams - McLaren, Williams and Force India - appear to have hit the jackpot with clearly the best turbo V6 'power unit' in F1's new greener era.

"At the moment that's right," Hulkenberg admitted, "but we all know how long a formula one season is. Let's wait and see.

"On the last day (in Bahrain) Ferrari did a strong laptime, and (Daniel) Ricciardo has also done a 1.35 in the Red Bull. I'm assuming Red Bull will solve the problems sooner or later," he said.

Sahara Force India and Williams in Bahrain. (Photo: WRi2)

Williams, ninth of the eleven teams last year, has emerged as the surprise dark horse for 2014, having switched over the winter to Mercedes power.

"They (Williams) have never had problems in the tests, have always been fast, although not quite as fast as Mercedes," Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko told Austrian Servus TV.

Mercedes F1 chairman Niki Lauda said it is possible the German squad's works team might be pushed by its British customer in 2014.

"It (Williams beating Mercedes) can happen," said the great triple world champion.

"Our customers are very important for us, and if they can beat us, this is also good motivation and a very constructive competition," added Niki Lauda.

According to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, however - whose Maranello squad has had a conspicuously low-profile winter - it is too soon to predict the outcome of the Melbourne race in just over a week.

"Let's see how many cars get to the finish of the first race," he is quoted at the Geneva motor show by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Indeed, it is rumoured Ferrari has been focused most specifically on reliability during the winter, and still has some performance to unfurl for the actual races.

"We are careful," Mercedes' Toto Wolff told the APA news agency, "as some teams have not fully revealed the potential of their cars.

"I have no doubt Red Bull and Ferrari will be strong contenders," he added. "Force India and Williams are also fast enough to win races.

"It will be interesting!" added Toto Wolff.

From GMM

Niki Lauda has revealed that Mercedes' new turbo V6 engine produces "about 580" horse power.

It is a rare admission in the highly-secretive world of formula one, but field-leading Mercedes' F1 chairman wasn't giving the whole game away.

Asked to put a number on the German marque's early-season superiority, Lauda told Austrian Servus TV: "The fuel engine is about 580 horse power.

"Then there is the electrical side," he added, without elaborating.

It is known that the energy-recovery or 'ERS' side of the 'power unit' adds 160 horse power to the equation, but Lauda's figures just made fellow Austrian Dr Helmut Marko - of the struggling world champions Red Bull - grin.

"Interesting data," Marko smiled. "I would be happy if I had 580hp." This leads to believe that the power of the Renault engine of the RB10 is quite lower than that.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Hyundai is giving us a sneak peek at the all-new 2015 Sonata ahead of its world premiere at the Korean International Auto Show later this month. The North American debut will take place in New York in April.

The seventh-generation 2015 Hyundai Sonata embodies the brand's
Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, just like the redesigned Genesis.

Stay tuned for mode details.

Photo: Hyundai

Photo: Hyundai