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Citing his company's 4 percent sales gain in March and a "decent start" for sales in April, General Motors President Dan Ammann said the company's ignition switch recall has had no "measurable impact" on sales.

Ford's revived Escort compact sedan, developed especially for the China market, has potential to go global and possibly make it Stateside someday, Ford CEO Alan Mulally said.

GM, undeterred by slowing growth in China, announced plans to plow $12 billion into the country by 2017 and boost capacity 65 percent by 2020.

A sporty compact SUV concept that hints at Audi's fifth crossover most likely will be part of the automaker's TT family and not be called the Q4, as previously reported.

An offroad compact SUV concept that hints at Audi's fifth SUV model most likely will carry a name under the TT family, rather than Q4, as previously reported by the media.

Jaguar Land Rover plans to start building vehicles in China by the end of this year. A Land Rover SUV will be the first model made at the plant, which will have an initial annual capacity of 130,000 vehicles.

News 20 Apr, 2014

Infiniti's 552bhp super-saloon, the Q50 Eau Rouge, will become production reality says insider at Beijing Motor Show

China looms large in Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn's thoughts as he prepares his new "Future Tracks" strategy for the automaker.

Safety watchdogs at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Consumer Reports magazine had an outsize effect on the cars unveiled at the New York auto show last week.

Ford's Lincoln, rooted as an American brand by its name and presidential limousines, took a step toward becoming global today by unveiling a car in China.

Cadillac last year began billing itself as the industry's "fastest-growing full-line luxury brand." It was a short-lived distinction.

Volkswagen has agreed the basic concept and design of a budget car for emerging markets, said Hans Demant, who is in charge of the project.

Volkswagen has agreed on the basic concept and design of a budget car for emerging markets, said Hans Demant, who is in charge of the project.

Ford Motor Co. unveiled a seven-seat, mid-sized SUV concept at the Beijing motor show which previewed a new vehicle that aims to tap booming demand for crossovers in China.

From GMM

Lotus team owner Gerard Lopez on Sunday indicated he was unhappy to have joined the opposition against the introduction of budget caps.

The powerful 'Strategy Group' teams - comprising the 'big four' Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren but also Williams and Lotus - recently wrote to Jean Todt indicating they would not approve the FIA president's cap proposal.

Williams is included in the group due to the team's past success and history, while Lotus is also a member after finishing the 2013 season in fourth place.

But Lopez hinted to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that the two smaller teams were bullied into signing the letter.

Pastor Maldonado, Lotus E22 (Photo: WRi2)

"Williams and us were pulled over the table," he is quoted as saying.

The biggest teams, however, argue not only that the proposed $200 million cap would not help their small rivals, but that it could not even be effectively policed.

And Mercedes' Toto Wolff is quoted on Sunday: "It makes no sense to introduce rules that are not supported by the three major teams."

The big teams' counter-proposal is for cost cuts to be achieved by introducing some new technical and sporting regulations.

"We need to find meaningful limits," Wolff explained, "such as extending the parc ferme or the curfew.

"We need to discuss, for example, whether it is sensible to fly in new parts on every day during a race weekend, or 24 hour shifts before races."

The small teams, however, are sceptical, believing that the big teams are already finding ways around the existing cost-saving measures, such as limited wind tunnel use.

"When I see the downforce of the big teams, it's impossible within the allowable limits," a representative of one small team is quoted as saying.

From press release

Toyota Racing made the perfect start to the 2014 FIA World Endurance Championship season with a one-two finish from pole position in the Six Hours of Silverstone.

The 1000PS, four-wheel-drive TS040 HYBRID won its very first race in convincing fashion thanks to the #8 of Anthony Davidson, Nicolas Lapierre and Sébastien Buemi who take an early lead in the eight-race World Championship.

The #7 of Alex Wurz, Stéphane Sarrazin and Kazuki Nakajima completed Toyota Racing's first-ever one-two finish, with a fine second place despite changing weather.

Photo: Toyota

Track conditions varied from completely dry to torrential rain, which ultimately saw the race red flagged less than 30 minutes before the chequered flag.

Alex started from pole and held the advantage during an exciting opening lap which saw Sébastien move from fifth to third.

The TS040 HYBRIDs were at the heart of the action with several position changes before rain came around the 40-minute mark. Both cars pitted for new tyres, the #7 taking wets and the #8 hybrid intermediates.

With the rain soon easing, hybrid intermediate tyres proved the most effective and Sébastien used his four-wheel drive hybrid system to good effect in building a comfortable lead.

Alex lacked grip on the wets so dropped to third and, after around 90 minutes, handed over the #7 to Kazuki, who switched to slicks for the rapidly-drying track. The #8 did likewise soon after when Nicolas took over from Sébastien.

Photo: Toyota

Conditions remained dry, allowing Nicolas to firmly establish the #8 in the lead, with Kazuki tightening his grip on second in the #7 before swapping with Stéphane soon after the halfway point.

A safety car interrupted the drama briefly, during which time Anthony stepped into the race-leading #8.

Heavy rain hit the track with just over an hour remaining and the team responded by calling both cars in for wet tyres, whilst also swapping drivers; Kazuki replacing Stéphane in the #7 and Sébastien swapping with Anthony in the #8.

Photo: Audi

The safety car was deployed with 40 minutes left before the race was ended early, with further running impossible in the wet conditions. That confirmed Toyota Racing's sixth win from 15 WEC races, its second consecutive victory following its triumph in the 2013 season finale in Bahrain.

As well as the usual winners' trophies, the #8 crew also claimed the Royal Automobile Club International Tourist Trophy, first awarded in 1905, while Anthony won the Richard Lloyd Trophy for the highest-placed British Racing Drivers Club member.

The second round of the season comes in just two weeks with the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on 3 May.

Photo: Toyota

Race results* - Six Hours of Silverstone
1 - Davidson/Lapierre/Buemi (Toyota TS040 Hybrid) - Toyota - 167 laps
2 - Wurz/Sarrazin/Nakajima (Toyota TS040 Hybrid) - Toyota - 1 lap
3 - Bernhard/Webber/Hartley (Porsche 919 Hybrid) - Porsche - 2 laps
4 - Prost/Heidfeld/Beche (Lola B12/60-Toyota) - Rebellion - 8 laps
5 - Rusinov/Pla/Canal (Morgan-Nissan) - G-Drive - 13 laps
6 - Howson/Bradley/Matsuda (Oreca 03-Nissan) - KCMG - 15 laps
7 - Holzer/Makowiecki/Lietz (Porsche 991 RSR) - Manthey - 20 laps
8 - Pilet/Bergmeister/Tandy (Porsche 991 RSR) - Manthey - 20 laps
9 - Turner/Mucke (Aston Martin V8 Vantage) - Aston Martin - 20 laps
10 - Bruni/Vilander (Ferrari 458) - AF Corse - 20 laps
11 - Rigon/Calado (Ferrari 458) - AF Corse - 21 laps
12 - Griffin/Parente (Ferrari 458) - RAM - 21 laps
13 - Zlobin/Minassian/Mediani (Oreca 03-Nissan) - SMP - 22 laps
14 - MacDowall/O'Young/Rees (Aston Martin V8 Vantage) - Bamboo - 23 laps
15 - Poulsen/H.Hansson/Thiim (Aston Martin V8 Vantage) - Aston - 23 laps
16 - Lamy/Della Lana/Nygaard (Aston Martin V8 Vantage) - Aston - 23 laps
17 - Wyatt/Rugolo/Bird (Ferrari 458) - AF Corse - 24 laps
18 - Ried/Bachler/Al Qubaisi (Porsche 911 RSR) - Proton - 25 laps
19 - Mowlem/Patterson/Collins (Ferrari 458) - RAM - 26 laps
20 - Cioci/Venturi/Perez Companc (Ferrari 458) - AF Corse - 26 laps

Retirements
Potolicchio/Roda/Ruberti -118 laps
Fassler/Lotterer/Treluyer - 94 laps
Perrodo/Collard/Vaxiviere - 83 laps
K.Ladygin/A.Ladygin/Shaitar - 65 laps
Dumas/Jani/Lieb - 30 laps
Kraihamer/Belicchi/Leimer - 24 laps
Di Grassi/Duval/Kristensen - 24 laps

*Unofficial scoring

Photo: Porsche

From GMM

F1 has its next 'team orders' saga.

World champion Sebastian Vettel on Sunday answered "tough luck" when told to let through his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

If that sort of defiance sounds like a problem, team boss Christian Horner wasn't letting on.

"He's a competitor; he wants to fight, wants to win," the Briton told German television RTL after the Chinese grand prix.

After ignoring the order, Vettel seemed simply to have been passed involuntarily by the much quicker sister RB10.

Horner denies that.

"He (Vettel) proved he was a team player and did the right thing," he insisted.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB10 (Photo: WRi2)

Horner says Vettel gave way once he was told on the radio that Ricciardo was on a different strategy.

Indeed, Vettel was on a three-stopper, while Ricciardo planned only to stop twice.

It means the German, so dominant in the past years with the field-leading Red Bull, is now struggling simply to get on his new teammate's pace in 2014.

"More important (than team orders) is to understand why Sebastian is struggling," said Horner.

"We know that Sebastian is very sensitive to how a car enters a corner and at the moment he hasn't got the feel he needs."

For his part, Australian Ricciardo was reluctant to stir the pot.

The official post-race Red Bull statement quoted him as saying Vettel "let me through".

Earlier, he was less clear. "I wasn't aware of what he was saying (on the radio) during the race," said Ricciardo. "I wasn't sure what strategy we were both on but I got past. I don't want to start any conflicts."

When asked if he thinks Vettel voluntarily let him go or not, however, Ricciardo said: "I am honestly not sure."

Vettel, on the other hand, insists he let Ricciardo go past.

"When I was first asked, I didn't understand as we were on the same tyre, so I double checked.

"Also I had to realise more and more towards the end that I couldn't hold him back."

It's an interesting and awkward situation for Red Bull, as a new star is threatening to put the team's hero in the past.

Horner agrees that Ricciardo has been "outstanding" so far in 2014, but he warned against underestimating Vettel.

"The one thing you can be sure of is he will be looking extremely hard at this weekend and this race to understand where the differences are, what he's struggling with, where we can improve," he said.

"No driver will be working harder in the three week gap to bounce back in Barcelona."

From GMM

The fuel supplied by French oil giant Total could be causing Red Bull's repeated problems with the mandatory fuel flow sensor in 2014.

It emerges that in qualifying in Shanghai, the reigning world champions struck trouble with the Gill-supplied device yet again.

To avoid a Melbourne-style disqualification, Red Bull reportedly adhered to an interim agreement reached with the governing FIA to revert to other measurements in the event of a sensor failure.

In the meantime, the search for the problem continues.

Speed Week correspondent Matthias Brunner has quoted the FIA's technical expert Fabrice Lom as explaining that the Total-supplied fuel is probably the culprit.

"On the sensor there is a seal that the chemical composition of the Total fuel could be damaging," Lom reportedly said.

"If this is happening, then the sensor would not work correctly."

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull RB10 (Photo: WRi2)

Less clear, however, is why the Total fuel is damaging mainly Red Bull's sensors, rather than the ones used by the other three Renault-powered teams.

Meanwhile, it appears Red Bull is not ready to forgive rival Mercedes, after the German team called on the reigning world champions to be banned for three races for appealing Daniel Ricciardo's Melbourne disqualification.

Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda on Saturday made a peace-offering in the form of a Sachertorte, a famous recipe of Vienna chocolate cake.

But Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko told Bild: "He thinks everything is over with a cake.

"I think the next time he wants to eat with us, he should put on a bulletproof vest."

From GMM

F1 will move to put cost-cutting efforts back on the agenda during a May 1 meeting.

Earlier, it was reported FIA president Jean Todt was considering new measures including reviving 'active suspension', after the new top team-dominated Strategy Group blocked his move to impose budget caps in 2015.

A meeting for 1 May has now been called.

"Time is running out," Monisha Kaltenborn, whose Sauber team ran into high-profile financial strife last year, is quoted by the German news agency DPA.

"Actually, the time for this decision is long gone, but it's never too late," the Swiss team's boss added.

F1's smaller teams are angry that their more powerful rivals are thwarting moves to reduce spiralling costs, and reportedly threatening to challenge the Strategy Group against European competition laws.

"It's not about small or big teams," insisted Force India chief Bob Fernley, "it's about the future of formula one."

World champion team Red Bull's Christian Horner, however, insists the biggest teams are not opposed to reducing costs.

"We need to identify the cost drivers and equalise the playing field for everyone," he said.

Horner argues, however, that a budget cap was not the right solution.

"How would a budget limit of $200 million help Sauber? They wouldn't save a single dollar," he claimed.

A key meeting, to be presided over by Todt and Bernie Ecclestone, will now take place on May 1, between the Chinese and Spanish grand prix.

"Hopefully we will find some solutions, and it's not another of those meetings where we do not make a lot of progress," Kaltenborn concluded.

From GMM

It seems Jan Magnussen will not be a regular fixture at grands prix this year.

The former F1 driver had to miss his son Kevin's grand prix debut in Melbourne last month because he was racing a sports car on the other side of the world.

"Being 6000 miles away watching the race was not a lot of fun," said Magnussen, 40. "I do not want to do that too often."

He was trackside for race two in Malaysia, amid his deliberations about whether to quit his own racing career in order to support his son's.

Jan, Kevin Magnussen (Photo: WRi2)

"Now Kevin is in formula one I've thought a lot about how long my career will go on," said Magnussen snr, who was a teenager when Kevin was born.

"I've got to decide whether I can focus on what I'm doing or whether I'd rather be with Kevin."

But in China for the fourth round of the season, Kevin has now revealed he prefers to travel the world alone.

Asked by the Guardian if he would welcome his father quitting his own career to support his, the 21-year-old paused before replying: "Not really.

"I'm quite happy to be alone. For the reason that if I have family round I feel a distraction."

Magnussen said he enjoys talking with his father about racing and F1, "but it's not a help at the race."