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DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: It's not often I get stumped by a car, but I have no idea what this 2014 BMW 335i xDrive Gran Turismo is supposed to be.

News 2 Apr, 2014

Two tuned Jeep concepts teased ahead of Moab Easter Jeep Safari gathering

News 3 Apr, 2014

Lighter, more stylish Audi compact SUV on its way, with plug-in hybrid tech.

News 3 Apr, 2014

A Porsche Macan GTS prototype, designed to sit between the S and Turbo models, has been spotted during testing

Pictures See all 8 pictures 2 Apr, 2014

Germany joined France, Italy and Spain in posting higher new-car sales in March, adding to signs that a recovery in the European market is gaining strength.

News 2 Apr, 2014

The Cadillac ATS and CTS saloons will be joined by four new models in the UK

Pictures See all 4 pictures 2 Apr, 2014

Chrysler Group is recalling 867,795 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango SUVs to install a shield to protect brake boosters from water corrosion.

News 2 Apr, 2014

Majority of drivers back the introduction of a 20mph limit, but motoring group says residents have to be consulted first

More than 90 percent of companies operating in the British car industry want the UK to stay in the European Union, a survey commissioned by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed.

What is it?

Ford's Russian joint venture is cutting production and about 950 jobs at two factories in response to the falling ruble and deteriorating demand in the country.

From GMM

A new rule has slowed down F1's impressive pitstops.

Last year in Malaysia, Mark Webber entered the pitlane, had all four wheels changed and reached the pit exit in the space of 20 seconds.

But according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, the best total pitstop time at Sepang last weekend was Fernando Alonso's 24 seconds.

The main change since 2013 is that pitstop incidents are now penalised more severely.

In Malaysia this year, for instance, when Red Bull released Daniel Ricciardo with a wheel not attached securely, the Australian had to serve a ten-second stop and go penalty.

He will also start ten places down the Bahrain grid this weekend.

Daniel Ricciardo's pitstop. (Photo: WRi2)

"I think it's unfair to be punished twice," Dr Helmut Marko is quoted as saying.

But an FIA source hit back: "The new rule was introduced at the request of the teams."

Ron Meadows, the Mercedes team manager, said the rule has had the effect of slowing down the pitstops because a mistake "hurts you for two races".

"In a situation like ours, it is better to be on the safe side and do a pitstop that's one second slower," he explained.

From GMM

Red Bull has issued troubled engine supplier Renault with an ultimatum -- improve or be dumped.

Although the reigning world champions have emerged from the depths of a winter crisis, Dr Helmut Marko insisted Renault has a long way to go if it wants to stay under the engine cover of the team's Adrian Newey-penned cars.

Indeed, Marko has claimed the credit for much of Renault's improvement since the winter, revealing he installed a crisis team comprising Red Bull and Toro Rosso engineers at the French marque's Viry headquarters.

Now, he told Germany's Bild newspaper his patience is running out.

"If there is no noticeable improvement in two or three months, we will definitely be talking about an alternative," said Marko, who is famously close to Red Bull's team owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Until then, he said Red Bull is working on compensating for an 80 horse power deficit through car changes -- and hoping for trouble at the front of the grands prix.

"We cannot put additional horse power in the engine ourselves," said Marko. "But we can hope for trouble between Rosberg and Hamilton and drive past them."

Jean-Michel Jalinier (Renault), Christian Horner and Helmut Marko (Red Bull). (Photo: WRi2)

He is referring to the internal battle between Mercedes' 2014 driver duo Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, who so far in 2014 have traded easy race wins.

Mercedes' Toto Wolff admits he is aware of the potential for problems.

"We are spending quite some time discussing those things, discussing scenarios and discussing situations," he said when asked about the prospect of the driver relationship boiling over.

"It's Mercedes and it's the team that comes first, but one day it (the situation) will be rubbish," Austrian Wolff told the Mirror newspaper.

"What makes a difference is that these guys have known each other for such a long time and they have a fair relationship with each other. But it doesn't mean that they are not extremely competitive and that they will try to use every advantage they can," he added.

From GMM

A bit more fuel and a drill -- that is how former F1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen would spice up the 2014 spectacle.

"I saw the first part of the race," recently-retired Red Bull driver Mark Webber told Talksport radio when recalling the Malaysian grand prix.

"I didn't watch it all -- it got a little bit processional," said the Australian.

German Frentzen thinks part of the problem is all the fuel-saving, now that drivers can only use 100 litres from the start of the race to the end.

"I would give them ten more litres in the tank," he told Austrian television Servus TV. "Then they could drive fast for the whole race.

"And I'd drill a hole in the exhaust," Frentzen smiled, referring to the quieter sound of the turbo V6 engines.

Photo: WRi2

However, he said he is supportive of the move to more relevant 'hybrid' technology.

"Rather than spending all the money on a front wing, now they're investing in sustainable technology," said Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

Daniil Kvyat, a teenage rookie on the 2014 grid, said he is proud to be a part of the 'new' F1.

"I remember seeing cars going 330 (kph) on the Monza straight when I was a kid, but this year we will be going 360 or even more. With each revolution, something is lost and something is gained," the Russian told La Repubblica newspaper.

From GMM

F1 legend Sir Stirling Moss says he would have behaved just as Felipe Massa did in the Malaysian grand prix.

While some sided with the Brazilian in the wake of his tenure as Ferrari 'number 2', others referred to the long history of 'team orders' in formula one.

But although cited as a player and proponent of F1's 'team orders' history, 84-year-old Briton Moss said he too would have refused to let Valtteri Bottas past at Sepang.

Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, Williams Martini Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Told by Motorsport Magazine that he surely would have given up the position, Moss answered: "Not a chance, boy.

"If it's not written into the contract that you must let your teammate through, you're racing him as much as anyone else on the track -- and if it were in the contract I wouldn't sign it," he added.

"I only made an exception for one person and that was for (Juan Manuel) Fangio and out of respect."

Stirling Moss said Williams was not justified in telling Massa to give up a position so early in a world championship campaign.

"There might be other grounds, later in the season if only one of you has a shot at the title -- but this was race two!" he exclaimed. "In his shoes I'd have done exactly the same as Massa."

From GMM

Bahrain is planning tight security for this weekend's formula one race.

"The plans will be implemented based on our studies and the experience gained during the events of previous years," said the Sakhir circuit's head of security, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Security in Bahrain has always been a relevant topic, particularly since the civil uprisings of 2011.

Again ahead of the 2014 Bahrain grand prix, opposition groups are reportedly organising disruptive anti-F1 protests.

According to Arabian Business, the opposition is urging Bahrainis to burn race tickets and sabotage F1-themed billboards.

"There are conflicts all around the world, but that does not mean banning or stopping sports activities as it has nothing to do with those issues," argues parliamentarian Ahmed Al Sa'ati.

Protest in Bahrain. (Photo: WRi2)

The UAW asked a U.S. agency to stay an April 21 hearing related to a mid-February union vote it lost at a Tennessee Volkswagen plant, citing what it called new evidence of collusion between Republican lawmakers and anti-union groups.

As she faced 2 1/2 hours of congressional questioning Tuesday on Capitol Hill, it wasn't just what General Motors CEO Mary Barra said that earned her high marks, but also how she said it.