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Mercedes-Benz introduced a wagon variant of its new C-Class today at its factory in Bremen in northwestern Germany.

What Is It?

-- Bentley comes striding into the 21st century with a

Honda would like to remind you that while journalists have spent the last few years fretting whether the Big H has "

What is it?

The new C-Class estate has been presented to the public for the first time at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen, Germany. Daimler says the production plan for the model underscores Daimler's commitment to its automotive manufacturing operations in Bremen and in Germany.

Japan's Furukawa Battery has joined forces with Indonesia's second-largest automotive group, Indomobil Sukses Internasional, for the production and sale of automotive batteries in Indonesia.

The European Commission has released a strategy to reduce the CO2 exhaust from heavy duty commercial vehicles (HDVs).

News 22 May, 2014

Customers urged away from California-only 500e city car by Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne

The costs of handling vehicle recalls may soon be passed to consumers if the volume and pace of recalls following GM's ignition switch crisis become the norm, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said.

Brembo has announced a $115 million expansion at its U.S. brake component plant in Homer, Michigan, as the supplier predicts North America will become its No. 1 global market this year.

Nissan says its new Pulsar hatchback will be one of the most high-tech, frugal and spacious vehicles in Europe's compact segment, currently dominated by VW's Golf. Nissan pulled out of the segment in 2006 due to poor sales.

Strong demand for McLaren's 650S Coupe and 650S Spider has allowed the British supercar maker to cease production of the cars' predecessors, the 12C and 12C Spider.

Nissan says its new Pulsar hatchback will be one of the most high-tech, frugal and spacious vehicles in Europe's compact segment, currently dominated by VW's Golf. Nissan pulled out of the segment in 2006 due to poor sales.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone will not skip this weekend's Monaco grand prix.

On Tuesday, the judge in the F1 supremo's corruption trial in Munich adjourned the case because Ecclestone, 83, is suffering from a bad cold.

"I have a terrible cold," Ecclestone admitted to Roger Benoit, the veteran correspondent for the Swiss newspaper Blick.

"But I have to get over it, because on Wednesday I have an important court date and on Thursday I am going to Monaco," he 'croaked', according to Benoit.

Indeed, the diminutive Briton was back in court on Wednesday, telling judge Peter Noll that he was feeling somewhat better.

Bernie Ecclestone's motorhome. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

A Mercedes 'get-together' did not go unnoticed in the Monaco harbour on Wednesday.

The scene was former F1 driver Gerhard Berger's luxury boat, but on board were Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda, fellow bosses Paddy Lowe and Toto Wolff, and drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

So far in 2014, the silver-clad party has been utterly dominant.

Niki Lauda said the Monaco get-together was at his expense.

"This is my thank you for the great performance of the team so far," Auto Motor und Sport quotes the triple world champion as saying.

But it is also believed Lauda took the time to assure Hamilton and Rosberg that they can continue to go wheel-to-wheel against one another at the grands prix.

At the same time, the F1 legend knows all too well that "Eventually it will go wrong".

"If the two continue to do their races ahead of the rest of the field, the probability of a crash increases," Lauda acknowledged.

Mercedes W05 in the streets of Monaco. (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team)

Mercedes is treading a fine line, between ensuring it capitalises on its massive investments and subsequent dominance, and not turning off bored fans.

But allowing Hamilton and Rosberg to go at it runs the risk of an Ayrton Senna versus Alain Prost-style personality collision.

Indeed, recent comments by Hamilton have reminded some of something Prost said at the height of the Senna rivalry: that the great Brazilian didn't just want to beat him, that he wanted to "humiliate" the Frenchman as well.

And Hamilton has told F1's official website that, because of his upbringing, he is "hungrier" for success than Rosberg.

"I come from a not-great place in Stevenage and lived on a couch in my dad's apartment," he said.

"Nico grew up in Monaco with jets and hotels and boats and all these kind of things -- so the hunger is different," Lewis Hamilton added.

And when asked what his ideal result on Sunday would be, he admitted: "Ha, finishing first, Fernando finishing second and Sebastian finishing third."

When asked about the recent trend of their on and off-track rivalry, Nico Rosberg said on Wednesday: "I don't know what he (Hamilton) said so I'm not going to comment."

What is more open for comment is the precise extent of Mercedes' dominance in 2014. Hamilton argues that his duel with Rosberg is more exciting than Sebastian Vettel's dominance over the past few years.

"The good thing is that unlike Sebastian, who was leading by 30-40 seconds each race, it's not the case here, I'm racing my teammate. So I actually do have competition and I'm grateful for that," he said.

But Sebastian Vettel insists that Red Bull's gap over the field was never as great as the advantage currently enjoyed by the silver cars.

"We have never been in that situation. We are five races in and I don't think we ever started a season with five wins," said Vettel.

From GMM

Pastor Maldonado has denied his sponsorship backing is ending.

Early this week, the new Venezuelan sports minister Antonio Alvarez warned the country will not spend "one more dollar" on motor racing.

But until now, 29-year-old Maldonado, famously close to Venezuela's late president Hugo Chavez, has been powered by state millions through the oil company PDVSA.

For 2014, that lucrative backing was moved from Williams to Lotus, where Maldonado has endured a nightmare start to his fourth season on the grid.

But in Monaco on Wednesday, he denied that his PDVSA-fuelled F1 adventure is now ending.

Pastor Maldonado, Lotus F1 Team. (Photo: WRi2)

"There was a very big misunderstanding in the media," he is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace. "PDVSA gave no statement, (they) said nothing. It was the minister of sport who made the statement that it (the government) will cut the sponsorship of motor sport, which was already known. And it is not going to cut, it already did cut since last year, and with good reason because we know that some drivers stole money from the ministry of sports."

"How can we expect the government to follow this sport when drivers steal?" said Maldonado.

But he said any specific question about PDVSA's involvement in F1 should be directed to the oil company, and to the recipient of the sponsorship, Lotus.

"It's hard to know what will happen," he explained, "because firstly PDVSA have said nothing and, second, I am a driver with no personal support; the sponsorship is for the team."

Maldonado also said he has been unaffected by recent criticism of his driving in 2014, with fans on social media often ridiculing his regular involvement in incidents.

"At least someone is talking," he smiled. "I'm used to having a lot of criticism. It's ok. We live in a free world so everyone can say whatever."