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Editor's note: An earlier headline and lead sentence on this story gave inaccurate information about Smart's finances. The brand has been profitable since 2010 and has remained profitable.

Automotive News Europe salutes the winners of the 2014 Rising Stars awards. Every day through June 3 two of the 14 winners will be featured. The Rising Star for IT is Jaguar Land Rover's Mike Bell.

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche believes the all-new Smart ForFour minicar will be commercially successful and should help the money-losing brand make its first profit.

On Thursday, Ford announced a recall on 1.39 million SUVs and sedans in North America, including 1.18 million in the U.S., due to a potential power steering failure. Affected models include the 2011-2013 Ford Explorer, as well as the 2008-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner.

A number of accidents involving injuries have been reported to U.S. regulators.

In addition, approximately 200,000 Ford Taurus sedans from 2010-2014 are being recalled to fix a corrosion issue.

Finally, 82,576 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln Zephyr sedans from 2006-2011 have floor mats that may interfere with the operation of the gas pedal.

The number of affected units in Canada has yet to be specified.

Source: reuters.com

Ford yesterday announced the upcoming launch of a new advanced steering technology that will help make vehicles easier to manoeuvre at low speeds and in tight spaces.

Adaptive Steering changes the ratio between the driver's actions at the steering wheel -- the number of turns -- and how much the front wheels turn.

The technology will be available on select models beginning next year, although Ford did not specify which ones.

Following the launch of the GLA Kart for the new Mario Kart 8 video game, Mercedes-Benz further expanded its partnership with Nintendo by using everyone's favourite plumber to present the actual GLA.

Volkswagen's created many memorable (and some forgettable) cars since it started business 77 years ago.

The GTI's story has all the right elements and historical markers to make it the stuff of automotive legend. The GTI needs no real introduction, as these three letters are synonymous with Volkswagen even though a number of other car manufacturers have used them on some of their products.

I am myself an un-closeted massive fan of the GTI, although I've never owned one myself. I have, however always coveted one... I do own a Jetta GLI, which is the sedan version of the GTI.


Essentially, I love me an old school Volkswagen, and as I looked around for data on the GTI and its history, I came across a few interesting nuggets I thought I'd share.

Voilà:

1. The Golf was first introduced in 1975 and was based on the Audi K7.


2. The first Golf GTI was launched in 1976.


3. A Rabbit "GTI" was available in North America in 1979, but was nothing more than a sticker package without go-faster bits.


4. The real Rabbit GTI came to North America for the first time in 1983. I want one. Yes, you do need to know this


5. In 1983, a brand new Rabbit GTI retailed for $7,990 USD. A 1992 GTI sported a $13,910 USD sticker price or a 74% increase. Then, (wait for it...) a 1995 GTI VR6 could be had for $22,225 USD or a near 60% increase over the MK2!


6. Thankfully, horsepower numbers have risen exponentially, as well. MK1: 90 hp. MK2: 134 hp. MK3: 172 hp.


7. The new 2015 GTI is the most powerful production GTI, ever. The Golf R is on another level.


8. The MK7 GTI is 15mm lower than the same generation Golf.


9. The MK4 GTI began the trend that now finds the GTI more appealing to a broader number of car buyers as opposed to being reserved for the few, the proud, the diehard GTI enthusiasts.


10. The MK3 (1994-'99) GTI has the lowest production numbers at 28,115 units. So far, the MK2 (1985-'92) has the highest, at 66,223. Roughly 35,000 examples of the MK1 (1983-'84) GTI were sold. These are US sales figures. For those who want more data: MK4 (1998-2004) 60,995, MK5 (2006-'09) 46,558, MK6 (2010-'14) 63,016.

Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman at Daimler, has admitted that discussions were held about Mercedes' involvement in Formula 1 when the team was not doing so well not long ago.

Let's go back in time.

In 2009, Mercedes was the engine supplier of Brawn Grand Prix when it decided to purchase 75.1% of the company in October and to rename the team Mercedes Grand Prix.

Between 2010 and the end of last year, the German team managed just four race wins and had to endure more than two years without success until Nico Rosberg took the chequered flag at the 2012 Chinese GP.

Present in the paddock in Monaco, Dr. Zetsche admitted that senior management at Daimler had to sit down and weigh the cost of racing - estimated at around 270$ million (197 millions euros) last year - against the team performance.

Motorhome Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

"There has to be an intelligent business decision and of course the motivation is marketing," Zetsche told the medias in Monaco.

"Still, you have to justify your spending and see that you get results. And for that reason we had to have discussions. That took place. There was not one person in the boardroom who was against racing, others who were in favour. But we had to discuss all aspects and make the right decision in the interests of our company shareholders. That's where we came to the conclusion we're not a company for the short-term; what we do, we do for the long run,” Zetsche added.

The new turbo hybrid engine regulation suits Mercedes perfectly, and the German car manufacturer is now committed to F1 until at least 2020.

"With the objective to save fuel, be efficient and have very high performance, that's exactly what we have to do with our production cars and we use exactly the same technical components," Zetsche said.

From GMM

Red Bull will consider billing its engine supplier Renault, Dr Helmut Marko revealed on Friday.

Already this week, the reigning world champion team's outspoken Austrian director has hinted he would like to entice Volkswagen into F1.

"We have to decide on our future engine partner then," he told Germany's Sport Bild, referring to the deadline of the team's home Austrian grand prix next month.

Renault had a horror start to the new turbo V6 era, only recovering competitiveness due to joint efforts with the two Red Bull-owned teams, including Faenza based Toro Rosso.

The Red Bull RB10 of Sebastian Vettel. (Photo: WRi2)

Marko suggested to Bild newspaper on Friday that it has cost the energy drink company a lot of money.

"It would be irresponsible to talk now about exact figures," he said. "But it's a long list of things lost because Renault has not worked well.

"The season's not over yet. At the end, our financial department will make an account. Then we will see what loss we have made by Renault," said Marko.

And he suggested a monetary loss is not the only concern. "The image damage is already beyond repair," said Marko.

A Renault spokesperson declined to comment.

Volkswagen and Audi have just unveiled some new vehicles that are sure to appeal to tuners.

The VW Amarok Power Concept boasts a 92 Allen & Heath DJ table, a Pioneer CDJ900NXS player, a Stasys Xair subwoofer, and 5,000 watts of sound. It can also sprint from 0-100 km/h in 7.9 seconds thanks to a 3.0L V6 TDI engine rated at 270 horsepower.

Other features include 22'' wheels, an air suspension, and a sporty-looking interior with special instruments and bucket seats.

Photo: Volkswagen

Meanwhile, there's a new Audi Q3 that will delight camping enthusiasts with a tent that can withstand strong winds of 70 km/h. Under the hood is a 177-horsepower 2.0L TDI engine.

Photo: Audi

Fans can also marvel at a black and yellow Audi A1 Sportback with 5-spoke aluminum wheels and matte black/yellow interior accents. This one is motivated by a 1.4L TFSI engine that produces 122 horsepower.

Photo: Audi

Source : inautonews.com

Mercedes-Benz has teamed up with Nintendo to create the GLA Kart, a new free-to-download vehicle for the Japanese version of the Mario Kart 8 video game.

In the U.S., despite the game hitting stores today, the GLA Kart will be available at a later date. Nintendo will soon provide more specific details.

Source: huffingtonpost.com

The current MK6 Jetta started life facing much more hate from automotive journalists than it probably deserved. The “soreness” from the media came from the base 8v 2.0L engine, solid rear axle, and rear drum brakes to name a few issues.

These decisions were made with a sole purpose in mind: lower the entry price, attract buyers, and sell more cars. Despite our misgivings, the formula worked. Volkswagen sold tons of their very popular compact sedans and, as if to say, “we knew what we were doing all along,” VW addressed the more important issues only a few short years after the launch.

The 2014 Volkswagen Jetta is an accomplished multi-purpose (depending on which of the four powertrains is selected, including the GLI) vehicle that handles with style, looks more expensive than it is, and is roomy and comfortable for the daily drudgery of life. The Jetta can actually make it all better.


What is a Volkswagen Jetta?
Volkswagen's Jetta was long been considered the Golf's sedan variation. This has changed over the years as the Jetta has taken on its own identity and position as the entry-level car in Volkswagen's North American operations. It is also the bestselling nameplate in its line-up.

2014 Volkswagen Jetta Price and Specs
The hook that gets more and more people into Volkswagen showrooms these days is the Jetta bargain-basement entry price of $14,990. This car has few amenities, however, it is the cheapest way to get into German engineering.

This Trendline trim enables you to call the 115 horsepower 2.0L 4-pot yours. Moving up to Comfortline entitles the buyer to opt for the impressive turbocharged 170 horsepower 1.8L 4-cylinder (replaces the 2.5L 5-cyl.). Here, the transmission choice resides between a 5-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. A Trendline+ adds the uber efficient 140 horsepower 2.0L 4-cylinder TDI engine as an option for $22,490. The TDI may be mated to 6-speed ‘box, either manual or automatic.

As tested, our Highline 1.8T automatic Jetta with the Technology package sported a sticker price of $28,460.

Driving the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
In spite of being Americanized, the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta drives like a good German car. In fact, and it remains true to this day, most car manufacturers have emulated the Germans where road-going manners are concerned.

The Jetta once held the top spot among compact sedans in the drive department, but the latest Mazda3 managed to surpass it. Read more about this in our compact car comparo test. Even if the Jetta has been relegated to the second step on the podium, it is a fabulous car to enjoy be it on tight country roads or navigating pothole-laden city streets. The balance provided by its suspension's tuning affords both comfort and appreciable handling.

The true reason to celebrate the 2014 Jetta is the arrival of the turbocharged 1.8L TSI engine. Such is this mill's depth of skill is that it feels far more powerful than the numbers indicate, all the while consuming a very reasonable amount of fuel. Boost builds quickly; especially when the shifter is positioned in Sport Mode, and off the Jetta goes.

By my pant-o-meter, it does not feel that much slower than the 200 horsepower GLI. I suspect the 180 lb-ft of torque plays an important role in this affirmation.

The Tiptronic autobox is brilliant as it swaps gear to gear with precision, spurring the driver to keep pushing. When in “D,” the Jetta's 1.8T is far more reluctant to play hardball. Essentially, “D” is the car's default eco mode.

As stated, the independent rear suspension combined with sharp and light electro-mechanical steering makes for a car that is immensely pleasurable to drive every day.

Inside and Out of the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
What typically distinguishes a German car is its sombre yet elegant exterior design. The MK6 Jetta was also criticized early on for looking too generic, too Japanese in fact. 2014 has brought some very mild upgrades, namely to the taillights, new colours and other very subtle elements.

It is difficult to fully dislike the Jetta's sheetmetal as it is classic and clean. The same goes for the cabin where simplicity and efficacy rule.

Of all the dashboards and interiors in the comparison, the Volkswagen Jetta's is the one that often came out on top. Points were lost for a slight lack of amenities and an unfortunate rattle emanating somewhere in the fore quarters of the cabin.

The seats are plenty cozy and the backbench is positively roomy. The same goes for the trunk and its large opening.

Comparing the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta
The 2014 Volkswagen Jetta was compared to the five cars that surpassed it in sales in all of 2013. Namely, the Honda Civic, Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla, and Chevrolet Cruze.

Despite the heavy-hitting nature of many of these nameplates, the Jetta came in second, behind only the Mazda3, as our favorite compact sedan. Make sure you read our comparo test!

An NHRA Top Fuel dragster accelerates faster than any other ground vehicle on Earth. Watch this video to understand why!

A Top Fuel dragster is a 2,000-pound vehicle that is powered by a V8 engine that produces 8,000 horsepower and burns 17 gallons of nitromethane during its run.

It is capable to reach 300 miles/hour in less time that a conventional road car takes to reach 30 m/h!

A Top Fuel dragster covers the quarter mile from standstill in less than four seconds!

On this episode of 'How'd They Do That', Australian David Grubnic, driver of a Top Fuel dragster to Team Kalitta, explains the various mechanical components of the beast.

The Gilles Villeneuve circuit, home of the Canadian Grand Prix, is a very demanding race track. Reliability of the turbo hybrid Power Units will be crucial.

Mercedes was a bit worried after Williams' driver Valtteri Bottas stopped on track on lap 55 following an issue related to the Power Unit.

“We now head to Canada, which is another unusual circuit but in the opposite vein to Monte Carlo. Endurance will also be an important factor given the high demands placed on the components, so this race will provide a comprehensive test of the Mercedes-Benz Hybrid package,” said Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical) at Mercedes AMG.

Problems fixed
“There were some concerns after Monaco following a retirement for Valtteri Bottas, but the Mercedes team at Brixworth have been working extremely hard to understand that problem and ensure that it is contained across every engine. We are confident that this will be the case,” Lowe added.

“We will be bringing a number of updates to the car, both on the power unit and aerodynamic side, so it should be an interesting weekend,” the British engineer concluded.

From GMM

Rumours are continuing to swirl around the McLaren team.

In Monaco, former team champion Alain Prost urged the struggling British outfit to "do something a little bit different" to return to the front of the grid.

"Yes, I agree with the comments of Alain. This is what I have been doing since I started," said the Woking based team's new-in-2014 team boss, Eric Boullier.

Also new in 2014 has been the return to F1 management of McLaren 'supremo' Ron Dennis, a year ahead of the highly-anticipated works Honda partnership.

This week, the Woking based team denied rumours the Japanese car manufacturer is looking to buy a 50 per cent McLaren stake.

Nonetheless, buy-out rumours persist. Italy's Autosprint reports that, some months ago, Dennis began to seek funding to buy out the 25 per cent share currently held by Mansour Ojjeh, who late last year had a double lung transplant.

Buying Ojjeh's stake would increase Dennis' ownership to 50 per cent, as was the case for a short time in the 80s.

Ron Dennis and Eric Boullier, McLaren. (Photo: WRi2)

Recently, Dennis told an Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that he wants to sign one of F1's very best drivers, singling out Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel as fitting the bill.

And Italy's Omnicorse has raised even wilder speculation about McLaren's future, claiming Honda is eyeing the Red Bull dream-team of Vettel, Adrian Newey and even team boss Christian Horner.

British driver and former World Champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed he and Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg have cleared the air in the wake of the tension between them at the Grand Prix of Monaco.

Friday, Hamilton tweeted: "we're cool, still friends".

The long lasting relationship between the Mercedes AMG drivers appeared to be broken in Monaco following Rosberg's controversial pole position on the streets of Monte-Carlo.

Friday, Hamilton wanted to prove the world he and Nico have apparently cleared the issue.

"We've been friends a long time and as friends we have our ups and downs," Hamilton tweeted.

"Today we spoke we're cool, still friends #noproblem."

Hamilton's tweet included this photo of the then teenage pair riding unicycles.

Lewis and Nico, a few years back. (Photo: Twitter Lewis Hamilton)

From GMM

It took twenty years for Pirelli to make the financial decision to re-enter formula one.

That is the admission of the Italian tire maker's president Marco Tronchetti Provera, as he discussed Pirelli's return to F1 in 2011 as sole supplier.

"We were absent from formula one for some 20 years due to the costs," he reportedly said this week, according to Speed Week.

"Bernie Ecclestone repeatedly asked us, but each time I answered 'If we are paid, then we come'. But to be honest, not until mid-2010 did it become clear that the role of the sole supplier is actually paid. So we tried and we were awarded the contract," said Provera.

Photo: Pirelli

In 2014, Pirelli's second three-year contract as the sole F1 supplier began, and so far it has been far less controversial than before.

Last year in particular, the tires were criticised for being too 'aggressive', and Pirelli had to make a mid-season construction change in the wake of the tire-exploding British grand prix.

Now, in 2014, some drivers including Fernando Alonso are once again being critical.

"When they bring normal tires with good grip, we finish the tire in two or three laps. When they bring harder tires we finish the tire in eight or nine laps but we go very slow," he told the BBC in Monaco last weekend.

Provera said he was aware of the "negative comments of individual drivers".

"Basically we listen to any criticism," he added, "but our main focus especially with this new turbo era was always security.

"It is definitely easier to equip just a few teams with tires rather than the whole field, as whenever a team is not going so well, and nobody knows quite who to blame, then usually they start with the tire manufacturer," said Marco Tronchetti Provera.

Former Formula 1 driver David Coulthard would like to see twin pit boxes to increase the battles between teammates.

In his latest column for The Telegraph, Coulthard explains that each team should have twin pit boxes to avoid stacking cars.

Today a commentator for the BBC, 'DC' takes Monaco as an example, when the Safety Car came out, and the teams were forced to stack their cars when they pitted.

"This has fallen on deaf ears before, but I think we should have two pit boxes, because otherwise it neutralizes the inter-team battle as it benefits the guy in front. If you want to see a true battle of man against man we should get away from this single stop," said David Coulthard.

Nico Rosberg, pit stop at Monaco, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

Pros: Available as a coupe or convertible, the all-new 2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S combines power, speed, technology, and craftsmanship in extreme amounts. More affordable than the V12-powered Continental GT, it still features some of the world's finest materials and embodies all of the British luxury brand's heritage in a stately and exotic package. Simply jaw-dropping.

Cons: This car's expensive, even by luxury standards. Its sheer size requires care when driving in tight spots. At the same time, rear-seat access and room is somewhat limited.

Photo: Bentley

2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Price: Detailed pricing is unavailable. Contact your local dealer.

2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Fuel Economy: The official Canadian ratings for the Continental GT V8 S have yet to be announced, but they should closely mirror those of the standard GT V8, which burns 13.7L/100km in the city and 8.3L/100km on the highway. Variable displacement, in which four of the eight cylinders switch off at gentler throttle openings, reduces fuel consumption.

Improvements and Changes: Compared to the base model, the S variant adds a little more urgency to the driving experience, increasing output by 21 horsepower and torque by 15 lb-ft, while shaving 0.3 second off the 0-100km/h time. The Beluga lower body styling and new-design 20” wheels are a clear statement of intent. A re-calibrated engine, revised stability control, and an uprated chassis complete the picture. Oh, and a new signature exterior colour expands the near-infinite palette: Monaco Yellow.

2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Powertrain: The 4.0L twin-turbo V8 engine unleashes 521 snorting ponies and 502 lb-ft of torque through an 8-speed automatic transmission, which translates into a top speed of 309 km/h and a 0-100km/h dash in 4.5 seconds. As with all Continental models, the state-of-the-art all-wheel drive system employs an advanced Torsen differential and a 40/60 rear-biased torque split.

Don't miss: A 10mm lowered sports suspension, revised damping with increased spring and bush rates (front and rear), and uprated anti-roll bars all combine to improve agility, body control, and cornering. The revised steering provides enhanced feedback and feel. The suspension is also tuned differently to optimize performance on either body style.

Safety: The 2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S comes standard with a full suite of airbags and electronic nannies including front, side, and curtain airbags, as well as anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control. Convertibles are fitted with automatic pop-up roll bars for added rollover protection.

Comparing the 2014 Bentley Continental GT V8 S: Rivals include the Aston Martin DB9, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Audi R8 5.2, Jaguar XKR, BMW M6, and Ferrari 458.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso spent the day with Italy's major cycling race, the Giro d'Italia.

Having worked earlier this week in Ferrari's F1 simulator, the Spaniard headed further north on Thursday to drive the 171 kilometre mountain stage of the famous bike race in a VIP car.

He then presented the race leader with the iconic pink jersey.

Alonso, however, was not just having a break from the rigours of F1's 19-race season.

Last year, the 32-year-old - an avid cycling amateur and fan - made an ultimately failed bid to take over the top Spanish team, Euskaltel-Euskadi.

After the bid collapsed, Fernando Alonso vowed instead to set up a cycling team "from scratch" that will compete in the upper echelon of the sport from 2015.

Fernando Alonso. (Photo: Twitter/Fernando Alonso)

More recently, however, there have been rumours Alonso's plans are not on track.

Reports have suggested Alonso tried but failed to sign the top rider Peter Sagan, and that talks with a $20 million per year title sponsor from the United Arab Emirates and also the cycling governing body UCI may no longer be going well.

But when asked about his team, registered with the UCI as 'FACT' (Fernando Alonso Cycling Team), he told the Giro d'Italia on Thursday that the plan is to get up and running in 2015.

"We're working on it," said Alonso. "That's our aim and what we're hoping for. As you know there are some rules to respect, some timing to respect, and we're working in the background to do everything else to respect the right steps.

"We are working in a professional manner and a respectful manner as well because we are entering a world that is not our world so we need to learn many things," he added.

"We will do it step by step. There is not any hurry because we want to do it in a good way."