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The third generation Sorento, revealed earlier today (29 August) to the media in South Korea, is longer, lower and wider. The Hyundai Motor group brand wants to sell 270,000 units of this new SUV in 2015.

Fiat will spend less than the limit the carmaker set to buy shares from investors who opted to sell ahead of its merger with Chrysler Group, clearing a key hurdle before the deal can close.

Fiat will spend less than the limit the carmaker set to buy shares from investors who opted to sell ahead of its merger with Chrysler Group, clearing a key hurdle before the deal can close.

Daimler plans a line of vehicles with modified engines and sport-tuned suspensions to bridge the gap between standard Mercedes-Benz models and high-performance AMG derivatives.

Jaguar Land Rover will 'turn over every stone' including launching plug-in hybrids to bring its high average CO2 emissions down to an EU-approved level by 2021, JLR head of product development Wolfgang Ziebart said.

Infiniti will open design studios in the UK., U.S. and China to separate its luxury-vehicle designers from Nissan stylists. Infiniti will open a London studio next month in a separate building only a few steps from its Nissan studio.

Suzuki is giving is new Vitara a more mainstream look to broaden the subcompact SUV's appeal. The five-door Vitara will go on sale in Europe early next year.

The latest issue of the Automotive News Europe monthly e-magazine goes live on Monday, Sept. 1. This month's edition looks at why European automakers have struggled to gain a foothold in India and what they are doing to turn things around.

Suzuki is giving is new Vitara a more mainstream look to broaden the subcompact SUV's appeal. The five-door Vitara will go on sale in Europe early next year.

From wtcc.com

The new LADA Vesta WTCC that will compete in the FIA World Touring Car Championship from 2015 was revealed at the Moscow International Motor Show, in presence of the current LADA Sport drivers Rob Huff and James Thompson.

The new Vesta WTCC sported its future yellow-black livery, as the unveiling of the new car was coupled with the announcement of a new three-year deal sponsorship between JSC AVTOVAZ and ROSNEFT petrol company, which will start in 2015.

Lada Vesta WTCC (Photo: WTCC)

The Vesta WTCC is a brand new car, designed by LADA chief designer Steve Mattin and his team, in close cooperation with LADA Sport; it is bound to represent a milestone in LADA's racing history. Its larger wheelbase and more efficient drag make it especially suited for racing.

Until the end of this season, LADA Sport will continue to participate in the FIA WTCC and the Russian Racing Series with the LADA Granta Sport cars, in LUKOIL livery.

Lada Vesta WTCC (Photo: WTCC)

From GMM

Plans for a New York street race were foiled by financial backers that pulled out, Bernie Ecclestone has revealed.

A second American grand prix, in New Jersey but amid the iconic Manhattan skyline, has appeared on draft calendars for some time but the F1 supremo now admits it is unlikely to happen.

"I honestly don't think so," Ecclestone said in Belgium last weekend. "They still have the same problems they had in the beginning. Nothing has changed."

Now, speaking to the F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, the nature of those 'problems' has become clear -- and it's all about money.

"Two or three backers that (promoter) Leo (Hindery) had had confirmed to me that they had an agreement with him and they were going to put the money up," Bernie Ecclestone told Forbes.

"If Leo had got the money or I had put the money up that race would have been on."

Bernie Ecclestone admitted that he went beyond his usual efforts for New Jersey, as the teams "were dying to have a race in New York so we were trying to make it happen".

Christian Sylt said Ecclestone gave Hindery lots of chances by continually reinstating the race on draft calendars, and he even offered funding.

"I had nothing to lose with Leo," Bernie Ecclestone insisted. "If somebody had come along and put the money up and he had done the job I would have been delighted. He (Hindery) was trying to keep things alive hoping that somebody was going to put money in. It suited us to give him chances. Everybody wanted a race in New York."

From GMM

Dieter Zetsche has become involved in resolving the damaging spat between warring Mercedes teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

As team chiefs Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe and Niki Lauda work to safeguard Mercedes' overwhelming title prospects amid an escalating driver feud, Lauda revealed that Zetsche has been moved to intervene.

"Naturally we have to report to him," the F1 legend and team chairman told the German weekly Bunte. "We have a need for clarification. It (the F1 project) is all about building credibility for the brand."

Until now, although there have been efforts to cool the heat in the wake of last Sunday's incident, the clear finger of blame has been pointed at Rosberg for causing the lap 2 crash at Spa that left Hamilton almost 30 points behind in their title fight.

Niki Lauda, for instance, admitted to Bunte that even the German driver's post-race explanation of what happened was "not understandable to me".

Nico Rosberg's front wing and Lewis Hamilton's tire, after two laps at Spa-Francorchamps. (Photo: WRi2)

A key meeting to plot a way forward will take place at the team's Brackley base on Friday, Germany's Sport Bild reports.

"I will not be there," Lauda confirmed, "but Toto, Paddy and the two drivers will be."

It is possible that Zetsche, who has always argued against team orders, will ask for any solution to the problem to not involve ending Mercedes' policy of 'free racing'.

Indeed, on Twitter on Thursday, Mercedes asked its half-million followers to vote for either "team orders or free racing".

"This is a chance to have your say," the team tweeted.

The predictable and overwhelming response saw 92 per cent support for free racing, with Mercedes going on to ask for suggestions for potential penalties for breaching the "no contact rule".

"Would you suspend a driver for a race and not maximise constructors' points? Perhaps you'd set the order at qualifying slots?" the team twitterer wondered.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, at Spa-Francorchamps. (Photo: WRi2)

Niki Lauda tipped Mercedes to ultimately keep the faith and refrain from playing safe and introducing team orders for the rest of the 2014 battle.

"Nothing changes," he said, "although it is important to avoid unnecessary risk.

"But I do not want to prejudge the meeting tomorrow (Friday). Let's see what the decisions look like," Niki Lauda added.

From Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team

Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton met today in the boardroom of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS headquarters in Brackley to discuss the events of the Belgian Grand Prix.

During this meeting, Nico acknowledged his responsibility for the contact that occurred on lap two of the Belgian Grand Prix and apologised for this error of judgement.

Suitable disciplinary measures have been taken for the incident.

Mercedes-Benz remains committed to hard, fair racing because this is the right way to win world championships. It is good for the team, for the fans and for Formula One.

Lewis and Nico understand and accept the team's number one rule: there must be no contact between the team's cars on track.

It has been made clear that another such incident will not be tolerated. But Nico and Lewis are our drivers and we believe in them.

They remain free to race for the 2014 FIA Formula One World Championship.

Pros: The 2015 Nissan LEAF is really in a class of its own. This 100% electric vehicle handles the road impressively; it is easy to maneuver and about as quiet as a mouse. Plus, the electric engine's torque performance means that it accelerates better than some compact and mid-size cars. The Nissan LEAF is also very roomy.

Cons: The Nissan LEAF is great to drive in the city, thanks to its zero fuel consumption and regenerative braking system. Yet, highway driving remains an issue. The faster you go, the quicker the battery runs out. The Japanese manufacturer claims that the LEAF's autonomy is at least 160 kilometres. However, unless you are driving less than 90 km/h, you might be hard pressed to travel more than 135 kilometres on a full charge. In the winter, this range drops lower than 100 kilometres. Other weak points include the LEAF's relatively high price, especially for the SL model, even when considering the incentive offered by the Quebec government.

Photo: Nissan

2015 Nissan LEAF Price: For 2015, Nissan is offering three LEAF trim packages: the S at $31,798, the SV at $35,048 and the SL at $38,548. It is worth noting that the Nissan LEAF is eligible for an $8,000 rebate from the Quebec government until December 31, 2016.

Fuel Economy: As a matter of fact, the Nissan LEAF does not use fuel. Nevertheless, its electricity cost is equivalent to a fuel economy of 1.9 L/100 km in the city and 2.3 on the highway.

Improvements and changes: Although its contours will be modified sometime in 2016, no significant changes have been made to the 2015 model, except that the charging time for its 24 kWh lithium-ion battery has been reduced.

2015 Nissan LEAF Powertrain: On all 2015 LEAF trims, Nissan is offering an AC synchronous electric engine that delivers 107 horsepower (80 kW) with 187 lb-ft of torque. The engine is coupled with a single-speed automatic transmission. The LEAF's battery takes no less than 16 hours to charge when plugged into a 120-volt household outlet. Charging takes about half this time when hooked to a 240-volt source.

Cargo Capacity: The 2015 Nissan LEAF can fit 679 litres of cargo, or 849 litres with the rear seats folded.

Safety: The 2015 Nissan LEAF's safety features include ABS brakes, brake assist, electronic brake force distribution, dynamic stability control and traction control as well as a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

Comparing the 2015 Nissan LEAF: In this segment, you'll find other green cars like the Chevrolet Volt, the Chevrolet Spark EV, the Ford Focus EV, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and the smart electric drive.

There's something to be said about driving the most powerful production model a manufacturer has ever made. It makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, your flesh feels tingly, and your hands may even shake a bit. But take a deep breath, grip that Alcantara-clad steering wheel and enjoy every moment of the exhilarating ride.

To check out our full review on the 2014 Jaguar XKR-S , head on over to Auto-Venus.com.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

From GMM

Last Sunday's Belgian grand prix was the first time the new 'power unit' era proved faster than the screaming V8-powered machines of 2013.

So far this year, the turbo V6s - combined with lower downforce and heavier cars - have proved at least several seconds slower than the pace of the past.

But at Spa-Francorchamps, the fastest lap on Sunday - achieved by championship leader Nico Rosberg - was two tenths quicker than the corresponding race of 2013, won by champion Sebastian Vettel.

An analysis by the German specialist magazine Auto Motor und Sport shows why.

First, aerodynamics plays a lesser role at Spa, where the more powerful turbo 'power units' of 2014 resulted in an average of 20+kph more top speed than the 2013-spec V8s on the long straights.

And the cornering deficit in 2014 was minimised at Spa last weekend, with Pirelli bringing the soft and medium compounds to Belgium compared to the medium and hard choice of last year.

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing, winner in Belgium. (Photo: WRi2)

Unveiled at the Moscow International Auto Show, the BRABUS Business Lounge is a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter decked out in sumptuous amenities and tech-gadget goodies to create the ultimate business lounge for all your high-powered, high-brow transactions (or just to sit there on your MacBook Air and try to look important).

Outfitted with four business seats in the back that face each other for all those important business meetings, the BRABUS Business Lounge also allows you to integrate your notebook or tablet into the vehicle's media centre. And, yes, there's a coffee machine. And a cooler (for those celebratory business meetings).

Photo: BRABUS

It's not just the interior of the Sprinter that got a spiffy business upgrade, the exterior features 18” Monoblock wheels and a sexy black finish that's oh-so Armani along with the new front bumper.

No pricing available, but our guess is if you're a high enough powered business tycoon who's constantly on the move and this spikes your interest, money isn't that much of an issue for you and you're gonna have one in your fleet, regardless.

Source: blog.dupontregistry.com

Story updated, see below

Following today's crisis meeting at Mercedes AMG's headquarters in Brackley, Nico Rosberg issued a press release in which he admits contact with Lewis Hamilton was “an error of judgement”.

On his Facebook page, Nico Rosberg wrote the following statement:

“In the days since the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa, I have spent a lot of time thinking about what happened during the race and discussing it with the team.

I have already expressed my regret about the incident but, after meeting with Toto [Wolff], Paddy [Lowe] and Lewis [Hamilton] today, I wish to go a step further and describe it as an error of judgement on my part.

The number one rule for us as teammates is that we must not collide but that is exactly what happened.

For that error of judgement, I apologise to Lewis and the team. I also want to say sorry to the fans who were deprived of our battle for the lead in Belgium.

Lewis and I have been given clear instructions about how we race each other.

As drivers, we have a clear responsibility to the team, the fans of the sport, our partners and Mercedes-Benz to deliver clean racing. We take that responsibility very seriously.

I look forward to concluding the season with hard, fair competition on and off track right up to the final lap of the season in Abu Dhabi.”

Lewis Hamilton's view
Lewis Hamilton also posted a comment on his Facebook page. He it is:

“Today we came together as a team and discussed our differences.

Nico and I accept that we have both made mistakes and I feel it
would be wrong to point fingers and say which one is worse than the other.

What's important is how we rise as a team from these situations. We win and we lose together and, as a team, we will emerge stronger.

There is a deep foundation that still exists for me and Nico to work from, in spite of our difficult times and differences.

We have the greatest team, the strongest group of individuals who have worked their hands to the bone to give us the best car you see us racing today.

It's important that we never forget that and give them the results they deserve.

Today, Toto and Paddy told us clearly how we must race against each other from now on in a fair and respectful manner.

The fans want to see a clean fight until the end of the season and that's what we want to give them.

It's going to be a tough road from here but Championships have been won from much further back than I am now.

And I promise you that I will be giving everything and more to win this for my team, for my family and for my fans”.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes W05. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Mika Hakkinen has added yet another disparaging response to the news Max Verstappen will make history next year as by far F1's youngest ever driver.

And the 1998 and 1999 world champion does not only criticise Red Bull's decision to sign the young Dutchman just half a year out of karts, but also his former F1 rival Jos Verstappen, who is Max's father and manager.

"In no case is a driver ready for formula one at 16 or 17," Hakkinen said in an interview with his sponsor Hermes.

Mikka Hakkinen, who was involved in Valtteri Bottas' management and also has a son (Hugo) in the world of highly-competitive karting, insisted: "Either as a manager or a father, I would never let a driver as young as that race in F1.

"It's too early, and if it fails, it can cause considerable damage," Hakkinen added.

Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso. (Photo: WRi2)

Meanwhile, Hakkinen said Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo cannot be ruled out of the running for the 2014 world championship, amid the escalating in-team battle between dominant Mercedes' warring teammates.

"Mercedes' dominance has decreased compared to what we saw at the beginning of the season," he noted.

"In my view, Ricciardo is dangerous. He drives for a team that has won the championship several times in a row, they have a lot of experience in these situations and show a lot of composure. At Mercedes, there is more pressure and the conflict between the drivers is not helpful to the aim of bringing home the title," Hakkinen added.

And he predicted that despite Mercedes' concerted efforts to cool the feud between Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, the pair will continue to wage their war.

"Both drivers will be saying 'Hey, I want to be world champion'.

"Of course," Hakkinen explained, "the team can implement internal rules, like collisions early in the race cannot happen under any circumstances. But then the next race comes. I believe that despite every effort, no one will be able to stop the intense competition between Nico and Lewis."

The Lagonda name may be familiar to car enthusiast, and not so much to others. It was Aston Martin's flagship uber luxury sedan that debuted in the mid 70s. Its styling was, to put it nicely and in one word, odd.

Gaydon, England's pride and joy Aston Martin has officially given the name a Rapid based hand-built sedan that is slated for the Middle Eastern market.

Details are scarce, however it would seem that the big car will be motivated by the Rapid's 552 horsepower 6.0L V12. We suspect that the Lagonda may get more power but that remains to be seen.

One way or another, the new AM Lagonda is far better looking than the old.

Source : motorauthority.com