Auto News 5

Europe's first-half sales results provided further evidence the region's six-year slump will end in 2014. Led by Jeep, Lexus and Dacia, 14 brands grew more than the market, which was up by 6 percent to 6.85 million.

Bosch aims to double sales in Asia-Pacific as the company taps expanding business with Japanese automakers. Bosch is cashing in on a trend of modularized vehicle development spurring demand for high volumes of single parts from global megasuppliers.

Bentley has appointed Joerg Mull, executive vice president of finance at Volkswagen Group in China, as its new finance chief.

Nissan's new X-Trail, which is now available with front-wheel-drive and seven-seat models, has a distinctly sportier look than its predecessor.

Lighting and electronics specialist, Hella., is considering making an Initial Public Offering of its shares, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

From GMM

Ferrari F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen looks set to race into the world of fatherhood.

Currently vacationing on his yacht off the Mediterranean island of Corsica, photos have emerged of the Finn's girlfriend Minttu appearing apparently pregnant.

And Minttu has added a photo of the couple to her Instagram account including the hashtags 'babyonboard' and 'momanddadtobe'.

Raikkonen's spokesman, Riku Kuvaja, is quoted by the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat: "Minttu and Kimi hope, above all, for peace from the media in this joyous time."

Kimi and Minttu in Monaco. (Photo: WRi2)

Frenchman Tristan Vautier, the 2012 Indy Lights champion and 2013 IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year, took the new Indy Lights IL-15 car out for its maiden full test at Mid-Ohio.

“It's a proper race car and definitely good step forward for the series,” said Vautier after a dozen laps on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course. “I love the sound and performance of the turbocharged engine, the drivability, the brakes. I'm very comfortable in the seat.”

The introduction of the chassis to competition next year will coincide with the 30th anniversary of Indy Lights. Vautier is scheduled to test August 12 and 14 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and at the Milwaukee Mile later in the month.

Additional on-track testing, which will include Verizon IndyCar Series drivers to provide feedback, is scheduled for September.

The new car is about 180 pounds lighter than the current Indy Lights car with more horsepower.

Tristan Vautier, Indy Lights IL-15 (Photo: IndyCar)

The IL-15 mirrors the IndyCar Series' car supplied by Dallara with full-length anti-intrusion panels, side-mounted radiators to assist in energy absorption, a raised monocoque to protect the driver's head, a front wing span to reduce wheel-to-wheel contact and increased underwing width to also reduce wheel-to-wheel contact.

Paddle shifting and push to pass also are mechanisms shared with the IndyCar. And the Indy Lights car has an onboard starter - an attribute not on the current IndyCar.

Car specifications
Top Speed: 200 mph
Design: Carbon chassis and bodywork
Weight: 1,400 pounds
Length: 192 inches
Width: 76 inches
Transmission: 6-speed semi-automatic

AER-P63 engine
Engine: 2-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder
Horsepower: 450 horsepower plus 50 horsepower push to pass
Design: All aluminum
Weight: 230 pounds dry crated
Features: Carbon plenum, carbon inlet runner and trumpets and “drive-by-wire” throttle control
Electronics: AER with full active-knock control, ignition-angle learning, advanced boost control and integrated gear-shift strategies

Additional components
• Cosworth looms, data logger, dash, display and sensors
• Dynamic dampers
• Life Racing paddle-shift kit
• Tilton carbon clutch
• PFC brakes
• 2014 carryover items include gearbox internals (including ratios), dampers and springs

Navdy is a new hands-free communication system that allows drivers to use navigation, respond to messages and answer calls through voice command and motion recognition, which means they don't have to take their eyes off the road and their hands off the steering wheel.

Using a compact projector and a 5.1” transparent display that sits on the dashboard, drivers can view and share specific information from their favourite smartphone apps.

When you get an incoming call, all you have to do is raise your thumb in front of the projector to start the conversation. To hang up, just move your finger like you would do on a tablet (without even touching the device). As mentioned earlier, voice commands will work, too.

The following video shows how easy to use Navdy is. The only problem? It's not even on the market yet. Developers are banking on crowd-funding to raise US$60,000 and get the project off the ground.

That being said, anyone can pre-order a Navdy at US$300. If all goes as planned, deliveries will begin in early 2015.

Source : gizmodo.com

From GMM

Willi Weber, famous for having been Michael Schumacher manager, has joined those decrying the new face of Formula 1.

"There are many reasons for the decline of F1," he told Wednesday's latest edition of Sport Bild magazine.

"The fish rots at the head," the German claimed, when asked about the sport's apparent dwindling popularity amid the ever-modernising era.

"Bernie Ecclestone is much too old to embrace the age of new media. And FIA president Jean Todt lacks the strength to enforce."

Weber also blamed the latest generation of F1 driver.

"Who wants to watch the wimps of today complaining on the radio?" he asked rhetorically.

"There are no more Michael Schumachers, Ayrton Sennas, Jacques Villeneuves. They wouldn't have complained on the radio but given their answer on the track."

Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. (Photo: WRi2)

And Weber said he doesn't blame the fans for switching off.

"The cars are not just ugly, you can't even listen to them. The kids prefer to create their own world on the playstation," he added.

Audi and Chrysler are facing sanctions from China for violating the country's antitrust laws. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) found that the two automakers exaggerated the price of their vehicles and spare parts.

A similar enquiry also targets Mercedes-Benz (Daimler).

"Monopolistic practices are quite rampant in the auto industry. NDRC is first targeting imported luxury brands because the problem is most severe in this area," said Yale Zhang, managing director of consultancy Automotive Foresight (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. "It's also a warning signal to the industry. If top brands like Audi gets punishment, others would know what to do."

Foreign automakers argue that the price difference is due to higher import duties and other taxes in China. Both Audi and China are fully cooperating with NDRC investigators, however.

Pressed by Chinese authorities, some manufacturers have agreed to slash their prices in recent weeks. For example, Daimler will make more than 10,000 parts cheaper beginning September 1st.

Sources : autonews.com

From GMM

Aldo Costa insists he is "sorry" to see his old team Ferrari struggle in formula one.

Amid an earlier dip in the fabled Maranello team's form, the 53-year-old was ousted by Ferrari in 2011 and he joined Mercedes, who are now utterly dominating the sport.

"Comeback? Actually I am fine where I am," said Costa, who although based at Brackley is currently holidaying in his native Italy.

"Ferrari -- do we have to talk about it?" he told Ferrari insider Leo Turrini in his Quotidiano blog.

"Write, then, that I am sorry. Honestly.

"I'm an emiliano (from the Emilia-Romagna region) and I worked for a company that is a myth. It cannot please me to see the level they are working now in formula one, even though they sent me off in a way that I wouldn't describe as exactly elegant.

"That said, I don't think Mercedes' problems in 2015 will come from the Rossa (reds). We're worried about Red Bull, who have proved and are proving to have an extraordinarily fast reaction."

Aldo Costa and Luca Marmorini, both ousted by Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

Asked what he thinks Ferrari's main problems are, Costa replied: "It is not absolute -- it is my opinion. But very serious mistakes were made in the strategic vision.

"An example: in 2008, we in the racing team thought it essential to have a new wind tunnel to remain competitive. We were told there was no need.

"In Ferrari, all the strategic decisions were always made by (Luca di) Montezemolo. He took them when Ferrari triumphed and when Ferrari ceased to triumph. Just to be clear."

When Costa was ousted, however, it was rumoured that it had come at the behest of Ferrari's number 1 driver, the influential Fernando Alonso.

"I do not believe Alonso was out to get me," he insisted. "In the car, I consider him to be a great. Out of the car, I was never able to understand him -- to me he is an inscrutable, enigmatic character.

"I don't think we will see him at Mercedes. I don't see why Hamilton would leave a team like ours," added Costa.

Clearly, the manner of Costa's Ferrari departure still rankles. When asked about Nikolas Tombazis, Costa recalls rumours that his own presence was stifling the Greek designer's creativity.

"After I left his (Tombazis') imagination must have been freed," Aldo Costa said, "with results that are before everyone's eyes, no?

"(Stefano) Domenicali? There is no resentment, sometimes we write a text message. Ferrari belongs to his past and to mine, and (Luca) Marmorini's and many others."

Aldo Costa, 1-2 finish at Bahrain for Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

Actually, Costa has no need for resentment, as his career at Mercedes has culminated in a period of success rarely obtained in the highly-competitive world of formula one.

"Professionally it is a happy time," he agreed, "and I'd be a liar to deny to you that I feel a deep satisfaction.

"In Mercedes there are twelve Italians; twelve engineers in the team. I recruited them myself -- some from Ferrari, others straight from university. We are a small 'tricolore' colony within a multinational.

"Now I'm already working on the 2015 project in a normal way, as are all those who do my job.

"I will not come to any more races this season -- at most maybe in Belgium or Monza, then my priorities are elsewhere," said Aldo Costa.

A new survey of automotive engineers and designers sponsored by DuPont and published by WardsAuto reveals that lightweighting (the process of making vehicles lighter) is the preferred solution (49%) to meet tougher fuel-consumption requirements, which will increase to 54.5 mpg (4.3L/100km) in the U.S. by 2025.

Other priorities include engine efficiency programs (39%), vehicle electrification (26%), and the adoption of diesel engines (13%).

In a similar survey by WardsAuto in 2011, engine efficiency and electrification topped the list. Lightweighting ranked third.

“There are probably a couple of reasons for the shift,” says Jeff Sternberg, director of DuPont Automotive Technology. “I suspect one of the reasons stems from several high-profile lightweighting examples, like the 2015 Ford F-150 and BMW i3 (electric vehicle). Another reason is the growing recognition that every pound reduced from a component can pay dividends in being able to downsize other parts of the vehicle. For example, if you take 10 lbs. (4.5 kg) out of an engine or exhaust component, you need much smaller and lighter fasteners. All these weight-savings contributions add up.”

The primary targets for lightweighting include the powertrain (24%), chassis (12%), body-in-white (11%), electrical and accessories (9%), and body panels (9%).

As for materials, aluminum is obviously the first choice of engineers (27%), followed by multi-material solutions (16%), engineering plastics (13%), advanced high-strength steel (11%), advanced composites and carbon fibre (8%), and magnesium (1%).

Source : wardsauto.com

Global carsharing company car2go has just launched "ride2provide," a donation feature to be integrated into the car2go mobile app for iPhone and android iOS.

The new initiative seeks to help car2go communities in 15 North American cities work together in donating to a charitable cause, and will first kick off with a 90-day partnership with Whole Planet Foundation as the program's first exclusive charity.

Across North America, car2go members will have the opportunity to view a number of "heart cars" labelled with $1 donations based on their current location within the Home Area, where members can pick up and drop off a vehicle. For each "heart car" used, car2go will contribute a lump sum donation directly to the Whole Planet Foundation.

"Since car2go's inception, we have long supported our members by helping them get from Point A to Point B with complete ease," said Paul DeLong, Chief Marketing Officer of car2go North America. "Our support for Whole Planet Foundation reinforces our commitment to the communities we serve, and we hope that by connecting our members through ride2provide, we can harness this power and help aspiring entrepreneurs around the world build a stronger future for us all."

Source: car2go

Photo: car2Go

Google and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) are launching the Littlebox Challenge: Any team that manages to create a high power density inverter for electric vehicles in a significantly smaller package will be rewarded with a $1 million prize.

Those in the know will tell you that the size of inverters remains an obstacle in the development of more efficient EVs. Right now, the inverter in the Fiat 500e has a volume of about five litres, while the one in the Prius is around 5.4 litres in size.

Google and the IEEE want teams to aim for a volume of under 0.66 litre while still achieving a power density of at least 3.05 kW/L.

“We believe that inverters will become increasingly important to our economy and environment as solar PV, batteries, and similar power sources continue their rapid growth,” Google says.

"We expect that the innovations inspired by this prize will have wide applicability across these areas, increasing efficiency, driving down costs, and opening up new uses cases that we can't imagine today."

Teams will have to register by September 30th to enter. From then, they'll need to submit a technical approach by next July and bring their inverters in for testing by October 21st, 2015.

Source : greencarreports.com

Nashville, TN -- It's always interesting driving test mules, having a chance to experience upcoming products in their rawest form, before they're refined and production ready.

Over a short route through some of Nashville's toniest Belle Meade rural properties, we had a first look at what could be the latest version of Nissan's midsize pickup -- a diesel-powered Frontier -- during a one-day program featuring Nissan's entire current lineup.


What is the Nissan Frontier Diesel?
Known as the Navara in Asia, the original Frontier debuted in North America in 1986. Up until 2004, it was considered a compact truck. The current generation, which was introduced in 2004 is now classified as a midsize pickup.

Although Nissan confirmed that the next full-size Nissan Titan will offer a 5.0L diesel powertrain, the idea of an oil-burner Frontier is still in the draft stages.

Nissan Frontier Diesel Price & Specs
If Nissan does decide to go ahead and produce a diesel-powered Frontier, it won't be the one we drove, which was a test mule based on the current generation.

Rumour has it that the next Frontier could be based on the early D22 platform from 1997.

Our tester was powered by a 2.8L 4-cylinder turbodiesel Cummins engine mated to an 8-speed ZF transmission. While its 200 horsepower doesn't quite match the 4.0L V6's 261 horsepower, its 350 lb-ft of torque, compared to the gasoline engine's 281 lb-ft, more than makes up for it.

Inside and Out of the Nissan Frontier Diesel
Unlike the concept truck debuted at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show -- the Frontier Diesel Runner that boasted eye-catching graphics, a colourful interior, and a transparent hood -- our test mule was a plain, grey pickup, hardly distinguishable from any conventional Frontier.

Riding shotgun was Steve Sanders, an engineer with Cummins Inc., and one member of the team responsible for the truck's development.

The plain interior featured a few of the parts-bin oddities you sometimes see in a project test mule -- Sanders pointed out the wonky automatic shift lever sourced from Chrysler and the steering wheel borrowed from an Altima.

"That airbag light?" he said, "That's because there isn't one. Your passenger will be OK if you crash, but you won't."

Good to know.

Driving the Nissan Frontier Diesel
It took a bit of effort to actually get rolling, as finding reverse with the cobbled-together shifter was a bit of a guessing game.

The engine is a reworked version of the existing 2.8L and is a prototype developed specifically for this project. There's been no effort put into tuning it for noise and vibration, as was rather evident from the clattering at start-up.

A great deal of the diesel engine's torque is concentrated down low in its powerband, giving the Frontier a lot of thrust off the line. However, there's a dead spot while the turbo spools up before the power comes on strong again. Presumably there will be extensive tuning to broaden the powerband before it's production ready. Nissan claims this powertrain will offer a 35% improvement in fuel economy, in no small part thanks to the ZF-sourced 8-speed transmission. Smoothing out the power delivery will go a long way towards reaching that goal.

Comparing the Nissan Frontier Diesel
The small-truck market is an increasingly small one with the departure of the Dodge Dakota and more recently, Ford's venerable Ranger.

However, General Motors is stepping up to the plate with soon-to-arrive diesel powertrains in their midsize GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado -- and in the same 2.8L 4-cylinder configuration as the Frontier's.

Despite being a work-in-progress, the diesel-powered Frontier impressed us as an idea that makes good sense in the quest to lower overall fuel consumption numbers.

Nissan isn't ready to confirm that it will see production any time soon, but we're willing to bet that it will.

Director of Pirelli motorsport, Paul Hembery said he will push for Formula 1 to use 19-inch tire if the sport elect to change tire size.

Hembery added he'd like to see F1 move to a 19-inch tire instead of 18.

The Briton explained Pirelli could be ready to switch to 18-inch tires in 2016, but added the Italian company is doing more work on the 19-inch.

“We are doing a lot of work - probably focusing on 19-inch now, if I am really honest with you,” Paul Hembery confirmed.

“We are carrying on our work internally on those developments and so from our point of view it goes ahead.”

Lotus E22 with 18-inch Pirelli tires. (Photo: WRi2)

Asked what his preference would be, if the sport does choose for change, Hembery said Pirelli would prefer 19-inch tires: “18-inch tires we have got everywhere and 19 is different,” he said.

“It is too early to say about the width. I think that depends on what package of aero changes they are going to make and what they think they might do with the suspension. We have heard talk of some form of active suspension. I am not sure if that is going to happen or not. But there is a lot of aspects they are talking about which could change what we do with that,” Hembery explained.

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has hit out at DTM stewards' decision to penalise Canadian Robert Wickens in last Sunday's race at Spielberg, Austria.

Pole position holder and a potential race winner, Wickens was penalised by a controversial drive-through penalty for unsafe release.

According to Autosport magazine, it seems the officials confused the Canadian's car with the similar-looking Mercedes of Pascal Wehrlein, who made contact with race winner Marco Wittmann's BMW during the stops.

Wolff wrote a letter to DTM officials, claiming that Wickens release was not unsafe, and that the interest of the sport and the race should be taken into account by stewards when making decisions on penalties.

Wolff wrote: "We remain convinced that the decision was wrong in principle, particularly on close reading of the precise definition of what constitutes an 'unsafe release'.

"Having completed his pitstop on lap 22, Robert Wickens was 'released' from his box.

"There is clear video and photo evidence that the driver behind him was not even in the outside lane at this point in time. Wickens's exit from his box may not have been optimum, but there is no way that the pit crew could have foreseen this, and they cannot therefore be held liable for an 'unsafe release'.

"We regard the case of Pascal Wehrlein as a more clear-cut example of 'unsafe release'.

"The initial decision was to take no further action, but he was then penalised after the race. Not only was the consistency of the decision making questionable but also the severity of the punishment.

"Quite apart from the case under discussion, we believe that there is a need in the DTM for a more consistent and accountable procedure for potential offences and the penalties they incur.

"When in doubt, decisions must be made in the spirit of the sport and in the interests of exciting racing."

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is going straight back to work after agreeing a $100 million deal to end his bribery trial in Munich.

Amid high controversy and suggestions F1's major stakeholders and his employer CVC might not be happy with Tuesday's news, it was confirmed that the outcome of the court proceedings is that the 83-year-old is a "free man".

"There was no conclusion on guilt or innocence of the defendant," said a court spokeswoman. "He is leaving this courtroom a free man."

Briton Ecclestone, F1's chief executive and 'supremo' who has been working only part-time for months amid the trial, headed straight from Munich to London.

"I've just got to get on with work," he told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt in the Independent newspaper. "I've got things I need to catch up with so I'm cracking on. I have been wasting two days a week. Now I can get back to doing what I should be doing."

The appearance that he effectively bought his innocence, however - particularly in the face of bribery charges - remains highly controversial.

But Ecclestone, who admitted he feels "a bit of an idiot" for paying up, said the price he paid was so high only because he is a billionaire.

"If I had proved that I hadn't got any money I wouldn't have had to pay," he insisted. "That's what it's all about."

And the Daily Express quoted him as saying: "I've always said I was innocent and if I had waited until October I would have saved a lot of money.

"But when you're trying to run businesses it's not easy trying to resolve things when dealing with lawyers for so much of the time," Bernie Ecclestone added.

Indeed, his lawyers on Tuesday insisted that if the trial had simply run its course, Ecclestone would have been acquitted as prosecutors were having trouble proving the case.

"What has happened is that the judge has come back and more or less said it's an acquittal, which he didn't have to do," said Bernie Ecclestone. "Another three months out would have been bad. I've been working weekends to catch up with what I've been missing during the week. I've not really noticed but it has probably taken its toll a little bit."

Nonetheless, there remains speculation that, even though an innocent man on paper, damage has been done particularly in the eyes of CVC, a massive private equity firm.

"Yes," Ecclestone is quoted by the Express newspaper, "I can get back to running the business five days a week instead of three and buying F1 remains a possibility."

The man arrested yesterday, August 5, suspected of involvement in the theft and leaking of a medical file on injured former F1 champion Michael Schumacher was found hanged in his cell today, prosecutors declared.

According to AFP, the Zurich prosecutor's office said in a statement that the unidentified man worked for the Swiss helicopter air rescue company, which was contacted to perform the transport of Michael Schumacher from the CHU of Grenoble to a hospital in Switzerland.

The medical records of Michel Schumacher were stolen and offered for sale to a number of journalists for 50,000 euros.

The police tracked down the IP address of the computer that was used to contact the media, and that led them to an employee of the helicopter company.

A man was arrested and was interrogated by the police. He denied any wrongdoing. The man was then detained in a jail cell. He was found hanged when officers came to bring him breakfast.

According to an initial investigation, no one else was involved in his hanging, the prosecutor's office said.

The Zurich prosecution added that the man found hanged in his cell was believed to have acted alone in the case, but stressed he should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

From GMM

Multiple authoritative media sources claim Fernando Alonso wants almost $50 million a year to sign a new contract with Ferrari.

Amid his obvious frustration at lacking a third title after five years in red, and rumours he might be looking to leave the fabled team, Italian magazine Autosprint reports in its latest edition that the Spaniard is playing hardball in his negotiations for a new deal beyond 2016.

Ferrari wants a new three-year contract with Alonso, extending his current tenure to 2019, when the double world champion will be 38, the sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport also reported.

And Autosprint said it is "not just rumours" that the driver, arguably the best overall in formula one at present, wants a whopping EUR 35 million per season.

That equates to almost $50 million per year, or $140 million over the life of the new deal.

It is reportedly almost a doubling of Alonso's current Ferrari retainer, and perhaps beyond even the dizzying heights of Michael Schumacher's earning power with the same Maranello based team.

Germany's Bild newspaper is reporting the same news, claiming Alonso's new fee would be "one of the largest contracts in sports history".

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14 T. (Photo: WRi2)