Auto News 5

Remember that new prestige model set to join the Cadillac lineup in 2015? We now know what it will be called: CT6.

While it doesn't sound particularly exciting, the name indicates a coming shift to a simplified naming convention for future Cadillac models. Familiar lettering like “CT” will be used for car models, with the number indicating the relative size and position of the cars in the hierarchy of Cadillac models.

“As we expand the portfolio, we can assist consumers in placing the cars within a structure, as they compare cars both within our showroom and across the market generally,” said Uwe Ellinghaus, Cadillac's chief marketing officer. “However, this will be an evolutionary process - we will only change a product's name when the product itself is redesigned or an all-new model is created, as in this instance.”

Currently in development, the new rear-wheel-drive sedan will use advanced, lightweight materials and new body construction techniques to reduce fuel consumption while enhancing driving dynamics and safety.

Source: General Motors of Canada

From GMM

Toto Wolff says F1's struggling teams would be the victims if a push to relax the engine development 'freeze' is successful.

As Mercedes continues to utterly dominate in the first season of the turbo V6 era, behind-the-scenes discussions have turned to allowing struggling rivals Ferrari and Renault to catch up.

"If we look at this year's season we're seeing that there's such a big disparity between the different engines," said Monisha Kaltenborn, whose Sauber outfit is using Ferrari power and having the "worst season in the history of the team".

Mercedes V6 turbo hybrid engine. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

For cost-cutting purposes, F1 operates under strict engine homologation rules, more commonly referred to as a 'freeze' that severely limits performance development.

Under the existing rules, engine makers will be able to change up to 48 per cent of their 2014 'power unit' design ahead of the next pre-2015 homologation.

But Mercedes' rivals, notably Ferrari, are pushing hard behind the scenes for even more freedom.

The current 'freeze' operates on the basis of allowing engine makers to exchange a certain number of FIA 'tokens' for performance-related design improvements.

Ferrari is arguing for at least eight more tokens to be available to teams for a mid-season design tweak.

Ferrari V6 turbo hybrid engine. (Photo: Ferrari)

Predictably, field-leading Mercedes is not happy with the idea.

Toto Wolff told Auto Motor und Sport: "It would be stupid of us to argue that we have the best engine and so nothing else interests us. On the other hand, we must raise the question of costs.

"Eight tokens would cost tens of millions of euros," said the Austrian. "Who should pay, if not the customer?"

It is here that relaxing the engine 'freeze' will meet considerable objection.

The cost of renting engines from Mercedes, Ferrari or Renault for customer teams - some of whom are struggling merely for survival - has already gone up considerably in 2014 compared with the old V8 regime.

"We're paying about 20 million pounds for our engine in a period when we're trying to control costs in formula one," said Mercedes customer Williams' deputy chief Claire Williams.

Renault V6 turbo hybrid engine. (Photo: Renault Sport F1)

Even Kaltenborn, whose struggling Sauber team would benefit from a stronger Ferrari engine, is not keen on the idea of a 'freeze' relaxation if it means her bills are higher.

"We do support the idea that development of an engine is allowed within certain given parameters," she said, "but it not necessarily leads to the fact that we, as customers, should actually bear the costs for that."

From nascar.com

In the midst of a career-best season, Joey Logano has signed a new "multi-year" agreement with Team Penske NASCAR Sprint Cup team, the team announced Thursday.

Logano will continue to drive the No. 22 Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the No. 22 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Nationwide Series under the terms of the deal.

"Joey Logano has been everything we hoped he would be, both as a driver and as a representative of our organization and for our partners," team owner Roger Penske said.

"He continues to put points on the board for us and the continuity and chemistry he has developed within the team has been terrific. We believe he can be a leader and championship-level driver for Team Penske for years to come."

Logano is currently second in the points' standings and, with his win last week at New Hampshire, has guaranteed himself a spot in the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

He has four wins, 12 top-fives and 17 top-10s this year.

The fund created to compensate for deaths or injuries linked to General Motors vehicles with faulty ignition switches this week made its first cash offers to about 15 people, the office of the lawyer overseeing the program said on Wednesday.

Cadillac will name its new, lineup-topping sedan the CT6, marking the start of a top-to-bottom overhaul of the luxury brand's nomenclature.

AutoNation, in a move to cater to the tuner crowd, began providing customers with performance upgrades at its 27 Chevrolet dealerships this month through a new partnership with aftermarket tuning house Hennessey Performance.

Audi says the softtop on its new TT Roadster is lighter and opens faster than on the model it will replace. Audi revealed a photo of the cabriolet Wednesday ahead of its public debut at the Paris auto show next week.

Audi says the softtop on its new TT Roadster is lighter and opens faster than on the model it will replace. Audi revealed a photo of the cabriolet Wednesday ahead of its public debut at the Paris auto show next week.

China's cash-strapped National Electric Vehicle Sweden said it would lay off up to 200 employees at its Saab car plant in Sweden as production is unlikely to resume anytime soon.

China's cash-strapped National Electric Vehicle Sweden said it would lay off up to 200 employees at its Saab car plant in Sweden as production is unlikely to resume anytime soon.

Top executives at General Motors and Ally Financial received excessive compensation after receiving bailout funds from the U.S. Treasury in 2009, according to a Treasury special inspector general report released today.

Does Mazda have enough brand cachet to market designer goods -- such as gadgets, apparel and furniture -- as luxury marques such as Porsche have done?

A senior official with China's economic planning ministry and his son took bribes from a Guangzhou carmaker, including kickbacks for helping approve the opening of a Toyota dealership, a Chinese prosecutor said today.

China will continue to drive global auto sales growth over the next 12 to 18 months, while shipments of US-made vehicles will slow, Moody's Investors Service said in a new report.

New vehicle sales in Argentina fell 30% in August to 57,653 units compared with 82,330 a year earlier.

Aleris announced plans to invest $350 million to expand its rolling aluminum mill in Kentucky and start its first U.S. automotive body sheet production to meet burgeoning demand for lightweight materials in North America.

The FAW-Toyota joint venture in China reportedly has trimmed its annual sales target by 6% to 620,000 units after demand this year was less than anticipated.

Due to falling heavy truck demand in the European region, MAN plans to reduce the working hours of 4,000 workers at its Austria and Germany plants, Bloomberg reported.

Germany will offer free parking and the right to use bus lanes to buyers of electric, fuel cell and some plug-in hybrid cars in a bid to have 1 million EVs on German roads by 2020, up from about 21,000 at the start of the year.

Nevs, which has been attempting to revive Saab car models, said it would lay off up to 200 employees due to lack of work, because "the decision to re-start production will be further delayed".