Auto News 5

The defect in Takata Corp. airbags that has led to millions of recalls and has been linked to four deaths in Honda cars opens the supplier to risk of losing business to rivals including Autoliv and Daicel.

When it first appeared, the Golf Plus appeared to answer a question no-one was asking. But Volkswagen had seen an opportunity, and around 150,000 were built and sold in this model's best years. Now comes the replacement, the Sportsvan, or in Britain, the SV.

Production of the redesigned Mazda 2 (Demio in Japan) has started at the automaker's new plant in Mexico.

Mazda UK plans on completing installations of the brand's new visual identity at 80% of its 136 outlets by next March.

UK car production fell by nearly 3 percent in September as plants prepared for new models, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said, adding that output in 2014 is still on course to hit its highest level in six years.

UK car production is still on track to reach its highest level in six years despite lower output in September. New Jaguar, Mini and Honda models will help boost production.

Daniel Starke is the new interior design head at Rolls-Royce brand, a role he previously held at BMW's i electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle subbrand.

General Motors' Opel unit will auction tooling from its factory in Bochum, Germany. The plant's 50 presses will be sold along with 80 percent of the robots in the body shop.

The Mercedes G class will be among the last old-school SUVs in production after the planned demise next year of the Land Rover Defender. G class sales are higher than ever.

Gorden Wagener has been transforming Mercedes design since he became chief designer in mid-2008. His latest creation is the S-class coupe, which embodies what Wagener calls 'sensual purity' and 'modern luxury.'

The UK's car industry staging a big comeback. And it's mostly due to some not-so English names: Nissan, Toyota and Honda.

Caterham F1 Team has been given permission to miss the next two Grands Prix in Austin and Sao Paulo while a buyer is wanted for the financially ill team.

A statement issued on Friday by the administrators has confirmed that Caterham F1 Team will not be in a position to compete in the next two races.

The team hopes that a buyer of "substantial financial means" will be quickly found in order that the team can be back on the grid for the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi.

Ordinarily, any F1 team missing a race would be in breach of their contractual obligation to the sport's commercial rights holder.

However, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone explained the circumstances of Caterham's trouble made that impossible and he is supporting the administrators in their efforts to find new finance.

German car manufacturer Audi apparently is ready to cease its endurance and touring cars programs in favour of assault on Formula 1 from 2016.

Several European motorsport publications Friday claim that sources at Audi and its parent company, the Volkswagen Group (VAG), have revealed that Audi is set to abandon both the DTM touring car championship and world endurance racing (including the 24 Hours of Le Mans) in favour of Formula 1.

Insiders say VAG will combine its FIA World Endurance Championship and DTM budgets, plus a Red Bull sponsorship package to try to put together its F1 effort.

Other sources have also confirmed that Audi will bow to internal Volkswagen Group pressure and leave the Le Mans and World Endurance Championship to its sister brand, Porsche, which has entered the series this year with the 919 Hybrid.

It is also strongly suggested that Audi would prefer buying an existing F1 team, rather than building up its own from scratch.

Because Red Bull has long been the major sponsor of Audi's leading team in the DTM, Audi could well buy into Red Bull Racing or Toro Rosso.

On a final note, Audi has recently hired Stefano Domenicali, the man who headed the Scuderia Ferrari for years.

The administrator will now manage the Caterham Formula 1 Team.

Caterham press release:

Following a request of yesterday evening at 21.55hrs CET from Caterham Sports Limited's administrators and the legal advisors of Mr Tony Fernandes' related EXIM Bank, representatives of 1MRT/Caterham F1 Team have agreed, with all rights reserved, to hand-over management of the Caterham F1 Team to the administrator Mr Finbarr O'Connell in the higher interest of allowing the team to continue operating and preparing for the next events.

From GMM

The clock is ticking down to struggling F1 backmarker Caterham's apparent collapse.

With the Saturday freight deadline for sending cars and equipment to Austin now just hours away, staff remain locked out of the Leafield factory while an unseemly spat continues to escalate between the team's former and current owners.

Former owner Tony Fernandes, the well-known Malaysian entrepreneur, broke his silence on Thursday by insisting that the new buyer called 'Engavest' has not paid up.

"There was no legal obligation to transfer the shares to them unless certain conditions - which included paying creditors - were met," he said.

The team's operating company, Caterham Sports Limited, has been appointed an administrator on behalf of an unpaid Malaysian bank, triggering the very real danger that the recent Russian grand prix was the team's last grand prix.

"I sincerely hope that this will not be the case and that a solution can be found," said Fernandes.

Caterham's garage getting ready. (Photo: WRi2)

Caterham Group Graham Macdonald was even more critical, accusing Engavest of never having "any intention" of paying its bills.

"I go on to question how anyone who was interested in the long term future of the business would appoint one of their cleaners - Constantin Cojocar - as the sole director and shareholder of the UK operating company," he charged.

Engavest's reaction to the scandal has been to insist that because Fernandes never handed over his shares, the Malaysian is in fact still responsible for the team and its liabilities.

In a counter-statement, the Swiss based company also accused one of Fernandes' representatives of "breaking into a filing cabinet" at Leafield containing "private and confidential documents", resulting in Engavest's "total contempt of Mr Fernandes".

Engavest, advised by serial F1 backmarker chief Colin Kolles, insists it has met the conditions of Fernandes' sale agreement.

But with the race cars locked inside Leafield by the administrator Finbarr O'Connell, it appears unlikely Caterham will be on the Austin grid, as required by Bernie Ecclestone.

"Everybody is prepared to go to Austin," Kolles told media late on Thursday. "The problem is if the administrators are not changing their mind it is difficult."

He dismissed O'Connell's claims that Caterham could be rescued by a third party stepping in to buy the team.

"He lives in dreamland," Colin Kolles charged, according to Speed Week. "Perhaps he wants to be the team principal himself."

Former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Frenchman Christophe Bouchut saw his car catch fire during the 6 Hours of Fuji, round of the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Bouchut smelled something burning inside his Lotus CLM P1/01 AER, and he drove straight into the pit lane so the marshals could quickly enter into action.

Christophe Bouchut, Lotus (Photo: John Rourke/AdrenalMedia.com)

While escaping serious injury, Bouchut sustained burns to his eyebrows in the blaze, which was sparked by a fuel pump malfunction that leaked petrol into the cockpit of the car.

“I came close to a catastrophic situation,” Bouchut told Endurance-Info.

“When I stopped the car, there already was a fire in the cockpit. Everything inside was in flames. My left glove has been burnt as if it had been thrown in a fireplace.

“I stayed [in the car] between 10 and 15 seconds. We can only thank the safety standards of drivers' equipment. I also have to thank the Rebellion Racing team, who rushed to extinguish the fire. Without them, the car would have certainly been completely burned.”

Christophe Bouchut, Lotus (Photo: John Rourke/AdrenalMedia.com)

The fire came only three weeks after Bouchut was nearly hit by a spinning car during the heavy downpour at Circuit of The Americas, which was eventually red-flagged due to the conditions.

“I prefer to end my season with Lotus...” the Frenchman declared.

From press release

The Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada is proud to introduce, starting today, a brand new package for the fans who are looking to nourish their love for the Grand Prix by making their experience more gratifying and exciting.

By introducing this new package, the intention has been to add a few perks to the weekend of June 5, 6 and 7th 2015, as the new PRIVILEGE 12 package has been designed for the die-hard fan who expect grandstand seating... and more.

View of Montreal city from the circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. (Photo: WRi2)

First and foremost this package involves a seat in the Grandstand 12 located in the ‘Senna Corner', where the drivers go through one of the most spectacular and legendary series of curves of all the Grands Prix.

A wide screen will allow the package holder to follow every moment of the race, and more... the PRIVILEGE 12 package also including the following:

• 3 day access to a nearby tent, sheltered from the whims of Mother Nature.
• If part of a group of 4, 8 or 10 people, the package holder will have a reserved spot at a said table, if 1 to 2 people together purchase the package, their seats will be assigned at group table and enjoy the possibility to make new friends!
• At lunch time, complimentary water, coffee and soft drinks will be available with a Deluxe Barbecue service. Refreshments will also be available at all times.
• One alcoholic beverage per day (beer or wine) is included in the package and the package holder will also have access to a private bar for personal consumption at his cost.
• Each package holder will have their copy of the official program.
• Television sets will be set up in the tent to follow the live action on track.

The PRIVILEGE 12 package is available in limited quantity for $1100 CA (+taxes) per person for the 3-day event. If you are looking to indulge at this event, please do not wait any longer and take advantage of this great opportunity!

For further information or to book this package, one must contact Julie Rioux-Paquette at jrioux@octanemanagement.ca or at 514.350.4731 ext.242.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has played down reports he is in advanced talks to bring formula one to the streets of Madrid.

Spain's El Confidencial claimed this week the F1 supremo is already in possession of a business plan and bank guarantees, as a group of businessmen want the Spanish capital to host an annual street race.

The news would seem to be a threat to F1's existing Spanish grand prix in Barcelona, but Circuit de Catalunya boss Salvador Servia reacted: "We know nothing. Nobody has told us anything."

F1 chief executive Ecclestone has also now played down the Madrid reports, confirming that a group "talked about it but nothing has happened".

"We're not going to do a race in Madrid," the almost 84-year-old told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, writing in Forbes.

A second Spanish race, on the streets of Valencia, failed recently and Ecclestone insists: "We don't need a second race in Spain. It's easy enough as it is."

F1 starting grid. (Photo: WRi2)

Notwithstanding that, F1 is preparing to welcome Azerbaijan to the schedule in 2016 and possibly also a race on the famous 'Strip' in Las Vegas.

That would tend to contradict claims that Ecclestone cannot take the annual calendar beyond 20 races unless the F1 teams agree.

But Ecclestone insists: "If I want more than 20 races I don't need consent from the teams. I don't think so. I don't care about the consent from them which is more to the point."

One race that has come into doubt in recent days, however, is the fabled British grand prix, after several directors including Silverstone chief Richard Phillips were escorted off the premises and suspended.

"I don't know what Richard Phillips could have done," Bernie Ecclestone told Sylt. "It's all very strange and it came out of the blue. Everything was fine and now the top guy there that we used to deal with is gone. He never said anything to me about this."

American entrepreneur Gene Haas is currently busy putting together his Formula 1 team, which will operate with close assistance from Ferrari.

Haas, also the co-owner of the Stewart-Haas Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup team, recently talked to CNN about Haas F1 Team, which will be based near Kannapolis, North Carolina.

Haas F1 Team will become the first new outfit to join the grid since the FIA accepted the entries of three start-up outfits in 2010: Caterham, Marussia and HRT. The Spanish team disappeared at the end of 2012, while the other two are struggling financially.

Gene Haas is perfectly aware that the road to F1 is not easy.

“I think in the first five years it's just surviving. I don't have any expectations of grandeur that we're going to go out there and win championships. If we could even win one race in five races that'd be a tremendous success,” Haas told CNN.

“Just the association of being with Formula 1 basically takes our brand from nobody to in the stratosphere. Sooner or later we'll march up. I'm not expecting to beat anybody, just maybe beat the guys at the back.”

The owner of Haas Automation thinks that the 2010 new teams all made mistakes in the early stages of their entries into F1, and his organization have therefore learned what not to do.

“I think that the biggest problem they had is trying to get to the grid so fast they wound up having to take on partnerships that maybe weren't thoroughly thought out and wound up making a lot of mistakes,” Haas told CNN.

“Inevitably they didn't have the resources or the cars weren't properly put together because they rushed things.”

Marco Mattiacci (Ferrari) and Gene Haas in Montreal, Canada. (Photo: WRi2)

Haas F1 Team will have the assistance from Ferrari.

“Ferrari wanted to go beyond being just an engine supplier and they were going to help us with the basic structures of the car,” Gene Haas declared.

"It's an honour to have Ferrari help us in this way and we take all the help they can give us because you can't really get better than Ferrari."

From GMM

F1's grid may have shrunk to just 18 cars by the time of the US grand prix next weekend.

Caterham's troubles - with administrators locking the green cars inside the Leafield factory amid an unseemly spat with former owner Tony Fernandes - are now well documented.

But authoritative publications are now claiming that the similarly struggling backmarker Marussia, rocked recently by Jules Bianchi's life-threatening Suzuka crash, is also in danger of having its engines silenced.

Michael Schmidt, the highly respected correspondent for Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, claims the team has been living "hand to mouth" since August's Belgian grand prix, where Max Chilton almost sat out the race due to "contractual issues".

"We have now learned that another cash injection is required so that the team can make the trip to Austin and Sao Paulo," Michael Schmidt said. "This is happening while the owner Andrey Cheglakov wants to sell."

Russia's Championat and Germany's Auto Bild are reporting similarly, adding that a deadline is looming for Marussia to make overdue payments to engine supplier Ferrari.

And Italian reports suggest that Ferrari has already ceased to supply technical and installation information about the customer engine for 2015.

Writing in Switzerland's Blick, veteran journalist Roger Benoit agreed that the situation at Caterham and Marussia could mean only 18 cars line up on the Austin grid.

Photo: Circuit of the Americas