Auto News 5

GM plans to broaden Chevrolet's green-vehicle offerings by adding an electric model to a lineup that includes the Volt plug-in hybrid and the Spark EV minicar.

The top-of-the-line touring model of the updated 2015 Honda CR-V has a new suite of electronic technologies called Honda Sensing that the company is rolling out across its lineup.

With the redesigned F-150 pickup, Ford is out to prove conventional wisdom that only bigger and heavier can deliver more power and capability.

From GMM

As Jules Bianchi lies critically ill in a Japanese hospital, grave questions are being asked about the circumstances surrounding his terrifying collision with a recovery vehicle on Sunday.

Alain Prost, the F1 legend and quadruple world champion, told Europe 1 radio it is clear "serious misconduct" took place as the light faded and the rain intensified towards the end of the typhoon-affected Japanese grand prix.

"There was an error, that is clear," said the Frenchman. "Whose? I still have doubts. Was it the direction of the race or the officials who were at the corner?"

FOM, the Bernie Ecclestone-run company controlling the sport's commercial rights, has suppressed the release of any official video footage of the crash.

"I saw images that I will never forget," Adrian Sutil, who was at the scene as Bianchi struck the vehicle and also when the French driver was extricated, is quoted by Switzerland's Blick newspaper.

Late on Monday, terrifying amateur footage of the incident emerged, although FOM has been working busily to have copies quickly removed from social media sites.

20minutes.fr claims the video was shot by Phillip Dabrowiecki, a spectator in the grandstands.

"FOM has not contacted me, but I think they are trying to bury the video because it shows all the mistakes," he said.

"I shared the video for the truth to be shown to all F1 fans."

One of the thousands to watch the video is Prost himself, who said he was alarmed to see that a marshal right next to the incident was waving a green flag.

"It should have been at least a hundred metres away," he insisted.

Indeed, the green flag being waved from the marshal tower just after the incident scene is causing a great deal of controversy after the amateur footage emerged.

Photo taken right after the impact. The green flag (on top) was waved by the marshal. (Photo: WRi2)

But former driver Emanuele Pirro, who also serves as a driver steward for the FIA, says that it is "perfectly regular" for green flags to be waving at the very next marshal post after a caution zone -- even if this is just a metre away.

He told Autosprint that those who say otherwise are "mistaken".

Nonetheless, British newspapers report that the FIA and Bernie Ecclestone have ordered an urgent investigation into the circumstances of Bianchi's life-threatening crash.

The FIA confirmed that, and Ecclestone told The Times: "Things happen and we have to find out the cause."

Former FIA president Max Mosley described Sunday's events as a "freak accident".

"I can't really fault any of the people involved, the marshals or the race director or any of those people," he is quoted by Britain's Sky.

"For some reason the driver didn't see the yellow flags. It would appear he didn't slow down as perhaps he should have done, but it's certainly the case that the yellow flags were deployed."

Others also think it was simply a tragic accident. Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko told Servus TV on Monday that there was "no specific reason why driving was impossible" at the time of the crash.

Williams driver Valtteri Bottas also played down concerns about the fading light, telling Auto Motor und Sport that he could "see the flags and there was also the flashing light" in his cockpit.

The driver steward on duty at Suzuka was Mika Salo, and he suggested that Bianchi was simply driving too quickly in the yellow flag zone.

"No car should go out of control in that situation," he is quoted by the Finnish broadcaster MTV3. "I saw everything. There was way too much momentum."

Mika Salo also backed Charlie Whiting's decision not to bring out the safety car.

"It was the right decision," he said. "At the corner was a single accident, the driver (Adrian Sutil) did not need help so there was no need to release the safety car. This was a standard situation."

Salo also played down claims the race should have been stopped for the intensifying rain.

"Some of the drivers had switched again to heavy rain tires, but some were staying on worn intermediates," he said.

Wet race at Suzuka, Japan. (Photo: WRi2)

Red Bull's Marko described what happened as "a chain of very, very unfortunate circumstances".

"After the safety car start, it was then a normal wet race," said the Austrian.

"When the accident happened, Sebastian (Vettel) did not request extreme wet tires so it was justified for the race to go to the end," Marko added.

Derek Warwick, another former driver and sometime FIA steward, told the Guardian: "Let's not get too carried away, it was a one-off.

"You will always have these extraordinary situations and we have to be careful not to make kneejerk responses to them," he told the Guardian.

Warwick said one kneejerk response would be a rule change that every time a recovery vehicle is on track, the safety car should be deployed.

"But I think it's better to let people like Charlie and his team make the decision. Will he get it right every time? Probably not, but my vote will always be for the professionals to make the decision at the time," he added.

This is precisely where opinions are starkly and emotionally split up and down the paddock.

Galvao Bueno, the influential lead commentator for Brazil's Globo, described Sunday at Suzuka as "the biggest mistake I've seen in 40 years in formula one".

"I have no fear of speaking despite having a very good personal relationship with Charlie Whiting," he insisted. "This was a race that had no condition to be run. I spoke with Felipe Massa and he said he saw nothing -- if it looks dark on TV it's because it's dark as hell. This could have been avoided."

FIA president Jean Todt will attend this weekend's Russian grand prix.

From GMM

Jules Bianchi was on course for a future wearing Ferrari red -- and perhaps as soon as 2015.

That is the claim of outgoing Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, who told Italian media at the Genoa Boat Show on Monday that he was "very sad" to know the team's leading 'academy' driver is now fighting for his life in Japan.

"This boy was born with us, and we thought of him as our driver of the future," Montezemolo is quoted as saying.

Frenchman Bianchi was a Ferrari-powered Marussia driver when he tragically ploughed into a recovery vehicle during the rain-affected Japanese grand prix.

Jules Bianchi, Ferrari F14 T, at Silverstone. (Photo: WRi2)

But Luca di Montezemolo said he had a definite future at Maranello.

"If - as I think we will have to - we line up with three cars next year, we thought of him for the third car and he would have been perfect for the coming years," he revealed.

"I just hope we have some good news soon. Unfortunately, we always talk about these things with the benefit of hindsight, but we do have to think of what happened if something did not work at Suzuka. If there was something wrong we have to change," said Montezemolo.

"Definitely it was a very special race with little visibility at 3 in the afternoon and plenty of water. We have also had other races in these conditions and nothing happened. The important thing is to understand the reason and prevent it from happening again," he added.

Last week in Paris, Rolls-Royce launched the new Phantom Metropolitan Collection. Only 20 units will be produced, and while no technical specifications have been provided, they'll most likely use the familiar 6.75L V12 engine.

The Phantom Metropolitan Collection pays homage to the world's great metropolises through the meticulous application of marquetry (the art of inlaying small pieces of wood veneer to form decorative motifs). When open, Phantom's signature picnic table presents occupants with an elevated view of the city, created through the expert application of 500 individual wood veneer pieces.

Meticulous care is taken when selecting the individual wood veneers. Minute imperfections such as knots and flecks lead to instant rejection. Adjustments to the colour of each piece are made through the traditional hand-process of hot-sand shading before a final inspection under magnification on a light box to ensure perfection.

Photo: Rolls-Royce

Inside, a specially developed Aetherius Grey leather colour was created to echo the colour palette of the modern city while 6,800 two-tone stitches to the central rear seat flutes depict an abstract image of a skyscraper. For the first time in the brand's history, a rotating bezel expressing 24 of the great cities of the world and their time zones -- Paris included -- adorns the centre console of a Rolls-Royce car.

The show car in Paris sported a Darkest Tungsten body paint inspired by city skylines. However, as afforded to any Rolls-Royce customer, the full palette of 44,000 colours is available to those commissioning a Phantom Metropolitan Collection car. Should that not be enough, the marque's Bespoke craftspeople will create a perfect match of any colour or object a customer may wish to replicate.

Source : Rolls-Royce

Photo: Rolls-Royce

Honda Motor Company has released a video showing its new Formula 1 power unit being bench tested in their facility in Japan.

Honda will return to F1 next season by supplying turbo hybrid power units to team McLaren.

This video shows the recent development of the engine. And it marks the first opportunity to hear the sound of the motor.

Volvo today revealed its new High-Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept, which consists of a triple-boost, 2.0L, 4-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 450 horsepower.

No, this is not a misprint.

“When we launched the Drive-E powertrain family, our aim was to deliver the most advanced 4-cylinder engines in the industry based on emissions and fuel consumption relative to performance and drivability,” said Dr. Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at Volvo Car Group.

The engine utilizes two parallel turbochargers, which are fed by an electrically powered turbocompressor. The compressed air from this unit, rather than being fed to the cylinders, is instead used to spool up the two parallel turbochargers. Fuel is fed by a dual fuel pump working at 250 bar pressure.

“It may sound odd, but the 450-hp concept is an important part of our Drive-E development program. Downsizing must offer customers attractive and usable power for broad-scale emissions reduction to work. Compact powertrains free up space and weight in the structure of the car, which can be used for electrification and even further emissions reduction. And that is our ultimate ambition,” added Mertens.

Volvo has yet to specify whether some of its current models could incorporate the High-Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept, but it has already caught the attention and involvement of Volvo suppliers AVL, Denso and Polestar Racing.

Source : multivu.com

From press release

Newly crowned FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg will compete at the 2014 Race Of Champions in Barbados.

Solberg has dominated this year's inaugural championship with four victories, sealing the title last week with two rounds to spare.

The Norwegian also won the 2003 World Rally Championship so he has now secured his place in the driving elite by reaching the top of the world in two different fields of motor sport.

Such a blend of ability - coupled with his recent experience of the exciting all-action short-track racing that makes up rallycross - is sure to stand Solberg in good stead as he bids for more glory at the 2014 Race Of Champions.

Now Solberg joins a ROC line-up featuring stars from all over the world: nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen, Formula 1's Romain Grosjean (the reigning ROC Champion of Champions), Australian V8 Supercar legend Jamie Whincup and this year's Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay have already signed up.

The rest of the ROC 2014 field will be announced in the run-up to December's event.

A study published on October 6th by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants predicts a 35% increase in the use of carpooling worldwide by 2020. This will be fuelled by a radical shift in consumer habits, where many people want to make the most of a product or service without necessarily owning it.

In addition to a 35% increase in carpooling, car-sharing services will expand by 30% over the same period and reach $7.9 billion in global revenue, the study forecasts.

Bicycle-sharing services are expected to be 20% more popular in cities, while shared parking will gain 25% more fans by 2020.

Roland Berger Strategy Consultants also points out that people aged 18-25 are two times more likely to use carpooling and car-sharing services.

Source : tempsreel.nouvelobs.com

John Hennessey and his team wanted to create a Ford Mustang to rival the new 650-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat. They now have one with the 717-horsepower Mustang GT HPE 700!

However, the tuning expert is not stopping there: a 375-horsepower, 4-cylinder EcoBoost  is also in the works.

Under the hood of the Hennessey Mustang GT HPE 700 is the familiar 5.0L V8 equipped with a new exhaust system, fuel pump and injectors as well as a Roots supercharger.

Changes were made to the exterior design, too:

• 20” wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport 2 tires;
• High-performance Brembo brakes;
• Body kit including front splitter, side skirts, rear spoiler, and diffuser.

The Hennessey Mustang GT HPE 700 will be sold at $59,500 USD. Production is limited to 500 units.

Source : caradisiac.com

Photo: Hennessey

Starting October 1st, 2014, the driver's licence in Quebec is valid for a period of eight years instead of four. This won't affect renewal procedures, and the new licence will be delivered at the same time as the province's public heath insurance card.

The Quebec government wants to improve customer service, and this is one more step toward that goal. It will also save tons of plastic and paper.

Note: Drivers aged 16-23 will have to wait until 24 to get a new 8-year licence.

Source : saaq.gouv.qc.ca

From press release

TOYOTA Racing will be without driver Nicolas Lapierre for the next round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, the 6 Hours of Fuji.

Due to personal reasons, a mutual decision has been reached for him to take a break from participating in the No. 8 TS040 HYBRID he shares with Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi.

Yoshiaki Kinoshita, Team President: “Nicolas is taking a break due to his personal circumstances and the team will support him during this period. This was a decision we have taken together. Our driver line-up is close to completion for 2015 and beyond, and Nicolas remains a long-term member of our team.”

Nicolas will not be replaced in the No. 8, leaving Davidson and Buemi to defend their lead in the drivers' World Championship, which stands at 11 points after four of eight races in 2014.

Toyota TS040 #8 at circuit Paul Ricard. (Photo: Toyota Racing)

In the No. 7 TS040 HYBRID, Kazuki Nakajima returns to his regular spot after missing the last race in Austin due to his Japanese racing programme. That reunites him with fellow two-time Fuji winner Alex Wurz, alongside Stephane Sarrazin.

The first four races of the season saw the 1,000-bhp, four-wheel-drive TS040 HYBRID take two victories and start from pole position three times, whilst showing the performance to win at each event.

Going into the Fuji race, TOYOTA Racing is second in the Manufacturers' World Championship, just 18 points behind Audi.

From GMM and Autosport

Gerard Saillant, the well-known trauma surgeon with close links to Jean Todt and Michael Schumacher, has arrived in Japan to get involved with Jules Bianchi's fight for life.

Meanwhile, Grand Prix Drivers' Association GPDA new president Alex Wurz has urged his colleagues to temper their reactions to Bianchi's horrific accident.

"Obviously, such a terrible accident throws up a lot of questions and opinions," said Wurz to Autosport magazine.

"By nature, we all like to have answers, conclusions and solutions as soon as possible. But we shall not jump to conclusions without having all evidence and information, and also having the chance to hear other parties' point of view,” Wurz explained.

Doctors around Jules Bianchi, after the crash. (Photo: WRi2)

Wurz has also warned that Formula 1 drivers should not discuss the accident in public while it is still being understood.

"We would rather not debate this accident until we have all information collected. Most certainly, I recommend to all the drivers to refrain from a public discussion. We need to give the experts time to analyse everything and, of course, we offer our full support to whichever authorities may be involved in this process,” the Austrian added

"But foremost, we want to support the family and friends of Jules. We do this in the best way, not by inflaming knee-jerk conclusions,” he said.

From GMM

Carlos Sainz jr is not the only candidate to replace the Red Bull-bound Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso Formula 1 team next year.

Christian Horner and Dr. Helmut Marko have already admitted the talented Spaniard, the current cream of Red Bull's famed young driver programme, is the frontrunner for the newly vacant seat in the wake of Sebastian Vettel's shock news.

But there may be other frontrunners too.

Marko told Austria's Servus TV that it is minimally "a very safe prediction" that Red Bull will appoint Kvyat's successor from the Red Bull talent pool.

The obvious candidates are Sainz, 18-year-old Frenchman Pierre Gasly and 21-year-old GP3 championship leader Alex Lynn.

Lynn said at the weekend: "I'll certainly be doing everything I can to be the one who gets promoted."

But Marko suggested he would wait some time before making the final call, because "There are championships still open".

"After that we will sit down together and see that we take the best possible decision," he said.

The video of Jules Bianchi's Marussia's car colliding with the tractor recovery vehicle retrieving the broken-down Sauber of Adrian Sutil at Suzuka Sunday triggered several questions.

When the tractor went out to recover the damaged Sauber, double flags were waved at the marshalling post.

A double-waved yellow flag is defined as warning a driver to 'slow and be prepared to stop'.

In a statement on Sunday evening, the FIA confirmed: ‘On lap 42, Adrian Sutil lost control of his car, spun and hit the tire barrier on the outside of Turn 7. The marshals displayed double-waved yellow flags before the corner to warn drivers of the incident.'

Moments later, a green flag is being waved by a marshal from Hut Twelve that is above, but slightly beyond, the crash scene.

It was explained that the flag is, in effect, a boundary point around the circuit, and only comes into force once it has been passed.

This shows the left-hand Corner 7, with M (marshals) and L (lights pannel). (Image: FIA)

Investigation
FIA President Jean Todt has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash and is reported to have asked Formula 1 Race Director Charlie Whiting to compile a report ahead of this weekend's Russian Grand Prix.

Incidentally, Jean Todt's son, Nicolas, is Jules Bianchi's manager.

The 25-year-old Bianchi in a critical but stable condition in Mie University Hospital after suffering what the FIA have described as a 'severe' head injury in the crash.

From press release

With so many different weekly racetracks represented at the 22nd Annual Autumn Colours Classic - presented by Lucas Oil Products - at Peterborough Speedway, the biggest question being asked is where this year's winners will be from.

2014 track champions and other competitors from more than half a dozen of the province's finest racing facilities will converge on Canada's Toughest 3rd of a Mile Paved Oval for the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing.

From Delaware in the west, Capital City Speedway in the east, Barrie in the north and everywhere in between, chasing an Autumn Colours Classic checkered flag is their common goal. Track owner/promoter J.P. Josiasse says fans will be in store for some edge of their seat racing all weekend long.

"From the moment they roll from the staging area and onto the racetrack, every driver in every division will be battling it out for any spot they hope to gain," said Josiasse.

"If short track racing is your thing, we'll have your brand of excitement and plenty of action to keep you entertained throughout the event."

When the Sunset Speedway group signs in for the 22nd Annual Autumn Colours Classic, they'll be led by 2014 Late Model track champion Dwayne Baker (above), who'll be looking for a 3rd consecutive Limited Late Model crown.

Randy Rusnell - the 2013 Thunder Car event champion - hopes for back-to-back wins, but will face a tough challenge from young upstart Cayden Lapcevich, who clinched the hometown honours with feature race win on the final night of the year. Throw this year's Chase for the Colours winner Nick Goetz into the mix and there's a good chance at least one of the ACC titles could head back to Sunset.

Sauble Speedway will be represented by Chase winner and 2014 Thunder Car track champion Ken Grubb and 4 Cylinder/Mini Stock champ Billy Schwartzenburg.

Flying the Capital City Speedway colours will be Mini Stock chauffeurs Casey Cavanaugh and Nolan Gould and Thunder Car pilot Todd Musker, while Malcolm 'Pops' MacDonald will take a stab at the 4Fun checkered flag. Barrie Speedway runners Doug Butler, Rick Walt and Gord Shepherd will attempt to take the Mini Stock, Thunder Car or Pro Late Model crowns back to their home turf.

Of course, there is also a long list of Peterborough Speedway drivers who'd love to keep the winner's cheques and trophies in the Liftlock City. 2014 track champion Ryan Kimball will be doing double duty in the Limited and Pro Late Model divisions, while 2009 track champion Amanda Connolly - who ran a partial schedule this past season - will chase an Autumn Colours' payday. Saturday night regulars including Danny Benedict, John Baker Jr., Craig and Brandt Graham, Ryan Babin, Howie Crowe, James Townsend, Tyler Junkin and others could easily be considered legitimate contenders for an Autumn Colours Classic win.

Make your plans now to catch the Super Bowl of Stock Racing at Peterborough Speedway's 22nd Annual Autumn Colours Classic - presented by Lucas Oil Products - October 10th, 11th and 12th. Pit gates open daily at 10. See www.peterboroughspeedway.com for details and click the 'Autumn Colours' tab.

From press release

Chrysler Group LLC announced Monday that it is discontinuing the factory-backed SRT (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports racing program in IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) with the conclusion of the 2014 season.

This decision affects participation in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with the Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R GTLM-class team. The Dodge brand will redirect its focus and efforts on the brand's product line-up.

The Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R 2014 racing season concluded Saturday, Oct. 4 at the Petit Le Mans.

SRT Dodge Viper GTS-R (Photo: Richard Prince/SRT Motorsport)

The two-car SRT Motorsports team won the team and driver titles with Canadian Kuno Wittmer in the inaugural IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship GTLM-class.

SRT Motorsports won two-of-three championships contested in the class and finished second in the GTLM manufacturer championship in just its second full year of the program.

As the company announced May 6, the SRT brand will continue to be aligned with the Dodge brand, delivering SRT ultimate performance vehicles to complement the Dodge brand's mainstream performance vehicles.

From BMW

BMW Motorsport will add a new chapter to its success story in GT racing in 2016.

The BMW M6 GT3 will replace the BMW Z4 GT3, which has been in action since 2010. Development work on the new car is already in full swing.

The first tests with the car, which is based in the BMW M6 Coupé, are planned for the first quarter of 2015.

Artist's view of the BMW M6 GT3 (Image: BMW Motorsport)

Customers will be able to purchase the BMW M6 GT3 from the end of 2015, allowing them to compete in the 2016 BMW Sports Trophy with the new car. Orders will be accepted over the course of 2015.

The exact date, from which orders can be placed, will be announced at a later date.

The heart of the BMW M6 GT3 is the BMW M Twin Power Turbo 8-cylinder petrol engine, which features a capacity of 4.4 litres. The engine is familiar from the production model and has been modified specifically for racing.

The chassis is being optimised by hand for the specific demands of the racetrack in the BMW Motorsport workshop in Munich (DE). With regard to technology, the focus is on the use of extras that meet the very highest and latest standards in motorsport development, such as racing gearbox, racing ABS and racing electronics.

Artist's view of the BMW M6 GT3 (Image: BMW Motorsport)

The inaugural Grand Prix of Russia will be the sixteenth round of the 2014 season.

The race held at Sochi marks the first time that the Russian Grand Prix has been held in a century, and will also be the first time the Russian Grand Prix has been run as a round of the Formula 1 World Championship since the championship was formed in 1950.

Timetable of the 2014 Russian Grand Prix*:

Thursday October 9
Formula 1 Press Conference - Press Room 15:00

Friday October 10
Formula 1 Practice 1 10:00 - 11:30
GP2 Practice Session 12:00 - 12:45
Formula 1 Practice 2 14:00 - 15:30
GP2 Qualifying Session 16:00 - 16:30
Formula 1 Press Conference - Press Room 16:00 - 17:00
GP3 Practice Session 17:00 - 17:45

Saturday October 11
GP3 Qualifying Session 09:30 - 10:00
Formula 1 Team Pit Stop Practice 10:30 - 11:00
Formula 1 Practice 3 12:00 - 13:00
GP3 Race 1 (15 Laps or 30 Minutes) 13:40 - 14:15
Formula 1 Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 14:20 - 14:45
Formula 1 Qualifying 15:00
GP2 Race 1 (30 Laps or 60 Minutes) 16:40 - 17:45

Sunday October 12
GP3 Race 2 (15 Laps or 30 Minutes) 11:00 - 11:35
GP2 Race 2 (21 Laps or 45 Minutes) 12:05 - 12:50
Formula 1 Drivers Track Parade 13:30
Formula 1 Starting Grid Presentation 13:45 - 14:15
Formula 1 National Anthem 14:46
Formula 1 Start of race 15:00

*Note - please be advised that this timetable is subject to change.