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Nov
12th

F1: India eyeing F1 return by 2017

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From GMM

India is unlikely to return to the F1 calendar until at least 2017, a senior official at former race promoter Jaypee has admitted.

The circuit near New Delhi hosted three consecutive races until 2013, but fell off the calendar this year amid financial issues and complex governmental hurdles relating to tax and red tape.

But Jaypee's senior vice president Askari Zedi said: "We are keen on bringing the grand prix back to the country.

"Talks are going on but there are certain tax issues which we have to deal with," he is quoted by the New Indian Express.

"So nothing is in our hand, we are doing everything that is possible."

Zedi acknowledged that India will not be on next year's busy calendar, and "nothing could be said about 2016, but we are trying our best to hold the race by 2017".



Nov
12th

F1: Money the big topic before 2014 season finale

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From GMM

Even with F1 speeding towards its intriguing double-points title finale, money remains the big off-track topic of the moment.

Although no longer trading and having laid off its workforce, Manor - formerly Marussia - is said to be in talks with investors about returning in Abu Dhabi.

It's a similar story at Caterham, where administrators have already raised more than half of the $3.7 million they need to revive the green team for the season finale, thanks to the controversial crowdfunding scheme.

The team might also have another $55,000 in the kitty if it accepts an offer from the grandfather of British female driver Alice Powell, who wants to pay for a Friday practice drive in Abu Dhabi.

"I am really hoping the administrators come back with a positive response," Jim Fraser, Powell's grandfather, told the Daily Mail newspaper.

But if Marussia and Caterham do ultimately fail, talks about boosting the depleted grid with three-car teams will become louder.

Currently, the F1 teams are awaiting a response from Bernie Ecclestone and F1 owner CVC's Donald Mackenzie.

It is believed they are considering releasing more funds, but who will actually receive the money is not clear.

F1 supremo Ecclestone said in Brazil last weekend that the struggling small teams, including Lotus, Sauber and Sahara Force India, will not get the touted 'fighting fund'.

"We give these teams enough," he said. "Not enough to survive in the way they are surviving, but enough to survive.

"The way forward is very easy -- don't spend as much," said Bernie Ecclestone.

F1 starting grid Brazil 2014
Starting grid in Brazil. (Photo: Pirelli)

Another potential solution, although initially seemingly counterintuitive, is to give more money to the bigger and more stable teams.

It is said Ferrari has already agreed to run a third car next year, but Red Bull is baulking at the apparent price-tag.

"It's between 35 and 40 million euros (to run a third car)," team boss Christian Horner is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, claiming the Briton wants CVC to pick up the tab.

Horner is also quoted by Italy's Tuttosport: "We could not deploy the third car within our current budget, so at the moment it's not something we're thinking about."

Mercedes, meanwhile, is not at all keen on the third car idea, but team chairman Niki Lauda is quoted as saying: "The distribution of money is first and foremost a matter for CVC.

"We can do nothing but wait for suggestions. If CVC has a reasonable plan, we can talk about everything," said the F1 legend. "Even free engines for the (customer) teams."


Nov
11th

GM drops shift at Michigan Cadillac plant to match car supply, demand

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GM is eliminating one production shift at the Michigan plant where the Cadillac ATS and CTS are made, a reflection of new brand chief Johan de Nysschen's vow to fix excess production and high inventories that have plagued Cadillac over the past year.
Nov
11th

Cox Automotive to buy Xtime for $325M, enters service software business

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Cox Automotive has agreed to pay $325 million in cash to buy Xtime, a leading provider of service scheduling and workflow software to dealerships, the companies announced today.
Nov
11th

UAW expects union recognition soon at VW Tennessee plant

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The UAW said it expects Volkswagen AG to announce soon a policy change that would allow for union representation at the company's plant in Tennessee, where the union has faced challenges organizing workers.
Nov
11th

Chrysler to begin replacing Takata airbag inflators in U.S. in Dec.

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Chrysler will begin replacing potentially defective airbag inflators made by Takata in more than 371,000 vehicles in early December, according to documents filed by the automaker with federal safety regulators.
Nov
11th

GM discloses more ignition-related deaths in U.S. report

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General Motors' most recent quarterly report to federal safety regulators on crashes that may be linked to a defect lists 47 deaths and 614 injuries in vehicles it has recalled this year for ignition problems.
Nov
11th

Mercedes recalls 10,500 C-class cars in U.S. for steering defect

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Mercedes-Benz is recalling 10,509 C-class compacts from model year 2015 in the United States because some cars can lose steering function at low speed.
Nov
11th

Porsche goes bling with two-tone Panamera Exclusive Series

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Porsche is introducing the Panamera Exclusive Series, which features more luxury than the company has ever offered before.
Nov
11th

Ferrari stock offering expected in Q2 or Q3 in 2015, Marchionne says

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The initial public offering of luxury carmaker Ferrari is expected to happen between the second and the third quarter of 2015, Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said today.
Nov
11th

Lexus LF-C2 drop-top concept to star in LA

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Lexus LF-C2 Concept teaser
News 11 Nov, 2014

New Lexus LF-C2 concept could point towards a convertible version of the RC coupe

Nov
11th

Daimler will revive Maybach with 3 sedans but no SUV

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Daimler will revive its Maybach ultraluxury marque as a subbrand with three variants of its flagship S-class sedan, including a version aimed at Chinese buyers, but the company ruled out a Maybach SUV for now.
Nov
11th

Daimler will revive Maybach with three sedans but no SUV

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Daimler will revive its Maybach ultraluxury marque as a sub-brand with three variants of its flagship S-class sedan, including a version aimed at Chinese buyers, but the company ruled out a Maybach SUV for now.
Nov
11th

GM to cut 160 jobs at small-car plant near Detroit

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General Motors is laying off 160 workers and trimming production at the assembly plant where it makes the Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano amid weaker-than-expected demand for the small cars.
Nov
11th

Volkswagen’s new 268bhp diesel engine could hit 60mpg

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News 11 Nov, 2014

Volkswagen has revealed a new four-cylinder diesel engine that uses high-pressure injection to produce 268bhp and nearly 60mpg

Nov
11th

Takata’s chairman a no-show as airbag crisis endangers dynasty

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Takata Chairman Shigehisa Takada's failure to come forward and address an airbag crisis ensnaring the world's biggest automakers risks shaking investor confidence in the 81-year-old manufacturer's prospects.
Nov
11th

Infiniti readies Q30 targeting young buyers

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Infiniti is road-testing its next global model, the compact Q30 hatchback, which will hit showrooms in 2016. The new five-door will use the architecture of Mercedes-Benz's European-market A class and also will rely on a Daimler-designed, 2.
Nov
11th

ITALY: Fiat abandons European Golf segment

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A spokesman for FCA has confirmed to just-auto that the Bravo is no longer being manufactured in Europe. The car died a quiet death in July and will not be replaced until 2016, at which time a new three-model series will enter production in Turkey.
Nov
11th

VW’s talks to raise stake in its Chinese joint venture stall

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Volkswagen's bid to increase its stake in a lucrative joint venture with Chinese partner FAW has stalled just as the German automaker is stepping up expansion in its biggest market, company sources said.
Nov
11th

KTM plans to build new X-Bow for motorsport

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KTM Racecar render
News 11 Nov, 2014

Bike and track-car maker KTM will be teaming up with Reitier Engineering to build an all-new X-Bow racer

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