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Nissan expanded a recall of cars and SUVs in high-humidity regions suspected of having defective airbag inflators that can shoot metal shrapnel at passengers.

Honda's Accord, the best-selling car to individual U.S. consumers in the first half of this year, is being investigated by the U.S. after regulators received 24 complaints about power-steering failure in 2013 models.

Mercedes-Benz has launched a product specialist program for dealerships and aims to train 1,600 employees through the program by the end of next year.

Nissan's steady U.S. sales gains are putting the squeeze on its North American production capacity. The company will hire 1,000 more workers at a Mississippi plant to reach production goals by the end of 2017, bringing the work force to 7,000.

Chevy's swift response in converting an awkward World Series award presentation from a punch line to a marketing coup became a case study on the real-time power of social media to seize a moment.

From NASCAR.com

Needing an 11th-place finish or better in Sunday's Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 to secure one of four positions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' title race, Denny Hamlin took a giant step toward that goal with a pole-winning effort on Friday at Phoenix International Raceway.

Hamlin covered the one-mile distance in 25.332 seconds (142.113 mph) to win his third Coors Light pole award of the season, his second at Phoenix and the 20th of his career.

The driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota edged fellow Chase driver Brad Keselowski (142.079 mph) by .006 seconds for the top starting spot in the final race of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup's Eliminator Round.

With one of the best pit crews in the Sprint Cup garage, Hamlin will choose pit stall No. 1, closest to the exit from pit road and a considerable advantage at Phoenix.

Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images

But even with the top starting spot and the best pit box, Hamlin doesn't think he'll be able to coast to the final race.

"I think the competition is just too close and tight to think that you're just going to coast to an 11th-place finish," Hamlin said.

"Nowadays, the difference between 11th and third and 20th is not that much, so you've got to go all-out on every single lap and fight for every position on restarts.

"So, really, from my standpoint, there is no backing into this thing and coasting our way to Homestead. We have to go out there and perform at a high level, or else we're not going to make it.

"There are too many cars that are too good for us to think that we're just going to ride around and take our spot."

From GMM

In Brazil, probably Fernando Alonso's penultimate race for Ferrari, the Spaniard has given more hints than ever that his tenure in red is almost over.

First, there were sniggers all round when he grabbed a fire extinguisher to put out his burning Ferrari in Interlagos practice.

Then came qualifying, when he pressed the button to talk to the Italian team's pitwall with an exasperated complaint.

"Ay ay ay ay! Why do I start in qualifying with low battery? How is this possible? How?" Alonso demanded.

Later, he told reporters the loss of temper was "no big thing" because "hundreds" of similar radio exchanges are never broadcast live on television.

But at the same time, McLaren has finally come out in the open in Brazil with its obviously well-advanced talks about signing the 33-year-old for 2015.

And now even Alonso admits that he could leave Ferrari.

"Let's see what my decision is in the end," Spanish reporters quote him as saying at Interlagos after qualifying.

"If I am in (Ferrari), I will try to my best, as I did in the last five years. But I think Felipe had the same feelings last year and now he is fighting for pole position," said Alonso.

He is referring to his former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa, who was ousted at the end of 2014 and in Brazil qualified a strong third for Mercedes-powered Williams.

McLaren team boss Eric Boullier, meanwhile, played down suggestions he had imposed a looming deadline for Alonso to commit to the new Honda-powered era.

"Let's see what my decision is in the end," said Fernando Alonso (Photo: WRI2)

"On this issue something was written by a German journalist," he told the Spanish daily Marca, "but what I said is that I would like our driver lineup to be decided before Abu Dhabi."

Frenchman Boullier is at least no longer denying that talks are taking place.

"Fernando is one of the best drivers," he said. "With Hamilton and Vettel, he is on the let's say 'A-list' of drivers. We have talked to all three and I would like to have Fernando or Lewis because Vettel is already in Ferrari."

He said the way Alonso's relationship with McLaren imploded spectacularly in 2007 would not happen again.

"The big difference is that Ron now has a different role," said Boullier. "He is concentrated on the McLaren Group, not the day to day of the F1 team."

Fascinatingly, he also hinted that Spanish sponsors could accompany Alonso to Woking.

Asked specifically about Santander or Movistar, Boullier laughed: "Santander, Madrilena ... there are no serious negotiations, but if they want to come, there is no problem!"

It is rumoured Alonso could make his first visit to Woking since the fateful 2007 collaboration on this coming Wednesday.

And the first growl of Honda V6 power could be heard later this month, as McLaren has been hard at work mating the Japanese manufacturer's 2015 engine to an interim car.

It could run at the post-Abu Dhabi test.

"For logistical reasons we have until 15 or 16 November (to decide)," said Boullier, "but we are getting ready to test and monitor the systems and it could be in Abu Dhabi."

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has joined those who are heavily critical of Caterham's plea for fans' money to get the struggling team back on track.

In administration and missing in Austin and Brazil, the outfit has launched a crowdfunding scheme to raise the almost $4 million it says it needs to make it to this year's Abu Dhabi finale.

It is a last roll of the dice for the beleaguered Tony Fernandes-founded outfit, with F1 chief executive Ecclestone warning on Saturday that if Caterham doesn't race in Abu Dhabi, the team will lose its place on the 2015 grid.

"Yes, absolutely," he told reporters at Interlagos.

"If I sit in a poker game and I can't afford to be there with the other people, I get killed and have to leave," the 84-year-old Briton added.

Red Bull's Christian Horner has already slammed Caterham's public appeal for money, even though the backmarker team has already raised a surprising $800,000 -- more than 20 per cent of the funds it needs for Abu Dhabi.

But GPDA president Alex Wurz agrees with Horner.

"Since I've been in formula one, and that's a few years, it has always been extremely tight with the teams at the back end," the Austrian is quoted by German broadcaster Sky.

"Some teams spend more than they have. They knew the economic conditions, they voluntarily signed up for F1 and they didn't manage their money properly.

"For teams like this, I do not have so much compassion," Wurz admitted.

Bernie Ecclestone is against Caterham's crowdfunding idea (Photo: WRI2)

Ecclestone, meanwhile, returned to his now familiar "begging bowl" theme to reject Caterham's crowdfunding plea.

A couple of weeks ago, when bailiffs were seizing Caterham's assets and advertising them for sale on Twitter, Ecclestone had said: "I think it's better they go.

"I don't want people going around with begging bowls."

Now, as Caterham puts its hand out to its fans, he said of the crowdfunding project: "I think it's a disaster.

"We don't want begging bowls. If people can't afford to be in formula one they have to find something else to do."

Ecclestone also had bad news for angry privateers Lotus, Force India and Sauber on Saturday, as he was asked for an update on behind the scenes talks about a so-called $160 million 'fighting fund'.

Asked if the sport's owner CVC is prepared to release the money, he told Britain's Sky: "We're not allowed to.

"The only way that that could ever happen is if the (other) teams agree to share their money. They are getting nearly a billion, so maybe they can chip a few quid in between them," added Ecclestone.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso remains the big player as the F1 driver 'silly season' reaches its climax for another year.

Further down the grid, the field of 2015 is now beginning to shape up. Lotus is set to keep Romain Grosjean, and Jean-Eric Vergne is getting one more year at Toro Rosso.

At Force India, a minor spat is taking place over some details of Sergio Perez's contract, with the Mexican saying he wants "a couple of changes" for 2015.

Team owner Vijay Mallya, however, is sticking to their prior agreement.

"I have a two year contract with Sergio Perez," he told reporters in Brazil. "We had an option that was signed as part of his original contract, we have exercised the option."

Spaniard Alonso, surely splitting from Ferrari, is the big domino now teetering on the brink of falling over. When he does, it will almost certainly end veteran Jenson Button's long F1 career.

Nonetheless, the long impasse persists for now, with Alonso facing off against Ferrari over who terminated what, and who will either receive or forfeit millions in severance.

Until it is settled, Sebastian Vettel's 2015 deal to replace him in red cannot even be mentioned.

"Be patient," Red Bull's outgoing world champion said at Interlagos. "One thing is for sure -- I will not be spending my time at the beach next year."

Even Alonso, although treading very carefully whilst under contract to Ferrari and not even ruling out staying, is now hinting openly that his days with the Maranello team are numbered.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14-T (Photo: WRI2)

"Look at my former teammate Felipe Massa," he is quoted by Spanish publications as having said at a Santander event late on Friday in Brazil.

"He (Massa) spent years at Ferrari but this year (with Williams) was on the podium and pole position. So there is life after Ferrari," Alonso declared.

It is an open secret that Alonso is deep in negotiations about joining McLaren-Honda for 2015. Spain's AS daily claims he has agreed the "largest contract in the history of formula one".

The newspaper is referring to money, not contract length. Indeed, it is the details of the two-year deal that are now the subject of intricate talks.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports from Brazil that one sticking point has been Ron Dennis' alleged insecurity at Woking as a shareholder alongside Mansour Ojjeh and the Bahrainis.

"His partners are looking for a new boss," claimed correspondent Michael Schmidt. "The rumour mill is mentioning Christian Horner, Gerhard Berger and Ross Brawn."

Schmidt said that, because of the uncertainty, Alonso wants to sign his contract not with McLaren but with its new works engine supplier Honda.

But team boss Eric Boullier insists the negotiations are being handled by McLaren.

"The official competitor on the FIA entry list is McLaren, so McLaren is the contracting party for the drivers -- nobody else," he told British television Sky.

It might not be taking place until April 2015, but another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced.

It might not be taking place until April, but another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced.

Another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced, this time from Mitsubishi Motors North America.

It might not be taking place until April 2015, but the first car to be making its global debut at the next NYIAS has been announced.

It might not be taking place until April, but another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced.

Another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced, this time from Kia Motors America.

Another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced, this time from Volkswagen of America.

It might not be taking place until April, but another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced.

It might not be taking place until April 2015, but another global debut for the next NYIAS has been announced.

Automakers' plans for the Super Bowl in February are beginning to emerge. Mercedes-Benz has bought time in the big game, according to Donna Boland, a spokeswoman for the company. The news was reported earlier Friday by The New York Times.

Bill Spoerle, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway restoration manager, died Tuesday. He was 80.