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For a mechanical engineer who once worked on 1,000-hp race boats and Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s roaring NASCAR engines, Pam Fletcher is pretty stoked about a car that starts with barely a whisper.

The global car is here. And it's not a car. It's the small crossover, and it's quickly cementing its place as the super vehicle for the global auto market.

Ford Motor Co.'s installation of former General Motors executive Mark LaNeve as its new U.S. sales and marketing chief shows that the automaker plans to get more aggressive.

A major body shop chain has acquired Pohanka Collision Centers, a 12-store auto body shop group in Maryland and Virginia affiliated with Pohanka Automotive Group.

They held an electronics extravaganza in the desert last week -- and a car show broke out.

Most automakers and traditional suppliers aren't content to let mobile-phone technology dictate how drivers interact with their vehicles.

There about as many words in this short story as there will be 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spiders available to dealers to sell in the United States each year.

We are looking for powerful women in the auto industry. One hundred of them.

Mercedes-Benz basically invented the automobile. And judging from its new prototype for a self-driving luxury car, it may be an old-guard company like Mercedes -- not a newcomer like Google Inc. -- that reinvents the automobile for the next century.

Automotive News Europe needs your help to identify the Rising Stars in the European automotive industry. The award honors executives with a pan-European profile who have driven change, fostered innovation and made courageous decisions.

From GMM

Daniel Ricciardo has expressed confidence Red Bull can close the gap on dominant 2014 title winners Mercedes this year.

Given Mercedes' level of dominance last season and the restraints of the engine development freeze, many believe the German team will be hard to challenge even in 2015.

La Gazzetta dello Sport, for instance, thinks Mercedes is already knocking on the door of the 900 horse power mark.

"Can Renault and Ferrari get to Mercedes' level? It's going to be a very difficult challenge," Red Bull designer Adrian Newey, who is stepping back from the front line this year, told Sky.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

Australian Ricciardo, however, was the only driver to challenge Mercedes' otherwise uninterrupted run of victories last year, and he is sounding confident.

"When I think back to Melbourne last year, we finished second after missing some of the pre-season testing," he is quoted by France's L'Equipe.

"Then Mercedes continued to develop through the season. But I hope that they have now reached the pinnacle, while on our side we have room to improve.

"If we have a good winter, we should catch up," Red Bull driver Ricciardo added.

From press release

Jordan Taylor ran the fastest lap of the three-day Daytona 24 test, going 1m39.181 in Wayne Taylor Racing's No. 10 Konica Minolta Corvette DP shared by his brother Ricky Taylor and Max Angelelli to lead the Prototype (P) class.

Jordan Taylor, Corvette DP Konica Minolta. (Photo: IMSA)

Dans les autres catégories, on note le meilleur temps de Colin Braun, en Other class leaders were Colin Braun, Prototype Challenge (PC), running 1:41.769 in the No. 54 CORE Autosport ORECA FLM09; Earl Bamber, GT Le Mans (GTLM), 1:44.316 in the No. 912 Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR; and Marc Goossens in GT Daytona (GTD), 1:46.948 in the No. 33 TI Automotive / ViperExchange.com Dodge Viper SRT GT3-R.

The test was held in preparation for the 2015 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 24-25.

Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota) claimed Stage 8 of the famous Dakar Rally while Nasser Al-Attiyah (MINI) maintained his lead in the overall standings.

South African Giniel de Villiers had made gains on leader Al-Attiyah during Stage 7 - the first of the marathon stages - and he looked like he was going to secure a second straight stage win but was delayed following a puncture.

He eventually finished fourth with Argentina's Orlando Terranova second and Nasser Al-Attiyah third.

Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah's now leads de Villiers by 8m27 in the overall standings.

Overall standings (after Stage 8):
1 Al-Attiyah, MINI
2 De Villiers, Toyota, +8m27
3 Al-Rajhi, Toyota, +18m40
4 Holowczyc, MINI, +54m38
5 Ten Brinke, Toyota, +1h22m52

From GMM

Indian authorities have moved to restrict international travel for embattled Sahara Force India supremo Vijay Mallya.

Amid ongoing action relating to his ailing airline Kingfisher, a Mumbai court said the former billionaire can no longer leave India unless he submits a detailed itinerary 48 hours in advance.

The Economic Times also said the action brought on behalf of the tax department means Mallya will have to provide two references for any international travel.

"This order is a significant one," the tax department's lawyer is quoted as saying, and "sends the right message in such cases that court orders cannot be taken lightly and reinforces that no one is above law."

There are 20 grands prix on the 2015 F1 calendar scheduled between March and November.

From GMM

Pat Symonds has admitted Williams' next step will be more difficult than the giant leap of 2014.

After a career slump that hit bottom in 2013 with ninth in the constructors' standings, the once-great Grove team managed to end last year as arguably Mercedes' closest challenger.

But Red Bull designer Adrian Newey thinks Williams was helped last year by its switch from Renault to industry-leading Mercedes power.

"Clearly, last year was engine-dominated," he told Sky, "and we saw that with Williams springing forward. Obviously Williams did a very good job but I think what really made the difference for them was the engine."

Valtteri Bottas, Williams FW36-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

Williams' technical chief Symonds, however, said the British team is proud to have beaten a grandee name like Ferrari to third place in the constructors' standings.

"We are stable and do not have financial difficulties," he insisted, according to France's L'Equipe, "but we do not have the budget of some of our competitors.

"So it was especially pleasing last year to beat Ferrari for example, as we have half the budget they do. But to be better than third in 2015 will certainly be more difficult than going from ninth to third place last year."

Pat Symonds also denies that Williams' leap forward can so easily be explained by its superior 'power unit'.

"In 2013," he pointed out, "we also had the same engine as the world champions (Red Bull) and we were ninth. We had many new things in 2014 including the aero and the braking system, and those things do not happen by magic.

"We want to continue on this path in 2015," Pat Symonds added.

From GMM

McLaren has denied reports it will run its Honda-powered 2015 car a few days before its launch and official test debut.

Spain's El Mundo Deportivo claimed that, following news the MP4-30 will be launched on January 29, the car will actually clock up some laps beforehand.

"A few days before (the launch), the car will run at Silverstone for a shakedown and to shoot a promotional film," the report added.

"It is hoped the software problems of the post-season test in Abu Dhabi have been solved."

But a McLaren spokesman told us: "We are not planning to run the MP4-30 before the Jerez test."

El Mundo also claimed McLaren is likely to enter a second consecutive season without a title sponsor, given that talks with the Spanish mobile operator Movistar are not promising.

Meanwhile, the Swiss newspaper Blick reports that Sauber is likely to launch its 2015 car in a simple pitlane unveiling ceremony ahead of the Jerez test.

From GMM

Mercedes is positioning to keep world champion Lewis Hamilton well beyond the 2015 season.

Talks over the Briton's expiring contract were scheduled towards the end and then just after the 2014 season.

But in what was interpreted as a 'hurry up' to the 30-year-old, boss Toto Wolff recently declared that Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas are first in line for Hamilton's seat should he leave the Brackley team late this year.

Now, Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport claims Mercedes "has prepared a three-year renewal (of the deal) for a fixed EUR 20 million per season".

The report speculated that the deal to be presented to Hamilton, who is currently not represented by a manager, is for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018.

Hamilton's new contract may also include a million euro bonus for each race win, and 5 million for his third world title, La Gazzetta added.

Lewis Hamilton, 2014 world champion, Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

Britain's Daily Star said the Mercedes renewal beyond 2015 will make Hamilton the highest paid driver in F1.

He is quoted as saying: "Not everyone gets to work with such a great team. They helped me to my dream with a great and dominant car."

From press release

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (CTMP) will return as an exhibitor in the Canadian Motorsports Expo section of the Motorama Custom Car & Motorsports Expo in Toronto.

The show takes place March 13, 14 and 15 at Toronto's International Centre, adjacent to Pearson International Airport.

At Motorama, Ontario's racing facility - which is located northeast of Toronto - will highlight the continuing redevelopment of its 900+ acre motorsports property. Track representatives will also showcase CTMP's impressive 2015 racing calendar, which features a wide variety of major league and grassroots road racing competition.

The most recent phase of construction at the Bowmanville, Ontario-area venue has been focused on the Karting Centre, which has been newly named Mosport Kartways.

The re-configuration and re-paving of the circuit has already been completed, and a new building that includes a reception area, showroom, washrooms, change rooms and a parts and service area, will be finished in time for the start of the 2015 racing season.

The 17th edition of Canada's most prestigious kart racing event will be coming to Mosport Kartways on August 20-23 when competitors from across the country will race for the top podium positions in the Rotax Max Challenge and Briggs & Stratton National classes.

The road courses will be the stage for races of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and TUDOR United SportsCar Series.

While these two events will be perceived as season highlights, the 2015 Canadian Tire Motorsport Park schedule also features visits from American touring series like the Pirelli World Challenge (all classes), the Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge, and several others.

Canadian Tire Motorsport Park has been recognized as Canada's Home of Motorsports since 1961, with the history of this world-renowned facility continually growing.

Fans can get an insider's look at the next chapter by visiting their display at the 2015 Motorama Custom Car & Motorsports Expo.

Here is the video of Portuguese Antonio Felix da Costa's victory in an action-packed Buenos Aires electric ePrix ahead of e.dams-Renault's Nicolas Prost and China Racing's Nelson Piquet Jr.

FIA Formula E Championship - Buenos Aires ePrix (Rd 4) - Race results:

1. Antonio Felix da Costa, Amlin Aguri, 48m52.100
2. Nicolas Prost, e.dams-Renault, +5.354s
3. Nelson Piquet Jr, China Racing, +8.552s
4. Jaime Alguersuari, Virgin Racing, +11.148s
5. Bruno Senna, Mahindra Racing, +11.535s
6. Jean-Eric Vergne, Andretti, +11.535s
7. Sam Bird, Virgin Racing, +13.617s
8. Nick Heidfeld, Venturi, +15.464s
9. Oriol Servia, Dragon Racing, +19.334s
10. Stephane Sarrazin, Venturi, +28.973s
etc

From GMM

Former McLaren tester Gary Paffett is unsure of the British team's potential as its new works Honda era begins.

After years of serving as tester, McLaren's change of power means Briton Paffett, who will remain Mercedes powered in DTM, has left the Woking team.

McLaren is now working with Honda, its ultra-successful partner of the 80s.

"The last (McLaren-Honda) time was very successful," Paffett told f1web.it, "but it is now more difficult to make predictions.

"To succeed, Honda will need to reach Mercedes' level, which will be very difficult. McLaren also needs to make progress with the chassis, as in recent years, the car did not meet the expectations of the team," he added.

McLaren-Honda. (Photo: WRi2)