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News 9 Jan, 2015

MINI's topless version of its latest hatch has been snapped with only minimal camouflage, set for November release

BMW outsold Audi and Mercedes in December to round off a 10th year as global luxury car-sales champion but its two German rivals have reduced its advantage.

General Motors stands by its target to return to profit in Europe in 2016, CEO Mary Barra said. Barra's stance contrasts with Ford, which last autumn cut its outlook for Europe due to steeper losses in Russia.

BMW Group has said it achieved record worldwide sales in 2014 with a total of 2,117,965 vehile deliveries, up 7.9% on 2013's total.

Honda has said it will pay $70m in penalty fines to the US government for failing to report hundreds of injuries and deaths involving its cars.

New vehicle sales in Taiwan increased by over 12% to 423,829 units in 2014, from 378,456 units in the previous year, based on registration data released by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

Tesla expects Europe to play a big part in its bid to hit production targets by the end of 2015, but the region presents unique challenges, as the electric carmaker's global sales boss, Jerome Guillen, explained to Automotive News Europe.

ZF supplies the new-generation Maserati Quattroporte's eight-speed automatic transmission, which is 4kg lighter than the six-speed transmission used in the car's predecessor.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso's former teammate doubts the Spaniard's high-profile switch from Ferrari to McLaren will result in instant success.

But Jarno Trulli, who was Alonso's teammate at Renault over a decade ago, does think the end of the five-year partnership with Ferrari was inevitable.

"I think after five years of marriage with Ferrari, when it did not result in a world championship, which is what Fernando expected, it is normal that the end came," the 40-year-old Italian said.

"For both sides. For Fernando and for Ferrari, who both want to win races and titles," said Trulli.

Fernando Alonso, McLaren-Honda, at Woking. (Photo: McLaren F1 Team)

A former Monaco winner, Jarno Trulli was speaking to Spain's EFE news agency from Buenos Aires, where as a team owner and driver he is preparing for the next Formula E race.

"It was the natural end of a relationship," he added, referring again to Alonso's Ferrari split.

"But now Fernando is at McLaren and, unfortunately, it doesn't look to be a better option for Alonso than Ferrari. At the moment, there is nowhere better to be if not at Mercedes.

"There are very few options, because the quality of formula one has suffered a dramatic decline in performance. There are only a few teams that can afford to develop engines and cars, because budgets are very high and the economic situation is not helping.

"That leaves you with very few options, and that's the situation Fernando is in now.

"It is a difficult situation," Trulli explained, "and hard to accept, even for him, because he obviously wants to fight for victory. But I think it's going to be another tough season this year with McLaren.

"I don't wish that for him, but it does not look good."

Trulli admitted that the political situation for McLaren's new works engine supplier Honda, who have been left out of the controversial development 'unfreeze', is yet another problem.

"For now," said the former Toyota driver, "I think the only good thing is that Fernando is going to be paid well. But on the technical side, I do not see McLaren being able to match the two or three best teams."

But one positive for Alonso, Trulli explained, is that he will likely not overly regret his decision to leave Ferrari.

"It has been difficult times for them (Ferrari)," he said, "changing people, taking wrong decisions. They did not benefit from the rule changes and lag behind technically, and - until recently - also politically.

"Now at least they succeeded politically with opening the engine freeze, but the main problem is that they need to turn the technical side around completely. You don't do that in a day. Not even in a year -- it takes a long time."

Jarno Trulli therefore tips Mercedes to dominate yet again in 2015.

"They have an enormous advantage," he said, "and the others are not going to catch up yet because I think last year they (Mercedes) still had something in their sleeve."

From GMM

Former Mercedes tester Sam Bird says F1 teams no longer scour the world's top racing categories in search of the best possible drivers.

28 today, the Briton was until recently a Mercedes simulator driver and a GP2 winner -- a resume that in decades past would have seen him knocking loudly on the door of the grand prix grid.

Instead, he is a frontrunner in the new Formula E series, on a grid filled with former F1 stars like Jarno Trulli and Jean-Eric Vergne, and F1 nearlymen like Bird and Antonio Felix da Costa.

Sam Bird, Virgin Racing. (Photo: FIA Formula E)

Bird is currently third in the standings, having won in Malaysia, but ahead of the forthcoming race in Buenos Aires he is not expecting the eyes of formula one to be on him.

"Formula one won't look at this and think 'Gosh he's a good driver, I've got to have him'," he told The Times. "Unless you've got a bottomless pit of money, they don't really look at you anymore."

Sam Bird, however, thinks that although the F1 teams are being forced to weigh money with talent, the strategy could ultimate backfire for the sport.

"Formula one needs youth in the long run because there's only so many years that Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are going to be around and when they're gone, who are we going to end up with?" he said.

"The big teams spend so much money to get the points to get the prize money that makes them richer. It's just an endless circle in favour of the big teams, so the small teams don't have any choice but to take on drivers who have 15 to 20 million euros.

"There are some drivers, whether it's myself or drivers in GP2 or world endurance series, who have had potential or results required to warrant a chance but haven't even had a sniff of it due to lack of funding," Bird added.

"It's very frustrating but that's the way it is and it's not going to change."

Paul Hembery, director of motorsport at Pirelli, told Sky Sports that the Italian tire manufacturer would adopt a more aggressive approach for the 2015 Formula 1 season.

Pirelli adopted a safe approach in 2014 as the sport introduced the new turbo hybrid V6 Power Units.

The suppliers have developed their engines during the winter months and we can expect this year's V6 to produce more top end power and torque.

“Last year people said we were a little bit too conservative and maybe a little bit boring, but I think it is more a case of we went into a year with new technology and there is a little bit of that this year,” Hembery told Sky Sports Online.

“We've seen some initial data that suggests the cars are going to make another good step in performance compared to last season and what might have been a conservative choice last season might become quite an aggressive one in 2015,” he explained.

The British engineer added that most tire compounds remain unchanged. “Just one change really, the supersoft is having a little bit of a tweak to it to improve its working range with the temperature ranges,” he added.

From Formula1.com

Formula 1 racing's governing body, the FIA, has formally confirmed how the new virtual safety car (VSC) system will work ahead of the 2015 season.

The concept was introduced in the wake of Jules Bianchi's crash in last year's Japanese Grand Prix, and was trialled during practice at the last three races of 2014.

The procedures have now been agreed and set out as part of the 2015 sporting regulations, which state the VSC may be used to neutralise a race, and will "normally be used when double waved yellow flags are needed on any section of track and competitors or officials may be in danger, but the circumstances are not such as to warrant the use of the safety car itself".

Once the virtual safety car has been called, all electronic marshal panels around the track will display 'VSC', while teams will be notified via the official messaging system.

Drivers will not be allowed to enter the pits, unless changing tires, and must stay above the minimum time set by the FIA at least once in each marshalling sector.

Cars may not be driven "unnecessarily slowly, erratically or in a manner which could be deemed potentially dangerous," with those who fail to stay above the minimum time to be sanctioned by the stewards.

When the clerk of the course is satisfied it is safe to resume racing, teams will be notified via the official messaging system.

Then, "at any time between 10 and 15 seconds later, 'VSC' on the FIA light panels will change to green and drivers may continue racing immediately". After 30 seconds, the green lights will be extinguished.

Seven-time Canadian Rally Champion Antoine L'Estage will drive an Impreza WRX STI for Subaru Rally Team Canada in 2015.

L'Estage and co-driver Alan Ockwell will join Subaru Rally Team Canada (SRTC) in their quest for their 11th Canadian Rally Championship for Marques during the 2015 Canadian Rally Championship (CRC) season.

Subaru Impreza WRX STI (Photo: René Fagnan)

Hot off the heels of a highly successful 2014 CRC season, L'Estage created history by becoming the first driver to win every CRC event in one year and capture the driver's championship, while Alan Ockwell, who co-drove with L'Estage from the second CRC event forward, won the co-driver title for 2014.

“I'm delighted to be given such an opportunity,” said Antoine L'Estage.

“I cannot wait to start working with Subaru Rally Team Canada and Rocket Rally Racing.”

Subaru Rally Team Canada will continue to be managed in cooperation with Rocket Rally Racing (RRR) and Patrick Richard, based out of Squamish, BC, for the 2015 season.

The 2015 CRC season kicks off on February 6th at the Rallye Perce-Neige Maniwaki, in Maniwaki, Quebec, marking the 50th anniversary of the event.

From GMM

McLaren looks set to launch its Honda-powered 2015 car with an event at the British team's Woking headquarters on January 29.

International media reports are suggesting the McLaren launch could then be followed a day earlier or later by the official presentation of the new Ferrari.

Unlike the McLaren event, however, which will feature journalists attending an actual car unveiling, Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport said the Ferrari 'launch' will in fact simply be the release of multimedia items on the internet.

The report tipped the Ferrari livery to again be red and white with a touch of black carbon, adding that behind-the-scenes rumblings from Maranello suggest the latest wind tunnel results are "encouraging".

"There is optimism that much of the aerodynamic deficit has been bridged," said La Gazzetta. "And combined with the political victory on the engine side that will improve performance and economy, there is a feeling of moderate optimism."

Friday, Ferrari confirmed it would launch the new car on the Scuderia's web site and on its digital and social platforms on Friday January 30th. The code name of the car has not yet been released.

From GMM

Porsche chief executive Matthias Muller has now added his confirmation to reports the German marque is not interested in entering formula one.

Already this week, the fabled Volkswagen-owned sports car company's research and development chief Wolfgang Hatz said F1 "has never been an issue for us and won't be.

"Le Mans is a more attractive environment for us -- there are more and more competitors and we learn more about the production of road cars," he told Auto Motor und Sport.

Now, Hatz's boss Muller has nailed the lid on the total rejection of formula one by Porsche, who in 2015 will field drivers including Mark Webber and Nico Hulkenberg in the premier LMP1 prototype category at fabled Le Mans.

Referring to the three-year decision to enter Le Mans in 2014 rather than another top category like F1, he told DPA news agency: "We have not looked back once and we are perfectly happy.

"We think LMP1 is the future", Muller said, adding that in contrast F1 appears to be "in more and more difficulty".

From GMM

Paul Hembery, official tire supplier Pirelli's F1 chief, is expecting the field to speed up significantly in 2015.

Last year, the Italian marque took a deliberately conservative approach to its 2014 rubber, having gone through a tumultuous 2013 and with the uncertainties of the new turbo V6 era in mind.

As a result, and with the high-downforce, V8 powered era in the past, lap times last year generally suffered.

"Last season," Hembery agreed, "the power unit manufacturers, the teams, and ourselves (Pirelli) learned a lot.

"It will be very interesting to see what awaits us in Australia," he is quoted by Russia's f1news.ru. "Only then will we get a real idea of the scale of changes that have occurred.

"At Pirelli we already have specific information about what we can expect in the new season, and I can say that some of it is very interesting, and that is to put it mildly.

"We expect a significant increase in pace, and when you consider how much laptimes normally improve through a season, I think by the end of 2015 we will be getting close to breaking records," Hembery added.

From press release

After entering two Hyundai i20 WRC cars for Rallye Monte-Carlo later this month, Hyundai Motorsport will switch to a three-car entry for Rally Sweden in February in order to raise its game in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC).

Belgian crew Thierry Neuville/Nicolas Gilsoul and Spaniards Dani Sordo/Marc Martí will continue behind the wheel of the No. 7 and No. 8 Hyundai Shell World Rally Team cars respectively.

Hayden Paddon will take part in his first event of the year at Rally Sweden, driving the No. 20 Hyundai i20 WRC alongside compatriot co-driver John Kennard, as the Kiwi crew remain with the team this year in an expanded role.

Hyundai Motorsport carried out a preparatory test in Sweden in mid-December with Neuville and Sordo each driving two days in the Hyundai i20 WRC.

Paddon will test the car for one day during the week prior to the rally, with the Belgian and the Spaniard also getting some extra time in the Hyundai i20 WRC with a half-day test each.

Hyundai i20 WRC. (Photo: Hyundai Motorsport)

Russian Vladimir Vasilyev took his maiden stage victory in the 2015 Dakar Rally while Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah still leads the overall standings.

MINI X-raid driver Vasilyev set the pace from the start of the stage and had a trouble-free run to give MINI its fifth win in as many stages of the event.

The Russian, who finished 10th overall in last year's Dakar, completed the 285-mile special 20 seconds ahead of Yazeed Al-Rajhi's Toyota.

American Robby Gordon was third quickest in his truck, 1m25s behind the stage winner, while rally leader Nasser Al-Attiyah finished in fourth, two places ahead of his main rival Giniel de Villiers, who saw the Qatari's lead increase to over 10 minutes after Thursday's stage.

However, former FIA World Rally champion Carlos Sainz rolled five times his Peugeot 2008 DKR and retired after five days of competition.

Carlos Sainz' Peugeot 2008 DKR. (Photo: Dakar.com)

Overall standings (after Stage 5)
1 Nasser Al-Attiyah,  MINI,  16h53m26
2 Giniel de Villiers,  Toyota,  +10m35
3 Yazeed Al-Rajhi,  Toyota,  +20m29
4 Krzysztof Holowczyc,  MINI,  +48m55
5 Erik van Loon,  MINI,  +53m25

Adapted from press release

Friday at 2pm local, the field of 89 cars took the start of the 2015 Hankook 24 Hours of Dubai.

The Fach Auto Tech Porsche team of Otto Klohs, Martin Ragginger, Jens Richter and Sven Muller started the race from pole position and led early on, but within the first three hours Mercedes took control hogging the top four positions with the Black Falcon cars first and second.

24 Hours of Dubaï 2015. (Photo: Dubai Autodrome)

The number two car of Abdulaziz Al Faisal, Hubert Haupt, Yelmer Buurman and Oliver Webb leading from the sister Abu Dhabi Racing backed car in the hands of UAE's Khaled Al Qubaisi, Jeroen Bleekemolen, Bernd Schneider and Andreas Simonsen.

In third place was the GT Russia Mercedes with multiple UAE champion Karim Al Azhari sharing the cockpit with Alexey Vasilyev, Marko Asmer, Karim Al Azhari and Kevin Korjus with the SPS Automotive Performance Mercedes in fourth.

UAE based teams and drivers were battling it out a the sharp end of their respective classes, with the Memac Ogilvy Duel Racing SEAT leading the A3T class and the Lap57 Honda slugging it out among the top three in the A2 Class.

Nissan and NASA formed a five-year pact to develop the technologies that will enable autonomous driving.