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The Discovery will be 11 this year, but one of its rivals is older still. Launched in Japan more than 15 years ago, Mitsubishi's biggest SUV has just had yet another facelift.

Just in time for cheap gasoline, automakers will show high-performance cars at next week's Detroit auto show. But pickups and hybrids will get their share of attention.

To boost Mini's prospects of long-term profitability, parent BMW Group has decided the British brand needs to shrink its lineup to four nameplates from seven.

Most car companies don't worry much about the cost of parking, but in a garage under a San Francisco overpass, a group of BMW employees is figuring out how to factor those costs into a new business model.

With gasoline selling for less than $2 a gallon in some states, it's fair to ask whether the industry's investment in electric vehicles has been an expensive blunder.

Mercedes-Benz could become the first luxury carmaker to launch new models in China before rolling them out in Europe and the U.S.

Moray Callum, Ford's global design chief, is coming off a frenetic year when Ford introduced a bevy of crucial products including the global 2015 Mustang and aluminum 2015 F-150 pickup, both generally well-received by critics.

In an increasingly digital, on-the-go world, Dale Snow's challenge was to devise the most effective way to update millennials on car repairs.

Honda dealer Greg May decided to follow American Honda Motor Co.'s advice and add service bays and make other improvements to his service department.

Jaguar is poised to have a record 2015 and to increase global sales to well above 200,000 vehicles this decade as a massive investment in products, plants and underpinnings starts to pay dividends.

Jaguar sales are set to surge following the arrival of the new XE midsize sedan and updated large premium XF. Jaguar Land Rover's global head of sales, Andy Goss, spoke about the brand's future with Automotive News Europe.

General Motors provided a sneak peek at the 2016 Chevrolet Volt -- which will be quicker, quieter and have a longer range than its predecessor -- Sunday night at International CES in Las Vegas.

There are lots of ways to gauge really good years in the auto industry, but here's one of the best: how many brands set sales records.

Reigning Dakar winner Nani Roma's start to the 2015 race turned into a disaster.

His MINI broke down just ten kilometres into the opening competitive section and had to wait for his assistance truck to arrive and make repairs. His car broke down yet again further along the stage, having to be towed home by his support team.

In all, Roma lost some 7 hours and 25 minutes to the leaders and sits a distant last at the bottom of the leaderboard, ending his hopes for a third Dakar crown.

Nani Roma's MINI at the first stage. (Photo: Dakar.com)

Meanwhile, his teammates Nasser Al-Attiyah and Orlando Terranova cruised to a one-two finish over a minute ahead of the rest of the field.

However, Al-Attiyah was given a two-minute penalty to speeding.

That handed the event lead to Terranova, with American driver Robby Gordon elevated to second overall and South Africa's Giniel de Villiers third in his Toyota, while under a minute separated the first five cars.

Peugeot managed a pair of top ten stage finishes, former World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz the best of their fleet of 2008 DKR buggies with eighth place.

RESULTS - Stage 1, 2015 Dakar Rally
1. Orlando Terranova (ARG)  MINI  1h13m12s
2. Robby Gordon (USA)  Gordini  +42s
3. Giniel De Villiers (RSA)  Toyota  +50s
4. Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL)  MINI  +54s
5. Emiliano Spataro (AUG)  Renault  +56s

From GMM

Carlos Sainz insists his famous name alone did not power his 20-year-old son all the way to formula one.

Carlos Sainz jr, the new reigning Formula Renault 3.5 champion, will make his debut for Toro Rosso in 2015, having emerged as the cream of Red Bull's famous driver development programme.

Nonetheless, a famous surname was also a help, Sainz's father and namesake, the Spanish rallying legend, admitted to the sports daily Marca.

"There have been times when the surname has benefited him," he admitted ahead of the famous Dakar rally, in which Sainz snr will race a Red Bull-sponsored Peugeot.

"But at the end, you don't get to formula one because of a surname, even less on a team such as the Red Bull junior team."

Carlos Sainz Sr aboard the Peugeot 2008 DKR. (Photo: RedBull.com)

Carlos Sainz, 52, said his son comes to F1 at a "very young" age, but nonetheless "prepared and having won one of the preceding championships to formula one with very good results".

"I sincerely believe that he arrives ready to do a good job," he insisted. "He has an exceptional talent, more than people think, and I hope he can prove it."

Sainz said he will be merely a "spectator" of F1 in 2015, admitting he cannot given his son much advice because "he knows more than I do!"

Carlos Sainz Jr, Red Bull RB10-Renault, in Abu Dhabi. (Photo: WRi2)

Williams Formula 1 team announced Monday an updated Race Operations structure to further bolster the engineering department ahead of the 2015 FIA F1 season.

Andrew Murdoch, previously Race Engineer to Felipe Massa, has been promoted to Senior Performance Engineer.

Murdoch will lead the Performance Group at the factory, developing new techniques and processes within the engineering team to ensure continual performance improvements are brought to both cars throughout the season. He will also remain part of the trackside team with a focus on Valtteri Bottas' car on event.

Photo: Williams Martini Racing

The team is further strengthened by the appointment of Dave Robson, who has joined to take on the role of Race Engineer to Massa and will work under Head of Vehicle Performance Rob Smedley. Robson joins from McLaren, where he had been working with Jenson Button since 2010, most recently as his Race Engineer. Jonathan Eddolls continues as Race Engineer to Bottas.

As part of this process, veteran Carl Gaden has been promoted to Senior Car Systems Engineer.

Gaden joined Williams in 1988 and has spent the last 22 years as Chief Mechanic on the Race Team. With his vast hands-on experience working across the cars, he will now increase the capabilities of the team within this area focusing on ensuring systems continue to be reliable.

Mark Pattinson, previously Number 1 Mechanic to Massa, will step up to take on the role of Chief Mechanic.

From GMM

At least two top teams will enter the 2015 season with fundamentally different colour schemes, it has emerged.

Spain's El Mundo Deportivo reports that new reigning champions Mercedes intend to switch from silver to a striking mirror-like chrome paint-job this year.

The report said the special chrome paint for the 2015 livery is called 'Kromo', and will also be supplied to wheel supplier OZ for the title-defending W06 raced by world champion Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

The same Spanish sports newspaper reports that with Mercedes stepping up its iconic silver look, Woking based McLaren is tipped for a complete livery U-turn in 2015.

McLaren turned silver in 1997, at the height of its works collaboration with Mercedes, but now the famous British team is kicking off its new era with Honda.

Mercedes W05 vs McLaren MP4-29-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

El Mundo Deportivo reported: "Honda does not want (McLaren) to continue with silver because it is a colour immediately associated with Mercedes and the 'Silver Arrows'.

"There are rumours the (2015) car could be orange, McLaren's traditional colour, for testing. But it could also be white, in a double-tribute: to Honda and also because McLaren's first F1 car was that colour" in 1966.

"The final choice could depend largely on whether McLaren has a major sponsor in 2015 or not," the report added.

From GMM

Sahara Force India has set a firm date for the launch of its 2015 car, the Mercedes-powered VJM08.

After finishing the 2014 season a career-high sixth in the constructors' championship, the Silverstone based team renewed with its major backer America Movil.

It means the Sergio Perez-linked Telmex, Telcel and Claro branding will also appear on the 2015 car, just as they also will at Ferrari, where Mexican Esteban Gutierrez has become the fabled Maranello team's new reserve driver.

Sahara Force India will reportedly herald its continuing Mexican link by launching the new car at the Soumaya museum in Mexico City on January 21.

"I wish to thank Telmex, Telcel and Claro for their support in making this event possible," said team boss Vijay Mallya.

Sahara Force India, VJM07-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

Veteran Verizon IndyCar Series' driver Marco Andretti will make his FIA Formula E Championship debut on Jan. 10 in Argentina in the No. 28 Andretti Autosport-prepared car.

Formula E is the FIA spec series for electric single-seaters.

“Having never been in the car, it's a bit of an unfamiliar situation for me but the team's pace looks solid enough for a great result," said Andretti, whose last seat time in a race car was the Verizon IndyCar Series 2014 season finale in August at Auto Club Speedway. "I like unknown situations; I'm up for the task.”

The third-generation racer will be the only American competing on the 12-turn circuit at Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires.

Former Toro Rosso F1 driver Jean-Eric Vergne will pilot the No. 27 car for the team, which is fifth in the championship standings through three rounds.

Marco Andretti replaces Franck Montagny at Andretti Autosport after the French racing driver was suspended from competition after testing positive for cocaine use.

From GMM

As ever in formula one, the future is always just around the next bend.

On Tuesday, at Bernie Ecclestone's behest, representatives of the four engine manufacturers - Mercedes, Renault, Ferrari and newcomer Honda - will get together in Geneva.

The F1 supremo wants them to talk about a new beginning for F1 in 2016, having briefed them to consider a new, more powerful, cheaper and louder engine formula.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, Ecclestone also wants more aggressive-looking cars that are more difficult to drive and exciting to watch.

But Niki Lauda, team chairman at new world champions Mercedes, urges against haste.

"Something sensible can really only be done if we give ourselves until 2017," he argues.

"And Honda would not have built this new engine for one season only. You need some stability, otherwise everything is insanely expensive," Niki Lauda added.

Before 2016 dawns, however, the 2015 world championship will be run and won, and at present it is not even clear how many cars will be on the grid.

Marussia and Caterham, for instance, are under administration, and Caterham is not committing even to the opening test at Jerez in 27 days time.

"Talks with interested parties continue," joint administrator Henry Shinners told the BBC on Monday, "but if a buyer is not found before the test, we will not put up the money to go."