Auto News 5

General Motors has said it remains committed to Canadian investments but made no specific promises about the future of its Oshawa, Ontario operations or requests for government assistance for Oshawa, Ontario Economic Development Minister Brad Duguid said after a meeting with GM chief executive officer Mary Barra, according to a local newspaper report.

Chris Urmson, director of self-driving cars at Google, has told an industry conference that Google has started talks with car companies and assembled a team of global suppliers to speed its push to bring self-driving cars to market.

News 15 Jan, 2015

Kia Cee'd family hatchback gets a makeover for August launch, likely with three-cylinder engines for the first time

Russian car sales are set to decline by 24 percent this year after falling 10 percent in 2014 as the country heads for recession. Major Western automakers including Ford, GM, and VW saw their Russian vehicle sales plunge steeply last year.

Continental says despite weak growth in Russia coupled with political uncertainty, its relatively small volume there will not significantly impact financial performance.

Opel said its new Karl minicar will cost 9,500 euros in Germany. The Karl will offer safety and driver systems not common in the segment including lane departure warning, Opel said.

Volkswagen has made a big effort to ensure its latest Passat remains Europe's best-selling midsize car, including adding a feature that can back the car and a trailer autonomously into a parking space.

Nasser Al-Attiyah captured his fourth stage win of the 2015 Dakar Rally but his X-raid MINI teammate Nani Roma suffered a bad crash and was forced to retire.

The Qatari competitor easily dominated the competition to beat Argentina's Orlando Terranova by 1m35 and, even more importantly, stretch 3m30 away from Yazeed Al-Rajhi and 4m24 from Giniel de Villiers.

Nani Roma endured a very difficult start to the 2015 Dakar with serious mechanical problems.

But after 200km of Stage 10, he rolled his MINI several times. He and his co-driver were reported unhurt.

Peugeot's difficult Dakar improved slightly, with Stephane Peterhansel ninth quickest, but he remains 14th on the leaderboard.

Overall standings (after Stage 10):
1 Nasser Al-Attiyah, MINI
2 Giniel de Villiers, Toyota,  +28m22
3 Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Toyota,  +43m08
4 Krzysztof Holowczyc, MINI,  +1h23m42
5 Erik van Loon, MIINI,  +2h51m13

The infamous Tabac corner of the Monaco Formula 1 circuit will be modified because of the development work currently going on at Monaco.

It is said that the track layout will remain the same.

The quayside and the area around the Tabac corner and Boulevard Albert 1er will be modified by construction work going on for the next four years.

The 'Bureau de tabac' corner in Monaco. (Photo: WRI2)

When the work at Tabac corner is done the harbour esplanade will have been widened to match the work previously done on the south side of the swimming pool, which allowed the pits to be extended some years ago.

The next step will apparently be done around the Rascasse hairpin corner, with the possible demolition of some old buildings. This will improve the access between the pits and the paddock and provide better viewing.

Defending title-winners Volkswagen has officially launched its 2015 World Rally Championship campaign by unveiling a new-look for its successful Polo R WRC.

Photo: Volkswagen Motorsport

Volkswagen, which has dominated the championship since its debut in 2013, will be trying for its third consecutive drivers' and manufacturers' title with its unchanged driver line-up of Sebastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen.

Photo: Volkswagen Motorsport

Photo: Volkswagen Motorsport

Additionally, here is the new livery that Robert Kubica's Ford Fiesta RS will carry at the season opening Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Ford Fiesta RS WRC. (Photo: Facebook/Robert Kubica)

The predominantly grey scheme replaces the red, white, blue and silver design of 2014. One constant is the branding of Kubica's long-time backers, Polish oil company Lotos.

Kubica is yet to reveal details of his WRC plans this season, but the Pirelli branding on this artwork would suggest a switch from his previous tire supplier, Michelin.

Adapted from press release

ART Grand Prix announced that McLaren F1 test driver, 22 year-old Belgian racer Stoffel Vandoorne will remain with the French based squad for his second consecutive season in the GP2 Series.

Vandoorne impressed from his debut in the series by winning the first feature race of the 2014 season in Bahrain before following up the superb performance with three more wins, four consecutive pole positions and a total of ten podium finishes to finish his rookie as runner-up in the F1 feeder series.

2015 will see him contest ART's colours once again with the main goal being to claim championship glory in the drivers' standings and to return the team to the head of the leaderboard, a position they have confidently held three times in the past.

“In the wake of a great season in 2014, I am very happy to continue with ART Grand Prix in GP2,” said Vandoorne.

“We showed we are the team to beat and many of our competitors have already pointed to us as their target, it's normal and rather flattering. I am confident because it will be my second year with a fantastic team that I know well. Apart from the DRS, the regulations won't change and I now have experience of the circuits, races, pit stops and tire management. The objective is clear: we want to win the title.”

As a safety precaution following Jules Bianchi's crash in Japan, the Malaysian Grand Prix will start earlier at Sepang.

The Marussia's driver Jules Bianchi remains in hospital in a critical condition after his collision in Japan in fading light and heavy rain.

During the contract renewal talks between Bernie Ecclestone and Razlan Razali, a discussion pointed to a race starting at 3:00pm local time, to avoid the tropical downpours.

"Mr Ecclestone mentioned that because of the Suzuka incident the FIA has some time limit," said the Sepang circuit boss at Reuters. "So he is reviewing to move the start to the original time, maybe this year.

"For us it's good. It's a safer time bracket... so now people can come in for lunch, watch the race and about five o'clock they can go back (home). He (Ecclestone) mentioned the possibility (of an earlier start). We said if you want to go back to three PM, we fully support it," added Razlan Razali.

Aerial view of Sepang track, Malaysia.

The possibility of hosting a night race, like in Singapore, has also been discussed but the promoter are not ready for that.

"It's a danger to force us to do it. In the past he (Ecclestone) was pushing but now I think it's the first time where he actually listened to us as a promoter what we want. At the moment (we don't want it). Every circuit has its own identity, the danger is to copy someone else," said the track boss.

Despite the popular success of the Singapore floodlit street circuit, Malaysia has a positive economic impact, promoting the country as a global destination.

"They (Singapore) have an edge because they are in the city and it looks really nice on TV, it's cooler but I still think Sepang offers better racing," he added.

Razlan Razali defined the talks with Bernie Ecclestone as "very positive" and expected a multi-year extension to be announced soon.

Although MotoGP has provided better value for spectators and attracted bigger crowds to Sepang for the past five years than Formula 1.

Regarding the new quieter power units, the Malaysian said: "We were concerned after the feedback from Australia. Very concerned. When it finally came to Malaysia, I didn't like it. It was simply too quiet. But what I noticed in the grandstands is that you get families with kids watching and enjoying Formula 1 better. I can remember in the past where a dad would put headphones on the kid and hold it. Or a kid would be too scared and start crying, wanting to go home. I think it attracts a new breed of fanbase now. And that's what you want."

When the Formula 1 engine suppliers met in Geneva last week, one thing they discussed was how to bring the “wow factor” back in F1.

The whole idea would be to make the next-generation F1 cars go faster and become harder to drive. Such needed changes would include an increase in downforce, bigger tires and a more aggressive look.

Formula 1's current Pirelli PZero tires are 245mm wide at the front and 325mm (12.8 inch) wide at the rear.

As a comparison, the 1976 F1 cars sat on amazingly fat, 26 inches wide rear tires!

Mercedes AMG W05, 2014 (Photo: WRI2)

McLaren M26, 1977 (Photo: WRI2)

"Wider tires? That appeals. I think when you see the images of the 1970s cars, it's not so extreme that you think dragster, but you do think 'wow look at that',” said Pirelli motorsport director, Paul Hembery.

"At the moment, the tires are quite small from many points of view. We will do what whatever is needed to make the sport what it needs to be,” the Briton added.

Hembery believes that a good target to aim for would be an increase that makes the rears wider than 400mm (15.6 inches). Not only the cars would look great, but also they'd have much better traction out of the corners and increased overall grip.

Enstone, UK's Lotus Formula 1 Team has reshuffled its engineering department.

Frenchman Romain Grosjean will now work with a new race engineer, fellow countryman Julien Simon-Chautemps.

The latter joined Lotus in 2011 after previous stints at Toyota and Caterham. He has also worked as Performace Engineer to Vitaly Petrov, Kimi Räikkönen and Pastor Maldonado at the team.

Grosjean's former race engineer, Ayao Komatsu has been promoted to the role of chief engineer.

Komatsu's first job in F1 was at BAR Honda in 2003 before he moved to be a tire engineer at Lotus (then Renault F1) in 2006.

Newly recruited four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel spent Thursday at Ferrari in Maranello.

The short press release said: “At the request of Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene, Sebastian Vettel came to Maranello to visit the Gestione Sportiva.

Vettel's selfie at the factory. (Photo: Ferrari)

“The purpose of the tour was to allow the four times World Champion to visit all the departments and to get better acquainted with everyone he will be working with this season.”

A look at 2015
Meanwhile, Ferrari unveiled to the official Scuderia uniform replica collection, which is premiering now exclusively online.

Everything from T-shirts to polo shirts, sweatshirts, dress shirts, jackets, baseball hats - all ready for a truly passion-fuelled new Formula 1 season.

Raikkonen wearing the new team uniform. (Photo: Ferrari)

From GMM

The Nurburgring has lost its round of the 2015 world championship, Germany's Bild newspaper reported on Thursday.

The fabled circuit was due to host the German grand prix this year, after Hockenheim staged it in 2014.

Until now, the two German circuits have annually alternated a single race allocation on the calendar.

But media reports earlier on Thursday said Hockenheim will in fact host the race for a second season in succession.

Start of the 2014 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. (Photo: WRi2)

Capricorn, the Nurburgring's current operating company, confirmed to Bild: "There is no contract. As for what Bernie Ecclestone is discussing with the Hockenheimring, we cannot comment."

Troubled Nurburgring's fate had appeared brighter in recent months, after Capricorn took over the circuit.

But the deal fell through, and the latest news in November was that another buyer - a Russian billionaire - was being lined up.

F1 supremo Ecclestone, however, told Reuters on Thursday: "It (the German GP) is going to be at Hockenheim, we're in the middle of doing something with them.

"It can't be Nurburgring because there's nobody there. We've got a contract in place (with Hockenheim), we just have to amend the years of the contract. It was alternating with Nurburgring so we'll just take that out," he added.

From press release

The 2015 racing schedule for Ontario's Ohsweken Speedway was officially released on Tuesday.

Racers will hit the track for the first time in 2015 with a Test & Tune Night scheduled for Friday, May 8, while the season concludes with the 11th annual Canadian Sprint Car Nationals on Saturday, September 19.

The schedule features 22 events, beginning with the 20th annual Opening Night on Friday, May 15.

All weekly racing events at the speedway will begin at 7:30 p.m. again in 2015.

Regular weekly racing events will include 20 lap features for the Corr/Pak Merchandising 360 Sprint Cars and Affordable Towing & Recovery Thunder Stocks, 15 lap features for the Strickland's GMC Crate Sprint Cars and HRW Automotive Mini Stocks, and a 12 lap feature for the Gale's Auto Aftermarket Bombers.

2015 Ohsweken Speedway schedule of events:
(subject to change)

Friday, May 8 - TEST & TUNE NIGHT
- All divisions competing at Ohsweken Speedway in 2015
Friday, May 15 - Weekly Racing - 20TH ANNUAL OPENING NIGHT
Friday, May 22 - Weekly Racing
Friday, May 29 - Weekly Racing
Friday, June 5 - Weekly Racing
Friday, June 12 - Weekly Racing - WALL OF FAME NIGHT
Friday, June 19 - Weekly Racing - CORR/PAK VS. PST
Friday, June 26 - Weekly Racing - SPORTSMAN SHOOTOUT
Tuesday, June 30 - TRIPLE CROWN SHOWDOWN
Friday, July 3 - Weekly Racing - CORR/PAK VS. SOS
Friday, July 10 - Weekly Racing - FRANKIE TURKEY MEMORIAL NIGHT
Friday, July 17 - Weekly Racing - BROCK LEONARD MEMORIAL NIGHT
Friday, July 24 - Weekly Racing - "CHRISTMAS IN JULY" & AUTOGRAPH NIGHT
Monday, July 27 - NORTHERN SUMMER NATIONALS
Tuesday, July 28 - 9TH ANNUAL "SIX NATIONS SHOWDOWN"
Friday, August 7 - Weekly Racing - "CORR/PAK VS. ESS"
Friday, August 14 - Weekly Racing - ART HILL MEMORIAL NIGHT
Friday, August 21 - Weekly Racing - CANADIAN NATIONAL AUTISM FOUNDATION "KIDSRACE" NIGHT & AUTOGRAPH NIGHT
Friday, August 28 - Weekly Racing
Friday, September 4 - Weekly Racing - SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT
Friday, September 11- End of season

CANADIAN SPRINT CAR NATIONALS
Thursday, September 17 - NATIONALS TEST & TUNE NIGHT
Friday, September 18 - "NIGHT BEFORE THE NATIONALS"
Saturday, September 19 - 11TH ANNUAL CANADIAN SPRINT CAR NATIONALS

Mary Barra said she was surprised by the wave of media attention that followed her appointment as the first female chief executive of a major global automaker about a year ago, saying that it reflects a backward view of the automotive industry.

Germany's Robert Bosch GmbH -- the world's largest automotive supplier -- is preparing to roll out the technology needed to allow cars to pilot themselves and change lanes at high speeds on the autobahn.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' head of US and Canadian sales says loose credit terms will continue to drive new vehicle sales, even as pent-up demand dwindles in a recovered economy.