Takata, the auto supplier embroiled in a global safety crisis, said today its president, Stefan Stocker, would step down and CEO Shigehisa Takada, 48, would once again assume the role to unify the company's response to the recall of millions of...
Three days after virtually destroying his Hyundai i20 when he rolled six times during Rally Germany's shakedown, Thierry Neuville claimed his first world rally victory.
The Belgian's story began when he barrel-rolled through the vineyards near Trier less than a day before the start. Team mechanics worked overnight for 18 hours to rebuild the battered car and Neuville repaid them in style, making steady progress up the leaderboard until the final leg when he leapt from third to first when first Jari-Matti Latvala and then Kris Meeke crashed out of the lead.
Thierry Neuville's Hyundai i20 after the shakedown (Photo: WRI2)
The win on the ninth round of the championship was the first for Hyundai in its debut year back in the series. Neuville's team-mate Dani Sordo added icing to the cake by finishing second for the Korean manufacturer.
"I think we did an unbelievable job during all three days of the rally and I can only say thank you to our team," Neuville said. "They did a fantastic job after our roll on shakedown and I couldn't believe we could do such a good result. We put pressure on the others and it paid off."
"When I saw the video afterwards, I realised how lucky we were. In the car, it actually felt quite soft. But then I saw the pictures and said: 'I am lucky to be on the start line'. Maybe, after a six times' roll, which I have never done before, perhaps everything got in the right position again in my head!" he added.
Ferrari will launch its 2015 car on the internet in late January.
The fabled Italian team's new boss Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed to reporters earlier this week that the new project, codenamed 666, has passed all of its mandatory FIA crash tests.
It looks set to be debuted on schedule at the first official winter test at Jerez on February 1.
Before that, Arrivabene told Italy's Omnicorse, "It will be shown on the web at the end of January. The date is not yet specified.
"The reason is very simple," he explained. "The engineers have told me that, to prepare for a presentation as in the past years, it takes three days.
"That is too much in a phase that I prefer work is dedicated to the development of the car," Arrivabene added.
Nico Rosberg's attitude as he raced to defeat in Abu Dhabi perfectly encapsulated the Mercedes spirit.
That was the view of Daimler supremo Dieter Zetsche as he wrote an internal Christmas letter to employees, which has been revealed by Germany's Sport Bild.
The letter comes at the end of a stunningly successful season for the German marque, having utterly dominated the 2014 world championship.
Lewis Hamilton won the drivers' crown, but it was German Rosberg's attitude as he battled with his failing Mercedes that truly impressed Zetsche.
Nico Rosberg never gave up in his fight with Lewis Hamilton (Photo: WRI2)
He recalls how Rosberg was called into the pits to retire his dying car, but the 29-year-old asked to be allowed to push on to the chequered flag.
"It was not just about the chequered flag," wrote Zetsche, "it was a matter of principle. Don't give up.
"This attitude is the same as our colleagues who worked for these achievements step by step in recent years," he added.
Tyler Walker, a veteran of 28 NASCAR races, said he was sorry for the damages he caused during a high-speed car chase with the police in January of last year.
Walker, who was clocked at 150 mph during the chase, spoke during his hearing in St. George, Utah. According to reports, he also said he was addressing the drugs problems in which he became entangled before the events.
"I just want to thank everybody who helped me out ... and also apologize to ... everybody who was on the road," said Walker. "And just let everybody know I'm doing everything I can to ... be healthy so this never happens again."
The Associated Press quoted Walker's attorney, Trevor Terry, as saying the drug addiction might by a consequence of brain damages sustained in a racing crash.
"(Walker) is not saying that meth use is an acceptable way to cope with that, but that's what happened," said Terry.
In court, Walker pleaded guilty to felony counts of failure to stop for an officer and possession of a controlled substance, as well as misdemeanour counts of impaired driving, possession of drug paraphernalia, and having an open container of alcohol in the car.
He last raced in the Camping World Truck series in 2007.
Luca di Montezemolo has reacted with disappointment to suggestions his reign was responsible for Ferrari's decline.
New chiefs Sergio Marchionne and Maurizio Arrivabene addressed the media earlier this week and admitted that Maranello's 2015 project will not be a title winner.
"We are now coming from behind because of choices made by other people," said Marchionne, who ousted long-time president Montezemolo earlier this year.
Marchionne also admitted that he was opposed in principle to Montezemolo's candidature as the new chairman of the Formula One Group.
Sergio Marchionne (Photo: WRI2)
Montezemolo reacted by telling the Italian news agency Ansa that, regarding Marchionne's comments, "I promised myself not to make polemics for the deep love that I have for Ferrari".
"For the respect it deserves to those who work there today and who have worked on projects that won on the race track," the 67-year-old Italian added.
"In recent weeks I have witnessed repeated utterances that in some cases do not correspond to reality," Montezemolo added.
"I do not intend to respond to these provocations," he said.
"The sporting success, greater than that achieved by any other team, the strength and prestige of the brand in the world and the financial results critical to the FCA (Fiat Chrysler) group that this year will be the best in the history of the company, all speak for themselves."
Newly crowned Sunoco NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson has added yet another new title: dad.
Larson, 22, and his longtime girlfriend Katelyn Sweet welcomed their first child, son Owen Miyata at 11:09 p.m. ET on Monday in Charlotte. He weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and measured 19 1/2 inches.
The couple announced the news on Twitter, sharing that both mom and baby are doing well.
The baby's middle name "Miyata" is a nod to Larson's Japanese heritage. It is his mom Janet's maiden name, and Larson wanted the name to continue in the family.
The birth of the baby punctuates an already "big" year as Larson has called it -- his success and driving style in his first year in NASCAR's big league making him one of the sport's most popular young drivers.
The Chip Ganassi Racing driver had eight top-five finishes highlighted by three runner-up efforts. He scored his first Sprint Cup Series pole position at Pocono Raceway this summer and his 17 top-10 finishes in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet was more than eight of the 16 Chase drivers.
Renault's F1 chief Cyril Abiteboul has hailed the new collaboration with engine expert Mario Illien.
"It is great that Renault are now working with Ilmor," said Christian Horner, the boss of Renault's works team Red Bull, who in 2014 failed to win the title for the first time since 2009.
Renault faltered badly at the start of the all-new turbo V6 era in 2014, as Mercedes utterly dominated.
So it was significant that, as the 2014 season ended in Abu Dhabi recently, a notable VIP in the Red Bull garage was the multiple title-winning former Mercedes F1 designer Illien.
Mario Illien with Renault's Rob White (Photo: WRI2)
"Ilmor is a strong company with extensive experience with simular engines used in other series," Abiteboul told France's Auto Hebdo.
He confirmed that Illien's UK based company is now "performing some tasks" on behalf of the Renault F1 project.
"This is very useful in situations where it is necessary to analyse a set of solutions," Abiteboul added.
Another key reason for the Illien alliance, he admitted, is that it is "not so easy to create such a very complex hybrid system in the centre of France".
"We are not in the English 'Motorsport Valley', where in pubs every evening engineers from all over meet over a beer," he added.
Lewis Hamilton will not wear the coveted number 1 on his Mercedes in 2015, the FIA has announced.
Shortly before Christmas, F1's governing body released a revised entry list for next season confirming that Briton Hamilton, although the new champion, has opted to defend his title wearing his usual number '44'.
"44 is my number," Hamilton said after winning the 2014 drivers' title.
"I won my first championship with 44 in karting so I'll ask the team if I can keep it on my car now," added the 29-year-old, who even has '44' tattooed behind his right ear.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W05 (Photo: WRI2)
Meanwhile, three of F1's eleven teams are listed as "subject to confirmation" on the new entry list.
It is no surprise that two of them are Caterham and Manor, the latter of which is the revised name for the team that competed in 2014 as Marussia.
But also listed as conditional is Lotus, despite the fact the official entry includes the names of drivers Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado, and Mercedes power for the Enstone team.
Hertz Global Holdings raised prices for rental cars to be picked up January 1 or later. The stock had its biggest gain of the year, and Avis shares soared, too.
Hertz Global Holdings raised prices for rental cars to be picked up January 1 or later. The stock had its biggest gain of the year, and Avis shares soared, too.
It's still 2014, but not for much longer. In the global automotive business, plenty happened in 2014. Seasoned observer Dave Leggett offers a personal take on some of the year's most significant developments. This instalment considers major car products covered on just-auto.
French auto parts maker Faurecia said today it would appeal against a 2 million euro ($2.44 million) fine imposed by the country's AMF stock market regulator for alleged selective disclosure of financial information to stock analysts in 2012.
The year 2014 "has shown strong recovery in the automotive industry following the protracted six year downturn" and year on year growth for Kia is expected in 2015, the automaker's executive vice president and CEO of the international business division, Thomas Oh, said.
Suzuki launched its redesigned Alto minicar in Japan this week, claiming a 60kg weight reduction and improved fuel efficiency for this eighth generation model, classed as a 'minicar' in Japan.
With the current economy the last thing you need is for your vehicle to break down. Whether your driving a reliable car or a busted up van, insurance you can rely on is a must.
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