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Ford has started production of the new Ford Mondeo Hybrid - the first hybrid electric car built and sold by Ford in Europe.

Magna International and Haartz Corp. teamed up to supply the new Opel Cascada's folding softtop roof. Haartz supplies an acoustically enhanced three-ply composite that offers enhanced sound deadening and insulation.

The Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold 200,000 electric vehicles since launching the Leaf some four years ago and is claiming a 58% share of the global EV market.

News 26 Nov, 2014

Skoda lets new Fabia owners add a touch of personality by adding their own images to the dashboard

News 26 Nov, 2014

New tests only give five stars to cars with latest safety kit

Mercedes has released details on its new CLA Shooting Brake, the latest model to join the automaker's fast-growing, hot-selling compact lineup. Mercedes says that compacts accounted for nearly a third of its global through October.

Land Rover plans to complain to Chinese officials about a close copy of its Evoque SUV that debuted at the Guangzhou auto show last week.

ZF will not follow rivals in pushing for 10-speed transmissions. The German supplier will stop at nine-speed transmissions, CEO Stefan Sommer says.

U.S. regulators have told Fiat Chrysler to speed up its recall of airbags with faulty inflators. The NHTSA said the company should begin its recall of cars with Takata airbags Dec. 1, almost three weeks earlier than the company planned.

Automakers and suppliers were hit hard in the third quarter while car retailers continued to make gains, according to the Automotive News Europe/PwC shareholder value report.

Visteon, which counts on Europe for about a third of its sales, has confirmed that it's in discussions with a private equity firm to sell its stake in South Korean joint venture Halla Visteon Climate Control.

From GMM

Fernando Alonso has wasted no time in strongly distancing himself from Ferrari, where he spent the past five seasons as the fabled team's 'number 1' driver.

On Tuesday, the Spaniard appeared to be openly laughing at the Maranello team's latest managerial shakeup, after Ferrari split with team boss Marco Mattiacci.

Alonso 'retweeted' a photo showing him grinning broadly as his friend Flavio Briatore posed with an unlit cigarette in his mouth and an open Marlboro packet as they dined in a restaurant.

Flavio Briatore and Fernando Alonso. (Photo: Twitter/Fernando Alonso)

It was obviously a reference to the 'Marlboro Man', as Mattiacci's successor is Mauruzio Arrivabene, until now a branding executive for Philip Morris.

Not only that, it seems that at some point after the chequered flag waved in Abu Dhabi last Sunday, Alonso symbolically 'unfollowed' the Ferrari team on Twitter.

Meanwhile, although he was photographed in plain clothes in the Ferrari garage on Tuesday, Alonso's successor Sebastian Vettel was reportedly unhappy with the Italian team on his first day of work at the Abu Dhabi test.

That is because when asked by Germany's Sport Bild what he thought of Mattiacci's departure, Vettel appeared to have not been told the news first-hand.

"Is it true?" he asked the correspondent.

The report said Vettel reacted by telling Ferrari he was disappointed to have not been informed about the major shakeup.

Mauruzio Arrivabene and Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, in Abu Dhabi. (Photo: WRi2)

Finally, when asked by Brazil's Globo if he will be accompanying Alonso from Ferrari to McLaren next year, the Spanish driver's race engineer Andrea Stella answered clearly: "Yes."

Former F1 driver David Coulthard admits he has some concerns about Ferrari's 2015 driver lineup, despite Vettel and Raikkonen's combined five career titles.

"Kimi Raikkonen's return to Ferrari was the worst season for one of their drivers since 1982," he told the Telegraph, adding that Vettel also "looked a shadow of himself" in 2014.

"The German did not like the new formula, he did not like the engines," Coulthard explained. "That is fair enough, but his mantra seemed to affect his ability to perform."

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Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne confirmed Wednesday that he is leaving Scuderia Toro Rosso Formula 1 team.

Vergne got the news from the team's directors that they opted to replace him after three seasons.

"Despite a good season & 22 pts, I'll not drive anymore for Toro Rosso in 2015," Vergne wrote on his Twitter account. "Thanks for those years. Let's go for another big challenge."

On his Facebook page, JEV wrote: "Hi. Despite a good season and 22 points, I will not drive anymore for Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015. Thanks for those years. Let's go for another big and successful challenge."

Toro Rosso is yet to officially confirm the news.

Vergne is likely to be replaced by current Formula Renault 3.5 series' champion, Carlos Sainz junior.

Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel breached his contract by kicking off his Ferrari career early on Tuesday.

Just days after his last grand prix with Red Bull, the quadruple world champion on Tuesday appeared in the Ferrari garage at the Abu Dhabi test, albeit wearing plain clothes.

But he talked with engineers including Pat Fry, and donned a set of Ferrari headphones as he tuned in to the test action involving his 2015 teammate and friend Kimi Raikkonen.

The German expressed frustration last week when Red Bull denied him the chance to test the Maranello-built 2014 car at this week's post-race test at Yas Marina.

"The (Red Bull) engineers suddenly panicked that I will take all these secrets to Ferrari," he had said.

Vettel's retaliation may have been starting his non-driving work at Ferrari ahead of time, but Dr Helmut Marko pointed out that it is technically a breach of contract.

"Legally, it's not ok, but I couldn't care less," the Red Bull official told Germany's Auto Bild.

Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, in Abu Dhabi. (PhotoL WRi2)

That is probably because Vettel has long been excluded from the details of Red Bull's plans for 2015.

"Of course there is information in terms of future development that normally would have been available to a driver," team boss Christian Horner told Austria's Servus TV this week.

"Formula one is such a competitive business that there is information that you (a driver) can take to another team," he added.

"But Sebastian is very professional, so I don't think he asked us too many questions about the new car," said Christian Horner.

Former Lotus Formula 1 reserve driver and 2012 GP2 series' champion, Italian Davide Valsecchi will test an Indy car for the first time in December with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

The Italian confirmed he will have a seat fitting on December 11 and will be driving the Honda-powered Dallara at Sebring, Florida a few days later.

“On Dec 16th I will have the pleasure of testing for @SPMIndyCar on the legendary @sebringraceway. I will do my best to make the team happy!!!” Valsecchi wrote on Twitter.

After him and Lotus put an end to their relationship, the Italian, aged 27, competed in the International GT Open series with Lamborghini this season.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports confirmed Canadian James Hinchcliffe for 2015 a few weeks ago, and is set to announce its second driver after this test.

From GMM

Ron Dennis has played down suggestions Honda's 2015 engine programme is running behind schedule.

After a recent filming day at Silverstone, the interim Honda-powered McLaren had its first true test day in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

With young tester Stoffel Vandoorne at the wheel, the day's programme did not go to plan.

The car - notably featuring extra cooling vents in the bodywork - spent the entire morning in the garage and then it broke down, eventually completing not a single timed lap.

But the British team said in a statement that the day was "positive".

"Running a modern formula one car is a very complicated procedure," said boss Eric Boullier, "and this week's test is all about how the departments at Sakura, Milton Keynes and Woking learn to work with the operational hub at the circuit."

McLaren-Honda in Abu Dhabi. (Photo: WRi2)

McLaren supremo Ron Dennis is also confident that, after two consecutive disappointing seasons for the Woking team, the McLaren-Honda next year will be strong.

He denied that the team's new works partner is running behind schedule.

"This year, teams only started testing their cars for the new regulations in February," the Briton said in an interview with Brazil's Globo Esporte.

"But we are running the Honda power unit already, before the winter testing. As a team and with Honda, we understand the challenges of these new power units and I am in a position to say that we will be strong," Dennis insisted.

Honda aside, he also said he is confident McLaren will produce a better car than it managed to do in 2013 and 2014.

"You have to realise something: the group that designed the 2015 car is completely different to the one that did the last two," said Ron Dennis.

He said 20 "very able" new engineers have joined McLaren, including Red Bull's aerodynamics chief Peter Prodromou, while 50 roles have been restructured.

"We believe we have set the direction that will allow us to start the next championship on a very high level," added Ron Dennis.

German car manufacturer Porsche confirmed Tuesday it would enter a third works Porsche 919 Hybrid for the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The race will be staged June 13 and 14.

As a dress rehearsal for the famed 24-hour race, the third 919 Hybrid LMP1 will be entered in the 6-hour World Endurance Championship race in Spa-Francorchamps on May 2nd.

Several Porsche factory GT drivers have been given a test in the 919 a few weeks ago in Spain and France with the objective of driving this third car.

Tested drivers included Nick Tandy, Patrick Pilet, Richard Lietz, Frederic Makowiecki and Michael Christensen all drove the 919.

No drivers have been confirmed yet.

From GMM

Denmark is the latest country in the queue to host a formula one race.

The Danish newspaper Herning Folkeblad said the Nordic country, already with a local driver on the grid in the form of Kevin Magnussen, is eyeing a grand prix debut for 2018.

The report said officials for the project were due to meet Bernie Ecclestone this week, but it has now been delayed until January.

"It doesn't matter if a little more time passes before this meeting takes place as we are working to get formula one to Denmark in 2018," said Helge Sander, Denmark's former minister for science, technology and development.

The newspaper said Sander is leading the project and trying to raise capital from major Danish corporations, possibly including Saxo Bank and the fashion brand Bestseller.

Kevin Magnussen, Dannish driver at McLaren. (Photo: McLaren F1 Team)

Several great names of international motorsport will take part this weekend to the 2014 edition of the Monza Rally Show in Italy.

The event consists of nine special stages and a total of 166 kilometres, including a 44-kilometre stage.

Former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, American Kurt Busch will participate for the first time to the event sponsored by energy drink giant Monster.

The 36-year old native of Las Vegas driver will race for the team Monster Stars, driving a Ford Fiesta WRC.

Other Monster-sponsored drivers and riders are confirmed such as MotoGP star Valentino Rossi and gymkhana expert Ken Block.

Event organisers confirmed yesterday that World Rally driver and former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica would also participate.

Audi Le Mans driver Marco Bonanomi and former World Touring Car Championship driver Stefano D'Aste are among the other circuit racing names taking part in the event.