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News 25 Nov, 2014

Added space and pace for the new Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake as the 45 AMG version is set for March release

Mexico's relationship with German car production began nearly 50 years ago with output of VW's mass-market Beetle. Now it's becoming a place where luxury BMW, Audi and Mercedes cars roll out of billion-dollar factories.

More carmakers are looking to use parts reinforced with carbon fibre to help them make lighter and more fuel efficient vehicles, according to the CEO of SGL Group Juergen Koehler.

Edmunds forecasts that 1,261,813 new cars and light trucks will be sold in the US in November for an estimated Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) of 16.7m. It says the market will get a boost from the impact of Black Friday's retail sales stimulus later this week.

UK luxury motor-home manufacturer Auto-Sleepers plans to set up an assembly plant in Thailand to tap what it sees as a lucrative market for motoring holidays.

Johnson Controls' battery operation falls under the auspices of its Power Solutions business, serving both automotive OEMs and aftermarket. In this interview, Matthew Beecham spoke to Craig Rigby, Advanced Market and Technology Strategist, Johnson Controls Power Solutions about the company's technologies for stop-start applications, EVs and PHEVs.

Volvo Group says it has decided to make a provision of EUR400m in respect of an on-going antitrust investigation by the European Commission into heavy truck pricing and the possibility of collusion between a number of European heavy truck makers.

Citroen launched its first Chinese-built SUV, the C3-XR, at the Guangzhou auto show last week. The automaker has previously said the compact model will reman a China-only vehicle and will not be sold in Europe.

PSA has launched its fourth Chinese-built SUV, the Citroen C3-XR, in the world's biggest auto market. PSA's other locally produced SUVs are the Peugeot 2008, Peugeot 3008 and DS6.

News 25 Nov, 2014

Extra space for more practical Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake, on sale in January with around a £1,000 premium over the saloon

To revive sales, Tata Motors plans to focus on India's rural market, PTI reported.

Having been previewed by multiple concepts in recent years, the production version of SsangYong's small SUV has been announced. The Tivoli will be launched worldwide from early 2015.

Thomas Schmall, currently president and CEO of Volkswagen do Brasil, has been appointed member of the Volkswagen brand board of management responsible for components.

Opel faces labor unrest in Germany over production plans for the Corsa and Karl small cars, a business magazine reported. Workers think the Karl should be made in Germany rather than Korea and fear future Corsa output will be cut from Germany.

These four concepts and one production model are ready for their close-ups.

Ford is rolling out all the stops for the international debut of its pony car.

New GM global purchasing boss Steve Kiefer takes over at a critical time. Suppliers complain that GM's executives and its buyers often aren't aligned. One of Kiefer's challenges is to drive the supplier-relations message from top to bottom.

Daimler has appointed the former editor-in-chief of the German news agency dpa, Wilm Herlyn, as a member of its advisory board for integrity and corporate responsibility. The board is tasked with examining ethics issues at the automaker.

From GMM

2014 world champion Lewis Hamilton wants to keep his personal race number 44 next year rather than switch to number 1.

Traditionally, the reigning world champion in F1 wears the coveted number 1.

But a change early in 2014, mimicking the system in MotoGP, meant drivers were able to pick their own number between 2 and 99 to keep for the rest of their careers.

Having run the number 1 throughout the season, outgoing world champion Vettel will now revert to his chosen number 5 to take to Ferrari in 2015.

Mercedes' Hamilton has run 44, and even has the number tattooed behind his right ear.

"44 is my number," the Briton said this week, after securing his second career driver's title last weekend in Abu Dhabi.

"I won my first championship with 44 in karting so I'll ask the team if I can keep it on my car now. Whether the 1 is on my car or not is not important to me."

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG, number 44. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Even Ron Dennis is now beginning to hint that Fernando Alonso is set to return to McLaren.

In late 2007, when the Spaniard left Woking amid acrimony and the 'spygate' furore, a reunion with Dennis even years later appeared impossible.

But the impossible now appears to be fact, with Alonso almost certainly having already signed a deal and McLaren deciding only the identity of his teammate for the Honda-powered 2015 season.

"From what I read," said Fernando Alonso in Abu Dhabi, "I'm not the most pleasant person to work with, but the bottom line is that I can usually go back to a team where I worked before."

Even Briton Dennis is now hinting that the most unpleasant of racing divorces does not mean the parties cannot reunite in the future.

"Let me tell you my interpretation," he told the Spanish daily AS, "because I know where you're going. We live in a world in which marriage is a big commitment, but sometimes it doesn't work out. But the truth is that sometimes, when you try to rebuild your marriage, you end up making it much stronger than it was before."

McLaren's garage at Abu Dhabi. (Photo: WRi2)

Ron Dennis said a final decision about the team's 2015 lineup will not be taken until a board meeting in December.

It appears likely Alonso's teammate will eventually be the young Dane Kevin Magnussen, with veteran Jenson Button apparently farewelling McLaren on Twitter by saying "it's been a pleasure to call McLaren my home for the last five years".

McLaren junior Stoffel Vandoorne will drive McLaren's Honda-powered interim car at the Abu Dhabi test on Tuesday and Wednesday.