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Volkswagen said group sales increased 3 percent in October as strong gains in western Europe and China helped offset declining demand in the U.S. and South America. Ten-month deliveries rose 5 percent to 8.24 million.

Now supplier Takata is the subject of a US criminal investigation over defective car air bags that have been linked to five deaths, its executives and those from major customer Honda Motor are expected to face congressional hearings in the coming week, a media report said.

News 14 Nov, 2014

New three-cylinder engines debut as well as a subtle facelift, the latest tech and chassis tweaks

Ford is betting on open systems and the innovative capabilities of external software developers in its vehicle connectivity strategy, Barbara Samardzich, Ford of Europe's chief operating officer, said.

Ford is betting on open systems and the innovative capabilities of external software developers in its vehicle connectivity strategy, said Barbara Samardzich, Ford of Europe's COO.

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen named Xavier Peugeot as product planning chief of Citroen. He moves to the role from head of product planning for the Peugeot brand and is tasked with helping Citroen to achieve a coherent product range.

The General Motors engineer often identified as responsible for a faulty ignition switch that has been linked to 32 deaths said "I did my job the best I could" in his first public comments since GM recalled 2.

When it comes to satisfaction with the new-car buying process, U.S. consumers rank European brands the best in the industry. Mercedes ranked highest among luxury brands in the J.D. Power study. Mini ranked highest among mass-market brands.

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche sees big cross-marketing opportunities for the Mercedes-AMG performance unit and motorcycle maker MV Agusta because customers of both brands have a lot in common.

The GM engineer often identified as responsible for a faulty ignition switch that has been linked to 32 deaths said "I did my job the best I could" in his first public comments since GM recalled 2.6 million cars to address the defect early this year.

Chevrolet's blockbuster $559 million sponsorship agreement in 2012 with Manchester United gave the team star's access to a fleet of 15 free Corvettes and Camaros. The cars are seldom being driven.

Jeep says its Renegade is a true off-roader and is positioning the model at the higher end of the hotly contested and booming subcompact SUV segment. The Renegade is the first model developed from scratch by Fiat and Chrysler.

Ford increased European car sales by 8 percent in October, its fifth straight monthly gain, as it benefited from double-digit growth in the UK and Italy. Overall 10-month sales also rose 8 percent.

From GMM

Another Newey is plotting a course to the F1 grid.

16-year-old Harrison's father is Adrian Newey, widely acclaimed as one of the best technical minds in the history of formula one.

The 55-year-old is also a keen car collector and amateur racer, although his on-track exploits have often resulted in Ford GT and Jaguar E-Types being written off.

It appears young Harrison's pedigree may be better, as he has just signed up to contest the forthcoming British Formula 4 winter championship.

Media reports say the rookie, already an international kart racer, made his single-seater debut in French F4 last month, finishing a race in ninth place.

"It's going to be a big step up from karting," he said, "but I'm really looking forward to it."

Harrison and Adrian Newey. (Photo: Formula4.com)

From GMM

Almost six weeks on, there is "no change" in Jules Bianchi's condition.

That is the news of Graeme Lowdon, who as sporting director and president has overseen not only the aftermath of Frenchman Bianchi's horror Suzuka crash, but also the closure of the struggling Marussia team.

Although sounding upbeat that there may be light at the end of the tunnel for the stricken Banbury-based team, Lowdon has less to report on the condition of 25-year-old Bianchi, who remains in a coma in Japan.

"There's no change in his condition," Graeme Lowdon told Britain's Sky.

"He's still stable but critical, and I think the thoughts of everyone in the team and also his very wide fan base are with Jules at the moment," he added.

Jules Bianchi and Graeme Lowdon, Marussia. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Carlos Sainz jr may have emerged as a shock candidate to be Fernando Alonso's teammate next year.

The Red Bull-backed rookie Spaniard now appears out of the running to make his debut for Toro Rosso next year, with the energy drink company likely to instead pair the young Max Verstappen with the more experienced Jean-Eric Vergne.

But Italy's Omnicorse claims a golden option may have emerged out of the blue for 20-year-old Sainz, the son of the world rally legend and the newly-crowned Formula Renault 3.5 champion -- the youngest in its history.

McLaren, having survived without a title sponsor in 2014, and new partner Honda are reportedly breaking the bank to sign the highly-expensive Alonso for 2014.

Team boss Eric Boullier hinted in Brazil that the team is open to welcoming Spanish sponsors to accompany the 33-year-old.

"Santander, Madrilena ... there are no serious negotiations, but if they want to come, there is no problem!" he laughed.

Omnicorse claims one of them could be the Telefonica-owned Spanish mobile operator Movistar, which may "open a door for Carlos Sainz jr as the second driver".

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

One prominent Spanish motor racing figure, the former F1 manager and Epsilon Euskadi chief Joan Villadelprat, is tipping success for Alonso and McLaren in the years ahead.

"I have no doubt the Honda will be a powerful engine, because they have had time to do things well rather than repeat the errors of Renault and Ferrari," he told El Confidencial.

"And I see the marriage of Alonso and McLaren as more fruitful than the first (in 2007)," Villadelprat insisted.

"To start, this time Fernando is the undisputed number 1. Secondly, I think they (Alonso and McLaren) are both very intelligent and have both learned from the past and forgotten it.

"Fernando needed somewhere to go, Ferrari was not going anywhere, the relationship with Marco Mattiacci is zero.

"The McLaren option is good because they have taken every experience this year with the Mercedes engines, Honda will have learned from it and with their resources I am convinced it will be a tremendous engine," he added.

From GMM

Toto Wolff has hit back at claims F1 is heading into a spending war because of Mercedes' attitude amid the engine 'unfreeze' debate.

Christian Horner, the boss at Renault works team Red Bull, said in Brazil that because dominant Mercedes is not helping F1's struggling suppliers to catch up, the entire cost-limiting freeze could be ended altogether beyond 2015.

"With a majority vote, 2016/17/18 can be opened, which is ridiculous because we will all end up spending a lot more money over a longer period of time," he said.

Horner's Mercedes counterpart Wolff, however, clearly suspects Horner is applying pressure and making threats that are not likely to be carried through.

"No serious company would allow that to happen and none of the current engine suppliers could allow that to happen because costs would escalate totally out of control," he said.

Toto Wolff, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

Wolff even claimed he knows that Red Bull's works supplier, Renault, does not want the engine 'freeze' to be totally relaxed.

"Where Mercedes and Renault are currently 100 per cent aligned is that with the current V6 technology it is state of the art, road relevant and is the future," he insisted.

Wolff suggested Horner's other threat - that F1 might be better off reverting to cheaper and more performance-equalised V8 engines - is also empty.

His comments follow Niki Lauda's warning that if the V8s do return, "Mercedes will be gone".

"If we drop the current format," Toto Wolff confirmed, "I can assure you certain manufacturers like Renault and Mercedes would not be interested in supplying any other power unit."

From GMM

Felipe Massa's manager says the Brazilian has rarely been happier in formula one.

That is despite being ousted by the iconic team Ferrari at the end of last season, after an eight-year tenure that almost netted him the 2008 title.

But Massa's place had appeared increasingly tenuous and uncomfortable in the latter years, notably struggling alongside Fernando Alonso and being seen as the clear 'number 2' driver.

Nicolas Todt, Massa's manager, says the 33-year-old's move to Williams this year revitalised him.

"You know if you have attention and are wanted, your life changes," the Frenchman is quoted by Auto Hebdo.

"This was not always the case at Ferrari," Todt, the son of FIA president and former Ferrari boss Jean Todt, added.

Felipe Massa, Williams-Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

At Williams this year, Massa has often grappled with bad luck and the appearance that his young teammate, Valtteri Bottas, is a man of the future.

But an emotional Massa had a strong weekend in his native Brazil last weekend, finishing on the podium for the second time in 2014.

"Having the opportunity to take revenge on a situation he could not control was an impetus," Jean Todt explained. "To finally have a good machine in his hands gave him even more motivation.

"Circumstances were such that points were not always easy -- I talk not of bad luck but adverse circumstances. In contrast, the second half of the season has been very good.

"He also was not disappointed by the results of Bottas -- quite the opposite," Todt continued. "It was proof of a good car and a good team," he added.

"His (Massa's) commitment is total in all areas. He also knows that he is no longer 20 and has not so many seasons ahead of him, hence his desire not to give up.

"I have rarely seen him happier. Williams is definitely a British super team, but paradoxically I also see that it is more at ease, without pressure, without politics," said Jean Todt.

Adapted from press release

Toronto's Nicholas Lafini qualified 9th for the Formula 3 qualifying race to be held at the Macau Grand Prix.

Latifi and his teammate Esteban Ocon's tactic to take two new tires late in the session did not pay off as yellow and then red flags played a large part in them not improving.

The Canadian enjoyed some time in the top six during the final qualifying session but was relegated to ninth as he was taking on his two new tires.

Nicholas Latifi (Photo: SJM Prema)

However, Ocon, Latifi and their Italian teammate Antonio Fuoco, driving for SJM Theodore Racing by Prema, have two more fresh tires from their event allocation of 14 than most of their rivals to use either in the qualification race or the Grand Prix.

“Before second qualifying it went OK. I'm kind of disappointed with the end result,” Latifi said.

“I was hoping for much more than P9. I was quite happy with the lap on the first set of tyres. After that we put only two new tyres on and with the yellow flags and the traffic it was quite difficult to improve. It was like a train of slower guys in front, slowing each other and battling, and you'd keep catching them up. But if I stay out of trouble in the first race it's possible to move up and be in a good position for the final.”

McLaren test driver, Oliver Turvey shookdown the interim McLaren-Honda Formula 1 car Friday at Silverstone.

A current MP4-29 chassis was modified to accept Honda's new V6 turbo hybrid power unit.

McLaren-Honda MP4-29H (Photo: Honda F1)

Although the test session - designated as a private filming day - was held behind closed doors, Honda published these snapshots of its return to F1 on its Twitter account.

Due to the Sporting Regulations, the car, listed by the team as a MP4-29H, could not cover more than 100km today.

The car is expected to run again the upcoming Abu Dhabi test at the end of the month.

McLaren-Honda MP4-29H (Photo: Honda F1)