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Honda's new $800 million plant in Celaya, about 160 miles northwest of Mexico City, has been struggling to meet demand amid problems caused by a green labor force, language barriers and a rail system prone to delays and occasional thefts, according...

Companies as old as Ford and as new as Local Motors have embraced 3-D printing, a technology that promises faster development, lower costs and a reduction in mechanical failures.

It's looking more and more like the next-generation Jeep Wrangler will have an aluminum body, keep its body-on-frame construction and remain built in Toledo, Ohio. That means Chrysler will likely produce more Wranglers for U.S.

A rising supply of used vehicles, particularly late-model cars and trucks coming off lease, already is hitting some companies in their pocket books. That supply -- and the number of companies affected - will continue to grow.

Edmunds.com's YouTube ad campaign that spoofed price haggling at dealerships lasted just two days.

Chrysler Group is about to encourage dealership salespeople to play video games during downtime. The automaker has created four video games to help salespeople learn the fine points of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram vehicles.

Toyota Motor Corp. is rethinking its longtime resistance to three-shift factories as it seeks to build more vehicles amid a self-imposed freeze on building more plants.

Automotive News TV's afternoon newscast marks its sixth anniversary this week with a fresh look. A new set and graphics will be part of the redesign of "AutoNews Now." Other changes will allow the show to include more late-breaking news.

Not long ago, the styling of China's domestic brands was a laughingstock. Not anymore. Chinese automakers are hiring experienced foreign designers to mentor their fledgling programs.

From GMM

A major sponsor of the Lotus team has stirred up the already confusing speculation about Fernando Alonso's next move.

Most insiders believe the Spaniard and Ferrari have already dissolved their contract, paving the way for Sebastian Vettel to join Kimi Raikkonen at the Italian team in 2015.

Alonso's future, however, remains unclear, amid claims he will either switch to McLaren-Honda for a year before bidding for a Mercedes seat in 2016, or simply take a sabbatical. But it may not be as simple as that.

Spain's Marca claims the delay in an official announcement by Ferrari is because the only way Maranello can clear Alonso's seat for Vettel is by paying the Spaniard $50 million to compensate for the remainder of his deal.

The latest rumours are that, with Stefano Domenicali already headed to Ingolstadt, Audi could be set to quit Le Mans and start up a F1 team centred around Alonso in 2015.

France's Auto Hebdo quoted a spokesman for the VW-owned marque as playing down the reports.

"These rumours have been around for several years," the spokesman said. "It is still only pure speculation without any foundation.

"We are engaged in the WEC, DTM and GT, and we will add the Audi Sport TT Cup to our programme in 2015," he added.

Meanwhile, although Lotus says it on the verge of re-signing Romain Grosjean for 2015, the Enstone team's Coca Cola-owned energy drink sponsor Burn is now getting mischievously involved in the Alonso speculation.

"We think Alonso could look great in black and gold, don't you?" Burn said on Twitter, having photoshopped an image of Fernando Alonso wearing Lotus F1 overalls.

Fernando Alonso, Lotus overalls by Burn. (Photo: Twitter Burn)

American Formula 1 fans will fail to see two teams, Caterham and Marussia, and four drivers in action at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas this weekend.

Both Marussia and Caterham are facing serious and deep financial problems, and are now run by administrators. The two teams confirmed they will miss the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix.

"Unfortunately, due to team's situation, I will not able to race in United States GP and Brazilian GP," wrote Caterham driver, Japanese Kobayashi on his official Facebook page. "I am very sorry for the fans looking forward those races.

"While I am carefully observing the situation, I will evaluate possibilities and make best choice for my future."

Kobayashi's teammate, Marcus Ericsson, also feels sorry.

"Turbulent times. A lot of things going on at the moment," the Swede wrote on Twitter.

"But I'm pushing on as usual and keeping my spirit high. Thanks to all my amazing fans for all your support."

Photo: Caterham F1 Team

From GMM

An experienced F1 recovery vehicle driver in Brazil has defended his Japanese colleagues in the wake of Jules Bianchi's horror crash.

Brazil's Globo Esporte says Rafael Ricciardi has been driving the vehicle charged with removing stricken cars from the Interlagos circuit near the pit exit for four years running.

Marussia racer Bianchi is fighting for his life after striking a nearly identical vehicle at Suzuka during the recent Japanese grand prix, but Ricciardi insisted: "Have no fear, everything is safe. What happened in Japan is just part of the risk of racing.

"In terms of the rules, there was no problem, the procedure that had to be done was done. What happened (with the actions of the marshals) in Suzuka was right," he said.

"An accident never has one cause, it is always a combination of circumstances. Formula one will never be 100 per cent safe," Rafael Ricciardi added.

Jules Bianchi's crash in Japan. (Photo: WRi2)

Following the publication of a news last week by several web sites, German car manufacturer Audi came into play and denied the whole thing.

The report, citing sources at Audi, claimed that the constructor, winner of 13 of the past 16 24 Hours of Le Mans races, was considering ditching its endurance and DTM programs to race in F1 with Red Bull financial backing.

"Audi in Formula 1?" Audi Sport wrote on its Facebook page. "These rumours keep appearing with regularity since years.

"It's pure speculation again this time and without any foundation. We are committed to the FIA WEC, DTM and GT racing. In 2015 we will add the Audi Sport TT Cup to our program."

Audi Sport boss, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich has always been a big fan of endurance racing while being opposed to any F1 project.

However, the VAG group needs to clearly explain why it lets Audi fight against Porsche - a sister brand of the company - in endurance racing.

Wolfgang Ullrich, Audi Sport. (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

From GMM

F1 risks sliding into crisis and having to reinvent its very DNA as struggling backmarker teams begin to succumb to collapse.

HRT folded in 2012, and now F1's two other newest teams Caterham and Marussia are in the throes of financial administration.

Organisers of next weekend's US grand prix look set to welcome just 9 teams to an 18-car grid, unprecedented since BAR-Honda was banned for a time almost a decade ago.

"It's a fantastic sport. Bernie (Ecclestone) has done an amazing job but it needs to relook at itself," departed Caterham founder Tony Fernandes said on Twitter at the weekend.

And former HRT driver Narain Karthikeyan added: "F1 just too expensive and completely unsustainable for minnows."

Last appearance of Team HRT in Brazil 2012. (Photo: WRi2)

Max Mosley, the former FIA president who warned of a looming crisis in F1 years ago, quietly pointed a finger at his successor Jean Todt.

"It seems that the chickens have come home to roost," Max Mosley is quoted by The Times.

For now, F1 and its race promoters will have to cope with a diminished grid as big teams are promised at least two months notice before having to field three-car teams.

Dipping below 20 cars is the trigger for the three-car stipulation, giving Ecclestone a buffer so as not risking his contractual promise of at least 16-car grids to the big-paying race promoters.

But with Caterham and Marussia looking set to fall, it now appears possible F1 will lose even more small-sized independent teams, particularly after the sport baulked earlier this year at introducing radical cost-cutting or even a cost cap.

"Formula one is not so great that it cannot fail," Sauber team boss and co-owner Monisha Kaltenborn is alarmingly warning, according to Italy's La Stampa.

It is not only the Swiss team that is worried. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport claims that Sahara Force India needs to make an engine payment to Mercedes by Monday or risk joining Caterham and Marussia in missing the US grand prix.

And Sahara Force India deputy boss Bob Fernley admitted more teams are in danger of collapse.

"We've had three new teams since 2010, and all three have collapsed," he told the Telegraph. "The writing was on the wall from the beginning.

"Only five teams have a say in the running of formula one -- we'll lose more teams if we carry on like this," said Fernley.

If the F1 grid keeps diminishing, three-car entries are inevitable.

Auto Motor und Sport said Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren are lined up by Ecclestone as first in the queue to start supplying third cars.

If any of that trio declines, Mercedes is reportedly the next in line.

Three Red Bull RB10. (Photo: WRi2 - image Auto123.com)

Ferrari and Red Bull have apparently already given Ecclestone the green light, while McLaren for the moment is hesitating, perhaps due to uncertainty about who should pay for the third car -- Ecclestone or the team.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko told Sport Bild he does not see a problem.

"We have the capacity at Milton Keynes, and it would also solve our luxury problem of having too many good drivers for too few cars," he said.

And Karthikeyan, who only drove for backmarker teams in his F1 career, thinks the slowest cars will not be missed.

"18 cars in Austin," he said, "but sadly no one will miss the absentees once the opening lap is completed without incident. That's the truth."

From GMM

Carlos Sainz jr is convinced he should be handed his F1 debut by backer Red Bull.

The 20-year-old is the newly crowned champion of the highly rated Formula Renault 3.5 series, but he was overlooked by Red Bull for a guaranteed seat at the junior team Toro Rosso for 2015.

Red Bull decided instead to fast-track the F1 promotion of teenage F3 sensation Max Verstappen.

It means Spaniard Sainz is now clinging to hope he will be picked to be fellow rookie Verstappen's teammate next year, even though keeping the experienced Jean-Eric Vergne for another season now appears the safer bet.

Sainz, whose father and namesake is the world rally legend, sounds increasingly impatient as he waits for Red Bull's decision.

"I think I deserve the seat," the young driver told the Spanish daily Marca, "and anything other than a seat at that level would bother me a bit.

"Max was third in his championship (European F3), which was won by another rookie," said Sainz.

He is referring to 18-year-old Frenchman Esteban Ocon, who according to Lotus performed "exceptionally" during his F1 test debut at Valencia last week.

And "I'm at the level above that," Sainz, the new Formula Renault 3.5 champion, insisted.

"I'm the youngest in history and I've won it with record wins and fastest laps. If Verstappen deserves that (Toro Rosso) seat then I deserve it even more," he added.

Carlos Sainz Jr, Champion Formula Renault 3.5 2014. (Photo: WRi2)

Administrators are now managing the small Marussia Formula 1 team.

Just days after Caterham's management accepted the same fate, UK insolvency experts FRP Advisory have taken over Manor Grand Prix Racing Limited, which in F1 is known as Marussia.

In a statement, FRP Advisory said Marussia's current owner Andrey Cheglakov is "unable" to continue funding the team.

The statement confirmed that it is financially "not viable" for the team to race in Austin this weekend.

As for the last two Grands Prix of 2014, in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, whether Marussia returns depends "on the outcome of the administration process and any related negotiations with interested parties in what is a very limited window of opportunity", the administrators added.

"No redundancies have been made following the Company's entering into administration and all staff have been paid in full to the end of October. The ongoing staff position will however be dependent on whether the Company can secure new investment in the limited time available.

"We remain highly focused on engaging with interested parties."

The Telegraph has reported that British-Indian steel industry brothers Baljinder Sohi and Sonny Kaushal are lining up as potential buyers. They apparently have made a 70m euros ($88m) offer for the team.

The Chrysler brand is expanding the evolution of its "Imported from Detroit" theme with four TV commercials touting the 2015 Chrysler 200.

The Jaguar XE's likely best-selling model, the XE 2.0-liter diesel sedan, will start at 29,775 pounds (37,713 euros) in the UK, topping the price of rival BMW's equivalent model, the 320d Efficient Dynamics sedan, by 1,000 pounds.

Hyundai says it is considering adding new body styles for the i20 subcompact that could include a station wagon to compete against cars such as the Skoda Fabia wagon and Peugeot 208 SW.

The Jaguar XE's likely best-selling model, the XE 2.0-liter diesel sedan, will start at 29,775 pounds (37,713 euros) in the UK, topping the price of rival BMW's equivalent model, the 320d Efficient Dynamics sedan, by 1,000 pounds.