Auto News 5

From Delaware Speedway

Canadian racing legend Earl Ross has passed away. The Ailsa Craig, Ontario resident was 73 at the time of his passing, as confirmed by Delaware Speedway staff.

At Delaware Speedway, Ross is a winner of the most historic event at the track, the Great Canadian Race. He took the victory in the first McKerlie Millen event in 1982.

For many at the track he is considered a hero for his accomplishments not just at the local level, but on the NASCAR stage when, in 1974, he earned rookie of the year honours in the series that would become today's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

During that same season, Ross also became the first international driver to win a Cup event when he won at Martinsville Speedway on September 29, 1974. Ross was inducted into the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2000.

In his later years Earl Ross quietly continued to view the races from the spectator side of the fence close to home at Delaware Speedway, favouring a viewing area in turn four. Many spectators would have been completely unaware they were rubbing elbows with one of the greatest drivers in Canadian racing history.

Ross continued to stay connected with Thompson Motorsports, mentoring driver Shawn Thompson over the years. Shawn's crew chief and uncle, Jerry Thompson, was himself a former crew chief for Earl Ross.

The 34th running of the Great Canadian Race, of which Ross is a winner, is scheduled for Saturday. The track will honour Earl Ross's racing legacy during the pre-race ceremonies.

Cadillac has just announced a new, top-end, high-technology vehicle that will rank above the current XTS, with the goal of “lifting the Cadillac range by entering the elite class of top-level luxury cars,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen.

Production is expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2015 at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant.

The official name of the vehicle will be unveiled shortly, Cadillac promised.

Autoblog reported a few weeks ago that we could see the new prestige model for the first time at the New York Auto Show next April. It will apparently be inspired by the Elmiraj concept, which debuted at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance last year, and feature rear-wheel drive along with numerous advanced technologies.

Stay tuned...

Source : Cadillac

After months of hard work and crazy ideas, engineers at Nissan's Technical Center in Stanfield, Arizona, recently completed a one-of-a-kind electric vehicle that mixes the award-winning LEAF with... a Frontier pickup!

"We tried to keep it a secret and be exciting for everybody. But we have visitors and they come and they see that truck and they go straight to 'what is it?' and they start looking at it, and it makes great conversation," said Roland Schellenberg, Nissan Durability & Reliability.

The one they call “Sparky” supports operations at Nissan's proving grounds located on 3,050 acres in Stanfield.

Source: Nissan

Fiat and Mitsubishi have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop and manufacture a midsize pick-up truck which would be supplied by Mitsubishi and based on the L200.

This long-promised addition to Fiat's Professional lineup is one of five new light commercial vehicles it plans to deliver by 2018.

Production will begin in early 2016 at Mitsubishi's assembly plant in Thailand. The Japanese automaker is expected to supply Fiat with 150,000-170,000 trucks over six years.

Don't look for a Fiat truck in North America anytime soon, however. Fiat wants to sell it in the Latin American market, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Source : reuters.com

From GMM

The FIA has backtracked over its total clampdown on "performance"-related radio communications in formula one.

The earlier-announced comprehensive clampdown has been discussed at length in the Singapore paddock, but team managers went into Thursday's long meeting with Charlie Whiting arguing that it should in fact be relaxed for now.

Indeed, ahead of initial practice in Singapore, the governing body confirmed that car-related performance radio messages will now be allowed with immediate effect, ahead of an expected total clampdown for 2015.

"It seems to us that information being passed to the driver concerning the performance of his car should be separated from information concerning his own performance," the FIA said in a clarifying directive on Friday.

"It has become clear that the former is a very complex matter and that any list of restrictions imposed at short notice will have a significantly different effect from team-to-team."

What remains banned, however, is "simple driver coaching", including advice on racing lines, gear selection, braking points, comparative sector times, the use of DRS, and the like.

The FIA said it is intended that the banning of car-related performance advice to drivers will instead now come into force in 2015.

"We believe this will give sufficient time for teams to prepare properly and, more importantly, to ensure that the regulations are being enforced fairly and equitably," the FIA note continued.

Kia will use the upcoming Paris Auto Show to introduce several new products including the Soul Magma concept. So far, the automaker has released a single image of the car, which was penned by Kia France and could be sold over there in very limited numbers.

Following its world debut in Korea, the all-new Kia Sorento will have its European premiere in Paris. The redesigned Kia Rio and Venga as well as the Optima T-Hybrid concept will also be on display.

About that last one: Hinting at a future production model, it features a 1.7L turbodiesel engine mated to a small electric motor and a 48V lead-carbon battery pack. Kia estimates power to be up 15%-20% over the current 1.7L diesel unit.

Source: leblogauto.com

Photo: Kia

From GMM

Jean-Eric Vergne has been left alone to keep his motor racing career on track.

After three seasons with the secondary team Toro Rosso, the Frenchman was overlooked by Red Bull last year when his teammate Daniel Ricciardo got the call to replace retiring Mark Webber.

Less than a year older than 24-year-old Vergne, Australian Ricciardo has humbled quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel in 2014.

And in stark contrast, Vergne has been left without a seat at all for 2015, as Toro Rosso looks to the future with the ultra-young lineup of Daniil Kvyat and teen Max Verstappen.

"They (Red Bull) have a young driver programme that they need to promote," said Vergne in Singapore. "That's how it is," he told F1's official website.

Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso STR9-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

But when Kvyat swept in from GP3 for 2014, Toro Rosso hopeful Antonio Felix da Costa nonetheless remained under Red Bull's wing and was placed with BMW in the DTM series.

Similarly, with Verstappen now set to debut, Renault World Series leader Carlos Sainz is still being looked after by Red Bull.

Not Vergne. At approaching 25, he has been deemed 'too old' for Red Bull.

"Funny, isn't it?" he said. "Now it becomes clear that we don't need all these other series before breaking into F1 -- now we know that you can jump almost immediately from go-karting to F1.

"And you better start go-karting before six years of age," Vergne added.

If Vergne sounds slightly doleful, it might be because he is being dropped by Red Bull altogether.

"True. I have no management right now," he confirmed. "I am alone right now to sort out my options. I know I probably should get somebody, but right now 99 per cent I am on my own. That's how it is."

Over the last few races of the 2014 season, then, Vergne will not only have to race his Toro Rosso, but also trudge up and down the paddock to see if there is a seat elsewhere for next season.

"These are things that I do, but I don't want to talk about it," he confirmed. "But there is no help from Red Bull. My paramount focus right now is to finish the season on a high."

Pros: The 2015 Toyota Highlander has some pretty sharp lines that will appeal to crossover shoppers. Inside, quality is evident throughout, and there's room for up to eight people and their gear. For sure, the Highlander is a very comfortable and smooth utility vehicle that will prove dependable for many years thanks to Toyota's stellar reliability.

Cons: Pricing is fairly high, especially when you go up the ladder and start adding extras. Given the Highlander's weight and girth, handling in tight corners is limited. Also, the rear passenger quarters (third row) are not the most accessible or spacious.

Photo: Toyota

2015 Toyota Highlander Price: There are four trim levels to choose from including the base LE V6 FWD at $33,890 and LE V6 AWD at $36,390, the mid-level XLE V6 AWD at $42,110, and the top-of-the-line Limited V6 AWD at $47,310.

2015 Toyota Highlander Fuel Economy : With front-wheel drive, expect the Highlander to achieve 12.5L/100km in the city and 9.3L/100km on the highway. Models that use all-wheel drive add 0.5L/100km in both cases.

Improvements and Changes: There are no significant updates for 2015 since the Toyota Highlander was completely redesigned in 2014.

2015 Toyota Highlander Powertrain: Under the hood of the Highlander is a 3.5L DOHC V6 engine that produces 270 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual mode. Towing capacity amounts to 2,268 kilos (5,000 lbs).

Cargo Capacity: The trunk alone will swallow 390 litres of cargo. Folding the third-row seats will expand the area to 1,198 litres. If that's not enough, drop the second-row seats and enjoy a total of 2,370 litres.

Safety: Standard features include stability and traction control, disc brakes with ABS, brake assist and electronic brake force distribution, eight airbags, and hill-start assist. In Limited trim, you also benefit from a blind spot monitor and rear cross traffic alert.

Comparing the 2015 Toyota Highlander: In this market segment, buyers should consider alternatives like the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Flex, GMC Acadia, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Santa Fe XL, Kia Sorento, and Nissan Murano.

From press release

The Final Drag racing weekend of the year at Grand Bend Motorplex is Sept 26-28th.

Over $25,000 in cash is up for grabs this weekend - plus Sunday's class winners get COOL FALLFAST Trophies

We kick off Friday evening with Test & Tune plus a Golf cart race.

Saturday includes both GBM & ONDR race programs, plus Sat Night GBM will Treat Racers and Crew to a fabulous Thank You dinner.

Sunday is the BIG $ PAYDAY plus a Free Team race worth $400 and enhanced payouts to Juniors - Thanks to Mark Gubinski/Expert Auto Glass

So competitors come out and enjoy a great closing event, and help us finish the season with a Bang!

From GMM

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has named struggling world champion Sebastian Vettel as "the right man for Ferrari".

Rumours last week that Red Bull's Vettel and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso might sensationally swap seats for 2015 were roundly denied by all sides.

But Ecclestone, who has a close bond to German Vettel, reignited the speculation in Singapore.

"Should he want to go, Sebastian Vettel would be the right man for Ferrari. He has all the right features.

"Although he has a long-term agreement with Red Bull," Ecclestone told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The 83-year-old Briton said a high-profile driver change for crisis-struck Ferrari might be just what the Maranello team needs.

"A change is healthy in any environment," said Ecclestone.

"Should Ferrari find someone who has the same outlook as Fernando Alonso, they could make the change," he added.

From IndyCar.com

INDYCAR will return to Brazil in 2015 with a Verizon IndyCar Series event at Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet in the capital city of Brasília next March.

“We're eager to continue INDYCAR's rich history of racing in Brazil with today's announcement of a Verizon IndyCar Series event in Brasília next season,” said Hulman & Company CEO Mark Miles, who made the joint announcement alongside Maruska Souza Holanda, the President of Terracap, a government-owned company that owns the racetrack.

The Brasília Indy will be held on March 8. INDYCAR previously sanctioned a Verizon IndyCar Series street race in Sao Paulo from 2010-13.

CART raced in Rio de Janeiro from 1996-2000 on an oval circuit also named for Piquet.

Brazilian skylines. (Photo: IndyCar)

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso shone Friday during the first two free practice sessions of the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Fernando Alonso set the pace in the first session, as drivers adjusted to new rules prohibiting radio instructions.

The Ferrari driver ended the session 0.122s fastest than Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes with Rosberg's sister car just 0.027s slower.

Sebastian Vettel finished third ahead of his Red Bull Racing teammate, Daniel Ricciardo.

Jean-Eric Vergne was a surprising fifth in the Toro Rosso, followed by Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari.

At the end of the session, Vettel parked his RB10-Renault at the end of the pit lane with a suspected engine failure.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari. (Photo: Ferrari)

Second free practice session
Lewis Hamilton set the pace as night-time descended in free practice 2 on the streets of Marina Bay.

However, his teammate Nico Rosberg was forced to abandon his low-fuel run on the supersoft tires when Pastor Maldonado slammed his Lotus into the Turn 10 wall, causing a red flag.

When action resumed, Mercedes switched Rosberg onto his heavy-fuel race simulations while Hamilton did a series a fast laps on the super soft tires.

Alonso ranked third in his Ferrari, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo. Sebastian Vettel spent most of the session in his garage as the red Bull Racing's mechanics changed his Renault engine after FP1's failure.

Vettel returned in action with just 8 minutes to go. He completed five laps and finished fifth, just behind the second Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen.

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: Getty Images for Red Bull)

Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay, First free practice session*:
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F14 T) - 1m49.056 - 16 laps
2 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W05) - 1m49.178 - 23
3 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W05) - 1m49.205 - 24
4 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 1m49.874 - 27
5 - Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 1m50.122 - 21
6 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 1m50.539 - 11
7 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F14 T) - 1m50.783 - 19
8 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4-29-Mercedes) - 1m50.922 - 21
9 - Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 1m50.990 - 26
10 - Sergio Perez (Sahara Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1m51.131 - 23
11 - Kevin Magnussen (McLaren MP4-29-Mercedes) - 1m51.217 - 24
12 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sahara Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1m51.604 - 23
13 - Felipe Massa (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1m51.953 - 20
14 - Pastor Maldonado (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1m52.125 - 25
15 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1m52.146 - 19
16 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - 1m52.171 - 15
17 - Adrian Sutil (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - 1m52.237 - 22
18 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1m52.906 - 26
19 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1m54.113 - 15
20 - Marcus Ericsson (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1m54.475 - 26
21 - Kamui Kobayashi (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1m54.607 - 21
22 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1m55.170 - 17

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG W05 (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay, second free practice session*:
1 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W05) - 1m47.490 - 25 laps
2 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F14 T) - 1m47.623 - 28
3 - Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 1m47.790 - 28
4 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F14 T) - 1m48.031 - 29
5 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 1m48.041 - 5
6 - Kevin Magnussen (McLaren MP4-29-Mercedes) - 1m48.358 - 33
7 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4-29-Mercedes) - 1m48.435 - 30
8 - Sergio Perez (Sahara Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1m48.653 - 30
9 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sahara Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1m48.751 - 30
10 - Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 1m48.770 - 31
11 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 1m48.800 - 33
12 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1m49.062 - 33
13 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W05) - 1m49.075 - 30
14 - Pastor Maldonado (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1m49.139 - 13
15 - Adrian Sutil (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - 1m49.170 - 34
16 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - 1m49.290 - 36
17 - Felipe Massa (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1m49.361 - 29
18 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1m49.971 - 28
19 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1m50.612 - 24
20 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 1m51.558 - 21
21 - Kamui Kobayashi (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1m52.075 - 33
22 - Marcus Ericsson (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 1m52.936 - 31

*Unofficial timing

The first two practice sessions of the American round of the FIA World Endurance Championship were held Thursday at Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas.

LMP1/LMP2
FREE PRACTICE 1: At the end of the 90-minute session the No. 2 Audi R18 of 24 Hours of Le Mans winners Benoit Treluyer, Marcel Fassler and Andre Lotterer was the quickest car with a 1m51.136, 0.187s faster than their teammates in the No. 1 R18.

The fastest lap is 3.6 seconds slower than last year's pole time of 1m47.520 but there are still two more practice sessions before qualifying tomorrow.

FREE PRACTICE 2: After a delayed start due to heavy rain the cars had to cope with tricky track conditions under the floodlights. The No. 8 Toyota TS040 of Anthony Davidson snatched the top spot at the chequered flag with a lap of 2m01.333, 1.568s ahead of the No. 1 Audi R18 of Tom Kristensen.

The two Audi's were split by the No. 7 Toyota, with the No. 20 Porsche 919 of Mark Webber, Timo Bernard and Brendon Hartley in 5th, 6 seconds behind the fastest Toyota.

The No. 8 Toyota TS040 (Photo: wec.com)

LMGTE
FREE PRACTICE 1: Aston Martin Racing shone brightly in the 90-minute session, with Darren Turner in the LMGTE Pro No. 97 Vantage V8 putting in a last minute lap of 2m06.399 to top the time sheets in the two GTE categories.

Setting the time just before the chequered flag fell and temperatures dropped (with a sprinkling of rain), he displaced his Aston Martin Racing LMGTE Am team mates from the No.95 entry.

FREE PRACTICE 2: Porsche's two 911 RSR ended the session at the head of the timesheets in the LMGTE Pro category, Fred Makowiecki in the No. 92 having set a best lap of 2:17.588.

Until the final minutes of the session it had been a 1-2 for Porsche Team Manthey, Nick Tandy in the No. 91 behind his team mate. However, AF Corse's Gianmaria Bruni in the No.51 Ferrari 458 Italia broke up the pairing with a lap of 2m18.195. The only red flag of the session came just 15 minutes after the start in order to clear a stranded No. 71 Ferrari from the side of the track.

Nissan has revealed that his new Le Mans car, the GT-R LM NISMO will be launched and make its public debut in Florida in December.

The announcement was made by Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO at Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

The car's first laps in public are likely to follow the next day.

All of the car's initial testing and development prior to the start of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship season will be conducted in America, with testing to begin behind closed doors at an undisclosed Nissan test facility.

Nissan GT-R LM NISMO

Cox confirmed the existence of the team's Indianapolis base (Forsythe Racing's former workshops) and revealed there will be a further workshop in the U.K. at Nissan's technical center in Cranfield.

Additionally, Cox said each of the ten drivers (nine race and one test/reserve) would be announced separately.

A two-car program is still planned for the entire FIA World Endurance Championship, with a third car for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

From GMM

Kamui Kobayashi has admitted in Singapore that he may be left out of Caterham's plans for his home Japanese grand prix later this month.

The Japanese, who is not substantially sponsored, was dropped by the team's new management in Belgium recently as Caterham chose Andre Lotterer and the Le Mans winner's sponsor Hype.

Multiple names have been linked with the seat ever since, but the feisty and popular Kobayashi has so far returned to the green-coloured cockpit at Monza and now Singapore.

But all the time, his future has been clouded, and looking no brighter by the day.

"So far I can confirm that I will race here," Kobayashi said in Singapore.

Kamui Kobayashi, Caterham, at Monza. (Photo: WRi2)

When asked about his sponsorship situation, he answered: "I have no money. I do have a contract until the end of the season, but sometimes in formula one contracts don't mean anything. That is no surprise."

If he wants to bolster his chances of returning for his home race at Suzuka, then - where in 2012 he scored a highly-popular podium - he needs to sign up a sponsor.

"I have talked about it," said Kobayashi, "but this is not so easy."

Asked how much he would have to raise, the 28-year-old answered: "I can't say. A lot!" he smiled.

One option rumoured in the media in recent days and weeks is that Honda's return to F1 with McLaren next year could open a new opportunity for Kobayashi, whose grand prix career started with substantial Toyota support.

He said on Thursday: "I am not affiliated with Honda. At the moment, their arrival does not change my prospects for next year.

"I know some people there, but I think I can't say anything, as they are involved in a completely different project."

Kamui Kobayashi, Caterham, at Singapore. (Photo: WRi2)

Kobayashi is, however, well connected at Ferrari, where last year he filled in his time between F1 seats driving in endurance racing.

"No," he insisted. "My goal is to continue in formula one next year. I am also realistic. Formula one is in a very difficult economic situation.

"I don't know how many teams will exist next year."

Oddly, if teams in the second half of the grid do go out of business, it might only substantially boost Kobayashi's chances of staying in F1.

"I like this idea," he answered, when asked about mooted plans to keep up grid numbers next year by inviting top teams to field third cars.

"For me it could be an opportunity," said Kamui Kobayashi.

From press release

The Hume Media North Bonavista Leg 4 started off on another beautiful morning in eastern Newfoundland.

That quickly changed for the brother team of Scott and Mark Knott, who had an incident in their 2005 Lotus Elise in Open Hall, where they missed a turn and went straight off into a mossy blueberry patch.

The Lotus suffered front-end damage but was able to be pulled out and continued onto the next stage. No damage was done to any private property. The incident did however affect them in the standings of the Open division, knocking the team down into 5th place.

In Kings Cove two vehicles went off on the same turn within a few feet of each other. The entries of Jordan Doody and Lucien Boudreau and Richard Atkinson and Kevin Corbett each went off after a high speed straight went into a tight right turn. Neither vehicle made the turn successfully, causing the Subaru of Doody and Boudreau to land in a field several feet below the road. Their event in the Open division is over due to the damage sustained in the incident, however, they'll be competing in the Fast Tour division on Friday in Jordan's own Scion FR-S.

The Acura Integra of Atkinson and Corbett then also missed the same turn, landing a few feet to the right of the Subaru, but much further out into the field. That entry will be able to continue in the morning, but did miss the remaining stages on Thursday with a busted radiator. No private property was damaged in either incident and neither team member was injured. However, Atkinson and Corbett's time at the top of the Open division came to a full stop. They are now down in 6th.

The final incident occurred in Bonavista, where the 1995 BMW E36 M3 of John Robinson and Norman Lord went through a fence on the Mockbeggar Plantation. The fact that they only went through the panel portion, right between two post, is part skill, and probably part luck. The crowd watching was quite amazed seeing the car go through the fencing and landing on the field inside.

Damage was mostly cosmetic in nature, and they expect to be at the start line in the morning. No injuries to either member of the team. The fence damage will be dealt with by Targa Newfoundland.

The crowds that came out in Bonavista and Trinity Bay North to watch the stages were very large. People of all ages were waving at the convoy of Targa vehicles, support crews, and volunteers as they drove up from Keels towards Bonavista. Many of the competitors committed on the excitement and challenge of the Bonavista stage and the beautiful area surrounding the community. It will be a lasting memory for many who attended today.

Grand Touring, Equipped division
Results of the Grand Touring, Equipped division after Leg 4 remain unchanged for the second day in a row. The top 4 positions are still firmly holding onto their place in the standings. John Hume Sr. and Craig MacMullen are still in 1st place. In Unequipped, Reverend Canon David Burrows and Jason Fancey are leading that class. The team mates of each team are then 3rd and 4th, respectively.

Jack Rogers and CJ Strupp in their 1965 Mustang have taken a huge commanding lead over Mark Bovey and Miles Markovic in their 1971 GMC pickup. If Jack and CJ can finish tomorrow and be competitive, they will win the Classic division.

The changes in the standings kept coming, as in Modern there is now a sole leader sitting at the top. The local father and son team of Matthew and Brian Oldford are now in the lead in their 2004 Subaru WRX STI. John Hume Jr. and Justin Crant in their 2004 BMW M3 will have to really push the limit tomorrow on the stages heading back into St. John's in an attempt to pass Matthew and Brian and take the Modern division plate from them.

Mike Davenport and Brad Benson are now on top of the Open standings. They have a lead over the team of Barry Stewart and Darren Smith with the final day of stages coming up on Friday. All things considered, one of these two teams should take the top spot at the awards reception Friday night, but with Targa, anything can happen, and it usually does.

The end of the 2014 edition of Targa Newfoundland coming into sight, the Friday stages will take the teams back towards St. John's and the end of the event on the waterfront. North West Brook, Freshwater, and Brigus stages are the only things left ahead of each competitor and their quest for Targa plates and medallions. The pressure will reach an all time high on Friday, with teams pushing each other to be at the top of their divisions.

Volkswagen's German workers will push for above-inflation pay rises next year, even as the carmaker seeks to cut costs and boost flagging profitability in its core division, the IG Metall labor union said.

VW's German workers will push for above-inflation pay increases next year, even as the carmaker seeks to cut costs and boost flagging profitability in its core division, the IG Metall labor union said.

Chinese auto parts producer Wanxiang Group, which bought electric car pioneer Fisker Automotive from bankruptcy, is accelerating the relaunch of Fisker's Karma hybrid luxury car by using a design from the company's last year of production, people...

North American auto plants soon should see an improved and greater supply of the high-strength steels needed to reduce vehicle weight and improve fuel economy, thanks to a change in ownership earlier this year of an advanced steel-finishing plant...