Auto News 5

Premium automakers are progressively pushing volume rivals out of profit-rich niches such as coupes and convertibles. In the first half, 67 percent of all coupes sold in Europe were from premium brands, up from 55 percent in 2013.

Mercedes has increased production capacity for its Hungary-built CLA compact sedan, aiming to alleviate tight supplies that have limited sales, particularly in the key U.S. market.

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said he doesn't plan to hold a road show for investors before listing shares of the combined car company in New York next month.

The executives chosen as 2014 Automotive News Europe Eurostars outworked and outmaneuvered their rivals. Luca de Meo, Audi's sales boss, is this year's Eurostar winner for Sales and Marketing Executive.

Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 have started to transition their focus onto next year's car and plan to track test components over the remaining six races of the season, according to engineering director Pat Fry.

The famed Italian team have suffered a disappointing campaign this year, scoring just two podiums - both through Fernando Alonso - and recently dropped to fourth in the constructors' championship, behind Williams-Mercedes, following a poor showing on home soil at Monza.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14 T. (Photo: Ferrari)

"At this stage of the season, the focus in the factory is shifting more towards next year's car," Fry told Ferrari's official website.

"However, there is still quite a lot we can learn from track testing, therefore we will be bringing some specific test components for next year and other developments for the F14 T, which will help our understanding for next year."

Fry added that Ferrari are looking to immediately fight back at Singapore following their lacklustre outing in Italy, where Alonso retired and Kimi Raikkonen could only finish ninth.

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F14 T. (Photo: WRi2)

"After the two races in Spa and Monza, run on low-downforce circuits, we now go to Singapore which is at completely the other end of the spectrum," he said. "It's a street circuit requiring very high downforce, where we will be running the soft and supersoft tires on a track with similar characteristics to Monaco.

"Monza was a tough weekend for us, so now we are regrouping and we will keep pushing forward, concentrating on getting the best out of the package we've got."

From GMM

Contract negotiations between reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull may now be in full swing.

On Tuesday, rampant speculation that the German could be about to complete a 'seat swap' with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso for 2015 was denied.

"There is nothing new. I have a contract with Red Bull and I'm happy where I am," Sebastian Vettel told Sport Bild.

And Dr Helmut Marko added: "Alonso will definitely not be at Red Bull."

Helmut Marko and Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Curiously, Marko's denial did not mention Vettel, who has struggled to match new teammate Daniel Ricciardo in 2014 and is now linked with a big-money offer to spearhead the new McLaren-Honda alliance.

It could be that the Vettel-to-Ferrari rumour this week is directly related to Red Bull's efforts to re-sign the 27-year-old beyond his 2016 contract but at a much lower rate of pay.

Insiders have tipped Red Bull to address the huge difference between Vettel's retainer and that of his impressive new teammate Ricciardo, who currently earns many multiples less than the reigning quadruple world champion.

At the height of the Vettel-Alonso seat swap speculation this week, Red Bull's Marko named Vettel as one of the Milton Keynes-based team's "most expensive" outlays.

Referring to Red Bull's decision to give struggling Vettel a fourth chassis of the season to use in Singapore, he said: "Mr Vettel is one of our most expensive items.

"And if we cannot make the most of that, that's bad," he is quoted by Germany's major daily Bild-Zeitung.

"It cannot be that we cannot exploit the potential of our most valuable member because we are not giving him the best car," added Marko.

There are countless automotive stories out there that deserve to be told. The Mustang and the birth of the pony car; the Corvair and the disaster it was; the Beetle; the Model T are but some very famous examples. All have their place in automobiledom and their stories will be shared for centuries to come.

One such story is the one that stars Mazda's MX-5 Miata. First, know that the MX-5 celebrated its 25th Anniversary on February 10, 2014, and that it is the bestselling two-seat roadster of all time, with more than 930,000 on the road around the world since it first became available in 1989. This is a Guinness World record that is likely to stand for a very long time.

Mazda is clearly proud of its Miata, and with good reason. The story behind the MX-5 is a cool one and it begins with a suggestion that was made by an ex-motoring journalist, Bob Hall. In 1979, he got the idea for a 2-seater roadster based on ye olde British roadster. There's a famous picture of a blackboard drawing that is the earliest known rendering of what was to become the Miata. It's also a reminder to Bob as to why he's not a car designer...

Mr. Hall was offered a job at Mazda and has since been regarded as the "biological father" of the MX-5/Miata. Although not an engineer (or designer), Mr. Hall knew what the MX-5 was to be, and that was something specific, he also knew what it was not to be.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

The birth of the icon
As you might expect, the final NA Miata that we know and love did not start off that way. Many versions, iterations, and interpretations were created as the design evolved. Most of these early exercises lacked a statement of the moment attraction/appeal. It initially lost an internal concept competition, but Mr. Hall's team was thankfully given a second chance.

While the Miata was coming together, many potential names were thrown around including the 1600S and Laguna. The name Miata means “reward” in old German and it would seem that the way the word sounded is what got Mazda to select it as the car's name.

Tom Matano was charged with bringing Mr. Hall's idea to life. His job was, in part, to make the MX-5 Miata discovery process a fulfilling and exploratory experience. As he put it, from that first turn of the wheel, the car must grab you, make you forget what you're driving and leave you with the feeling that all you want is more.

The definition of “fun to drive”
In more concrete terms, the then-new 1st generation Miata wasn't going to be a flamboyant display of styling, power or record-breaking performance. The MX-5's concept was to be compact, fun-to-drive, easy to live with, lightweight and many other things that true driving enthusiasts crave.

Kansei engineering (emotional/affective engineering) is what this is. This focus on emotional values rather than performance -- fun and beauty over raw power and big specs -- was the point. Needless to say, at this point Bob and Tom were on the ball given the small roadster's smashing success. In fact, the Miata set the tone for the company's future credo. Have you ever heard of Zoom-Zoom? Its existence is a direct result of the Miata's existence.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Racecar? You betcha!
The NA Miata was but an infant and already those in the know were envisioning a car that would see track time. The only explanation for this prediction was the presence of a crystal ball, as the MX-5 is the most road-raced car in the world. The world.

This is the reason why Mazda continues to embrace the sports car in its purest form. It must be fun to drive and, very importantly, affordable. These factors have ensured longevity and second lives (or more) for almost every MX-5, and from every generation.

Generations
The 1st generation NA MX-5 Miata launched in July 1989, a few short months after production began in April of that year. The NA carried on until the NB arrived in 1998. The NC (or current Miata) landed for the 2006 MY in the summer of 2005.

The world received its first sneak peek of the fourth generation of the car on April 16, 2014 when Mazda introduced details on the new chassis at the 2014 New York Auto Show. We now know what the car will look like, but technical details on the ND have yet to be released.

Because it is held at night time, the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Singapore has a quite uncommon timetable.

With the European leg of the season now complete, the teams and drivers head to Singapore and the spectacular Marina Bay Street Circuit for the second floodlit race of the year.

Timetable*:

Thursday September 18
Formula 1 Press Conference - Press Room 18:00

Friday September 19
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Practice Session 16:45 - 17:15
Formula 1 Practice 1 18:00 - 19:30
Masters Historic Racing Practice Session 19:50 - 20:10
Masters Historic Racing Qualifying 20:20 - 20:40
Formula 1 Practice 2 21:30 - 23:00
Formula 1 Press Conference - Press Room 23:15 - 00:15

Saturday September 20
Formula 1 Team Pit Stop Practice 15:00 - 15:30
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Qualifying 15:45 - 16:15
Masters Historic Racing Race 1 (12 Laps or 25 Mins) 16:40 - 17:10
Formula 1 Practice 3 18:00 - 19:00
Formula 1 Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 19:30 - 20:45
Formula 1 Qualifying 21:00

Sunday September 21
Masters Historic Racing Race 2 (12 Laps or 25 Minutes) 16:00 - 16:30
Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Race (12 Laps or 30 Mins) 17:00 - 17:35
Formula 1 Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 17:40 - 19:15
Formula 1 Drivers Track Parade 18:30
Formula 1 Starting Grid Presentation 18:45 - 19:15
Formula 1 National Anthem 19:46
Formula 1 Race 20:00

Note - All times local. Please be advised that this timetable is subject to change.

Despite our fascination with the small car, larger vehicles are just as prominent on our roads. Why? Because the desire for comfort, space, and security on the road is prevalent with those in need of the interior room and practicality.

As one of the pioneers of the crossover market with their CX-7, Mazda's largest family member -- the CX-9 -- is just another feather in their cap in a lineup of fabulously built and fun-to-drive vehicles.

With room for seven passengers, the CX-9 is every bit as practical as it is enjoyable, and with a new facelift there is very little wrong with this vehicle. However, it's not all roses and rainbows, as the CX-9 is in serious need of an engine upgrade a la SKYACTIV.


What is the Mazda CX-9?
This is the largest vehicle in Mazda's lineup, sitting above the CX-5 in terms of passenger volume and cargo space. An SUV in nature, the CX-9 does not share the same platform as the late CX-7, despite how similar they look.

Available since 2007, the CX-9 has only ever seen one engine upgrade, going from a 3.5L to the 3.7L we see today in its second year of existence. The year 2008 was, perhaps, the CX-9's best as it won Motor Trend's SUV of the Year award and also the North American Truck of the Year award at the Detroit Auto Show.

2014 Mazda CX-9 GT Price and Specs
There are four CX-9 models to choose from, including one with front-wheel drive. The remaining three offer AWD. All four house the same engine, a 3.7L V6 good for 273 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. Power is exclusively controlled via a 6-speed automatic transmission.

In terms of pricing, for the base 2WD CX-9 GS you'll dish out $33,995. Head to the top of the CX-9 ladder (where my particular GT tester sat), and you're looking at a starting price of $45,995 before any options or extras are added on.

For that price you get room for seven passengers and 487 litres of cargo space with the third row up. Fold both the third and second row and you're greeted with 2,851 litres of cavernous space for all your goodies.

Driving the 2014 Mazda CX-9 GT
Here's where the Mazda CX-9 really shines. Truthfully, here is where any Mazda shines. Like Hondas, they have an affinity for driving well. Of course, the vehicles equipped with their brilliant new SKYACTIV engines drive even better, however, the CX-9 is still a joy to pilot.

The most pleasant aspect about the Mazda CX-9 has to be its ability to feel like a car once you're behind the wheel. Despite its large dimensions, it still feels nimble, quick and light. Case in point: I drove a small hatchback the week after the CX-9 and it felt looser and less controllable than the CX-9. It just drove home the fact that Mazdas are driver's cars, even in SUV guise.

Power is plenty for the three-rowed people carrier, as is torque. I was pleasantly surprised with the 6-speed autobox's refinement and its ability to choose the right gear without any input from me, even in situations where I would have normally switch to sport-shift mode and chosen my own gears.

Where the CX-9 suffers the most is in its 3.7L V6. While power is sufficient, it's the performance that's lacking. Mazda needs to bring the SKYACTIV to the CX-9 if for no other reason than to lower fuel consumption numbers (which hovered around 13.5L/100km range for me throughout the week).

Inside and Out of the 2014 Mazda CX-9 GT
The CX-9 is one of the “oldest” vehicles in Mazda's lineup. Despite that, it still looks young and fresh to me. With a definite KODO design-bred front end, the CX-9 is modern and sophisticated. Draped in white with subtle chrome and piano-black finishings tucked into the front grille, my Mazda CX-9 was a bit of a stunner. I love the shape and the muscular wheel wells.

Its exterior look is also rather deceiving. You might think it's going to be quite tight inside, as it's not the largest-looking SUV when approached. However, step inside and space is abundant. Up front passengers are treated to various storage spaces and comfy seats. The driving position is great and visibility is awesome.

Room in the rear (second row) is plentiful as well. I had absolutely no issue attaching my son's BRITAX baby seat, and one adult could have comfortably shared the row with him; two would have been a tight squeeze because the car seat is so large.

The third row is functional, but not for super long hauls. It's very easy to retract and install. With the third row up, cargo space really is limited. However, for mum and son on a weekend away it was just enough space.

Comparing the Mazda CX-9 GT
The three-row SUV is a strange beast; highly practical and usually dressed to the nines with amenities, they are tempting. However, with the rise of compact crossovers, the SUV doesn't just have competition in its own segment but others as well.

In terms of three-row SUVs, the CX-9 is looking straight at the Kia Sorento, Honda Pilot and Chevy Traverse.

From GMM

Jean Todt insists Ferrari is not in the sort of crisis today that he found at Maranello more than two decades ago.

The Frenchman, now FIA president, said any comparison between when he was drafted in by Luca di Montezemolo to rebuild the team in 1993 and Ferrari's current situation "makes me smile".

"I think Ferrari, today, does not need an awful lot to put things back in order," Todt, who presided over Ferrari throughout its ultra-successful Michael Schumacher era until last decade, told the Italian newspaper Il Giornale.

Ferrari, having failed to win a drivers' title since 2007 and faltering at the start of the all-new V6 era, has shed multiple top personnel this season including team boss Stefano Domenicali and now long-time president Montezemolo.

But Todt, 68, insists: "This is absolutely not (comparable to) the situation I found when I arrived in 1993 at a completely devastated myth."

Others, however, including former team driver Alain Prost, have compared Ferrari's troubles in 2014 to the shambolic 1991 season, when he was fired for criticising the state of the car and team.

"I disagree. I find all these criticisms of Ferrari today unjust," Todt insisted.

"When (Fernando) Alonso retired at Monza, he was the driver who until then had the record for the most number of grands prix always in the points. But when I started, it was a miracle if the car finished the race," reminded Todt.

Jean Todt in Bahrain watching Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

However, Todt does not criticise Fiat-Chrysler chairman Sergio Marchionne for removing Montezemolo, undoubtedly the man most universally recognised as representing the past and present of Ferrari.

"Montezemolo has been president for 23 years," said Todt, "which is a very long time. At some point, in large groups, this (sort of change) is normal. Even for myself, I always knew that a period eventually closes."

Meanwhile, Jean Todt was present for the first ever race of the FIA-sanctioned Formula E race in Beijing last weekend, and he predicts a bright future for the category.

He revealed that representatives of many car manufacturers were all also present, including those from Japan but also from "France, Germany and China".

From nascar.com

The first NASCAR oval race in Tours, France, was so well received that the track was built into a permanent structure and has become the signature race of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series.

The format was so popular with fans and competitors; NASCAR announced Wednesday the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series calendar will feature a second oval track on the schedule.

The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series will hold six race weekends involving seven European countries, highlighted by the addition of Raceway Venray, a half-mile oval in Venray, Limburg, Holland, on the border of Germany.

Raceway Venray, a half-mile oval in Venray, Limburg, Holland, will be part of the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series schedule. (Photo: NASCAR Whelen Euro Series)

The series will also feature a new championship round site: Circuit Zolder in Belgium.

The series will return to Tours Speedway, located outside of Paris, France, for the fourth year. The four-event regular season will also feature stops at Valencia, Spain, and Brands Hatch in England.

The semi-final round will take place at Magione in Italy before the 2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series champion is crowned in Belgium.

The NASCAR Whelen Euro Series holds two races per weekend for its two divisions, Elite 1 and 2, providing for 24 NASCAR races to be held across Europe.

2015 NASCAR Whelen Euro Series Schedule
Date   Races  Event   Type
April 25-26 - Spain Valencia - NASCAR Fest Ricardo Tormo - Road Course
May 16-17 - Holland/Germany - Raceway Venray - Oval
June 6-7 - Great Britain - American Speedfest - Brands Hatch - Road Course
June 27-28 - France - Courses NASCAR Tours Speedway - Oval
Sept 12-13 - Italy - Semifinal Magione American Style - Autodromo dell'Umbria - Road Course
Oct. 3-4 - Belgium - Final Circuit Zolder - Road Course

From nascar.com

When the checkered flag falls on the season finale Pinty's 250 Saturday at Kawartha Speedway, the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will have a first-time titlist as either L.P. Dumoulin or J.R. Fitzpatrick will take home the championship trophy.

Dumoulin enters the season-ending event with a 16-point advantage on Fitzpatrick, 418-402.

The Trois-Rivieres native and former Canadian Formula Ford 1600 series' champion can become only the second driver from Quebec to capture the championship in series history, joining two-time titlist Andrew Ranger.

In the point-per-position scoring format that also includes bonus points for winning the race, leading a lap and leading the most laps, there are a number of combinations that would see Dumoulin crowned the champ. Simply put, however, the championship hardware would head home with Dumoulin's No. 47 Dodge Weathertech team with a finish of 11th or better at Kawartha, a .375-mile oval in Fraserville, Ontario.

Photo: Dumoulin Competition

Dumoulin has posted a pair of wins and a series-high nine top-five finishes through 10 races this year. His only result outside of the top five was a sixth-place run at Nova Scotia's Riverside International Speedway. Nothing is guaranteed at Kawartha, however, where Dumoulin has posted an average finish of 16th in three previous starts.

A two-time championship runner-up, Fitzpatrick has a tough hill to climb for his first crown. Not only does he have the 16-point deficit to overcome, but he's not fared much better at Kawartha through the years than Dumoulin, with an average finish of 15th across seven starts. The Ayr, Ontario, native does bring plenty of momentum into the finale, however, with finishes of first and second the last two times out this year.

Dumoulin or Fitzpatrick will become just the fourth different champion since the Canadian Tire Series began competition in 2007. In the seven previous seasons, Scott Steckly has captured the title three times with two apiece from D.J. Kennington and Ranger.

Louis-Paul Dumoulin and JR Fitzpatrick. (Photo: NASCAR)

GP2 Series organisers have announced Wednesday that a DRS device will be introduced in the Series next season.

The GP2 philosophy is to prepare the drivers for F1 and because the next generation car will be introduced in 2017, the organizers felt important to keep adding modifications, at a reasonable cost.

"We have to make sure that we keep in line with our mission statement: preparing the drivers for the next step, Formula One. We thought that DRS was the best technical development to introduce and we discussed it with the teams over a year ago. They were all in favour of it as they felt it would make GP2 even more attractive to the drivers, but only if it was an identical system to the one used in F1," explained GP2 series' CEO Bruno Michel.

DRS rear wing of the Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2)

"Our DRS will be the exact copy of the one used in F1, with the same DRS zones since we're racing on the same tracks. The drivers will be able to activate it within one second of the car in front at the DRS detection point, with the same level of safety, and with the same suppliers. It will have a hydraulic activation to ensure there's a very fast movement of the flap with a capacity to open at high speed," detailed Bruno Michel.

The GP2 Series organizers already delayed the DRS system last year, in order to not affect the budgets of the teams

The DRS will be tested on GP2 Series development car for the first time in late October in Europe and again in December in the Middle East. The teams will receive the kit in January.

State authorities in California have granted Audi an autonomous driving permit in exchange for surety bond coverage of at least $5 million for each vehicle covered by a licence.

Audi becomes the first car company to receive a newly established autonomous driving permit issued by California.

After conducting research over tens of thousands of kilometres in Europe and various U.S. states, Audi projects that autonomous driving technology could be ready for consumer introduction within five years.

Following the lead of Nevada, Florida, and Michigan, California has allowed limited use of its roads for automated vehicle testing in past years. But the state legislature, led by Sen. Alex Padilla, passed legislation that Gov. Jerry Brown signed in 2012 to establish new guidelines for testing and eventually consumer use of technologies, such as Audi Piloted driving.

“California has shown time and time again that it is a global technological leader and today marks the beginning of a new era for the auto industry,” Sen. Padilla said. “Driverless vehicle technology has the potential to revolutionize driving, reduce traffic accidents and save lives. I applaud the efforts of Audi of America and others whose commitment is making this technology a reality.”

In 2012, Audi was the first automotive OEM to receive one of the red autonomous vehicle license plates issues by the State of Nevada. In July, with Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Audi was the first automaker to demonstrate the capability of its automated driving technologies on a Tampa expressway newly designated as an autonomous and connected car test bed.

Source : Audi

A Vancouver city councillor thinks the city's keenness to be green gives it the right reason to stage a round of the new FIA Formula E electric Championship.

NPA Coun. Elizabeth Ball will bring forward a motion asking Vancouver to look into becoming a future host for the Formula E series.

“Vancouverites love their events,” Ball said in a statement, calling the event an opportunity to get together while respecting the environment. The race, including qualifying and practice rounds, lasts a single day so it wouldn't cause much disruption.

On top of economic and social benefits of hosting, Ball thinks the event will once more draw attention to the city from around the world.

Vancouver held a round of the CART/ChampCar series between 1990 and 2004.

Start of the Chinese racing, at Beijing. (Photo: WRi2)

Formula E plans European double-header event for 2015

An additional round at one of the final Formula E events in Europe could bring the all-electric series back to its original schedule of 10 rounds.

Series boss Alejanadro Agag revealed that plans to replace the cancelled Rio de Janeiro race, previously scheduled for Hong Kong, have been abandoned and that he is now considering turning one of the three European races at the end of the season into a two-day double-header meeting.

British magazine Autosport reports that Formula E has plans to increase the number of races for season two in 2015/16, Agag said. So a race in Vancouver would fit the bill.

"For sure we will go higher: we are already planning at least two additions for Year 2," he explained.

From GMM

Marco Wittmann may be the newly-crowned DTM champion, but he is not dreaming about a future in formula one.

Although Paul di Resta set a precedent for launching a F1 career off the back of dominance in the premier German touring car series, 24-year-old Wittmann is happy for now in DTM.

Last weekend at the Lausitzring, driving for BMW, the German sealed the 2014 drivers' title with two rounds to spare.

But as for success breeding thoughts of moving into motor racing's premier category F1, Wittmann insists that "At the moment it is absolutely not a topic for me".

"I feel extremely comfortable with BMW in the DTM," he told Speed Week.

Wittmann explained that the major turn-off about formula one at present is the increasingly dominant 'pay driver' situation.

"When you see young drivers placing suitcases of money at the door, that is not the point of the sport from a driver's perspective," he admitted.

Marco Wittman, BMW. (Photo: DTM)

Another DTM driver with the same attitude is Timo Glock, who lost his Marussia seat at the end of 2012 and - like Wittmann - now drives a BMW in the DTM.

He said: "You can only really think about F1 if you have a suitcase full of money. So you can only get chosen by one of the top teams, or find someone who pays for you for a year.

"But then you have no guarantee that you are going to go beyond that," said Glock, 32, who also drove in F1 for the now-departed Toyota.

"The bad thing is that it costs you 5 to 10 million (euros), but that only gets you one year. Then someone with a thicker wallet could come along."

Timo Glock said that situation in F1 means that many talented youngsters like Wittmann are now asking themselves the question: "If I have a contract, am I going to sacrifice everything for a year in which I need to pay a sackful of money?

"If I was his (Wittmann's) manager, I would advise him to stay with BMW," added Timo Glock.

From GMM

F1 team bosses have identified high ticket prices as a major problem for the sport, according to the Telegraph.

The British newspaper said crowd numbers at some of the sport's most traditional venues including Spa, Hockenheim and Monza have been notably down in 2014.

The sport has struggled for traction this year as some fans bemoan the loss of the screaming V8 engine note and the increasing complexity of the technology and rules.

Message displayed in the empty grandstands at Monza. (Photo: WRi2)

At the same time, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone is notoriously tough in his negotiations with circuits over the race sanctioning fees, which often results in the promoters having to charge exorbitantly high amounts to the paying public.

The situation prompted team bosses to bring the matter up in their most recent meeting with Ecclestone.

"We have dared to discuss ticket prices," revealed Mercedes chief Toto Wolff, "and we discussed the impact and the importance of the traditional circuits like Spa, like Monza, like Hockenheim.

"Races like that need to be part of the race calendar. This is a global sport," he explained.

"We need to go abroad and we need to conquer new territories and new countries, this always has been the case, but I guess it is pretty clear what needs to be done to fill the grandstands in the traditional races such as Hockenheim and Monza," said Wolff.

Crowd at the Red Bull Ring, in Austria. (Photo: WRi2)

McLaren supremo Ron Dennis has also raised his concerns about spectator numbers in 2014, calling for an investigation into the phenomenon.

"How can we go to Silverstone and Austria and it be absolutely full, and then we go to Germany and it's half full?" he asked.

"There must be a reason. We can all guess, but that's not very scientific. We've really got to understand why these things happen.

"Is it ticketing prices? Is it national heroes? Whatever it is we have to address it," said Ron Dennis.

GM's untimely recalls to correct a faulty ignition switch have resulted in the death of at least 19 people, and not 13 as previously announced, said the lawyer in charge of compensating the victims.

Ken Feinberg has received 445 claims to this day, and 31 are eligible to a monetary compensation. In addition to the families of the 19 people who died, eight people with minor injuries and four others with major injuries will be compensated.

Under the terms of the agreement, GM will give $1 million for each casualty, plus $300,000 to the surviving spouse and $300,000 to every other beneficiary.

So far, tens of recalls have been issued by GM, affecting some 30 million vehicles worldwide.

Source : lapresse.ca

Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo confirmed the launch of a 10-unit, limited-edition model exclusively in the U.S. market. The car will make its official debut on October 12th during a gala dinner to celebrate 60 years of Ferrari operations in Uncle Sam's land.

All 10 units will be painted in blue with white stripes, the colours used by the North American Racing Team that raced Ferrari cars from the 1960s to the 1980s.

According to Automotive News, this unique model most likely will be based on the 740-horsepower F12 Berlinetta two-seat coupe while featuring a specific body and interior.

It will mark Montezemolo's last public act at the helm of Ferrari, since Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne will take over chairman duties as previously reported.

The price? A mere $3.2 million USD. Yet, the car has already sold out.

Source : autonews.com

Photo: Ferrari

Renault's new EOLAB prototype, which will be on display at the Paris Auto Show early next month, uses numerous advanced systems and strategies to achieve an NEDC combined cycle consumption rating of 1L/100km.

While there's little to no chance of seeing this car in North America, the technology at work may produce a snowball effect over the next few years.

Renault wants to ensure that ultra-low fuel consumption becomes a reality for as many people as possible. The notion of such a car being produced in large numbers within the next 10 years was dialled into the plan from the very start.

The EOLAB prototype's exceptional fuel economy is the result of Renault engineers working on three main fronts:

• Refined aerodynamics: The car's shape was designed to slice through the air efficiently, while movable devices such as an active spoiler and lateral vanes take it a step further;
• Weight saving: A weight saving program brought the car's mass down to just 400kg, thanks in particular to a multimaterial body shell combining steel, aluminium and composites, as well as a remarkable magnesium roof that tips the scales at just 4kg;
• Z.E. Hybrid technology: A new, compact and affordable hybrid power unit combines ultra-low fuel consumption with zero-emission mobility for trips of less than 60 km and at speeds of up to 120 km/h.

Many partners were involved in the EOLAB project including Michelin (tires), Continental (brakes), Faurecia (seats), and Saint-Gobain (glass).

Source : Renault.com

Photo: Renault