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Ford will halt production of the B-Max at its Romanian plant for nine days in September, a report said. The automaker has halted output in Romania several times since September 2013 on slow sales of the minivan.

Ford will halt production of the B-Max at its Romanian plant for nine days in September, a report said. The automaker has halted output in Romania several times since September 2013 on slow sales of the minivan.

Ford will halt production of the B-Max at its Romanian plant for nine days in September, a report said. The automaker has halted output in Romania several times since September 2013 on poor sales of the minvan in Europe.

Lexus GB's new hybrid NX 300h will be its first UK model fitted as standard with radar-controlled systems to help prevent accidents, the automaker said.

Renault's Russian director, Bruno Ancelin, says he was "heavily surprised" there was no appetite for a trade union at the company's Moscow plant when he arrived to take up his post.

Renault Russia says it is looking to up the localised content of its vehicles to 80% as the fallout from the current political turmoil involving Moscow and Ukraine continues to take its toll on the rouble.

Renault Russia says it is looking to up the localised content of its vehicles to 80% as the fallout from the current political turmoil involving Moscow and Ukraine continues to take its toll on the rouble.

News 29 Aug, 2014

Aston’s new special edition Lagonda super-saloon seen in the metal for the first time as it heads for hot weather testing in Oman

Pictures See all 7 pictures 29 Aug, 2014

The third generation Sorento, revealed earlier today (29 August) to the media in South Korea, is longer, lower and wider. The Hyundai Motor group brand wants to sell 270,000 units of this new SUV in 2015.

Fiat will spend less than the limit the carmaker set to buy shares from investors who opted to sell ahead of its merger with Chrysler Group, clearing a key hurdle before the deal can close.

Fiat will spend less than the limit the carmaker set to buy shares from investors who opted to sell ahead of its merger with Chrysler Group, clearing a key hurdle before the deal can close.

Suzuki is giving is new Vitara a more mainstream look to broaden the subcompact SUV's appeal. The five-door Vitara will go on sale in Europe early next year.

Daimler plans a line of vehicles with modified engines and sport-tuned suspensions to bridge the gap between standard Mercedes-Benz models and high-performance AMG derivatives.

Jaguar Land Rover will 'turn over every stone' including launching plug-in hybrids to bring its high average CO2 emissions down to an EU-approved level by 2021, JLR head of product development Wolfgang Ziebart said.

Infiniti will open design studios in the UK., U.S. and China to separate its luxury-vehicle designers from Nissan stylists. Infiniti will open a London studio next month in a separate building only a few steps from its Nissan studio.

Suzuki is giving is new Vitara a more mainstream look to broaden the subcompact SUV's appeal. The five-door Vitara will go on sale in Europe early next year.

The latest issue of the Automotive News Europe monthly e-magazine goes live on Monday, Sept. 1. This month's edition looks at why European automakers have struggled to gain a foothold in India and what they are doing to turn things around.

From GMM

Dieter Zetsche has become involved in resolving the damaging spat between warring Mercedes teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

As team chiefs Toto Wolff, Paddy Lowe and Niki Lauda work to safeguard Mercedes' overwhelming title prospects amid an escalating driver feud, Lauda revealed that Zetsche has been moved to intervene.

"Naturally we have to report to him," the F1 legend and team chairman told the German weekly Bunte. "We have a need for clarification. It (the F1 project) is all about building credibility for the brand."

Until now, although there have been efforts to cool the heat in the wake of last Sunday's incident, the clear finger of blame has been pointed at Rosberg for causing the lap 2 crash at Spa that left Hamilton almost 30 points behind in their title fight.

Niki Lauda, for instance, admitted to Bunte that even the German driver's post-race explanation of what happened was "not understandable to me".

Nico Rosberg's front wing and Lewis Hamilton's tire, after two laps at Spa-Francorchamps. (Photo: WRi2)

A key meeting to plot a way forward will take place at the team's Brackley base on Friday, Germany's Sport Bild reports.

"I will not be there," Lauda confirmed, "but Toto, Paddy and the two drivers will be."

It is possible that Zetsche, who has always argued against team orders, will ask for any solution to the problem to not involve ending Mercedes' policy of 'free racing'.

Indeed, on Twitter on Thursday, Mercedes asked its half-million followers to vote for either "team orders or free racing".

"This is a chance to have your say," the team tweeted.

The predictable and overwhelming response saw 92 per cent support for free racing, with Mercedes going on to ask for suggestions for potential penalties for breaching the "no contact rule".

"Would you suspend a driver for a race and not maximise constructors' points? Perhaps you'd set the order at qualifying slots?" the team twitterer wondered.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, at Spa-Francorchamps. (Photo: WRi2)

Niki Lauda tipped Mercedes to ultimately keep the faith and refrain from playing safe and introducing team orders for the rest of the 2014 battle.

"Nothing changes," he said, "although it is important to avoid unnecessary risk.

"But I do not want to prejudge the meeting tomorrow (Friday). Let's see what the decisions look like," Niki Lauda added.

One of the great rally legends, Bjorn Waldegaard has died aged 71 after suffering with cancer.

Waldegaard captured the inaugural drivers' World Rally title in 1979, winning the Acropolis and Criterium du Quebec.

Driving a works Ford Escort on European rally rounds and a Mercedes 450 SLC on the Safari and Ivory Coast, Waldegaard took the championship by a single point from Hannu Mikkola.

While the great Swede stopped competing at the international level in 1992, his love of competition kept him in and around rallies for the rest of his life.

He will be sorely missed.

Bjorn Waldegaard and Peugeot boss Jean Todt, 1990 Paris-Dakar (Photo: WRI2)