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China may provide as much as $16 billion for electric-vehicle charging facilities. Increased state funding would be a tailwind for carmakers coping with consumer concerns over the price, reliability and convenience of electric vehicles.

Denso has acquired 34% stake of Hefei Dyne Air Conditioner to help grow automotive aftermarket compressor business globally. Denso completed the transaction on 24 June.

News 27 Aug, 2014

The good old paper tax disc will be scrapped on October 1st 2014. what will the road tax changes mean for you?

News 5 Nov, 2018

Baffled by the UK car road tax system? Our comprehensive guide explains how much you'll pay on your next car

Schaeffler expects sales growth in excess of 7 percent this year after first-half earnings rose 9 percent and profit margins improved because of demand in China.

Great Wall Motors has begun construction of a new vehicle assembly plant in Russia's Tula region, following an agreement signed earlier this year with the local government.

Russia's AvtoVAZ plans to break even by the end of this year as it reduces its workforce and limits its sales decline in a bid to boost its market share to 20 percent by 2016.

AvtoVAZ plans to return to profit by cutting costs and rolling out new models to claw back market share that has been slipping away from the producer of Lada vehicles since the end of the Soviet Union.

AvtoVAZ plans to return to profit by cutting costs and rolling out new models to claw back market share that has been slipping away from the producer of Lada vehicles since the end of the Soviet Union.

China's Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen plans to begin construction of a fourth vehicle assembly plant - with 320,000 unit capacity - in mainland China in the fourth quarter of this year, according to local reports.

Videos 27 Aug, 2014

Auto Express editor-in-chief Steve Fowler takes you on a tour of the new Volvo XC90

The number of deaths said to be associated with General Motors' ignition switch fault have reached 100 and are among 284 compensation claims made against the company.

Five years ago, the idea of Citroën selling more than a few thousand high priced cars each year would have been rightly ridiculed. How things have changed. And will keep changing, due to the many more DS models now under development.

Pictures See all 6 pictures 27 Aug, 2014

Lotus has hired Jean-Charles Lievens, Kia's former European markets expert, to develop the automaker's sales network in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

Going into NASCAR's playoff, the Chase for the Sprint Cup last year, Matt Kenseth had five victories and thought he had a legitimate shot for his second championship.

This year, under a new set of rules that favors race winners, Kenseth is winless after 24 of the first 26 races. But he's not worried.

Kenseth spoke with the media, at his Joe Gibbs Racing shop, to promote the launch of a four-part series co-written with his wife Katie which covers children's books to “educate and empower children if faced with bullying situations.”

Saturday night in Bristol the 42-year old Wisconsin native finished third tying his best finish of the year. This was a far cry from his 2013 season - his first at JGR.

Matt Kenseth, Clara Mae, Grace Katherine, Katie Kenseth. (Photo: JGR/NK Photography)

Despite the lack of victories, which would make him a lock for the Chase under the new system which guarantees one win gets a driver into the first of ten races, he's not worried. That's likely because he can still qualify on points and he has a comfortable 41-point lead over Ryan Newman (the next winless driver in points) with three races remaining in the season.

“I feel like we're closer,” Kenseth said.

In the off-season NASCAR made a series of technical changes to improve the competition to make passing easier and eliminate the dreaded “aero push.”

“It doesn't have a simple answer,” the 2003 champion said “ if we knew that we would have addressed it at race three.” As he continued “ last year we finished strong. Got the new rules package and we didn't run that good. When we got the new rules,” his team had some issues as early as the first test. But with things like “the spoiler change, the splitter change, the pan change and the ride height change” his team didn't adjust as quickly with the others.

“As good as last year was I never thought I'd be in race 24 without a win."

Katie Kenseth holding Clara Mae, Grace Katherine (standing), Matt Kenseth and Kaylin. (Photo: JGR/NK Photography)

After a third place at Bristol it's not hat I'm not confident. Last year going into the Chase just off the performance I felt like I could beat everybody. We had five wins before the Chase started. But Jimmie just beat us on the last ten.

“Obviously we don't have the stats and numbers,” (this year),” he added but “that's not going to say we won't have it right in the ten. We just haven't been as dominant as we were.”

Speaking about the books “As a parent of three small children, it's natural to worry about the issues they will face while growing up,” Kenseth said. “Both Katie and I believe that openly talking about these issues is the best way to prepare them. This book is designed to help families discuss the effects of bullying with their kids. We believe it's important our kids not only know how to deal with a bully, but also understand that it's not OK to act like one.”

From GMM

Marco Mattiacci has repeated his claim that Ferrari is keeping its driver lineup for 2015.

At Spa, the British broadcaster Sky made waves when it quoted the Maranello team's chief as admitting both Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will still be wearing red next year.

That is despite intense speculation particularly about the future of Spaniard Alonso, who is reportedly disgruntled after five years of failing to win a third title with Ferrari.

Following the Sky report, the correspondent for the Spanish sports daily Marca, Marco Canseco, also asked Mattiacci to 'confirm' Alonso and Raikkonen for 2015.

"If you want, I can confirm them to you," Marco Mattiacci responded. "Both have contracts and there is not much to say on this matter other than that they are the two best drivers for us."

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

But while Monza is often the scene of an official Ferrari announcement, the Italian grand prix is also a reliable hotbed of 'silly season' rumours.

At Spa last weekend for example, Alonso and his manager were spotted entering the Red Bull motorhome, amid wild rumours Sebastian Vettel could be lured next year to McLaren-Honda.

Canseco acknowledges the official story that Alonso was simply asked by the Red Bull engineer Paul Monaghan, formerly of Renault, to sign a t-shirt for his son.

From GMM

Max Verstappen made his debut in a formula one car on Tuesday.

The well-connected Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf claims Red Bull, having newly signed the 16-year-old son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, has targeted October's Japanese grand prix as a potential first official outing for Max in 2014.

That is despite Toro Rosso chief Franz Tost saying at Spa that Verstappen's first Friday practice outings will only be in "Austin, Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi".

But Red Bull may now be speeding up the teenager's already-accelerated F1 programme even more.

"Max is in England for a brief introduction," Max's father Jos is quoted as saying.

He is referring to an outing for Verstappen at Rockingham, at the wheel Red Bull's title-winning 2011 car, in Toro Rosso livery.

It is a shakedown ahead of a forthcoming demonstration event in Rotterdam.

"It (the Rockingham debut) is not a test," Verstappen's father said. "Today (Tuesday) he is driving back and forth on the straight to get used to a formula one car."

Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso. (Photo: WRi2)

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko confirmed: "Everything went well. Max did everything right, but I expected nothing else.

"When you talk to Max, you realise quickly that he is a confident young man who knows exactly what he is doing," he told Bild.

But even Red Bull's very own Sebastian Vettel, who made his F1 debut as a teenager, has described Verstappen's age and experience as "borderline".

"There is some sort of limit and Max is very young," the German said on a visit to Sochi this week to try the new Russian grand prix layout.

"I guess he should go to school, but he is not going to have much time for that next year! He already has a lot of racing experience, and his talent is obvious. So why shouldn't he be in formula one?" continued Sebastian Vettel.

From GMM

Mark Webber's honest clarity has been missed from the formula one paddock in 2014.

Amid the typical PR-speak, the Australian - having left Red Bull and the paddock for semi-retirement and Le Mans - was always relied upon for a blunt assessment.

On his former teammate Sebastian Vettel's troubled 2014 season, for instance, Webber told Austrian broadcaster Servus TV this week: "Vettel is having problems with the new rules.

"He has improved, but from the first race you could see he was making many mistakes," Webber added.

But Vettel himself, whilst not denying he made mistakes, thinks bad reliability has been the headline of his struggle in 2014.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB10. (Photo: WRi2)

At Spa, he even said it is "unfair" to directly compare him with Daniel Ricciardo this year, because the Australian has had a clear run with the sister RB10.

Now, Vettel tells German television RTL: "People see the raw result and have their opinion. But they don't always see what is really going on. We have had so many technical problems; burned up so many engines and wasted many components.

"Daniel has performed very strongly, there is no question," said the four-time world champion. "But I think the races he won, we would have also been able to win if things had gone a bit differently."

For that reason, he said he is not beginning to question his own talent.

"It's not as if you forget how to drive over a winter and suddenly start doing everything wrong instead of everything right," said Vettel. "The hunger is still there and I think we have a good chance to fight for the world championship if we position ourselves better."

From GMM

Greece could be the next destination for formula one.

According to F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, despite economic austerity measures in the southern European country, a Greek race could be called the 'Mediterranean grand prix'.

Writing for CNN, Sylt said Formula One Licensing registered the trademark in May.

"The Greeks are keen," Bernie Ecclestone confirmed. "They want me to go and see the prime minister or the mayor. We will have to find out if they have got any money."

The report said private investors are looking to construct a track in Keratsini-Drapetsona, close to Athens, one of the world's oldest cities.