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Carmakers in India are coming under similar pressure from regulators as those in China with a total of US$420m in fines being handed out to 14 companies for stifling competition in the market for spare parts.

Articles 26 Aug, 2014

We asked Auto Express readers which fantasy car they most wanted to see built. Here are the ten Most Wanted models for 2014

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Scale models of new baby Land Rover, the Discovery Sport, surface online

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India's antitrust regulator fined 14 carmakers a combined $420 million for stifling competition in the market for spare parts. Among the companies fined were the local units of GM, Ford, Toyota, VW, Fiat, Nissan, BMW and Mercedes.

India's antitrust regulator fined 14 carmakers a combined $420 million for stifling competition in the market for spare parts. Among the companies fined were the local units of GM, Ford, Toyota, VW, Fiat, Nissan, BMW and Mercedes.

Porsche continues to expand the 911 range, with the Targa body style having just gone on sale in Britain. Could this be the best looking variant yet?

Though today's new vehicle development programmes are more comprehensive than ever, using exhaustive virtual and 'real world' testing, issues can still escape into the market place. just-auto spoke to Mark Findlay of UK engineering consultancy Drive System Design about a new approach to reducing warranty costs.

Asian and European brands dominate the top of an annual survey of customer satisfaction in the United States with auto brands, though overall satisfaction with the industry dropped for the second year in a row.

Bentley's Mulsanne Convertible Concept is back on track. The convertible would target the upcoming Rolls-Royce Ghost-based convertible and the upcoming convertible version of the Mercedes S class.

PSA is using the Hollywood film "Lucy" to give its Peugeot 308 a marketing boost in more than 50 markets around the world as the automaker strives to build sales outside Europe.

Volvo is sticking to its Scandinavian roots with its first model since being acquired by Chinese owners four years ago. Rather than chase low wages, Volvo will build the new XC90 SUV in Gothenburg, where auto workers get about $62 an hour.

From Classic Lotus

Classic Team Lotus is very sorry to report the death of Len Terry, one of the great Team Lotus designers and a leading figure in motorsport design in the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Len first worked for Lotus in the 50s, during the Hornsey days. He returned to Team Lotus in the early 60s, developing the Lotus 25 into the Lotus 33, which was used by Jim Clark to win the World Championship in 1965.

The same year Team Lotus won the Indianpolis 500 in the Lotus type 38, which Len designed almost single handed.

Jim Clark's 1965 Indianapolis 500 Winner, Lotus-Ford 38/1 (Photo: Ford)

In 1966 Len was hired by Dan Gurney to design the Eagle chassis which would serve for both Formula 1 and Indycar racing. Len's design is often cited as one of the most beautiful F1 cars of all time and it was quick too, famously winning the 1967 Belgian GP at Spa.

Len enjoyed an up and down relationship with Colin Chapman. They respected each other's abilities and Len was a strong character who had confidence in his 'talent and ability' and would not be intimidated.

Four-time Canadian Rally Champion Pat Richard missed the Rallye Auto Baie-des-Chaleurs in June and has announced today his retirement from the sport.

On his Facebook page, Patrick wrote: “Yes, I have to retire from competitive driving.

“I have a serious neurological illness believed to have been caused by a series of head injuries. Although I am now out of the hospital after a two-month stay, I am mostly confined to my home. I'm hopeful I'll recover fully but it's really unlikely I'll be driving competitively again.

Pat Richard, Subaru Impreza WRX STI (Photo: René Fagnan)

“This has been a very difficult decision to make but it's for the best. Huge thanks to Subaru Canada for an entire career's worth of support, to the well-respected and hard-working posse at Rocket Rally, and to everyone involved in the sport -- you guys have all made it a great ride!

“Subaru Rally Team Canada and the Rocket Rally crew will most definitely be at Rallye Defi; though I won't be driving I'm still involved with the team and I'll be supporting them from a distance.

“I hope to get to a rally soon to start my new career as most annoying know-it-all service crew guy ever”.

From IndyCar.com

The 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series testing regulations recently released include no in-season on-track team activity but the re-introduction of Open Tests before selected races.

Provisions have been made in the rulebook for potential Firestone tire tests, new Verizon IndyCar Series teams and first-year drivers.

The regulations apply from Aug. 31 through Sept. 20, 2015. A team is permitted a total of 14 test days, comprised of engine manufacturer tests, team tests, Open Tests and full-size wind tunnel tests.

Full-season entrants are allocated a maximum of 10,000 total miles for use in all on-track activity from the first race or Open Test of 2015 to the end of the race season.

The first Open Test is scheduled for March 16-17, 2015, at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. It will be the initial opportunity for teams to test manufacturer road and street course aero kits to debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 27-29.

Other Open Test venues include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Sonoma Raceway. Open Test days were incorporated in the 2013 testing regulations.

The 2014-15 offseason on-track testing period opens Sept. 16. Six days of manufacturer aero kit testing with selected teams will be conducted from Oct. 6 to Jan. 18, 2015. Teams take delivery of the road and street course aero kit March 1.

Bosch has posted a comparison chart which helps motorists decide between purchasing a gas- or a diesel-powered vehicle.

By comparing the advantages of both types, Bosch offers a cornucopia of tasty tidbits to the undecided, who can then take into account the data that best suits their personal situation.

Both engine types offer advantages, according to Rolf Bulander, member of the Bosch Board of Management. “Both have their strengths in different vehicle classes. A modern gasoline engine makes even affordable compact cars efficient, while an advanced diesel engine can keep consumption low and driving enjoyment high in a larger vehicle.”

Source : Bosch

Photo: Bosch

Ford and DTE Energy are building Michigan's largest solar array, and the second largest solar carport in the Midwest. The ambitious project will create 360 covered parking spaces equipped with 30 electric vehicle charging stations at Ford headquarters in Dearborn Michigan.

The solar canopy will produce up to 1.13 kWh of electricity annually, enough to supply electrical power to 158 average-size homes. In addition to providing power to recharge electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, a booth will also be on site offering general information to visitors about solar power and specific details about the Ford carport.

The solar array will offset an estimated 794 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually while reducing the overall electrical power consumption at the Dearborn headquarters.

Source : Ford

Photo: Ford

PROs: The key features of a race car like the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette are necessarily stashed away under the hood and below the body. Let's start under the hood. For the 2015 models, this American sports icon packs a V8 engine developing a minimum 455 horsepower, matched with an excellent 7-speed manual transmission. The there's under the body also, because the Corvette's suspension makes for absolutely astonishing road handling. Finally, it's obvious that the price/performance rate is among the best on offer, especially when compared to European competitors in this category.

CONs: Even if previous generation components are no longer present on the 2015 model, (besides the mechanics, obviously) there's no avoiding the fact that the Chevrolet Corvette has had a less-than-enviable reputation, particularly over the past few years. The engineers have tried hard to trim the Corvette's weight, but to no avail: the Corvette is still an imposing beast and tips the scales a little too heavily.

Photo: Chevrolet

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Price: GM has not yet announced the price-list for the diverse range of 2015 Corvette models, which will most probably be marketed only at the end of 2014.

Fuel Economy: Considering the fact that the Corvette V8 engine deactivates 4 of its cylinders at highway speed, there's good reason to expect reasonable fuel consumption...as long as you go easy on the accelerator.

Improvements and Changes: Practically all components on the Corvette have been overhauled, with the exception of the mechanics.

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Powertrain: Under the hood of its 2015 Corvette, GM went with a 6.2 L DOHC V8 which delivers 455 horsepower. This engine is coupled with a 7-speed manual or 6-speed automatic with manual mode and selection buttons on the steering wheel. The Z51 version adds another 5 horsepower boost. As for the Z06, the V8 6.2L aluminum block cranks out 625 horsepower and at least 635 lb-ft of torque. This engine is matched with a 7-speed manual or 8-speed paddle-shift automatic.

Cargo Capacity: We still don't have any data related to the 2015 Corvette's cargo capacity, but there's every reason to expect something very similar given the intended role of the car.

Safety: Regarding safety, the 2015 Corvette features ABS, assist braking, electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic stability control and anti-skid acceleration.

Comparing the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette: In this supercar category you'll find the Dodge Viper, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren and others.

Google autonomous cars are programmed to drive over the designated speed limit under certain specific conditions, according to Google autonomous car team member Dmitri Dolgov, as reported to a Reuters journalist who recently tested a "Google Car".

In fact, conditions permitting, the autonomous vehicle could reach speeds of up to 16 km/h over the posted limit, while performing a passing manoeuver for example, or to keep up with the flow of traffic in order to limit unnecessary jams. In addition, Doglov is quick to point out that respecting the speed limit while every other vehicle is going faster can actually be dangerous, which would be a perfect example of the Google car committing an infraction.

How will the different jurisdictions manage these breaches to their traffic laws? The future holds the answer...

Source : reuters.com

Photo: Google