Auto News 5

Leoni has reported second quarter net income up 27% to EUR29.9m (US$40m), with consolidated sales rising 3.5% year on year to EUR2.039bn in the first six months of 2014, reaching EUR2bn at the half-year mark for the first time.

Johnson Controls has opened a new crash test facility at its Automotive Seating headquarters in Plymouth, Michigan.

News 13 Aug, 2014

Two years after being installed, variable speed cameras will finally be switched on

China's anti-trust probe has expanded to include over 1,000 local Chinese and overseas automotive companies, according to local sources quoting a Chinese government official.

Autoliv has unveiled a new operating structure, which it says will create two business segments, namely passive safety and electronics.

GM's European transformation is gathering momentum, with the vast majority of its former Chevrolet dealers in the region now selling only Opel-branded vehicles to boost the once-flagging German brand.

Skoda said today its global sales in July rose 19 percent to 82,800 units, the most ever for that month and biggest monthly increase so far this year.

A new generation of the Ford Ka has been shown to the media in Brazil. Unlike the outgoing model, there are two body styles: a sedan and a five-door hatchback.

News 13 Aug, 2014

The results of the Driver Power 2014 survey are in, showing that dealers annoy most by failing to find a reported fault

Britain's fourth-largest car dealer, Lookers, expects to post a full-year pretax profit of more than 60 million pounds (75 million euros) after record sales lifted its pretax profit by 36 percent in the first half.

News 13 Aug, 2014

50,000 UK motorists told Driver Power about their car insurance experiences. Here's the low-down on the premiums, discounts and claims

Europe's car sales slump took its toll on the executive ranks at automakers active in the region. Just 13 of the 37 executives who topped their organizational charts before the crisis are still there.

Nothing can prepare you for the sudden popularity that comes with driving a Lamborghini. One minute you're as average as white bread, the next minute you're being photographed like a supermodel.

From GMM

In just one week, Russia could get the final green light for its inaugural grand prix.

Amid construction of the Sochi layout and controversy surrounding the Crimean crisis and the MH17 atrocity, the country has had only a provisional place on the 2014 schedule.

In the meantime, organisers are almost completely ready for the FIA's final circuit inspection next week.

Russian GP chief Sergei Vorobyov told the Ria Novosti news agency that the FIA delegation will carry out the inspection next Tuesday.

"As you have seen," he said, "except for the final cosmetic work - painting, cleaning, equipment installation - the circuit is ready for the grand prix," he said.

"On August 19 the FIA will come here to decide on the acceptance of the facility for formula one," Vorobyov added.

The 2014 Russian grand prix is scheduled for October 12.

Reports from Automotive News indicate that Johnson Controls is experimenting with car interior surfaces that could change colours to match the driver's mood. It may take a long while, though.

Han Hendriks, vice president of advanced product development at Johnson Controls, claims the concept could prove especially useful for vehicles that are used by carsharing services.

In addition to developing plastic surfaces that can change colours, researchers are said to be working on odour filters to minimize any traces left behind by the vehicle's previous user.

Johnson Controls is conducting research through a $7.5 billion-a-year joint venture with Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems Co. There are three technical centres located in Dusseldorf (Germany), Shanghai (China) and Holland (Michigan).

For now, colour-changing interior surfaces are mere simulations. Johnson Controls is engaged in more immediate research, like sorting out the preferences of China's young and not-so-young drivers.

Source : autonews.com

From nascar.com

The Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet SS team of Jeff Gordon added 3M as a primary sponsor in a three-year deal announced Tuesday.

3M, an official partner of NASCAR, currently has a primary sponsorship deal is with Roush Fenway Racing and driver Greg Biffle.

The Jeff Gordon agreement includes primary sponsorship for 11 races annually in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, starting in 2015, and associate sponsorship for the remaining races.

It's the second 2015 sponsor Gordon has announced in less than a week. Last Friday, the team announced that AARP would serve as primary sponsor for 13 races in 2015.

This week's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California will mark the North American debut of the new Bentley Continental GT3-R, which is inspired by Bentley's race-winning Continental GT3 race car.

Thanks to a re-tuned version of the race- and road-proven 4.0L V8 engine, the 572-horsepower Bentley Continental GT3-R is the fastest-accelerating Bentley ever, reaching 60 mph (96 km/h) from a standstill in just 3.6 seconds. A 220lb weight reduction and shorter gearing also help.

Only 300 hand-built examples will be available globally, 99 of which are bound for the U.S. market with four more destined for Canada. Pricing is set at $337,000 USD (Canadian pricing has yet to be announced). Dealers are now accepting orders for the Continental GT3-R, with deliveries to start in the first quarter of 2015.

All units sport a Glacier White exterior highlighted by the use of two-tone green graphics that trace the two prominent power lines to the side profile of the car. A new front splitter provides an assertive look to the front of the car, balanced by a new fixed rear wing fitted to the trunk lid — both finished in carbon fibre.

The interior of this two-seater features new bespoke sports seats designed for comfort and finished in Beluga black leather with diamond-quilted Alcantara. In place of the rear seats is a new uniquely trimmed rear cabin, complete with a carbon fibre surround and finished in leather and Alcantara. Vivid green accents provide contrast on the seats, instrument panel and door panels.

The 99 copies allocated to the U.S. will all receive sequentially numbered GT3-R sill plates identifying the car's one-of-a-kind status. Expect the same for the four Canadian models.
Source: Bentley

Photo: Bentley

From GMM

Max Verstappen, the son of former Benetton F1 driver, Jos who has joined Red Bull's driver programme, is not the only familiar name treading a path to the grand prix grid.

Pietro Fittipaldi, 18, is the Miami-born grandson of Brazil's double world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

He recently left the US for Europe to climb the single seater ladder to Formula 1.

"I think in two or three years, Pietro should get to Formula 1," 67-year-old Fittipaldi, whose brother Wilson and nephew Christian also raced in F1, said in Sao Paulo on Tuesday.

Pietro Fittipaldi, Formula Renault (Photo: Facebook)

"It is very difficult, but he is well supported and very dedicated," he added.

"He is doing well this year in British Formula Renault and also went very well in NASCAR," Fittipaldi is quoted by Brazil's Globo.

The report said Pietro is part of the Telmex-headed Mexican driver programme that has already paved the F1 careers of Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez.

"Pietro is in a very good programme," confirmed Fittipaldi, "the same as Perez and Gutierrez, which is very structured and will help Pietro to get to formula one.

"He is doing everything right to achieve this great goal," he added.

Audi has agreed to sanctions following accusations of monopolistic practices by the Chinese government.

Audi of China, represented by the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture, doesn't dispute reports of violations of anti-trust laws by its dealers. It offered full cooperation during the investigations and now prepares to pay the price.

This is all for the sake of preserving a good reputation, mind you, because as far as Audi is concerned, it didn't do anything wrong.

In a statement, the German company said that its sales operations and dealer networks are currently being revised and improved to prevent similar situations in the future.

China did not publicly detail the reasons why Audi was accused of monopolistic practices in the first place, other than claiming it exaggerated the price of its vehicles and spare parts.

Sources : leblogauto.com

From GMM

Red Bull Racing director Christian Horner has admitted it is "unlikely" the team will catch up with dominant Mercedes in 2014.

Despite the fact that Daniel Ricciardo won two races so far this season, Horner doubts the RB10 can overcome or compensate for what he describes as a 65 horse power deficit to dominant Mercedes through the rest of the season.

"In all honesty it's probably unlikely," Horner said. "If you look at the gap, it's a significant gap.

"Last year was more of a level playing field on the power unit side. But obviously with the big regulation change, Mercedes are in a position of real dominance; dominance we haven't seen for a long, long time.

"We're keeping pushing, we're keeping the hammer down and hopefully after the summer break we'll have some circuits coming up that we will be able to get even closer," Horner added.

How long will Red Bull stay behind Mercedes (Photo:WRi2)

"But I don't think you'll see a situation like we had last year."

Given its slide behind Mercedes in 2014, Red Bull is at another crossroads -- its highly-rated technical director Adrian Newey, frustrated with the sport's ever-tightening rules, has decided to slip into a background role.

"It's no secret that Adrian wanted to lighten his commitment a little," Horner is quoted by Italy's Autosprint, "but it doesn't mean that we are going to look for a new technical director.

"He will still be very involved with the technical choices," Horner explained, "helping us to choose a direction in the design and development.

"We have a very strong technical team," Horner insisted. "The situation allows us to promote and develop the people who work behind Adrian and give them more responsibility.