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Volvo's year on year sales for July were up by 37% in the UK. Much of the reason is an ongoing freshening of its cars. The updates continue, with a model year 2015 XC70 now on sale.

BMW has confirmed to just-auto.com that production of the Mini Clubman and Clubvan models has ceased. Each was manufactured at Plant Oxford (Cowley).

Audi will accept punishment from Chinese authorities for breaching anti-monopoly laws in the world's largest car market, according to a statement from the automaker.

Audi will accept punishment from Chinese authorities for breaching anti-monopoly laws in the world's largest car market, according statement from the automaker today.

News 12 Aug, 2014

Dodge reveals terrifying 2015 Charger police car to keep the criminal element in check

Pictures See all 11 pictures 12 Aug, 2014

As automakers increasingly use simulation to supplement their vehicle test programmes, just-auto spoke to Chris Hoyle, technical director of rFpro, a UK company that has modelled the Nordschleife circuit at the Nürburgring, Germany, with unprecedented accuracy.

Toyota's 'Swagger Wagon' is a hip-hop send-up of suburban family life featuring Busta Rhymes.

BMW will open its third global brand experience center later this month in South Korea, which will allow customers to test their driving skills on features including a winding handling circuit and an off-road course.

China's NDRC used to be very friendly toward foreign automakers, approving numerous factory projects. Now its is investigating global automakers for suspected monopolistic behavior. What prompted the change?

Jaguar Land Rover's surging retail sales and profit helped parent Tata Motors triple its first-quarter net income.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin captured his second victory of the season in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series ahead of his home fans at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres last Sunday.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin captured his second victory of the season in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series ahead of his home fans at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres last Sunday.

Dumoulin, driving the No. 47 WeatherTech Canada/Bellemare Dodge finished first in the “Le 50 tours JuliaWine.com”, beating two-time series' champion, Andrew Ranger and Kerry Micks.

The closing moments of the race were marred by the frightening accident of Xavier Coupal whose car rolled several times before coming to a stop on all four wheels. The young Coupal was luckily not injured.

Here are our Top 10 photos of this exciting race.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Photo: Michel Boisvert

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Continue reading GP3R: Top 10 photos of the NASCAR Canadian Tire race

From nascar.com

Tony Stewart will not race in Saturday's dirt track events at Plymouth Speedway in Indiana, according to an official statement made by the track on Monday.

Stewart sat out Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International following his involvement in a fatal incident at Canandaigua Motorsports Park in upstate New York on Saturday.

“Smoke” is a regular participant in dirt-track racing and is the owner of Eldora Speedway, which has hosted dirt races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in each of the past two seasons.

Photo: TonyStewart.com

Additionally, although Stewart is on the entry list for the Michigan NASCAR Sprint Cup race, that does not necessarily mean he will start the race.

According to a representative of the Stewart-Haas Racing team, the decision on whether to race Sunday will be Stewart's, and he will have as much time as he needs to make that decision.

"It is still an emotional time for all involved, Tony included," team representative Mike Arning said. "He is grieving, and grief doesn't have a timetable."

Volkswagen is recalling 151,389 Tiguan crossovers from 2009-2014, including 38,101 in Canada, because of deposits in the fuel pump connections that may reduce fuel pump performance.

This could cause the engine to stall, resulting in a loss of propulsion and increasing the risk of a crash.

Volkswagen dealers will therefore update vehicle software to increase fuel pump pressure in order to prevent deposits from forming.

Source : Transport Canada

DTM's big boss Hans Werner Aufrecht has an idea to spice up the show.

Talking to Red Bull's Speedweek, the German mentioned the possibility of introducing qualifying races on Saturday afternoons before the races.

"If you ask me what's the best solution for DTM, I say a packed schedule," said the 75-year-old.

"I think we should have a timed qualifying session after lunch, then a qualifying race to determine Sunday's starting grid."

Photo: WRi2

The three manufacturers involved in the championship, BMW, DTM and Mercedes, fear this will spike the costs.

"Our manufacturers are very open to this idea. But there is a cost issue, so it's not easy to agree."

In conclusion, Aufrecht promised to keep pushing for qualifying races to be introduced, ahead of the 2016 season if possible.

Mazda has posted the first official picture of the all-new 2016 MX-5, which will make its global debut on September 3rd. While just a teaser, the image shows enough to get an idea of the new MX-5's silhouette.

Mazda Australia managing director Martin Benders went on the record to say that the new model "will look nothing like" the previous generation and that it will adopt an evolution of the Mazda's KODO design language.

According to WorldCarFans.com, the 2016 Mazda MX-5 (editor's note: not 2015) will use a SKYACTIV chassis that will lower its centre of gravity and reduce weight by 100 kilograms.

More details to come in three weeks... or maybe sooner, who knows?

Source : worldcarfans.com

Photo: Mazda

From GMM

Part of Sebastian Vettel's problem in 2014 is that he is 'worn out', Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner has revealed.

Having utterly dominated the sport, culminating in his four consecutive drivers' titles between 2010 and last year, the 27-year-old German has struggled for form this season.

Some think that following Mark Webber's departure, his new Australian teammate Daniel Ricciardo is simply putting Vettel in the shade.

Ricciardo, having graduated from the junior team Toro Rosso, is 6-5 up Vettel in qualifying, and with a clear 9-2 lead in the grands prix after 11 races -- including two wins compared to Vettel's none.

Christian Horner (Photo: WRi2)

Horner says not only Red Bull but also the entire world of F1 has been surprised by Ricciardo's form.

"I genuinely want to see if I have what it takes, if I am the best in the world," 25-year-old Ricciardo told CNN. "And I've got the best guy to measure myself to."

But Horner insists that, as ever in F1, the real story is somewhat more complicated than Ricciardo bursting onto the scene and showing he is a better driver than Vettel.

"It is a combination of several things," the Briton told Germany's Auto Bild Motorsport.

"First, when you have fought for the title for five years, it does wear you out a little bit, but that is not the fundamental problem.

"The way Vettel brought out those extra tenths from the car in recent years was quite unique," Horner explained. "He is very sensitive to the behaviour of the car, especially when braking."

Daniel Ricciardo (Photo: WRi2)

So the new, mandatory 'brake-by-wire' systems this year mean Vettel has "lost part of his feeling for the car", Horner said.

And "the driveability was really bad, so Seb could not look after the tyres in the way that he always has done," he added.

Horner said Vettel used to drive a bit "like a ballerina, dancing on the throttle and the brakes", which was not initially possible in 2014.

But Red Bull and Renault have been working hard on the package, with Horner saying Vettel's pace in Hungary shows he is "getting the feeling for the car back again".

Horner continued: "We also can't forget how many mechanical problems Sebastian has had, many of them just little things that have disrupted his flow.

"So he has had less time to adapt his driving style," he added.

McLaren will launch the new track-only 650S Sprint at the upcoming Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California (August 14-17). The stripped-out racer will make its global debut alongside a number of other models from McLaren Automotive, including the McLaren P1 GTR.

Based on the 650S Coupe, the McLaren 650S Sprint is fitted with developments to the Brake Steer system, even more refined active aerodynamics and a race set-up for the ProActive Chassis Control (PCC) -- upgrades that deliver a more engaging GT racing experience. The interior features a single carbon fibre HANS-approved racing seat with full 6-point harness, but a passenger seat is optionally available. There's a fire extinguisher, too.

The 650S Sprint shares a number of design features with the recently announced 650S GT3 race car, shown at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month. Finished primarily in white, the design features the new Tarocco Orange paint seen on the GT3, with subtle black and white detailing throughout. McLaren also offers a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) developed aerodynamic package including a carbon fibre rear wing and front splitter as well as further lightweight components including a polycarbonate windscreen.

This car isn't cheap, obviously. Pricing starts at £198,000, equal to about $364,000.

Source: McLaren

Photo: McLaren

Although very, very few persons have access to the contracts of the Formula 1 drivers, estimates of their annual salaries - complied by Business Book GP2014 and reported on TomorrowNewsF1.com - have been released.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso remains top of the list, but he has now been joined by his teammate Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull Racing.

All three earn approximately €22 million (about $29.4 million).

Honestly, Valtteri Bottas of Williams and Daniel Ricciardo - winner of two races so far this year - both look a real bargain at €1 million ($1.3 million) and €750,000 ($1 million) respectively.

Here is the full list:

1. Fernando Alonso Ferrari €22m ($29.4m)
= Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari €22m ($29.4m)
=Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing €22m ($29.4m)
4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG €20m ($27m)
5. Jenson Button McLaren €16m ($21.3m)
6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG €12m ($16m)
7. Felipe Massa Williams €4m ($5.3m)
= Nico Hulkenberg Force India F1 €4m ($5.3m)
9. Romain Grosjean Lotus  €3m ($4m)
= Pastor Maldonado Lotus  €3m ($4m)
= Sergio Perez Force India  €3m ($4m)
12. Adrian Sutil Sauber €2m ($2.7m)
13. Kevin Magnussen McLaren €1m ($1.3m)
= Valtteri Bottas Williams €1m ($1.3m)
15. Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing €750,000 ($1m)
= Jean-Eric Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso €750,000 ($1m)
17. Jules Bianchi Marussia €500,000 ($667,000)
18. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber €400,000 ($534,000)
19. Daniil Kvyat Scuderia Toro Rosso €250,000 ($334,000)
20. Max Chilton Marussia €200,000 ($267,000)
21. Marcus Ericsson Caterham  €150,000 ($200,000)
= Kamui Kobayashi Caterham  €150,000 ($200,000)

Nashville, TN -- It's probably not too often that residents of the tony Belle Meade subdivision near Nashville see a New York taxi cruising their tree-lined roads.

Needless to say I felt more than a bit conspicuous driving the bright yellow NV200 Taxi through the quiet neighbourhood. Eyes ahead and trying to go unnoticed, I half expected someone to flag me down.


What is the 2015 Nissan NV200 Taxi?
Based on Nissan's four-door compact cargo van, the NV200 Taxi was developed purposely as a taxi for large urban centres.

Nissan calls it the "product of a unique development collaboration." Using input from hundreds of taxi drivers and "thousands of passengers from all walks of life," Nissan turned their small van into a well-thought out form of public transit. With room for four passengers and their luggage, and many comfort and convenience features, the NV200 makes an ideal taxi -- at least New York City thought so, and made it its newest cab.

2015 Nissan NV200 Taxi Price & Specs
The 2015 NV200 Taxi features sliding doors and entry steps for easy access. Inside, upholstery is made from a stain-resistant, easy-to-clean fabric that's antimicrobial.

There's a charging station for passengers featuring a 12Vt electrical outlet and two USB ports, and separate HVAC controls.

The powertrain is the 2.0L 4-cylinder engine found in the regular NV200, with an output of 131 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque. It's mated to an Xtronic continuously variable transmission.
Up front is an independent strut system with sway bar, while the rear suspension consists of a solid axle with multi-leaf springs.

Available technology includes a 5.8" touchscreen with navigation and mobile apps, voice recognition, Sirius XM, and Bluetooth.

While pricing for the New York taxi begins at $29,700, Nissan says "Canadian opportunities for the NV200 Taxi continue to be explored."

Inside and Out of the 2015 Nissan NV Taxi
Our tester was the bright, screaming yellow we've come to associate with New York cabbies. It's a special paint without clearcoat, making it easier to touch up the inevitable scrapes and scratches. On the roof, you'll find the expected vacancy light bar, while behind the grille is an emergency "call 911" warning light that can be activated by a dash-mounted button.

There's a huge amount of legroom and headroom in the NV200 Taxi when compared to a conventional cab. The panoramic sunroof overhead lets in plenty of light making it feel even more open and airy. The passenger compartment is tough and rugged from upholstery to flat carpeted floor with no cracks or crevasses for items to be lost in.

Aside from climate controls and personal device charging areas, passengers also get their own video screens.

Sliding doors with an automatically retracting step not only make passenger entry and exit easy, but there are no doors to swing out into busy traffic.

Upright seating for the driver is comfortable, and the front passenger seat folds down flat to provide a convenient work-space.

Driving the 2015 Nissan NV200 Taxi
Once I got over the feeling of standing out like a sore thumb, I found the NV200 Taxi quite simple to drive. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to gather up any fares, so I had no way of testing how well the acrylic divider worked at blocking out obnoxious and distracting behaviour from the rear passenger compartment. An intercom system enables communication between passengers and the driver.

While the powertrain components are the same as the regular NV200, they've been toughened up to handle the rigours of a busy working taxi. As expected, the NV200 isn't exactly quick (0-100 km/h in roughly 12 seconds), but it accelerates smoothly, providing a comfortable ride.

The steering is a little rubbery, but the NV200 Taxi handles better than its tall, slab-sided profile might suggest, and the brakes are terrific. The backup camera and big side mirrors make threading it into tight parking spaces a snap.

Comparing the 2015 Nissan NV200 Taxi
This bright yellow cab's main competition resides in the
Ford Transit Connect, Chevrolet City Express, and Ram ProMaster City.