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Months of political unrest is threatening to drive some vehicle makers out of Thailand. The country's auto sector, the biggest in Southeast Asia, has already witnessed production and job cuts this year.

Domestic vehicle sales in South Korea increased by 1.3% to 127,319 units in July, from 125,687 units in the same month of last year, according to sources within the country's automotive industry.

New vehicle sales in Taiwan increased by over 22% to 45,143 units in July, from 36,931 units a year earlier, according to industry sources.

Pictures See all 7 pictures 6 Aug, 2014

News 6 Aug, 2014

As the new Discovery Sport undergoes finals tests, Land Rover and Virgin Galactic reveal shared development approach

News 6 Aug, 2014

Motorists charged £2 a time use unofficial toll road after closure of main road

China said it will punish Audi, Chrysler and 10 Japanese spare-parts makers for anti-trust violations. The Chinese government is scrutinizing pricing practices as the country becomes an increasingly important profit source for foreign automakers.

China said it will punish Audi, Chrysler and 10 Japanese spare-parts makers for antitrust violations. The Chinese government is scrutinizing pricing practices as the country becomes an increasingly important profit source for foreign automakers.

President Obama says U.S. corporations that adopt foreign addresses to avoid taxes are unpatriotic. But the administration helped one $20 billion American company, Delphi Automotive, do just that.

Lighting and electronics specialist, Hella., is considering making an Initial Public Offering of its shares, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Nissan's new X-Trail, which is now available with front-wheel-drive and seven-seat models, has a distinctly sportier look than its predecessor.

Bentley has appointed Joerg Mull, executive vice president of finance at Volkswagen Group in China, as its new finance chief.

Bosch aims to double sales in Asia-Pacific as the company taps expanding business with Japanese automakers. Bosch is cashing in on a trend of modularized vehicle development spurring demand for high volumes of single parts from global megasuppliers.

Europe's first-half sales results provided further evidence the region's six-year slump will end in 2014. Led by Jeep, Lexus and Dacia, 14 brands grew more than the market, which was up by 6 percent to 6.85 million.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone on Wednesday hailed the "capitalist system" that saw him escape a bribery trial by paying the German court a record $100 million settlement.

On Tuesday, the judge in Munich rubber-stamped the deal struck between the F1 supremo's lawyers and the prosecutors in the case surrounding a $44 million bribe made years ago to jailed Gerhard Gribkowsky.

Clearly, the fact a figure like billionaire Briton Ecclestone was able to cling to power in F1 and avoid jail simply by dipping into his vast fortune has been highly controversial.

The 83-year-old is unapologetic.

"It's certainly a bit unfortunate to pay so much money," he told Wednesday's edition of the German tabloid Bild, "but it would be worse to not have the money.

"I like this capitalist system," he added.

Not at all surprised, however, is the former manager of Michael Schumacher, Willi Weber.

"I said a few months ago that it would be settled with money," he told Sport Bild on Wednesday.

"That's how it is in formula one, and the same as when he gave Gribkowsky that money -- without thinking too much about it," added Webber.

From GMM

Multiple authoritative media sources claim Fernando Alonso wants almost $50 million a year to sign a new contract with Ferrari.

Amid his obvious frustration at lacking a third title after five years in red, and rumours he might be looking to leave the fabled team, Italian magazine Autosprint reports in its latest edition that the Spaniard is playing hardball in his negotiations for a new deal beyond 2016.

Ferrari wants a new three-year contract with Alonso, extending his current tenure to 2019, when the double world champion will be 38, the sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport also reported.

And Autosprint said it is "not just rumours" that the driver, arguably the best overall in formula one at present, wants a whopping EUR 35 million per season.

That equates to almost $50 million per year, or $140 million over the life of the new deal.

It is reportedly almost a doubling of Alonso's current Ferrari retainer, and perhaps beyond even the dizzying heights of Michael Schumacher's earning power with the same Maranello based team.

Germany's Bild newspaper is reporting the same news, claiming Alonso's new fee would be "one of the largest contracts in sports history".

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

The man arrested yesterday, August 5, suspected of involvement in the theft and leaking of a medical file on injured former F1 champion Michael Schumacher was found hanged in his cell today, prosecutors declared.

According to AFP, the Zurich prosecutor's office said in a statement that the unidentified man worked for the Swiss helicopter air rescue company, which was contacted to perform the transport of Michael Schumacher from the CHU of Grenoble to a hospital in Switzerland.

The medical records of Michel Schumacher were stolen and offered for sale to a number of journalists for 50,000 euros.

The police tracked down the IP address of the computer that was used to contact the media, and that led them to an employee of the helicopter company.

A man was arrested and was interrogated by the police. He denied any wrongdoing. The man was then detained in a jail cell. He was found hanged when officers came to bring him breakfast.

According to an initial investigation, no one else was involved in his hanging, the prosecutor's office said.

The Zurich prosecution added that the man found hanged in his cell was believed to have acted alone in the case, but stressed he should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is going straight back to work after agreeing a $100 million deal to end his bribery trial in Munich.

Amid high controversy and suggestions F1's major stakeholders and his employer CVC might not be happy with Tuesday's news, it was confirmed that the outcome of the court proceedings is that the 83-year-old is a "free man".

"There was no conclusion on guilt or innocence of the defendant," said a court spokeswoman. "He is leaving this courtroom a free man."

Briton Ecclestone, F1's chief executive and 'supremo' who has been working only part-time for months amid the trial, headed straight from Munich to London.

"I've just got to get on with work," he told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt in the Independent newspaper. "I've got things I need to catch up with so I'm cracking on. I have been wasting two days a week. Now I can get back to doing what I should be doing."

The appearance that he effectively bought his innocence, however - particularly in the face of bribery charges - remains highly controversial.

But Ecclestone, who admitted he feels "a bit of an idiot" for paying up, said the price he paid was so high only because he is a billionaire.

"If I had proved that I hadn't got any money I wouldn't have had to pay," he insisted. "That's what it's all about."

And the Daily Express quoted him as saying: "I've always said I was innocent and if I had waited until October I would have saved a lot of money.

"But when you're trying to run businesses it's not easy trying to resolve things when dealing with lawyers for so much of the time," Bernie Ecclestone added.

Indeed, his lawyers on Tuesday insisted that if the trial had simply run its course, Ecclestone would have been acquitted as prosecutors were having trouble proving the case.

"What has happened is that the judge has come back and more or less said it's an acquittal, which he didn't have to do," said Bernie Ecclestone. "Another three months out would have been bad. I've been working weekends to catch up with what I've been missing during the week. I've not really noticed but it has probably taken its toll a little bit."

Nonetheless, there remains speculation that, even though an innocent man on paper, damage has been done particularly in the eyes of CVC, a massive private equity firm.

"Yes," Ecclestone is quoted by the Express newspaper, "I can get back to running the business five days a week instead of three and buying F1 remains a possibility."

Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff has hit out at DTM stewards' decision to penalise Canadian Robert Wickens in last Sunday's race at Spielberg, Austria.

Pole position holder and a potential race winner, Wickens was penalised by a controversial drive-through penalty for unsafe release.

According to Autosport magazine, it seems the officials confused the Canadian's car with the similar-looking Mercedes of Pascal Wehrlein, who made contact with race winner Marco Wittmann's BMW during the stops.

Wolff wrote a letter to DTM officials, claiming that Wickens release was not unsafe, and that the interest of the sport and the race should be taken into account by stewards when making decisions on penalties.

Wolff wrote: "We remain convinced that the decision was wrong in principle, particularly on close reading of the precise definition of what constitutes an 'unsafe release'.

"Having completed his pitstop on lap 22, Robert Wickens was 'released' from his box.

"There is clear video and photo evidence that the driver behind him was not even in the outside lane at this point in time. Wickens's exit from his box may not have been optimum, but there is no way that the pit crew could have foreseen this, and they cannot therefore be held liable for an 'unsafe release'.

"We regard the case of Pascal Wehrlein as a more clear-cut example of 'unsafe release'.

"The initial decision was to take no further action, but he was then penalised after the race. Not only was the consistency of the decision making questionable but also the severity of the punishment.

"Quite apart from the case under discussion, we believe that there is a need in the DTM for a more consistent and accountable procedure for potential offences and the penalties they incur.

"When in doubt, decisions must be made in the spirit of the sport and in the interests of exciting racing."

Director of Pirelli motorsport, Paul Hembery said he will push for Formula 1 to use 19-inch tire if the sport elect to change tire size.

Hembery added he'd like to see F1 move to a 19-inch tire instead of 18.

The Briton explained Pirelli could be ready to switch to 18-inch tires in 2016, but added the Italian company is doing more work on the 19-inch.

“We are doing a lot of work - probably focusing on 19-inch now, if I am really honest with you,” Paul Hembery confirmed.

“We are carrying on our work internally on those developments and so from our point of view it goes ahead.”

Lotus E22 with 18-inch Pirelli tires. (Photo: WRi2)

Asked what his preference would be, if the sport does choose for change, Hembery said Pirelli would prefer 19-inch tires: “18-inch tires we have got everywhere and 19 is different,” he said.

“It is too early to say about the width. I think that depends on what package of aero changes they are going to make and what they think they might do with the suspension. We have heard talk of some form of active suspension. I am not sure if that is going to happen or not. But there is a lot of aspects they are talking about which could change what we do with that,” Hembery explained.