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News 27 Jul, 2014

Research shows fuel economy in hybrid cars is hit harder by air conditioning use than that of petrol and diesel models

VW Group is mulling a planning center in Brazil. It would be part of the automaker's 3.6 billion euro ($4.85 billion) investment in new models, plants and technology for the country through 2018, sources said.

VW Group is mulling a planning center in Brazil. It would be part of the automaker's 3.6 billion euro ($4.85 billion) investment in new models, plants and technology for the country through 2018, sources said.

News 25 Jul, 2014

The famous Aston Martin Lagonda nameplate will return on a limited edition luxury saloon, due on sale in 2015

Pictures See all 6 pictures 25 Jul, 2014

One bad season for Manchester United has not shaken GM's belief in its sponsorship deal with the English soccer club.

The auto industry is exploring open-source operating systems such as Linux more seriously than ever, hoping that sharing the work and making code available to all will lead to more rapid development cycles, lower costs and happier drivers.

Vehicle sales at Citroen's upscale DS line, which became a standalone brand on June 1, fell during the first half, hit by an aging product lineup and tougher competition from refreshed rivals such as Mini.

Germany's premium automakers are benefiting most from the UK car market boom. Audi, BMW and Mercedes are winning customers from mass-market brands such as Ford and Vauxhall.

The biggest auto-parts deal since 2007 may be just the start of consolidation, with Autoliv and Visteon among the next potential targets, analysts say.

French car parts supplier Valeo has raised its full-year earnings forecast following a 21 percent rise in first-half profit, due mainly to overseas expansion and increased demand for fuel-saving technologies.

U.S. authorities working to stop the increasing flow of high-end cars overseas have run into a significant obstacle: Exporters arranging the shipments may not be breaking any laws, even if so-called straw buyers are sometimes deceptive.

Vehicle sales at Citroen's upscale DS line, which became a stand-alone brand on June 1, fell during the first half, hit by an aging product lineup and tougher competition from refreshed rivals such as Mini.

The biggest auto-parts deal since 2007 may be just the start of consolidation, with Autoliv and Visteon among the next potential targets, analysts say. More suppliers may combine as overcapacity constrains their ability to add scale on their own.

From GMM

Ferrari is now focusing "all" of its efforts on 2015, according to lead driver Fernando Alonso.

The Spaniard's comments, made on Thursday ahead of the Hungarian, appear to contradict those of the Italian team's technical director James Allison.

"It's a time of much work on both projects, with plenty of effort still going into improving laptime on the 2014 car," Allison said last week.

But Autosprint quotes Alonso as saying in Budapest: "Now all the team's efforts are focused on the new car. It's a choice that leaves us in a difficult situation for 2014, but at this point of the season it is right to think of 2015 above all."

Fernando Alonso also commented on his own performance, suggesting he has rarely been better at the wheel, despite the lack of performance from Ferrari's F14-T car.

"Last year was also good, but like 2012 I think this year was a step above. I think I'm at the level of 2012 now," he is quoted by Spain's Marca.

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

"Also compared to my teammate, who has the same car, I have rarely felt better," said Alonso, referring to the struggling Kimi Raikkonen. "With the new rules I have been almost every day in the simulator, also working with Pedro (de la Rosa). I've spent more time in Italy, with the team, than ever before."

Continuing to refer to Raikkonen, Alonso is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport: "I don't know what problems he has."

But if his recent comments sound like criticism, the official Ferrari quotes attributed to Alonso on Thursday insisted he works closely with the Finn.

"Definitely Kimi and I work together a lot and all the meetings are quite long this year because we have a lot of things to sort out after the races," he said.

"It's not a big change compared to the work I did with Felipe or other teammates," Fernando Alonso added.

From GMM

With Mexico set to join the 2015 calendar, two more new grands prix should follow the year after.

That is the news of F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, even though on Thursday there was scepticism in the Budapest paddock that Mexico will actually happen in 2015.

It is believed organisers need to spend at least $50 million upgrading the old Mexico City layout, including fully converting a baseball field into a new section of track.

And Mexican driver Sergio Perez on Thursday said he is not even sure the iconic, sweeping Peraltada corner will be included in the final layout.

Still, he is a "hundred per cent sure" the race will take place in 2015.

"No doubt about it. Last year was a difficult situation due to the time that we had to build the circuit, but now there is no doubt and I think we can all think that we're going there," Sergio Perez added.

The Mexicans are not the only hosts clamouring for the F1 calendar.

"Baku is for 2016," Bernie Ecclestone, speaking to F1 business journalist Christian Sylt, told Forbes.

He is referring to the capital of Azerbaijan, even though the republic at the crossroads of Europe and Asia was originally targeting an inaugural race for 2015.

And as for the on-again, off-again prospect of a New Jersey street race, Ecclestone now thinks the famous Manhattan skyline might feature on the 2016 schedule.

"Somebody said to me the other day that New Jersey seem to have got their act together now and that they have got the money and are all in good shape," he said.

"Whether or not that is true I don't know. The soonest it could come on the calendar is 2016."

From GMM

Pastor Maldonado would welcome a cigarette sponsor to Lotus.

When the Enstone based team first adopted its familiar black and gold livery in 2011, it instantly triggered memories of the original Team Lotus, sponsored in the 70s and 80s by John Player Special.

But according to rumours in the Hungaroring paddock, John Player Special - now headed by the British tobacco giant Imperial - could be back for real in 2015.

Mario Andretti, Lotus JPS, 1978 (Photo: WRI2)

Cigarette advertising in F1 is banned, but Ferrari continues to be backed by Philip Morris, whose Marlboro colours resemble the imagery on the Italian team's cars and logos.

Venezuelan Maldonado on Thursday indicated he would have no problem being sponsored by a tobacco company like Imperial.

"It's difficult to say because I'm not getting involved in marketing and this part of the team," he said.

"But for sure, a sponsor is welcome. Whoever can join the team, it's always welcome. From my point of view, it's a good team in terms of image, marketing, one of the best in formula one, for sure," Maldonado added.

Pastor Maldonado, Lotus E22-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Michael Schumacher's wife is selling the private jet the seven time world champion used to fly around the world.

The grey Falcon 2000EX, bearing the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver's 'MS' logo on the tail and the personalised registration 'M-IKEL', clocked up thousands of air miles not only during his F1 career but also afterwards.

But Germany's Bild newspaper reports that with the great German now recovering from brain injuries, his wife Corinna chose to sell the unused jet.

Originally bought for EUR 25 million, Mrs Schumacher is reportedly seeking EUR 20m.

From GMM

World champion Sebastian Vettel has slammed the FIA's new fully-electric single seater series, Formula E.

The new series, featuring nearly silent cars and an impressive collection of teams and drivers, will commence a global tour of street circuits starting with Beijing in September.

Formula E in action at Donington Park. (Photo: FIA Formula E)

But according to Sebastian Vettel: "I think it's cheese."

It is not the first time the Red Bull driver has turned to food for a putdown, having called his uncompetitive 2014 car a "cucumber" earlier this year.

But the quadruple title winner also earned a personal rebuke from none other than FIA president Jean Todt in 2014, when he referred to the sound of the new turbo V6 engines as "sh*t".

Now, 27-year-old Vettel has set his target on Formula E.

"I'm not a fan of it, and as a viewer I would not be interested. Now I need to stop," Sebastian Vettel smiled, according to the German newsmagazine Focus ahead of the Hungarian grand prix.

Once a Subaru lover, always a Subaru lover. Them's the rules, and they must always be adhered to. So, by way of the rules it would seem I have to love the 2015 Subaru WRX. On a number of levels, I do. However, the introduction of a new transmission offered in the turbocharged Rex has me scratching my head and wishing Subaru had left it exclusively manual.

As an esteemed colleague of mine stated; you can still loved a neutered pet, right? And that's just it, the CVT-equipped 2015 WRX feels neutered in a way that's hard to ignore.


What is a Subaru WRX?
It used to be an Impreza WRX, but Subaru has since dropped the connection to the Impreza and let the WRX and STI branch off on their own. Essentially, the WRX is Subaru's entry-level rally star. Turbocharged and with Subaru's reknowned symmetrical AWD and BOXER engine, the WRX is loads of fun in any weather and on any road condition, plus practical as a family hauler.

While this would have been the 5th generation of the WRX as an Impreza, its separation means this is a first generation car.

2015 Subaru WRX Price & Specs
For just a smidge under $30k, you can walk away with a base WRX that'll offer up a 6-speed manual transmission (finally), 17” wheels, and AWD. Not bad, in my opinion.

If amenities do it for you, you'll need to upgrade to the WRX Sport-tech package that starts at $35,495 and offers up all the regular stuff plus a Harmon Kardom premium stereo, leather and more.

My particular tester was in the middle of the pack at just over $32k and offered up a few extras like a back-up camera, 8-way power adjustable seat and, the CVT...

Sadly, the WRX (and similarly the STI) is no longer offered as a hatchback. It's sedan or nothin', at least it is for now. But I'll get to the design later... In terms of engine offerings, no matter which WRX you walk away with you'll have the pleasure of exploiting the 2.0L BOXER turbocharged engine good for 268 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.

Now, here's my point of contention: The 2015 Subaru WRX is now offered in both a 6-speed manual or with a CVT. That's right, there is now an automatic WRX, and not just any sort of automatic, a CVT. Let that sink in for a second.

Driving the 2015 Subaru WRX
As you may have gathered, my particular WRX was equipped with a CVT. And while my left foot desperately searched for a pedal upon each start-up, none was to be found and I took to getting to know the WRX in an entirely new way.

Here's the thing: the 2015 WRX's CVT is trying so desperately not to be a CVT that it's a bit obnoxious. “Shifts” or rather ratio changes are harsh and overly sharp, especially if Sport# is activated via the steering-wheel mounted buttons that control Subaru's SI-Drive (only available with the CVT). While paddle shifters on the steering wheel are standard, the lagged shifts that roll over from one to another are more despicable than pleasing to use.

It wasn't all bad though, the linear power with which the 2015 Subaru WRX rockets forward is awesome, and the sharp and precise throttle response is a welcome change to some of the lazier pedals out there. Steering is much sharper and spot-on, tight and contained. The entire car feels better put together and just overall tighter. Cornering is handled with ease, body roll is near none and the WRX goes precisely where you want it to go, no matter how quickly you want it to go there.

The 2.0L 4-cylinder is plenty powerful, and I'd venture to say the only advantage the STI has over the WRX is better brakes (and the fact that it's only available with a stick shift #savethemanuals).

Inside and Out of the 2015 Subaru WRX
Yes. So much yes. The new exterior design of the 2015 WRX is stellar. Subaru took the Rex back to its aggressive nature, where it should have always stayed. Gone are the subdued fender flares and “sorry, I'm a bit fast” front end, replaced with a “I'll eat smart cars for lunch” front fascia. While I do wish the hood scoop was a bit more pronounced (think '04-'05 STI height), the overall exterior of the '15 WRX is mint, and pretty damn sexy.

Inside, it's standard Subaru fare, which means you shouldn't expect too much. Materials are sufficient but not luxurious by any stretch of the imagination. Buttons and centre-stack set-up is simple and straightforward; and don't expect an armrest. There ain't one. Front seats are supportive and sporty, but comfortable.

The backseat is plenty spacious and installing my son's seat was a breeze. The door opening on the 2015 WRX is much larger than previous gens, which makes putting him in and taking him out that much easier.

Comparing the 2015 Subaru WRX
The WRX has some interesting competition, all of which are as cult-driven as the Subaru: VW GTI, Civic Si, and even the Ford Focus ST. Subaru lovers will always be Subaru lovers, and so the WRX will live on.