Auto News 5

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has reported a "robust first half of 2014 for UK car manufacturing with volumes up 3.5% to 791,314 units".

News 24 Jul, 2014

Two new models for the Bentley range are in the works, a new Azure convertible and a coupe Brooklands

Ford's struggling Lincoln brand, which has seen sales fall by 65% over the last 25 years, will have a new boss from 1 September in a move new Ford CEO Mark Fields described as "making clear we are serious about Lincoln as a world-class luxury brand".

News 24 Jul, 2014

The Ford Fiesta is now our best-selling car ever, but what did it beat to reach the top of the UK most popular cars list?

News 24 Jul, 2014

SEAT CEO confirms SUV design will be similar to Leon, while Cupra and smaller version under consideration

Hyundai's second-quarter profit fell 7 percent as a strong won, weakening global sales and incentives in the U.S. took their toll on earnings. To combat a strong currency, the automaker will now consider adding production overseas.

New vehicle sales in Thailand fell by 30.4% to 73,799 units in June, from 106,033 units a year earlier, according to data released by the Federation of Thai Industries.

UK car production grew by 4 percent in the first six months thanks to new models, but the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders warned that further growth must be backed by bolstering the UK's parts supply chain.

UK car production grew by 3.5 percent in the first six months of 2014 thanks to new models, but the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) warned today that further growth must be backed by a bolstering of the UK's parts supply chain.

General Motors has announced six safety recalls covering 717,949 recent model vehicles in the US. The numbers per incident vary from 22 to 414,000.

News 24 Jul, 2014

SEAT reveals first design sketch for the fifth-generation SEAT Ibiza which will represent a ‘significant step forward’ for SEAT design

Daimler's first series-production hydrogen vehicle could have been ready about now, but the company is putting off the vehicle's debut until 2017.

Marussia Formula 1 team announced Thursday that 22-year-old American Alexander Rossi becomes the team's official reserve driver for the remainder of the 2014 season.

The American joins us with immediate effect from this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Rossi has spent the past two seasons in the role of reserve driver for the Caterham F1 Team, whilst also competing in the GP2 Series.

With Marussia, he will be on hand throughout the season to deputise for either race driver in the event that they are unable to compete.

“We are very pleased to welcome Alexander to the Marussia F1 Team in the role of Official Reserve Driver,” said John Booth, team principal.

“He is a proven talent whom we have observed in GP2 and we have also been impressed by his performances during Friday morning free practice sessions over the past two seasons. The US is an exciting market for the sport and Alexander has a great deal of support there, so it is nice to develop new links to that audience. Alexander will be an integral part of the Team, immersing himself in our engineering activity so that he is fully prepared should he ever be required to deputise for one of the race drivers.”

Alexander Rossi declared in a press release: “Today is a good day and next step in my Formula 1 career. Since my initial discussions with the Marussia F1 Team management, I've felt right at home. I'm looking forward to working with the Team in Hungary and building for the rest of the season. The timing of my affiliation with the Team is perfect, especially beginning in Hungary before the summer break. My goal is Formula 1, and I'm delighted to be immersed into the Team as Official Reserve Driver, where I have the opportunity to prepare for this next step, with plans to drive in Free Practice 1 this season.

“Marussia is in an exciting place right now and the progress at the team is clear for all to see. I'm thrilled that now I have the chance to be part of that journey, to progress and play a useful role in the development of the Team. I want to thank Marussia F1 Team for the opportunity this season.”

From Rally America

Rally America, Inc. announced the calendar for the upcoming 2015 Rally America National Championship season.

The Rally America National Championship, sanctioned by Rally America, Inc., is the premiere performance rally series in the United States supported by top manufactures, such as Subaru of America, Inc., Honda Performance, Scion and Ford Racing, with many of North Americas' best rally drivers competing.

The 2015 schedule returns Rally America's most successful rally events operated by local committees with decades of rally experience.

The Championship begins with the traditional Sno*Drift Rally on January 30-31, 2015 in Atlanta, Michigan, the only dedicated snow rally on the calendar.

The Olympus Rally located in Olympia, Washington is back to national prominence on May 16-17, 2015 after a two-year hiatus.

The Championship will once again conclude at the "oldest, meanest and toughest" stage rally race at the Lake Superior Performance Rally in Houghton, Michigan on October 16-17, 2015. 


2015 Rally America National Championship schedule:
• Sno*Drift Rally January 30-31 Atlanta, MI
• Rally in the 100 Acre Wood February 27-28 Salem, MO
• Oregon Trail Rally May 1-3  Portland, OR
• Olympus Rally May 16-17 Olympia, WA
• Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally June 5-7  Wellsboro, PA
• New England Forest Rally July 17-18  Newry, ME
• Ojibwe Forests Rally August 27-29Detroit Lakes, MN
• Lake Superior Performance Rally October 16-17  Houghton, MI

Talking to journalists in the paddock of the Hungagoring, Lewis Hamilton declared both he and Mercedes AMG F1 team have indicated to each other that they want to continue their relationship beyond 2015.

The 2008 F1 World Champion, whose current contract ends in 2015 said so only one week after his teammate Nico Rosberg extended his own contract with Mercedes AMG.

In Hungary, Hamilton denied formal discussions had yet started, but said his wish was to stay on at Mercedes AMG.

“My representatives haven't [sat down and talked with Mercedes], but we've both shown interest in sitting down and talking,” Hamilton told journalists.

“We haven't sat down yet but the team know that I would like to push to continue and they have made it clear that they would like to do the same.”

In their early karting days, Hamilton and Rosberg drove for team MBM.com, which stands for Mercedes-Benz McLaren.

“I've been with Mercedes since I was 13 so I very much feel like I have Mercedes imprinted in my chest,” Hamilton admitted when asked if Mercedes was the only team he wanted to drive for at the moment.

From Pirelli

Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli has revealed the tires that will be taken to the Grands Prix of Belgium, Italy and Singapore.

Belgium
At Spa - one of the most spectacular and demanding circuits on the calendar - the P Zero White medium and P Zero Yellow soft tires will be used, which will be well-suited to the varied track and weather conditions often found in Belgium.

Italy
For Monza, the ‘temple of speed' and Pirelli's home event, the two hardest compounds in the range have been nominated: P Zero Orange hard and P Zero White medium. This is to combat the high-energy loads that are put through the tires as the result of high traction and braking demands, sustained high speeds and frequently warm temperatures.

Singapore
Singapore is the final street circuit of the season and held at night, providing a unique combination of conditions. The two softest tires in the range will be used: P Zero Yellow soft and P Zero Red supersoft. These will provide maximum mechanical grip.

Photo: Pirelli

Pros: The 2014 Audi S7 delivers a rich combination of performance, luxury, refinement, and technology in a 4-door coupe body style that's equal parts stylish and versatile thanks to a rear hatch. The V8 is intoxicating, yet fuel-efficient, balance between ride and handling is remarkable, and the world-class interior has lots of cool technology features.

Cons: Rear-seat headroom is tight for taller passengers. Also, beware of pricey options.

Photo: Audi

2014 Audi S7 Price: This high-performance variant of the A7 comes in a single trim level that starts at $92,100. However, there are several attractive options including head-up display ($1,500), ventilated front seats with massage function ($2,000), and a fantastic 1,200W Bang & Olufsen sound system ($6,500).

2014 Audi S7 Fuel Economy: Expect to burn 12.7L/100km in the city and 8.2L/100km on the highway with the S7, which is impressive given the power on tap (see below). Cylinder-on-demand technology improves fuel efficiency when cruising. Of course, premium gas is required.

Improvements and Changes: The equipment list has been revised. A black optics package ($2,200) adds glossy black accents, 20” two-tone wheels with performance tires, and aluminum/beaufort black inlays in the interior.

Powertrain: The 2014 Audi S7 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds thanks to a 4.0L turbocharged V8 engine with direct injection. It produces 420 horsepower from 5,500-6,400 rpm, along with 406 lb-ft of torque accessible from 1,400-5,200 rpm. The lone transmission on the spec sheet is an excellent 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch unit. As mentioned earlier, power is distributed to all four wheels by way of Audi's acclaimed quattro system, featuring a sport rear differential that can actively distribute power laterally across the rear axle for even more balanced handling.

Don't miss: Enjoy the magic of an electronically controlled sport air suspension with continuously adaptive damping at all four wheels from the comfort of Valcona leather sport seats offering tremendous support, even when the car's performance abilities are put to the test. These buckets come with 8-way power adjustments and a distinctively designed upper backrest section with embossed S7 logo.

Cargo Capacity: Thanks to the 60/40 split-folding rear seats, the trunk can expand from 694 to 1,390 litres -- enough for skis, golf clubs, luggage, and more.

Safety: In addition to standard features like six airbags and electronic stability control, the 2014 Audi S7 can be equipped with rear side airbags, adaptive cruise control, and active lane assist (which helps the car stay in its lane). Standard LED headlights and an available night vision system improve visibility.

Comparing the 2014 Audi S7: The main rivals of the S7 are the Mercedes-Benz CLS 550 4MATIC, Porsche Panamera 4S, and BMW 650i xDrive Gran Coupe. Don't miss our 4-door luxury coupe comparison!

From nascar.com

In front of a packed house at Eldora Speedway, Darrell Wallace Jr. won Wednesday's night second annual 1-800 CarCash Mudsummer Classic.

Wallace earned his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win of the season. On a dirt track.

Wallace led the final 97 laps of the 150-lap race and withstood a relentless effort by Kyle Larson.

However, Larson creamed the wall with two laps remaining, sealing Wallace's third-career victory in NCWTS competition in the No. 54 ToyotaCare Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.



The 20-year Wallace old took the lead from Ron Hornaday Jr. on lap 49 and led the field to the first competition caution on lap 60, completing the first of three segments. Under the yellow, Wallace brought his truck to the attention of the Jerry Baxter-led team where they changed tires and added fuel.

On the restart, Wallace checked out on the field and led the entire second segment, until the sixth caution flag of the night waved on lap 112, ending segment two.

Wallace, along with a majority of the leaders, elected to stay out, setting the tone for the final 40-lap dash to the finish.

During the final stint, Wallace found himself being haunted by last year's runner-up finisher Larson, with the lead exchanging in the waning laps. However, Larson it the wall several times before a broken brake line sent him hard into the Turn 1 wall.

With no pressure from behind, Wallace was able cruise to give Kyle Busch Motorsports its eighth triumph of the season in 10 races overall.

Ryan Blaney, who finished third, took over the points lead from Matt Crafton by four points.

From DTM

DTM series' officials have selected Zandvoort in the Neterlands as replacement venue for China.

Therefore, the ninth round of the 2014 DTM season will be held September 27-28 at Zandvoort, Netherlands.

The Chinese round that originally was supposed to be held at Guangzhou, on that weekend, had to be cancelled as the modifications necessary for erecting the circuit proved to be far more extensive than planned.

Realising a replacement event at one of China's permanent circuits also turned out to be impossible and so, the penultimate round of the 2014 season will now be staged at Zandvoort.

Photo: DTM

“We have to be able to also guarantee the DTM standard when it comes to racing in foreign countries,” underlined ITR Chairman Hans Werner Aufrecht.

“This applies to the safety aspects around the respective circuit, the paddock, the pit facilities including the garages and the spectator areas such as the grand stands. In addition, a solid funding also must be ensured. When it comes to the race to be held in China this year, all this couldn't be realised on the necessary level. Nonetheless, coming back to the most populous country of the world and one of the most important markets for the premium-car manufacturers involved in DTM to contest races, here, remains our goal. And we will keep on working on realising this goal,” Aufrecht added.

Volkswagen today announced significant changes to most of its North American lineup while tolling the bell for the Eos cabriolet and Routan minivan.

In the U.S., for the last production year of the Eos, the Sport trim is replaced for 2015 with the Final Edition, which offers added value at the mid-level trim with 18'' Vicenza wheels as well as unique Cornsilk Beige and black two-tone Vienna leather. Canadian availability has yet to be confirmed, though.

Meanwhile, the low-selling Routan won't even be offered in 2015.

Photo: Volkswagen

The 2015 Volkswagen Golf family expands with the addition of the Golf Wagon, the high-performance Golf R, and the all-electric e-Golf. The last one is set to arrive in North America in November of this year.

The compact 2015 Jetta brings with it a fresh new face and some important updates underneath that make it more efficient. New available driver assistance systems include a Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Warning, and Park Distance Control.

The 2015 Beetle, Golf, and Jetta are all available with a new clean diesel TDI engine that delivers 10 extra horsepower over the outgoing unit.

As for SUVs, the 2015 Touareg sports redesigned front and rear fascias, a more refined interior, and a host of new driver assistance technologies.

Source: Volkswagen