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Ford intends to compete with premium automakers with high-end versions of its mass-market models in a bid to end years of financial losses in Europe. But the strategy is not without risk.

Automotive News Europe salutes the winners of the 2014 Rising Stars awards. Every day through June 3 two of the 14 winners will be featured. The Rising Star for Design Interiors is Fiat's Virgilio Fernandez Hernandez.

Automotive News Europe honors the winners of the 2014 Rising Stars awards. Every day through June 3 a pair of the 14 winners will be featured. The Rising Star for Design is Pierre Authier of Citroen.

Hindustan Motors, the maker of the iconic Ambassador, has halted production of the four-door sedan citing weak demand and a lack of funds. The move casts doubt on the future of a vehicle that has looked essentially the same for nearly six decades.

Jaguar has released a teaser photo of its XE compact sedan ahead of European sales in 2015. U.S. deliveries will begin a year later.

From GMM

Jos Verstappen was in the Monaco paddock.

The 42-year-old Dutchman was a highly popular formula one driver for multiple teams until 2003, including Benetton and Minardi.

In 1998 he replaced Jan Magnussen at Stewart. This year, Dane Magnussen's son Kevin made his F1 debut for the top team McLaren.

Now Verstappen is hoping his own son is close to making the leap.

De Telegraaf newspaper reports that the reason for Jos Verstappen's Monte Carlo paddock visit was to talk to his F1 contacts about his son, 16-year-old Max.

Last year, Verstappen jr made the step from karts to cars, and in 2014 he is racing in the FIA's highly-regarded European F3 championship.

Max Verstappen has already secured his first pole and win, and so his well-known father was keen to spread the word among the decision-makers in the world of F1.

"It's nice to see that there is plenty of interest in Max," Jos is quoted as saying afterwards.

"His performances have not gone unnoticed, people are talking about him, and that's always a good sign," he added of Verstappen jr, whose mother Sophie Kumpen was a successful kart driver.

Toro Rosso rookie Daniil Kvyat raced in the European F3 series last year, and on the grid this year is Lucas Auer, the nephew of F1 legend Gerhard Berger.

Jos Verstappen, Michael Schumacher, Benetton, 1994. (Photo: WRi2)

The Porsche 911 Turbo. Say it again. Has a certain ring to it, no? Of course it does. This car is by far one of the most iconic performance cars in the history of the performance car. Porsche remains one the most winning car manufacturers and from that racing experience comes great road cars.

The Porsche 911 reaches back just over 50 years and in that time has impacted the car world with blistering performance despite its counter-intuitive powertrain layout. The level of engineering that has gone into every 911 in the last half-century set new standards every time.

This latest 991 series 911 Turbo is no different. In fact, this is the most advanced piece of kit to ever sport the fabled "Turbo" moniker. The car is simply a wonder.


What is a Porsche 911 Turbo?
It is a 911 on steroids, speed, acid, and weed. Insanely powerful and fast, the 911 Turbo is but one narrow layer below the ultimate AWD 911, the Turbo S.

As Porsche's flagship sports car (not to be confused with the flagship hyper car, the 918), the 911 carries the brand's image while the Cayenne continues to fill its coffers. This may change soon with the arrival of the Macan.



2014 Porsche 911 Turbo Price and Specs
The Porsche 911's lineup may be one the broadest, price-wise, in the business. A regular Carrera retails for $96,200. At the other ends sits a $222,000 Turbo S cabriolet. Both are 911s...

My Turbo sports a base price of $172,400. With options such as Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and Sport Chrono Package, and the High End Infotainment Package to name a few, the grand total sits just under $189,000.

At the heart of every 911 lies a flat 6-cylinder engine. The 3.4L develops 350 horsepower while the highly versatile 3.8L can put out anywhere from 400 to 560 horsepower. The Turbo sits near the top of that scale with 520 at 6,000 rpm. Accompanying torque, rated at 487 lb-ft, comes on full-tap between 1,950 and 5,000 rpm. The overboost function will put 524 torques in your lap between 2,100 and 4,250 rpm. The 911T will reach 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds (3.2 with SPORT PLUS). And these are typically conservative Porsche numbers...

The level of technological wizardry that is included with this car is mind boggling. Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and rear-axle steering are only a few of the systems that make the 911 Turbo nearly infallible.

Driving the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo
I've experienced acceleration. I take four to eight flights any given month and I've nailed go-pedals on a Gallardo, 458, SLS AMG, various M cars, GT500, GT-R, and other supercars, including the 911 Turbo S; and yet this 991 Porsche 911 Turbo feels every bit as fast (or faster) than all of the above. Yes, as fast as the Turbo S.

A launch in this car will, for the uninitiated, rapidly increase heart rate, turn legs into putty or make giggles uncontrollable. In any drive mode (normal, Sport, Sport+), the 911 Turbo makes short work of time and distance with such conviction that nothing seems impossible... Have I mentioned how fast the Turbo is?

Power is nothing without control. Porsche has thought this through and endowed the 911 Turbo with every trick up its sleeve to ensure that the car will always be true to the driver's intentions. All of the "Porsche-this-and-that" work flawlessly and seamlessly: All the driver will notice is the stunning level of adherence to the road's surface. From where I sat, the mechanical grip felt watertight and seemed only augmented by the car's wide rubbers.

As expected, the brakes are phenomenal while steering is uncanny in its precision. It could use a little more touchy-feely-ness but this lack is explained by the presence of a front differential.

Next, the PDK: Seriously, a more in-tune transmission I've never experienced. This is bar none the best transmission currently on the market for a light-duty vehicle. It'll slide and glide from gear to gear or pound and snap to and fro, depending on the driver's intent. It'll never skip a beat.

Inside and Out of the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo
How does one properly describe the 911's aesthetics? When I think about it, really remove myself from my feelings and appreciation for the brand (next to impossible), it could be conceivable that this is an ugly car. ...Gimme a break... I'm trying to be different unsuccessfully. The 991 may not be the best iteration of the fabled 911, but it's sweet and then some: it is an event on four fat wheels and tires.

The Turbo is especially lovely thanks to its wide rear-end, retractable spoilers (front and back), 20" wheels, and everything else that makes the 911 a 911.

Sliding into the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo's cabin is quite the event too, equal to that of standing by the car, keys in hand, anticipating what is yet to come. The driving position feels tailored to my exact specifications and becomes a place that I never want to leave.

The 911's cabin is superbly crafted and features the long front-to-rear flowing centre console loaded with buttons that will be loved and appreciated. The rear seats, although snug, will fit an Evenflo, one of the smaller front-facing baby seats currently on the market. And BTW, kids love the Porsche.

Comparing the 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo
In this price range and category of cars, emotions run deep. A Porsche 911 is purchased because a 911 is desired. Same goes for an Audi R8, the upcoming Acura NSX, Chevy Corvette, and countless other performance cars.

The 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo is an exceptional piece of kit. Period.

From GMM

Monaco was a victory for Nico Rosberg not only on the track, but also in the mind.

That is the view of Felipe Massa, who in 2008 only just lost the battle to Hamilton when the Briton won his sole title.

"He's a guy who needs to be perfect on the psychological side, otherwise there is the chance of him making mistakes," Brazilian Massa is quoted by Totalrace.

"He lost in 2007 because he lost the car in China, also in Brazil. It was his mistakes," the former Ferrari driver explained.

So Massa thinks Hamilton's reaction to the events in Monaco, where he missed the chance at pole position due to Rosberg's controversial mistake, is a big victory for the German.

"If Rosberg did that on purpose then that is not something that is part of my mentality," said Massa. "But without a doubt it is something that could hurt Hamilton on the psychological side and end up being good for Rosberg."

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on the Monaco podium. (Photo: WRi2)

However, Hamilton's previous F1 teammate, Jenson Button, doubts Rosberg will get the mental upper hand that easily.

He recalls beating the sister McLaren in the past, prompting Hamilton to be "quite outspoken and emotional" immediately afterwards.

"And the next race he would destroy me," Button said. "He would arrive at the next race very quiet and then go and blitz it. He will do the same in Canada. The mind games people play on him will not work."

Qualifying aside, there were plenty of 'mind games' at play in Monaco.

Lewis Hamilton made his foul mood with Rosberg clear by complaining about the noise outside his quarters by the German's kicking of a football with his trainer Daniel.

And the 2008 world champion initially refused to appear for the post-race Mercedes victory photo, until it was reportedly made clear to him that his snub was also against the waiting Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche.

"Perhaps he was in the toilet," joked Sport Bild correspondent Bianca Garloff, referring to Hamilton's excuse for not attending a post-qualifying team briefing.

And Hamilton also did not attend Thursday's pre-practice briefing, telling reporters he "overslept".

Rosberg is also guilty, reportedly not inviting Hamilton to his forthcoming wedding, and after the Spanish grand prix reacting furiously when it emerged that Hamilton had won by using a forbidden engine setting.

"On the Sunday in Barcelona we had some emotions from the other side; Nico felt aggrieved by what had happened, which is understandable," said team boss Toto Wolff.

It is understood that Hamilton and Rosberg have been told, and will be told again, that if their rivalry spins out of control, Mercedes may have to resort to 'team orders'.

The big 'no-no' is a crash.

"And the one who is to blame will have big trouble from the top management of Mercedes," team chairman Niki Lauda told Germany's Bild newspaper. "We must be careful that it doesn't get out of control."

But in the wake of the Monaco trouble, the driver duo insists they remain in control.

"I am sure when we turn up in the next place (Canada) we will be as professional as ever," said Lewis Hamilton.

And Nico Rosberg added: "There is a psychological battle now, but there always has been since we were 13. His attitude over the weekend did not surprise me. It is hard to be amazed by someone you've known for that long. We had some very difficult times in karting and things always calmed down and we moved forward."

Andretti Autosport driver, American Ryan Hunter-Reay cashed a big paycheck for winning the 98th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile race.

Hunter-Reay held off Helio Castroneves by only .0600 of a second -- the second-closest margin of victory in the history of the event -- in a six-lap duel to claim his first Indy 500 victory.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, vainqueur de l'Indy 500 2014. (Photo: IMS)

He earned $2,491,194 from an overall purse of $14,231,760 for his victory.

Castroneves earned $785,194 in driving his No. 3 Team Penske car. Hunter-Reay's teammate Marco Andretti finished third and received $585,194.

4th place: Carlos Munoz - $449,194
5th place: Juan Pablo Montoya - $441,944
6th place: Kurt Busch - $423,889, including a $25,000 bonus from Sunoco.

From GMM

After four consecutive world championships, Sebastian Vettel's fall from grace has been swift in 2014.

Although a chassis change after China appeared to have worked for the German, Vettel's troubles returned with a vengeance in Monaco, where poor reliability spoiled not only his qualifying, but also the race.

"A turbo engine with no boost is not a turbo engine," he joked to the German media.

Monaco was actually Vettel's 100th grand prix for Red Bull, and the last nine of 2013 he won on the trot.

But after Sunday's race, he couldn't wait to get out of the Principality.

"How do I get out of here?" he asked reporters, reaching hard for his customary humour. "I don't have a boat!"

But not much earlier, his in-race frustration on the radio was obvious. "Come on guys," he pleaded to the pitwall. "I mean, you've trying everything."

Sebastian Vettel discussing with Helmut Marko in the Red Bull's stand. (Photo: WRi2)

At the very same time, team newcomer Daniel Ricciardo is sweeping up the plaudits and making Vettel look like Red Bull's 'number 2'.

"Every champion goes through a phase like this at some point," former F1 driver turned commentator Martin Brundle is quoted by Germany's Die Welt.

"It seems as though he has inherited Mark Webber's car," the Briton added, referring to the fact that, in the past, it was usually Vettel's teammate with the lion's share of problems.

Vettel agreed: "It's always something different going wrong, but it can't go on forever."

Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda admitted he feels for the beleaguered champion.

"This can happen when a team is trying so hard to come back, but unfortunately it's always happening to Sebastian. When things go wrong, they go wrong," the triple world champion told RTL television.

The German news agency DPA quoted Sebastian Vettel as saying: "Sh*t happens. We move on."

Scuderia Ferrari F1 driver, Fernando Alonso will give the start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Alonso will make history by being the first driver still currently racing to give the start of the Le Mans classic race.

The Spaniard follows in the footsteps of his boss, Ferrari President Luca di Montezomo, who gave the start of the race in 2009.

Alonso never contested the Le Mans race however.

From GMM

Eddie Jordan has urged Peter Sauber to follow him into F1 retirement.

Actually, having sold his Silverstone based team back in 2005 that today is called Force India, Irishman Jordan is now an outspoken expert pundit for British television.

But selling up, he told the Swiss newspaper Blick, "was the best decision of my career. Since then I have enjoyed every day of my life."

Earlier, the veteran Blick correspondent Roger Benoit described Sauber's 2014 predicament as "embarrassing", after the backmarker Marussia in Monaco moved ahead in the constructors' world championship.

"We talked in Monaco for a long time about Sauber," Benoit said, recounting his conversation with the 66-year-old Jordan.

Eddie Jordan said: "Sauber are in the biggest crisis they've ever been in, but I've always rooted for him. Because he (Peter Sauber) is the most honest guy in the paddock.

"I can't say the same thing about me!" he laughed.

"But it's obvious that they've reached the point where it can't go on like this. Before the damage is even greater, the best solution would be to stop and sell the team. I don't say this lightly, but Sauber can no longer compensate for their disadvantages on the financial side, and also on the engine side as well," Jordan added.

Motor-home Sauber. (Photo: WRi2)

Already reportedly up for sale is the Caterham team, and in Monaco it was said that an obvious potential buyer was the former Benetton and Renault chief Flavio Briatore.

But the flamboyant Italian told the news agency PA Sport that he would rather hang on to his millions.

"What you are sure of is the team is losing money, and I'm not interested in buying any team that loses money," said Briatore.

Caterham's current team owner, Tony Fernandes, is yet to respond to multiple media enquiries about the situation, after his London football club Queens Park Rangers earned promotion to the premier league.

"Am so behind on tweets and emails and sms. Got thousands of congratulations. Apologises for delay," he wrote on Twitter.

From GMM

Ferrari is reportedly not the only team prepared to pay big money to lure Adrian Newey from Red Bull.

In Monaco, Ferrari team boss Marco Mattiacci denied reports he had offered Newey dozens of millions of dollars if the highly-respected engineer moved to Maranello.

But the rumours were strong enough that Red Bull issued a media statement quoting Newey as saying: "I remain committed to Red Bull for the foreseeable future."

The fact Red Bull did not single out Ferrari's reported interest in the statement could be because it was not the 55-year-old's only offer.

Dr Helmut Marko is quoted by Kleine Zeitung newspaper as revealing that some rival teams are offering to pay "about double" in order to attract Red Bull staff.

"And we pay our people quite decently," he said.

Newey is the obvious main target. Marko told the newspaper that the Briton received an offer from the mouth of Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda.

And the Kleine Zeitung report added: "Marko said Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo went to Barcelona two weeks earlier to present his offer (to Newey)."

Helmut Marko said: "Newey has decided to stay with us at Red Bull until further notice."

Niki Lauda and Helmut Marko. (Photo: WRi2)

GM's new heavy-duty line of pickups is a significant update over its predecessor. While most changes were for the better, there are still some lingering issues that carry over from the previous generation.

Photo: Mark Stevenson

10. The Good: They are “library quiet”
Back in the day of barebones work trucks, it was hard to escape the loud diesel under the hood, noisy suspension, and every other auditory nightmare. However, with the new HD trucks from General Motors, the cabin is incredibly quiet.

While you can still hear the Duramax diesel mill working away to some degree, you won't be inundated with unwanted noise, vibration or harshness on long highway hauls. A lot of this comes down to more sound-deadening material and new inlaid doors. Improved aerodynamics also reduces wind noise while stretching out each tank of fuel.

9. The Bad: No engine changes
Unlike their light-duty brethren that received a full line of new engines, the heavy-duty GM lineup continues on with the 6.0L Vortec gasoline-fed V8 and 6.6L Duramax diesel-powered V8.

There is nothing really wrong with these engines, mind you, but it would have been nice to see some updates, especially on the gasoline side of the equation. With the new 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 producing 420 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, it seems like the ultimate choice, especially with direct injection and cylinder deactivation. However, GM representatives at the media drive stated customers of heavy-duty trucks don't see the benefit of these technologies.

8. The Good: You can pair up to 10 Bluetooth devices
When I first read about this in the light-duty trucks, I didn't make much sense of it. However, in a fleet application this makes things so much easier if your drivers rotate through vehicles.

While only one device can be active at any given time, Chevrolet MyLink and GMC IntelliLink allows up to ten devices to be paired, which in turn makes it easier for your employees to use different vehicles each day. Instead of having to pair their phone every morning (and deleting another device in the process), they can just hop in the trucks and go. Simple.

7. The Bad: The crooked steering wheel
While GM has given the new trucks a brand new cabin and body, the underlying architecture of the trucks is still the same. And with that comes the same packaging and hard points.

The steering wheel is ever so slightly angled toward the left. Not enough to hinder operation, but enough to notice and make you wonder, “Why?”

6. The Good: Best-in-class towing and payload*
The duo of GM heavy-duty trucks offers best-in-class payload (3,508 kg/7,374 lbs) and conventional towing (8,890 kg/19,600 lbs) capability in the heavy-duty class, when properly equipped with the single rear-wheel axle setup.

However, with manufacturers dictating their own testing regimes, these numbers may not represent an apples-to-apples comparison.

5. The Bad: Only 765 lb-ft of torque in the 6.6L Duramax V8 turbodiesel
The Silverado and Sierra have the lowest engine torque output in their class. RAM's 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel produces up to 850 lb-ft with the 6-speed automatic (only 660 lb-ft with the manual 6-speed) while Ford's 6.7L Power Stroke turbodiesel makes almost 100 lb-ft more torque than the Duramax -- 860 lb-ft, in fact.

4. The Good: Best-in-class interiors
As far as the main-line trim models are concerned, the interiors in the Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD are second to none. General Motors really upped their game inside the cabin, offering a comfortable environment with well designed, easy to operate controls.

3. The Bad: Only one rear gear ratio available on Duramax-equipped models
Ford and RAM offer up multiple rear gear ratios for their diesel-powered HD trucks. The GM offerings only have one ratio -- 3.73 -- on the Duramax-equipped trucks.

2. The Good: More power points than you could ever need at any given time
Depending on which option packages you tick, the Silverado and Sierra have a bunch of USB ports and some conventional household outlet power points throughout.

1. The Bad: MyLink/IntelliLink is frustrating
If there was one weak point in these trucks, it's the infotainment systems. Chevrolet MyLink and GMC IntelliLink are definitely behind the 8-ball when it comes to trends in the marketplace, especially when up against Ford. Not to mention the sheer frustration encountered when operating the system if you have to change any settings. Thankfully, most of these systems are meant for “set and forget.”

Similar to ''cash for clunkers'' programs around the world, China's newly adopted environmental policy aims to remove six million high-emissions vehicles from the road in 2014 in an effort to curb widespread congestion and smog.

Also, refuelling stations in Beijing, Shanghai and other major cities will have to sell only the cleanest grades of gasoline and diesel from now on.

Such drastic measures are the result of China's failure to meet pollution reduction goals for 2011-2013. According to a statement released by the Chinese government, vehicles registered before 2005 that don't meet cleaner emissions standards will be “phased out,” although it did not say how exactly.

There are approximately 240 million vehicles on the roads of China, and passenger cars account for half.

Source : driving.ca

Caterham team boss, Cyril Abiteboul has denied that the financially struggling Formula 1 team would make a perfect fit for American entrepreneur Gene Haas who works at setting up his own F1 team.

Yesterday, the rumour emerged that Caterham group of automotive and engineering companies, including U.K. sports car manufacturer Caterham Cars Ltd. and the Caterham Formula 1 Team would be up for sale.

Taking to Sky Sports F1, Abiteboul said that he does not think that Caterham is not a target for Haas who wants to put together a genuine American F1 team.

"I think they have a very strong opinion of how they want to do Formula 1. I don't think that we tick their boxes," Abiteboul said.

"I think everything is for sale in F1, so every team is looking for sponsors, for investors, so I think it's then just a notion of limits. But I can't really comment on the limitation. We've been talking to potential investors since I joined this team to be honest,” the Frenchman added.

Marcus Ericsson, Caterham CT05-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

The three news teams (Marussia (Manor), Caterham (Team Lotus) and HRT (Campos) were granted entries in 2010 with the promise that F1 would adopt a £40 million cost cap.

Those plans didn't materialise, however, with Caterham team owner Tony Fernandes left frustrated by his team's inability to make progress against bigger-spending teams.

Bentley today posted a video that shows some of the exquisite lines of its upcoming SUV, which is scheduled to enter production in 2016 and spawn a plug-in hybrid variant in 2017.

While it's just a teaser, Bentley's distinctive design is instantly recognizable.

The company is already branding its new SUV as the world's most powerful and most luxurious.

Hyundai Canada is recalling 39,271 Tucson crossovers from 2011-2014 due to a problem with the driver's front airbag.

In some cases, the bolts securing the airbag to the steering wheel may have been insufficiently tightened. This could allow the airbag to become loose or detach from the steering wheel, which could affect its deployment and thus increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Dealers will verify bolt torque.

Source: Transport Canada

Tesla yesterday tweeted a picture showing 114 of its cars participating in what is officially the world's largest gathering of electric vehicles at 339.
The silent parade hit the road in Byrne, Norway, on May 25th.

Source: Twitter

Photo: Tesla

Volvo today offers a first look at the upcoming new XC90, whose full external reveal is scheduled in August. It's hailed as the most luxurious SUV ever created by the Swedish brand.

“The most striking feature is a tablet-like touchscreen control console, which forms the heart of an all-new in-car control system,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President Design of Volvo Cars.

This system is virtually button-free and represents an entirely new way for drivers to control their car and access a range of Internet-based products and services.

The new Volvo XC90 combines materials such as soft leather and wood with handcrafted details including a shift lever made of crystal glass from Orrefors, the famous Swedish glass maker, and diamond-cut controls for the start/stop button and volume control.

The story of the latest advancements within safety and interior air quality will be released in late July/early August, while the reveal of the technology highlights, including chassis and powertrains, will start in mid-July.