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Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is confident that his automaker will remain the world's second-largest premium brand after BMW this year despite a product trough and a big challenge from fast-growing Mercedes.

It's not the 100-car showroom, high-volume Corvettes or massive new collision shop that have propelled Matick Chevrolet into the brand's top 1 percent of sales volume.

As Ford Motor Co. prepares to bring out 16 vehicles in North America this year, the company's most senior executives have changed the formula in an effort to assure trouble-free launches.

The new five-year plan laid out last week by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles left many analysts and investors wondering whether the executive team was hallucinating for the second time in five years.

Chrysler Group says it is working hard to unsnarl a new online invoice system for vendors that caused delays and nonpayments for dozens of suppliers.

A troubleshooting Japanese executive and an American purchasing boss were the driving force behind a sharp improvement in Toyota's relations with vendors in North America, concludes supplier relations guru John Henke.

Conditions are ripe for a big buy-sell year. The 2014 pace of dealership consolidation already is almost double that of 2013, one broker says. And the market is likely to stay red-hot.

For the next-generation Leaf electric vehicle, Nissan Motor Corp. plans more mainstream styling and a new battery that greatly increases the car's range. And Infiniti's delayed electric car will debut with the improved battery by early 2017.

North America is central to Subaru's ambitious new business plan that aims to boost global sales 33 percent by 2020.

When Chevrolet prominently featured gay and lesbian couples in a family-focused commercial titled "The New Us," marketing experts saw it as a breakthrough. And they think other automakers will come to see it the same way.

Five years ago, Chrysler Group positioned Dodge to take on Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota and other mass-market brands in the United States. That didn't pan out.

Audi's technology-rich showroom in London's Mayfair district showcases a revolutionary way to sell not just cars but the brand itself. It's even a stop for guided tours.

Toyota Racing Development, mostly known for racing parts and accessories for street-legal vehicles, will offer factory-installed TRD Pro off-road kits on the Tacoma, Tundra and 4Runner.

Kia Motors aims to sell 5,000 electric units of its boxy Soul subcompact a year worldwide. Kia expects the United States to be the Soul EV's biggest market. The Soul EV, which went on sale April 14 in South Korea, will hit U.S.

From GMM

Mercedes has closed the door on Fernando Alonso.

Swirling rumours in the Barcelona paddock suggested the increasingly-frustrated Spaniard may have looked into whether there could be a place open at the dominant Brackley team for 2015.

That interest would be despite Alonso's ongoing Ferrari contract, and also the fact that Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are similarly fastened to Mercedes beyond this year.

And Niki Lauda, Mercedes' outspoken chairman, promptly dismissed the speculation as "bullsh*t", according to the Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten.

Team boss Toto Wolff added: "We think long-term -- we are not interested in one night stands."

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F14-T (Photo: Ferrari)

The door to silver pastures would seem to be firmly shut to Alonso.

Not only that, the Spaniard - earlier with the easy upper-hand on new Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen - has been soundly outpaced by the Finn at home in Spain this weekend.

Europa Press quoted Alonso as saying: "I'm more worried about the 1.8 second gap to Mercedes."

Raikkonen, too, was not celebrating his Saturday triumph.

"It gives me no satisfaction to be ahead of him (Alonso)," he said. "What I want is to be fighting for the top positions.

"Of course it's nicer to be in front of him than behind, but whether you're sixth or seventh doesn't make much difference," Raikkonen added.

From GMM

Red Bull has not denied rumours Ferrari made yet another move to poach Adrian Newey.

"We're used to these permanent poaching attempts from both sides," Dr Helmut Marko told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag, referring not just to Ferrari.

"Mercedes and Ferrari don't just try to get our top employees; they are trying at every level (of the team)," said Marko.

In reality, Red Bull and Ferrari have a more immediate problem even than a tug-of-war over F1's most sought-after and highly paid engineer.

At the Circuit de Catalunya, a layout expected to play into the hands of Mercedes' rivals, Lewis Hamilton was a clear second faster than any other qualifying pretender.

Not only that, world champion Sebastian Vettel is having one of the worst grand prix weekends of his formerly glittering F1 career.

Despite having switched his RB10 chassis before the Barcelona weekend, the German has struggled simply to get his new Red Bull to run in Spain.

Vettel sat out most of Friday and also broke down in qualifying, so he joked: "I'd say I'm well rested for the race."

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB10 (Photo: WRi2)

Gerhard Berger, once Vettel's boss at Toro Rosso, also thinks motivational issues may be creeping into the 26-year-old's struggles.

"Firstly he knows that he has no chance with this Renault engine," said the former McLaren and Ferrari driver.

"And certainly after always being at the front for four years and giving everything, in this situation you could find that your batteries are getting low," added Berger.

But Red Bull's Marko thinks the real problem is simply Mercedes' increasing dominance.

"We are one second from them. In the race we won't see Mercedes," he said.

"We are making small steps forward, but so are they. We need a quantum leap, otherwise for us the year is over," added Marko.

It is believed Red Bull wants to introduce substantial fuel and engine modifications in time for its home race in Austria next month, but this might require a relaxation of the engine 'freeze' rules.

"The rules are clear, and we stick to them," Mercedes F1 chairman Niki Lauda, apparently ruling out cooperation to help struggling Renault, insisted.

So for now, Marko admitted he is hoping Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's lonely battle at the front comes to blows.

Lauda, meanwhile, is taking delight in Mercedes' current situation.

"I was really concerned that our lead would be smaller on an aerodynamic track like Barcelona," he said. "But we are even further ahead of Red Bull than before."

From press release

Lewis Hamilton scored his fourth consecutive win this season after just five races, by beating his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg by just 0.636s at the finish of the Spanish Grand Prix.

The pair ran on different strategies, with Rosberg opting to keep his last set of option tires for the third and last stint of the race in order to be able to put pressure on Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W05 (Photo: WRi2)

But Hamilton prevailed to finally take the lead in the drivers' championship by three points over Rosberg.

The Mercedes duo was dominant, only four other drivers managed to finish on the lead lap: Red Bull's Daniel Riccardo and Sebastian Vettel, Williams' Valtteri Bottas and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Photo: WRi2

"It's fantastic to get my first win here after eight attempts and it's really difficult to put that feeling into words right now," said the winner.

"In all my career, I've never before had a car or a performance gap like this. (...) There's still a long way to go this season, though, so we are staying humble, getting our heads down and working hard," added the 2008 world champion.

"But it's a great feeling to be leading the championship."

Photo: WRi2

"My start was bad," admitted Rosberg.

"Once it was clear that I was in second place, we chose to go with the slower strategy using the prime tires in the middle stint to get a shot at Lewis at the end when I was on the options. It was very close but not quite close enough so naturally I'm disappointed.

Photo: WRi2

The German still hopes to overturn the situation: "The next race is Monaco which is not only my home race but has some great memories from my victory there last year."

Race results* - Spanish Grand Prix (round 5 of 19)
1 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W05) - 66 laps 1:41'05”155
2 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W05) - 0"636
3 - Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 49"014
4 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB10-Renault) - 1'16”702
5 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1'19"392
6 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F14-T) - 1'27"743
7 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari F14-T) - 1 lap
8 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1 lap
9 - Sergio Perez (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1 lap
10 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM07-Mercedes) - 1 lap
11 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 1 lap
12- Kevin Magnussen (McLaren MP4/29-Mercedes) - 1 lap
13 - Felipe Massa (Williams FW36-Mercedes) - 1 lap
14 - Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso STR9-Renault) - 1 lap
15 - Pastor Maldonado (Lotus E22-Renault) - 1 lap
16 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - 1 lap
17 - Adrian Sutil (Sauber C33-Ferrari) - 1 lap
18 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 2 laps
19 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR03-Ferrari) - 2 laps
20 - Marcus Ericsson (Caterham CT05-Renault) - 2 laps

Fastest lap of the race: 1'28”918 by Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)

Sebastian Vettel, Kevin Magnussen (Photo: WRi2

Retirements
Lap 34 - Kamui Kobayashi
Lap 24 - Jean-Eric Vergne

*Unofficial results

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E22 (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM



Formula one is not the loudest spectacle in Spain this weekend.

The feeder series GP2, still powered by naturally-aspirated V8 engines, is making more noise in Barcelona than the newly-quiet 'hybrid' grand prix machines.

Not only that, there are GP2 cars that are actually faster than their F1 counterparts this weekend.

Stephane Richelmi's name may be almost unknown beyond the GP2 paddock, but this weekend at the Circuit de Catalunya, the Monagasque's Mecachrome-powered DAMS 'outqualified' F1 stars Max Chilton, Jules Bianchi, Marcus Ericsson and Kamui Kobayashi.

Photo: GP2 Series

Not only that, every car inside the top 13 in GP2 qualifying was faster than the Caterhams in Spain.

Force India's Sergio Perez said earlier that the louder, faster GP2 - with budgets eight times smaller than F1 teams - is "embarrassing".

"It's down to the regulations and there's nothing we can do," said Marussia's Graeme Lowdon.

"You couldn't criticise fans for asking that sort of question, and it's important people listen to it," he is quoted by Sporting Life.

From press release

With eight laps to go on Saturday night under the lights, Jeff Gordon took the lead and held on to take the checkered flag at Kansas Speedway.

Gordon rolled off the grid 13th at the 1.5-mile speedway and cracked the top 10 by Lap 10. The driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet SS continued his forward march, passing a competitor at Lap 23 for sixth place.

Jeff Gordon takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway (Photo: Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)

When drivers began to come into pit road for green-flag pit stops, Gordon elected to stay out for an additional lap, giving him the lead. He continued to race in the top 10, moving into the top five by Lap 67.

A successful restart at Lap 75 allowed Gordon to crack the top three. Unfortunately, pit sequence and handling issues set Gordon back several positions and he was forced to restart 19th at Lap 119. Undaunted, Gordon maneuvered his No. 24 Chevy SS through traffic with success, cracking the top 10 again at Lap 175.

Jeff Gordon celebrates with a burnout (Photo: Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images)

With 67 laps to go, he was running sixth and moved into the third position by Lap 213. Twenty laps later, Gordon moved into the runner-up position and continued to decrease the lead between him and the leader.

With eight laps to go, Gordon took the top position and took the checkered flag at Kansas Speedway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard Chevrolet, leads Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 GoDaddy Chevrolet (Photo: Kyle Rivas/NASCAR via Getty Images)

With his third career win at Kansas, Gordon now is the all-time winner at the 1.5-mile speedway. More importantly, the points leader now can breathe a sigh of relief because the win virtually guarantees him a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"I'm going to be 43 this year, but this team makes me feel like I'm 25,” Gordon said after recording his 89th career NASCAR Sprint Cup victory and No. 220 for Hendrick Motorsports.

Jamie McMurray, driver of the #1 McDonald's Chevrolet, drives down the apron after catching fire (Photo: Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)

Model: 2005 to 2014 Ford Mustang/Boss/Shelby GT500

Vehicle Type: Sports Coupe/Convertible

Pricing for the used Ford Mustang: Due to the tremendous number of combinations of body styles, powertrain choices and special editions, expect Mustang pricing from this generation to range anywhere from $7,000 to $75,000 or more, depending on the unit in question.


History/Description of the used Ford Mustang: There's a new, sixth-generation Mustang arriving very soon -- meaning the fifth-generation model, available from 2005 to 2014 inclusively, is about to move fully into used-car territory.

Look for fifth-generation Mustangs with 6- or 8-cylinder power, starting from 210 ponies in earlier V6-powered units. Earlier V8 models in this generation, designated by the GT badge, housed a 4.6L mill good for 300 to 315 horsepower.

From 2011 on, a new V6 “base” engine turned out 305 horsepower, while a new 5.0L V8 made 412. From 2013 on, the 5.0L made 420 ponies.

The track-validated, lightweight Boss 302 Mustang variant got a tuned-up version of the free-breathing 5.0L, while “Shelby” Mustang variants received larger, supercharged V8 engines ranging from 500 to 662 horsepower, depending on the year.

Manual or automatic transmissions were available.

The Used Ford Mustang Test Drive: As with any used ride, a few checks should be considered mandatory during your shopping and test-drive process.

Considering a convertible? Be sure the roof opens and closes smoothly in both directions with no hesitation, grinding or rubbing sensations. Inspect the top for rips and tears, and be triple sure to check for any moisture in the carpeting or area where the convertible top stores, which could indicate a leak. Avoid convertible models with ripped, torn or poorly patched tops, as well as models that smell like yucky mildew.

There's a good chance the Mustang you're considering has been driven hard by its former owner(s). In itself, this isn't a huge problem so long as the seller isn't trying to pass off a machine in need of a new clutch, tires or brakes. Finding a model with all service records is an excellent idea, as is a mechanical checkup at a Ford dealership. A dealer-trained mechanic can quickly and effectively check the condition of the tires, brakes, suspension, clutch, and more.

Many used Mustangs will have been modified in some form. Typically, intake and exhaust modifications are safe and pose no cause for worry. Shoppers are advised to use caution when considering models with altered engine management electronics, upgraded engine internals, nitrous, forced induction or other serious add-ons.

Feel the shift quality under heavy throttle from first to second gear in a used Shelby, Boss or manually equipped Mustang. Many owners complain of a grinding sensation or “rejected” shift, especially in the higher-performance models, which could be caused by bad synchronizers in the transmission or excessive clutch wear. There's some inconclusive talk about a “bad batch” of transmissions in owners forums, though signs of a bad gearbox (grinding, biting, slamming or clanking) should be apparent on a test drive.