Auto News 5

From GMM

Specialist Ferrari journalist and author Leo Turrini on Tuesday reports that Ross Brawn has this week been at Maranello and Fiorano.

Turrini, who according to F1 colleague Mathias Brunner "knows everything when it comes to Ferrari" and recently predicted Stefano Domenicali's departure, said the recently-retired former Mercedes boss was seen at the fabled Italian team's headquarters and test circuit.

Ross Brawn, 59, has played down the prospects of a return to Formula 1, but many insiders believe the F1 paddock has not seen the last of the highly rated Briton.

As technical director, he was a key player at Ferrari during the highly successful Michael Schumacher era, spanning multiple years and titles.

Turrini joked on his Quotidiano blog that Brawn may just be in the Italian region to "buy bananas" or "buy a Ferrari", but there is another obvious hypothesis.

"Marco Mattiacci is a very intelligent person," he wrote, "and perhaps also very persuasive."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

From press release

During the off-season race fans of Riverside International Speedway overwhelmingly asked that the facilities season finale sanctioned by the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour (PST) become an extended length event - and so it has.

The Lucas Oil 150 has added 50 laps to the 2014 season at the Maritimes most popular race track located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

"It took some convincing," said Paul McLean, general manager at Riverside International Speedway.

"But we got it done and we're happy with that. We strive to satisfy our fans and give them the best possible experience when they come here. One hundred fifty laps adds a different level of strategy to the event for the racers and therefore adds to the entertainment value for our fans."

And, with the Lucas Oil 150 being Round 11 of 12 on the 2014 PST season, the extra 50 laps is bound to affect the series chase for the championship.

The event was previously announced as a 100-lap feature, the standard on the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour, and brings the total number of extended length races on the series season schedule to seven, with two of those being '250's, one '200', and four '150's. All of the series events at Riverside in 2014 are extended length with the Ron MacGillivray 150 on June 14, Canada's biggest stock car race - the IWK 250 on July 19, and the Lucas Oil 150 on September 6.

Besides these three events Riverside International Speedway will host the only NASCAR Canadian Tire Series event east of Quebec with the Wilson Equipment 300 on August 16.

Ticket prices for the Lucas Oil 150 will be the same as a '100' - even more value for Riverside race fans. The Napa Sportsman Series will provide support class action September 6 with the Highland Home Building Centres 75.

Advance tickets for the Riverside season opener, the June 14 Ron MacGillivray 150, will be available approximately three weeks before the event. Season Pass, VIP Seating, and IWK 250 Campsite renewals are currently in full swing.

Visit www.riversidespeedway.ca for more information and while you are there be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get all the latest updates delivered directly to your inbox.

Riverside International Speedway is recognized as a premier stock racing facility in Canada.

The 1/3-mile high banked asphalt oval roars to action several times a year for special events. It is the home for eastern Canada's only NASCAR event, and of the IWK 250 - widely known as the best stock car race in Canada. Located in James River, between New Glasgow and Antigonish, the facility is easily accessible at exit 30 on Trans Canada Highway 104.

For more information call 902.863.2410 or click www.riversidespeedway.ca.

NASCAR Sprint Cup team Michael Waltrip Racing Monday announced a multi-year contract extension for Clint Bowyer.

Michael Waltrip's team also signed No. 15 team crew chief Brian Pattie and primary sponsor 5-hour Energy to multi-year extensions.

The 5-hour Energy brand will appear on Bowyer's car for 24 races each year beginning with the 2015 season.

"This is big news for all of us,” said Bowyer, an eight-time winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition.

“It creates great stability and excitement about what the next few years can bring. MWR is my racing home and continuing this relationship with 5-hour Energy was a high priority. It's time to put the paperwork in a drawer and focus on winning.”

From GMM

Mercedes has turned to a psychologist to help the dominant team cope with its championship campaign in 2014.

That is the claim of the Telegraph newspaper, revealing that former professional soccer player Dr Ceri Evans also worked with New Zealand's 'All Blacks' during the rugby team's 2011 world cup triumph.

Correspondent Daniel Johnson said Evans, 50, attended the recent Chinese grand prix with the Brackley based team, observing engineers and mechanics at work. He has reportedly been retained as a consultant.

"Evans has not had any direct involvement with either (Lewis) Hamilton or Nico Rosberg", Johnson clarified.

Pros: With its extroverted design and a choice of TwinPower Turbo engines, the all-new 2014 BMW X4 is said to combine lifestyle and performance by merging the hallmark features of the successful BMW X family (power and utility) with the sporting elegance of a classic coupe. Variable sport steering, Performance Control, and xDrive all-wheel-drive come standard. It's the ideal vehicle for those who dreamed of either a smaller, more affordable X6 or a sportier-looking X3.

Cons: As is the case with the X6, expect limited rearward visibility, rear-seat headroom, and cargo capacity. 

Photo: BMW

2014 BMW X4 Price: When it goes on sale this summer, buyers will have a choice of two models: xDrive28i and xDrive35i. Pricing has yet to be announced, but a starting MSRP of around $50,000 (or maybe just under) is a good bet.

2014 BMW X4 Fuel Economy: The X4 promises to burn as little as 5.9L/100km on the highway and 8.7L/100km in the city in its most fuel-efficient form (with optional low-rolling resistance tires included). Opt for the larger engine, and these numbers increase to 6.9L and 10.7L/100km, respectively. An ECO PRO mode, auto Start/Stop, a coasting function, and brake energy regeneration are available to improve fuel economy.

Improvements and Changes: The 2014 BMW X4 is an all-new model that introduces the unique “sports activity coupe” concept to the premium midsize segment. It's based on the technical blueprint of the X3, but is 14mm longer and 37mm lower. The driver and front passenger also sit 20mm lower.

2014 BMW X4 Powertrain: The base 2.0L inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine produces 245 horsepower, while the 3.0L inline 6-cylinder turbocharged engine is rated at 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. With the latter, 5.5 seconds are all it takes to sprint from 0-100 km/h. Both are direct injected and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters on the sports leather steering wheel. As mentioned earlier, power is sent to all four wheels.

Cargo Capacity: While the sloping roofline limits the size of the cargo area to just 500 litres, you can fold the standard 40/20/40 split rear seat to load more items (up to 1,400 litres).

Safety: ABS, brake assist, electronic brake force distribution, stability control, traction control, and cornering brake control all come standard. Then you have available technologies like full-colour head-up display, anti-dazzle high-beam assistant, and Driving Assistant Plus including lane departure warning, active cruise control with stop & go function, preventive pedestrian protection, and a collision warning system which applies the brakes as required.

Comparing the 2014 BMW X4: The X4 opens up a new niche within the premium midsize segment. That said, it will compete for consumer dollars against the likes of the Audi Q5, Infiniti QX50, Range Rover Evoque, Porsche Macan, and Volvo XC60.

Here is the on-track schedule of the Pirelli Grand Prix of Spain, Round 5 of the 2014 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

The 66-lap race will be held at Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona.

The track is 4.655km long and features 16 corners. The lap record is 1m21.670 set by Kimi Raikkonen in 2008.

Schedule*:

Thursday May 8
Formula 1 Press Conference - Press Room 15h00

Friday May 9
Formula 1 Practice 1 10h00 - 11h30
GP2 Practice Session 12h00 - 12h45
Formula 1 Practice 2 14h00 - 15h30
GP2 Qualifying Session 15h55 - 16h25
Formula 1 Press Conference - Press Room 16h00 - 17h00
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Practice Session 16h45 - 17h30
GP3 Practice Session 17h50 - 18h35

Saturday May 10
Formula 1 Team Pit Stop Practice 08h30 - 09h15
GP3 Qualifying Session 09h45 - 10h15
Formula 1 Practice 3 11h00 - 12h00
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Qualifying Session 12h25 - 12h55
Formula 1 Qualifying 14h00
GP2 First Race (37 Laps or 60 Minutes) 15h40 - 16h45
GP3 First Race (17 Laps or 30 Minutes) 17h20 - 17h55

Sunday May 11
GP3 Second Race (17 Laps or 30 Minutes) 09h25 - 10h00
GP2 Second Race (26 Laps or 45 Minutes) 10h35 - 11h25
Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup Race (14 Laps or 30 Minutes) 11h45 - 12h20
Formula 1 Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk 12h25 - 13h15
Formula 1 Drivers Track Parade 12h30
Formula 1 Starting Grid Presentation 12h45 - 13h15
Formula 1 National Anthem 13h46
Formula 1 Race 14h00
*Subject to changes

Pros: The 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante is a new luxury convertible that sits at the top of the British automaker's sports car lineup. World-class power, style and craftsmanship combine with a power retractable, lightweight fabric top for a unique motoring experience. It's the fastest and stiffest Volante ever made, and the first with a full carbon fibre body (at 1,844 kg, this drop-top is just 9 kg heavier than the coupe). The roof folds away in 14 seconds only at speeds of up to 50 km/h. Aston Martin also offers plenty of body colours and customization options.

Cons: There are faster cars in its price range, and cheaper cars in its power range. The rear seats in this 2+2 convertible are useless.

Photo: Aston Martin

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante Price: The exact Canadian MSRP hasn't been disclosed, but customers should expect to pay upwards of $300,000.

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante Fuel Economy: Official ratings for the Vanquish Volante are unavailable at this point, but they should be pretty similar to the coupe's -- 10.7L/100km on the highway and 16.2L/100km in the city.

Improvements and Changes: This is an all-new model based on the Vanquish coupe.

2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante Powertrain: A front mid-mounted, 6.0L V12 engine produces 565 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of torque. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a 6-speed Touchtronic 2 sequential transmission with paddle shifters. A limited slip differential comes standard, helping transfer power to the road more effectively.

The 2014 Vanquish Volante will cover the 0-100 km/h sprint in just 4.1 seconds, and keep accelerating until it reaches a top speed of 295 km/h.

Cargo Capacity : Seriously? You have to ask? All you need to know is that the trunk is more than 50% larger than the outgoing DBS Volante's with the roof up or down.

Safety: ABS, dynamic stability control with track mode, positive torque control, traction control, and launch control are all part of the package. Side curtain airbags mounted discreetly on the upper door trim combine with driver and rear passenger airbags. Aston Martin's advanced Rollover Protection System deploys hidden spikes from behind both rear headrests, removing the tonneau trim cover and shattering the rear screen to provide protection for driver and passengers in the event of an accident.

Comparing the 2014 Aston Martin Vanquish Volante: Rivals include the Audi R8 5.2 Spyder, BMW M6 Cabriolet, Ferrari California T, Jaguar XKR-S, Maserati GranCabrio MC, McLaren MP4-12C Spider, and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster.

From press release

Williams is pleased to announce that Dickie Stanford has been appointed to the position of General Manager for Williams Heritage, a new division of Williams that oversees the maintenance and public demonstration of the team's historic Formula One cars. Dickie was most recently Race Team Manager for Williams.

Dickie began his long career with Williams in 1985 as a mechanic on Nigel Mansell's FW10 and worked his way up to Chief Mechanic, before becoming Team Manager in 1995. He remained in that job for 10 years, before stepping back to spend more time with his family.

Williams FW10-Honda, 1985. (Photo: WRi2)

In 2010 he returned to take up the reins once again as Race and Test Team Manager and helped guide the team through a difficult period. After seeing the team through a successful winter ahead of the 2014 season, Dickie has now decided to retire from life on the road for a factory based position.

As General Manager of Williams Heritage, Dickie will report to Jonathan Williams and have responsibility for the team of highly experienced Williams mechanics that maintain the team's historic racing cars at the Williams Grand Prix Collection in Oxfordshire, the largest private collection of Formula One cars in the world. Dickie will also help manage the regular series of events and promotional activities that the cars take part in each year such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed.



Photo: Williams

Speaking about Dickie's new role Sir Frank Williams, Founder and Team Principal, said: "A team of our longevity has many historic assets that need to be cherished and preserved for future generations to enjoy. Dickie combines strong mechanical knowledge of our cars from his time as a mechanic, with first class operational and logistical skills honed as Race Team Manager. He is therefore perfectly placed to take on the day-to-day operational running of our historic car programme and provide support to Jonathan in ensuring that Williams' Heritage programme goes from strength to strength. I would personally like to add my thanks to him for his services to the team during his time as Race Team Manager."

Dickie Stanford added: "I have a lot of passion for the company and its heritage and the opportunity to take charge of our historic car programme is too good to turn down. With the formation of Williams Heritage as a distinct division within Williams, we will be well placed to ensure that our legendary cars continue to be well looked after and can be showcased to Formula One fans for many years to come."

From GMM

Former Mercedes chief Norbert Haug is predicting a "close duel" between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in 2014.

Haug's German countryman Rosberg is currently leading the world championship, but his British teammate Hamilton has won the last three races on the trot.

"Nico and Lewis are very close to each other," Haug, now a commentator for the German touring car series DTM, claimed in an interview with Bild newspaper.

"Each of them has a good chance of dominating the rest of the season," he added.

Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

The battle between Rosberg and Hamilton is likely to be a focal point of the rest of the 2014 season, given Mercedes' current dominance over the other top teams.

"I hope it will be a close duel between them for a long time," said Haug.

He denied he has a favourite: Rosberg, who he worked with at Brackley since 2010, or Hamilton, whose career dates all the way back to his junior years with the Mercedes young driver programme.

"No, I like them both. I have known Lewis and Nico since they were kids and I'm proud of them both. I hope we see many more hard, exciting races as we did recently in Bahrain. But it's also clear that there is a loser and a winner at the end of every duel," said Haug.

"Hero and zero is never far away in motor sport," he smiled.

CARACAS (Reuters) -- Ford Motor Co. was forced to halt vehicle assembly operations in Venezuela on Monday due to a lack of foreign currency to import parts for assembly, workers at its plant said.

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne will lay out his plans for the automakers through 2018 at an investor day. Seven key topics are likely to come up.

The Fiat brand has launched a new commercial that ties in with the release of the latest Americanized version of the Godzilla franchise featuring the monster gobbling up Fiat 500s like candy.

Since the demise of the Town Car, Lincoln dealers have been pining for a big, flagship sedan with real presence, an automobile to evoke the great motorcars from Lincoln's illustrious past: the Zephyr or the Continental.

Editor's note: The provider of the data used in this story, IHS Automotive, says some of the data may be inaccurate. The story will be reposted at a later time.

General Motors said today that engineering executive Jim Federico has retired, the second high-level engineer to depart in recent weeks as GM shuffles its product development structure in the wake of its recall crisis.

Porsche is dead-set on building

Alfa Romeo's low-volume 4C sports coupe won't arrive in the United States until June, but Alfa is already considering higher-powered versions.

France's top administrative court has overturned the French government's decision last year to ban the sale of certain Mercedes vehicles in a dispute over an air-conditioning refrigerant.

France's top administrative court has overturned the French government's decision last year to ban the sale of certain Mercedes vehicles in a dispute over an air-conditioning refrigerant.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: Anyone still skeptical of