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From GMM

Gerhard Berger has admitted he thought of fellow F1 legend Michael Schumacher when he lay injured in the snow late last week.

Austrian Berger, a former Ferrari and McLaren driver and ex BMW and Toro Rosso F1 chief, is now recovering at home after surgery for a badly broken arm suffered when he fell at the Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser Brixental resort in Austria.

Unlike the comatose Schumacher, who tripped on a rock and struck another with his head in the French alps, 54-year-old Berger fell on a forest road onto a concrete drainage pipe.

"Further to the left and I would have hit my head on it," he told the Austrian news agency APA. "Good and bad luck lie so closely together."

Gerhard Berger confirmed that he had surgery on the injury to insert a plate with twelve screws in his arm.

"Even a nerve was injured, so I cannot really move my wrist, but I will again. The bottom line is that it was painful, but I'm glad it was that and no more. I already have some plates in my body, so it's just one more."

Asked if he thought of Schumacher's serious injuries when he was laying in the snow, Gerhard Berger admitted: "Of course I did. It was similar to him -- I was not going fast or doing a risky move."

Gerhard Berger, who recently attended the Bahrain tests, will watch this weekend's Melbourne season opener from home.

From GMM

Felipe Massa can take his Williams all the way to the 2014 title.

That is the view of Brazilian countryman and F1 veteran Rubens Barrichello, who completed the last of his more than 300 grands prix amid the same Grove based team's slump in 2011.

Williams' slump, however, appears over now, with the specialist German magazine Auto Motor und Sport finding that the new FW36 could even be faster than the works Mercedes based on race simulations at the Bahrain test.

"Felipe has a good chance at Williams," 41-year-old Barrichello, likening Massa's Ferrari exit to his own "rebirth" at Brawn GP, told Globo.

"I hope he can go very well, win races and fight for the title, just as I did that year (2009)."

Photo: Martini Williams Racing

Barrichello is travelling to Australia this week, where he will continue his role in 2014 as an expert pundit for Brazilian television.

"I've been following all the tests and am anxious to see if the Williams car is as competitive as it seems," he said.

"The team to beat at the moment is Mercedes, but Williams is there."

Napa Valley, CA -- As humans, we have an innate need to let others know our status in life. We may not like to admit it, but our materialistic nature has lead to us announcing said status via the objects we own, be it clothing, a house or a vehicle. When a vehicle is “used” as this status symbol, there are a few manufacturers that jump to mind immediately: Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche. GMC is not always at the top of the list.

It should be.

Enter the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali, as luxurious as its European counterparts and just as large and in charge, Yukon Denalis are purchased because the buyer is rewarding his/her success in life by getting the best of the best of a given brand. The reward is most definitely visible when you get behind the wheel and realize what this luxurious American behemoth has to offer.


What is a GMC Yukon XL Denali?
Besides being absolutely huge, the GMC Yukon was first introduced in 1992, since then its popularity has steadily grown, and just seven years after the regular Yukon was introduced, the Denali was released.

Between 1997 and 2013, Denali sales account for 60% of Yukon sales.

With seating for nine available along with gobs of cargo space, the GMC Yukon XL Denali is the largest and most decked-out Yukon currently available.

2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali Price and Specs
Everything about the GMC Yukon Denali is large, even if you choose the shorter wheelbase version (i.e., not the XL). From the engine (a 6.2L V8) to the overall length of the XL (224.3”, which is a over 20” more than the regular Yukon), it's all very big. And that's perfectly fine, because that's what the Yukon is all about, being large and in charge.

With 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque available with the 6.2L V8, the 6-speed transmission makes very good use of the power at hand to help move the 6,000-lb behemoth. The smaller 5.3L V8, for the non-Denalis, offers up a good amount as well with 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. Both engines and the Denali trim are available in the short and long wheelbase models. 2WD and 4WD models are also available.

Pricing on the 2015 GMC Yukon Denali starts just above $73k, a large price tag for an equally large vehicle. The XL tacks on an extra $3k.

Besides being absolutely huge, the GMC Yukon was first introduced in 1992, since then its popularity has steadily grown, and just seven years after the regular Yukon was introduced, the Denali was released. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

Driving the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali
I was immediately impressed with the fact that although this vehicle really is ginormous, it doesn't drive at all “big.” With a turning radius better than some cars I've driven as of late, the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali was a joy to drive though the winding, elevation-changing roads of Napa Valley, CA.

Throttle response is pleasantly delayed upon takeoff from stoplights, but not in an obnoxious way, as it keeps acceleration even and constant ensuring all aboard ride in supreme comfort. Braking is also handled very well via four-wheel disc brakes with Duralife rotors.

When pushed, the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali's 6.2L V8 growls to life in an audible way that's quite nice, and so is the pick-up. Gears are found in ample time, and never did I find the Denali struggling to meet my demands, even on winding mountain roads we climbed at speed.

Steering is a bit vague, but that's not necessarily a horrible thing. While not uber precise, it is more connected than some SUVs I've driven recently. This is not a high-performance vehicle, and it's not trying to be one.

One of the best parts about driving the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali is most definitely the Magnetic Ride Control suspension (on Denali models only). This suspension is stellar and makes light of any sort of imperfection on the road surface. So smooth is the ride sometimes that I wondered if we weren't driving on a cloud.

I was immediately impressed with the fact that although this vehicle really is ginormous, it doesn't drive at all “big.” (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

Inside and Out of the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali
Well, if you hadn't noticed, this thing is large. Very large. And I love it. I'm a huge fan of the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class design and because they are so fantastically boxy and purposeful. Same goes for the Yukon XL Denali.

The front fascia of the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali is fabulously masculine and has almost as strong a presence as the Sierra pickup, and with the Denali grille that level of sophistication goes up a few notches.

Inside, the Yukon XL Denali there's 3,429 liters (121.1 cu-ft) of cargo room with all the seats folded (which is done via the touch of a button for both the second and third row). GMC will also offer OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with an available Wi-Fi hotspot.

An entertainment package sees two screens integrated into the roof for the second and third rows, and while the third row screen is OK when down, the second-row screen completely covers the driver's view out the back in the rearview mirror.

All manner of HVAC and HMI buttons are well within reach of the driver and front passenger, and the 8” touchscreen is easy to manipulate, and the natural voice recognition system offers another level of safe functionality.

All manner of HVAC and HMI buttons are well within reach of the driver and front passenger, and the 8” touchscreen is easy to manipulate. (Photo: GMC)

Comparing the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali
As far as large, seven-plus-passenger vehicles go, there are few that offer the space and luxuriousness of the GMC Yukon Denali. Of course, its sister vehicles the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe offer the same space and a certain level of luxury. Lincoln's Navigator and the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class offer the interior space similar seating capacity.

From GMM

World champion team Red Bull may switch its focus to the 2015 season within weeks if it thinks this year's title is already lost.

That is the view of former F1 driver Jarno Trulli, who told Italy's Il Giornale newspaper that the Milton Keynes based team is a long way behind its rivals for the start of the new turbo V6 era.

"Red Bull made a mistake with the design of its machine, but they will cope," the 39-year-old said.

"The team is seriously behind its opponents. If in a couple of months they have not caught up, I think they will switch the preparations to next season and use the race weekends as tests," added Trulli.

Photo: WRi2

Meanwhile, Trulli admitted he is no big fan of the 'new' formula one, where each driver will have to conserve a limited amount of fuel in order to reach the chequered flag.

Asked if he likes the 'new' F1, he answered: "No. I like the formula one where the driver takes the maximum from the car all the time."

In an era when smartphones are replaced every year or two, and seem downright prehistoric within five or six, Audi AG has decided that the auto industry's standard product cycle is too long to bear for in-car software.

Ford Motor is ending its sponsorship of the Champions League soccer tournament after more than two decades.

BMW said there is strong demand for its i8 plug-in hybrid supercar which will begin rolling out to customers in June.

BMW said there is strong demand for its i8 hybrid sportscar which will begin rolling out to customers in June.

The and#8220;Forza Motorsportand#8221; Alpinestars Car Pack went live online last week. That means players are already cruising around the game's 15 circuits in an assortment of cars from

Chevrolet is being lauded -- and ripped -- for an emotional new TV spot for the Equinox showing a woman saying goodbye to her pooch "Maddie" before the dying dog is euthanized. But the spot wasn't created by an ad agency.

The Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance isn't just a car show: like the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este or

American Honda has reassigned marketing boss Mike Accavitti to lead the Acura brand amid a restructuring of the automaker's North American operation that will group marketing and sales functions under separate divisions for the Honda and Acura...

What Is It?

The Brazilian government's new Inovar-Auto regime introduced in 2013 has provided stimuli for the auto industry to invest a proportion of its revenue in research and is leading to more proving grounds and R&D centres.

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee said late Monday it launched an investigation into GM's recall of ignition switches linked to at least 13 deaths.

General Motors has hired Jenner and Block Chairman Anton Valukas, who served as a federal Justice Department-appointed examiner of the downfall of Lehman Brothers Holdings, to help lead an internal probe of the handling of an ignition-switch failure...

TRW has unveiled a new steering wheel concept offering features to help drivers during semi-automated and automated situations.

A network of 14 electric vehicle (EV) rapid chargers, forming the so called 'Milton Keynes CrossLink' was completed four weeks before the planned launch date, supplier/operator Chargemaster said.

Last week Chrysler sent letters to a number of colleges

Change.org is a website that helps users make petitions. Taking a quick tour, we spot petitions to free prisoners, plenty of social justice-type petitions, and then there are the ones from car guys.