Auto News 5

The Renault Twingo will stand out in Europe's crowded minicar segment because of its rear-engine layout and rear-wheel drive.

IndyCar's Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced that IndyCar veteran Oriol Servia will drive the team's second Dallara in select races of the upcoming season but other races could be added once details are finalized.

For the time being, Servia is set to drive at Long Beach, Barber Motorsports Park, and the road course race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well as the Indy 500.

It is not really a surprise to see the Spaniard join RLL since the Catalan was always at the top of Bobby Rahal's list of preferred drivers to run alongside his son Graham Rahal.

"We have had the pleasure of working with Oriol before and are looking forward to his return," said Bobby Rahal.

"We are happy to have him back and look forward to having him help the team progress toward the front."

Servia will participate in the IndyCar Series open test at Barber Motorsports Park March 17-18 in a Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing entry.

Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli confirmed Wednesday it has signed a contract to become the title sponsor of two Formula 1 Grands Prix in 2014.

The official tire supplier of F1 will see its name linked to these two races.

These two rounds will now officially be called the FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE ESPAÑA PIRELLI 2014 (May 8-11) and the FORMULA 1 PIRELLI MAGYAR NAGYDÍJ 2014 (July 24-27).

This latest initiative underlines Pirelli's commitment to Formula 1, under the current supply contract that runs through to 2016.

From Mercedes-Benz press release

German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz will run seven Mercedes AMG C-Coupés in this year's DTM.

The Mercedes-Benz driver line-up for 2014 is complete. Apart from former DTM champions Gary Paffett and Paul Di Resta, ex-formula 1 driver Vitaly Petrov will line up in this season's DTM for Mercedes, along with last year's Mercedes-Benz DTM drivers - Daniel Juncadella, Christian Vietoris, Pascal Wehrlein and Canadian Robert Wickens.

Mercedes' seven drivers at the fitness camp. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

All seven DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé drivers prepared for the start of the season on May 4th in Hockenheim by working out in the Austrian town of Seefeld.

Robert Wickens is one of three DTM winners in the squad. The Canadian won his first DTM race in last year's race at the Nürburgring.

"My goal last season was to consistently finish in the points and maybe even achieve a podium - I did even better than that with three podiums and my first DTM victory," said Wickens, who finished fifth overall in 2013.

"I aim to build on those results in 2014 and improve further. I definitely got the taste for victory at the Nürburgring."

Preparations for the DTM anniversary year - 30 years after the inauguration of the touring car series - will end with two four-day ITR test sessions in Budapest (March 31st-April 3rd) and Hockenheim (April 14th-17th).

The first race of the season will take place about two weeks later and at the same venue, namely, the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg (May 3rd-4th).

MINI has unveiled its Clubman concept, and many versions of this model are expected to hit the road.

The new MINI Clubman is 4.22 metres long (+0.26 m) and 1.84 metre wide (+0.17 m). Exterior highlights include a honeycomb grille, ''Side Scuttle'' elements, and signature headlights. Side-hinged rear doors provide access to the trunk.

Photo: MINI

The interior of the Clubman concept can seat five. Circles are the theme, along with leather trim including Sky Blue nubuck, Red Berry glossy leather, and Walknappa leather.

Photo: MINI

MINI did not provide any technical specs.

Hyundai finally introduced its much anticipated Intrado concept at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show.

Photo: Hyundai

As the first concept created under the direction of former Audi design guru Peter Schreyer, and the first to embody the new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, the Intrado aims to demonstrate Hyundai's leadership in fuel cell technology while hinting at a new compact crossover.

Photo: Hyundai

The Hyundai Intrado is equipped with a 36kW lithium-ion battery. Its lightweight construction and efficient powertrain result in improved driving dynamics, engineers claim. Few performance figures were provided, except for a range of about 600 kilometres with a single tank of hydrogen.

Photo: Hyundai

Jaguar announced at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show the name of its all-new midsize luxury sports sedan -- XE. Global deliveries will begin in 2015.

The Jaguar XE will be the first product from the new advanced aluminium architecture which was showcased in the C-X17 crossover concept in 2013.

The lightweight Jaguar XE promises unbeatable handling, performance, refinement and efficiency, according to the company. A new family of high-output, fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines named Ingenium will also play a vital role, of course, allowing top speeds in excess of 300 km/h and remarkably low fuel consumption.

Jaguar will release further details about the new XE sports sedan later in 2014.

Photo: Jaguar

Maserati's Alfieri concept, unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show, is a 2+2 coupe with a 4.7L V8 engine producing 460 horsepower, as well as 20'' front and 21'' rear wheels. The company claims it's more aggressive than the Gran Turismo.

Photo: Maserati

“The Alfieri is a transition point between 100 glorious years of history and the future that is opening up before us,” said design director Lorenzo Ramaciotti. “I sincerely can't say that we'll see this car in production in two years time, but I'm certain we'll see something very similar.”

The floor of the Maserati Alfieri concept is finished in a material that imitates oxidized steel, which was commonly found on race cars in the 1950s. Poltrona Frau aniline leather covers the seats, dashboard, and centre console.

Photo: Maserati

The all-new 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe made its global debut today at the Geneva Auto Show. Look for it to appear in showrooms later in 2014.

“The new S-Class Coupe stands at the very pinnacle of our product portfolio and is a further milestone in our luxury-class offensive with a total of six models in future instead of three,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars. “This car drives as good as it looks -- and that's no mean feat, because we're talking here about the most beautiful S-Class of all time.”

Blending elegance and harmony, the exterior of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe features a raised beltline, flared fenders, and sleek lines that flow from a tridimensional, diamond-style grille. The LED headlights are accented by daytime running lights arranged in a semi-circle, while the panoramic sunroof offers driver-controlled opacity.

The cabin of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe is all about understated opulence. You'll find a dual TFT screen, a touch pad, a Burmester surround sound system, Nappa leather, and more.

On the safety front, PRE-SAFE PLUS is able to anticipate rear-end collisions when the car is stationary. If a collision is imminent, the system applies the brakes before the impact occurs in order to help reduce whiplash.

A 4.6L twin-turbo V8 generating 455 horsepower lies under the hood of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe (S 500).

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Here it is, folks: the all-new Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4, heir to the Gallardo. Are you one of the 700 customers who have already pre-ordered theirs?

Photo: Lamborghini

Equipped with a 610-horsepower, 5.2L V10 engine mated to a 7-speed, dual-clutch transmission, the Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4 transfers power to all four wheels to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds. Top speed is announced at 325 km/h.

This junior-sized Aventador weighs a mere 1,422 kilos thanks to an aluminum and carbon body.

From press release

Audi has unveiled the new generation of the DTM Championship winning car at the Geneva Motor Show.

The 2014-specification Audi RS 5 DTM with its aerodynamics package having been redesigned in practically all areas looks clearly more aggressive and features visual details bearing an even closer resemblance to the sporty production models of the RS line than its predecessor.

Photo: Audi Motorsport

Audi contests two races against time year after year: one on the race tracks and the other in the Audi Sport offices in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Because when the DTM celebrates its season opener at Hockenheim in the spring, the engineers start working on the race car for the following year. The RC3,' as the 2014 version of the Audi RS 5 DTM is known internally, was thus born in May last year.

There are still two official tests in Budapest and at the Hockenheimring on the agenda before Mike Rockenfeller, with start number ‘1', and his team-mates start the new season at Hockenheim on May, 4.

Photo: Audi Motorsport

Hyundai is giving us a sneak peek at the all-new 2015 Sonata ahead of its world premiere at the Korean International Auto Show later this month. The North American debut will take place in New York in April.

The seventh-generation 2015 Hyundai Sonata embodies the brand's
Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language, just like the redesigned Genesis.

Stay tuned for mode details.

Photo: Hyundai

Photo: Hyundai

From GMM

Niki Lauda has revealed that Mercedes' new turbo V6 engine produces "about 580" horse power.

It is a rare admission in the highly-secretive world of formula one, but field-leading Mercedes' F1 chairman wasn't giving the whole game away.

Asked to put a number on the German marque's early-season superiority, Lauda told Austrian Servus TV: "The fuel engine is about 580 horse power.

"Then there is the electrical side," he added, without elaborating.

It is known that the energy-recovery or 'ERS' side of the 'power unit' adds 160 horse power to the equation, but Lauda's figures just made fellow Austrian Dr Helmut Marko - of the struggling world champions Red Bull - grin.

"Interesting data," Marko smiled. "I would be happy if I had 580hp." This leads to believe that the power of the Renault engine of the RB10 is quite lower than that.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

From GMM

Mercedes heads into next weekend's season opening Australian grand prix as the overwhelming early 2014 favourite.

"Mercedes and Williams look very strong," agreed German driver Nico Hulkenberg, whose similarly Mercedes-powered Force India team has also impressed in winter testing.

"They're standing out. McLaren is also fast," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. "At the moment, the Mercedes teams are a bit in front."

Mercedes' three customer teams - McLaren, Williams and Force India - appear to have hit the jackpot with clearly the best turbo V6 'power unit' in F1's new greener era.

"At the moment that's right," Hulkenberg admitted, "but we all know how long a formula one season is. Let's wait and see.

"On the last day (in Bahrain) Ferrari did a strong laptime, and (Daniel) Ricciardo has also done a 1.35 in the Red Bull. I'm assuming Red Bull will solve the problems sooner or later," he said.

Sahara Force India and Williams in Bahrain. (Photo: WRi2)

Williams, ninth of the eleven teams last year, has emerged as the surprise dark horse for 2014, having switched over the winter to Mercedes power.

"They (Williams) have never had problems in the tests, have always been fast, although not quite as fast as Mercedes," Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko told Austrian Servus TV.

Mercedes F1 chairman Niki Lauda said it is possible the German squad's works team might be pushed by its British customer in 2014.

"It (Williams beating Mercedes) can happen," said the great triple world champion.

"Our customers are very important for us, and if they can beat us, this is also good motivation and a very constructive competition," added Niki Lauda.

According to Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, however - whose Maranello squad has had a conspicuously low-profile winter - it is too soon to predict the outcome of the Melbourne race in just over a week.

"Let's see how many cars get to the finish of the first race," he is quoted at the Geneva motor show by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Indeed, it is rumoured Ferrari has been focused most specifically on reliability during the winter, and still has some performance to unfurl for the actual races.

"We are careful," Mercedes' Toto Wolff told the APA news agency, "as some teams have not fully revealed the potential of their cars.

"I have no doubt Red Bull and Ferrari will be strong contenders," he added. "Force India and Williams are also fast enough to win races.

"It will be interesting!" added Toto Wolff.

From press release

While the Metro Infrastructure 1968 Chevy Camaro will get a new look this year, team owner and driver Rocky Di Lecce said he will focus more on his driving skills this year in the hopes of continued success in the Pro Modified Racing Association.

But his success will be hard to beat in 2014, as the Camaro driver won an unprecedented five of six regular PMRA events and the series championship, and topped off his season with a big win at the International Pro Mod Challenge at the SuperChargers Showdown in Maryland last September.

"We are going to change the car's wrapping and lighten it up a bit," said Di Lecce. "It's a bit heavy."

But Di Lecce added he plans to concentrate more with his role in racing, noting that the car's preparation and performance was impeccable, but he wants to bring more to the table as a driver.

"I have to smarten up a bit, he said. All the rounds we lost last season were due to driver error. You always want to improve," he added. "That is going to be my biggest challenge for the new season."

With a consistency and car prep second to none, Di Lecce and team dominated the PMRA in 2013, winning the first five of six regular races. He has raced for about 20 years, but last year was his second in PMRA competition. He credits his success to his crew, who gave him a solid car every time he went to the starting line.

Heading up the team is crew chief Angelo Aceto, with Emilio Aceto, Kevin Cooper, Tony Presto, Michael Aceto, Robbie Cesario and Nadia Di Lecce all contributing to the winning effort. Metro Infrastructure and Midway Auto contribute to the team's sponsorship.

The Camaro is a Tim McAmis Race Cars product, powered by a 526-cubic inch Brad Anderson (BAE) Supercharged Hemi, with a Kobelco supercharger on topped and fuelled with a Waterman Racing Components system. A Lenco Drive sits behind the engine.

Di Lecce will start his 2014 season May 16-18 at the Grand Bend Motorplex with the RPM Magazine / Lucas Oil Spring Blowout, the first of six regular PMRA contests this year.

Now in its 10th year, the Pro Modified Racing Association, www.PMRA.ca competes with its two companion series, the Quick 32 Sportsman Series, www.Quick32.ca and the Pro Bike & Sled Series, www.PBSS.ca travelling and racing together throughout the racing season, offering an exciting and diverse package of drag racing action.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is not ruling out tweaking F1's radical new engine regulations.

The sport's chief executive is unashamedly no fan of the new turbo V6 era, having fought hard against replacing the screaming naturally-aspirated engines with the muted but 'greener' power units of the future.

"We have got the new engines. I don't like them," he told journalist Christian Sylt, editor of the F1 trade guide Formula Money.

"Maybe we can up the fuel restrictions and they can rev higher. We will have to wait and see," said Ecclestone.

Making clear he is not simply opposed to any change, the 83-year-old insisted he doesn't even mind the look of the questionably-aesthetic new noses.

"You get used to the looks," he said. "Whenever there's a change people say I don't like it. Don't think you're going to get used to no noise though."

Photo: Renault Sport F1

Like the noses, Ecclestone also doesn't mind that the run of dominance enjoyed by Red Bull seems to be over.

"Many fans want to see Vettel lose now," he told Germany's Bild newspaper. "After all, they won the championship not once but for four years.

"But I've never seen the point in changing the engines to save energy," Ecclestone insisted. "That's something you can do in street cars, but not in formula one.

"We need to be loud and fast," the Briton added, "and one thing is certain: this whole thing has cost a giant mountain of money."

Meanwhile, Ecclestone claims he could have avoided the criminal trial in Munich, which is set to start in April and could end his long reign over F1.

"I could have stopped it with money," he said, "but I didn't pay. Now I hope for the best."

In an interview on Sky Sports News, McLaren driver Jenson Button admitted that the return of Ron Dennis has given a lot more confidence within the team.

“He is quite an unusual character Ron (Dennis), I have a lot of respect for what he has done in the sport - this team wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Ron - and I think everyone is excited, he is looking forward to this challenge and it gives everyone a lot more confidence within in the team,” Button told Sky Sports News.

Jenson Button, McLaren, Jerez test 2014 (Photo: McLaren)

Button admitted that it's been a messy winter for a lot of people in terms of mileage on circuit.

“The two that you would pick out that look strong and consistent are Mercedes and Williams. I think those are the two teams to beat right now,” Button declared.

“I'm not really sure Ferrari is third quickest either. The Force India looks quick, the Red Bull when it is running is very quick. I think you will see Red Bull putting in very good laps in qualifying. Whether they can get to the end of a race or not I don't know. For any team, to get to the end of a race is very difficult, especially at the start of the season,” Button added.

The former World Champion admitted that the management of electric power will be quite complex.

“We are limited to charging two megajoules per lap, but we have four megajoules to use - basically that is how much we can use from the electric motor and it is a lot of power, we struggle to use four megajoules over a lap and at some circuits I don't think we will even get close. In a race situation it is something we will use like we did last year with KERS to overtake cars.

“The problem is, if you use it all over one lap in a race, you are left with very little for the next lap and it could be very easy for the car you have just overtaken to pass you again. So there is lots of playing around and also using the megajoules in different ways helps with the fuel usage and driveability of the car,” he admitted.

Button says he's confident for the Melbourne race in about 10 days.

“If you took the initial package of everyone at the first test you would say that we are quite confident. But now it is difficult to know; we haven't put the new package on the car and we don't know where we are going to be in Melbourne. But I am looking forward to it. I don't think we are really going to know the pecking order until we get three or four races in - and again it could change as the update kits come,” Button told Sky Sports News.

From GMM

Almost a year ago, Bernie Ecclestone stunned F1's headline writers when he said plans were afoot for a race in Baku.

Seasoned journalists quickly discovered it is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, an oil-rich former soviet state at the crossroads of Asia and Europe.

Now, London's Times newspaper has quoted the F1 chief executive as saying Baku could be on the annual calendar as soon as next year.

"They are talking about 2015," said Ecclestone. "That may be a bit soon unless it is the end of the season. That is a possibility but 2016 is more likely."

Jacques Villeneuve driving the BMW Z4 in the Baku street circuit. (Photo: WRi2)

To Azerbaijan's north is Russia, whose president is Vladimir Putin, a man with controversial views on homosexuality that Ecclestone said recently he backs.

Indeed, even with the Ukrainian conflict in full swing, Bernie Ecclestone plans to shortly travel to Russia to meet with Putin about converting Sochi's new grand prix venue for floodlit racing in the future.

Bernie Ecclestone said Russia is a "no brainer" for F1.

"We have to be there," he said. "It is a huge market and full of potential fans for the sport. They really want F1 and we want a race there to work.

"I have no problem with Vladimir," Ecclestone is also quoted by the Daily Mail. "He ran a good winter olympics. We get on very well -- no problems."

Less secure on the F1 calendar is Germany's Nurburgring race, after Bernie Ecclestone was outbid despite offering to buy the fabled track for $50 million.

Bernie Ecclestone told F1 business journalist Christian Sylt that a decision about another buyer for the Nurburgring is due on Wednesday.

"The German grand prix is in trouble because they haven't got any money," Ecclestone is quoted by City A.M.

"When I go to an auction I want to leave a bid, which is what I did, and somebody could offer more. I don't know what's happening there," he added.

Alfa Romeo introduced the new 4C Spider today at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show. Actually, it's an exercise in style aimed at selecting the contents to be implemented in standard production scheduled for the beginning of next year.

Photo: Alfa Romeo

The 4C Spider concept stands out with an exclusive three-layer Glossy White livery. The soft stop incorporates a glass rear window. Meanwhile, the interior is highlighted by carbon fibre trim and leather seating.

Photo: Alfa Romeo

Under the hood of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is a new 1.75L turbocharged gasoline engine whose aluminum block contributes to a 22kg weight saving. The centre-mounted tailpipes use carbon and titanium. Distinctive 18'' front and 19'' rear wheels complete the package.

From GMM

Red Bull's early-season technical crisis is plumbing new depths, with news the reigning world champions are calling upon junior team Toro Rosso for help.

Italy's authoritative Autosprint reports that Red Bull has asked the Faenza based sister team for assistance on the all-new 'brake by wire' technology, which is tied in with the highly-sophisticated 'ERS' systems.

"The fact that Red Bull wants to use someone else's (system) says a lot about the size of Red Bull's other problems," said veteran correspondent Alberto Antonini.

One of those bigger problems is with extreme "turbo lag", Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko admits.

"You step on the gas," he told Austrian television Servus TV, "but the power comes all of a sudden, the wheels spin, the car slides and you lose speed.

"We are working with Renault on the test benches day and night to improve the situation for Melbourne," added Marko.

Photo: WRi2

World champion Sebastian Vettel, however, is expecting to struggle next weekend.

"If half the drivers fail to finish, then maybe we could take a few points," he said.

"At the moment we have bigger problems to solve than just the pace."