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Starting next year, all new vehicles sold across the European Union will have to feature the eCall system which automatically dials 112 (their version of 911) during an emergency.

In the event of a severe collision, eCall will be able to contact emergency personnel even if the occupants are unconscious. It will provide the vehicle's exact location to facilitate rescue.

Right now, only a few luxury models offer a similar system.

Do you think North America should follow suit?

Source : droit-finances.commentcamarche.net

According to Cosworth owner Kevin Kalkhoven, the British engine maker is looking at commercial opportunities to become a new engine supplier as early as 2015, joining Honda and Chevrolet on the IndyCar grid.

Kalkhoven has revealed that Cosworth has a fresh design waiting to be built. All the legendary engine company needs to go forward with its 2.2-liter turbocharged V6 IndyCar motor is a manufacturer to reach out and form a partnership.

Photo: Cosworth

"We have a Formula 1 V6 design, we have an IndyCar design, and our real issue is not so much our ability to build it as IndyCar's ability to come to terms with a manufacturer," said Kevin Kalkhoven.

"We're in the process of building a new $40 million manufacturing plant in England that will be state-of-the-art, and we have a number of contracts for halo road car and racing engines."

Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli tested sticker thermometers in Bahrain to be able to monitor tire usage parameters.

As a result of Pirelli's collaboration with the FIA to ensure a better monitoring of tire usage parameters, Pirelli is trialling a special type of sticker on each tire tread during the third and final winter test session in Bahrain.

The blue sticker is placed on the tread of the tire. (Photo: Pirelli)

These stickers read the maximum temperature reached by the tire tread while the tires are being pre-heated by the teams in their blankets.

Pirelli prescribes a maximum temperature of 110°C (230°F), which should not be exceeded at any point before the tire takes to the track.

The FIA will ensure that this limit is respected, together with the minimum tire pressures when leaving the pits and maximum camber levels on the track.

From GMM

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko has urged world champion Sebastian Vettel to keep his cool amid the early-season technical crisis.

After two dismal pre-season tests, things began to look a little brighter for the team early on Thursday as the third and final test in Bahrain kicked off.

Daniel Ricciardo's tally nudged over the 30-lap mark in the morning session, and he bettered the best laptime managed by the troubled RB10 throughout last week's four days at the same Sakhir circuit.

"This looks significantly better than last week," said a source in the island Kingdom.

Watching the action carefully will be world champion Vettel, who will only return to the wheel of the Renault-powered car on Saturday and Sunday.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, leaving the pitlane in Bahrain. (Photo: WRi2)

Helmut Marko admitted to Germany's Bild newspaper that the reigning quadruple title winner and German is "not amused" that Red Bull is "so far behind" with just four days of track running to go until Melbourne.

"But getting angry won't bring us anything. Sebastian is always informed of any developments," Austrian Marko continued, referring to the team and engine partner Renault's scrabble to end the crisis.

"Even ten million euros wouldn't simply solve the problems. Renault needs to get a grip on the engine," Marko admitted.

"Mercedes is a big step ahead of us, as they have already been able to do long-distance testing with their new car. We have worries about Australia and probably beyond," he added.

From GMM

Team boss Franz Tost has admitted Toro Rosso is in the dark just two weeks before the 2014 season opener.

The crisis suffered by Red Bull is in the spotlight, but sister team Toro Rosso has also been almost completely unable to test its new car amid engine partner Renault's troubles.

Asked to summarise the progress with the new Faenza-built STR9 car, Tost answered: "It is difficult to assess because we have hardly been able to drive. Both the performance and the reliability are unknowns."

The Toro Rosso STR9 stopped in Bahrain. (Photo: WRi2)

Much clearer, the Austrian admitted, is the pecking order at the front.

"The Mercedes factory team is clearly in the lead, followed by McLaren and Ferrari," Tost told the German-language Speed Week. "Williams and Force India have also shown good performance. I have the impression Ferrari has not shown everything yet."

He admitted that, compared to the disastrous opening test at Jerez, troubled Renault began to solve some of its problems last week in Bahrain.

"The systems started to work. Renault has made progress. The time window for Melbourne is tight, but if everything works at the last test in Bahrain, there is a real opportunity to catch up to the Mercedes teams," said Franz Tost.

From GMM

Cosworth is not ruling out a return to formula one.

As the sport prepared for the all-new and even more expensive turbo V6 era, the independent British outfit found itself without a customer for 2014.

But it emerged last week that Cosworth nonetheless completed an engine design for the new rules, even though it will not be built and raced this year.

Photo: Cosworth

America's premier open-wheel category also runs turbo V6 engines, and Cosworth chief executive Hal Reisiger said the marque is "committed" to finding an IndyCar partner.

As for returning to F1, he told NBC Sports that Cosworth only abandoned its 2014 project because "there wasn't a team or teams plural that were willing to sponsor the development".

But Reisiger admitted that if current or subsequent talks with teams came to fruition, "Absolutely we would" want to return to formula one.

"I think that we provide a very cost effective solution for people to be on the grid," he said. "We'd look forward to the right opportunity if we could find the right collaboration."

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has hit back after an American motor racing figure called him "foolish".

Eddie Gossage, the president of the Texas motor speedway, this week blasted the F1 chief executive for scheduling this year's US grand prix on the same November date as the major NASCAR race in the same state.

"I can't say I was surprised because Bernie Ecclestone does a lot of foolish things," he said.

But 83-year-old Briton Ecclestone has hit back, insisting Gossage and other NASCAR officials do not understand the logistical tasks faced by a global sport like formula one.

"We've a small problem they don't have," he told the Press Association. "We have six jumbo jets to move around all our equipment, and we have to find the most sensible way to use them to do that. There are issues that can occur, but he and other people do not realise these things.

"The race prior to the one in the US is in Russia, in Sochi. We've never been before, and we have to get out of there and into Austin. That is probably a lot easier than trying to get into Brazil, and then we have to get out of there to go to Abu Dhabi," Bernie Ecclestone explained.

"So he (Gossage) is extremely lucky he doesn't have to do what we have to do."

F1 trucks. (Photo: WRi2)

Bernie Ecclestone also defended his colleagues at the US grand prix venue in Austin, after Gossage accused them of lacking the "fortitude" to "say no" to the NASCAR date clash.

"I've spoken to the people that run the race at COTA (circuit of the Americas) and they believe the NASCAR crowd is a different crowd to formula one -- different people, different customers," he insisted.

"At the end of the day they (NASCAR) run a domestic series in America, we run a world championship," said Bernie Ecclestone.

Chevrolet plans a national promotion in March offering supplier pricing on all Silverado pickup models -- in addition to nearly every other vehicle in its lineup -- marking the second straight month of beefed-up incentives from GM.

NHTSA opened an investigation into the timeliness of General Motors' recall of faulty ignition switches on 1.37 million vehicles in the United States.

The top on the 2015 Ford Mustang convertible will open in 7 to 10 seconds, roughly twice as fast as the 2014 Mustang.

Tesla is offering $1.6 billion of convertible senior notes to help fund a battery factory.

Last week, Volvo's Geneva Motor Show concept was teased on a Swedish raincoat company's website.

LMC Automotive reduced its estimate for U.S. auto sales in February after retail transactions last week were weaker than anticipated. LMC now projects an annualized selling rate, adjusted for seasonal trends, of 15.

Ford is seeking to expand its credit lines by $1.3 billion to $12 billion. The company is planning to raise a $9 billion revolving loan that expires in five years and a $3 billion financing pact that lapses in three years.

The Geneva motor show starts next week, which means we get to see an awesome selection of cars that will never come to our shores.

Pictures See all 12 pictures 27 Feb, 2014

Tesla said it plans to invest $2 billion in a U.S. car battery plant that will be capable of supplying lithium ion packs for 500,000 vehicles a year by 2020.

Despite the publication's uncomfortably broad definition of reliability -- it spans everything from "the engine fell out" to "the touchscreen display shows fingerprints too easily" -- automakers still clamor to get on the Consumer Reports...

Toyota Motor has promoted a designer to head its Lexus luxury division.

Hyundai Motor has reinstated former research and development president Kwon Moon-sik on Monday only three months after he resigned.