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Semiconductor solutions supplier, Renesas, says it will initiate an early retirement incentive programme for its employees in Japan, approved at a meeting of its board of directors on 19 February.

News 21 Feb, 2014

Jaguar XF, Audi A6 and BMW X5 among the luxury cars paid for by taxpayers

Johnson Controls plans to sell a division making interior parts to private equity firm Atlas Holdings by 30 April, the company said.

Johnson Controls plans to sell a division making sunvisors and headliners to private equity firm Atlas Holdings by 30 April, media reports said.

Daimler increased CEO Dieter Zetsche's pay to 8.25 million euros ($11.3 million) after the third-biggest maker of luxury cars reduced its sales gap with BMW and Audi last year on record deliveries.

Volkswagen has decided on 'GTE', rather than the rumoured 'TwinDrive' as the badge for its new plug-in hybrid Golf. The car uses the same powertrain as the Audi A3 e-tron.

News 21 Feb, 2014

New Subaru VIZIV 2 concept teaser previews a new crossover model, set to debut at Geneva

Volkswagen's top labour representative has threatened to try to block further investments in the southern United States if the Chattanooga workers are not unionised.

Almost three quarters and 20,000 miles into a yearlong loan, and our Honda Accord had only just hit its second recommended service mark. Oil life in the

Parking is the lifeblood that keeps Los Angeles alive and its citizens moving -- and once they finish moving, they must find a place to stop. We define our relationships through parking.

-- Fiat industrialist Gianni Agnelli was the man who put postwar Italy on inexpensive wheels, and himself in expensive clothes -- and became an icon in the process. Well, he was Italian. No surprise there -- some stereotypes are true for a reason.

News 21 Feb, 2014

Volvo's 'Roam Delivery' tech means consumers can now get items such as food delivered to their car

The Malaysian government announced a second update to its National Automotive Policy (NAP) in January. Tony Pugliese provides an assessment of a policy that looks ambitious.

News 21 Feb, 2014

The Mazda Hazumi concept will debut at the Geneva Motor Show, a likely preview to the next-generation Mazda 2

Valeo said second-half earnings rose 16 percent as demand for cars increased in China and North America and the European vehicle market improved.

Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems is building a plant and headquarters in Shanghai to produce turbochargers for automakers in China. The plant will make more than 1 million turbochargers annually, with production scheduled to begin late this year.

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology wants to loosen ownership restrictions on foreign automakers' joint ventures despite strong opposition from state-owned automakers.

Audi named Volkswagen executive Hubert Waltl as its production chief. Waltl succeeds Frank Dreves who is retiring.

From GMM

Charles Pic is expecting to appear on the timesheets in some Friday practice sessions this year, after signing up as the new Lotus third driver.

Officially, after the Frenchman lost his Caterham race seat, Lotus on Thursday said only that Pic will work on the simulator and provide support at the grands prix.

"I am very excited to join a top team," the 24-year-old, who will work with fellow support drivers Marco Sorensen and Nicolas Prost, said.

"Obviously, the big change is that I won't be racing, but I will be at the races and working in meetings which will help me develop and progress as a driver," Charles Pic added.

Photo: Lotus F1 Team

And he told France's RMC Sport that his new role will involve driving the actual F1 car.

"It is expected that I will take the wheel on Friday," said Pic, who was presented as the new Lotus driver on Thursday afternoon in Bahrain.

"It's important when you are a third driver that you actually drive, and I will," he insisted, without specifying his precise test and driving programme.

"I hope I can use it (the opportunity) to come back to a race seat in 2015," said Charles Pic.

The National Guard has showed its colours that will be the new standard on Graham Rahal's No.15 Honda for the upcoming 2014 IndyCar Series' season.

A more traditional approach for the National Guard that will replace the intricate camouflage liveries that were the norm during their stint with Panther Racing from 2008 to 2013.

However, with the switch to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, National Guard's logo now rests on a simplified canvas that allows the brand to stand out among the other sponsors.



Photo: National Guard

This livery will be featured at 16 of the 18 races on the IndyCar Series calendar.

This will be the standard National Guard theme for all but two races in 2014 as Graham Rahal will run a special livery for Pocono on July 6 and again at the season ending race in Fontana on August 30.

Graham Rahal will hit the track in his new colours for the first time at Barber Motorsports Park on March 3.​

Photo: National Guard