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McLaren will introduce a fourth supercar, the 650s, as the company seeks to increase pressure on rivals Ferrari and Lamborghini and triple sales in the next few years.

-- Collin Woodard is "that weird friend who was strangely committed to riding a motorcycle." Being the weird motorcycle-owning friend, however, can only get you so far until you start an

A 1973 Volvo 1800ES shooting brake has appeared for sale.

It's a simple thing, really. Some batteries and an electric powerplant with a tank track wrapped around it. Oh, and there's a handle.

Audi has previewed its new third-generation

The new X5 eDrive is significant: On sale here next year, it's BMW's first production plug-in model; perhaps more important, it is also a rolling blueprint for several more plug ins, including a new 3-series eDrive recently spied testing.

News 28 Feb, 2014

New third-generation Audi TT teased in sketches and first official pic, set for a full reveal at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show

PSA has initial EU backing on its agreement to sell a stake to its home government. PSA plans a 3 billion euro capital increase in which Dongfeng Motor and the French state will contribute about half the money for stakes of 14 percent apiece.

Ford went to a lot of trouble to prove the wisdom of Rule 1 and only when the Ford dynasty and every one of the Henrys were chased out of the power house did the company's full potential emerge.

Volkswagen's top labor representative threatened to try to block further investments by the German carmaker in the U.S. South if its workers there are not unionized.

Volkswagen's top labor representative threatened today to try to block further investments by the German carmaker in the U.S. South if its workers there are not unionized.

Fisker Automotive's new owner says the Karma sports car will come roaring back with a supercharged V-8 engine -- and with the help of former GM executive Bob Lutz.

Tesla Motors said fourth-quarter net losses narrowed to $16 million from $90 million as the electric-vehicle maker benefited from higher sales and manufacturing efficiencies. Tesla said it sold 22,477 cars in 2013.

Johnson Controls plans to sell its headliner and sun visor business to an affiliate of private equity firm Atlas Holdings. Johnson Controls expects to close the deal by April 30. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

From press release

Prema Powerteam announced the agreement reached with Nicholas Latifi for the 2014 FIA Formula 3 European Championship.

The 18-year-old Canadian racer already entered the European competition last season after running in the F.3 Italia series in 2012, and he set himself apart as one of the most interesting rookies of the season. While last year he drove with a Volkswagen powerplant, Latifi has just moved to the Mercedes camp but showed great skills straight out of the box in winter testing.

René Rosin, Team Manager, says, "Latifi is definitely a very interesting prospect and we kept a close eye on him as a rival in 2013. Despite being a rookie, he showed no reverential awe and it was this kind of fighting spirit that convinced us to have him in our team. We will provide him with all the support he needs to grow up even further. I'm sure he will stay in the top rows of the grid in qualifying and to fight at the front on Race Day."

Nicholas Latifi. (Photo: FIA Formula 3 European)

Nicholas Latifi adds, "I'm very excited to be joining Prema for the 2014 season. I enjoyed some positive days of winter testing with them and felt comfortable in their working environment. Next season is a very important year for me and I'm confident that with the experience and knowledge of the team, combined with my abilities, we will be consistently challenging up at the front."

Prema Powerteam will enter a four car team powered by Mercedes in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship. Canadian Latifi will be joined by Antonio Fuoco (Italy), Esteban Ocon (France) and Dennis van de Laar (Netherlands).

Multi-millionaire Michael Dezer is an avid James Bond enthusiast and collector who has decided to sell the entire content of his museum in Miami including the world's largest private collection of Bond cars.

The only problem is that you have to buy all 65 cars, motorcycles and other vehicles, as well as a ton of posters, toys, and props. The price? A mere ₤20 million (approx. $36.9 million).

The list includes six Aston Martins, four Lotus Esprits, a few Land Rovers, one Alfa Romeo 159, and even the TUK TUK taxi from Octopussy.

Source: cars.aol.co.uk

Photo: Wikipedia

From press release

Maryeve Dufault and the No. 46 team had a good showing in the season opener on February 15 in the ARCA Lucas Oil 200 with Dufault leading four laps and running in the top-five for half the race.

Dufault started the race in the 35th position and quickly moved to the front, taking the lead on lap 21 of the 80-lap event. Dufault stayed in the top-five for the next 28 laps until having to pit under green caused her to fall a lap back and eventually ending the race 18th.

“I couldn't be happier with our achievement last weekend in Daytona as a new team,” said Dufault.

Photo: Maryeve Dufault Facebook

“To lead at Daytona was a dream come true for me and I felt that I had an amazing restart to stay at the front of the pack. I knew the car would be good in the draft so I knew I needed to work hard and get with the fast cars. We were able to hang in the top five for the first half of the race and I think we proved that we could run up front and be a contender”, she added.

“There are so many tricks to running at Daytona and it's tough to get someone to run with so it was good to run with a veteran driver like Frank Kimmel. He trusted me in the bump draft so it was great to gain the respect of a veteran and I couldn't ask for a better driver to run with at Daytona. I had a couple of rough hits with the bump draft and it caught me coming out of the corner. But I was able to hang on to the car and after the race, some veteran drivers even commented on what a great job I did holding on to the car after getting bumped loose. After this race weekend we know what we need for the next race and I can't wait to get back in the car. It felt really good to make our sponsors proud and see their brand up front at Daytona.”

Prior to the Lucas Oil 200, Team Stange announced a partnership with HotTVBrands.com and TattleTale Portable Alarms that made this race a first for not only the team, but its sponsors as well.

Photo: Maryeve Dufault Facebook

Team owners John and Ashley Stange were very happy with the results. “I was truly amazed how exciting our first race could be, but most importantly I was surprised on how good the exposure was for our sponsors and how happy they were with Maryeve's performance and their first race as a sponsor on the No. 46 Maryeve machine,” enthused John.

“I have to thank Hot TvBrands.com, Tattletale Portable Alarms, and our terrific crew for helping us make this race a success and we're looking forward to many more successful race weekends.”

Team Stange has now returned to their Forest Park race shop and have begun preparations for the next event of the season, the ARCA Mobile 200 on March 22nd at Mobile International Speedway.

Finnish tire manufacturer Nokian has just created the very first “non-studded winter tire with studs.”

Say what?

Here's how it works: In normal road conditions, Nokian's innovative winter tire acts just like any other, but when things get icy-dicey, the driver can push a button to deploy metal studs.

Of course, that would only be good in countries where studded tires are legal...

From GMM

Even the smaller teams are guilty of worsening F1's growing financial crisis.

That is the view of the departing Lotus chief executive Patrick Louis, who admitted the Enstone team baulked at signing Nico Hulkenberg for 2014 purely for financial reasons.

"The (financial) situation in formula one is clear and if there is no response, the sport will eventually decay by a shrinking field of starters," he told the German-language website motorsport-magazin.com.

He said even the smaller, struggling teams are spending big in order to create the impression of financial health "that is not true".

For example, Louis said small teams use five-star hotels, which "From a business perspective is absolute nonsense".

The same teams, he added, are driving up salaries.

"A person who was strategically very important for us and was in the salary range of 90-100 thousand a year (110,000 - 120,000 euros, or 166,000$ - 185,000$ CAN) was lured from us with 180,000 pounds (220,000 euros, or 332,000$ CAN)" said Louis.

Even a worker in the factory, earning in the mid-30,000 pounds range (42,000 euros, or 65,000$ CAN) was lured from Lotus with a higher salary "from a team that was far behind us in the championship standings".

Louis said those teams then complain about escalating costs "That they themselves have driven".

"For me, it's economic suicide," he added.

PDVSA displayed on the Lotus E22. (Photo: WRi2)

And it's the rising costs, Louis revealed, that led to the decision to overlook the obvious preferred choice Hulkenberg in favour of Pastor Maldonado, who brings millions to the team in the form of PDVSA backing.

"At some point you have to make a decision and accept that as a team you need to get a budget together," he explained.

"For me, Hulkenberg is an excellent driver. One of the few talents there are.

"I'm not saying that we made compromises, but we decided to invest more time in a driver (Maldonado) who to a large extent is comparable with where Romain Grosjean was with us in 2012.

"He (Grosjean) was criticised, we were called completely crazy to keep him, and now the same people are saying he's a great driver," Louis said.

Rumour has it that General Motors is pushing hard to design an aluminum-bodied Chevrolet Silverado by 2018 in an effort to meet increasingly stringent fuel economy standards and strike back at the new 2015 Ford F-150, whose aluminum body has contributed to a 700lb weight saving.

Under new agreements, GM will receive a stock of aluminum sheets from Alcoa and Novelis, which are currently working to increase their production.

Aluminum sheets for automotive bodies are in such high demand that companies need to order them years in advance.

Source: gminsidenews.com

Photo: Chevrolet