Auto News 5

European new-car sales rose for a fifth consecutive month in January as the start of an economic recovery in countries sharing the euro encouraged purchases. Registrations increased 5 percent, industry association ACEA said.

Chevrolet gets emotional in the newest spot to crack our weekly auto brand viral video rankings.

After particularly strong Q3 gains, automakers, suppliers and retailers saw further improvements in the final quarter of 2013, as measured by the ANE/PricewaterhouseCoopers Transaction Services Shareholder Value Indices.

From press release

Williams F1 team Tuesday announced that it has signed a new multi-year partnership agreement with Brazilian multi-national energy company Petrobras.

Williams and Petrobras have had a history of technology collaboration dating back to 1998 when the team started using Petrobras' fuel for the first time in a partnership which lasted for 11 years.

This new agreement will see the Williams and Petrobras technical collaboration continue once more as the two parties work together to develop a new specialist motorsport fuel for use by the team starting in the 2015 season.

With new engine regulations coming into effect from 2014 that require teams to use more efficient fuels, Petrobras' expertise will ensure that the team is well placed to meet the demands of greater energy efficiency within the sport.

Petrobras will use the global platform of F1to further brand awareness through the placement of its logo on the side of the Williams Mercedes FW36 chassis and across the team environment and apparel.

Williams will run Brazilian driver Felipe Massa this season alongside Valtteri Bottas of Finland.

Nico Rosberg, Williams, 2007. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

The latest driver in Red Bull's single seater talent programme was plucked out of the world of video gaming.

22-year-old Briton Jann Mardenborough honed his skills on the Playstation game Gran Turismo, winning the Nissan-sponsored virtual competition GT Academy and then moving into real-life GT, Le Mans and F3 single seaters.

"The traditional route to F1 of karting and single-seaters is a tried and tested success, but Nissan and Playstation have gone down a very different road and started to find some very talented drivers who have been doing all their practising on a games console," said Red Bull driver development chief Andy Damerum.

Jann Mardenborough has been signed up by the energy drink company, and in 2014 he moves into the third-tier F1 feeder series GP3 with Christian Horner's Arden team.

Jann Mardenborough, Arden, at Abu Dhabi. (Photo: GP3 Series)

It is the very seat that last year was occupied by Russian Daniil Kvyat, who has leapt straight into formula one for 2014 with the energy drink company's second team Toro Rosso.

"This season is my opportunity to impress more people in the sport who make the decisions on who makes it into F1 and who doesn't, and I'm going to give it my best shot," Jann Mardenborough said.

Driving the iconic No. 3 Chevy, Austin Dillon won the pole for the 2014 Daytona 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway with a speed of 196.019mph.

Dillon is the fifth rookie driver to win the Daytona 500 pole [Danica Patrick, Jimmie Johnson, Mike Skinner and Loy Allen] and the fourth driver to capture the Daytona 500 pole running the No. 3 car [Buddy Baker-1969, Ricky Rudd-1983 and Dale Earnhardt-1996].

Martin Truex Jr won the outside pole and will start the race second this Sunday.

QUALIFYING RESULTS (odd qualifiers start in 1st Duel, even qualifiers in 2nd Duel)

1) No. 3-Austin Dillon 196.019mph - locked in, pole winner
2) No. 78-Martin Truex Jr. 195.852 - locked in, outside pole winner
3) No. 16-Greg Biffle 195.818 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by speed
4) No. 99-Carl Edwards 195.712 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by speed
5) No. 31-Ryan Newman 195.707 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by speed
6) No. 2-Brad Keselowski 195.296 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by speed
7) No. 88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 195.211 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by owners points/provisional
8) No. 24-Jeff Gordon 195.042 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by owners points/provisional
9) No. 17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr 195.004
10) No. 27-Paul Menard 194.919
11) No. 9-Marcos Ambrose 194.894
12) No. 22-Joey Logano 194.852
13) No. 33-Brian Scott 194.776
14) No. 43-Aric Almirola 194.658
15) No. 48-Jimmie Johnson 194.637 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by owners points/provisional
16) No. 13-Casey Mears 194.582
17) No. 20-Matt Kenseth 194.574 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by owners points/provisional
18) No. 7-Michael Annett 194.574
19) No. 5-Kasey Kahne 194.544
20) No. 15-Clint Bowyer 194.523 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by owners points/provisional
21) No. 18-Kyle Busch 194.502 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by owners points/provisional
22) No. 11-Denny Hamlin 194.477
23) No. 4-Kevin Harvick 194.422
24) No. 42-Kyle Larson 194.410
25) No. 10-Danica Patrick 194.380
26) No. 21-Trevor Bayne 194.334
27) No. 47-AJ Allmendinger 194.108
28) No. 41-Kurt Busch 194.078 - needs to race in via Budweiser Duel, no regular provisional available, BUT could use past champ if not used
29) No. 36-Reed Sorenson 194.066
30) No. 51-Justin Allgaier 193.815
31) No. 38-David Gilliland 193.736
32) No. 40-Landon Cassill 193.732
33) No. 30-Parker Kligerman 193.594
34) No. 66-Michael Waltrip 193.428
35) No. 14-Tony Stewart 193.365 - locked in Daytona 500 at least by past champions provisional
36) No. 35-Eric McClure 192.905
37) No. 55-Brian Vickers 192.798
38) No. 1-Jamie McMurray 192.695
39) No. 26-Cole Whitt 192.538 - needs to race in via Budweiser Duel, no provisional available
40) No. 34-David Ragan 192.328
41) No. 95-Michael McDowell 192.291 - needs to race in via Budweiser Duel, no provisional available
42) No. 32-Terry Labonte 192.135, could use past champions provisional if needed and not used
43) No. 98-Josh Wise 192.061
44) No. 52-Bobby Labonte 191.493 - needs to race in via Budweiser Duel, no regular provisional available, BUT could use past champ if not used
45) No. 87-Joe Nemechek 190.480
46) No. 83-Ryan Truex 190.347
47) No. 23-Alex Bowman 189.685
48) No. 93-Morgan Shepherd 189.542 - needs to race in via Budweiser Duel, no provisional available
49) No. 77-Dave Blaney no speed - needs to race in via Budweiser Duel, no provisional available

From GMM

Adrian Newey has admitted his rush to design Red Bull's title-defending car for 2014 was a cause of the early-season technical crisis.

Much of the blame for the team's situation, where the RB10 struggled merely to run at the recent Jerez test, has fallen on troubled engine supplier Renault.

But Adrian Newey says Red Bull must also take the blame.

"What stopped us at Jerez - on our side as opposed to Renault - was a problem where the bodywork local to the exhaust was catching fire," he is quoted by the Daily Star.

Red Bull RB10. (Photo: WRi2)

"It was really a lack of time. It was something we could have proved out on the dyno if we had managed to get everything together earlier. But Renault have been up against it in terms of their use of the dyno; we have been up against it making the parts in time," Adrian Newey added.

"So had we been a couple of weeks further ahead then that could all have been done in private on the dyno. But unfortunately it was done in public. Hands up on our side, that was a Red Bull problem," the Briton said.

With both Red Bull and Renault taking fixes to this week's Bahrain test, world champion Sebastian Vettel will be first at the wheel on Wednesday and Thursday.

And the last two days of the initial Bahrain test will be conducted by the German's new teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull confirmed.

From press release

Gymkhana star, Ken Block is the latest driver to announce he will join the all-new FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy after the American star has confirmed he will compete in a minimum of three rounds in 2014.

Ken Block's Ford Fiesta. (Photo: World Rallycross Championship)

Block - who will drive a Ford Fiesta as part of the Hoonigan Racing Division - will begin his World RX campaign in Hell, Norway from June 14-15, and will also compete in Loheac, France (September 6-7) and Istanbul, Turkey (October 11-12).

This latest news follows on from last week's announcement that former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve will compete on the World RX grid which boasts a truly international and star-studded line-up.

“I'm stoked with how the new liveries for my Ford Fiestas have turned out, as well as the race schedule we've been able to put together for 2014,” said Ken Block.

“Once again I've been fortunate enough to put together a highly diverse schedule that has me going around the world... and, most interestingly, racing in three of the World Rallycross Championship rounds for the first time ever. I'm pretty sure nobody has a better job than me this year!”

From press release

Tagliani Autosport and popular Canadian IndyCar/NASCAR and SportsCar racer, race winner and Indianapolis 500 pole sitter Alex Tagliani, and three-time and defending NASCAR Canadian Tire Series champion Scott Steckly, announced an alliance for Tagliani to drive a 22 Racing prepared Dodge Challenger in a return to the Series for the 2014 season.

A long tradition of excellence in preparation, presentation and performance is what brought 22 Racing, Driven Motorsport and Tagliani Autosport together to strike up the partnership to drive the Tagliani Autosport/Team EpiPen/Dicom Express No. 18.

"I'm very excited to have Alex drive out of our 22 Racing stable this season," stated team owner/driver Scott Steckly.

"Tag is a proven professional that will make our team even better with his passion and grit to be the best at what he does. He will bring another level of competition to the Series, so that means we will all have to race harder for wins and the championship with Alex out there," Steckly continued.

Alex Tagliani at the Canadian Motorsports Expo (Photo: Pfizer Canada)

"I have long respected Scott Steckly's racing operation and their high degree of success in The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series," Tagliani boasted.

"They are so professional as a team working with their sponsors. I cannot think of a better partnership to create a lasting bond in this series to provide the best service and effort possible for our sponsors and partners going forward. I am very excited with this new alliance, "Tagliani added.

"Alex and Tagliani Autosport are going to be a tremendous addition to our team as we prepare for a long term relationship," offered Linda Jones, President, Driven Motorsport Innovations. "Alex is a consummate professional, aiming for the top in everything he does. As a group, we plan to roll out some exciting activation programs for our partners this season," Jones added.

Fifteen-year-old Canadian, Lance Stroll captured pole position for the first race of the fourth and last round of the Ferrari Florida Winter Series.

Behind the wheel of his No. 5 Tatuus FA10B, Stroll set a 1m19.159 on lap 5 at the average speed of 166.3 km/h on the Miami-Homestead road course.

Stroll, fresh out of international karting, clinched his maiden pole in this series, qualifying ahead of Antonio Fuoco and fellow countryman Nicholas Latifi of Toronto.

A field of 12 cars will take the green for this race of 30 minutes plus one lap of the 3.657km circuit.

Stroll qualified second behind Fuoco for Race 2.

German car manufacturer, Porsche AG makes a welcome return to endurance racing and at Le Mans in 2014 with a new race car, the 919 Hybrid LMP1.

Two 919s will contest the FIA World Endurance Championship and the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Porsche LMP1 (Photo: Porsche AG)

Porsche AG has finally confirmed that the 919 is powered by an unusual two-litre V4 petrol engine.

It had previously only been announced that the car, which first ran in June last year, was powered by petrol and was turbocharged.

Porsche confirmed that the stiff V4 engine can be bolted as a stressed member to the monocoque, something that cannot be done with an in-line four engine.

Additionally, torque is also plentiful from the turbocharged 16-valve 2.0 liter direct-injection 4-cylinder engine. Also, lower cylinder count will reduces weight and improve fuel efficiency.

Porsche LMP1 (Photo: Porsche AG)

The turbo V4 engine is responsible for driving the rear wheels only, while an electric system drives the front. Two energy recuperation systems, KERS and ERS, are installed on the car.

The KERS system harvests kinetic energy from the brakes while the ERS harvests energy from the turbochargers. The batteries on board are lithium-ion units supplied by U.S.-based A123 Systems.

However, the exhaust-driven energy-retrieval system developed by Porsche is distinct from that used by Audi and in Formula 1.

Rather than running off the turbocharger, the motor-generator unit on the Porsche is driven by a separate turbine in the exhaust system.

Porsche LMP1 (Photo: Porsche AG)

Porsche LMP1 (Photo: Porsche AG)

Porsche LMP1 (Photo: Porsche AG)

Las Vegas, NV -- In a moment of sheer terror, I was happy to be in the company of my Volvo XC60. I'd finally found a proper location west of Las Vegas, by the mountains, to take pictures only to find out that the batteries in the camera were dead. This was only the beginning of my troubles...

A whining/moaning noise was heard the moment I stepped out of the XC60. I scanned my surroundings and could not find the source of the aural disturbance. Moments later, I was confronted by the largest, most monstrous, rooster I'd ever laid eyes on. I was, of course, only concerned about what malicious disease he might be carrying and wisely retreated to the safe confines of the XC60.

Like a safe place to hide, the 2015 Volvo XC60 not only keeps that which is most precious to you safe, but transports it in appreciable comfort, with plenty of power and not at the expense of fuel consumption. The level of refinement oozing from this vehicle is cajoling, and with the new family of Drive-E engines, it's a good drive too.


What is a Volvo XC60?
The 2015 Volvo XC60 is the Swedish-cum-Chinese automaker's take on the compact luxury crossover. With the demise of the station wagon -- until now -- in North America, Volvo attempted to sway wagonistas back to Volvo showrooms with the XC60.

Success came the way of Volvo in Canada as the XC60 did manage to satisfy some diehard Volvo fans with it smooth ride and guaranteed safety features. The XC60 arrived in 2009 just as the last of the V70 wagons were being sold.

2015 Volvo XC60 Price and Specs
The upgraded 2015 Volvo XC60 T5 FWD will sport a base price of $40,950. A T6 FWD will start at $46,350. No word yet on the exact amount that the addition of AWD will bring to these MSRPs, however, expect it to hover in the $2,000 range.

The new family of Drive-E powertrains is based on a turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder engine. In T5 trim, it produces 240 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque (280 lbs in overboost).

Graduating to the T6 adds a supercharger in the mix and blows output to 302 horsepower and 295 torques.

The improvements to the 2015 Volvo XC60 are two-fold. First, fuel consumption ratings drop dramatically. Previously, the 3.2L XC60 managed (city/highway/combined) 13/9.0/11.2L/100km. The T5 improves to 9.8/7.5/8.7 and the T6 works out to 8.6/7.8/9.4.

The other noteworthy change comes in the name of all-mighty acceleration, which drops from 9.1 seconds in the 0-96 km/hr dash with the 3.2L to 6.9 seconds with the T5, and 6.5 seconds with the T6.

All 2015 Volvo XC60s utilise an 8-speed automatic transmission that features a manual mode.

The 2015 Volvo XC60 is the Swedish-cum-Chinese automaker's take on the compact luxury crossover. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Driving the 2015 Volvo XC60
Instantly, even as a passenger, I noticed a huge difference in the XC60's on-road behaviour. This vast improvement come in the form of less weight/burden over the front wheels previously caused by the presence of the huge inline-6 cylinder engine.

As a driver, the advancements were focused to me through the steering wheel. Steering response felt livelier than I recall, exponentially increasing the fun factor of the drive. The ride quality is also affected in a positive way. The 2015 Volvo XC60 feels better balanced and ever so firmly riveted to the tarmac.

The 2015 XC60 is currently Volvo's most popular model and ensuring that positive changes are brought to the driving experience increases its appeal. The old 6-pot did what it had to, but at the expense of too much black gold. The new Drive-E engines remedy the latter, and vastly raise the bar on the performance aspect.

The tested T6 whistled and whined with glee when the throttle was applied. The amalgamation of both manners of forced induction combines to create lag-free, forceful acceleration. The only downside to the T6's power is a mild dose of torque steer. Oddly, I did not notice this FWD fault on the equally endowed S60 T6 sedan I also cruised around in...

The XC60 handles itself on paved roads as well as any other compact luxury crossover. The Volvo is smooth and vigilant, while body roll is minimal. I can't go so far as to say that the experience is sporty, but everything about the XC60 inspires wellbeing and confidence.

The 2015 Volvo XC60 feels better balanced and ever so firmly riveted to the tarmac. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Inside and Out of the 2015 Volvo XC60
The big physical changes to the Volvo XC60 were completed for the 2014 model year. The new front end does wonders for the CUV's curbside appeal.

In the right shade, and with the right wheels, the XC60 does something few other luxo crossovers do; it stands out from the crowd and is immediately identifiable as a Volvo.

The cabin also got a facelift in 2014. Included in this upgrade are a new instrument cluster and a few other interior upgrades including a 7” sensus HMI screen.

Fit and finish are on par with what one would expect from a luxury brand. Ergonomics are typical Scandinavian-fare: unusual yet original. Then we have the seats: Supportive and comfortable, they are some of the best in the business.

The cabin also got a facelift in 2014. Included in this upgrade are a new instrument cluster and a few other interior upgrades including a 7” sensus HMI screen. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Comparing the 2015 Volvo XC60
The 2015 Volvo XC60 plays on middle ground, between the compacts and the midsize crossovers. This lines it up (price-wise as well) with the likes of the very popular Lexus RX, the Lincoln MKX, and the Audi Q5.

Class and refinement are all found in these vehicles, however, the Volvo's T6 powertrain delivers on performance and should do the same for fuel economy. Then, there are the seats...

While Austin Dillon and Martin Truex, Jr. were posing for photos after taking the front row for the 56th running of the Daytona 500 Danny Lawrence had a big smile.

If Lawrence isn't a household name he may well become famous for being the engine builder at Earnhardt Childress Racing providing the horsepower that put those drivers one-two for the start of NASCAR's biggest race of the year. Although Truex is with Furniture Row Racing ECR also provides engines for that team.

It's fitting that ECR is back in the news because years ago, when it was Richard Childress Racing, they built the engine that helped the late Dale Earnhardt have the power to chose when and where the “Intimidator” challenged his NASCAR rivals. When Earnhardt died thirteen years ago it was like taking the air out of a balloon at RCR.

The rise of 23-year Austin Dillon has re-inflated, reinvigorated the entire organization.

Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. (Photo: NASCAR)

As Lawrence explained: "it's no secret when we lost Dale, we rode an adrenaline for a little while there, and Kevin Harvick did a very nice job being able to get into his seat, and then we had some pretty lean years.  When you've got a guy that's driving for you that's your friend and to me the best racecar driver out there, it's just about impossible to recover from that.

You know, I really believe that none of  anybody in our company has ever given up, but I'm going to tell you, it's a breath of fresh air to be able to see Austin and Ty and Ryan Newman and Martin Truex and these guys that are great race car drivers be able to sit in our stuff, and it took us to while to recover to be will able to get back to where we needed to be."

The 52-year old Lawrence has been with RCR since the Dale Earnhardt days and said he thinks that the team will be back on top where they were with the Intimidator.

"Richard always says, you don't want to hear any excuses and it's all about the results," said Danny Lawrence. "Well, there we go again. It's been long enough where I think everybody is healed and we've got a little satisfaction of some of our other stuff, and we've been able to execute and we've got that feeling again, and I think that our company is ready to go to contend, and I don't think it's just about Daytona, I think we're going to be good everywhere we go, and if we're not, we're going to go back, we're going to regroup, and we're going to good hit them again.

"Just as I said, Richard has always told us the next race is the most important race.  Our cars look great, from what I understand, in the wind tunnel, and I know our engines are good for Phoenix, and they're sitting there, and we're very prepared and we're ready to go.

"It's just all about the preparation, and I think that we're set up for a great year."

Fast Company magazine presented its list of the 50 most innovative companies of 2014. Two car brands managed to crack the top 20 including Dodge (11th) and Tesla (20th).

The editors highlighted the former's marketing coup featuring Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy character from the Anchorman movies. As a result, Dodge Durango sales increased 59% in the U.S. last October alone.

Meanwhile, Tesla is fresh from its best year ever with record sales, industry and mainstream recognition, extensive roll-out of Supercharger stations, etc. In fact, sales of the Model S were 20% higher than expected, and in the first nine months of 2013, the company more than tripled its 2012 revenue.

Source : fastcompany.com

The new, more upscale Range Rover Evoque Autobiography Dynamic will make its global debut at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show (March 6-16, 2014).

Sporting an exclusive Phoenix Orange body paint, the Evoque Autobiography Dynamic features 20'' wheels, jewel-like headlights and taillights, as well as a 2.0L turbocharged engine that generates 281 horsepower through a 9-speed automatic transmission.
Stay tuned for Canadian availability.

Photo: Land Rover

According to J.D. Power's 2014 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, owners of 3-year-old vehicles (2011 model year) report more problems than did owners of 3-year-old vehicles last year.

Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100) during the past 12 months, with a lower score reflecting higher quality. The new average is 133 PP100, a 6% increase from 126 PP100 in 2013.

“Automakers are continually looking for ways to improve fuel economy, which is a primary purchase motivator for many consumers, particularly those buying smaller vehicles,” said David Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power. “However, while striving to reduce fuel consumption, automakers must be careful not to compromise quality. Increases in such problems as engine hesitation, rough transmission shifts and lack of power indicate that this is a continuing challenge.”

Here are the highest-ranked models in each segment, with the winner listed in bold:

• Sub-compact: Honda Fit, Kia Rio, Nissan Versa
• Compact: Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic
• Premium compact: Lexus ES, Lexus IS, Lincoln MKZ
• Sport compact: MINI Cooper
• Midsize: Toyota Camry, Buick LaCrosse, Honda Accord
• Premium midsize: Lexus GS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan/wagon, Lincoln MKS
• Full-size: Buick Lucerne, Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus
• Premium full-size: Cadillac DTS and Lexus LS (tie)

Source : jdpower.com

From Pirelli press release

The second four-day official test of the year takes place in Bahrain from Wednesday to Saturday this week: the same venue that will host the third and final pre-season test later this month.

The warm ambient conditions of around 20 degrees centigrade or higher are set to provide a marked contrast to the first test of the year in Jerez, which featured low temperatures and rain.

All the teams are expected to be present at the Bahrain test, as they continue to optimise the interaction between their radical new cars - with 1.6-litre turbo hybrid engines and advanced energy recuperation systems - and the latest generation of Pirelli tires, which feature new compounds and constructions this year.

The track contains a wide variety of speeds and corners with high longitudinal demands that address most aspects of a tire's behaviour, making it an ideal test venue.

Testing Facts:

-- Teams are allowed an overall maximum total of 135 sets of tires for testing this year, including the in-season tests. The maximum total for the three pre-season tests is 85 sets of tires: 25 sets for Jerez and 30 each for the two Bahrain tests.

-- The teams will be able to test three slick compounds in Bahrain: hard, medium and soft. On top of this, they will also be able to test the ‘winter' hard compound, which Pirelli has created to ensure a rapid warm-up even at low temperatures. The teams have asked to try this tire, designed for Jerez, in Bahrain as well in order to assess how it performs in higher ambient temperatures. The ‘winter” version is recognisable by the fact that it has no markings, whereas the ‘standard' 2014 hard compound carries orange markings.

-- Pirelli is also bringing an extra set of medium tires per team to Bahrain, with 2014 construction and compound. However, these are actually considered to be ‘prototypes' as their purpose is to test tyre behaviour without warming blankets, which will be banned from 2015 onwards.

-- Of the 30 sets at each team's disposal, 22 sets of the four slick tires (hard, ‘winter' hard, medium, and soft) are selected by Pirelli in accordance with the teams. The remaining eight sets are chosen by the teams in advance, to suit their individual run plans.

Photo: WRi2

Driving duties for the first Bahrain winter test*

Red Bull
Wednesday: Sebastian Vettel
Thursday: Sebastian Vettel
Friday: Daniel Ricciardo
Saturday: Daniel Ricciardo

Mercedes
Wednesday: Lewis Hamilton
Thursday: Nico Rosberg
Friday: Lewis Hamilton
Saturday: Nico Rosberg

Ferrari
Wednesday: Fernando Alonso
Thursday: Fernando Alonso
Friday: Kimi Raikkonen
Saturday: Kimi Raikkonen

Lotus
Wednesday: Romain Grosjean
Thursday: Romain Grosjean
Friday: Pastor Maldonado
Saturday: Pastor Maldonado

McLaren
Wednesday: Kevin Magnussen
Thursday: Kevin Magnussen
Friday: Jenson Button
Saturday: Jenson Button

Sahara Force India
Wednesday: Nico Hülkenberg
Thursday: Nico Hülkenberg
Friday: Sergio Pérez
Saturday: Sergio Pérez

Toro Rosso
Wednesday: Daniil Kvyat
Thursday: Daniil Kvyat
Friday: Jean-Eric Vergne
Saturday: Jean-Eric Vergne

Marussia
Wednesday: Jules Bianchi
Thursday: Max Chilton
Friday: Max Chilton
Saturday: Jules Bianchi

Caterham
Wednesday: Robin Frijns
Thursday: Kamui Kobayashi
Friday: Marcus Ericsson
Saturday: Kamui Kobayashi

Sauber
To be announced

Williams
To be announced

*Unofficial

McLaren will officially unveil the new 650S on March 4th at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show, but that didn't stop the manufacturer from releasing the first pictures of this wickedly sexy coupe.

The 650S will also be available as a Spider convertible with power retractable hardtop.

The 650S badge designation refers to the power output -- 650PS (641 hp) -- of the unique British-built McLaren M838T twin-turbo V8 engine, which propels the car from 0-100 km/h in just three seconds before reaching a top speed of 333 km/h.

As for styling, new LED headlamps reflect a similar look to the McLaren P1, while the side profile and rear-end treatment evoke the McLaren 12C.

Photo: McLaren

From GMM

Williams will launch its new Martini livery in Bahrain.

Earlier, with the iconic Italian drinks brand set to return to formula one in 2014, it was believed the once-great British team would only officially unveil its new title sponsor and much-anticipated Martini livery ahead of the season opener in Australia.

But, actually, Williams - having tested its new Mercedes-powered FW36 in all-blue colours so far - said only that it would launch its race livery in time "for" Australia, not necessarily "in" Australia.

Indeed, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the official wraps will come off the new partnership "during the second week of testing in Bahrain", set to take place in the island Kingdom late next week.

The end of pre-season running in Bahrain will then start a mere two-week countdown before the red lights go out on the Melbourne grid.

Correspondent Tobias Gruner said the 'Williams Martini Racing' 2014 livery will include the iconic white, blue and red Martini stripe, made famous by the brand's involvement over decades in F1, Le Mans and rally.

Auto Motor und Sport releases an idea of what the 2014 Williams might look like:

Photo: Auto Motor und Sport

Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun, heir apparent to South Korea's Hyundai-Kia automotive juggernaut, plans to tour the company's volatile United States operations this week.