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Sep
14th

DTM: Spengler loses Oschersleben pole position, Green moves up

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DTM champion Bruno Spengler has lost his pole position for Sunday's eighth season round at Oschersleben, Jamie Green (Audi) will start first on Sunday's race as a result.

Because the BMW driver had used a tyre that was only admitted for the fourth heat during the third qualifying heat already, the stewards of the meeting dropped him five places on the grid.

While Spengler will be starting from sixth place into the race on Sunday at 13.30 hrs, Audi driver Jamie Green moves up into first place. For the Brit, it is his first pole since his transfer to Audi at the start of the 2013 season and his seventh in the DTM. Points' leader Mike Rockenfeller also benefited from Spengler's grid penalty.

The Audi driver moved up from fourth to third place on the grid.

Bruno Spengler, BMW, DTM
Bruno Spengler, BMW M3 DTM (Photo: DTM.com)

Before his penalty, Bruno Spengler, fourth in the drivers' standings, showed a dominant performance in qualifying and claimed pole position. With his BMW M3 DTM, the reigning DTM champion completed his lap in the decisive fourth qualifying heat in 1:20.140 minutes.

Jamie Green ended up second fastest with his Audi RS 5 DTM. Brasilian Augusto Farfus (BMW) will be starting from third place into the 400th race in history of the DTM, just ahead of point' leader Mike Rockenfeller (Audi).

With second place on the grid, Audi driver Green claimed his best qualifying result of the season to date, which became later on his first pole position of the season, and also his first with Audi.

Jamie Green, Audi RS 5, DTM
Jamie Green, Audi RS 5 (Photo: Audi Motorsport)

Rockenfeller, who is 35 points clear in the drivers' standings, made it into the final qualifying heat as the fastest driver, but then only ended up fourth, third after Spengler's penalty.

Mercedes-Benz drivers Christian Vietoris and Robert Wickens retired early and thus failed to claim better starting grid positions. Canadian Wickens will be starting from eleventh position as the best-placed Mercedes-Benz driver, Vietoris will be starting from 20th place into the race on Sunday.

For Gary Paffett and Daniel Juncadella (both Mercedes-Benz), there had already been bad news before qualifying. After they had used unmarked tyres in free practice, they were dropped five places on the grid by the stewards. Paffett, who had been fastest driver of a DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé on the track, will therefore start from twelfth place, Juncadella will start from 22nd position.

Prior to the race on Sunday, Rockenfeller is leading in the drivers' standings with 106 points from Vietoris with 71 and Wickens with 70 points. In fourth place, defending champion Spengler has 67 points, Farfus has 66.


Sep
14th

Rally: Sébastien Ogier leads the way in Australia

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From press release

Sebastien Ogier proved unbeatable in Coates Hire Rally Australia today as he won all six speed tests to more than double his lead to 45.9sec with one day remaining in this 10th round of the FIA World Rally Championship.

The Frenchman won all four country stages in his Volkswagen Polo R before rounding the day off with victory in both arena tests in downtown Coffs Harbour. He has won 14 of the 16 stages to date.

Ogier started the day with a 20.0sec advantage over Mikko Hirvonen's Citroen DS3 but nobody got close to him on the roads south-west of Coffs Harbour, which included two passes over the monster 50km Nambucca test. 

Sébastien Ogier, Australie, WRC, VW Polo R
Sébastien Ogier, Polo R WRC (Photo: volkswagen-motorsport.com)

A thick coating of gravel made conditions slippery during this morning's first pass of the stages. The roads were cleaner this afternoon and Hirvonen was untroubled as he widened the gap over third-placed Thierry Neuville to 25.5sec.

Neuville took no risks, checking his pace notes at rally pace this morning before upping his speed this afternoon to set top three times. Kris Meeke was on course to retain fourth until he crashed in the second pass through Nambucca, his Citroen DS3 rolling seven times.

The beneficiary was Jari-Matti Latvala, who came out on top of a three-car fight with Andreas Mikkelsen and Mads Ostberg. He punctured the rear right tyre on his Polo R after hitting a bank this morning but the Finn was more settled than yesterday.

Mikkelsen lies fifth, 23.2sec behind his Volkswagen colleague, but was caught out by the same bend as Latvala. He ended the test with a tyre partly off the rim in his Polo R but held off Mads Ostberg by 2.5sec tonight.

Ostberg was only a second behind Latvala until a high-speed spin into a ditch in the final country stage cost the Fiesta RS driver 20 seconds.

Evgeny Novikov lies seventh in a similar car, despite losing more than two minutes with a left rear puncture. However, the Russian has a comfortable 2min 34sec advantage over Nathan Quinn's Mini John Cooper Works, Quinn delighting his home town fans on his World Rally Car debut.

Tomorrow's final leg leaves Coffs Harbour at 08.00 and heads north for two identical loops of three tests covering 125.14km before the afternoon finish back in the town.

Sep
14th

It happened on September 14th: OPEC is founded

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The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded on September 14th, 1960, at the initiative of the Venezuelan Energy and Mines minister Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso and the Saudi Arabian Energy and Mines minister Abdullah al-Tariki. The initial goal was to increase the price of the crude oil barrel, which was worth a mere $5 USD back then.

OPEC was formed at a time when the international oil market was largely separate from centrally planned economies, and was dominated by multinational companies. OPEC's ‘Policy Statement' states that there is a right of all countries to exercise sovereignty over their natural resources.

However, since the crash of 1983, OPEC members no longer control prices.

They are:
  • Saudi Arabia (1960);
  • Iran (1960);
  • Iraq (1960);
  • Kuwait (1960);
  • Venezuela (1960);
  • Qatar (1961);
  • Indonesia (1962-2008);
  • Libya (1962);
  • Abu Dhabi (1967, now United Arab Emirates);
  • Algeria (1969);
  • Nigeria (1971);
  • Ecuador (1973-1992; 2007);
  • Gabon (1975-2006);
  • Angola (2007).
Source : wikipedia.org

Les pays membres de l'OPEP
Photo: Wikipedia

Sep
14th

IndyCar: No Baltimore Grand Prix in 2014

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Huge blow to the IndyCar Series as Andretti Sports Management announced that the Baltimore Grand Prix would not return to the IndyCar schedule in 2014 after all parties involved failed to agree on a date.

IndyCar, Grand Prix of Baltimore, 2014
IndyCar racing in the streets of Baltimore (Photo:facebook.com/BaltimoreGP)

Race On, the owner of the Grand Prix of Baltimore, was unable to coordinate a workable date for the 2014 event with the multiple entities involved in scheduling, although it appears that Race On's decision took both the IndyCar Series and Andretti Sports Management by surprise.

With the loss of Baltimore, IndyCar forfeits its only event on the eastern seaboard. The race drew its biggest (paying) crowd to date, attracting approximately 150,000 fans over the three-day event.


Sep
13th

2014 BMW 4 Series

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2014 BMW 4 Series
2014 BMW 4 Series
Although it's now called 4 Series, this is still the coupe (and, soon, the convertible) version of the BMW 3 Series.

New For 2014

The 4 Series is all new for 2014. BMW fans refer to this new-generation coupe by its code name: F40. The new coupe is longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor. It's also lower and wider than the sedan, and its styling is more differentiated from its four-door sibling than it was in previous generations. Unlike the sedan, the coupe's rear wheels are spaced farther apart than the front wheels. This wider rear track helps the 4 Series corner even more aggressively than the already-impressive 3 Series.



Sep
13th

2014 Fiat 500L

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2014 Fiat 500L
2014 Fiat 500L
With the 2014 500L, Fiat is looking to capitalize on its chic and cheeky 500 microcar and appeal to folks who were shut out from the Italian hatchback due to its small size.

New For 2014

The Fiat 500L is all-new for 2014 and is the first generation of the model. Fans of the brand, however, will recognize that the 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder engine comes straight from the Fiat 500 Abarth hot hatch.



Sep
13th

2014 Fiat 500

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2014 Fiat 500
2014 Fiat 500
Fiat offers a slew of different 500 variants. Buyers first need to choose between the 500 hatchback and the 500C droptop, the latter of which has a rollback cloth roof that leaves the pillars intact and is reminiscent of the original cloth-top 500.

New For 2014

Minor updates abound for the 2014 Fiat 500. There is a new Avorio (ivory) accented interior; revised five-spoke, sixteen-inch wheels on the 500 Sport; and Hyper Nero (black) sixteen-inch aluminum wheels on the Turbo. The passenger seat also now sits one inch lower to increase front headroom.



Sep
13th

2014 Chrysler 300

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2014 Chrysler 300
2014 Chrysler 300
Chrysler has further simplified the 300 lineup for 2014, but there are still six different trim levels to choose from.

New For 2014

Chrysler has simplified the 300 lineup a bit for 2014. The top-end performance model is now just called the 300 SRT, and the sedan is offered in five other trims: 300, 300S, 300C, 300C John Varvatos Luxury Edition, and 300C John Varvatos Limited Edition. The Glacier and Motown special editions and the Luxury Series have all been dropped.



Sep
13th

2014 BMW 4 Series

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2014 BMW 4 Series
2014 BMW 4 Series
Although it's now called 4 Series, this is still the coupe (and, soon, the convertible) version of the BMW 3 Series.

New For 2014

The 4 Series is all new for 2014. BMW fans refer to this new-generation coupe by its code name: F40. The new coupe is longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor. It's also lower and wider than the sedan, and its styling is more differentiated from its four-door sibling than it was in previous generations. Unlike the sedan, the coupe's rear wheels are spaced farther apart than the front wheels. This wider rear track helps the 4 Series corner even more aggressively than the already-impressive 3 Series.



Sep
13th

2014 Chrysler 200

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2014 Chrysler 200
2014 Chrysler 200
If the 200 isn’t the best example of how a Fiat-backed Chrysler can breathe life into dying models, we don’t know what is.

New For 2014

Chrysler has expanded the availability of the sportier S model on the sedan by offering it as a package on the 200 Touring (with both the I-4 and the V-6) and 200 Limited trims, rather than as a standalone model.



Sep
13th

Automobile RSS Feed 2013-09-13 19:09:00

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2014 Chrysler Town & Country
2014 Chrysler Town & Country
Minivans were put on this planet for one primary purpose: to haul people. Lots of people, in fact, given that Chrysler has sold more than thirteen million minivans since 1983.

New For 2014

In honor of Chrysler-built minivans' anniversary, there is a new 30th Anniversary package with an upgraded interior and a smattering of special-edition badges inside and out. (However, it's worth noting that the Chrysler Town & Country didn't actually debut as a minivan until the 1990 model year, which is six years after its Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager siblings debuted, meaning the Chrysler van isn't thirty years old quite yet.) The Town & Country S -- which was new last year -- has been updated with new black chrome trim, blacked-out headlight surrounds, seventeen-inch aluminum wheels, and a monotone black interior.



Sep
13th

2014 BMW 4 Series

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2014 BMW 4 Series
2014 BMW 4 Series
Although it's now called 4 Series, this is still the coupe (and, soon, the convertible) version of the BMW 3 Series.

New For 2014

The 4 Series is all new for 2014. BMW fans refer to this new-generation coupe by its code name: F40. The new coupe is longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor. It's also lower and wider than the sedan, and its styling is more differentiated from its four-door sibling than it was in previous generations. Unlike the sedan, the coupe's rear wheels are spaced farther apart than the front wheels. This wider rear track helps the 4 Series corner even more aggressively than the already-impressive 3 Series.



Sep
13th

2014 BMW 4 Series

Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
2014 BMW 4 Series
2014 BMW 4 Series
Although it's now called 4 Series, this is still the coupe (and, soon, the convertible) version of the BMW 3 Series.

New For 2014

The 4 Series is all new for 2014. BMW fans refer to this new-generation coupe by its code name: F40. The new coupe is longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor. It's also lower and wider than the sedan, and its styling is more differentiated from its four-door sibling than it was in previous generations. Unlike the sedan, the coupe's rear wheels are spaced farther apart than the front wheels. This wider rear track helps the 4 Series corner even more aggressively than the already-impressive 3 Series.



Sep
13th

2014 Chrysler 200

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2014 Chrysler 200
2014 Chrysler 200
If the 200 isn’t the best example of how a Fiat-backed Chrysler can breathe life into dying models, we don’t know what is.

New For 2014

Chrysler has expanded the availability of the sportier S model on the sedan by offering it as a package on the 200 Touring (with both the I-4 and the V-6) and 200 Limited trims, rather than as a standalone model.



Sep
13th

2014 Fiat 500

Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
2014 Fiat 500
2014 Fiat 500
Fiat offers a slew of different 500 variants. Buyers first need to choose between the 500 hatchback and the 500C droptop, the latter of which has a rollback cloth roof that leaves the pillars intact and is reminiscent of the original cloth-top 500.

New For 2014

Minor updates abound for the 2014 Fiat 500. There is a new Avorio (ivory) accented interior; revised five-spoke, sixteen-inch wheels on the 500 Sport; and Hyper Nero (black) sixteen-inch aluminum wheels on the Turbo. The passenger seat also now sits one inch lower to increase front headroom.



Sep
13th

2014 Chrysler 300

Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
2014 Chrysler 300
2014 Chrysler 300
Chrysler has further simplified the 300 lineup for 2014, but there are still six different trim levels to choose from.

New For 2014

Chrysler has simplified the 300 lineup a bit for 2014. The top-end performance model is now just called the 300 SRT, and the sedan is offered in five other trims: 300, 300S, 300C, 300C John Varvatos Luxury Edition, and 300C John Varvatos Limited Edition. The Glacier and Motown special editions and the Luxury Series have all been dropped.



Sep
13th

2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary

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2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary
2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary - Automobile Magazine
Featuring RWD Alfas, tiny BMWs and Benzes, and Ferdinand Piech.

Monday, September 9
The 2014 BMW i3 is not yet allowed to roam the public streets of Frankfurt, but it shuttles journalists between the 2013 Frankfurt motor show's eleven distant halls. First impression: It's quite spacious, but the organic surfaces are as premium as Formica tables in a no-star restaurant, the fit and finish is rather naff, and you can´t exit from row two unless someone opens the front door for you. More than 1800 i3s were sold in the first two days in Germany alone, almost all of them without the optional range-extending engine. Early adopters are a courageous bunch. The biggest market for the i3 is North America where the BEV parking garage is expected to grow to 90,000 units this year. In Germany, we hold at 4000 vehicles. So how does BMW expect this scenario to evolve?


Photo Gallery: 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary - Automobile Magazine


Sep
13th

2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary

Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary
2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary - Automobile Magazine
Featuring RWD Alfas, tiny BMWs and Benzes, and Ferdinand Piech.

Monday, September 9
The 2014 BMW i3 is not yet allowed to roam the public streets of Frankfurt, but it shuttles journalists between the 2013 Frankfurt motor show's eleven distant halls. First impression: It's quite spacious, but the organic surfaces are as premium as Formica tables in a no-star restaurant, the fit and finish is rather naff, and you can´t exit from row two unless someone opens the front door for you. More than 1800 i3s were sold in the first two days in Germany alone, almost all of them without the optional range-extending engine. Early adopters are a courageous bunch. The biggest market for the i3 is North America where the BEV parking garage is expected to grow to 90,000 units this year. In Germany, we hold at 4000 vehicles. So how does BMW expect this scenario to evolve?


Photo Gallery: 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show Diary - Automobile Magazine


Sep
13th

Ford board gets corporate sustainability insight from Steelcase CEO

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Ford's newest board member, Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett, first met Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford at a Michigan business conference.
Sep
13th

Ford board gets corporate sustainability insight from Steelcase CEO

Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
Ford's newest board member, Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett, first met Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford at a Michigan business conference.
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