Auto News 5

Germany's new car market could fall 6.5% to around 2.9m vehicles next year from an expected 3.1m this year, said the German Federation for Motor Trades and Repairs (ZDK).

British banks are rapidly rebuilding liquidity after the financial crisis that plunged world markets into chaos and should be better positioned to address the needs of the automotive UK industry.

General Motors rolled out its first China developed electric car at the Guangzhou auto show today, as it ramps up its green car push in the world's largest auto market.

News 22 Nov, 2012

The Highways Agency has turned off the lights on 121 miles of motorway

SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt, says a radically improved UK auto environment presents 'a game changing moment' as the banking community expresses more interest in the sector.

Kia is looking to add sports and performance cars to its range to help raise its brand image, and is even considering a rear-wheel-drive coupé based on the 2011 GT concept.

Renault is to create 1,300 new jobs at its Spanish plants with two new vehicle platforms, one a derivative of the other, and shared with Nissan.

Toyota will launch two China-only brands through its two Chinese joint ventures starting next year, a senior executive said on Thursday.

Toyota will launch two China-only brands through its two Chinese joint ventures starting next year, a senior executive said on Thursday.

Toyota Motor Corp. will launch two China-only brands through its two Chinese joint ventures starting next year, a senior executive said on Thursday.

Nissan plans output of its first electric car under its China-only Venucia brand by 2015, a company executive said on Thursday.

The French government's influence over PSA should remain limited despite Paris getting a spot on the automaker's top-level board. PSA provided the board seat in exchange for a 7 billion euro loan from the government to bail out its car-loans arm.

Chrysler is emerging as a leader in touch screens by letting Ford and GM jump ahead and stumble.

Japan's automakers are gearing up for the biggest wave of North American production expansion in a decade.

Automakers and suppliers are finding big opportunities in North Africa, where new-car sales are forecast to rise more than 40 percent by 2016 and where low labor costs make producing vehicles and parts cheaper than in western Europe and even parts...

Head-up displays are getting a fresh look as safety-alert devices. Suppliers such as Denso, Nippon Seiki, Continental and Delphi Automotive are developing head-up displays that project larger, brighter and more detailed images onto the windshield.

Despite all the hoopla over electric cars and fuel cells, gasoline-powered vehicles will be the key powertrain for automakers that must meet the European Union's tough emission standards.

Renault plans to create 1,300 jobs in recession-hit Spain under a scheme to boost production at its local plants and after a deal with unions, the French carmaker said.

From GMM

Eric Boullier has once again played down speculation Romain Grosjean's place at Lotus is in doubt for 2013.

At the end of a tumultuous season for Frenchman Grosjean, the 26-year-old admitted this week that he is yet to sign a new deal for next season.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus, in India. (Photo: WRi2)

But team boss Boullier told French-language f1i.com: "We believe in him. For us he is a long-term project and we consider him to be similar to (what McLaren did with) Lewis Hamilton."

"He has shown he is able to do superb racing, but then of course there were some errors that sometimes cost him very dearly. More recently he has been a bit more cautious and has been building up again, but I am sure that in 2013 we will see the real Romain," he added.

Sunday's title deciding Formula 1 Grand Prix of Brazil will be held over 71 laps of the 4.309km Autodrome José Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo.

The total race distance will be 305.9km.

There will be just one DRS zone, Drag Reduction System, during Sunday' race. The activation ppoint will be located at the apex of Corner 2 and the activation zone will be situated 133m before the exit of Turn 3.

Changes to the circuit since 2011 include new debris fences that have been installed on both sides of the track between Turns 3 and 4, a kerb that has been installed on the apex of turn 15, and tube inserts that have been placed in the tire barrier on the end of the wall at the pit entry.

The three race stewards will be Gary Connelly, deputy president of the FIA Institute, Silvia Bellot, graduate of the FIA Trainee Steward programme and 8-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen.

Illustration: FOM