Auto News 5

Australian component manufacturer, Autodom's staff are back at work following an emergency bailout from General Motors Holden (GMH) and Ford.

Kongsberg Automotive is merging its actuation & chassis (A&C) and power product systems (PPS) units into one to be called Driver Control Systems.

Twelve vehicle makers are working in a consortium to create common standards for vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication (Car-to-Car and Car-to-Infrastructure, also known as Vehicle-to-X) ready for series production in 2015.

Toyota has sold over 1m hybrid vehicles in a year for the first time.

The European vehicle makers' organisation, ACEA, has called for 'urgent action' and a supportive industrial policy from the EU to help Europe's auto industry adjust to overcapacity.

The global market for automotive exhaust systems is expected to reach US$31.3bn in 2012, representing a 2.8% increase from 2011 levels.

Hyperdrive Innovation Ltd is an R&D business which designs and develops electric and hybrid vehicle drivetrain systems, range extenders and key powertrain components. In this interview, Matthew Beecham talked with Chris Baylis, technical director, Hyperdrive Innovation about cooling challenges for alternative powertrains.

It is interesting to note that calls for scrappage schemes are getting louder in Europe in the face of the severity of the downturn to Western Europe's car market.

An action plan released by the European Commission today (8 November) will see several areas targeted including green vehicles, access to funds from the European Investment Bank, implementing 2020 CO2 targets, road safety and alternative fuels among others.

News 8 Nov, 2012

SEAT boss reveals details of its new family of Leon models and confirms a Q3-based SUV for 2014

Maserati has increased the size of its new Quattroporte as it seeks to compete with long-wheelbase versions of Audi, BMW and Mercedes flagships.

Bosch has sold its 5.77% stake in Denso for a sum believed to be in the region of US$1.4bn, although the Japanese component maker is not confirming the figure.

China has swiftly become Tata Motors' luxury car unit Jaguar Land Rover's largest market following two years of solid growth, according to country chief Bob Grace.

Bosch has sold its 5 percent stake in Denso for $1.4 billion to fund investments and strategic acquisitions.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally said that the first thing he did after agreeing to be a keynote speaker at the International Consumer Electronics Show was pick up the phone.

President Barack Obama's second term likely will include a return to an agenda of support for electric vehicles and also could clear the way for new rules on tailpipe emissions and auto safety.

Opel has stopped development of a planned electric version of its new Adam minicar, citing high costs.

Hyundai and Kia have been hit with a second civil suit seeking class-action status after the companies admitted to making bogus fuel-economy claims. The latest was in a federal Central District Court in Los Angeles on behalf of 23 plaintiffs.

Thursday was the last of a three-day Formula 1 young driver test, and effectively brought to a close the busiest three-week stint on the calendar, with two Grand Prix races in India and Abu Dhabi, followed by this test.

Today was also the final day of F1 testing in 2012.

New GP2 series' champion, Davide Valsecchi, topped the time sheets in the Lotus E20 today.

Davide Valsecchi, Lotus. (Photo: WRi2)

Valsecchi completed a total of 86 laps, running a comprehensive testing program and showcasing his talent by quickly getting up to speed with the car and team.

The morning program consisted of aerodynamic testing and DDRS iterations, followed by front drum testing and tire assessment in the afternoon.

Dane Kevin Magnussen ranked second in the Mercedes-powered McLaren. It was his second run in the MP4-27. He concluded his day by running through a series of mechanical balance changes aimed at unlocking tire performance. Magnussen covered sufficient mileage this week to be able to apply for an F1 Superlicence.

Kevin Magnussen, McLaren. (Photo: WRi2)

Mexican Esteban Gutierrez finished the day in third place. He started with more aerodynamic evaluations. The team was running on high fuel, and he did some set-up work and brake tests. Sauber tested some new items after lunch, and gave Gutierrez some fresh tires, including a set of softs.

Esteban Gutiérrez, Sauber. (Photo: WRi2)

New Formula Renault 3.5 champion Robin Frijns was fourth in the Red Bull-Renault, followed by McLaren's Oliver Turvey who continued the evaluation of a new front wing during the morning's session.

Robin Frijns, Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2)

Sixth was Luiz Razia in the Toro Rosso. Chief engineer, Laurent Mekies, said that the job list was very full, testing many items, the majority of which were aimed at next year's car.

Alexander Rossi was seventh and last in the Caterham-Renault. However, the American lost a great deal of time when the CT-01 was stuck in the garage so the team could fix an oil leak.

Alexander Rossi, Caterham. (Photo: WRi2)

Young driver test, Yas Marina circuit, Abu Dhabi, Day 3:

Pos  Driver  Constructor  Best time*  Laps
1 Davide Valsecchi  Lotus  1m42.677  86
2 Kevin Magnussen  McLaren  1m42.827  51
3 Esteban Gutierrez  Sauber  1m43.093  80
4 Robin Frijns  Red Bull Racing  1m43.233  53
5 Oliver Turvey  McLaren  1m43.604  44
6 Luiz Razia  Scuderia Toro Rosso  1m45.286  68
7 Alexander Rossi  Caterham  1m46.485  86

Recap of fastest drivers each day:
Tuesday Day 1: Kevin Magnussen  McLaren  1m42.651
Wednesday Day 3: Antonio Felix da Costa  Red Bull-Renault  1m42.679
Thursday Day 3: Davide Valsecchi  Lotus  1m42.677

*All timing unofficial

From BMW Motorsport

Former CART series' champion and Formula 1 driver Alex Zanardi completed Thursday the historic drive in golden BMW M3 DTM car.

Zanardi and the BMW DTM teams were at the Nürburgring to celebrate “40 Years of BMW M”. Within just a few laps the 46-year-old had slotted seamlessly back into racing driver mode and looked more at home in the car with each of his 32 laps.

(Photo: BMW Motorsport)

This unique opportunity was BMW Motorsport's way of acknowledging the outstanding sporting achievements of Zanardi, who won two gold and one silver medal on his handbike at the Paralympic Games in London.

In keeping with the occasion, the BMW M3 DTM sported a gold livery, specially designed for Zanardi. As well as the Italian's image on the bonnet, the roof of the car also featured the three medals, which Zanardi won at this summer's Paralympic Games having lost both legs in an accident in 2001.

(Photo: BMW Motorsport)

The BMW Motorsport engineers worked hard to prepare the M3 for this very special drive. While the modifications made to the BMW M3 DTM would not be suitable to be used under race conditions, they did allow Zanardi to complete this unique demonstration drive at the Nürburgring.

(Photo: BMW Motorsport)

Accelerator and clutch pedals were removed and the brake pedal was shifted to the right in order to allow Zanardi to brake with his prosthetic right leg. He operated the accelerator with his left hand on the steering wheel, while he was able to change gear by pushing and pulling the shift paddle. The pneumatic-hydraulic clutch was located on the shift panel.

Zanardi's outing in the M3 DTM was one of the highlights of the three-day celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of BMW M.

(Photo: BMW Motorsport)