Auto News 5

Dietrich Mateschitz has invited Sebastian Vettel to sign a long-term contract guaranteeing him a competitive car each season. Full story...

Quebeckers Antoine L'Estage and co-driver Nathalie Richard won Sunday their sixth rally victory of 2010. This allowed the couple to win the Triple Crown of rallies with the Championship titles in Canada, North America and the United States. Full story...

A month before Christmas, F1 teams and drivers have retired to consider the impact of the sport's new sole tyre supplier. Full story...

For the first time in five years Jimmie Johnson came to the NASCAR finale not leading the points. Yet he left with a record-breaking fifth-straight Sprint Cup title. Full story...

It's not often, at least here in the cold desolate North, that we get to see a grouping of cars such as those found in this evaluation. In fact, so rare and expensive are some of these cars that this was the first time that I had actually gotten the opportunity to sit in one, let alone drive it. Full story...

Ford's new sportscar is based on Focus MkIII and evokes spirit of legendary Capri.

Full story...

GM said it may enter the World Rally Championship for the first time in more than 20 years to bolster the image and selling prices of European brands Opel and Vauxhall. Full story...

Automakers around the world are are pouring money into developing a slate of hybrid, plug-in and electric vehicles, but pure EVs are expected to make up just a sliver of the global auto market in a decade's time. Full story...

Bruno Spengler (Mercedes Classe C) will contest a crucial last DTM round next week-end in Shanghai. Will his three points advantage be enough for him to secure the 2010 title ? Full story...

Rob Huff (Chevrolet Cruze) and Norbert Michelisz (Seat Leon) won the final WTCC round in Macao. Chevrolet clinched constructors' championship. Yvan Muller (Chevrolet Cruze) had already secured drivers' championship earlier this season. Full story...

Edoardo Mortara became the first driver to win the F3 Macao Grand Prix two years in a row. Full story...

Organisers of the historic Italian grand prix are worried plans to take formula one to Rome will leave historic Monza without a race. Full story...

Kyle Busch capped off his part-time schedule in the Nationwide Series, this year, winning the season closer at Homestead Miami Speedway. Full story...

McLaren's 2011 car will feature "quite a few" technical innovations, team boss Martin Whitmarsh has promised. Full story...

2010 Formula 3 Euroseries champion Edoardo Mortara, who just clinched his second F3 Macau GP win in-a-row, is rumoured to join the DTM championship next year. He spoke to auto123.com about this interest of his. Full story...

To all you American movie buffs out there: what car did Lois Lane drive in 2006's Spiderman Returns? Three seconds, two, one... ding! Ten points to those who answered "an Audi A3," and 50 points to those who specified that we see Kate Bosworth's character behind the wheel of this German munchkin not once, but twice! Full story...

Los Angeles, CA - Ford, the maker of the most popular police vehicle in America, continued its leadership position this week, recording the fastest lap time of any police car with its all-new Police Interceptor sedan in testing by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. The results achieved by the next-generation Police Interceptors are proof points that Ford has engineered purpose-built and durable vehicles for the law enforcement community. Full story...

Belgian dealer group D'Ieteren raised its 2010 profit forecast after its third quarter was boosted by strong sales of new cars in Belgium and a steady return of business customers to its rental business. Full story...

U.S. automakers and suppliers, led by a resurgent GM, have retreated from the brink of a pension crisis, to the relief of the federal government's deficit-heavy pension insurance program. Full story...

Production capacity in China's fast-growing auto industry could more than double by 2020, but a surge beyond that level would risk swamping the Chinese market and others with excess supply, the CEO of global parts supplier BorgWarner said. Full story...