Auto News 5

Jose Maria Lopez looks set to secure one race seat at USF1, and the other may go to the British driver James Rossiter, according to reports from Argentina. Full story...

McLaren's 2010 car will be tested for the first time at Valencia at the beginning of February, the British team has announced. Full story...

Shanghai - GM and its joint ventures in China announced today that their domestic sales jumped 66.9 percent in 2009 to a record 1,826,424 units. Based on bullish sales of Buick, Chevrolet and Wuling vehicles, the GM China family achieved an estimated market share of 13.4 percent, another year-end record and an improvement of 1.3 percentage points from the end of 2008. Full story...

Starting on January 1, 2010, Thomas Hajek, Managing Director Maserati GB Ltd has taken up the responsibility for Maserati in the following markets: Germany, Great Britain, France, Monaco, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. Full story...

Auburn Hills, Mich., - Mopar is giving Dodge Challenger even more of a muscular appearance. Full story...

Admittedly, being from Vancouver, my winter driving skills are yet to be as honed as those of many of my fellow Canadians. I am, however, exceptional at driving in the rain... LOL! Now that I live on the Eastern side of Canada, I am quickly learning that I need to get over any fears or trepidation I may have regarding driving on roads that have been painted perpetual white by the hands of Mother Nature. Full story...

The FIA has published nine races of the 2010 DTM calendar. A 10th race will probably be added soon. Full story...

Nigel Mansell targets a Le Mans 24 hours entry with his two sons Leo and Greg, and is waiting for an invitation for the French classic from the ACO. Full story...

Gurnee, Illinois - Chicago area accessory manufacturer RealWheels Corporation has just released the race-inspired aftermarket trim package for the 2010 Camaro that they debuted at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas with their "Cool Shades" Camaro project. Full story...

MINI is showcasing various visions for individual mobility in the world of tomorrow at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The MINI Beachcomber Concept, for example, whets the appetite of the connoisseur and enthusiast for the fun moments in life. Radically open, it offers yet a further outlook at a future model from MINI. Four seats each with their own door, overall length of more than four metres or 158", as well as four-wheel drive - these highlights characterise this new interpretation of that unique MINI feeling. Full story...

Tony Stewart showed he was still able to jump, from a NASCAR Sprint Cup car into an Australian-rules sprint car, and be competitive as he won the pole for a preliminary race at a Sydney's Tyrepower City Raceway. Full story...

The V70 is Volvo's luxurious mid-size S80-inspired wagon that underwent a major redesign for the 2008 model year. Revisions for 2010 pertain primarily to trim levels and content packages. Full story...

Auto shows are for everyone, right? Well, not necessarily for the organizers of the 2010 NAIAS in Detroit, who proudly announced on December 16 that prestige brands will make a return to the Motor City... except that their highly-coveted cars won't be showcased inside Cobo Hall along with the rest of the industry. Full story...

The 2010 Olympics are almost there and to avoid high lodging rates some hotels will impose for visitors, Go RVing Canada reports that RV rentals and campgrounds can be a much more affordable option. Full story...

A spectator that got hit by one of the contestant succumbed to her injuries on Day 1 of the Rally Dakar. Meanwhile, Nani Roma, former bike winner at the rally, took a surprising lead. Full story...

The Virgin brand has experience success in every branch it got involved in over the years. The record industry, the airline industry and even the British Rail industry turned out successful. But can Virgin succeed in F1? Full story...

The Gigawave Motorsport team will close its doors according to autosport magazine. Full story...

How do you make a sporty, compact sedan a whole lot sportier and far more refined? Simple - drop in a jewel of an engine. By substituting the base 2.4-litre 4-banger for the optional 3.5-litre V6, TSX buyers will acquire all the virtues of the existing car but with spirit that until now, wasn't found underfoot. Full story...

Automotive drive systems represent a major dilemma. A hybrid such as the Lexus GS 450h combines a 300-hp gasoline engine with a 50-hp electric motor. Full story...

Pedro de la Rosa is expected to be Kamui Kobayashi's teammate at Sauber in 2010, according to Blick. Meanwhile, Peter Sauber has "not decided" when an application to change the name of his Hinwil based formula one team will be made. Full story...