Lauda irked at Red Bull for dropping circuit corner that bore his name

Austria hasn't hosted a Formula One grand prix since the 2003 race at the old A1 Ring. Since then Red Bull bought the track, renovated it and returned it to the calendar this year as the Red Bull Ring for a race on June 22. We could look at this as a quaint story of a historic F1 track finally returning to the series after a long delay. However, there is a very angry Austrian who is not happy about how things are going - namely, three-time F1 World Driver's Champion Niki Lauda.

According to Austrian newspaper Kleine Zeitung, as part of its renovation of the track, Red Bull sold off the naming rights of the corners to sponsors. The former Niki Lauda Kurve is now the Pirelli Kurve. Fellow Austrian F1 driver Gerhard Berger also lost his turn, and it's now the Würth Kurve. Only famous racer Jochen Rindt has retained his name on the track.

Lauda was furious when he found out about the change and demanded to know who made the decision. He told the paper that he suspects that the renaming has to do with his current position at the Mercedes-Benz F1 team, which is beating the Red Bull squad soundly this year. Lauda already has plans to get back for the perceived slight. He said that Mercedes would be celebrating a 1-2 victory for this year's return of the grand prix to Austria. Given Lauda's past and his team's season, that might not be too big of a boast.
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Toyota launches updated Verso-S in Europe

Globally, the Toyota Yaris has bred more variants than we can shake a stick at. It's been known in different markets as the Vitz, the Platz, the Bella, the Vios and, to us, as the Echo. The first-generation model bred a small cargo van called the Yaris Verso - a mini minivan riding on the shortest wheelbase in its class - which was renamed the Verso-S for Europe and alternatively known as the Space Verso, the Ractis, the Ractis Verso and even the Subaru Trezia in certain markets. And now Toyota has launched a revised version of its Verso-S in Europe.

Arriving as a mid-life facelift after three years on the market, the new Toyota Verso-S has been reinterpreted through the "Keen Look" design language that's been distinguishing the latest generation of Toyotas, particularly in the European market. That means new projector-beam headlights and LED daytime running lights, a reshaped grille with chrome surround, more LEDs around back, a fresh set of 16-inch alloys and new color options.

The interior has likewise been spruced up with new trim and color choices, as well as a tire pressure monitor fitted as standard. There's a new touchscreen display with more connectivity options, upgraded nav and a rearview camera as well. Since Toyota's made no mention of engine upgrades, until we hear back, we have to assume the 1.3-liter inline-four and 1.4-liter diesel engines carry over unchanged with the buyer's choice of either a six-speed manual or continuously variable transmission.
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NYC mayor importing traffic safety program from Sweden to end road deaths

The streets of New York City are getting a Scandinavian makeover to be safer for pedestrians. Mayor Bill De Blasio has taken inspiration from Sweden's Vision Zero law, which has as it's goal the eradication of roadway deaths. He is bringing many of its concepts to the Big Apple.

Sweden's 1997 law stipulates that no one is should die in an accident on the country's roads, and the government should do whatever it can to make things safer. Its methods have been drastic, but they have worked. While some streets in Stockholm now have speed limits below 20 miles per hour, the country boasts the lowest rate of traffic deaths in the world. According to The New York Times, 264 people died on the highways in all of Sweden last year, compared to 290 in just New York City. The road mortality rate in Stockholm is about a third of NYC.

De Blasio created his own Vision Zero Action Plan in February with 2024 as a goal to eradicate traffic deaths, and he is consulting with Swedes on how to do it. The first portions of the plan are already going into effect. According to NYT, new rules are slowing vehicles in some areas to 25 mph, down from 30 mph. There are also 120 new speed cameras going up around schools in the city. Police will also be enforcing speeding more. The next steps may be putting data recorders in taxis, widening parking lanes and a possible congestion charge in certain parts of the metropolis.

While the complete eradication of deaths may never be possible, it seems like an admirable goal. New York's streets were already on the road to being safer. According to the NYT, traffic deaths have fallen 26 percent since 2001. De Blasio's plan hopes to accelerate that decline. Manhattan may never have the old-world charm of Stockholm, but its avenues could be just as safe.
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Renaultsport ready to attack the 'Ring with new Mégane 275 Trophy

Competition improves the breed. So goes the old saying, but if there's ever been an example of that axiom put into action, surely it's the new Renault Mégane RS 275 Trophy.

The story of Renaultsport's latest hot hatch starts in 2008 when the French automaker lapped the Nürburgring in 8:16.9 with the stripped-out Mégane R26.R. That record went pretty much unchallenged until Renault itself raised the bar even further with the new Mégane Trophy in 2011 with a lap time of 8:07.9. Then the competition started taking note. Honda started talking about beating the record with its upcoming Civic Type R, but Seat is the one that knocked Renault off the top of the leaderboard with its 7:58.4 in the new Leon Cupra 280.

Renault wasn't happy, but set about rising to the challenge when it proclaimed a thinly veiled threat to clock a sub-8-minute lap time of its own, teasing its development thereafter. And this is the vehicle with which it intends to do so.

The new Mégane Trophy improves upon the record-setter from 2011 with more power and more serious equipment. The 2.0-liter turbo four has been massaged to produce an extra ten horses for a total of 275 horsepower and and 265 pound-feet of torque. Akrapovic provided a new titanium exhaust system. Michelin developed a special set of Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Öhlins is providing the adjustable dampers. Renault's even fitted the upgraded Cup chassis and limited slip differential as standard, and upgraded the aero and interior in the process.

We'll have to wait until June 16 to see how Renault's most extreme hot hatch yet fares on the Nordschleife, but we have a feeling the French wouldn't be talking smack if it didn't think it could rise to the challenge (or indeed already had).
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Wacky video shows Volkswagen putting the man into manufacturing

The Volkswagen Golf is one of Europe's preeminent vehicles. It's regularly one of the top sellers, and the latest, seventh generation appears to be one of the best ever. It was even named the 2013 World Car of the Year. So how do you sell a car that everyone knows about with over 30 million built? Well, humor, of course.

In a new video VW has teamed up with Auto Express to show how a Golf is made. But instead of taking us through the same antiseptic auto factory, it's recreating all of the steps with a person. The host dresses up in some overalls and goes through the hatchback's complete body production process. It's a clever and unique way to sell a product that everyone already has an idea about.

 

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Carlos Ghosn returns as president of ACEA

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (abbreviated ACEA in French) is an industry group representing all the biggest automakers in Europe, representing their common interests on the world stage. And as such it needs a leader, figurehead and mouthpiece to serve as its president, and for the second time the association's board of directors has chosen Carlos Ghosn.

Now if you're recognizing Ghosn as the CEO of Nissan and wondering what that has to do with European cars, it's not because Nissan manufactures much in Europe. In fact, it only operates has a handful of locations in Europe: one in the UK, one in Barcelona and one in St Petersburg. But you'd be wise to recall that Ghosn also serves as CEO of Renault, one of the biggest players in European automobile manufacturing. He also sits on the boards at Russian automaker AvtoVAZ (of which Renault owns 25 percent) and of his native Brazil's Banco Itaú, not to mention the advisory councils of a handful of universities - two of them from his ancestral hometown of Beirut. He previously served as president of ACEA in 2009, and was re-elected to replace outgoing PSA chairman Philippe Varin.

Alongside Renault, ACEA membership includes BMW, Daimler, Fiat, Jaguar Land Rover, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Volkswagen and Volvo, along with the European divisions of Ford, General Motors, Hyundai and Toyota, as well as a handful of truck manufacturers.
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IHS: Global vehicle production to increase by 21M units by 2021, China to account for half

Filed under: China, Europe, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Russia, South Korea

The global automotive market will continue to surge into the start of the next decade, according to a new report from IHS Automotive. The analytical firm is reporting that global annual production will increase by 21 million units by 2021. Global production has already seen a 25-million-unit increase since the dark days of 2009.

Not surprisingly, China will dominate global production, while its neighbors in Japan and South Korea focus on foreign production, rather than building vehicles in their home markets. The North American market, meanwhile, will be kept going with the help of the same foreign investments that are leading to a decline in Japanese and Korean production.

Europe is a different case altogether, as the continent continues its economic recovery. Russia and Turkey will fall back in 2014, although IHS is predicting demand will increase four percent per year from 2015 to 2017. As for production, the percentage of European-built vehicles that are sold in Europe will fall by 2021, from 70 percent to 50 percent. That number could be greater, although IHS is arguing that significant recoveries in the struggling Italian and Spanish markets will help keep sales of Continentally produced vehicles afloat.

Take a look below for the official press release from IHS.

Continue reading IHS: Global vehicle production to increase by 21M units by 2021, China to account for half

IHS: Global vehicle production to increase by 21M units by 2021, China to account for half originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 May 2014 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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