>> ASIAONE / MOTORING / NEWS / ARCHIVE 2007 Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2006 Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Chrysler?s says models may be trimmed for long-term success New president & vice chairman, Jim Press, is committed to offering hybrids & other fuel-saving technology. Hamilton on brink of world championship As long as he finishes in front of his two main rivals in Shanghai the crown is Hamilton's. Nokia teams up with Renault in navigation drive World's top cellphone maker to co-brand Renault Twingo cars that come packed with Nokia's navigation system, handsfree equipment. Fourth "Fast and Furious" movie revving up Actors Vin Diesel & Paul Walker are set to resume their roles in the latest film of the series. Dennis insists that championship is not over McLaren boss refuses to admit that Alonso's first retirement of the season ends his hopes for third consecutive title. Hamilton wins wet and wild Japanese GP British driver used pole position to avoid dangerous spray from rival cars. Analysis of Japanese GP Team by team analysis of Sunday's Japanese F1 Grand Prix listed in championship order Poor communication from FIA costs Ferrari Ferrari not informed of decision to make all teams start with extreme weather tyres. Kovalainen shows worth with 2nd place in Japan Finn puts some gloss on shaky debut season with superb drive on rain-soaked Fuji Speedway. Angry Webber blasts Vettel after crash Rookie Sebastien Vettel crashed into him forcing both to retire from Sunday's Japanese GP Spyker's Sutil handed 8th place in Japan Toro Rosso's Vitantonio Liuzzi deemd to have overtaken illegally under a yellow warning flag 12 laps from finish. Hamilton title favourite after Japan win Hamilton now has a 12-pt lead over Alonso with only Chinese & Brazilian races remaining. Zero chance of Alonso at Ferrari in 2008 Ferrari boss Jean Todt ruled out any prospect of the current F1 world champion moving over next year. Lotus veteran joins Zap board after China deal Electric vehicle venture Zap has added a veteran of British auto consulting firm Lotus Engineering to its board. Petrol, diesel price up 3-5 cents PUBLIC transport commuters were not the only ones having to fork out more for their commute on Monday, when the annual fare revision exercise kicked in and upped bus fares by 1 to 2 cents per trip. Those using private transport too were greeted with higher fuel prices. 7-Eleven now runs all 62 Shell petrol kiosks Shell's new global strategy is to focus on fuels, which represent Shell's strength. Cops hunt driver who ran roadblock & crashed A free ride home turned into a nightmare for a coffee shop assistant GM, union talks signal quick end to strike call Neither side can afford long strike that cuts GM profit or gives Toyota Motor a chance to win more American buyers. Teacher rejects Income's deal He wants court to settle status of e@dr Centre before second suit Ralf Schumacher says he is leaving Toyota He said it was time to move on but did not reveal where. Look ma, no feet Mercedes' Distronic Plus takes cruise control to the next level - where the car will brake and accelerate for you. Caltex raises pump prices 2 days in a row Oil company with the smallest refuelling network has raised pump prices 6 times in 3 months. Mitsubishi Motors unveils Lancer Evo X Tokyo-based automaker counting on new products to fuel global sales rise. Mazda unveils hydrogen hybrid with rotary engine The rotary engine in the new hybrid runs on hydrogen, although it can switch to gas when hydrogen runs out. Sarkozy fingered for speeding French car magazine's reporters who followed the French President's official escort found it guilty of serial motoring offenses. 1 in 6 Irish drivers has never passed driving test More than 430,000 drivers using 'provisional' licenses, which are issued to those who have failed an on-the-road test or have yet to take one. Teacher Jonathan Lock wins appeal Appeal court orders all parties to bear own costs and inquiry into Mr Lock's ex-lawyer. -ST If only he didn't switch lawyers... Teacher Jonathan Lock could have avoided the hefty $45,000 legal bill. Blind people say noiseless hybrid cars pose safety risk Hybrids hazardous to those who rely on their ears because they make virtually no noise when running on electric power, US auto sales slump amid slowdown Falling sales amid industry slowdown sparked by economic uncertainty, massive production cuts at struggling US automakers. Leaner German automaker Daimler seeks fresh start German automaker DaimlerChrysler is to be renamed simply Daimler AG, reflecting the divestment of troubled US unit Chrysler. Alonso?s options for next season narrow If not McLaren, then a return to Renault looks most likely although Toyota have money & vacancy after departure of Ralf Schumacher. Hamilton title would be tainted, says Montezemolo Ferrari team president says Lewis Hamilton will have to thank Ferrari if he wins the F1 title in China this weekend. Ralf?s exit makes no difference, says Toyota Toyota unlikely to name replacement until it is clear whether Fernando Alonso is staying at McLaren or not. How $60 dispute ended up costing $100,000 The timeline for teacher Jonathan Lock's legal tussle Jonathan Lock case: Settlement by dispute resolution court binding Mediation in the Sub Courts is now part of court process, introduced in 1994 to provide a court-supervised method of resolving disputes amicably and to save costs. Car COE premiums plunge Sharpest across-the-board corrections in car COE premiums in recent months. NTUC Income to further waive $15,000 of teacher's legal bill This brings to $40,000 the insurer has offered to contribute to Jonathan Lock's bill. Toyota shows new muscular Lexus sportscar US$67,000 sportscar, which can hit speeds of 300km/h, rolls out Dec. 25 in Japan, and in February or March in the US. Webber accuses Hamilton of unsafe driving Red Bull driver is still angry at missing chance of challenging the British rookie after he was knocked out by Toro Rosso's Sebastien Vettel. Stewards probe Hamilton?s Japan GP win Sebastian Vettel said Hamilton's movement had been so extreme that he thought the McLaren driver was retiring from the race. Deregistrations fall, pointing to slower sales of new cars ahead Dealers of Japanese cars may be hit hard as Cat A leads drop. Honda's now 2nd most popular as sales surge Toyota remains the market leader in Singapore. Five snap up S'pore's most expensive motorcyle - at $140,000 AT $140,000 apiece, the Ducati Desmosedici RR costs as much as a Mercedes-Benz C180 Kompressor. Touting by cabbies on the increase They can be seen at the Harbour Front taxi rank or accosting people as they come out of immigration, touting limousine rides at special prices. Fastlane: 313kmh on the road The world's most expensive street-legal motorcycle: the MV Agusta F4 CC. Fastlane: Boxer power The new HP2 Sport has the most powerful BMW Boxer engine ever. Fastlane: DR-eam start Biking beginners can look forward to Suzuki's new DR125SM. Minister explains why bus fares cannot remain unchanged He was highlighting the latest bus fare hike of 1 to 2 cents on Oct 1. A1GP series agrees six-year deal with Ferrari F1 champions Ferrari will provide engines and design cars for the A1GP series from 2008. Raikkonen wins Chinese GP, Hamilton out F1 season down to the wire with 3 drivers chasing drivers' title. Everyone was gunning for me, says Hamilton McLaren rookie found out just how lonely it is at the top. Chinese GP analysis Team by team analysis of Chinese Formula One Grand Prix (listed in championship order) Vettel finishes fourth in China to demonstrate his potential Now a Toro Rosso driver, the German finished the Chinese GP on a one-stop strategy. Dennis defends McLaren, Hamilton Surprise that Hamilton was not called into the pits when his tyres were clearly badly worn. Alonso says he needs another miracle in Brazil He may still need "some strange results and some very lucky moves" to be champion for 3rd year in a row. Raikkonen to go all out for Brazil win Even if Raikkonen wins in Brazil, Hamilton would only need 5th place to finish above him. Mechanic at the heart of F1 scandal says Ferrari should have also been punished He claims Ferrari also benefited from receiving secret information. Massa could hold key to F1 championship Raikkonen needs Ferrari one-two in Brazil, with Massa riding shotgun to shoot down Alonso's title hopes. Alonso expects equality in Brazil World champion believes McLaren will give him and Hamilton equal opportunity to win in title showdown. Austrian driver Alex Wurz retires from F1 racing 33-year-old Williams driver had been considering retirement since start of the year. Japan's 'Big Three' to debut cute cars Cute, communicative and cubic seem to be the fashion statement as far as offerings from Japan's "Big Three" automakers Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Honda to show hybrid sports car at Tokyo Motor Show Hybrids can be muscular and stylish, too. Ford, Mazda to invest US$500m in new small car plant in Thailand This is the largest foreign investment in Thailand since last September's coup. VW seeks management control of ailing Proton: Malaysia PM Volkswagen close to forming pact with Proton with at least an initial 20% stake. Chrysler, UAW talks intensify; strike deadline looms 2nd national strike against US automaker in less than a month if a new deal on wages & benefits is not reached. Toyota aims for 2007 Japan sales well below target 1.65 million vehicle sales target is well below initial target of 1.72 million. Japan's Toray plans big investment in carbon fibre car parts Toray controls more than one third of world's market for carbon fibre, which is used in advanced vehicles like F1 cars. Nakajima to make Williams debut GP2 series Rookie of the Year will replace veteran Alex Wurz who recently retired. Alonso quizzed by Italy magistrate The Double world champion was interviewed for more than two hours. Toyota gets philosophical, explores Japanese roots at Tokyo auto show More whimsical offerings here than the more practical products on display at other auto shows. EU wants new car brake technology from 2009 Brake Assist Systems (BAS) could save over 1,000 lives a year. Nissan shows friendly, swiveling electric vehicle Ball-shaped electric vehicle's wheels can turn 90 degrees with cabin able to rotate in a complete circle. DaimlerChrysler is now Daimler The name of the manufacturer of the world's best known luxury car - Mercedes-Benz - has changed thrice in 9 years. China 'e' bikes silently drive lead demand Millions of Chinese getting on battery-powered contraptions as soaring fuel prices make traditional motorbikes & scooters expensive. 3-week old VW Golf GTI faces gearbox glitch Model has been available here since 2005, but glitch is said to affect only this year's batch. Another record year for grey imports Non-authorised car dealers account for 20% of market, up from 4% in 2004 New Japanese models to boost parallel imports Parallel imports are heading for another record year. How will probe affect 3rd-party commissions? Motor traders say it?s not easy to monitor CPF contributions on undeclared extra wages Mercedes-Benz that belonged to Padre Pio to be auctioned off A 1959 Mercedes-Benz that belonged to the mystical monk will be auctioned off in the Italian city of Padua. Touts, cabbies taking tourists for a meter-less ride 3 men in crisp white shirts, black trousers lingered near the Clarke Quay taxi stand. Car traders under probe for unpaid CPF on loan commissions Most dealerships sell cars packaged with a loan, with the salesmen earning a 1 - 3% cut of the loan amount. China drivers kick up stink about 'WC' car plates They say the new licence plate number gives them 'unpleasant images'. Record numbers using public transport "I would not put it to more people using public transport... there are now simply more people." -TNP Borneo Motors, Tan Chong hit by tougher emission rules Euro IV-compliant commercial vehicles will come in only next year Insurance company still raises his premiums Despite him paying for own repairs and making no claim Nissan's aerial view technology makes parking a cinch New display shows panoramic bird's-eye-view of what's surrounding a car. A1GP boss interested in buying into F1 team Tony Teixeira interested after securing a deal with champions Ferrari to power his own series. Raikkonen needs miracle to become F1 world champ: Massa Raikkonen needs to win in Brazil and hope McLaren drivers fail to finish among leaders. Prodrive F1 entry for 2008 looking uncertain Prodrive have ruled out using identical cars to McLaren in next year's F1 championship Hamilton plans tribute to Senna after title decider Championship leader intends to visit grave of his boyhood hero once three-way title battle is played out. Special scrutineer to keep an eye on Alonso's car F1's governing body will appoint official to ensure Fernando Alonso gets equal treatment to team. mate Nakajima joins club of fathers, sons Japanese driver will join the elite club of fathers & sons in the world's premier motor racing. Alonso speculation moves into overdrive Season-ender at Interlagos could be unhappy Spaniard's last appearance for McLaren. 1 in 5 cars sold is a parallel import MAJOR car dealers hate them, consumer watchdog is not thrilled by them, but car buyers continue to flock to them. Fast & Fabulous Motor show organiser spending $75,000 to bring top car models here to rev up event. FIA confirm Spyker point after appeal hearing Vitantonio Liuzzi finished 8th in Japan but was given a 25-sec penalty for overtaking under a yellow warning flag Fuming over exhaust fumes Drivers leave engines running while parked near shop. Chinese car sales heat up this year Chinese cars now the most popular make after Japanese, Korean, German and American brands. Motor Trend names Mazda CX-9 as 2008 SUV of year "Arguably the most enjoyable sport utility to drive..." I was very scared as driver was 'big-size': Accused Trial of cabby in fatal accident Cashless Carwash Motorists pay for their car wash at a POS (point of sale) terminal with their cashcards. Fastlane: M3 gets four doors This is the second four-door in four generations of the M3. Insurance gets personalised Telematics-based insurance allows insurers to offer pay-as-you-drive policies. The missing 1 1-series remains the only BMW model unavailable to S'pore through its authorised distributor. Toyota venture recalls 21,685 buses in China Buses produced by Sichuan FAW Toyota Motor have potential problems with rear stabliser bar. Fastlane: Nissan's hybrid truck Atlas H43 Diesel Hybrid achieves class-leading heavy-duty vehicle fuel economy of 11km per litre. Fastlane: Drive safe with AAS Going on a driving holiday for the first time? Check out AA Singapore's Overseas Safe Driving Forum Fastlane: Take an X-Bow, KTM X-Bow will catapult to 100kmh in 3.9 seconds Fastlane: Non-premium fuels will do Premium fuels give no significant improvements to performance, or mileage. Fastlane: Lafesta gets a facelift New grille, bumper, lights and meters. COE prices for smaller cars plunge For cars up to 1,600cc, prices plunged by more than S$4,500 to close at an eight-month low of S$12,401. S'pore presses on with F1 night race plans S'pore GP has signed letter of intent with Italy's Valerio Maioli Spa to design and construct the lighting system. Recall of parallel imported Toyotas Recall of the Vitz hatchback & Sienta 6-seater, both of which are sold by parallel importers in S'pore. -ST Raikkonen wants F1 title as birthday gift The Finn, who recently turned 28, is one of the three drivers in contention for the title. The F1 title battle race by race Progression of the title battle in the first final race 3-way showdown since 1986. Formula One title permutations The following details what each driver needs to do to win the title. Schumacher looks forward to finale - on his couch 7-time world champion glad to be watching this year's conclusion at home on television. McLaren-Mercedes to drop Alonso: report Decision motivated by poor relations between Alonso and team-mate, boss. Hamilton says China crisis made him stronger Failure to win championship in China has made him more relaxed ahead of Brazilian title decider. McLaren drivers say rift is overblown by media Griping & complaints from McLaren drivers seem to have disappeared just before Brazilian GP. Race wins may not be enough for Raikkonen He's won more races than any driver this season but even Interlagos victory might not be enough. Alonso can still have the last laugh To call the Spaniard's season 'troubled' would be an understatement. Hamilton's title bid on track despite tyre mix-up Race stewards elected to give a 'slap on the wrists' rather than a harsher penalty. Hamilton told to keep podium joy in check Team boss Ron Dennis said FIA had reminded them of podium regulations before Chinese GP. Nelson Piquet Jr. wants to race in F1 races in 2008 Renault test driver confident that he will get a full-time ride in F1 next year. Hamilton needs late-season rebound To secure the title on his on steam, he must finish first or second in Brazil. Hamilton apologizes to Raikkonen for qualifying maneuver Ferrari driver said Hamilton got in his way when the Briton left the pits for his final lap. Felipe Massa on pole for Brazilian GP Hamilton second, Raikkonen third, and Alonso is fourth. Raikkonen takes F1 title in Brazil Heartbreak for Hamilton who suffers poor start, mechanical failure, eventually finishing 7th. Raikkonen's Bio A brief look at the career of the 2007 Formula One champion