Autoblog

REPORT: Opel President Carl-Peter Forster quits after sale collapse

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM, Opel

German magazine Der Spiegel is reporting this morning that Opel President Carl-Peter Forster has resigned from General Motors following the board's decision to kill the sale of a majority stake to Magna International. Apparently, Forster was disgusted at the way that GM officials handled the whole process. Over the past several months, GM went back-and-forth, first agreeing to sell to Magna, then opting for another bid before returning to Magna, only to finally kill the deal altogether and keep the brand for itself.

A statement issued by GM Europe today declines comment on the whole matter, dismissing speculation about any personnel changes. The statement as translated by Google appears after the jump.

[Source: Der Spiegel via Autocar]

Continue reading REPORT: Opel President Carl-Peter Forster quits after sale collapse

REPORT: Opel President Carl-Peter Forster quits after sale collapse originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bruno Senna to race in F1 next season with Campos Meta 1

Noah Joseph — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, South America

The past few years in Formula One have seen an unprecedented return of legendary family names to the sport: names like Villeneuve, Piquet and Rosberg. But the most hyped scion of racing fame has been Bruno Senna.

The nephew of the late, great Ayrton Senna was rated highly by his world-champion uncle and has been on everyone's watch list for the past few years since he began competing in open-wheel formula racing. The young Brazilian was tipped to race in F1 for Honda until the Japanese automaker (which, incidentally, powered all three of his uncle's championship-winning McLarens) withdrew from the sport. Instead Bruno bided his time, won a few GP2 races and completed the 2008 championship as runner-up while finishing on the podium at his Le Mans Series debut at Catalunya.

Those waiting for the Senna name to return to F1, however, can stop waiting as Bruno has signed on with Campos Meta 1. Notably, despite the family ties with several teams on the grid - including Lotus, McLaren and Williams, to say nothing of the STR ties through family friend and confidante Gerhard Berger - Bruno ended up signing with one of the new teams joining the grid next year.

There's been no word on who will partner with him for the rookie squad, but sources suggest a more experienced veteran driver (like Alex Wurz, for example) is in the mix. But one thing's for sure: Senna's going to have all eyes fixed on him, and he'll have quite the reputation to live up to.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Mauricio Lima/Getty]

Bruno Senna to race in F1 next season with Campos Meta 1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Williams F1 signs Barrichello and Hulkenberg for 2010

Noah Joseph — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:40:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

Nico Hulkenberg tests the Williams-Toyota FW31 - Click above for high-res image gallery

The latest piece of the intricate puzzle that is the shake-up in drivers for the 2010 Formula One World Championship has come into play as Williams has confirmed its line-up for next season: Replacing Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima will be Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg.

Barrichello is a man who needs no introduction. The elder statesman of the paddock, Rubinho has won 11 grands prix and is set to hit the 300 race mark next season with Williams. This year he helped the Brawn GP team seize the constructors' title, after having raced for Jordan (now known as Force India), Stewart (now under the Red Bull banner), Ferrari and Honda.

Contrasting Barrichello's vast pool of experience, Hulkenberg will be one of the youngest and newest drivers on the grid. The reigning champion of the GP2 Series - whose winners always get F1 contracts the following season - the young German driver has also won the Formula Three Euroseries and the A1GP titles, and has previously served as Williams' official test driver.

No official word yet on where Rosberg and Nakajima will end up. With Williams switching to Cosworth power next season, they're under no further obligation to support Toyota's prodigy, who has since been overshadowed by Kamui Kobayashi. Rosberg, meanwhile, has been linked to a drive with either McLaren or Brawn GP for next season.

[Source: Williams]

Continue reading Williams F1 signs Barrichello and Hulkenberg for 2010

Williams F1 signs Barrichello and Hulkenberg for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Chrysler again offering early retirement to 23k hourly workers

Chris Shunk — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:20:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Chrysler, UAW/Unions

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Chrysler is again offering early retirement packages in an effort to entice some of its 23,000 hourly employees to hit the road. The buyout packages are the first offered by post-bankruptcy Chrysler, though the terms of the buyouts are very similar to earlier offerings. The Freep is reporting that all workers with at least one year of service can walk away from their current job and receive $75,000 plus a $25,000 voucher. Those who wish to participate in this program will also continue to receive health benefits for an additional six months with the option to purchase coverage for a year after that.

Retirement-eligible workers age 55-59 with a combined 85 years of service or workers age 60 or older with at least 10 years of service can receive $50,000 plus a $25,000 voucher. A third package for workers between the ages of 55 and 62 with at least 10 years of service can receive immediate full retirement benefits. The workers have two weeks to decide whether or not to take the buyout/retirement packages, as the offer will be pulled from the table November 13.

Chrysler's newest buyout program comes as many facilities across the country are either closing or have already closed. Without a jobs bank to keep paychecks coming, we're guessing the take rate could be substantial in affected areas.

[Source: Detroit Free Press | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

REPORT: Chrysler again offering early retirement to 23k hourly workers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus hires former Ferrari/Fiat racing chief Claudio Berro as new motorsport director

Noah Joseph — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:34:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Lotus

Do you remember back in 1996 when Michael Schumacher left Benetton for Ferrari? They didn't just get Schumi; along with him came master strategist Ross Brawn and designer extraordinaire Rory Byrne. Together, the wonder team built the Scuderia back into a championship-winning powerhouse. Well, we have a feeling there are some people in Maranello who may be getting acquainted with the flip side of that particular coin.

Following the appointment of Dany Bahar - who left his position as Ferrari's senior vice president of marketing - to the post of chief executive at one-time rival Lotus comes news that the British engineering firm has scored Claudio Berro as its new director of motorsport.

Although Berro hasn't been at Maranello for a few years now, he's a well-known personality in Italian motor racing. Not unlike his successor Jean Todt - recently elected president of the FIA - Berro started out as a co-driver for the Peugeot Talbot rally team before kicking off an impressive career as a team manager. Before going on direct the ill-fated Speedcar Series in the Middle East, Berro headed up racing operations for Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Abarth individually, and then the entire Fiat Group, managing the industrial empire's F1, GT, touring car and rally teams.

Now at Lotus, Berro will be responsible for implementing the return to racing that Bahar recently outlined. However, his role with the Malaysia-based Lotus F1 team remains to be seen. Details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus hires former Ferrari/Fiat racing chief Claudio Berro as new motorsport director

Lotus hires former Ferrari/Fiat racing chief Claudio Berro as new motorsport director originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Next Stop, Le Mans: FIA reportedly puts the brakes on Sebastien Loeb's grand prix debut

Noah Joseph — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:22:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

What do you do after making it to the pinnacle of rallying and winning a record-shattering six consecutive world championships? Anything you want - or so you'd think - but Sebastien Loeb is running into some roadblocks that appear to have derailed his plans to try his hand at Formula One.

The French rally ace who recently secured his sixth WRC title in a row was tipped to potentially drive for Scuderia Toro Rosso at the upcoming F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi. Considering that the team is owned by the same company that sponsors Loeb's Citroën rally car, and that the outfit seems to almost exclusively employ drivers named Sebastien (to say nothing of the championship already having concluded), it all seemed entirely likely. But despite having participated in a number of test sessions, the FIA has reportedly deemed the 35-year-old driver unsuitable for F1 racing, refusing to grant him the Superlicense needed to compete.

So what's next on Loeb's plate? Although he's recently been linked with a drive for USF1, Loeb realizes he probably won't get another shot at F1 at this point in his career. But he isn't done with circuit racing altogether. Having scored an impressive podium finish at Le Mans in 2006 for the Pescarolo team and tested the Peugeot 908 LMP1 (run by the same automaker as his rally team) a couple of times already, the champ is looking at potentially joining the Peugeot Le Mans team again in the near future.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Mark Thompson/Getty/Red Bull Racing]

Next Stop, Le Mans: FIA reportedly puts the brakes on Sebastien Loeb's grand prix debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Plants/Manufacturing, Fisker

In Wilmington, Delaware this morning, Governor Jack Markell was joined by Vice President Joe Biden and Henrik Fisker (seen at right) for the official announcement about the purchase of General Motors' closed plant there. Fisker will re-tool the plant to build a new, more affordable plug-in hybrid sedan to slot in below its more luxurious Karma. The goal is to have the model sell for under $40,000 after federal tax credits.

The current schedule is to have the car in production by the end of 2012 with volumes getting up to 75,000-100,000 units annually by 2014. Fisker has moved up its development schedule for what they are calling Project Nina thanks to the $528 million low cost loan it recently received courtesy of the Department of Energy. During the announcement, Fisker stated that he wants to export half of the production from the plant while creating 5,000 jobs in the U.S. (2,000 at the plant and 3,000 at suppliers). The local UAW president was also on hand, so it looks like the plant will remain unionized, which is very unusual for a startup auto plant.

Fisker is paying $18 million for the factory from Motors Liquidation which is the remainder of "Old GM" which is selling off assets from bankruptcy court. The plant most recently produced the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky, both of which ended production last spring.

Gallery: Fisker Karma

[Source: Fisker Automotive | Photo by Jeff Fusco/Getty]

Continue reading Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant

Officially Official: Fisker buys GM's Wilmington Delaware plant originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rattner recounts auto bailout, was "shocked" and "stunned" at condition of GM, Chrysler

Jonny Lieberman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:20:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Chrysler, GM

Steve Rattner is a man we admire but do not envy. Rattner, a former Wall Street banking type with zero experience in the automotive or manufacturing world, was tasked by President Obama with guiding General Motors and Chrysler through their restructuring efforts. Not a small job, by any means. Or one we would wish on our worst enemies. That said, it was a HUGE job, and huge jobs typically make for great stories. Rattner, in an article he penned himself for CNN's Money doesn't disappoint. At all. Allow us to tantalize you with some quotes:

When the Obama administration took office on Jan. 20, it inherited nothing in the auto area: no staff, no stacks of analyses, no plans of any kind. The Bush administration had decided in late December that GM and Chrysler were not going to go bankrupt on its watch and had shoveled $17.4 billion of TARP money into the companies to keep them afloat, but without any meaningful stab at restructuring them.

Oh snap! But really, that's not even the tip of the juicy iceberg. How about this apple, er, lack of apple:

When I asked our energetic young chief of staff, Haley Stevens, what we were going to give our visitors for lunch, she replied, "Nothing. Treasury has no budget for even bottles of water." It seemed harsh to expect our guests to go many hours without eating, so I gave Haley $100 and told her to go to a sandwich shop. That became our hospitality protocol.

Hungry for more? We haven't even scratched the surface, as our man Rattner is just getting warmed up. Here's one more for you about Rattner and friends first trip to Detroit:

What we didn't prepare for was the intense public interest in our visit to these hard-hit communities. Throngs of reporters awaited us at every stop while a news helicopter buzzed overhead. More peculiarly, the ensuing press coverage seemed wildly over-focused on our test drive of the Chevy Volt, as if the company's salvation rested on this one vehicle.

Don't tell Lutz. And hey, speaking of Maximum Bob and his pals, here's what Ratner has to say about Detroit Management:

Everyone knew Detroit's reputation for insular, slow-moving cultures. Even by that low standard, I was shocked by the stunningly poor management that we found, particularly at GM, where we encountered, among other things, perhaps the weakest finance operation any of us had ever seen in a major company.

And Mr. Rattner is just getting warmed up. Just wait 'till he gets to Wagoner. We implore you all to jump over to CNN to read the rest. Hat tip to chemistrusaz!

[Source: CNN Money | Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty]

Rattner recounts auto bailout, was "shocked" and "stunned" at condition of GM, Chrysler originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buell will be back? County officials throwing axed HD brand a life line

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Earnings/Financials, Motorcycle

Could Buell be saved from the brink of disaster by officials from Walworth County in Wisconsin? It seems awfully unlikely, but stranger things have happened, right? Apparently, the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance sent a letter last Friday to Erik Buell in an attempt to put together a business plan for Buell to continue manufacturing motorcycles.

Should Erik Buell be interested in Walworth's proposal, the group will reportedly begin seeking potential investors. For its part, Harley's director of corporate communications said the motorcycle manufacturer is "discontinuing the Buell product line rather than selling the business because of how deeply integrated Buell is into our business systems and distribution network."

Indeed, every Buell made uses running gear from parent company Harley-Davidson, and the offbeat sportbikes are only available in select Harley dealerships. It would be awfully difficult to extract the Buell operation at this point, let alone securing funding for the venture. That said, automakers have sold intricately entwined brands before using agreements that ensure parts are produced by the original owner until the new owner can source its own. In any case, we'll keep our eyes and ears open for more.

[Source: JSOnline.com]

Buell will be back? County officials throwing axed HD brand a life line originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wolfgang Reitzle back in the auto industry as chairman of Continental

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

The last time we saw Wolfgang Reitzle involved directly in the auto industry, he was working out of an office in London running Ford's then newly formed Premier Automotive Group. We all know how Jac Nasser's attempt to expand Ford's reach into premium cars worked out and Reitzle moved on to other pursuits. In recent years, he;s been the chairman of the executive board at the Linde Group, a Munich based chemical company.

Reitzle has now returned at least part time to the auto industry after having been elected as Chairman of the supervisory board at Continental. Continental has gone through a lot of upheaval over the past year after being swallowed up by the much smaller Schaeffler Group and has been doing a lot restructuring of late. The addition of Reitzle and Wolfgang Schäfer to the executive board is expected to complete the new management team for now. The press release is after the jump.

[Source: Continental]

Continue reading Wolfgang Reitzle back in the auto industry as chairman of Continental

Wolfgang Reitzle back in the auto industry as chairman of Continental originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trouble in U.K. TelevisionLand: Has Fifth Gear been canceled?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, UK, Celebrities

News coming out of the U.K. today suggests that everybody's second-favorite British motoring television show may be facing the axe. According to the Daily Mail, Fifth Gear, which has never quite mustered the following of rival Top Gear, has been put on ice. Or has it?

A quick check on FinalGear.com indicates that the report from DM may not be entirely accurate. Fifth Gear's own Jonny Smith has fired off a series of Tweets from his personal Twitter account, and he suggests that reports of the show's demise are somewhat exaggerated, saying that "nothing is official."

For what it's worth, while we do prefer to burn an hour watching the antics from the rival crew at Top Gear, we also find Fifth Gear's brand of vehicular commentary worth watching. Even if Clarkson and Co. are more entertaining, at least some Autoblog staffers find Tiff Needell and Vicki Butler-Henderson's driving impressions to carry more authority. If nothing else, we find Fifth Gear vastly superior to U.S. motoring shows like PBS' MotorWeek, which appears to be perpetually stuck in 1985. Where's the justice in that? Thanks for the tips, Sylvester and Eddie!

[Source: Daily Mail]

Trouble in U.K. TelevisionLand: Has Fifth Gear been canceled? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Ken Block heading to WRC with new Monster Ford team

Noah Joseph — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ford

One of the most significant deals in rally history. That's how news of Ken Block's imminent move to the World Rally Championship is being touted in the motorsport press. And we couldn't agree more.

Now don't get us wrong. We enjoy watching Block's famous antics behind the wheel of his purpose-built Gymkhana Subaru Impreza as much as the next guy. Probably more. But we can't help but feel that the superstar's otherworldly car control skills couldn't be put to better use than pure showboating. And this deal could give him exactly that opportunity, graduating from the relatively low-visibility Rally America series to the top-tier WRC.

Since Subaru, for whom Block competes in the USA, pulled out of the WRC, Ken's been hunting for another ride in the premier series, and reports now indicate that he - along with former Subaru driver Chris Atkinson - will be driving the 2009-spec Ford Focus WRC for the new Monster Energy Drink World Rally Team (which could, incidentally, go some way towards explaining what the two rally stars were doing behind the wheel of that old Ford Escort). Once the details are hammered out, both Block and Atkinson are expected to start next season in select rounds of the championship before challenging the full calendar the year after, presumably behind the wheel of the new rally-spec Fiesta.

[Source: Autosport]

REPORT: Ken Block heading to WRC with new Monster Ford team originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harley-Davidson kills off Buell, will sell stake in MV Agusta [w/VIDEO]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Videos, Earnings/Financials, Motorcycle

Erik Buell announces demise of his motorcycle brand - watch video after the jump

Harley-Davidson has just announced its third-quarter results, and things aren't quite as bad as they could have been... but we'll get to that in a moment. The big bombshell is that the Buell brand is being discontinued and the American motorcycle manufacturer will sell off its share in MV Agusta.

Head on over past the jump to watch a video of an obviously emotional Erik Buell breaking the news that his namesake brand has been axed. Buell explains that HD will continue to honor the full factory warranty on his motorcycles and thanks his dealership body and loyal customers for their support over 20 years of producing offbeat American sportbikes. Roughly 180 jobs will be lost within the Buell organization and HD will also immediately begin the work of selling its recently-acquired stake in MV Agusta.

So, back to Harley's third-quarter performance. Revenue from motorcycle sales came to $803.3 million, down 22.1% compared to the the third quarter of 2008. A total of 54,236 Harley-Davidson motorcycles were shipped worldwide, down 27.4 percent. Another $300 or so million was made off apparel and merchandise sales. Full details (and the aforementioned video) can be found in the ridiculously long press release after the break.

Goodbye Buell, we'll miss you.

[Source: Harley-Davidson]

Continue reading Harley-Davidson kills off Buell, will sell stake in MV Agusta [w/VIDEO]

Harley-Davidson kills off Buell, will sell stake in MV Agusta [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Tesla/Harley-Davidson exec Michael van der Sande resurfaces at Aston Martin

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Aston Martin, Luxury

It didn't take Michael van der Sande long to land a new gig after leaving his last posting at Tesla Motors. In August, van der Sande left Tesla after only nine months as senior vice-president of sales and marketing for the electric car maker. The sales executive who spent 12 years at Harley-Davidson (much of it running its European operations) will now be responsible for growing Aston Martin's global sales.

Aston has announced that van der Sande, 44, will occupy the new position of chief commercial officer. Mr. van der Sande will report directly to CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez and oversee all commercial aspects of the company from its headquarters in Gaydon.

Like most other brands, Aston Martin has been struggling with the flagging world economy and one of its Middle East investors is reportedly short of cash. Hopefully, the launch of the new four-door Rapide will help van der Sande and his team right the luxury marque's ship in 2010. To learn more about van der Sande and his appointment, check out the official press release after the jump.

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Ex-Tesla/Harley-Davidson exec Michael van der Sande resurfaces at Aston Martin

Ex-Tesla/Harley-Davidson exec Michael van der Sande resurfaces at Aston Martin originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jean Alesi returns to racing Ferraris

Noah Joseph — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:35:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Ferrari

Jean Alesi returns to Fiorano - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you checked out the images we posted of Felipe Massa's return to Maranello, you may have spotted the returning Brazilian driver chatting with one Jean Alesi and wondered what he was doing there.

The French driver raced for the Scuderia from 1991 through 1995, scoring a handful of podiums and a solitary grand prix victory in Montreal. Along with longtime team-mate Gerhard Berger, Alesi switched places with Michael Schumacher to Benetton-Renault in 1996, then bounced between a few other teams before retiring from Formula One at the end of 2001. Since then he's been competing in DTM and then headlined the new Speedcar Series.

With the ill-fated Asian stock car series now deceased, however, the racing world has been wondering what the retired F1 driver would try his hand at next, and on Tuesday they got their hint when Alesi showed up at Fiorano to test the Ferrari F430 GT2. Alesi's slated to race for AF Corse, the team run by Amato Ferrari, who shares strong ties with both Maranello and Maserati but no direct familial relation despite the common name.

AF Corse is the reigning two-time champion in the FIA GT series, but is reportedly preparing to tackle the European Le Mans Series, including its headline event, next year. The test session apparently exceeded expectations, paving the way for the 45-year-old driver to race Ferraris once again, for the first time in fourteen years, next season. Details in the press release after the jump and images in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Jean Alesi tests Ferrari F430 GT2 at Fiorano for AF Corse

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Jean Alesi returns to racing Ferraris

Jean Alesi returns to racing Ferraris originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: One week after announcing GM departure, Mark LaNeve surfaces at Allstate

Chris Shunk — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Marketing/Advertising, GM

When word got out that Mark LaNeve (right) was leaving General Motors effective October 15, we weren't at all sure where the soon-to-be-former exec was heading. The Wall Street Journal has finally let the cat out of the bag, reporting that LaNeve is leaving the auto business for a marketing gig at Allstate. LaNeve will sign on as the overseer of all marketing initiatives including brand stewardship, strategy and advertising, reporting only to CEO Thomas Wilson.

LaNeve leaves GM after five years as vice president of marketing and advertising. LaNeve was usurped by the General's own Bob Lutz, who semi-retired in April only to come back a couple months later to help strengthen the company's marketing and advertising initiatives. He is is being replaced as vice-president of U.S. sales by former Buick-GMC boss Susan Docherty.

While his new post at Allstate may not be as glamorous a job as being a VP at a major automaker, the insurer has recently made some hefty profits. The WSJ says Allstate raked in big bucks in the second quarter, after earlier getting hit hard by the economic downturn. In other words, LaNeve's company car perks might not be as generous, but he appears to be in Good Hands.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal | Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

REPORT: One week after announcing GM departure, Mark LaNeve surfaces at Allstate originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kamui Kobayashi to fill in for injured Timo Glock at Brazilian Grand Prix

Noah Joseph — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Toyota

As the Formula One championship winds to a close, the series is on track for a big change-up in drivers. But not before one last in-season switch. Earlier this season, Toro Rosso replaced Sebastien Bourdais with Jaime Alguersuai. Ferrari called up Luca Badoer to fill in for an injured Felipe Massa when Michael Schumacher wasn't up to the task, and subsequently replaced Badoer with Giancarlo Fisichella, leaving Force India to promote Tonio Liuzzi to Fisico's seat. And of course Renault fired Nelson Piquet Jr and brought in Romain Grosjean in his stead. Now Toyota has announced that Kamui Kobayashi will be filling in for Timo Glock at Toyota this coming weekend in Brazil.

Glock started out with four races for Jordan Grand Prix in 2004, earning the rare distinction of scoring championship points in his race debut. The German driver then moved back down to Champ Cars and on to the GP2 Series, whose championship he won in 2007 before being called back up to F1 by Toyota. So far this season, Timo's scored two podiums, including a second place finish in Singapore, but may have to sit out the remaining two races this season due to an underestimated injury. During the Saturday qualification session for this past Japanese Grand Prix, Glock suffered a major crash, which seemed initially only to have cut his leg. Glock was sidelined for the race, but was expected to be back in the cockpit for Brazil until it was discovered that he suffered a cracked vertebrae.

Unable to drive, Toyota has promoted their reserve driver Kamui Kobayashi to fill in. The reigning champion in the GP2 Asia Series, Kobayashi will be making his grand prix debut at a track he doesn't know next weekend in a car he's only driven once. The 23-year-old driver is excited for his unexpected race debut, and is undoubtedly hoping he can match Glock's distinction. Follow the jump for Toyota's official announcement.

[Source: Toyota | Image: Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading Kamui Kobayashi to fill in for injured Timo Glock at Brazilian Grand Prix

Kamui Kobayashi to fill in for injured Timo Glock at Brazilian Grand Prix originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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F1 veterans Jarno Trulli and Mika Salo to test Waltrip Toyota NASCAR in Florida

Noah Joseph — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Toyota

Up until a few years ago, seeing a driver switch from one motorsport discipline to another was practically unheard of. A Formula One driver might compete at Le Mans, sure, but with few exceptions, that was about the extent of it. Now we've got drivers interested in switching between F1, rallying and even motorbikes in a big game of musical chairs. Once unfathomable, however, the biggest trend is a growing cadre of F1 drivers migrating to NASCAR.

Following similar moves by Juan Pablo Montoya, Jacques Villeneuve and Scott Speed, to name just a few, and rumors of Nelsinho Piquet's intended move, comes news that Toyota's Jarno Trulli (pictured above) is scheduled to test drive a stock car next month at USA International Speedway in Lakeland, Florida. After attending a Sprint Cup race last year in Michigan, and reportedly several more to observe Montoya's progress, Trulli asked his employers at Toyota to arrange a test session for him, so they set him up with the Michael Waltrip Racing team - which races under the Toyota banner - for a two-day test in November.

Joining Trulli at the test session will reportedly be one Mika Salo, the Finnish driver who competed in F1 from 1994 to 2002. Over his career, Salo raced for Lotus, Tyrrell, Arrows, BAR, Sauber and Toyota, but his best results were a pair of podiums scored when filling in for an injured Michael Schumacher at Ferrari in 1999. Recently, he's been racing for Risi Competizione in the Le Mans Series, and took the GT2 class win at Le Mans last year, but now he's looking to switch to oval tracks.

For his part, Trulli insists the session is just for fun. But Toyota is not expected to renew his contract for next season, and he'll will be looking for another ride in F1. If he doesn't find it, he may find NASCAR a compelling option.

[Source: Autosport | Image: Kiyoshi Ota/Getty]

F1 veterans Jarno Trulli and Mika Salo to test Waltrip Toyota NASCAR in Florida originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010

Noah Joseph — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs

If you thought the series of driver changes in the middle of this ongoing Formula One season was something, it's nothing compared to the grand game of musical chairs expected to ensue as the season draws to a close. With BMW closing up shop, several new teams joining the grid and at least a couple of former world champions switching teams for next year's championship, we're shaping up for the biggest jumble the F1 circus has seen in years. Follow the jump to see how it's unfolding so far.

[Image: Clive Mason/Getty]

Continue reading End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010

End of Year Shuffle: 14 Formula One teams swap drivers for 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fritz picks Susan Docherty to replace LaNeve

Chris Shunk — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM

Just last week we were chatting with Buick GMC General Manager Susan Docherty on the GM Fastlane Blog about our lack of confidence in the 2010 GMC Terrain, and now she's moved up to GM's Vice President of US sales. Docherty will replace the soon to be departed Mark LeNeve as sales VP and one of the General's executive team members on October 16. Docherty enters her new role with a wealth of experience including stints as general manager of Hummer and GM's western region. CEO Fritz Henderson used the press release (after the jump) to welcome Docherty to the exclusive executive club, adding "Susan will continue our progress and reinforce our focus to put the Chevy, Buick, GMC and Cadillac customers first."

While we're sure Docherty is pretty damn pleased with her latest advancement, we're thinking she's got her work cut out for her. GM's US sales have been in a downward spiral for what seems like an eternity, and Docherty will either end her time as sales VP as the hero who helped reverse the decades-old trend or yet another executive who presided over the perpetual fall.

[Source: GM | Image Source: Chris McGrath/Getty]

Continue reading Fritz picks Susan Docherty to replace LaNeve

Fritz picks Susan Docherty to replace LaNeve originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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