Bentley reports best year sales in its history

Strong growth in both emerging and traditional markets takes Bentley above 10,000 units for the first time. New sales record set in the United Kingdom market.

With retail sales of 10,014 units worldwide, Bentley has completed the best year in its history. In the UK, a record 2079 units were sold in all.

In North America, a figure of 4196 units was achieved, despite the prevailing economic climate, and a new record was set in continental Europe with 2166 units. In China, the final sales number was 338 units. In Korea, 100 cars were sold in the first year in that market with overseas income in excess of £745 million.

New Toyota Celica by 2009?

The new VW Beetle

Toyota took a majority share in Fuji Heavy Industries (aka Subaru); Toyota Celica, which was pulled from the market in 2005.

The next generation Toyota Celica will be available in two versions, a Celica GT and Celica GT-4. The GT should be powered by the 2.0-litre boxer and will be rear-wheel-drive, while the GT-4 receives the 300 hp 2.0-litre boxer from the Impreza Sti with Subaru's four-wheel-drive (including in-wheel electric motors for added power on the wheels). Further rumours are that Toyota may return to WRC with the new Celica.

The Toyota Celica will also have two body stylings, first, a true coupe but also a three-door hatchback. There will not be a five-door hatch since that would directly compete with the Subaru Impreza hatch.

The Celica is expected to be built by Subaru at the Gunma plant. Whether the new Celica will ever be available outside of Japan is not yet known.

VW new Beetle 10 years old

Volkswagen celebrated the 10th anniversary of the current VW Beetle. One million of these comeback cars have been built in Mexico, the exclusive manufacturing hub of Beetle II, since 1998. In contrast, MINI, Beetle's main retro-rival, hit one million within six years of introduction.

Spain condemns Hamilton abuse

Spain's motorsport federation has hit out at the "mindless idiots" who hurled racist abuse at Lewis Hamilton during Formula One testing in Barcelona. The 23-year-old Briton, who struck up a deep rivalry with Spain's racing hero Fernando Alonso during their time together at McLaren last year, was booed whenever he left the team's garage or motor home by Alonso supporters. Far worse though, were the monkey costumes a number wore, along with t-shirts with the phrase 'I am in Hamilton's family' written across them, and the cries from the stands that translated as "bloody black" and "black st". And, after Formula One's governing body, the FIA, warned that Spain risked losing its Grand Prix unless it took action, the RFEA said that anyone caught acting racist in the future would face serious sanctions.

Schumacher sets up Karting team

Michael Schumacher has taken his first steps into the world of team management by setting up his own go-kart team to compete in the German championship. The seven-time Formula One World Champion, who rejected an offer to run Ferrari's Formula One operation, will run the team with his friends and business partners Peter Kaiser and Thomas Munchov, whose names contribute to the team's identity of KMS Racing. As if the team's star factor needed any boosting, two-time world rally champion Carlos Sainz's 13-year-old son, Carlos Jr, will be one of the drivers.

Ferrari receives biggest ever payout to a team

While McLaren has been fined in US$100 million due to last year's espionage scandal, Ferrari is said to have earned exactly the same amount of money for this year's season, the biggest payout for a team ever made by F1 Group, controlled by Bernie Ecclestone.

Part of this huge amount of money (US$68.9 million) has gone to Ferrari because of last year's Constructors' Championship, while the rest of it (US$33.3 million) has been paid when Ferrari accepted to continue competing until 2012 (not that anyone thinks Ferrari will ever withdraw from F1).

While in previous years the top 10 F1 teams shared only 47 per cent of TV transmission rights revenues, in 2007 they got a bigger piece of a bigger cake: 50 per cent of all the profits generated by all F1 commercial rights, including trackside advertising, for example. This helps explain the great payout Ferrari has received the F1 driver's wages may diminish the money the team can invest, the US$100 million amount does not include Ferrari sponsors' earnings. In the 2002 season, they have surpassed the US$200 million barrier. This year could represent another record-breaking year for the Italian team.

Mercedes set to take over McLaren F1 team?

Last year was arguably one of the most controversial seasons in McLaren F1 history capped with no driver's championship, being thrown out of the constructor's championship and a $100 million fine. Far from acceptable for engine partner Mercedes-Benz who is reported to be negotiating to take a majority stake in the British team, a deal which would likely signal the end of Ron Dennis as team boss.

Mercedes want to have more control over the British team to eradicate errors made during the driver's title run-in and are not happy with the crisis management at th of the spying scandal. Negotiations are reported to have been ongoing since October, last year.