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Volkswagen Are Rally Champs For Second Year Running

ANOTHER year, another title – that’s the news from down under as Volkswagen has secured the World Rally Manufacturers’ Championship for the second year running after a clean sweep at the Rally Australia round. After a tense battle over the weekend, with Brit Kris Meeke leading for Citroen at one point, Volkswagen eventually took all three podium steps as Sebastien Ogier lead from teammate Jari-Matti Latvala with Andreas Mikkelsen coming in third. With only three rallies remaining this season, Volkswagen can no longer be caught at the top of the overall standings.

More than a (gull)wing and a prayer

They make up just six percent of Mercedes car sales in the United States—but nothing preserves and proliferates the top-shelf, seductive image of a Benz like a sports car. This is a point that's been driven home to me in a wide array of circumstances this year: Mercedes sports cars are still rock stars. I'll admit, I've often been a skeptic.

Change afoot at Saab as CEO retires: where next?

Click here to see all 2011 Saab articles Saab CEO Jan Åke Jonsson announced his retirement on Friday. It was yet another small but significant news nugget from Saab – the inbox has buzzed with announcements ever since the bankrupt car maker was saved by an independent takeover on 23 February 2010. The news that Saab's veteran CEO is stepping down makes us wonder what life's really like under the bravado of Europe's newest independent car maker.