Former Car Czar Rattner settles with SEC, sued by Cuomo

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Steven Rattner

Former White House Auto Industry Task Force member Steven Rattner is being sued by New York State Attorney General and Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo for allegedly paying kickbacks to win investments in the state's pension fund.

Cuomo is seeking $26 million from Rattner, and to bar him from trading securities in New York for life, an agreement that might hamstring Rattner if he can't do securities work in New York any longer.

Rattner, who recently penned a book about his time on The Obama task force ("Overhaul," [Houghton-Mifflin-Harcourt, 2010]) that guided General Motors and Chrysler through bankruptcy, already settled a related case against him brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which brought a civil lawsuit against the private equity executive and former New York Times reporter.

Rattner's former investment firm, Quadrangle, settled with New York State and the SEC last April, which was accompanied by a statement by Quadrangle saying Rattner's conduct was "inappropriate, wrong and unethical." Quadrangle agreed to pay $7 million to Cuomo and $5 million to the SEC without admitting or denying wrongdoing.

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Former Car Czar Rattner settles with SEC, sued by Cuomo originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/19/former-car-czar-rattner-settles-with-sec-sued-by-cuomo/

Philip FotheringhamParker AJ Foyt Giorgio Francia Don Freeland HeinzHarald Frentzen

Making the most of the F1 season

I find it impossible to think that this is it. I said to Harriet, as I packed my bag for the final race of this year, that 2010 has been the fastest 12 months of my life.

I can vividly remember eating pizza in a small restaurant in Richmond back in March as we both apprehensively considered the next nine months of almost constant travel.

In the blink of an eye, it's almost over.

Although I've visited many of the same places, same hotels, even the very same hotel room at times, this year has been an incredibly different journey to the one I took in 2009.

I'll never, ever forget the nerves in the Melbourne pit-lane as F1 returned to the BBC after a long absence almost two years ago. And while the nerves have settled down, the pressure never has.

In 2009, I went into every race having never been there before, feeling anxious, aware I was a total newcomer, looking to please everyone. At the end of what was the most incredible year of my life, I realised that I hadn't actually taken time to step back and enjoy it. I was determined to put that right in 2010.

I think I've managed to do that but, as I've tried to take a step back and be objective about this season, remember the sights and the sounds of a championship year, I wonder if the same can be said of the men who are at the very centre of the storm... the championship contenders.

One of my mottos in life is "savour it". I said it to my wife on our wedding day, to my sister when her first child was born and to Red Bull team principal Christian Horner after last weekend's constructors' title triumph.

As life zips past at an incredible rate and the smallest things become the biggest issues, savouring what is around us is often the last thing we think of doing.

Last weekend in Brazil, for example, David Coulthard turned to me and said: "You'll never see a driver celebrate a win for as long as a team member."

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Zoom in and fly around the Abu Dhabi track
He was referring to the psyche of a driver, the complex psychological make-up that inspires the chosen few to constantly put their neck on the line in pursuit of perfection.

After he picked up pole position last weekend, I asked Nico Hulkenberg what had crossed his mind following the achievement.

"Oh no, two press conferences and then more interviews," was his answer.

He didn't allow himself the indulgence of reflecting on the hard times when an F1 pole was beyond his wildest dreams, or how his family would be celebrating back in Germany. Nope, it was all about what was to come.

F1 doesn't do the present very well. It's all about the next race, the next upgrade, the next season. The constant pursuit of perfection demands that. Live in the now for a fraction of a second and, in this world, it instantly becomes the past.

In this year, of all years, it's been important to take stock of what we are witnessing, to be aware that it may be very many seasons before we encounter another similarly close title battle. And it all comes down to this weekend's final race.

For four of the drivers, there is no looking beyond this weekend. Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton know their entire season - every lap of every track - has distilled to this... one race with everything on the line.

My advice? Tune in, take the phone off the hook and, most of all, savour it. I know I will.

The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is live on BBC1 (from 1210 GMT) and the BBC Sport website (UK users only) on Sunday with the race starting at 1300 GMT.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/jakehumphrey/2010/11/making_the_most_of_the_f1_seas.html

Georges Grignard Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean Olivier Grouillard Brian Gubby

Mercedes CLS63 AMG


Mercedes is hitting the LA Auto Show floor with another version - the better one - of the recently launched CLS-Class. The CLS AMG will be making its debut only two months after its standard brother hit the showroom floor in Paris, and it’s bringing some heat.

A standard CLS model is offered with either a 204 HP six cylinder engine or a 408 HP V8, but the AMG version will use a 5.5-liter biturbo V8 engine that will deliver a total of 518 HP and 516 lb.-ft. of torque. There will also be a Performance Package that will increase the engine’s power to 550 hp and 590 lb.-ft. of torque.

Other new Mercedes-Benz models set to be presented at the L.A. Auto Show include the redesigned CL coupe and R-Class crossover, as well as the all-new E-Class Cabriolet.

Updated 11/16/2010: Prior to the official unveiling at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Mercedes has offered the first official images of the 2011 CLS 63 AMG. Enjoy!

Updated 11/19/2010: Mercedes has unveiled the first trailer for the strongest CLS ever! This video is truly a must-see if you enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of the CLS 63 AMG as it makes its way down the roads. Enjoy!

Hit the jump to read more about the future Mercedes CLS63 AMG.

Mercedes CLS63 AMG originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 19 November 2010 15:00 EST.

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Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/mercedes/2012-mercedes-cls63-amg-ar99883.html

Manfred Winkelhock Markus Winkelhock Reine Wisell Roelof Wunderink Alexander Wurz

THIRD RRDC/FIA YOUNG DRIVERS SYMPOSIUM TO KICK OFF AT PRI SHOW

RRDC/FIA YOUNG DRIVERS SYMPOSIUM HILLIARD, Ohio (Nov. 19, 2010) Registration for free workshop is open at www.rrdc.org The third RRDC/FIA Young Drivers Symposium will kick off at the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show in Orlando, Fla., next month with...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2010/11/third_rrdcfia_young_drive.php

Eddie Russo Paul Russo Troy Ruttman Peter Ryan Eddie Sachs

Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series caught testing, interior revealed for first time

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BMW 3 Series spy shots
BMW 3 Series spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

Lately, we've been hearing a lot about BMW's plans to expand its model line with more niche models like the X6 and 5 Series Gran Turismo. We've heard talks of a new X4 crossover, a 3 Series GT and even a hatchback M3. It's all a bit maddening, yes, but never fear - BMW has not forgotten about its core models, especially the all-important 3 Series sedan. After all, the four-door 3er is quite possibly the most important benchmark vehicle in the automotive marketplace. We do talk about it quite a bit.

BMW 3 Series interior spy shotOur sneaky spy photographers have just snapped this 3 Series prototype out testing on public roads, and while the exterior hasn't been altered too much from other development cars we've seen, our photogs managed to snap the 3er's reworked interior for the first time. Breathe easy, folks - it isn't too far removed from what we've come to know in the current E90 car. The dash has more sculpted lines, the steering wheel is beefier and has some more functional buttons and the center console features BMW's new remote-sized shifter.

We're still unsure as to what BMW has lurking under the hood, but we can expect the usual host of six-cylinder powertrains, both turbocharged and naturally aspirated. Of course, there's always the possibility of a four-cylinder option, too. Until we get the official word, we'll hug our current E90s and wait patiently. See the latest set of spy shots for yourself in the gallery below.



[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: BMW 3 Series caught testing, interior revealed for first time originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/19/spy-shots-bmw-3-series-caught-testing-interior-revealed-for-fi/

Bob Said Eliseo Salazar Mika Salo Roy Salvadori Consalvo Sanesi

NASCAR Boasts Closest Battle in Chase History With One To Go

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Half predicting, half declaring next week's NASCAR season finale will be "one hell of a show," Jimmie Johnson emerged from his fifth-place finishing No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet smiling and feeling good about his chances for an unprecedented fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

You'd have thought he won the race. He's not even leading the standings.

That designation belongs to the unhappiest of Sunday afternoon drivers, Denny Hamlin, who, after leading a race-best 190 laps, had to pit for fuel with 14 laps remaining at Phoenix International Raceway.

Hamlin heads to next week's final showdown at Homestead-Miami Speedway a scant 15 points ahead of Johnson in the closest championship fight since the Chase playoff format was installed in 2004. Third place Kevin Harvick is still very much in the thick of things, 46 points behind Hamlin.

The in-car television camera showed Hamlin yanking off his driving gloves and throwing them one by one against the dashboard of his 12th place No. 11 FedEx Toyota after the race's cool-down lap. Sitting on pit wall immediately after the race, he threw a water bottle and sullenly awaited his television interview.

"Yeah, it's pretty disappointing,'' Hamlin said, taking a long pause before answering questions. "We were in a good position there to look pretty good going into next week.

"It's tough to not be happy having a points lead going into the last race but. ... I was sitting pretty.''

 

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Source: http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2010/11/14/nascar-boasts-closest-battle-in-chase-history-with-one-to-go/

Zsolt Baumgartner Elie Bayol Don Beauman Karl Gunther Bechem Jean Behra

Who were the top 10 F1 drivers of 2010?

Sebastian Vettel was crowned the youngest world champion in history after a memorable final twist at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but was he the best driver of the year?

It's a subjective question, and so difficult after such a momentous season that I have been wrestling with it for some weeks.

Does Vettel's pace in the dominant Red Bull mean he was Formula 1's top driver? How does that rank alongside the performances of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in inferior cars?

What about Robert Kubica's ability to mix it with the title contenders in the Renault? Or Kamui Kobayashi's attacking verve in the Sauber?

Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Robert Kubica

Vettel is centre-stage among the class of 2010 - but is he number one in our list? Photo: AFP

Here is my list of the top 10 drivers of 2010:

10) After battling for the title with Brawn in 2009, it cannot have been easy for Rubens Barrichello, at 37 going on 38, to drum up the enthusiasm for a season battling to make the top 10 in qualifying with once-great Williams.

But drum it up he did, impressing the team with his technical feedback and producing some excellent drives that resulted in strong points positions when Williams had something of a purple patch mid-season.

The veteran Brazilian was outshone by rookie team-mate Nico Hulkenberg at times as the German found his feet late in the season.

Nevertheless, as he heads into an astonishing 19th F1 season in 2011, Barrichello clearly still has a lot to offer.

9) Kamui Kobayashi emerged as one of F1's most exciting talents with some all-action performances in 2010.

Overtaking is notoriously difficult but the Japanese simply went for it, finding unconventional passing places to liven up such races as Valencia and Japan.

There remain doubts about his ultimate potential, with Sauber drafting in the reliable Nick Heidfeld for the final five races of the season to give Kobayashi a benchmark to measure himself against.

But Kobayashi responded perfectly and gives all the signs of having a great future.

8) It all started so well for Felipe Massa, who out-qualified new team-mate Alonso at the first race of the season. But when Alonso passed the Brazilian around the outside of the first corner, it set the tone for the entire year.

Alonso trounced Massa in 2010, proving faster than him at virtually every race, and there is no doubt the Spaniard's relentless excellence got to the man in the second Ferrari.

There were some good drives from Massa - particularly his third places at Monza and Korea. But he will have to pull something very special out of the bag, not to mention rediscover his mental equilibrium, to reverse this trend in 2011.

7) Nico Rosberg convincingly beat Mercedes team-mate Michael Schumacher this year and, had he achieved that feat 10 years ago, there would have been no doubt he had emerged as a truly great F1 driver.

But the Schumacher of this year was not the same driver as before, as even the seven-time champion himself effectively admitted.

Rosberg drove a strong season, and some good races, and there are an increasing number of people in F1 who believe he is emerging as a top-class contender.

But until he goes up against - and beats - a driver of the highest calibre, it will be hard to tell whether he deserves to be considered as that himself, or whether he is nearly there, but not quite.

6) Not even Jenson Button probably expected to be leading the championship after winning two of the opening four races of 2010 and out-qualifying McLaren team-mate Hamilton 3-1.

Button's two victories in the wet in Australia and China owed a lot to clever strategic calls but that was not all. The sight of Button pulling away from Hamilton in China on a wet track and on tyres of comparable age proved once and for all that this is a driver of the very highest calibre.

After that, Hamilton got on top and stayed there but Button, who was rarely very far away in qualifying and often more or less matched his team-mate on race pace, provided a convincing answer to those who said he had gained his 2009 triumph more by luck than ability.

5) Mark Webber chose the name Aussie Grit for his Twitter account, and 2010 proved why. Expected to fulfil the role of an obedient number two at Red Bull, Webber went toe-to-toe with team-mate Vettel throughout the season and led him in the championship for most of it.

After a shaky first couple of races, Webber came on song when the season came back to Europe with dominant wins in Spain and Monaco that left Vettel bemused at where his team-mate had found such electrifying pace.

By mid-summer, Vettel had got his edge back, but Webber remained large in his mirrors, ready to take advantage of any mistakes. That he was able to do this despite suspicions that Red Bull were not perhaps being quite as even-handed in their treatment of their drivers as they insisted was all the more impressive.

But his challenge faded in the end, crashing in Korea and failing to make any real impact in the final two races of the campaign.

4) Did Renault's Robert Kubica perform better than any other driver on the grid when you consider the equipment he had at his disposal?

You can certainly make that case. No-one else can claim to have made so few mistakes while extracting what appeared to be the maximum from his machinery.

The Renault was not fast enough for Kubica to regularly mix it with the title contenders but on three occasions he transcended the car's limitations in a way only the truly great can - at Monaco, Spa and Suzuka, F1's three great drivers' circuits.

To qualify second in Monaco, third in Spa and fourth in Suzuka was a momentous achievement - and he backed that up by taking podium places in both Monaco and Belgium before being robbed of another when his wheel came loose in Japan.

There is still a slight question mark over a man who, in 2009, was not able to comprehensively overshadow Heidfeld at BMW. And let's not forget that Kubica was not burdened with the kind of pressure that the likes of Alonso, Vettel, Button and Hamilton were.

But put Kubica in a competitive car and all his rivals would fear him.

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3) Sebastian Vettel is a great talent and a deserving world champion but, considering the stunning pace of the Red Bull car, he should have won many more races and clinched the title much sooner.

The car's fragility did not help - failures in Bahrain, Australia, Spain and Korea cost him a lot of points - but the German also made a number of high-profile errors. He crashed into rivals in Turkey and Belgium, suffered a puncture following a red-mist moment at Silverstone and was penalised for misjudging the safety car in Hungary.

Ten pole positions and five wins speak for themselves to an extent but, as the (slightly) faster driver in comfortably the fastest car, they are to be expected.

Some of those pole laps were stunning, though, with Vettel possessing an Ayrton Senna-esque ability to pull that little bit extra out on his very final lap, no matter what the circumstances, while each one of his wins was a masterpiece of domination.

However, there have to be fewer mistakes, more wins dragged out of adversity and more convincing performances when he is back in the pack for him to be ranked above the next names on the list.

2) Had this article been written after the Belgian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton would have occupied the number one spot.

Up to that point, Hamilton had made not a single mistake worth the name and he was leading the championship in what had from the mid-point of the season been the third fastest car.

Hamilton had maintained his exuberant, attacking style and stunning natural pace and had mated it to a consistency that was making him a formidable competitor.

His fantastic victory at Spa - not forgetting the qualifying lap that earned him second on the grid on slicks in a shower of rain - confirmed him as the outstanding driver of the season to that point, notwithstanding the canny Button's two wet wins.

Suddenly, though, it all went wrong. Hamilton crashed out of the next two races in Monza and Singapore and when he crashed again in Friday practice at the next race in Japan his season appeared to be coming apart at the seams.

But then came one of the laps of the season - third on the grid at Suzuka in a car in which he had done just six flying laps before qualifying. It was a reminder of Hamilton's amazing talent. By then, though, as far as the championship was concerned, the damage had been done.

1) Fernando Alonso's first year with Ferrari started with a few shaky races and finished with a strategic mistake that cost him the title. In between the Spaniard did just enough to earn the right to call himself the best driver of 2010.

Early-season errors were born of trying too hard in a car that was not quite on the pace. Combine that with Ferrari losing their way for a while and Alonso was 47 points off the lead at the midpoint of the season.

But in a car that established itself as the second fastest behind the Red Bull, he recovered that margin by driving with a consistent, relentless brilliance that his rivals were not able to match. His victories at Monza and Singapore were stunning. Only Hamilton at Spa and perhaps Webber at Monaco can claim a performance of comparable quality.

That ultimately Alonso did not win a third title was only because of his team's error in Abu Dhabi. For the 2005 and 2006 champion, as he said himself, it was still a great year.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2010/11/who_were_the_top_10_f1_drivers.html

Carroll Shelby Tony Shelly Jo Siffert Andre Simon Rob Slotemaker

East Side SBS Shaving 15 Minutes Off M15 Trips; Bus Cams Go Live Monday

This just in from the MTA and NYC DOT. Select Bus Service has shaved off between 12 and 16 minutes of travel time on rush hour runs along the M15 corridor from 125th Street to South Ferry. That’s before the debut of camera enforcement. Update: Here are some more specific numbers on trip times from the [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/11/18/east-side-sbs-shaving-15-minutes-off-m15-trips-bus-cams-go-live-monday/

Ernesto Prinoth David Prophet Alain Prost Tom Pryce David Purley