Auto News 5

Land Rover may rebadge its next Freelander medium SUV as a Discovery, creating a subbrand for Land Rover, with the new vehicle slotting in below the current Discovery large SUV.

Renault will sell about 10,000 units of its Zoe subcompact electric car this year, well below its target of 50,000 deliveries, according to market analyst Inovev.

Fiat Group has acquired the remaining half of VM Motori, a diesel engine manufacturer, from GM for 34.1 million euros.

BMW does not intend to increase its stake in SGL Group, the carbon fiber materials supplier the automaker works with to create the passenger cabin for its i3 electric car and its i8 plug-in hybrid.

Photographers have caught their first glimpses of Audi's third-generation TT coupe, expected to go on sale in Europe in the second half of 2014 and in the United States the next year.

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said that western European auto markets will not recover before the end of the decade.

Honda embraces optical illusionist M.C. Escher in its latest spot, "An Impossible Made Possible," and rockets to the top of our weekly viral video round-up.

From GMM

Another secret of Red Bull Racing's dominance in the second half of the season is emerging.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said former Jordan, Stewart and Jaguar designer Gary Anderson, now a technical pundit for the BBC, floated the theory about the RB9.

The car, which in Sebastian Vettel's hands has won the last six grands prix on the trot, caught Anderson's attention recently when images of a rear-facing thermal camera were broadcast.

The 'tea tray' of the RB9. (Photo: WRI2)

The images show that the floor just underneath the drivers' feet, the so-called 'tea-tray', was running extremely hot at slow speeds.

Anderson believes Adrian Newey may have found a way to "lift the 'tea tray' away from the track as it gets hot", allowing a lower front ride height.

Auto Motor und Sport reported on Tuesday that Sahara Force India also believes the Anderson theory, and that such a solution would be illegal.

So, in India, the FIA's technical delegate Jo Bauer reportedly put Anderson's theory to the test, heating the 'tea tray' to a temperature of 300 degrees C.

"The result? It did not move," said Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt. "Consequently, the Red Bull RB9 is legal, at least in this area."

Following a unsatisfactory season in the ADAC Formel Masters series, Red Bull has decided to drop female driver Beitske Visser from its Junior Team.

The 18-year-old girl from Dronten in the Netherlands won a race and climbed another time on the podium to eventually ranked 8th in his maiden season in the ADAC Formel Masters series.

However, her contract was not renewed after the post-season evaluation of her performance.

"I'm sad to tell I'm no longer part of the Red Bull Junior Team anymore. It was a difficult season and the results were not what both expected," wrote Beitske Visser on her Twitter account.

"Many thanks to Red Bull and Dr. [Helmut] Marko for the great support they gave me. I will work hard to come back strong. I won't give up."

Beitske Visser (Photo: Red Bull)

From GMM

Mercedes on Tuesday refused to confirm or deny the latest speculation about Ross Brawn's future.

Former F1 team owner and boss Eddie Jordan, who now works as a pundit for British television BBC and has a reputation for getting his predictions right, said the 58-year-old Briton is carrying ahead with his threat to leave the Brackley based team at the end of the season.

In Japan, Ross Brawn warned he might exit if his position as team principal is not confirmed.

And last weekend in India, he admitted the transition to Paddy Lowe running the team will take place "at some point".

"Now we are having discussions about what is the best solution for the team in the future," Brawn told F1's official website a few days ago. "When we are ready we will let everybody know."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes AMG Team principal. (Photo: WRi2)

Jordan's prediction on Tuesday, however, has only reinforced the perception in the paddock that Brawn's mind is already made up.

Still, Mercedes is saying nothing.

"A spokesman did not comment specifically on the story," a report by the Press Association news agency said on Tuesday.

The spokesman reportedly added that a decision about Brawn's future is still not due until the end of the season.

Founded in 1909, Hudson Motor Company stopped manufacturing automobiles on October 29th, 1954.

At one point (1929), Hudson was the third largest car maker in the U.S., after Ford and Chevrolet. It gained international fame in 1947 with the iconic Hornet, which dominated in NASCAR from 1951-1954.

A decline in sales, combined with the high costs of racing, forced Hudson to merge with Nash to form the American Motor Corporation, better known as AMC. Sold to Renault in 1979, then to Chrysler in 1987, AMC became the Jeep-Eagle division of the latter.

Source: Wikipedia

Hudson Hornet Club Coupe 1951.

On November 23rd at the Tokyo Auto Show, Honda will unveil the production version of its Urban SUV Concept, which made its debut in Detroit earlier this year.

Honda will also introduce the S660 Concept (a small cabriolet) and host the Japanese premiere of the Acura NSX Concept.

Production models on display will include the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid, as well as the new Fit with Earth Dreams technology.

As for motorcycles, Honda will present the Dunk, a small 50cc bike aimed at the Japanese market, along with the CB1300 Super BOL D'OR, CB400 Super BOL D'OR, CB400 Super Four, and CBR250R.

Visitors in Tokyo will also get to see the original Honda F1 car from 1964, plus a replica of Honda's first public debut, the 1962 Sports 360.

Source: Tokyo Motorshow

Honda Concept Urban. (Photo: Honda)

Sebastien Loeb Racing, which runs a pair of McLaren MP4-12Cs in various GT endurance series, is angry with the famed British sports car manufacturer.

After it finished third in the final round of the FFSA GT French Championship last Sunday at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, the No. 19 McLaren MP4-12C ran by Sébastien Loeb Racing was disqualified at the technical inspection due to a problem with the turbo pressure.

It was not the first time this season that Loeb's team was disqualified following the technical inspection in the FIA GT Series and the French GT Championship.

McLaren MP4-12C of Sebastien Loeb Racing. (Photo: WRI2)

The French team published this press release following this last incident.

“At Nogaro, Zandvoort, Magny-Cours and this Sunday at Paul Ricard, one of our McLarens was disqualified following the technical inspection, either in qualifying or after the race.,” recalls Dominique Heintz, Sebastien Loeb Racing team manager.

“We have been patient but the situation is no longer tolerable. Today, I'm clearly very disappointed, and even furious. The entire team shares my sentiments. I'm upset because all the guys on the team give their all every day to get the best results, and because Sebastien and Christophe Lapierre had a great race and took risks...all for nothing!

“These disqualifications are not attributable to our technical team or something our mechanics have done. It's McLaren's fault and their engineers have stated it. This has cost us relatively important results depending on the case, including a podium finish this past Sunday. Not being at fault for these issues, we still suffer the consequences, and we are annoyed to suffer these.

“The McLaren MP4-12C is a car that we like in terms of pure performance, but these types of issues shouldn't keep happening and that's why we will contact McLaren management as soon as Monday. We've already alerted them to the situation and today it's time they take action. Solutions must be found.”

Oil and Filter Replacement
Hybrid-vehicle powertrains are usually comprised of a combustion engine, and one or more electric motors. While electric motors require little or no maintenance, the same logic does not apply to the combustion engine. Hybrid or not, these engines require periodic replacement of both oil and filters.

Highway Use
If you spend a lot of time cruising down highways, especially in winter, the combustion engine is inevitably almost always in service, unless you're decelerating, driving downhill or stopping. As the combustion engine is doing most of the grunt work, you'll need to perform regularly scheduled maintenance, including engine oil and filter replacement. In the case of the Toyota Prius, the manufacturer recommends performing this service at 8,000km intervals.

City Driving
On the flipside, if most of your driving is of the city variety, chances are the electric motor carries the brunt of the load. City driving also implies a lot of braking, which through the regenerative braking system of your hybrid vehicle keeps you battery charged, which in turn allows you to use the electric motors even longer. In this scenario, the combustion engine is rarely solicited, will never overheat, and therefore extend service intervals, such as oil and filter changes, into the 15,000km or 12-month threshold.

Photo: Toyota

Testing for Google's autonomous vehicles in Nevada and California has shown that they're smoother and safer than human drivers.

Two separate studies of data from hundreds of thousands of miles indicate that Google's cars accelerated and braked significantly more sharply when a person was behind the wheel. The driverless cars also maintain a safer distance from the vehicle ahead.

Google has been testing its autonomous vehicle technology on public roads since 2010, always with a human in the driver's seat who can take over if necessary.

Source: MIT Technology Review

The 2015 Audi A3 Sedan will go on sale across Canada next April starting at $31,100, the company announced.

This entry-level model comes with numerous standard features such as a panoramic sunroof, leather seats, and MMI technology (a segment first). Audi active lane assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, and a Bang & Olufsen audio system are also available.

The 2015 Audi A3 Sedan will be joined later in 2014 by the recently announced Audi A3 Cabriolet, A3 TDI clean diesel, the high-performance S3 Sedan, and in early 2015, the A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid. Pricing for those will be announced at a later date.

Equipped with a 6-speed S tronic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive, the 2015 Audi A3 Sedan offers a choice of four engines including:
1.8 TFSI;
2.0 TFSI;
2.0 TDI clean diesel;
High-output 2.0 TFSI (S3).

Source: Audi Canada

Photo: Audi

Lotus F1 Team has confirmed Tuesday that several technical issued has hit both Kimi Raikkonen's and Romain Grosjean's E21s during the Indian Grand Prix last Sunday.

“We tried something different with a one stop strategy and it didn't work. I had a brake problem for the entire race and they were overheating, and this got worse in traffic so I couldn't overtake,” said Raikkonen in a team press release.

It also appeared that Grosjean's Renault engine was not at its best, as the Frenchman had to nurse his car to the finish.

“We're working closely with Renault Sport. The issue seems to be a repeat of the one we faced in Singapore where a leak in the pneumatic system caused a loss of air pressure,” said Alan Permane.

“Fortunately, we know exactly what we have to do to fix it and Romain's engine has gone through the correction process put in place after Singapore. Our engine partner is also checking - and double checking - every single race engine at Abu Dhabi to ensure that the same problem does not reappear,” he added.

Photo: WRi2

Team boss Eric Boullier said that the words used in the infamous radio conversations were now a thing of the past.

“Romain was two seconds a lap faster than Kimi at that time, so it was not even a team order. By asking Kimi to let Romain pass, we just made the obvious choice, as Felipe [Massa] could have stolen our podium,” said Boullier.

“With hindsight, this radio message could have been sent in a less emotional way. There was a lot of tension, a lot of potential technical problems, and some of the words that flew around were simply not appropriate. I know that quite a few people were surprised and I can only apologise for that on behalf of the team. It won't happen again.”

In an effort to promote its new CR-V 1.6 Diesel in Europe, Honda came up with this mind-boggling advertisement that uses various optical illusions.

Unfortunately, the Honda CR-V 1.6 Diesel won't be available in Canada.

Everybody -- and I mean everybody -- wants to live comfortably. A roof over our heads, nice clothes, decent cars and enough disposable income to eat out a few times a week. Of these, the majority would like to have that much more but, sadly, Sunseeker yacht and Armani dreams are out of our grasps.

Or are they?

What we common folk really desire is the lifestyle, the feeling that comes with having nice things. Nice things are attainable, but need not necessarily be new. It is for this very reason that Porsche has an “Approved” program.

In their infinite wisdom, Porsche came up (as have other carmakers) with a factory-backed package where used cars are inspected and given a seal of “approval” as a certified used purchase with a Porsche warranty and 24-hour roadside assistance.

Photo: Olivier Delorme

2010 Porsche 911 Targa 4S
What do all used cars have in common? They're far more affordable than a new car. It is with this in mind that Porsche Canada put a 2010 997 911 Targa 4S on their press fleet. This Arctic silver 6-speed unit travelled just under 29,000km, but by the looks of it, could have only covered 29.

Back in 2010, this 911 sported a sticker price of just over $143,500 with accessories such as 19” Turbo wheels and the Sport Chrono Package Plus. This same car can now be had for $92,500. This is a 35% price drop that no one needs to know about. All your neighbours will know is that you now own a Porsche.

This may come as a surprise, but Porsche cars are actually fairly reliable (by sports and exotic car standards) and reasonably economical. No word of a lie.

The question that begs an answer is: Does a “gently used Porsche” drive as it should?

In short, yes. The long of it is that I so enjoyed the 3-year-old 911 that I'd never felt like I wanted to own one more. This 911 was every bit as quick, sharp, and infinitely rewarding as would be a new example. The 3.8L flat-6's 385 horsepower were all accounted for and the powerful brakes felt as good as any brand spanking new Porsche I've ever tested.

This car was inspected, as they all are, by Porsche technicians. They follow stringent guidelines to make certain that each 911, Cayman, Boxster, and the like is up to snuff and worthy of being a Porsche Approved Certified Pre-owned car. This one undoubtedly was.

The car was not perfect: One small trim piece surrounding the centre console was loose. Then again, I've had week-long test drives with very new cars from other makes that had many quality control issues.

Porsche holds a special place in the automotive world and regardless of which generation or vintage you own or drive (save perhaps for the 996...), you're a winner. To therefore place any Porsche in your driveway is to be part of a special group. To belong is to be part of and to embrace the lifestyle.

2010 Porsche 911 Targa 4S. (Photo: Olivier Delorme)

Porsche Bike S
On that subject, Porsche has more to offer the budding fan of the brand. As a cycling enthusiast, you may be in the market for a new bicycle. Should this be the case, Porsche has you covered.

This time, new is the way to go. A $5,000 investment gets you a Porsche Bike S made of hydroformed aluminum with a fork fashioned in carbon. A Shimano Alfine 11-speed hub gear system handles forward momentum with the help of a low-wear geared belt drive. Hydraulic disc brakes round out the mechanicals.

As this is a Porsche, its inherent quality is immediately obvious. The same goes for riding the Bike S. The smooth rolling DT Swiss wheel with Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires and belt drive are its best features. The whole of the way it operates is premium Porsche.

Note for the buttock sensitive: The Fizik Tundra seat is especially short on padding. Should you plan to ride quite a bit, consider the purchase of padded biking shorts.

If your budget permits, a Bike RS is also available. For a little more than $9,000, a lightweight frame with components all made of carbon along with Shimano XTR equipment with 20 speeds can be yours.

Porsche Design Bike S. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

The Porsche lifestyle
Yes, it can be yours as the price is right. Life is too short not to enjoy the finer things. With these two sets of wheels, life can be grand indeed!

From GMM

Lotus has apologised after an expletive-laden exchange on the radio with Kimi Raikkonen during the Indian grand prix.

When the Finn was struggling for pace but duelling with his much-faster teammate Romain Grosjean, chief engineer Alan Permane told Raikkonen in no uncertain terms: "Get out of the f***ing way!"

Kimi Raikkonen replied: "Don't f***ing shout at me."

It was said that Permane received death threats against himself and his family in the wake of the radio message, ostensibly from angry Raikkonen fans.

F1 Race Reviews wrote: "Upon further investigation there has so far not been found a single tweet containing death threats to Permane or his family. What was found was some nutcase that repeatedly tweeted “F*** your family” to Permane."

"With hindsight," team boss Eric Boullier said, "this radio message could have been sent in a less emotional way.

"I know that quite a few people were surprised and I can only apologise for that on behalf of the team. It won't happen again," he added.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus E21. (Photo: WRi2)