Auto News 5

French supplier Faurecia, the world's biggest maker of car interiors and exhaust systems, confirmed its full-year targets after posting an 8.4 percent gain in quarterly sales, helped by strong demand in North America and Asia.

Volkswagen will invest about 170 million euros ($225 million) to build a new plant in Urumqi, western China, capable of making 50,000 vehicles annually starting in 2015, the company said.

From Sahara Force India

The Sahara Force India F1 Team Academy stepped up a gear this month as the team's three young Indian racers, Arjun Maini, Tarun Reddy and Jehan Daruvala began their European karting careers.

The three youngsters are competing in the British Super One Championship, Britain's premier kart championship incorporating the KF3 Class MSA British Championships for juniors.

Photo: Sahara Force India

KF3 is an international CIK class using a medium power 125cc water-cooled engine with an electric self-starter and centrifugal clutch. With a standard chassis, single rear brake and bodywork, the karts are capable of producing speeds of up to 115km/h. It's the ideal proving ground for aspiring racers and has helped produce numerous Formula One stars, including current Sahara Force India racer, Paul Di Resta.

Photo: Sahara Force India

Arjun, Tarun and Jehan's 2012 KF3 Academy programme will be managed on behalf of Sahara Force India by Ricky Flynn with karts painted in the familiar colours of the Indian flag.

They will have legendary kart champion, Terry Fullerton, as their mentor and driver coach, while Louis Di Resta, father of Paul, will help coordinate the project.

From GMM

Jean Alesi would like to see the pressure eased on the shoulders of France's new F1 hope.

Until Sunday, Alesi was the last French driver to have stood on a formula one podium, after taking his Sauber to third at Spa in 1998.

Romain Grosjean therefore ended a 14-year podium drought for France, tasting top-three spoils in just his eleventh race in formula one.

"(Grosjean as) My successor?" Alesi told RMC Sport. "I don't see it that way.

"It's promising but we need to leave him alone now," the 47-year-old veteran of 202 grands prix over 13 seasons insisted.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E20. (Photo: WRi2)

Alesi is referring to the media hype about Grosjean after the first two races, when he failed to get his Lotus around even the first lap in Australia and Malaysia.

He then scored his first ever points in China and seven days later was on the podium, triggering press speculation in France that the tones of 'La Marseillaise' are next.

But there remains other pressures on Grosjean; exalted as France's new hope, and at the same time accused of preventing Kimi Raikkonen from winning in Bahrain by not letting his faster teammate through in the absence of team orders.

"I know what I'm talking about," said Alesi.

"Since the beginning of the season there have been all sorts of comments about him. That isn't right. He needs to have calm and take the time that he needs to get on top of everything. When it's a podium, we're all happy but when it's a bad performance, we all have to be behind him too," he added.

From Caterham F1 Team

Caterham F1 Team has confirmed that Rodolfo Gonzalez will be joining regular race drivers at the fourth official test of the 2012 Formula 1 season, taking place at Mugello, Italy.

Gonzalez will be driving alongside Vitaly Petrov and Heikki Kovalainen at the test scheduled from May 1 to 3.

Gonzalez, currently competing with Caterham Racing in the 2012 GP2 series, will be in the car on May 1st. Vitaly Petrov will take over on May 2 and Heikki Kovalainen on May 3.

Photo: Caterham F1 Team

Up for auction by Bonhams at the Staffordshire County Showground in England at the end of the month is a 1995 Ferrari 900-cc motorcycle by David Kay Engineering. Along with the prancing horse, the one-of-a-kind bike comes with quite a story.

Photo: Bonhams

When MV Agusta engineer David Kay requested permission to build a one-off motorcycle complete with Ferrari logo in 1990 in honour of his late father, he got a letter back from Piero Ferrari containing “approval to place the Ferrari badge on your motorbike.”

Powered by a 900-cc DOHC 4-cylinder scratch-built engine and featuring Terry Hall-built aluminum bodywork, the bike reportedly sounds like “a Messerschmitt chasing a Spitfire.” It was never tested to its full capacity, but has an estimated top speed of 265 km/h, produces 105 bhp and weighs only 172 kg.

Kay's inspired came from Enzo Ferrari's having started his motorcycle racing days on a Scott two-stroke; the project took more than 3,000 hours to complete. It has spent most of its life in Kay's drawing room. Bonhams estimates it will go for between $120,000 and $160,000.


_{Source: Bonhams}

At the time these lines were written, only free practice of the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix had taken place. Preparation for the race was still going on.

Tension is always high in the world of political unrests because lives are at stake when people fight for their fundamental rights.

So, is Bahrainis' fight Formula 1's as well?

For a long time, it was deemed normal that the F1 circus travelled yearly to South Africa in the 70s and 80s - right in the middle of the Apartheid era. It was just "normal" to go.

Photo: WRI2

But, of course, the world has changed since then: social medias have revolutionized our way of receiving and perceiving information. The "politically correct" etiquette - the ways to do things - is different nowadays.

Formula 1 teams have voiced some opposition for weeks now. They are uncomfortable going to Bahrain in the middle of a crisis. Not only because of security fears, but also because they feel uneasy showing up with their expensive race cars to a place where locals are fighting for democracy.

But the sport's big boss has applied his usual methods of persuasion on the teams: not attending the Bahrain race would void their contract, thus may be going as far as excluding them from the championship.

On one side, I understand British politicians who are asking for the cancellation of the race and who want to fly all the F1 personnel back home. Going to that area of the globe is asking for trouble. It's an explosion waiting to happen.

But on the other side, it's a terrific opportunity for the protesters over there since more than 200 journalists, photographs, radio and television teams, websites and so on will be turning their eyes on Bahrain. The world is listening and watching.

For that reason, not cancelling the Grand Prix is a good idea.

Which means I think F1 should not position itself in the political spectrum. If you're not convinced, just look at Olympic Games boycott over the years and the results they yielded.

The European Le Mans Series will allow GT3 cars to compete in the championship, starting with next round in Donington.

Since the World Endurance Championship debut earlier this season, the ELMS field - which doesn't include the LMP1 protoypes any longer - saw its entry list reduced, despite the introduction of the GTC class (for cars such as Ferrari Challenge or Porsche Carrera Cup cars).

Due to the low number of entries, the ACO and the FIA have been forced to cancel the second round of the ELMS season, scheduled for Zolder on May 20.

For the next round, which will take place in July at Donington, the GT3 cars will be allowed to compete.

The GT3 class is the most successfull category at the moment Even the GT World Championship also turned the GT3 cars instead of the "big' and costly GT1 cars this season.

For the European Le Mans Series, there will be a balance of performance for those cars.

SAN FRANCISCO, California - This is a completely new vehicle that resembles the old one about as much as I resemble Brad Pitt. Like Brad Pitt, this latest global vehicle from Ford is sure to generate plenty of accolades and awards.


The Great Escape
With more than two million Ford Escapes sold over the years, it's fair to say that the blue oval's compact SUV contributed to its escape from bankruptcy. While offering plenty of value in the segment, the 2012 Ford Escape has aged, losing its edge to competitors such as Honda's new CR-V and Kia's Sportage.

As part of their global-platform strategy, Ford understands the importance in "getting it right," when it comes to new vehicles - and that's largely what they've done with the new Escape. This vehicle is a vast departure from the previous generation, which was a boxy, less sophisticated unit that was more truck-like than car-like.

With 30% of the automotive industry made up of small SUVs/crossovers and midsize cars, the significance of the new Escape to Ford's growth is indisputable, or "a big deal," to quote Ford itself. So the question is: Did they get the "big deal" right?

Let's find out.

The new Escape is much more athletic than before; it's also far quieter and smoother riding regardless of which trim level applies. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com)

Improved in many ways
The shape of the new Escape is far more aerodynamic than the outgoing generation, and that's just one factor contributing to a 4.7L/100km improvement in fuel economy between the best of the former and the best of the future, as claimed by Ford.

Other fuel-saving strategies include the use of Ford's EcoBoost engine technology, electric power steering, low rolling-resistance tires, and grille shutters that close to reduce wind friction. Along with greater fuel economy come improved traction and handling dynamics thanks to torque vectoring all-wheel drive and Curve Control.

Torque vectoring allows the Escape to direct power to the wheels with grip rather than wasting it on wheels defeated by slippery conditions. This system operates seamlessly and with lightning speed. It's capable of delivering 100% of the engine's output to either the front or rear wheels, or any combination therein.

Curve Control is a system that manages brake force when the vehicle is engaged in cornering. Ever hit the brakes mid-corner when travelling too fast for the radius? If so, you'll know how it unsettles the vehicle's stability. Not so with Curve Control; in order to maintain control, it apportions brake pressure to each wheel based on the cornering forces at play.

Some other noteworthy improvements in the new Escape include the segment's largest panoramic opening glass roof, best-in-class noise control, and soft-touch door panels and instrument panel. These elements combine to create an upscale driving experience in a vehicle that now has a starting price tag $200 below the previous gen.

Other value gains apply, such as more content for less money. And that's a proposition buyers will find appealing. Despite all of the improvements listed on paper, it comes down to the 'drive,' and I was anxious to experience the pair of EcoBoost 4-bangers that Ford now offers in the Escape.

Along with greater fuel economy come improved traction and handling dynamics thanks to torque vectoring all-wheel drive and Curve Control. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com)

EcoBoost supplants former V6
There's no longer a V6 engine available in the Escape, but don't write off this vehicle's towing ability, which remains at a class-leading 3,500 lbs when the optional 2.0L EcoBoost I4 is selected. This small but potent mill happily dispatches 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, and is the high-performance choice.

Should fuel economy trump towing ability when it comes to hierarchal needs, the 178-hp, 1.6L EcoBoost I4 is the obvious choice. This engine delivers the best fuel economy, which is better than the 9.5L/100km and 6.7L/100km city and highway rating of the 2.0L EcoBoost in a front-wheel-drive application.

Unfortunately, the figures for the 1.6L EcoBoost have not yet been released.

Both engines are fused to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Escaping the city
After an in-depth briefing on the new Escape, we climbed aboard our assigned vehicles and headed for the hills north of San Francisco. The first vehicle under the administration of my driving partner and I was a fully-decked Titanium AWD tester.

This vehicle was motivated by the optional 2.0L EcoBoost mill, and frankly, this engine's operational refinement and its authoritative output surprised us both. It was exceptionally well muted for a four-banger, sounding far more upscale than either of us anticipated.

It really is the engine of choice for those with the highest expectations around performance and refinement. Realizing that our leather-laden champ was tagged at $37,499, we chose to sample something less wallet-challenging, and jumped into an SE FWD version for further analysis.

This vehicle was motivated by the optional 2.0L EcoBoost mill, and frankly, this engine's operational refinement and its authoritative output surprised us both. (Photo: Ford)

Gone was the leather and chrome trim, but still evident was the solidity of the new Escape and its outstanding driving dynamics, most significant of which was the vehicle's cornering tenacity. I pushed the compact SUV with more vigor than one would normally dare in this sort of vehicle, and came away impressed.

The new Escape is much more athletic than before; it's also far quieter and smoother riding regardless of which trim level applies. The nicely-equipped, including navigation, SE edition that we finished our road trip in was tagged at $26,899. While it exhibited many of the Titanium's attributes, it felt somewhat anemic in contrast to the punch of the 240 horses we saddled earlier.

Final comments
There's no argument that the compact SUV/crossover segment is exceptionally important to manufacturers. It's where many buyers are trending in search of expanded versatility combined with improved economy.

For such buyers, Ford's new Escape deserves a close inspection. It's a profoundly improved vehicle that offers a broad range of configurations and pricing.

Oh, so did Ford get the "big deal" right? In my view, it's a resounding "yes."

Honda CR-V Touring

Chevrolet Equinox

Dodge Journey R/T AWD

Motorsport fans now have a chance to experience a professional racing simulator since Vortex Racing, a new business opened recently in Montreal, Quebec features eight Hexatech full motion driving simulators by Cruden.

Vortex Racing (Photo: Sebastien D'Amour/Auto123.tv

“Six of our simulators are equipped with formula-style race car bodies while two ‘multipurpose' simulators will be designated for professional use,” Montreal entrepreneur and businessman, Mayer Soued, owner of Vortex Racing, told us.

“All simulators can be linked together and feature a variety of international race circuits and cars, allowing customers to progress up the ranks from Formula Ford 1600, to GP3, GP2 to Formula One”, he added.

“There a few simulation centres like this in Europe but Vortex Racing is the first one located in in North America. And we have the latest version of the software. For the more advanced drivers and the professionals, we can modify some 30 parameters of the car, such as tire pressure, wing angle, engine characteristics, height ride and more. We also record everything on a system that is similar to the data acquisition decide of the real cars. So once the run is done, we can provide real feedback to the driver,” Soued added.

Vortex Racing (Photo: Sebastien D'Amour/Auto123.tv

Vortex Racing took delivery of eight latest-generation Cruden Hexatech full motion driving simulators.

The electromechanical, 6-DOF simulators are the exact same professional equipment that provide highly accurate force feedback and professional motion-cueing to racing drivers and engineers in F1 and other international motorsport championships for training, race car development and off-track testing.

Vortex Racing (Photo: Sebastien D'Amour/Auto123.tv

The centre is conveniently located at the Lachine Business Park close to the Montreal-Trudeau airport where it is expected to attract leisure and corporate guests from the local area as well as professional racing drivers and race teams from a wider catchment.

“As a former ski racer I appreciate how hard it is to create that special zone of total concentration where the whole world ceases to exist. The Vortex Racing simulator centre will provide its guests with this unique sensation” Soued told us.

For additional information: www.vortexracing.ca

The 2011-12 Auto Show season has already come and gone in a whirlwind of glorious glitz, green glamor and grandiose horsepower.

In the event that you've recently awoken from your winter slumber and missed the entire show circuit, here are our Top 10 unveils of the season.


10. 2013 Ford Escape (Los Angeles Auto Show)

Photo: Ford

After 13 years of loyal service, the ever-popular Ford Escape said goodbye to its rustic SUV looks and hello to a refined “Smarter Utility Vehicle” appearance and breeding. The new Ford Escape will hit the road in 2012, offering a choice of three 4-cylinder mills teamed up with a 6-speed autobox, including a 2.0L EcoBoost (237 hp, 250 lb-ft) option. More details on the 2013 Ford Escape.

Continue reading Top 10 2011-12 Auto Show season unveils

You can not only see, but also hear, touch, taste, smell and, um, sense the Rolls-Royce Six Senses Ghost at the Beijing Auto Show.

According to CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, “It delights the senses and draws you into somewhere that transcends the interior of a car. Relax for a few moments and you will experience something that is hard to define, but which our customers understand so well.

Photo: Rolls-Royce

“It can be likened to an aura, a sense that the stunning hand-made interior embodies something of the heart and soul of each proud craftsperson involved in its creation. That's a uniquely Rolls-Royce sixth sense that this car presents so elegantly.”

It looks like a Rolls-Royce, done up in a Carrara White finish with forged alloy wheels and Walnut Burr veneer accents inside. It boasts a concept audio system that “richly” fills the spacious rear cabin in part thanks to the speakers housed in the headliner. It's got that new-Rolls smell, which comes from the hand-crafted leather seats and headliner, with hints of the “woody spice” in the walnut veneer. It tastes like vintage champagne (what else?) served from the custom-etched flutes. And it feels like the cool chrome, wildly expensive leather and deep-pile lamb's wool rugs.

You'll have to sense it for yourself.

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton is rethinking McLaren's scheduled approach to the rare and crucial in-season test at Mugello next week.

The British team announced last week that both Hamilton and his teammate Jenson Button would sit out Mugello, so that testers Gary Paffett and Oliver Turvey can run over the three-day session instead.

But that was before Bahrain, where McLaren's early-season upper hand vanished, leaving the drivers and team members scratching their heads over the way the MP4-27 ate rapidly through the Pirelli tyres.

Lewis Hamilton wants to work on his car next week. (Photo: McLaren)

"It (the Mugello schedule) might change," British newspapers report Hamilton as saying.

"I need to get back in the car. We need to figure out why the tyres are going off. If there are other things to test or ways to figure it out, I will be the one to do it, not let someone else do it," said the 2008 world champion.

A McLaren source indicated that if Hamilton wants to test in Italy, the programme will be altered to accommodate him.

Button, however, appears unavailable to test, as he is scheduled to attend a promotional team event in Budapest early next week.

From Lotus F1 Team

Lotus F1 Team announced Tuesday its driver line-up for the forthcoming Mugello test on May 1-3.

The team's third driver Jérôme D'Ambrosio will get his first taste of the podium-finishing E20.

D'Ambrosio will drive for the first day of the test, followed by team race drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean on the second and third days respectively.

“Jérôme has been very patiently attending all the races and has been a conscientious and regular visitor to Enstone since he was announced as our third driver,” said Eric Boullier, Team Principal.

Jérôme D'Ambrosio. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

“It's clear he has been very eager to get behind the wheel and it will be invaluable for us as a team that he gets this opportunity. We have given him a full day to get to grips with the E20, and look forward to receiving his feedback from the test. We had a good result in Bahrain, but as always we need to keep pushing forward. Mugello will give us an opportunity to try out a few new parts and hopefully make another step forward,” he added.

“It's an amazing opportunity for me, and I'd like to thank Lotus F1 Team for giving me the chance to experience the E20; it's a great car and I can't wait to drive it,” said Jérôme D'Ambrosio.

“I know the team from my rookie day in Abu Dhabi in 2010, and I've felt very comfortable at Enstone this year which I'm sure will be a big help. Kimi and Romain needed time in the car during the winter after two years away, so the fact that this test has been put on the calendar after the first four races of the season gives me an opportunity to drive. It will be very valuable for me to get back into a Formula 1 car after 6 months, which has felt like quite a while. I've said all along that a third driver position with a top team would be much better for my career this year, and I'm starting to see the benefits of that strategy. I've learnt a lot so far with Lotus F1 Team, and this is just the beginning,” D'Ambrosio added.

Now own up; haven't you always dreamt of owning a car you could converse with? Yes, I know a lot of car guys talk fondly and sometimes not-so-fondly with their vehicles, but wouldn't it be cool if they could actually reply? Even better, what if they could step in and help out in times of trouble?

Photo: Barrett-Jackson

Well, KITT, the Knight Industries Two Thousand was capable of doing precisely that. Its owner, Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff) simply had to beckon it, and the vehicle would steam to his rescue. Now that's pretty cool, eh?

Love it or hate it (and there are a number of people on both sides of that argument), Knight Rider was a huge hit with TV viewers in the 80s. I sort of straddle the fence on the warrants of the show. Yes, often the storyline limped along like Long John Silver, and whoever told Mr. Hasselhoff he could act was almost certainly living in La-La land, but I still tuned into the show each week because it was plain and simply fun to watch!

Of course, the black 1982 Pontiac Trans Am was the true star of the show. With that pulsating red strobe light buried in its hood, it wasn't difficult to buy into the idea that this was a living, breathing automobile. I also enjoyed the stunt driving, although they never quite reached the standards of Hollywood, unless we're talking of Disney.

The show survived from 1982 till 1986 but, towards the end, it was getting rather long in the tooth. Since then, there have been several attempts to reinvent it. In 2008, NBC launched a made-for-TV movie and tried to follow this up with another television series. By this time, a Ford Mustang had replaced the famous Trans Am and they'd also managed to find a younger lead (former male model, Justin Bruening). Unfortunately, he came across as only marginally better than his forerunner and the show only lasted a few short months.

Mr. Hasselhoff went onto bigger and well, better things. He became famous as the guy who hung around with those bikini-clad beauties on Baywatch, and most recently became a judge on a popular TV talent show. Justin, well I don't really know what happened to him and, if I'm totally honest, I'm not actually interested enough to go search for that information.

What I really would like to know however is, whatever happened to KITT? After working with the Hoffmeister for years, did he simply drive himself into the nearest car-crusher at the end of the series out of pure embarrassment, or is he still out there somewhere waiting for someone like me or you to call his name?

Photo: Barrett-Jackson

From GMM

Fernando Alonso has backed his beleaguered teammate Felipe Massa.

Massa is fighting to save his Ferrari seat, but his team boss Stefano Domenicali insists the Brazilian also "needs to improve" for the sake of his very "future in formula one".

On the other hand, the Maranello based team is more than enthralled with the occupant of the sister F2012, Fernando Alonso.

Felipe Massa, Luca di Montezemolo and Fernando Alonso. (Photo: Ferrari)

In fact, Domenicali told El Mundo newspaper last weekend that Ferrari has a "moral obligation" to the Spaniard, that might also extend to his involvement "in the important issues".

One important issue is the identity of his 2013 teammate.

On Massa, Fernando Alonso is quoted by El Pais newspaper after Massa finished ninth in Bahrain: "He had a great start, pulled away from the traffic and ran a super race. But we didn't discover this just now: Felipe has won in Bahrain twice. He doesn't need to prove anything."

Bryan Herta Autosport and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing have decided to part ways with engine manufacturer Lotus and the announcement was made Tuesday morning.

"Following this review, Lotus is pleased to announce in cooperation with IndyCar that, whilst it remains fully committed to IndyCar in the long term, Lotus has taken the decision to reduce the number of cars it runs from five to three for the remainder of the season. As a consequence of this decision, Lotus has made offers to Bryan Herta Autosport LLC and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing LLC to end the agreements with them. Bryan Herta Autosport LLC will not participate in any further races as a Lotus team and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing LLC will race one more time in Brazil next weekend," said the presse release.

Both teams expressed their dissatisfaction over the recent poor performances of the Judd-designed V-6 engines. 


The first clue of the split came with the announcement that Team Barracuda-BHA would not take part in the upcoming Brazilian round next weekend. The team led by Bryan Herta wanted to focus on the Indianapolis 500 although it's unknown whether a new engine supply has been secured from Indy onwards.

Alex Tagliani. (Photo: LAT for IndyCar)

As for DRR, the relationship with Lotus is much closer than Herta. and it will be difficult to land back on its feet because, besides carrying Lotus' factory black and gold livery, the team also re-named itself Lotus DRR and was said to receive at least one free chassis from the engine manufacturer.

That will leave Lotus with only three full-time teams; the two-car Dragon Racing squad and the single-car HVM Racing effort.

Photo: Lotus

BHA and DRR would have to pin their hopes on being rescued by Chevrolet or Honda with an un-planned Indy lease. The IZOD IndyCar Series is surely expected to put a lot of pressure to see those two teams receive engines.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the series officials don't want to see the Indy 500 pole-sitter (Tagliani) and winning team (Herta) sitting on the sidelines without an engine when practice starts on May 12th.


From GMM

All this year's title contenders know after four 'flyaway' races in 2012 is that they do not know what will happen in Spain next month.

"The only certainty is uncertainty," read the German headline at Netzeitung.

With F1 generally regarded in the wider world as a sport with predictable results, this is an entirely new situation.

"The statistics show that it's been nine years since there have been four different winners in the first four races," said Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali.

Indeed, the famous Italian team as well as McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull have won the opening races of 2012, and also with potentially winning pace have been Lotus and Sauber.

"More than that," continued Domenicali, "you have to go back 29 years to find the last time four different cars won."

One explanation is that F1 has never been more competitive, with plenty of well-oiled teams and no fewer than six world champion drivers on the grid.

But Domenicali thinks Pirelli is the dominant factor.

Photo: Pirelli

And not everybody is happy about that. Michael Schumacher told Bild newspaper that this year's tyres degrade so fast that rubber "flies from the rim" if he pushes too hard in a corner.

"We drive around like the safety car. It is not a satisfying situation," the seven time world champion said.

Pirelli's motor sport director Paul Hembery is unimpressed with the rebuke, insisting that the Italian marque is only trying to "make tyres that make the races exciting".

"We cannot take individual drivers into consideration," the Briton insisted.

"It would be dead easy for us to make tyres that don't break down. Then the top ten would also be the top ten in the race. But no one wants to see boring processions," Hembery claimed.

Agreed the Swiss headline at Blick: "Pirelli is sweeping away the boredom".

Sauber's pit crew training. (Photo: Pirelli)

Indeed, not even the other Mercedes driver, Shanghai winner Nico Rosberg, agrees with Schumacher.

"It's total chaos. You don't know who is going to be fast at the next track," the German is quoted by DPA agency. "Formula one has become almost unlike any other sport. Yes, you cannot drive any laps any more at full throttle. Often, it's like driving on ice. But that's a big and an interesting challenge."

Undoubtedly exciting for the fans, but the teams are having to adapt quickly. Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport said on Sunday that Vettel's victory could mean Red Bull resumes its dominant grip on F1.

Dr Helmut Marko doesn't think so. "We don't even know who our opponents are!" he exclaimed.

BMW's new DTM recruit Bruno Spengler recently drove an M3 on the ice for the German GRIP TV show.

Spengler learned to drive on the icy roads of his native Canada, so he feels quite comfortable behind the wheel of the 414 horsepower M3 on a sheet of ice.

After the demonstration, Spengler embarked in a fun race against the host of the show, Matthias Malmedie. Spengler was behind the wheel of a stunning BMW 2002 - without any driving aids - while Malmedie was driving the M3. The outcome of the race is very interesting !

The video is obviously in German.

NOTE: Auto123.com will be reporting live from the opening round of the 2012 DTM championship at Hockenheim, Germany. Don't miss the action with our exclusive reports and photos.

A new-for-2012 DTM championship kicks off this weekend at the traditional Hockenheim season-opener.

A new set of rules means a whole new championship in 2012. With it, is the much-anticipated comeback of German manufacturer BMW, after a 20 years hiatus. Add familiar rivals Mercedes and Audi to the mix, and you can see 2012 is building up to be a good one.

The three new cars: BMW M3 DTM, Audi A5 DTM and AMG Mercedes C-Coupe. (Photo: dtm.com)

Audi may have lost Martin Tomczyk - the series' reigning champion - to BMW, but apart from that, the Ingolstadt firm is putting the same cards on the table as far as drivers go.

Top guns Mattias Ekström, Timo Scheider, Mike Rockenfeller and young guns Miguel Molina, Felipe Albuquerque, Edoardo Mortara are all coming back and expected to get a go at the title. Do not discount female driver Rahel Frey, from Switzerland. She's not new to the team either.

The only fresh face will therefore be Frenchman Adrien Tambay, the son of former F1 driver Patrick Tambay, who is making his series' debut. The only other notable change is the switch from the Audi A4 DTM car to the shinning-new A5 machine.

Audi's last year's victim, Mercedes, will be looking for ways to hit the ground running this season. The C-Class Coupé replaced the old C-Class, and will be driven by long-time (and may be best) Merc driver Gary Paffett, joined by former Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher and Britain's Jamie Green.

A lot of pressure will be resting on Mercedes' Junior Team, re-born from its ashes this year. Driver Christian Vietoris may already have experienced the DTM last year, but he will face impressive teammates in reigning F3 Euroseries champion Roberto Mehri and 2011 World Series by Renault title holder, Canadian Robert Wickens.

Mercedes have also put their faith in a former Grand Prix winner: David Coulthard, back for a third season. Susie Wolff, née Stoddart, is entering her seventh DTM season.

Bruno Spengler, BMW (Photo: dtm.com)

But none of them can outshine newcomer BMW, which, after a number of years spent in the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC), has decided to revert to its roots.

The Bavarians have spared no effort and hired last year's two title protagonists: Tomczyk and Bruno Spengler. After many years with Mercedes, the Canadian felt it was time for a change. They will both be joined by BMW's factory drivers Andy Priaulx, Augusto Fargus - WTCC refugees - ALMS winner Joey Hand and endurance specialist Dirk Werner.

Mercedes' and Audi's recent experience with the DTM logically puts BMW last in the pecking order, but given the long motorsport tradition all three brands have, none can be labelled-out.