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It was obvious to Sergio Marchionne last summer that a day of reckoning in Europe was near. Last week, an avalanche of restructuring announcements showed that Marchionne seems to have the right polish on his crystal ball. Europe has run out of time.

According to Rowland French, director of the Top Gear Festival, held in South Africa last weekend, the double loop was a first.

"We've pulled off some pretty outrageous stunts in the past but this was by far the most audacious yet. We were all holding our breaths as the buggy approached the first loop [...] The maths, though, said it was possible to twice defy gravity... but only if we got everything exactly right. Thankfully, we proved our meticulous calculations were right and, having successfully pulled off this crazy Deadly 720, we've now made some more history."

In order to make it through, the buggy had to keep speed steady between 38.6 and 41.8 km/h. Slower than that, the vehicle would have fallen off as it reached the top of the loop. Faster than that, the extra G-forces could have knocked the driver out.

Furthermore, the buggy had to maintain a speed in the the first loop that would allow him to carry momentum into the second.

The stunt was pulled off in front of 15,000 people at the Moses Mahbida Stadium of Durban.

Mitsubishi is launching its new Outlander PHEV at the next Paris Motor Show, held September 29 to October 14.

The Outlander PHEV is Mitsubishi's first rechargeable hybrid - the Japanese brand is adamant the petrol/electric hybrid option was the smarter choice over diesel for the global market.

The Outlander PHEV will also be the first ever four-wheel drive electric vehicle in series production.

At the front are two engines - an electric and a petrol one - propelling the front wheels. At the back, is a second electric motor. The vehicle can therefore be driven according to three different modes, combining the three engines: the all-electric Pure, the petrol engine-supported Serie and the electric motor-supported Parallel.

According to Mitsubishi, the Outlander PHEV has an 800-kilometre range and its carbon dioxide target is below 50g/km.

No word yet on the car's performances or price range. It should arrive in European dealerships starting some time in 2013.

Source: turbo.fr

Photo: Mitsubishi

"Since its introduction in 2009, the second-generation Kia Sorento has achieved more than 620,000 sales around the world.  Today, it is manufactured in Korea and the USA, attracting over 130,000 U.S. customers last year to rank as the best-selling Kia model in the States for the second year in a row," commented Thomas Oh, Kia's executive vice president and chief operating officer of the International Business division. 

"We have given very careful attention to owners' feedback, and the upgraded Sorento is not just a cosmetic exercise but a major step forward for our popular SUV."

The car features a new chassis, and a new exterior look thanks to LED headlamps and 19-inch alloy wheels. The manufacturer promises an updated powertrain; more fuel-efficient and better on carbon dioxide emissions.

5- and 7-passenger configurations stay the same, but the new Kia Sorento adds a 7-inch screen, a larger panoramic roof and additional safety features to the mix, as well as a choice of black or brown, leather or fabric for the interior.

The Sorento will debut this fall in the United Kingdom; no word yet either on price or performance figures.

Photo: Kia

Photo: Kia

Hyundai recently made public prices for the Elantra's latest: the 2013 GT and Coupe models.

Among the equipment standard on both models stands the fuel-efficient, 1.8L 148-horsepower powerplant, a choice of automatic or manual 6-speed gearbox, front leather heated seats, climate control, Bluetooth connectivity and more.

Photo: Hyundai

Safety-wise, every GT version comes standard with seven airbags, which include knee protection for the driver. And for the first time, Hyundai offers a steering with driver-selectable modes. Many other features, standard or optional, come with the Elantra models.

Here are the prices:

Model	Transmission	Price
GL	M6	$ 19 149.00
GL	A6	$ 20 349.00
GLS	M6	$ 21 349.00
GLS	A6	$ 22 549.00
SE	A6	$ 24 349.00
SE avec ensemble Tech	A6	$ 26 349.00

Model	Transmission	Price
GLS	M6	$ 19,949.00
GLS	A6	$ 21,149.00
SE	A6	$ 25,199.00

Leonardo Fioravanti, the designer of the Ferrari Daytona and 288 GTO, has a new job on his hands: transforming Beijing Auto into a global premium car brand.

Andretti Autosport Ryan Hunter-Reay earned his first IZOD IndyCar Series victory this Saturday at the famed Milwaukee Mile.

Althought the rain delayed the start of the race by at least 90 minutes, Hunter-Reay was one of the fastest driver right from the outset and he finally took over the lead when he passed Helio Castroneves (Penske) on lap 141 and never looked back.

Tony Kanaan (KV Racing) came in second but with a margin of more than 5.1029s behind Hunter-Reay.

Hunter-Reay's teammate, Canadian James Hinchcliffe was able to secure the third spot; allowing him to move into second in the championship standings.

EJ Viso (KV Racing) and Castroneves rounded out the top five.

Difficult race for both Ganassi drivers as pole-sitter Dario Franchitti was involved in an incident with Ryan Briscoe (Penske) when both car touched and Franchitti ended up in the wall on lap 193.

As for Scott Dixon, he was given a drive-through penalty for jumping a restart but after the race, the series acknowledged that they had made a mistake. Too little, too late, although he had climbed from 21st to third before his penalty, he had to settle for 11th at the end of the race.

Series leader Will Power (Penske), finished his day's work in 12th.



Race results* - IndyCar (Milwaukee)

1 - Ryan Hunter-Reay (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 225 laps

2 - Tony Kanaan (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - KV - 5.1029s

3 - James Hinchcliffe (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 7.2715s
4 - Oriol Servia (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - D&R - 9.8940s
5 - EJ Viso (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - KV - 10.0782s

6 - Helio Castroneves (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 12.1105s

7 - Alex Tagliani (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Herta - 12.3440s
8 - Ed Carpenter (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Carpenter - 12.7396s
9 - Graham Rahal (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 13.3395s

10 - Rubens Barrichello (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - KV - 13.8178s

11 - Scott Dixon (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 14.3764s

12 - Will Power (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 24.2642s
13 - Simon Pagenaud (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Schmidt - 1 lap

14 - Ryan Briscoe (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Penske - 1 lap
15 - Marco Andretti (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Andretti - 1 lap

16 - Mike Conway (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Foyt - 1 lap

17 - Charlie Kimball (Dallara DW12-Honda) - Ganassi - 1 lap
18 - Katherine Legge (Dallara DW12-Chevy) - Dragon - 5 laps



Retirements


Lap 193 - Dario Franchitti
Lap 107 - Takuma Sato

Lap 106 - James Jakes
Lap 105 - JR Hildebrand
Lap 93 - Justin Wilson
Lap 62 - Simona de Silvestro

Lap 48 - Josef Newgarden



Championship


1. Power 274; 2. Hinchcliffe 243; 3. Dixon 239; 4. Hunter-Reay 233; 5. Castroneves 231; 6. Pagenaud 216; 7. Franchitti 205; 8. Kanaan 200; 9. Briscoe 193; 10. Servia 173.

*Unofficial scoring

Although summer hasn't officially started Joey Logano has turned up the heat in NASCAR. On Saturday he held off James Buescher to win the Nationwide Race at Michigan International Speedway.

It was his fourth series win in five races, fifth this season and second victory in six days after winning the Sprint Cup race in Pocono.

When asked how it is that he is on such a streak, Logano answered "I've just had a lot of confidence in myself lately and my abilities and knowing what I can do," Logano who drives a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing said. "There hasn't been an opportunity that we let slip up yet.

"Obviously I've got a great team. I've got a great crew chief on the Cup side with Jason (Ratcliff) and Adam (Stevens) over here, have been doing two awesome jobs and working together really well and making both programs rise up to where it needs to be. We're just capitalizing on every opportunity we got right now."

Logano was masterful on the restarts and Buescher knew it.

"We took a shot at it at the end," Buescher said. "As long as you're in position, that's all you can ask for."

Kurt Busch fresh from his one-week NASCAR suspension finished third surviving an early incident which involved him and Danica Patrick.

"I felt like we did the best we could with that damage from that first spin by Danica," said Busch. "I didn't see where she was in the top groove and a bunch of us were on the bottom side racing hard. I hit the back of the 22 (Brad Keselowski).

"We had to work our way back up from all that repair work and worked our way back up a couple times from starting in the back and brought the Monster Energy car home in third today.

"A little too much damage I thought when I got out of the car and looked at it I was like, 'Woo, that was definitely slowing us up on the straightaway a little bit.' The hood wasn't sealed to the nose so it was a great finish all in all with all the teamwork that went into it -- good, solid pit stops.

"The restart before the final one, I was on the inside and went from third to eighth and then the restart on the final one, I went from eighth back up to third."

Gareth Roberts, Craig Breen's co-driver, has been killed in an accident while competing the Targa Florio aboard a Peugeot 207 S2000.

The accident occurred in the eight stage of the fifth round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in Sicily. The car hit the guardrail on a left hand curve while standing in sixth position. 24-year-old Roberts was killed, while his driver was unhurt in the accident.

The event was stopped, with Skoda driver Jan Kopecky declared the winner.

In 1927, General Motors became the first automaker to create a dedicated automotive design team. Eighty-five years later this month, GM will pay tribute to the 1,900 current employees at his 10 global design centres around the world.

''Our global team is united around its passion for designing vehicles that make an emotional connection with customers,'' said Ed Welburn, vice president, Global Design. ''What was true 85 years ago is still true today.''

Here's a photo gallery that highlights GM's rich design history:

1951 Buick LeSabre Show Car (Photo: General Motors)

André Lotterer, Benoît Treluyer and Marcel Fassler win the 24 Hours of Le Mans aboard their Audi R18 e-tron hybrid.

The three drivers take their second Le Mans win in a row, and give Audi its first victory with the hybrid system. Kistensen, McNish and Capello, aboard the sister car, made it a 1-2.

Before settling for second because of an little off by McNish, two hours from the finish, the three veterans were seriously pressuring their teammates.

Audi went as far as sweeping the podium, thanks to the R18 Ultra diesel driven by Bonanomi, Rockenfeller and Jarvis that took third place ahead of the team Rebellion's Lola-Toyota (Heidfeld, Jani and Prost), fourth and best petrol-powered car.

The fourth Audi, the Ultra diesel driven by Dumas, Gene and Duval, settled for fifth; the car having went off twice during the race.

The two Toyota TS030 were a threat for Audi in the early hours of the contest, until the No. 8 car had a huge crash with Anthony Davidson at the wheel. Later on, the No. 7 was also forced to retire with engine issues.

In the LMP2 class, victory went to Team Starworks' HPD ARX driven by Potolicchio, Dalziel and Kimber Smith, who inherited the lead after the dominant OAK Racing's Morgan-Judd was hit by technical issues.

In GTE Pro, after the best performance in qualifying was set by Luxury Racing's Ferrari F458, it was AF Corse's Ferrari, driven by Giancarlo Fisichella, Gianmaria Bruni and Toni Vilander, that emerged in the lead, to take class victory.

Finally, the GTE Am class offered a thrilling finish, with a great duel between Larbre Competition's Corvette and IMSA Performance's Porsche 997. The Corvette decisively took the lead only fifteen minutes to the end.



Le Mans 24 Hours - Final classification :

1. Lotterer-Fassler-Treluyer (Audi R18 E-Tron) - Audi - 378 tours (1st LMP1)
2. McNish-Capello-Kristensen (Audi R18 E-Tron) - Audi + 1 lap

3. Jarvis-Bonanomi-Rockenfeller (Audi R18 Ultra) - Audi + 3 laps

4. Prost-Jani-Heidfeld (Lola-Toyota) - Rebellion +11 laps

5. Gene-Dumas-Duval (Audi R18 Ultra) - Audi + 12 laps

6. Brabham-Chandhok-Dumbreck (HPD ARX-Honda) - JRM - 21 laps

7. Potolicchio/Dalziel/Kimber-Smith (HPD ARX-Honda) - Starworks - 24 laps (1st LMP2)

8. Thiriet/Beche/Tinseau (Oreca-Nissan) - TDS - 25 laps
9. Perez-Companc/Kaffer/Ayari (Oreca-Nissan) - Pecom - 26 laps
10. Ragues/Panciatici/Rusinov (Oreca-Nissan) - Signatech - 27 laps
(...)
17. Fisichella/Bruni/Vilander (Ferrari 458) - AF Corse - 42 laps (1st GTE Pro)
18. Makowiecki/Melo/Farnbacher (Ferrari 458) - Luxury - 45 laps (1st GTE Am)
Etc.

33 cars classified

Among many other things, the 2012 Kia Rio is a bit of rolling proof that owning a small car doesn't have to be a great big buzz-kill.


Small cars are big business in Canada, and shoppers are more educated and passionate than ever. Owning a fuel-efficient compact no longer means settling for a four-wheeled appliance that surrounds occupants with nasty grey plastic. Drivers want small cars they can show off - even if they're practical and don't have enough horsepower to vaporize a set of tires.

Kia's designers and product planners are aware of this.

First impressions? There are more aggressive and meaner looking rides in the price range, but the tested 2012 Kia Rio Sedan checked all the right boxes as a slightly sporty and upscale looking little machine. It's got big wheels, LED headlight accents, dual exhaust outlets and fog lamps, all adding a bit of flair.

On board
It's inside where potential shoppers are likely to fall in love. Breaking from the norm with cheap vehicles, the tester featured such things as contrasting colours, different textures and soft-touch surfaces.

There's also contrasting stitching on the heated leather seats, sport pedals, and a modern, depthy and three-dimensional look. Rio is cheap but well-dressed with a cabin that hits above its weight and could teach many an affordable car a lesson.

Drivers also get adult-friendly rear seats that fold as needed, proper cupholders, and an above-average level of at-hand storage for their wallet, change, cell phone and Tic Tacs. Also fitted were plugs to connect and recharge multimedia goodies or phones, and steering-wheel-mounted controls to work them.

There's room enough for four adults on a road trip, and a deep, large trunk rounds out the package.

It's inside where potential shoppers are likely to fall in love. (Photo: Kia)

Loaded for less than $22,000
The loaded tester also got a full driver computer with fuel economy readouts, automatic lights, automatic climate control and keyless, push-button start.

A backup camera helps prevent running stuff over, satellite navigation keeps things on course, and Bluetooth streaming audio and a heated steering wheel dial up convenience and comfort.

The last car I drove with the latter few features together was an Audi that cost as much as my house. But opt for the fully loaded Rio SX at about $21,700 including the navigation package, and these advanced features are all tossed in.

A backup camera helps prevent running stuff over. (Photo: Kia)

GDI Power
And the good stuff isn't all in the cabin, either. Rio's 1.6L four-cylinder engine uses Gasoline Direct Injection technology for maximum energy extraction from every molecule of fuel it burns. Automakers around the world have been using this technology for a while, but Kia's one of the first to make it available on the cheap.

There's even a driver selectable 'Active Eco' system that numbs the throttle and lowers the transmission shift points to help save fuel at the expense of a little responsiveness.

Jam on it, and performance is modest but adequate. The Rio's new powerplant reserves plenty of pull for higher revs where the engine can sound harsh and strained, but overall performance is decent.

My 3,500-km test included lots of zippy highway driving and pegged observed mileage at 7.4L/100km. That's respectable in the hands of my lead foot.

Rio's 1.6L four-cylinder engine uses Gasoline Direct Injection technology for maximum energy extraction from every molecule of fuel it burns. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

The drive
This won't shock anyone, but Rio isn't a machine engineered to set the driving enthusiast's soul on fire. It drives as well as it needs to, but dynamics aren't the priority. The 6-speed automatic is gentle and shifts cleanly, the brakes bite well, and steering is light and slightly sporty, albeit a little vague thanks to the electric assist.

Wind and road noise were kept down fairly well, adding to an upscale driving experience. The suspension is softly sporty, not too mushy and not too harsh. The tester's big wheels didn't do the ride quality any favours on rougher surfaces, though.

A value leader
Functionality, value and upscale styling are likely the biggest draws here. The Rio boasts one of the best cabins in its price range, blended with one of the most comprehensive features lists in its price range. And it's got more fuel-saving technology under the hood than virtually anything on this side of 30 grand.

Functionality, value and upscale styling are likely the biggest draws here. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

I'm cheap. I wear clothes two days in a row, shop at Wal-Mart and use a ruler to squeeze every drop of toothpaste out of the tube. My favorite restaurant has a $1.99 menu.

So, that makes me value-conscious, I think. And that's probably why I related so well to the little Rio.

I guessed the price of my assigned tester a few thousand more than it actually was. And I'm usually pretty good at guessing a car's price. All said, when it comes to getting a lot for not that much, Rio makes a lot of sense.

Check it out alongside the Ford Fiesta, the Chevrolet Sonic and the Nissan Versa Sedan.

Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Turbo

Nissan Versa 1.6 SV Sedan

Ford Fiesta Sedan

Aussie Marcos Ambrose has done something not accomplished by any American in NASCAR in 25 years.

Driving a Richard Petty Motorsport Ford Ambrose won the pole at Michigan International Speedway at 203.241 mph. It was the 11th fastest pole in NASCAR and first at a non-restrictor plate track.

The last time any driver had such a lap was Bill Elliott's 203.827 mph at Talladega in 1987. Only two other drivers have won a pole at over 200mph, Cale Yarborough and Benny Parsons.

"There is no I in team and I am part of a great car to get this pole today. We've had a great car from the moment we got here. We've gotten under some things that really helped my feel behind the wheel and allowed us to get better setups.

"We knew we had a good car going into today's session and I just needed to do the same thing I did yesterday at the end of the second practice. We threw down a lap and played a good strategy."

It was Ambrose's first Sprint Cup Pole.

Kevin Harvick was second quick in the Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet at 202.037 mph followed by Greg Biffle in a Roush Fenway Racing Ford at 201.826 mph.

There were 18 drivers over the 200 mph threshold and 38 beating the previous track record set by Ryan Newman (194.232 mph), set in 2005.

Ambrose may not have too much time to enjoy his achievement as Goodyear brought a new left side tire due to complaints of blistering at the newly repaved track. NASCAR allowed an additional 75-minute practice session on Saturday evening help set up the cars for Sunday's 400 miler at the two mile oval.

"I promised myself after winning Watkins Glen that I was going to win on an oval before I got to the next road course race because I wanted to get that monkey off my back and prove to the world that I am an oval driver and road course racer," Ambrose added.

"I have Sunday to get that done so the pressure is on (Sonoma is the next race)."

David Stremme and Tracy Compton failed to qualify.

DJ Kennington dominated the Clarington 200 at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park ovale on Saturday - scoring his 12th career win in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series race.

Kennington, who had qualified fifth, had to drop to the back of the field for the start of the race after making unapproved adjustments to his car.

By lap 27, he was already in the top 5 in his No. 17 Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge and took the lead a quarter of the way through the race.

Mark Dilley finished second while JR Fitzpatrick finishing third. Jeff Lapcevich and Jason Hathaway were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Two-time NASCAR Canadian champion Andrew Ranger, was able to place his car in seventh in a race where he had qualified in 9th.

Defending series champion Scott Steckly, who won last year's event, encountered mechanical trouble before the race started and was a few laps down to the leader throughout the race, finishing 14th.

With his win, Kennington edged in front of Fitzpatrick by one point in the championship standings. Ranger is third, with Steckly fourth and L.P. Dumoulin fifth.

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series is right back on the track on Saturday, June 23 at Delaware (Ont.) Speedway for the EMCO 200 presented by Niagara Plumbing Supply and McKeough Supply.



Race results - NCTS Clarington 200

1. D.J. Kennington Castrol Edge/Mahindra Tractors Dodge
2. Mark Dilley PartSource/BDI/Leland Ford
3. J.R. Fitzpatrick Equipment Express Chevrolet
4. Jeff Lapcevich Tim Hortons Dodge
5. Jason Hathaway Snap-on Tools/Vortex Brake Pads Dodge
6. Steve Mathews Bill Mathews Motors Ford
7. Andrew Ranger Dodge/GC Motorsports Dodge
8. Ron Beauchamp, Jr. Mopar/Mobil 1 Dodge
9. Steve Côté White Motorsports Chevrolet
10. Noel Dowler EMCO-Kohler/Rheem Dodge
Etc.

From GMM

F1 television pundit and Toyota driver Anthony Davidson is in hospital after a huge airborne crash during the fabled Le Mans 24 hour race.

The 33-year-old former Super Aguri driver, whilst at the wheel of the No. 08 Toyota TS030 hybrid prototype sports car late on Saturday, was taken to the medical centre after the incident involving a GT runner that was being lapped.

Briton Davidson's car became airborne before it smashed into the barrier at the high-speed Mulsanne corner, at the end of the famous Mulsanne straight where cars reach over 330 km/h.

"Doctors at the circuit have confirmed that Anthony is suffering from shock and back pain, however there are no signs of any injuries and he is walking and talking with no problems," Toyota said in a statement.

But Davidson, who is a pundit for British Sky television at grands prix and also still a development driver for Mercedes GP, was later taken to hospital for checks.

Toyota said he was visited by his teammate Sebastien Buemi, Red Bull's F1 reserve and a former Toro Rosso driver.

"He (Davidson) will stay in hospital until Monday," the Japanese marque added.

UPDATE: Many sources have confirmed that Davidon suffers from two broken vertabrae.

and#8220;It always rains at Le Mans.and#8221; Those are the words echoing through my head as we caravan to the 8.4-mile track in a fleet of Audi Q7s. The clouds look low, but there are blotches of blue, so maybe we can get there dry.

The Petersen Automotive Museum is staging an exhibition called Aerodynamics: From Art to Science, running from late June 2012 to May 2013.

When Erik Berkman, Honda's new chief for North America research and development, receives a text message, he sees a background image of the automaker's V-6 IndyCar racing engine.

Ford expects the Brazilian auto market to set a new sales record by the end of the year despite a sluggish start, as recent tax breaks and record-low interest rates jumpstart stagnant business at dealerships.

Honda watchers counting on a restyled 2013 Accord to reignite the Japanese automaker's sales spark in the United States may be disappointed by the first spy images emerging of the sedan.