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Spanish driver Daniel Juncadella won the annual Zandvoort Formula 3 Masters held on Sunday at Zanvoort, Netherlands, featuring the best F3 drivers from the British and Euroseries championships.

Daniel Juncadella (Photo: f3euroseries)

After claiming victory at the 2011 Macao Grand Prix - the other great F3 classic event - Juncadella was again victorious at Zandvoort on Sunday. Last year, he was forced to retired after he made contact at the start of the race with his teammate Roberto Mehri.

The Prema driver started from pole position, alongside fellow countryman Carlo Sainz Jr. But Sainz had a poor start, which allowed Juncadella's teammate Raffaele Marciello to move up to second.

Juncadella and Marciello captured a one-two finish for team Prema, while local heroe Hannes Van Asseldonk took third place. Juncadella became the first Spaniard to win the F3 Masters.

Final classification :
1 - Daniel Juncadella (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 25 laps in 39'28"564
2 - Raffaele Marciello (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 7"594
3 - Hannes Van Asseldonk (Dallara-Mercedes) - Fortec - 17"394
4 - Carlos Sainz (Dallara-Volkswagen) - Carlin - 18"473
5 - Pascal Wehrlein (Dallara-Mercedes) - Mucke - 22"008
6 - William Buller (Dallara-Volkswagen) - Carlin - 28"611
7 - Alex Lynn (Dallara-Mercedes) - Fortec - 29"450
8 - Michael Lewis (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 29"975
9 - Felix Rosenqvist (Dallara-Mercedes) - Mucke - 31"793
10 - Sven Muller (Dallara-Mercedes) - Prema - 32"613
Etc.

By clinching the 2012 edition of the New England Forest Rally, fifth and second to last round of the Rally America series, Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard have made it three for three and NEFR.

But they were still disappointed, coming off a perfect win, the reason being they lost their title bid to Dave Higgins, second in New England. His lead cannot be overcome anymore by the Canadian duo, who in turn, stretched a lead of its own, in the North American standings.

Antoine L'Estage, Mitsuhishi Lancer (Photo: Neil McDaid)

"I want to congratulate David Higgins, his co-driver Craig Drew, and their entire team for their 2012 Rally America title," acknowledged L'Estage. "They are great competitors and our battles are always intense but remain fun and very sportsmanlike."

Canadian rallyman Ugo Desgreniers reached the overall podium, after his fellow Canadian Rally Championship competitor Crazy Leo, third for most of the rally, landed his Subaru in a swamp.

In Super Production (SP), victory went to Ramana Lagemann et co-driver Christine Beavis. Australian Will Orders, from Melbourne, took top honours in the two-wheel drive (2WD) class.

New England Forest Rally results - Rally America

1. Antoine L'Estage / Nathalie Richard - 1h10min11.2s
2. David Higgins / Craig Drew + 21.0s
3. Ugo Desgreniers / Erik Kirby + 6min34.1s
4. Ramana Lagemann / Christine Beavis + 6min39.2s
5. Will Orders / Toni Feaver + 6min26.1s
6. Christopher Duplessis / Alexander Kihurani + 9min07.7s
7. David Sterckx / Karen Jankowski + 10min34.2s
8. Lauchlin O'Sullivan / Scott Putnam + 11min07.7s
9. Evan Cline Grzegorz Dorman + 11min57.6s
10. Andrew Comrie-Picard / Jeremy Wimpey + 12min08.0s

Sixty-six-year-old American Robert Russell had the surprise of his life recently while browsing on eBay, as he stumbled upon the Austin Healey 3000 which he had purchased in 1967, and which had been stolen from him three years later in 1970. Although he never gave up hope of finding it one day, he acknowledges that the probability was quite slim. '' It could have been abandoned or demolished,'' admits the sexagenarian.

He still had the original keys and title in his possession. Russell contacted police as soon as he made the discovery. The authorities explained to Russell that the serial number had been improperly inputted in the official records at the time. Upon further investigation and the correction of the information, authorities quickly moved-in and seized the vehicle at the selling vendor's location, before promptly restoring it to its rightful owner.

Purchased for $3,000 at the time, the car is now estimated to be worth nearly $24,000 in today's market.



Source: Autoblog

Here's a before-and-after taste of a 2012 Ford Mustang GT that received a new FlowMaster Outlaw exhaust system. There are simply no words to describe it; you have to listen to it!



For more information about the FlowMaster Outlaw, go to: www.americanmuscle.com

Confirmed by Mercedes-Benz CEO Dieter Zetsche, the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 will soon meet their match with the automaker's A-Class-Based compact SUV.

“Starting this production marks a new stage in our Mercedes-Benz growth strategy. The A-Class leads our offensive charge in the compact segment,” said Dieter Zetsche. “And there'll be more to come: the compact SUV will be the third model we are manufacturing here in Rastatt.”

According to different sources, the SUVs will be called GLA and will share the same 4-cylinder engine as the hatchback model. For its second wave expansion, Mercedes-Benz will invest $731 million in 2012 and in the following year - that's in addition to the $731 million that has already been invested to develop these new models.

Source: Carscoop

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The manufacturer will equip two of its three models with the smaller engines, including a 4-cylinder, not offered by Jaguar since 1948. "We have only V-8s in a market that has moved to six-cylinder", said Andy Goss, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover North America.

 On the XF sedan, Jaguar will offer a 2.0-litre, 240-hp turbocharged 4-cylinder - a serious rival to the BMW 5 Series and the Cadillac STS, among others. The 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 will be available on the XF (340-hp) and on the larger XJ (380-hp). These new engines will be teamed with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel economy ratings for these new engines will be released in August.

Source: Automotive News

I demonstrated Ford's Active Park Assist for my neighbour, using a 2013 Flex crossover. I actually put Peter in the driver's seat and had him cruise the street until the system alerted him to a parking space of sufficient size.

I then had Peter follow the simple instructions that are displayed on the navigation screen as the Flex cut the wheels right and left, backing into the spot with surgical precision. Peter was absolutely amazed at the accuracy of the system and the simplicity of its use.

Photo: Ford

After a few gleeful exclamations, a pall came over him as he lowered his voice and uttered, “This is bad for business.” I countered with a differing opinion, believing that active park assist programs are the next great step toward driverless cars.

Peter: “no... bad for my business!”

I should tell you that Peter's a registered massage therapist, owning a highly successful clinic. The way he sees it, if people no longer have to twist and contort in order to parallel park, they're less likely to seek massage therapy.

While Peter's comments were obviously made in jest, they illuminated a valid point. Aged drivers often find it difficult to adequately twist torso and neck to see where they're reversing. And there have certainly been times when back pain has interfered with my ability to do so.

A vehicle that can park itself could be of great benefit to seniors and those with limited mobility, such as me after a day of yard work. I'm sure that Ford won't put Peter on the street, I'm also sure that there will come a day when Peter will clamor for an active park system. We're all getting older, good thing that technology is getting wiser.

From GMM

Time is running out for McLaren to bounce back from its 2012 slump, according to former team champion Alain Prost.

Despite looking a title favourite early this year, Jenson Button dropped badly off the pace and even former championship leader Lewis Hamilton bemoaned the MP4-27's flagging development after a bad British grand prix.

"If they don't come back immediately, from Hockenheim, the next race, I think it's going to be difficult," Frenchman Prost, 57, told the Ria Novosti news agency.

He said Red Bull and Ferrari are now the obvious favourites in 2012.

"It looks like they (McLaren) do not understand what is happening with the new tires, which is not good news," added Prost.

Photo: McLaren

Another former multiple title winner, Niki Lauda, told the Daily Mirror that the slump is not Button and Hamilton's fault.

"They are both world champions and better than they were made to look at Silverstone," said the Austrian legend, who won his third title with McLaren in 1984.

He hailed Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, the current championship leader, as the "toughest" and "cleverest" driver in the field.

That will make it hard for the McLaren drivers, said Lauda.

"It's not the points difference that I'm talking about -- it's not over for them, but even if they score big Alonso won't be far behind, so to reduce the gap is going to difficult," he added.

Swiss commentator Marc Surer, meanwhile, said he thinks Alonso is almost matched for speed by F1's reigning back-to-back champion Sebastian Vettel.

But where the Spaniard has an advantage is in keeping his emotions in check, he added.

"When they (emotions) come after the race, that's ok," he told the German broadcaster Sky. "Emotions in the cockpit, however, are dangerous, because then you make mistakes.

"I have to say that, of the two, Alonso is probably the cooler," said Surer.

OAK Racing's Morgan-Nissan LMP2 took victory at the Donington Six Hours, Round 2 of the European Le Mans Series.

After the race in Zolder was cancelled due to the poor number of entries, the ELMS field was also low at Donington with only 13 cars at the start, including nine LMP2 prototypes, one GTE Pro, two GTE Am and one Formula Le Mans.

Nicolet and Lahaye clinched pole position in their OAK Morgan-Nissan, but it was their teammates Olivier Pla, Bertrand Baguette and Dimitri Enjalbert who took victory after six hours of racing.

The fight for victory was intense between eventual winners and the TDS' Oreca and the Murphy Prototypes' Oreca.

AF Corse's Ferrari F458 driven by Simonsen and Cocker captured victory in the GTE Pro class, and concluded the race in 8th position overall.

The GTE Am battle was won by IMSA Performance's Porsche 997, and the only Formula Le Mans car also reached the finish line.

Final classification:
1 - Pla/Baguette/Enjalbert (Morgan-Nissan) - OAK - 251 laps in 6h00'05"061 (1st LMP2)
2 - Beche/Thiriet (Oreca 03-Nissan) - TDS - 21"574

3 - Firth/Hughes/Hartley (Oreca 03-Nissan) - Murphy - 32"365

4 - Sarrazin/Minassian/Marroc (Oreca 03-Nissan) - Loeb Racing - 1 lap
5 - Kaffer/Ayari/Perez Companc (Oreca 03-Nissan) - Pecom - 5 laps
6 - Nicolet/Lahaye (Morgan-Judd) - OAK - 7 laps
7 - Brundle/Ordonez/Kimber-Smith (Zytek Z11SN-Nissan) - Greaves - 17 laps
8 - Simonsen/Cocker (Ferrari F458 Italia) - JMW - 19 laps (1st GTE Pro)
9 - Pons/Armindo/Narac (Porsche 997) - IMSA - 20 laps (1st GTE Am)

10 - Perazzini/Cioci/Griffin (Ferrari F458 Italia) - AF Corse - 21 laps
11 - Dagoneau/Battut/Hartshorne (Oreca FLM09) - BGR - 38 laps (1st Formula Le Mans).

No one can get enough of what the future holds. Here's an updated list of what awaits us for the 2013 model-year.

10. Chevrolet Spark

Photo: General Motors

Although we have our doubts as to how nice it'll play with the Cruze and the Sonic, the Spark's size and styling should make it entertaining, if nothing else, to drive in the city.

Continue reading Top 10 anticipated 2013 cars - UPDATED

From GMM

Nigel Stepney's almost certainly highly controversial account of the 'spygate' scandal looks set to be published late this year.

In the wake of the sacked and disgraced former Ferrari engineer's plans a few years ago to release an explosive autobiography, the publisher pulled out.

It was rumoured at the time that Ferrari requested the book be withdrawn.

Nigel Stepney confirmed that his former publisher had been "put under pressure" by an unnamed party.

But he vowed to press on with his account of what happened amid the famous espionage scandal involving McLaren and Mike Coughlan back in 2007.

An official book description at Amazon said 'Red Mist' will include "an in-depth and honest account of the recent 'Stepneygate' saga in his own words."

The German-language Speed Week said it should hit the shelves in time for Christmas.

Honda Canada claims that the fourth-generation Honda CR-V for 2012 is all new and it just happens to look similar to the third-generation Honda CR-V it replaces.

I suspect that by keeping the hard body build points the same and changing everything else, Honda was able to keep an economy of scale going so that the MSRP for 2012 would be lower than 2011 for a comparably equipped vehicle. Controlling the price is certainly beneficial when competitors such as the Toyota RAV4, the Hyundai Tucson and the Subaru Forester have all followed the same strategy.


Exterior and interior
The outside has probably been changed the least. Unless you are an aficionado or have the new and the old parked side by side, you are not going to really see the differences.

Probably the most noticeable change is in the decrease in width of the crease in the side panels. Changes to front and rear facia are most likely to be overlooked simply because there isn't a large enough difference to stand out.

Inside is a different story. From the second I opened the door, I could see that the interior had been upgraded. Leather seating materials felt better and the front seat was more comfortable than in the past. When I moved to the back seat, the seat cushion and the seatback come together better so that I didn't feel as if there was a gap in support at my lower spine.

Probably the most noticeable change is in the decrease in width of the crease in the side panels. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Driving
I can still get the 10-way power assisted driver's seat into a comfortable position in a few seconds. In fact, the only gripe our family had with the Honda CR-V was that our $35,090 Touring trim level was, as my side seat cruise control put it, “touring for one”; the passenger seat does not offer the same level of adjustment that the driver's seat does, and over long “touring” distances this can make a considerable difference in comfort.

The solution was easy: she drove and I got to fidget about in the seat! I have no idea what a 10-way passenger seat would cost, but even as an option it would be worth it.

Another aspect of touring is interior noise. Honda has put quite a bit of effort into making the interior a bit quieter. When you stop and think about the size of empty space behind the front seat and that it can often act as an echo chamber, you can see what Honda is up against.

Strategic use of sound-deadening material, different carpeting and different interior materials all mean that sound absorption is better than in previous generations. One of the ways we amused ourselves while driving was to pick up the different sounds made by the different pavements used on highways (some drives are REALLY boring). They were never very loud, but were always distinctive.

I can still get the 10-way power assisted driver's seat into a comfortable position in a few seconds. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Engine and transmission
Power for all Honda CR-Vs comes from a 2.4L inline four that puts out 185 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque on regular unleaded fuel. At first, this engine seemed a bit underpowered when mated with the 5-speed automatic, which is the only transmission used in the Honda CR-V.

Driving this combination takes a bit of getting used to; I had to learn where torque peaked, where the part throttle kick-down point was and how many gears the transmission would drop when I put it down to the floor to get passing gear. Once I got those variables under control, the Honda CR-V took on a new personality.

Power for all Honda CR-Vs comes from a 2.4L inline four that puts out 185 hp and 163 lb-ft of torque on regular unleaded fuel. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Handling
Since AWD is standard in the Touring model, I had an extra variable to put into the handling mix. The Honda CR-V did well for a small sized SUV when it came to cornering and could hold its own when accelerating out. It also drove nicely in traffic and responded equally well to puttering about (the i-VTEC motor does a great job).

With all this cornering and puttering about on our streets, the Honda CR-V has to have a pretty good suspension under it. Honda has recalibrated the suspension and ride quality when pushed has improved noticeably. That translates into better control at low speeds where you never think of it.

Getting in and out of parking spaces is easy; excellent visibility from the driver's seat and proper use of the large mirrors means you can change lanes, anticipate other driver's moves and generally have an easier time carving through traffic. Think of it as relaxed aggressive driving.

Since AWD is standard in the Touring model, I had an extra variable to put into the handling mix. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Conclusion
Priced from $25,990, the Honda CR-V is available in four different trim levels, two of which offer FWD or AWD. The EX-L and Touring come only with AWD. Touring is the only trim level to have a navigation system as part of the standard equipment package.

Long drive or short, touring or toodling about, put the Honda CR-V in its various trim levels on your must-drive list.

French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said the government is "looking for solutions" to help prop up car sales and soften PSA's decision to slash jobs and close a factory near Paris.

General Motors Vice Chairman and interim Opel CEO Stephen Girsky said changes have to be made at the carmaker to revitalize it, a German newspaper said, citing his e-mail to staff.

Next stop for the American Le Mans Series: Canada.

The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, or Mosport as it is formerly known, is the only Canadian stop on the ALMS calendar. For more than 40 years, the track has hosted several high profile series, the ALMS being only one of them.



Formula 1, IndyCar, Can-Am and World Endurance Championship and Trans-Am cars brought with them drivers such as Gilles Villeneuve, Jacky Ickx, Jacky Stewart, Frank Biela and A.J. Foyt.



The facilities, located in Bowmanville (Ontario), nowadays also feature a karting facility and an oval.

Still, to this day, the Mazda CX-9 surprises, but only those that give it chance. Somehow, this large crossover misses the mark as it should sell better than it currently does.

At roughly 100 units a month on average, the CX-9 is outsold three times over by the Toyota Highlander. Another close competitor is the Chevrolet Traverse that GM manages to deliver nearly five times more in the same period of time. Yet, we at Auto123.com picked and would probably pick it again over its competition.


It's got the look
The 2012 Mazda CX-9 is far better looking up close than it is from far. Unlike many cars on the road, the CX-9 requires an extra moment of attention to be fully appreciated. This may be one of the reasons why the take rate is lower than it should be.

The right colors and shadows accent the vehicle's voluptuous curves and highlight the handsome 20” wheels. The cabin is nothing but elegance and proper modern design.

Well appointed and crafted, it'll accommodate up to seven passengers without batting an eyelash. The seats are fairly comfortable, good for the long haul. Fit and finish are without reproach and the overall build quality is superior to most other Mazda products and a number of the players in the category as we found out first hand in the course of last year's seven-passenger SUV comparison test.

The right colors and shadows accent the vehicle's voluptuous curves and highlight the handsome 20” wheels. (Photo: Mazda)

It's got the power
Every competitor in the segment offers up a V6 engine. The CX-9 follows the trend and proposes one of the largest-capacity V6s with a 3.7L. Its 273 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque do not make it the most powerful; however, the big ‘ute has the get up and go to keep things interesting.

Handling is actually one of the 2012 Mazda CX-9's fortes. The fully independent suspension and meaty tires keep the large galoot on the straight and narrow, all the while allowing for more fun times behind the wheel than would be expected from a seven-seater vehicle with a curb weight of 4,550 lbs (or 2,068 kg).

With girth and grunt comes fuel consumption. On a long, mostly highway travelled road trip, the CX-9 gulped 12L/100km. At an average cruising speed of 110 km/h, the 6-speed autobox keeps engine revs low but, unfortunately, it's not enough bring the number anywhere near the 9.0L/100km mark predicted by Mazda.

Handling is actually one of the 2012 Mazda CX-9's fortes. (Photo: Mazda)

It's got cosseting power
The 2012 Mazda CX-9 caters to just about every need a family could have, including keep everybody on board sane on a long road trip.

Not only are the seats cozy but the ride is smooth enough not to wake those that may have dosed off. The well insulated cabin remains quiet well into highway velocities.

Take it for a test drive
Once more, although not an obvious pick in the segment, the CX-9 really deserves more attention than it gets.

Even if I repeat myself until I'm blue in the face, the fact remains that Mazda's big crossover will never be a sales leader in its segment. I suspect that, now that the CX-7 will see its plug pulled thanks to the ever-increasingly popular CX-5, the next CX-9 will be a very different beast.

Regardless, at $36,395, the 2012 CX-9's pricing is smack-dab in the middle of the pack. The tested GT with all-wheel drive and the Navigation package chimes in at $48,420, and ends up being a relative bang-for-the-buck bargain. With the same level of kit, some competitors are nearly $4,000 more.

Vauxhall, a European subsidiary of General Motors, will launch the new ADAM subcompact hatchback at the Paris Auto Show in September. And sources say this Fiat 500 rival could eventually be sold in North America as a Buick.

The three-door, four-passenger ADAM will make its market debut in the UK early next year with a choice of three trim levels - JAM (entry-level), GLAM (classier), and SLAM (sportier). Their gasoline engine will produce 70, 87 and 100 horsepower, respectively.

Much like Fiat, Vauxhall promises a wide selection of customization options, both inside and out.

Pricing has yet to be announced.

Source: Autoguide

Photo: Vauxhall / Fiat

Mercedes duo Jamie Green and Ralf Schumacher take win in the final round of the first day of the showcase event presented in Munich.

Drivers were paired after the qualifying rounds, according to their car and fastest lap. Thus, the best driver from each manufacturer was teamed with the fourth fastest, and the second with third quickest. Fifth and sixth fastest were eliminated.

After beating the pair Miguel Molina / Mattias Ekström (Audi) in quarterfinals, and then the duo of Gary Paffett / Christian Vietoris (Mercedes), Jamie Green and Ralf Schumacher emerged in the final against the Audi of Timo Scheider and Adrien Tambay.

Canadian driver Bruno Spengler (BMW) was associated with Augusto Farfus, the two men being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Scheider and Tambay, eventual finalists. Robert Wickens (Mercedes) was eliminated after the qualification rounds.

Although Brad Keselowski was dominant, he had some help from lapped traffic holding off Kevin Harvick for the Nationwide Series win at New Hampshire.

Austin Dillon finished third and took home the $100,000 Nationwide Dash 4 Cash bonus.

Keselowski led a race-high 131 laps but gave up the lead on restart on lap 155 when Harvick made contact with Amber Cope who was running 33-laps back.

"The 24 (Cope) every time you come to her she don't know whether she is going high or low," he said. "She wants to be Danica Patrick, but can't hold her helmet," said Harvick. It was Cope's second Nationwide race.

After Harvick's contact Keselowski retook the lead with 26 laps to go and sailed to the victory. It was a clean sweep for Keselowski, who took the pole earlier in the day - his third straight Nationwide Series pole at "The Magic Mile."

It was Keselowski's 19th victory in 182 Nationwide races, which ranks 15th on the all-time series wins list.

"Kevin (Harvick) raced me hard and there are very few guys that I'd like to race more than Kevin. He's a lot of fun to race with. I caught a little bit of a break in lapped traffic. That's the way it goes. You're always going to have some traffic.

"You're always going to have those that don't know where you're at. That's part of this series, different driver learning and trying to pick up their awareness on the race track."

"We've had great runs in the past, but we couldn't close the deal," said Keselowski, who now has two victories and nine top-10s this season. "It feels great to finally close the deal. It's a good two days on the Nationwide side - hopefully we can carry it over into Sunday and get another win."

Sam Hornish Jr. (Keselowski's teammate) finished fourth and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. the defending series champ finished fifth. After the race Stenhouse collapsed due to dehydration and exhaustion.

"I feel OK now," Stenhouse said after being released after being released from the track care centre. "They gave me some fluids and got good to go. I think just being a little sick all week, not eating much and not drinking enough fluids caught up with me after the race.

"I think we'll be good to go now."

Elliott Sadler, who finished seventh still holds the series points lead over Dillon by three points, and by 16 over Stenhouse.

Mattias Ekström (Audi) wins the individual trophy presented in Munich's Olympic stadium, after he defeated Jamie Green's Mercedes in final.

To reach the final, the Swede took down Joey Hand (BMW), Martin Tomczyk (BMW), and then Gary Paffett (Mercedes).

Jamie Green (Mercedes), the other finalist, who had won the team trophy on Saturday alongside teammate Ralf Schumacher, defeated Filipe Albuquerque (Audi), Mike Rockenfeller (Audi) and Bruno Spengler (BMW).

It was a disappointing day for Spengler, who was dominated in the first part of the semi-final, then back in the lead after his team BMW did a better tire change, but eventually out anyway.

The Canadian driver lost time when he went a bit wide in the antepenultimate lap (out of five), which allowed Green to take the lead back, and eventually win to reach the final.

Robert Wickens (Mercedes), the other Canadian on track in Munich, defeated Timo Scheider's Audi in the first round, but lost in the next round against Tomczyk.