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News 2 Aug, 2012

Team GB-inspired version of the MINI Rocketman is on display at the Olympic Park

Why these special stories on mobility? According the U.S. Census, nearly 10 million people age 18 to 64 have an ambulatory difficulty that could affect their ability to drive.

News 2 Aug, 2012

Abarth introduces new 595 Turismo and 595 Competizione editions, and drops the price of the standard Abarth 500, too

Despite a slow start, July came through with another increase in US light vehicle sales. Volume rose 8.9%, producing a SAAR of 14.09m, a 1.69m-unit jump from July 2011.

Pictures 2 Aug, 2012

VW finalized the purchase of the Porsche auto business, ending a seven-year saga that saw VW turn the tables on the maker of the 911 sports car. VW paid Porsche SE 4.49 billion euros and one common share for a 50.

News 2 Aug, 2012

New Vauxhall Astra-based cabriolet has been spied ahead of its Paris Motor Show debut

Pictures 2 Aug, 2012

Continental raised forecasts for revenue and profitability this year after a decline in raw-material costs and growth in sales helped second-quarter profit. Revenue will rise more than 7 percent to exceed 32.5 billion euros.

Efforts by PSA and Fiat to end losses in Europe could cost more than 500,000 people their jobs as automakers and parts suppliers grapple with the effects of the European sovereign debt crisis.

Fiat declined to give any details on its future investments because of the economic downturn and slumping car sales in Europe.

Turkish automaker Ford Otosan posted a net profit down 13 percent year-on-year to

From GMM

Former F1 driver Karl Wendlinger has admitted he has been impressed with Kimi Raikkonen in 2012.

After sitting out two full grand prix seasons while he forayed in world rallying and Nascar, F1's 2007 title winner returned with Lotus this year and after the first half of the calendar is within reach of the top of the standings.

"He is at a very high level," Austrian Karl Wendlinger, who raced with Sauber in the mid-90s, said on Red Bull-owned Servus TV.

"After a two year break, to have a lot of podiums already is sensational. He is very fast in the races and again and again is going for the wins. I think everyone up to and including Raikkonen in fifth place can still fight for this championship," Wendlinger, also referring to Lewis Hamilton, the Red Bull drivers and title leader Fernando Alonso, added.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

Karl Wendlinger, now 41, admits Raikkonen is "quiet" and has not always had the best reputation in terms of how dedicated he is to his chosen sport.

But he insisted: "Kimi was not world champion for nothing. His lifestyle was maybe not the best, but whoever can fight in the temperatures we saw in Hungary until the last lap must be in good condition."

Martin Brundle, also a former grand prix driver and now a commentator for British television Sky, admitted he was impressed with Raikkonen's "face like a wet Monday morning" after missing out on the win in Hungary.

"It really impresses me that he takes that much pain on what by any standards is a very successful return," said the Briton.

From GMM

Alongside the high-profile champions Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button, a hatful of candidates are also in the running to secure the second Ferrari seat next year.

That is the claim of Blick (Switzerland) and La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy) newspapers, admitting that Raikkonen and Button are much more likely to stay with their respective current teams - Lotus and McLaren - in 2013.

According to Gazzetta, that leaves candidates like Nico Hulkenberg, Paul di Resta, Heikki Kovalainen and Kamui Kobayashi.

Another driver who this week has confirmed he might be in the running is Sergio Perez, the young Mexican who already races a Ferrari-powered Sauber, and who is the cream of Ferrari's driver development 'academy'.

"If there is an opportunity with them (Ferrari) or another team then it's the time to know," the 22-year-old was quoted on Wednesday by the Press Association.

Sergio Perez alongside Fernando Alonso on the Malaysian podium. (Photo: WRi2)

As the rest of the auto world turns to turbo to save on fuel, Mazda went the opposite direction by increasing engine compression and reducing vehicle weight. And it works!


Improved, yet again
Just as popular as when it first came out in 2004, the multi-award winning Mazda3 is a prime example of continual improvement. And with the debut of the SKYACTIV system this year, Mazda is taking a new look at fuel economy.

The 2012 Mazda3 GS-SKY's 2.0L engine, producing 155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque, is responsive yet not at all a gas guzzler, consuming, on average, a low 7.5L/100km. This is a first for Mazda, typically known to offer somewhat less fuel efficient cars than its competitors.

The newly modified transmission has been slimmed down. As a result, it's a pleasure to drive, but still aggressive. While driving, you can really feel the bite when you change gears, there is no time lost between shifts. These seamless changes make you feel like switching gears is as natural as can be - a feeling that can convert an automatic transmission lover over to the manual transmission side.

The debut of the SKYACTIV system this year, Mazda is taking a new look at fuel economy. (Photo: Marie-Andrée Ayotte)

About SKYACTIV
Now 10% lighter, the engine and ignition have also been re-examined. Rather than cut back on the amount of fuel injected by increasing air volume with a turbo, the compression ratio in the engine has been intensified while friction has been reduced. By re-thinking the process by which air and fuel are mixed together, the engine consumption rate has been improved. A now longer 4-2-1 exhaust system keeps exhaust out and maintains the engine at a lower temperature, a bonus for better ignition control.

The redesigned 6-speed automatic transmission is also lighter. In fact, not only has its size been reduced, Mazda has optimized it for a FWD vehicle. Less friction between parts means gains in fuel efficiency. Obviously, much attention was paid to user comfort.

The car body itself has not escaped this slimming down effort either, losing 8% of its weight. According to Mazda, the chassis is also 15% lighter.

Quite quiet
I appreciate the trouble Mazda took to soundproof the car. Ambient noise doesn't bother us, and neither does the din of a heavy rain shower pummelling down on the car. Wide open, the sunroof lets in just a little noise - the soothing sound of a gentle breeze. Still, our eardrums stay unabused even when we accelerate. All in all, the Mazda3 is nice and quiet.

Mostly black with some silver trim, the passenger cabin is also nice, light and easy on the eyes; details are scarce and nothing stands out in particular. To quote Wladimir Wolf-Gozin: "Simplicity is perfection in disguise," though some would blame the Mazda's simplicity on a lack of imagination.

Ambient noise doesn't bother us, and neither does the din of a heavy rain shower pummelling down on the car. (Photo: Marie-Andrée-Ayotte)

Affordable technology
This Mazda 3 starts at $15,595. With SKYACTIV technology, the minimum cost for the GS-Sky model is $18,995. Standard equipment includes rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic headlights, heated mirrors, and heated front seats.

By fully loading the car with options, you can jump to $22,390, which is quite reasonable if you compare it to the competition. Ford's equivalent to a SKYACTIV Mazda3, the Focus with manual transmission, will cost you $24,599. At Honda, it's $20,185 for the manual Civic EX.

One good (and good-looking) deal
Comfortable, with great visibility to boot, the Mazda3 is a nice, quiet and easy-to-drive car. SKYACTIV technology has revamped the brand, which had been held back by its poor fuel economy, a sore spot over the last few years. But the car keeps on getting better, and 2012 has been a milestone year for the brand. The Mazda3 GS-SKY is a sensible compact that is just as fun to drive in the city as it is out on the open road.

This 2012 Mazda3 GS-SKY review was originally published on Auto-Venus.com.

From GMM

The embattled Nurburgring's formula one future is looking brighter this week.

With the fabled circuit now in an insolvency process, reports last week said F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone could be the Nurburgring's saviour.

But when asked in Hungary if he is buying the German track, Ecclestone told Der Tagesspiegel newspaper: "No.

"I don't think it is for sale in that way," the 81-year-old Briton added.

The latest news from Germany, however, is much more positive. The Rhineland-Palatinate state government has agreed to guarantee a EUR 254 million loan so that the Nurburgring can service its debts, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper reports.

And Nurburgring Automotive GmbH (NAG) chief Jorg Lindner said: "I am very optimistic that formula one will be going to the Nurburgring next year."

FAZ said negotiations with F1 officials will take place over the summer period.

Ecclestone said: "We don't want to lose any of the racetracks, and we need to keep the race in Germany. We will do our best.

"It has surprised me that all these tracks in Germany have financial problems -- maybe they gave all their money to the Greeks," he joked.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone was also asked about his comments ruling out buying the Nurburgring.

Did he mean that any sort of financial help is out of the question?

"Let's wait and see. At the moment we are having talks."

He also said that if a solution for the Nurburgring cannot ultimately be found, his sport will "go to Hockenheim" instead in 2013.

"We're also in talks for that," Tagesspiegel quoted Ecclestone as saying.

Kuno Wittmer is racing for the first time in two years this weekend at the Mid-Ohio American Le Mans Series round.

Wittmer will be taking the wheel of the No. 91 Viper SRT GTS-R in the much-expected comeback of the Viper. Two years have gone by since the brand pulled the plug on its Speed World Challenge program to concentrate on its ALMS return.

"It's an exciting weekend for the whole team. The car is brand new, built off a tubular chassis from Riley Technologies," says Wittmer.

"It's simply superb."

The goal for the weekend is for one of the two SRT entries to finish in the top 5. It's critical for the Viper to be on pace, otherwise the team will scrap the remainder of the 2012 season to concentrate on 2013.

And competition in the GT class is as fierce as ever.

"After the race, we'll take a decision as to whether or not we want to finish the season. If the car is not competitive enough, we'll go back to testing to get ready ahead of our first full season," explains Wittmer.

"That's why it's such an important weekend for us."

The legendary Nürburgring race course is in dire financial straits. The actual Formula 1 circuit, and the fabled Nordschleife north loop, with its mind-boggling 176 turn north ring, are riddled with debts.

Who might come to its rescue? Will the current management team come up with a viable salvage plan? Rumors about Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone buying the circuit won't go away.

Whoever winds up owning this massive infrastructure will have to: be very creative, in order to draw race fans back to the circuit, have a lot of capital to make the necessary investments, have an outstanding business and financial plan with serious financial backers.

The Nürburgring race track, with its rich history of records and legends, established by the most prestigious automakers of the planet, must be saved.

Photo: WRI2

Every automaker on the planet has in its archives some publicity footage that claims to have set some record of achievement of one sort or another on the mythical Nürburgring circuit!

These records are often quite ingenious in their claims. I recently saw a commercial that said: Which automaker holds the record for the fastest lap for a production series four-door sedan? Quite accurate, huh?

It might as well ask: who will break the record for the quickest lap in a red four passenger coupe with a inducted air 2.3L engine, equipped with rear drum brakes and a spare tire?! This is a formula that every automaker can use to boast about breaking the quickest lap record.

There are a number of factors that influence the time it takes to run a lap on this 20.8 km circuit. Let's talk about the driver, who makes all the difference in the world on this long circuit, which requires at least seven to eight minutes of absolutely flawless concentration in order to register a respectable time.

Every race driver makes mistakes. A microscopic tenth-of-a-second loss due to a lapse of concentration in each corner will amount to a 15-second per lap deficit, which is huge!

We must then factor in the variations in lap times due to tires (tread, pressure and wear), weather (humidity, sunshine, barometric pressure, which all have an impact on engine output), other cars on the track that can impede progress, vehicle weight ( including the amount of fuel at the start), the time of day, etc.

In fact, there are so many factors at play, that it is hard for me to fathom how an automaker can boast in their commercials that their XYZ model has managed to humiliate rivals with their ''fastest lap ever'' at the Nürburgring course. There are way too many parameters that influence the performance of a lap for us to naively believe these claims.

In spite of all of this, I sincerely hope that someone will come to the rescue of this mythical and extremely demanding, legendary raceway.

At least two teams are rumoured to be using hand-operated adjusters on their Formula 1 cars.

Since the introduction of the parc fermé procedure in Formula 1 - that forbids the teams to work on the cars between the qualifying session and the race - teams have tried to find ways to easily adjust their cars to better suit the conditions.

For example, the ride height of the car should be increased in case of rain and it should be lowered when the fuel load gets lower during the race.

It emerged during the weekend of the Grand Prix of Hungary that, weeks ago in Canada, the FIA told the Red Bull Racing team to stop using a specific device because the governing body felt the effort required to make set-up alterations was too low.

Photo: WRi2

However, Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko, told Auto Motor und Sport that the matter is simple.

"We have never made adjustments by hand," he is quoted by the magazine.

"I don't know why the others get so upset - we happen to know that Ferrari used something like that for a year," Marko said.

Photo: WRi2

But the Scuderia Ferrari replied Marko's claims are incorrect and that the team has never run anything like that.

"This is completely untrue," a team spokesman told Autosport magazine in reference to Marko's comments.

These voluntary recalls will affect approximately 99,000 RAV4 (2006 to early 2011 model year) and 1,100 Lexus HS 250h (2010 model year only). The automaker has determined that if the nuts on the rear suspension arm are not tightened following the proper procedure and torque specification during a rear wheel alignment service, excessive play may occur at the threaded portion of the arm, followed by rust formation.  If this were to occur, the threaded portion of the rear suspension arm may wear and cause the arm to separate.

This Fall, affected owners will receive a first class mail notification letter, advising them to make an appointment with an authorized Toyota or Lexus dealership for a no charge fix.

2006 Toyota RAV4 (Photo: Toyota)

2010 Lexus HS 250H (Photo: Lexus)