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From GMM

Singapore has inked a new contract to remain on the formula one calendar.

There had been some doubt the race organisers would agree Bernie Ecclestone's sanctioning fee demands for a new deal beyond this weekend's highly popular night race.

But the F1 chief executive said at the official announcement on Saturday: "We are here for another five years".

Ecclestone admitted the negotiations had been "difficult", because everyone in the entire sport "without exception likes being here".

Tourism minister S Iswaran said Singapore has indeed managed to reduce the financial impact of the event by agreeing a "revised" fee.

"We eventually got there," agreed Ecclestone.

From GMM

F1 drivers have in the past asked the governing body to reduce the length of the Singapore grand prix.

Hot, humid and under artificial lights on a demanding street circuit, the event is regarded as perhaps the toughest physically on the entire 20-race F1 calendar.

Spanish veteran Pedro de la Rosa confirmed that description, even though this weekend is actually the HRT driver's very first competitive taste of the Marina Bay layout.

"But I have been in several meetings of the GPDA and it is the only world championship circuit where there were people asking Charlie Whiting to reduce the number of laps," he is quoted by Marca sports newspaper.

De la Rosa said Singapore is like Monaco in terms of "effort and concentration", with the big difference being "humidity and distance".

"Here (the race) is 309 kilometres, Monaco is 260," he explained.

According to information Auto123.com has received, the IZOD IndyCar Series event presented in Edmonton won't be back on the calendar in 2013 as Octane Motorsports  pulled the plug.

The race, which made its debut in 2005 under Champ Car sanctioning has had its share of problems in the last couple of years and the lack of a commercial partner and a smaller attendance this year forced Octane to move.

“Despite our tight management policies and all our efforts to offer the fans a world-class spectacle, we were not able to make this event profitable and nothing allows us to hope for a better profitability next year," Octane management revealed in a prepared statement.

Moreover, Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel did not give the impression he will seek to keep the event in play going forward.

From GMM

Robert Kubica could step up his quest to return to formula one by becoming official tyre supplier Pirelli's next test driver.

The Italian marque's current main tester, Jaime Alguersuari, is tipped to return to the paddock with a competing team in 2013.

Pole Kubica, regarded as one of F1's most talented contemporaries until his early-2011 rallying crash, recently returned to competitive action after a 19-month recuperation with a couple of minor Italian rally outings.

The 27-year-old fared well, but Kubica has said he is unlikely to attempt a full return to F1 until at least 2014, due to the reduced mobility of his right arm at present.

But Pirelli's Paul Hembery told Auto Motor und Sport he might be open to Kubica becoming the official F1 tyre tester in 2013.

"It's a possibility," said the Briton.

"I don't know if he's in a position to do the job at the moment, but he is definitely the kind of driver that we are looking for."

Hembery admitted he has not spoken to Kubica "for some time".

But "If he is physically capable, and spends a year with us, it would for sure bring him into a good position to maybe return (to racing) in 2014.

"It would be really great if we could do that," he added.

From GMM

Romain Grosjean's new coach has confirmed he is working with the Lotus driver.

Back on track after his Monza ban, the French driver arrived in Singapore this week with Benoit Campargue, a former Judo champion who coaches France's heavyweight champion Teddy Riner.

Campargue told Le Figaro in Singapore that, while he has been working with Grosjean since March, this is his first grand prix alongside the 26-year-old, who served a one-race ban at Monza recently.

He said they are working on devising better routines for the Lotus driver.

"The important thing is to find the right balance in a natural way," said Campargue.

He told L'Equipe: "I am very pleased with his recovery (since the ban).  I see someone serene and relaxed and at the same time concentrated.

"I must also thank Lotus, who prove that F1 is not always closed."

Jeff Gordon bounced back from a stuck throttle in Chicago onto the pole in New Hampshire.

Last week  the four-time Champion finished 35th and he dropped to 12th and last in the points of the Chasers.

That didn't change about how he felt about his car and his Chevrolet team.

“My confidence wasn't the issue. We were running when we wrecked (last week).  That's the thing that got us through the season, but, our cars were really fast. That's what kept our confidence up,” said Gordon.

“I surprised myself with the pole something we didn't expect. We haven't sat on the pole since a restricted track,” he added after turning a lap of 134.911mph.

It was Gordon's fourth pole at New Hampshire and 72nd in his career.

“We were quite a ways behind the 11 (Hamlin) the three-time Gordon  said.

“I wasn't sure what to expect in (in qualifying). Then you see Kyle put up a great lap. The car did everything I asked it to do. The second lap I got off (turn) four good. That's what my goal was; to get on the rev chip[.] I thought I was pretty good, but didn't know if it was enough.”

Kyle Busch, not in the Chase, is racing more for pride than points and was second fastest at 134.753mph in a Toyota.

After a slow start Busch surprised himself. “Practice didn't go the way we wanted it to,” Busch said.

“We sort of struggled early and didn't quite get the draw we had hoped for, and had to go out a little bit early today. Dave (Rogers, crew chief) and the guys made some really nice changes from practice to qualifying to get the car a lot better -- and it reacted well and was really fast.

“I was actually shocked by the time it ran, but pleased with it at the same time and would have hoped it held up.”

But, Jeff (Gordon) had a really good draw at the end and beat us by a little bit.  Still it's good for track position to be able to start up front like that here at Loudon.

Tony Stewart, the winner here last year, was third fastest in a Chevrolet. Brian Vickers jumped into the MWR Toyota for fourth spot.

Josh Wise's time was disallowed after a post-qualifiying inspection revealed a problem with a rear shock. Scott Riggs, Jason Leffler and Jeff Green failed to make the 43 car field.

History/Description: The last-generation BMW 3 Series sedan was one of the most desirable luxury cars on Canadian roads, and available in its “E90” iteration from 2006 to 2011 (inclusive). Look for all the luxury-car goodies you'd expect of a world-class sports sedan, as well as rear- or all-wheel drive.

The 323i model started the range, offering up a 2.5L engine with 175 or 200 horsepower, depending on the year. A 3L straight-6 made anywhere between 215 and 255 horsepower in up-level models. A mighty twin-turbo straight-6 was added as well, creating the new 335i which packed 300 horsepower.

2008 BMW 3 Series (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Shoppers should note that models wearing the “xi” or “xDrive” badge were fitted with All Wheel Drive (AWD), and that manual or automatic transmissions were available on most models.

What Owners Like: No surprises here: Owners rave about styling, luxury, status, refinement, performance, handling, ride quality, and the overall feel of the 3 Series in most variants. This is a sedan with a long history of award-winning performance and luxury for a reason.

What Owners Dislike: Typical complaints include limited rear seat space, limited headroom for taller drivers, and a harsh ride on some models, particularly with large wheels and low-profile tires. Some also wish for an easier and more straightforward infotainment interface.

Common Issues: Begin with a full inspection of the 3 Series' interior and body. Look for cracking or chipped paint, and inspect all seats and “leather” surfaces within the car for signs of wear, rips or cracking. Some owners have reported cracks and tears in their leather after just a few years.

Ensure all door locks and the trunk release work properly. Ditto for the keyfobs. And, as it goes with any German car, inspect the 3 Series exhaustively for signs of electronic and wiring problems. Ensure any and every feature and system that runs on electricity within the 3 Series is working as expected.

Start the engine (make sure the seller hasn't pre-warmed it) and listen for any unwelcomed ticking sounds from the cylinder head. Some owners have reported issues with noisy valve lifters, which may require replacing.

2009 BMW 3 Series (Photo: Matthieu Lambert)

Continue reading 2006-2011 BMW 3 Series Pre-owned

Luca Filippi will start from pole position in Singapore, last round of the GP2 championship, which will be decisive for the title.

After a successful GP2 return in Monza, Filippi confirmed his good form by being the fastest driver of the night qualifying of Singapore.

The Italian driver leads Max Chilton, while Esteban Gutierrez and Jolyon Palmer will share the second row.

Regarding the title contenders, Davide Valsecchi will start from 6th position, and Luiz Razia from 9th position. Before Singapore, Valsecchi was leading the championship classification by 25 points over his rival.



Qualifying :
1. Luca Filippi - Coloni - 1'59"444

2. Max Chilton - Carlin - 1'59"496

3. Esteban Gutierrez - Lotus - 1'59"908

4. Jolyon Palmer - iSport - 2'00"102
5. Fabio Leimer - Racing Engineering - 2'00"113

6. Davide Valsecchi - Dams - 2'00"287

7. Johnny Cecotto - Addax - 2'00"335

8. Stefano Coletti - Rapax - 2'00"364
9. Luiz Razia - Arden - 2'00"365
10. Sergio Canamasas - Lazarus - 2'00"634
Etc.

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was quickest of the qualifying session ahead of the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix.

The Briton will be joined on the front row for the start of the race by Williams' Pastor Maldonado.

Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), only took third, despite dominating all three free practice sessions this weekend.

Lewis Hamilton's McLaren teammate Jenson Button took fourth, ahead of championship leader Fernando Alonso (Ferrari). A surprising Paul di Resta (Force India) sits in sixth position.

Mark Webber (Red Bull) currently holds on to seventh, but could be thrown a few spots back for getting in the way of Timo Glock (Marussia) during Q1.

Romain Grosjean (Lotus), in eighth, was the slowest driver to set a time in Q3. Mercedes' Michael Schumacher (9th) and Nico Rosberg (10th) opted to save their tires.

Only few drivers managed to stay out of the barriers for the duration of the session : Hamilton, Grosjean, Bruno Senna (Williams) had the most memorable moments with the wall.

Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus), Felipe Massa (Ferrari), Sergio Perez (Sauber) were the biggest name to fail to make it into Q3.



Qualifying results* - Singapore Grand Prix
1.Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'46"362 - Q3
2.Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 1'46"804 - Q3
3.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'46"905 - Q3
4.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1'46"939 - Q3
5.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 1'47"216 - Q3
6.Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'47"241 - Q3
7.Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1'47"475 - Q3
8.Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'47"788 - Q3
9.Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - no time - Q3
10.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes MGP W03) - no time - Q3
11.Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1'47"975 - Q2
12.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 1'48"261 - Q2
13.Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1'48"344 - Q2
14.Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'48"505 - Q2
15.Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'48"774 - Q2
16.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1'48"849 - Q2
17.Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - no time - Q2
18.Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 1'49"933 - Q1
19.Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'50"846 - Q1
20.Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1'51"137 - Q1
21.Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'51"370 - Q1
22.Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1'51"762 - Q1
23.Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'52"372 - Q1
24.Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 1'53"355 - Q1

*Unofficial results

From GMM

Mercedes parent Daimler has reportedly decided to stay in formula one beyond 2012.

In Singapore this weekend, rumours swirled in the paddock that the Stuttgart manufacturer is on the verge of pulling the plug.

That, combined with the dithering over the 2012 Concorde Agreement, could explain the long delay in Lewis Hamilton's decision about whether to join the so-called 'Silver Arrows' in 2013.

German sources had reported that Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche has ordered cost cuts of more than a billion euros in the Mercedes road car division.

That ramped up fears that the F1 programme would also get the axe.

Responding to the rumours, Norbert Haug said in Singapore: "I believe we have already established the right balance with regards to the costs (of competing in F1).

"I say that our budget is reasonable while our results are not good enough," he is quoted by DPA news agency.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport now reports that Daimler has decided to definitely keep the Mercedes brand in formula one, meaning the new Concorde could be signed as early as next week.

The Treasury expects General Motors' stock price to rise in the future, offering the government a better chance to cut its losses in the automaker, people familiar with Treasury's thinking said.

Chrysler Group and the Canadian Auto Workers had constructive talks on a new contract on Friday, the head of the union said, but remained apart with the automaker complaining the union's template deal was too expensive.

2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SV

The Altima V-6 certainly provides very eager throttle response and lots of power.

The Altima V-6 certainly provides very eager throttle response and lots of power. There's a bit of torque steer, that tug at the front wheels under hard acceleration, but it's not bothersome. I was merging onto a freeway in the Altima and the merge lane traffic didn't have much of anywhere to go due to heavy traffic in adjoining lanes, so I was in one of those situations where I either needed to brake hard and dawdle, waiting for traffic to clear, or else gun it. Naturally, I chose to gun it, and the Altima's V-6 responded without hesitation, propelling the car from 55 to 80 mph easily and sounding pretty good while it did so. Nissan, which committed to continuously variable transmissions years ago, has come a long way in its CVT engineering. I didn't even remember that the Altima had a CVT until the second day I drove it.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SV - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SV - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

2013 Nissan Altima 3.5 SV | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

David Yurman knows style. Besides watches, he and his company design men's and women's jewelry and all other sorts of gifts for the well-heeled. Yurman is also one of us. He's had a passion for muscle cars since he was a boy.

The McLaren P1 prototype and the Jaguar F-Type that are scheduled to appear at the

The National Automobile Dealers Association is looking for a president who will take the trade group in a more forceful direction. That's a key candidate criterion on the spec sheet NADA issued this week for the position.

Expensive, exotic cars cost more to insureand#8212;that's common knowledge. They also cost insurance companies more if the car gets crashed.

The Volkswagen brand needs a 10 percent boost in its U.S. advertising budget next year to keep pace with growing sales, said the brand's U.S. marketing chief, Tim Mahoney.

Production resumed today at Chrysler's Detroit SUV plant after an employee was fatally stabbed by a co-worker Thursday morning. First shift workers reported to the Jefferson North plant on the city's east side at 6 a.m.

It was springtime in New York and Acura was unveiling the and#8220;conceptand#8221; version of their new RLX flagship (see photos above).