Scotsman David Coulthard will line up on the grid for the final time as a DTM driver at the DTM season finale in Hockenheim this weekend.
The former Formula 1 driver is ending his DTM career after three seasons and 33 races in order to concentrate more on his role as a Formula1 expert and commentator for the BBC, in addition to his other personal and business interests.
Coulthard will remain part of the Mercedes-Benz family as an AMG brand ambassador.
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| David Coulthard, Mercedes C-Class. (Photo: DTM) |
He has been busy in this role at press and customer events since 2011, answering queries and chatting with guests. In addition, he has supported AMG's development team in certain test activities.
In the 32 DTM races that Coulthard has contested so far, he has secured 16 points and twice posted fastest race lap. He was in third place on the second row of the grid in Valencia last year. Coulthard achieved his best DTM result of the season with fifth place in the season's showpiece event at the Norisring.
From GMM
Ferrari raced an all-new Red Bull-style exhaust on only Felipe Massa's car in Korea last weekend, according to the Spanish newspaper
20 Minutos.
The news would explain the Brazilian driver's better pace than teammate Fernando Alonso in the sister F2012, and also the Spaniard's confidence that he is still in the running to beat Sebastian Vettel to the title despite a new 6-point championship deficit and Red Bull's recent dominance.
Indeed,
20 Minutos claims Fernando Alonso will be running the Massa-specification on his own red car next weekend in India.
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| The F2012 Ferrari in Korea. (Photo: Pirelli) |
The report also said Ferrari is working hard in former F1 team Toyota's state of the art Cologne wind tunnel on a so-called 'double DRS' straightline speed-boosting system.
"Hopefully we make a little bit of a step in terms of performance and then we can fight for bigger things," Alonso, having finished third behind both Red Bulls, said before leaving Korea last Sunday.
Team boss Stefano Domenicali added: "It is clear that we must make a step forward in performance to respond to the one made by Red Bull. We are well aware of that and we are working day and night to succeed."
BMW press release
The finale of the DTM season at the Hockenheimring on 21st October will have a prominent guest: former BMW driver Alessandro Zanardi will be at the track on the race Sunday to support the three BMW teams.
The 45-year-old lost both his legs in a crash before making his comeback with BMW and going on to win four races in the World Touring Car Championship for the Munich-based manufacturer.
In September, Zanardi won two gold medals and one silver on his handbike at the Paralympic Games in London. “I am really looking forward to visiting the DTM finale in Hockenheim,” said the Italian. “BMW has had a fantastic season so far - and I will try to give the guys as much support as possible at the finale. Maybe I'll be a
lucky charm for Bruno Spengler."
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| Photo: DTM Presse |
A new Porsche Panamera Platinum Edition will hit Canadian showrooms in January. Available with rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, this exclusive model boasts expanded standard features and unique details.
As the name suggests, a platinum silver metallic finish highlights the lower half of the side-view mirrors, the air inlet grille slits, the air vent grille on each side, the trim on the trunk lid, and the rear diffuser.
The Porsche Panamera Platinum Edition also features front parking assist, 19'' Panamera Turbo alloy wheels, 18-way adjustable front seats, and a standard part-leather interior package, with a full leather package available.
Technophiles will love the 7'' TFT touchscreen, the eleven loudspeakers with a combined output of 235 watts, and the standard Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system with built-in navigation.
The Porsche Panamera Platinum Edition starts at $92,800, while the Porsche Panamera 4 Platinum Edition retails for $97,400.
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| Photo: Porsche |
From press release
The Sauber F1 Team will be testing Esteban Gutiérrez and Robin Frijns at the Young Driver Days in Abu Dhabi to be held from November 6 to 8, 2012.
Frijns will be driving on the Tuesday, the first day of testing. The 21-year-old Dutchman won the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup in 2011 and this coming weekend will be contesting the title in the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 World Series on the Circuit de Catalunya. In the run-up to the final he is five points adrift of the championship leader.
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| Robin Frinjs. (Photo: Renault) |
For Gutiérrez, the Young Driver Days will mark his fourth test outing with the team since he first got inside a Formula 1 cockpit in late 2009.
Also aged 21, the Mexican joined the Sauber F1 Team as an affiliated driver and since 2011 has been the official reserve driver for the F1 team. He will be test-driving in Abu Dhabi on the Wednesday and Thursday.
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| Esteban Gutierrez. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team) |
Canadian stock-car racer Maryeve Dufault will be back at the wheel of the's No. 04 C2M Dodge Charger for the ARCA Racing Series season finale presented by Menards event at the Kansas Speedway this coming Friday.
For this special occasion, the No. 04 livery will have both the colors of Valvoline NextGen and will also support Breast Cancer Awareness month by wrapping the cars' bumpers in the iconic pink.
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| Dodge Charger ARCA. (Photo: Maryeve Dufault) |
For Dufault, who could only run a partial schedule this year, it will be another occasion to team-up with the C2M squad. The last time she got behind the team's Dodge Charger was at the Salem Speedway event where she finished 23rd after being hit by a lapped car while she was running in a top-10 position.
Practice and qualifying for the Kansas Lottery 98.9 at Kansas Speedway gets underway on Friday, October 19 in preparation for the 150 mile race on Friday night.
From GMM
Pedro de la Rosa is definitely staying at HRT in 2013, the Spanish team's boss Luis Perez-Sala has announced.
"Pedro de la Rosa will drive for us in 2013," he is quoted by the German language
Speed Week.
The Spanish veteran's current teammate is Narain Karthikeyan, but the Indian has been linked with a possible switch to Indycar.
Speed Week said the presence of Karthikeyan, 35, has not brought the expected flood of Indian sponsors to HRT.
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| Pedro de la Rosa staying at HRT, who will be his team mate? (Photo: HRT F1 Team) |
The report named the team's Chinese reserve driver Ma Qing Hua as a candidate to replace him. But on Sky television last weekend, former McLaren driver Martin Brundle suggested the 24-year-old is "not ready" to make his grand prix debut yet.
Speed Week said Spaniard Dani Clos - another HRT 'Friday' driver this year - would be a leading contender if he had more sponsorship.
Jaime Alguersuari is another candidate, with
Speed Week saying the former Toro Rosso driver and Pirelli tester has "put together an enticing sponsor package" for 2013.
And Brundle said Caterham's reserve driver Giedo van der Garde could also be in the running, saying the Dutchman has done "a good job in GP2 and apparently has some sponsorship behind him".
BMW of North America is set to add the highly exclusive 2013 BMW Individual X6 Performance Edition (100 units) to its lineup, with an equal split between the X6 xDrive35i (US$81,695) and X6 xDrive50i (US$92,895) models.
Both will feature 20'' Y-spoke wheels, as well as Black Alcantara and Leather upholstery for the seats and door panels with Sakhir Orange contrast stitching.
The automaker also announced the very limited 2013 BMW 6 Series Coupe Frozen Silver Edition. The 55 units will be split between the 650i Coupe (US$99,295) and 650i xDrive Coupe (US$102,595). They will sport a Frozen Silver exterior paint, 20'' two-tone M Performance wheels, an M Sport Package, plus a Black Nappa leather and Gray Popular wood interior.
Unfortunately, none of these cars will be sold in Canada.
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| Photo: BMW |
After launching the
LF-LC concept in Detroit back in January, Lexus today revealed the LF-LC Blue concept at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.
Named after its Opal Blue exterior, which is inspired by the lustrous base colour found in the naturally occurring semi-precious opal stone of outback Australia, the Lexus LF-LC Blue concept benefits from an ultra-lightweight body made of carbon fibre and aluminium alloy materials. It also sports vertical front and rear fog lights with a fading dot matrix pattern, a glass roof, and quadruple exhaust.
The Lexus LF-LC Blue concept's Advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive system features a powerful and efficient Atkinson-cycle combustion engine mated to a high-energy battery pack for an output of 372 kW (500 hp).
The technology-laden Lexus LF-LC Blue boasts twin 12.3'' LCDs controlled by a touchscreen on the centre console. Leather and suede are complemented with brushed metal and wood. Meanwhile, the racing-style steering wheel is clad in lightweight carbon fibre and contains integrated controls including a start button.
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| Photo: Lexus |
BMW AG has shifted "tens of thousands" of cars that were originally targeted for Europe to the United States and Asia this year as sales weaken in the crisis-hit region.
Toyota said 90 2013 Scion iQ EVs are arriving in the United States today. The four-seaters will be used for car sharing and fleets, Toyota Motor Sales said in a statement. There are also a small number of the vehicles arriving in Japan
Timken has named John Law to the new position of vice president of light-vehicle systems. Law will report to Brian Ruel, who became vice president of light-vehicle, off-highway and rail operations in September.
Also in this episode: Opel debuts the Cascada convertible, which may head stateside as a Buick.
The Chinese auto supplier that previously offered to bail out A123 Systems, the electric-car battery maker that filed for bankruptcy protection Tuesday, said it's still interested in taking over the company.
Opel, General Motors' financially embattled European unit, has revealed its new midsize Cascada convertible in a series of photos. The car goes on sale in early 2013.
Just like my parents used to say, and#8220;You can't get anything by us, we have eyes everywhere.and#8221; Ominous threats aside, GM's European unit Opel tried to sneak an Insignia Sports Tourer station wagon onto the roads of Michigan.
The diminutive 2013 Scion iQ EV battery-electric vehicle will join car-sharing programs in the United States.
News
17 Oct, 2012
Volkswagen has announced a new Passat Highline model, which gets extra kit and costs from £20,970
A computer-driven car may not be commercially viable for at least another decade, but federal regulators are taking it seriously.
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