Auto News 5

Honda's FCX Clarity Hydrogen fuel cell-powered car has completed the UK leg' of the H2 Moves European Hydrogen Road Tour - which saw seven fuel-cell cars from four manufacturers visit different UK locations - but with Honda's car manufacturing facility in Swindon refuelling the convoy at its public-access hydrogen refuelling station.

In its clearest signal yet that it wishes Cadillac to become a global luxury brand, General Motors has switched its chief lobbyist to a new position as head of the division.

Ford has showcased a prototype carbon fibre bonnet it claims could help lower fuel consumption

Sales of cars and light commercial vehicles in Russia grew 10 percent year-on-year in September to 259,582 units, but the market is showing signs of a slowdown, the Association of European Businesses said in a statement.

PSA and Fiat had their debt ratings lowered to three levels below investment grade by Moody's Investors Service as slumping European car markets take a toll on the automakers' finances.

Peugeot and Fiat had their debt ratings lowered to three levels below investment grade by Moody's Investors Service as slumping European car markets take a toll on the automakers' finances.

Toyota has issued a global voluntary recall for 7.43 million vehicles over a friction fault inside an electric window switch. The company says the part may emit smoke due to unevenly applied grease.

Porsche named Volkswagen's production planning head, Oliver Blume, as its new executive board member in charge of production and logistics.

As carmakers go, Lotus is something of an unusual company. As an OEM it's a small volume player, making sports cars that are still - as typified by the Elise, for example - the spiritual descendants of the stripped down 'light of weight' approach to design and engineering favoured by Lotus founder Colin Chapman.

News 10 Oct, 2012

Toyota is recalling 138,000 cars in the UK, over a fault with electric window switches

Mercedes-Benz is falling further behind in the global luxury-sales contest with rivals BMW and Audi.

Mercedes-Benz is falling further behind in the global luxury-sales contest with rivals BMW and Audi.

Supplier BorgWarner, which makes turbochargers, is concerned the fourth quarter may be 'more difficult' for companies as a slowdown in Europe widens, CEO Tim Manganello said in an interview.

University of California, San Diego researchers say they have developed a way to better estimate what goes on inside lithium ion batteries -- a breakthrough that could lead to lower battery costs and faster charging times for electric vehicles.

From GMM

Niki Lauda thinks Michael Schumacher had become too old to succeed at the highest level in formula one.

When the seven time world champion made his announcement at Suzuka, he insisted he is "still able to compete with the best drivers of the world".

"This is something that makes me proud, and this is part of why I never regretted my comeback," said the great German.

Michael Schumacher aboard the W03 Mercedes. (Photo: WRi2)

But three-time title winner Lauda, who has joined Mercedes as its new non-executive chairman and was instrumental in Lewis Hamilton's 2013 signing, is not so sure.

"The older you get," the Playboy magazine quoted him as saying in German, "the more you think as a driver, acting as an automatic brake inside you, taking away some of the risk."

Niki Lauda said that, in contrast, younger drivers are in a different stage of their lives, with less experience and responsibility.

He said he doubts Schumacher was capable of adding an eighth title to his tally.

From GMM

Pastor Maldonado has admitted there is "a chance" he will switch teams ahead of the 2013 season.

Days ago, before Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was re-elected by his countrymen, the lucratively PDVSA-backed Maldonado answered "we'll see" when asked if he will still be a Williams driver next season.

The Spanish GP winner said he could not comment because the great British team always waits until the end of the year to announce its lineup for the following season.

Pastor Maldonado, Williams. (Photo: WRi2)

But now, with Chavez soundly in office until at least 2018, Maldonado has been quoted as admitting a change to another team is possible.

"At the moment there is a chance to go to other teams but we are considering remaining here (Williams), but it is still too early," the 27-year-old is quoted by Sky Sports. "It is difficult to say, until other teams have confirmed their drivers you never know."

The 2013 lineups at top teams Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes have all been confirmed, but theoretical vacancies at Ferrari, Lotus, Sauber and Sahara Force India still exist.

From GMM

Jenson Button has admitted he is working to build a team around him at McLaren.

Even as reigning champion, when the Briton arrived at McLaren in 2010, paddock figures likened the move to entering Lewis Hamilton's "lion's den".

Less than three seasons in, Hamilton's long McLaren relationship is set to terminate, with Button now insisting that he - and not Hamilton's successor Sergio Perez - is the driver to bet on for 2013 spoils.

Jenson Button, McLaren. (Photo: WRi2)

Speaking to the Brazilian sports daily Lance!, Button said: "There are a lot of smart people in formula one, which maybe is not so apparent from the outside. But it is a very competitive environment, and Fernando (Alonso) is one of those people."

"He's been smart to build the (Ferrari) team around him, which is something we all strive for. I did it in my previous team (Honda/Brawn) and it's happening here (McLaren) too," said the 32-year-old.

Asked if he has taken another important step forwards with the impending departure of McLaren protege Hamilton, Button answered: "No comment."

But he did admit: "It's one less person in front of me. This year, I've had good race pace, but on Saturdays I've been usually second place at best. Next year I can be first. Race pace is my strength and I think there's nobody better in that way. Qualifying is harder for me. If I have a car that works for me, I can put it on pole, but if the car is a bit more difficult then I end up behind Lewis."

Meanwhile, whilst envying Alonso's position at Ferrari, Button - who has in the past been linked with the great Italian team - said it would be hard to arrive at Maranello to be the Spaniard's teammate.

"The impression I have is that you would get there and be very well received, but then Fernando would come in and start talking in Italian to the engineers," said the Briton.

From GMM

It is simplistic to say Red Bull has sped into the 2012 title favourites' role due to its new 'double DRS' device.

As Sebastian Vettel closed the championship gap to Fernando Alonso to just 4 points with wins in Singapore and Suzuka, it had emerged that his RB8 was equipped with a new top speed-boosting system.

"As with all these things, there's never a silver bullet and I think it would be very difficult to say the car's performance here is purely down to a rear wing," team boss Christian Horner said in Japan. "I think we've made progress in all areas and it's about chipping away at the detail."

Sebastian Vettel in Japan driving the RB8. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

Indeed, writing in Der Tagesspiegel newspaper, correspondent Karin Sturm said Williams' technical boss Mark Gillan also suspects something else was in play.

"I will have to analyse precisely the data of the race with all the relevant times. Maybe then we can see what they've done," he is quoted as saying.

Former F1 driver and now RTL commentator Christian Danner suspects Red Bull has found a sweet spot within the new exhaust layout regulations.

"This sort of thing is almost always about the aerodynamics and with today's cars most of all with the various subtleties of the different exhaust solutions," he said.

Adapted from GMM

Sir Jackie Stewart has once again offered to become struggling Romain Grosjean's coach.

Earlier this year, when Lotus' French driver was first labelled a 'crash king' of the 2012 season, triple world champion Stewart offered to help the 26-year-old get to grips with the sport's psychological pressures.

"I used to work with a coach and I don't feel that I need one today," Grosjean said in July.

But three months later, immediately after serving a one-race ban for causing the Spa start-line crash and a string of other incidents, Grosjean arrived in Singapore with Benoit Campargue, a Frenchman who also coaches Judo champion Teddy Riner.

Even so, Grosjean is once again in the wrong spotlight, having been branded a "nutcase" by Mark Webber after yet another first-lap crash in Japan.

"I would love to help Romain, because I think he has enormous potential. It's his first full season in F1 and he is fast enough to win races. I actually think he could have won one or two Grand Prix this season, but at the moment his potential is being overshadowed by the number of accidents he's having," said Stewart, who already works with Lotus through the team's owner Genii.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus. (Photo: WRi2)

He told the BBC: "Any more accidents could jeopardise his chances of driving for Lotus next season, let alone the very best teams. Romain, who I have to say is an extremely nice young man, chose not to take up the offer. The season was congested then, he was about to go on his honeymoon, and he felt he had his own people assisting him. When the time comes and he wants to do it, I will always be there for him because of my relationship with the team. For some reason, racing drivers of all kinds feel they don't need coaches once they leave karting. That's unlike any other sport I know."

Stewart added: "Having the talent and speed to win races can be intoxicating. What all the top drivers have is very good mind management, knowing how to go about their business. It's very rare that any of them have collisions. That's obvious with Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso's collision at the first corner in Japan was a real rarity. The mind has to be the master over natural ability. Having been there and had very, very few collisions in my career, I know that to finish first, first you must finish, and that you never win a race on the first corner, but you'll quite often lose one there."

Indeed, the situation is becoming dire for Romain Grosjean, as figures up and down the paddock call on the FIA to impose more race bans on the 'dangerous' driver.

Asked if the situation has endangered Grosjean's career, boss Eric Boullier is quoted by the Daily Mail: "Not yet, but I expect to see an improvement."

A recent test drive of the Audi TT RS called the Audi RS4 I drove in 2007 to mind. Both are hardcore. Both have more-than-you'll-ever-need levels of power, are absolutely track-ready, and have an “S” mode that turns the dial up on power, agility and noise.

Five turbocharged, direct-injected and intercooled cylinders displacing 2.5L create 360 horsepower here. And with a 6-speed stick, you can grab every one of them by the scruff.

Buying a TT RS? Perhaps as a more practical, affordable, winter-friendly alternative to say, a Porsche Cayman R? You should take it to the racetrack. If not, you're wasting about 74% of its capabilities.

Photo: Audi

Newton, the smarty-pants who invented physics after an apple fell on his head, created some rules about mass and momentum that apply to the TT RS. They're both fun and educational to explore on a racing circuit.

Newton once said that an object at rest tends to stay there, until you drop the clutch and connect the better part of 400 horsepower driven by four wheels. Then, that restful state is left quickly behind while you giggle like a schoolgirl at the exotic, howling sound effects blurting from a pair of pipes large enough to launch scud missiles. Any further prod on the throttle has a similar affect. Acceleration is torque-rich and positively massive.

Another of Newton's laws states that an object keeps on keepin' on -- until a set of shoebox-sized brake calipers clamp down on its 370-millimeter drilled rotors. Forward momentum is then turned into heat and friction, and brake-fade is near-nil -- even after repeated deceleration from nearly 200 kph. That's the sort of confidence-inspiring, track-bred durability that Audi's “Renn Sport” models are known for.

An expertly tuned stability control system does little but gently intervene to keep you from an “out of track” experience if you get cocky and tick Newton off.

A safe and predictable understeer, caused mostly by the TT RS's abundant front-end mass, warns drivers they're running out of grip. All the while, and even with velocities cranked, the steering lets you know what's up between the tires and the tarmac. It's always nice when your car talks to you at high speed.

A button press toggles the Audi Magnetic Ride system between firm and less-firm. Instant, precise responses to inputs follow the nanosecond they're requested, and the ride won't bash your spine to bits on the ride home afterwards.

The latest version of Quattro AWD can instantly and seamlessly redirect engine power to and from any wheel, faster than ever, to maximize use of available lateral traction. The list goes on.

Take this one to the track. You get heaps of power, grip, braking, and confidence from the get-go. The TT RS is fast as hell, always flattering and never intimidating. It works hard to make you feel like a hero, which makes it a forgiving car to learn with. As your skill level and confidence increase, it'll be right there with you.

If Newton were still around, the Audi TT RS would probably be one of his favourite toys.