Auto News 5

Pictures 4 Oct, 2012

Hyundai said its global sales returned to growth in September, rising 3.4 percent to 371,743 from a year earlier, after strikes at South Korean plants ended and as it benefited from boosts to U.S. and China production.

Hyundai said its global sales returned to growth in September, rising 3.4 percent to 371,743 from a year earlier, after strikes at South Korean plants ended and as it benefited from boosts to U.S. and China production.

News 4 Oct, 2012

The Tiguan R-Line is making its return to the UK line-up, featuring 18-inch alloys and sporty styling

Pictures 4 Oct, 2012

News 4 Oct, 2012

Production-ready Volkswagen Golf GTI and Polo R will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next year

Pictures 28 Nov, 2012

Volkswagen favors using its factory in Puebla, Mexico, as another production site for the new Golf, VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said.

Volkswagen favors using its factory in Puebla, Mexico, as another production site for the new Golf, CEO Martin Winterkorn said. "The decision will be made this year," he said.

Supplier Visteon announced the resignation of Executive Vice President and CFO Martin Welch.

French supplier Faurecia plays a key role in the bold front end of the new Citroen DS5.

A grand total of 67,414 sedans are being recalled by GM including the Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx (2005, 2006, 2008), Pontiac G6 (2005, 2006, 2008), and Saturn Aura (2008).

The electric power steering may experience a sudden loss of steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. A message would be displayed on the Driver Information Centre and a chime would sound to inform the driver.

Steering control can be maintained, as the vehicle will revert to a manual steering mode, but requires greater driver effort at low speeds. This increases the risk of a collision.

Owners are advised to take their vehicle to a GM dealer to receive a special extended warranty coverage for a period of 10 years/240,000 km from the date the vehicle was originally put in service.

For 2005 and 2006 models, dealers will replace the steering column. For 2008 models, they will replace the power steering motor control module.

Source: Transports Canada

It ain't perfect; then again, no car is. The Kia Forte Koup's been around for only a few years, and is still a great looking, little car. However, the compact-car segment goes through a lot of change over four seasons, and the Forte is starting to prematurely feel its age.

The 2012 Kia Forte Koup SX's biggest drawback is fuel economy, which trails the newcomers within its category. However, in other aspects the Koup still shines and impresses.


Underwhelming 2.4
While the base EX trim of the 2012 Kia Forte Koup relies on a 156-hp 2.0L engine, the SX and SX Luxury trims are fitted with a 2.4L 4-cylinder that develops 173 hp and 168 lb-ft. A 6-speed manual is standard, while a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters is optional.

Equipped with the latter, our SX Luxury tester reached 100 km/h in 7.9 seconds and cleared the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds at 143 km/h. That's quick enough for a majority of buyers in the market for a sporty, two-door compact.

Although the car handles well, its steering lacks good in-centre feel, while good-size bumps and road imperfections send shivers up the steering column. The SX's sport-tuned suspension is stiff without making the car more enjoyable to drive. A little more refinement would be welcome.

Fuel economy is what's most disappointing in the 2012 Kia Forte Koup SX. The engine is a sipper under 2,000 rpm -- or under 100 km/h on the highway -- but around town or under spirited driving conditions, fuel consumption rises rapidly. Our average of 10.5L/100km should've been better, as a Honda Civic Coupe, a Scion tC and a Hyundai Elantra Coupe achieve better results.

The 2012 Kia Forte Koup SX gets a 173-hp, 2.4L engine. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Styling thumbs-up
The 2012 Kia Forte Koup's been on the market for three years now, and it still draws attention with its clean, muscular lines. Our tester was also shod with a bunch of dealer-installed accessories, such as 18” alloys, front and side skirts, a rear spoiler, a performance exhaust and other minor trim details. I'd keep the wheels and forego the rest, especially the muffler that makes the engine louder, but not exactly aurally pleasing.

The Koup's cockpit looks upscale with pretty good fit and finish. The centre stack button layout is straightforward, and there are plenty of storage spaces up front. The back seat is actually quite roomy for a compact coupe, including ample foot space even for a middle passenger. The trunk is bigger than the Civic Coupe's, but smaller than the tC's and the Elantra Coupe's.

The leather wrapping on the wheel of the 2012 Kia Forte Koup SX doesn't feel at all like leather, though. The seat heaters only offer one intensity level, so it's hot buns or nothing. The split-folding seatbacks can only be lowered using trunk-mounted pull handles, not from the inside.

The centre stack button layout is straightforward, and there are plenty of storage spaces up front. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Well equipped
Our SX Luxury tester with the automatic transmission costs $25,995; not exactly cheap although, typical for Kia, you get a lot of features for the dough: leather upholstery, alloy pedals, navigation, power sunroof, climate control, trip computer, a telescoping steering column, Bluetooth connectivity, a 6-speaker stereo with USB port, and satellite radio, as well as an intelligent key system.

In comparison, a Honda Civic Coupe EX-L costs $24,890 and a loaded Scion tC costs $24,885, although neither one is as equipped as the Kia. A 2013 Hyundai Elantra Coupe SE is listed at $25,199.

Ironically or not, the 2012 Kia Forte Koup's strongest competitor is actually its Korean cousin, the Hyundai Elantra.

The 2012 Kia Forte Koup EX starts at $18,995, while our top-shelf automatic SX Luxury cost $25,995. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

The 2012 Kia Forte Koup has a lot going for it, such as good interior space and a long list of features. On the other hand, its higher-than-average fuel consumption spoils what is a stylish and affordable little coupe. We'd prefer the base EX; slightly less powerful but better on gas, and still well equipped at $18,995.

As we said earlier, the compact car segment is ever-improving, and no manufacturer can sit on its laurels for very long. The redesigned 2014 Forte sedan should arrive sometime next year; no word yet on the Koup's fate, but if and when it appears, expect the current car's shortcomings to be addressed.

From GMM

Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche has invited Michael Schumacher to stay in the Mercedes family in a non-racing role.

"My personal wish is that he (Schumacher) remains a partner of our enterprise after his active time in the Mercedes cockpit," he is quoted by the Bild am Feiertag newspaper.

Actually, it is believed the seven time world champion - having been told he is being replaced for 2013 by Lewis Hamilton - is weighing up his options elsewhere on next year's grid.

Michael Schumacher. (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team)

But Mercedes' motor racing president Norbert Haug is also leaving the door open for the 43-year-old to take up a different role.

He and Zetsche have both said it was Mercedes' fault that Schumacher failed to win during his three-year comeback period.

And Haug told SID news agency there is no rift or "tension" in the wake of the Hamilton news.

"He (Schumacher) has assured us that, in light of the long term dimension, he fully understands the commitment with Lewis Hamilton," said Haug. "There is no tension between Michael and the team and we can absolutely imagine a further cooperation."


UPDATE

Michael Schumacher is not ruling out taking up a non-driving role with Mercedes.

The great German said on Thursday to Auto Motor und Sport, he is not ready to decide what to do next.

"It was the same with my first retirement. Once the season ends, I'm going to ask myself what I want to do with my time. There are ways for me to continue to work within the group."

Top up or down, the rear-wheel drive 2012 Lexus IS 250C turns heads.


A fiery red leather interior and a sexy black exterior have people ogling over this Japanese-made hardtop.

Summer wouldn't be complete without some drive time behind the wheel of a few hot convertibles. The 2012 Lexus IS 250C falls under the category of "hot" convertible, so the world is in order. Or at least for now it is!

I'm Special
For 2012, thanks to the addition of the Special Edition package, the IS 250C is that much more interesting. It builds on the already existing Navigation Package which, by its name, means you're getting a voice-activated HDD Navigation System. You also get clearance backup sensors and a backup camera. The backup camera is especially helpful when parking with the top up. Visibility out the rear is a little tricky, but is made more liveable because of this feature. Also added are a sleek set of 18" alloys and red leather seating.

Oh, Those Seats
There's no mistaking the interior of the IS 250C with the Special Edition package. They're red. Very red. And I love it. While I don't normally gravitate to a cardinal red hue, it looks really well positioned with the dash and centre console. Furthermore, the Obsidian exterior makes the leather-appointed seating surfaces pop even more. Kudos to Lexus for spicing this convertible up. Muy caliente.

They're red. Very red. And I love it. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

Insider's Perspective
There's no need for a map to navigate the 2012 Lexus IS 250C's interior. Buttons and gauges are very clearly marked and so are the controls on the touchscreen. Speaking of the touchscreen: if CSI ever needed to lift a print from the car, they wouldn't be hard to find since your finger markings are quite visible against the black screen. Keeping a special cleaning cloth in the glove compartment for the occasional wipe might be a good idea.

The black dashboard is then accompanied by a black leather steering wheel with a dash of red stitching. Furthermore, there are some metallic accents around the centre stack and then a faux woodgrain-like trim along the centre console area. Put together, it makes for pleasing cabin to look at.

Shape-Shifter
In about 20 seconds, the Lexus IS 250C goes from a coupe-like form to a convertible. The three-piece, fully retractable hardtop is controlled by one button located to the left of the steering wheel. At first, it took me a few seconds to find its location. Normally, the top up/down button is located near the centre console or sometimes even inside the centre console. However, when I eventually found it, there was no stopping me from going topless when the weather permitted.
Vroom Vroom

While stopped at a light, with the car's top down, a fellow commuter on my left rolled down his window, leaned over a bit and commented: "Nice car. But why didn't you get the 350?" My initial reaction was to give him the spiel about my job and why I had the Lexus. I decided against it for brevity purposes.

Instead, I thanked him for the compliment and answered his query with: "Because the 250 does the job and does it well." He accepted the answer, then the light turned green so off we went.

When I say the 250 does the job well, I meant that the 2.5L V6 under the hood with its 204 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque is just fine for everyday use. It still has a good punch to it and won't land me in trouble with the law as quickly! Being a fan of beefier engines, and having driven the 3.5L V6 variant in the past, the 306 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque is great to have, but price is one reason why people don't opt for the IS 350C (with a starting MSRP of $57,000 compared to $49,100 for the 250).

Top up or down, the rear-wheel drive 2012 Lexus IS 250C turns heads. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

Shift It
The 2012 Lexus IS 250C comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission. Woohoo! Fortunately and unfortunately, the drop top I tested had the optional 6-speed, Super Electronically Controlled automatic transmission with steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters.

It's fortunate because braving city traffic is always a lot more bearable with an automatic tranny. Then again, there's something to be said for making your own shifts, complete with the third pedal. I just find a vehicle more engaging when you have more control over your gear selection. That said, up and downshifting can be done effectively through the paddle shifters or via the gearbox.

Drive Time
With the IS 250C, there's a good balance between Lexus' touring style suspension (meaning, it's nice for the long haul, but not always inspiring on a track) and a sporty infusion. Its driving dynamics are great for a long cruise, but it also has enough going on underneath its pretty sheet metal to not make you feel so relaxed that you want to take a nap. The lively engine combined with a stiffer suspension makes this four-seater convertible a capable and endearing package.

Up and downshifting can be done effectively through the paddle shifters or via the gearbox. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

Room for Four
Inside the cabin there's room for four. There's also 306 litres (10.8 cubic feet) of trunk space. Drop the top and it's like having a bag of candy in front of me while I work. It gets consumed faster than I'd like to admit. Like most retractable hardtops, if you need room for stuff don't count on the trunk when the top is down. That is unless your items are small (i.e., tennis racquet small). Use the rear seats if possible, or get an RX 450h to do the trick!

Price Tag
The 2012 Lexus IS 250C has a starting MSRP of $49,100. With the Special Edition package ($3,400) and the optional 6-speed automatic ($1,600), the MSRP comes in at $54,100 (excluding taxes and destination charges).

This 2012 Lexus IS 250C review was originally published on Auto-Venus.com.

The 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Cars were turned loose on the 2.66 mile Talladega Superspeedway on Wednesday, the first test of the new cars on a restrictor plate track.

While no lap times/speeds were recorded NASCAR officials said that “the new-look cars turned competitive laps while drafting and in single-car runs.”

“With a different car, we'll look at what it's going to take for [restrictor] plate size and some other things, but the main concern is how the cars draft, how they react in the draft, and obviously to get more one-on-one racing,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition. “All of the input that we have from the drivers and the teams so far has been pretty good.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s numberless Ford leads Sam Hornish Jr. (12), Juan Pablo Montoya (42) and Brian Vickers (15) during drafting practice in the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup car test at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images for NASCAR)

Seven teams, among the three manufacturers, took part in the test.

Chevrolet brought their 2013 SS model in a dazzle-type paint job because the final production car has not yet been introduced to the public. Teams included Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton, Hendrick Motorsports' Kasey Kahne and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya. Kahne also liked the appearance of the new car. “I think the cars are unique because they look different. They have a fresh look, and it resembles the manufacturer's car, which is great for the fans, who ought to be able to go out and buy a similar car.”

Jeff Burton leads fellow Chevrolet driver Kasey Kahne during the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup car test at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images for NASCAR)

“NASCAR's working really hard to make them drive better and make the races more exciting,” Kahne added. “Right there, we had five or six of us out there and it was actually pretty dicey and pretty exciting. We're definitely going in the right direction and that's great from a drivers' standpoint because we're going to be able to race and pass more, and it's awesome from a fans' standpoint because they're going to get a much better show all the time.”

Ford Fusion's driven by Roush Fenway Racing's Ricky Stenhouse Jr. who will be making his move up to the Sprint Cup level, and Penske Racing's Sam Hornish Jr.

“It seemed pretty racy out there when we got in the seven-car packs,” said Stenhouse. “The two-car tandem could catch the group, then kind of stall out, and a single car could run right there with them.”

Engineers and crew pore over data from the No. 15 Toyota from Michael Waltrip Racing during the NASCAR 2013 Sprint Cup Series car test at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images for NASCAR)

Toyota was represented by Joey Logano driving the 2013 Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing and Brian Vickers at the wheel for Michael Waltrip Racing.

The new car design will kick off the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season during Speedweeks next February at Daytona International Speedway with opening points event, the Daytona 500, on the 24th.

The six-hour test was extended by 30 minutes after morning fog delayed some teams' arrival.

Brian Vickers puts the No. 15 Toyota Camry from Michael Waltrip Racing through its paces during the NASCAR 2013 Sprint Cup Series car test at Talladega Superspeedway. (Photo: Jared C. Tilton, Getty Images for NASCAR)

Following IndyCar series' driver Rubens Barrichello announcement to compete in the Stock Car Million Race in December, his good friend Tony Kanaan said that he would join him.

Barrichello, who competed for years in Formula 1, will drive for Team Medley/Full Time in this round of the Copa Caixa Brazilian stock car series to be held at Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo.

Photo: Copa Caixa

The two friends accepted to donate all their prize money to Institute Barrichello Kanaan.

Grupo Petrópolis will sponsor Kanaan's car for that race, entered by Bassani Racing.

Kanaan will test his new mount November 9 during the free practice session of the Brasilia race.

The Copa Caixa attacted some very talented drivers with F1 or IndyCar experience, such as Max Wilson, Luciano Burti, Antonio Pizzonia, Vitor Meira and Ricardo Zonta.

From GMM

Having contested three minor Italian rallies since returning to active competition recently, Robert Kubica has revealed he is now eyeing "the track".

The Pole has not yet driven a single seater since returning to health, because the long-term injuries to his right arm make full movement inside the cockpit currently impossible.

But Kubica, rated as one of the best F1 drivers through his BMW and Renault career until the end of 2010, has admitted he has targeted a return to F1-style circuit running in the near future.

"When I think about the future, I see myself 70 per cent on the track and 30 per cent in rallies," he is quoted by Autosprint magazine.

The 27-year-old announced that he wants to contest a full-time motor racing series "of the highest possible level" in 2013, with a 2014 return to F1 the obvious next target.

But he insisted: "Talking about F1 now is very premature. I'm pretty much starting from scratch. Rallies are useful for the adrenaline and the tension, but the track requires more concentration.

"So I want to switch between the two. I am planning a series of tests on tracks," Robert Kubica revealed.

Adapted from Renault Sport

Thanks to the help of Renault Sport, we will here explain pedal maps and torque maps, and how they influence power delivery in a Formula 1 car.

“There are essentially two types of pedal map. There's a conventional one dimensional pedal map, which is basically a representation of a driver's throttle against the pedal input that is passed across to the engine controller. You can use this to quickly change the feel of the engine to the driver, but it is slightly obsolete now; you might have found it in the sport ten years ago. Some road cars now feature a ‘sporty' pedal map of exactly this style, with the initial engine response feeling more aggressive to give the impression of it being racier,” said David Lamb, Renault Sport F1 engine engineer for Williams F1 Team.

“Now when we talk about pedal maps we talk about the torque pedal map, which is a two dimensional map against engine speed and throttle pedal position. For a given pedal position and a given engine speed, you generate an engine torque demand from the driver. It is this demand that gets fed to the engine side of the ECU to deliver the required amount of torque,” Lamb continued.

Photo: WRi2

While the role of pedal maps is to ensure the driver has the power he requires, they can also be used to give the driver a bit of help.

“With driver torque pedal maps, you can have different philosophies. You can have a constant torque map, where regardless of the engine speed you receive the same torque demand for a given throttle pedal position. However, this offers no wheel spin assistance, which can be incorporated with a constant power style pedal map.

“For example, say you're at 50% pedal on the throttle and at 15,000 RPM, you might get around 200Nm of torque. If you get a bit of wheelspin and the engine speed increases to 16,000 RPM, the torque at the wheels will be reduced as this is a constant power pedal map - power being the product of torque and engine speed. It's not traction control as it isn't controlling to a wheel slip target, but instead an open-loop method to try and help wheelspin control. It can be of real benefit when the tires are worn out,” the Renault Sport engineer explained.

The maximum amount of torque engine engineers are proportionally allowed to remove as a function of engine speed is limited by the FIA so, as always, getting the right balance to help the driver and stay on the right side of the law is a juggling act.

“You can have an area of constant torque on a pedal map followed by a region of ‘constant power' decay afterwards. Your torque pedal map could therefore be a mix of this and a constant torque map, depending on the preference of your driver and your car,” Lamb said.

Renault engine installed in Williams chassis. (Photo: WRi2)

But it isn't just in the use of the pedal that mapping is important. It is also when the driver is off-throttle that is of almost equal importance.

“The zero percent line is when the driver is completely off the pedal. It is this line that sets the amount of over-run push. This is when the engine continues to turn and produce torque, albeit still slightly negative, under braking. Getting this correct is essential as we use it to reduce rear locking under braking. It's another open-loop system, this time pseudo anti-lock, so as the tires wear out the driver will tend to increase the amount of push during the course of a stint.

“The downsides are that the heat rejection to water and oil will go up, so fluid temperatures will increase, and you'll also use more fuel to achieve this. It's quite a pronounced effect: if you plan to use maximum push for the whole race you could end up adding another two kilos to the starting race fuel load,” he concluded.

From GMM

A new task on Martin Whitmarsh's busy job-list for the rest of 2012 will be to "protect" Lewis Hamilton after the long-time McLaren protege decided to leave the great British team at the end of the season.

"Clearly there will be cause to be distracted in the next days and weeks," McLaren boss Whitmarsh admitted.

He is referring to Hamilton's bombshell news about Mercedes.

Whitmarsh must now ensure the 27-year-old's focus remains on trying to win this year's titles in a McLaren, even though success for the Briton would mean Hamilton takes the coveted 'number 1' to the nose of a different silver car in 2013.

Lewis Hamilton and Martin Whitmarsh, still friends for six races. (Photo: WRi2)

He admitted there will be new distractions around Hamilton as a result for the all-important final six races of his McLaren career.

"We've got to try and protect him from that," said Martin Whitmarsh. "He's assured me that he's a McLaren man for the rest of this year and that he's going to be completely focused on winning and we are going to try and create as much protection of him and the environment in which he can do that."

Whitmarsh also denied that, despite his championship contention, McLaren might begin to walk away early from Hamilton, including by flowing the bulk of the development items to his teammate Jenson Button, and locking him out of discussions.

"Lewis is a McLaren driver, he will be the recipient of the development items that we have for this year's car," he insisted.

"He will have every single development for instance in Japan and beyond. In that regard, he will be involved in the development at the race circuit, although clearly he won't be involved in the development of next year's car," explained Whitmarsh.