Auto News 5

TORONTO, Ontario - Auto123.com, Canada's leading automotive web portal, has announced the winners of the 4th annual Auto123.com Awards.

Auto123.com's judging panel of 10 voting journalists cumulated their scores in each of the 20 vehicle categories, including Green Vehicle of the Year.

Winners from left to right: Julie Lychak, Subaru Canada, Joe Felstein, Subaru Canada, Sandra Lemaitre, Mazda Canada, Daniel Labre, Chrysler Canada, Patrick Danielson, Hyundai Canada, Michael Minielly, Mercedes-Benz Canada, Patrick St-Pierre, Porsche Cars Canada, Thomas Tetzlaff, Volkswagen Canada, Didier Marsaud, Nissan Canada, Robert Dexter, BMW Group Canada, Laura Heasman, Honda Canada, Barbara Barrett, Jaguar Land Rover Canada, Chantel Bowen, Ford Motor Company of Canada (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Here are winners of the 2013 Auto123.com Awards:

2013 Subcompact Car of the Year: Hyundai Accent
Finalists: Ford Fiesta and Kia Rio

2013 Compact Car of the Year: Hyundai Elantra
Finalists: Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus

2013 Midsize Car of the Year: Honda Accord
Finalists: Kia Optima and Ford Fusion

2013 Full-size Car of the Year: Dodge Charger
Finalists: Chrysler 300 and Hyundai Genesis Sedan

2013 Wagon of the Year: Volkswagen Golf Wagon
Finalists: Subaru Outback and Toyota Venza

2013 Convertible of the Year: Mazda MX-5
Finalists: BMW M3 cabriolet and Porsche Boxster

2013 Compact Utility of the Year: Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
Finalists: Subaru XV Crosstrek and Ford Escape

2013 Midsize Utility of the Year: Jeep Grand Cherokee
Finalists: Kia Sorento and Volkswagen Touareg

2013 Full-size Utility of the Year: Ford Flex
Finalists: Toyota Sequoia and Nissan Armada

2013 Van of the Year: Honda Odyssey
Finalists: Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan

2013 Pickup of the Year: Ford F-150
Finalists: Honda Ridgeline and Ram 1500

2013 Sports Car of the Year: Subaru BRZ
Finalists: Ford Shelby GT500 and Scion FR-S

2013 Luxury Compact Car of the Year: Cadillac ATS
Finalists: BMW 3 Series and Volvo S60

2013 Luxury Midsize Car of the Year: BMW 5 Series
Finalists: Lexus GS and Mercedes-Benz E-Class

2013 Luxury Large Car of the Year: Porsche Panamera
Finalists: Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class

2013 Luxury Compact Utility of the Year: Range Rover Evoque
Finalists: Volvo XC60 and Acura RDX

2013 Luxury Midsize Utility of the Year: Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Finalists: Acura MDX and Porsche Cayenne

2013 Luxury Full-Size Utility of the Year: Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
Finalists: Audi Q7 and Range Rover

2013 Prestige Car of the Year: Porsche 911 Carrera
Finalists: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and Audi R8

2013 Green Vehicle of the Year: Nissan LEAF
Finalists: Ford Focus Electric and Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Here is the full schedule of events of the maiden United States Grand Prix held this weekend at the Circuit of the Americas near Austin, Texas.

Friday - November 16, 2012
08:20am   Formula One MEDICAL INSPECTION
08:30am - 08:45am  Formula One TRACK INSPECTION AND TRACK TEST
09:00am - 10:30am  Formula One FIRST PRACTICE SESSION
11:00am - 11:30am  Historic Grand Prix PRACTICE SESSION
11:30am - 12:30pm  Formula One PADDOCK CLUB PIT LANE WALK
12:30pm - 12:40pm  Formula One TRACK INSPECTION
01:00pm - 02:30pm  Formula One SECOND PRACTICE SESSION
03:00pm - 03:45pm  FERRARI CHALLENGE PRACTICE SESSION
03:00pm  PIRELLI GT3 CUP TROPHY USA WEST DRIVERS MEETING
03:00pm - 04:00pm  Formula One PRESS CONFERENCE - PRESS ROOM
04:00pm   Formula One DRIVERS' MEETING
04:15pm - 04:45pm  PIRELLI GT3 CUP TROPHY USA WEST PRACTICE SESSION
05:00pm  TRACK ACTIVITY MARSHAL PIT LANE WALK

Saturday - November 17, 2012
07:00am - 07:40am  Formula One TEAM PIT STOP PRACTICE
07:00am - 07:40am  Formula One PADDOCK CLUB PIT LANE WALK
07:45am - 08:15am  FERRARI CHALLENGE QUALIFYING SESSION
08:20am  Formula One MEDICAL INSPECTION
08:30am - 08:45am  Formula One TRACK INSPECTION AND TRACK TEST
09:00am - 10:00am  Formula One THIRD PRACTICE SESSION
10:30am - 11:00am  Historic Grand Prix QUALIFYING SESSION
11:05am - 11:40am  Formula One PADDOCK CLUB PIT LANE WALK
11:30am - 11:40am  Formula One TRACK INSPECTION
12:00pm - 01:00pm   Formula One QUALIFYING SESSION
01:30pm - 02:00pm  FERRARI CHALLENGE FIRST RACE (10 LAPS OR 25 MINS)
02:30pm - 02:50pm  PIRELLI GT3 CUP TROPHY USA WEST QUALIFYING SESSION
03:20pm - 03:55pm  Historic Grand Prix RACE (11 LAPS OR 30 MINS)

Sunday - November 18, 2012
09:30am - 10:00am  PIRELLI GT3 CUP TROPHY USA WEST RACE (10 LAPS OR 25 MINS)
10:00am  Formula One DRIVERS MEETING (IF NECESSARY)
10:30am - 11:00am  FERRARI CHALLENGE SECOND RACE (10 LAPS OR 25 MINS)
11:05am - 12:15pm   Formula One PADDOCK CLUB PIT LANE WALK
11:15am - 11:30am   Formula One MARSHALING SYSTEM TRACK TEST
11:30am  Formula One FORMULA ONE DRIVERS PARADE
11:45am - 12:15pm  Formula One STARTING GRID PRESENTATION
12:00pm  Formula One MEDICAL INSPECTION
12:10pm - 12:20pm  Formula One TRACK INSPECTION
12:30pm  Formula One PIT LANE OPEN
12:45pm  Formula One PIT LANE CLOSED GRID FORMATION
12:46pm  Formula One NATIONAL ANTHEM
01:00pm - 03:00pm  Formula One GRAND PRIX ( 56 LAPS OR 120 MINS)

From wrc.com

Former Formula 1 driver Robert Kubica's possible full-time switch to rallying would be good news for the sport according to his friend Michal Kosciuszko.

Kosciuszko is one of Poland's best rally drivers and is a friend of Kubica, a fellow native of the city of Krakow.

Kubica was badly injured in a rally crash in Italy on February 6, 2011. His right forearm was partially severed. Since then, he has not driven a Formula 1 car but has contested some regional rallyes.

Speaking to WRC.com, Kosciuszko, who finished fourth in this year's FIA Production Car World Rally Championship standings, said: "It's good to have Robert back in motorsport and most probably he's thinking about rallying now than Formula 1. Hopefully we will see him in some championships next year and I keep my fingers crossed for him because he's a very talented driver, everybody knows that."

Kosciuszko, who is hoping to continue in the World Rally Championship next season, added: "For sure having him in rallying will increase the popularity of the sport. I like him as a person and it will be good to have him back in the game."

Kubica, who won the 2008 Grand Prix du Canada with BMW Sauber will contest two more rallyes soon behind the wheel of a Citroen C4 WRC. However, his programme for 2013 remains unclear.

Citroen C4 WRC. (Photo: Citroen Racing)

Friday will mark the first time that 2012 Formula 1 cars will tackle the new Circuit of the Americas, the new home of the United States Grand Prix. Renault Sport engineers explain here the many technical challenges of this ondulating track.

From Renault Sport

Simulations predict an average speed over one lap of 196kph during the race and just over 205kph during qualifying. There are two long straights but the average speed is lowered by the high volume of low gear corners; eight of the 20 turns are taken in third gear or lower. This puts the Circuit of the Americas in a similar bracket to Valencia.

Similar to Abu Dhabi, the longest straight is not the pit straight, but rather the burst between turns 11 and 12. The straight here is 1,016m, meaning the RS27 will spend a touch over 13secs at wide open throttle. Top speed is predicted to be 314kph at the end of this straight and the engine will spend 2.5secs at max revs before braking for the hairpin of turn 12.

Main straight line. (Photo: Circuit of the Americas)

The second long straight is the pit straight. Both straights run in different directions so correctly selecting seventh gear will depend on wind direction on the day. Selection for the one may compromise end of straight speed for the other, so ambient conditions will be carefully monitored throughout Friday practice to find the optimum ratio.

The track is similar in power sensitivity to Malaysia, with 57% of the lap taken at full throttle during the race, and just under 60% during qualifying. The predicted lap time is around 1min 39secs.

Three hairpins triangulate the track; turns 1, 11 and 12. Revs will drop to 9,500rpm and the car speed to just 80kph. All three come after a long period of open throttle, meaning engine braking and rear stability on the apex are crucial. The exits and correct engine response from the hairpins are however equally important since they each lead back onto another straight.

Fuel consumption is one of the highest of a season over one lap, similar to Abu Dhabi. The lower temperatures of Austin offset its relatively high altitude and change of gradient, but low ambient humidity and the twisty first and last sectors where the driver is constantly on and off the throttle increase consumption. The starting fuel load will be one of the heaviest of the year, on a par with Abu Dhabi and Melbourne.

First Drive: 2014 Subaru Forester Prototype

A little more SUV.

The Subaru Forester was among the leading wave of compact crossovers in the late 1990s, but it was hardly the definition of the segment. As the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V wrote the rules that would be followed by every major mainstream automaker for the coming decades, the Forester marched to its own wagon-like beat. Riding on the Impreza platform, the original Forester resembled a car more than an SUV.

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2014 Subaru Forester Prototype

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2014 Subaru Forester Prototype

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Toyota agreed on Tuesday to pay $25.5 million to settle a shareholder class action lawsuit in federal court accusing the company of not disclosing safety and quality issues related to recalls and reports of unintended vehicle acceleration in 2010.

What is it?

Ford is planning a seven-passenger vehicle aimed at young families that features sliding doors and enough interior space to hold some 465 soccer balls. But don't call it a minivan.

Eterniti Motors officially opened its doors in London on Monday. The 10,000-square foot building in Park Royal not only hosted the opening-day party, but also displayed the companyand#8217;s first production model, the Eterniti Artemis SUV.

During our test of the Gibbs Quadski, a high-speed amphibious ATV manufactured by Gibbs Sports Amphibians Inc.

Also in this episode: Porsche helps enthusiasts by reproducing classic badges, and the

2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Compare and Contrast

We compare the CX-5 to the competition.

Back in May, we conducted a comparison test between the three newest offerings in the compact crossover segment: the Mazda CX-5, the Ford Escape, and the Honda CR-V. We proclaimed the CX-5 the Goldilocks of the bunch ("it's just right") and gave it the crown of the competition. Since then, we've gotten another crack at the Escape and at Hyundai's all-new (and larger) Santa Fe Sport and driven them with our Four Seasons CX-5 fresh in our minds.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Four Seasons Update - November 2012 - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Four Seasons Update - November 2012 - Automobile Magazine

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Ford has introduced the 2014 Transit Connect Wagon, a vehicle the automaker is calling and#8220;so unique it is a revolution in seven-passenger transportation.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally will be one of a dozen American corporate leaders meeting with President Barack Obama Wednesday to discuss ways to control the federal deficit, the White House said Monday.

The Scion FR-Sand#8212;or Toyota GT86 as it's known in Europeand#8212;is the answer to many a gearhead's prayers.

The proportion of older male drivers on U.S. roads is declining, which will affect vehicle demand, energy consumption and road safety, University of Michigan researchers say.

Since 1999, car nuts stranded at Walt Disney World knew they could find respite from the Small Worlds and Magic Kingdoms at Epcot's GM Test Trackand#8212;until it closed its doors this past April, at least.

Audi, the world's second-largest maker of luxury cars, said it's on track to reach a goal of selling a record 1.4 million vehicles in 2012 and expects the momentum to continue into next year.

2012 Dodge Charger SXT Plus - Phones and Maps

It's nearly impossible to drive our long-term Dodge Charger and not interact with the huge 8.4-inch touchscreen.

It's nearly impossible to drive our long-term Dodge Charger and not interact with the huge 8.4-inch touchscreen, and yet we've hardly touched on the car's infotainment technology in previous monthly updates. Perhaps that's because the Uconnect system, which manages the stereo, heated seats, climate controls, navigation, Bluetooth, and backup camera, works so well. The controls are intuitive, displays are legible, and common procedures are logical and straightforward.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Dodge Charger SXT Plus - Four Seasons Update - September 2012 - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2012 Dodge Charger SXT Plus - Four Seasons Update - September 2012 - Automobile Magazine

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Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said global demand for ultra-luxury sports cars will probably not increase next year as the European debt crisis drags on and China's economy slows.