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Ah, the minivan: nearly as taboo as the station wagon and with a chip so big on its shoulder, it's hard to see the vehicle below sometimes. Why the stigma? These big, bulbous people carriers are generally back-heavy, laborious to drive/park and aren't very dynamic when it comes to “spirited” driving.

Well, they were.

While I'm not a complete convert just yet, I'll admit the 2012 Honda Odyssey dragged me a little closer to the “I could possibly live with a minivan” state of mind.


You don't need four children to love it
Some blamed my new love for the 2012 Honda Odyssey on the fact that I've recently entered the realm of parenthood. However, with only one 10-month-old son my need for a “big” vehicle has yet to surface.

Yet, it's not until you have it that you realize you want it.

With room for eight (and I mean room), plus a ridiculous trunk that (with all the seats up) offers up 1,087 litres of space, the 2012 Honda Odyssey is truly cavernous. With both rows down, it has enough room to swallow virtually anything with 4,205 litres of cargo volume. Children, dogs, groceries, in-laws, suitcases, strollers, car seats; throw it all in there and it'll fit. Fabulous.

While I didn't load up the 2012 Honda Odyssey to the gills, I did transfer my son's car seat to the second row so we could experience this family vehicle together (how apropos, no?). I put his large running stroller in the trunk and I packed a few overnight bags for a weekend at the grandparent's. I even delivered a rather large and awkward Jumparoo to a friend. All without much effort thanks to the Odyssey's grand interior space.

With both rows down, it has enough room to swallow virtually anything with 4,205 litres of cargo volume. (Photo: Olivier Croteau)

A juxtaposition of styling
As for the interior styling of the 2012 Honda Odyssey; I was a bit torn. While I absolutely love the centre stack, I was a bit disappointed in the gauge cluster. Where the centre stack looks futuristic and “styled,” the driver gauges are old school and don't quite fit. I absolutely love the buttons and position of the navigation knob on the centre stack. Honda really thought this one through. Their onboard entertainment system is extremely easy to navigate, and the Bluetooth hookup was, perhaps, the easiest I've had to deal with in quite some time.

In the rear, backlit climate control stations hover over each sliding door. Seats in the 2012 Honda Odyssey are spacious and comfortable. While not overly supportive, they are good for long hauls. Arm rests up front and a ridiculous amount of storage spaces and nooks and crannies (Honda's speciality) mean every passenger can have their own personal “space” for family road trips (great for multiple siblings).

Outside, the 2012 Honda Odyssey is, by far, the best looking minivan on the road today. Space-age with just enough modern sophistication to please all ages, the Odyssey looks good. And I absolutely adored the automatic sliding doors (and would open them often with the key fob just because I could).

Where the centre stack looks futuristic and “styled,” the driver gauges are old school and don't quite fit. (Photo: Olivier Croteau)

Doing what Honda does
So, what happens if you're someone who loves to drive and you suddenly find yourself with 3+ children under the age of 3? What do you do? You panic and realize you either need to spend a ridiculous amount on a 7-seater SUV or bite the bullet and get a minivan.

A close friend of mine recently bit that bullet and purchased a brand new Honda Odyssey after his twin boys were born. Why? Because of the way it drove -- and I couldn't agree with him more.

Equipped with a 3.5L i-VTEC V6, the 2012 Honda Odyssey has 248 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Coupled with a responsive 5-speed automatic transmission, this Honda can go despite a near 2,000 kg curb weight. Throttle response is surprisingly lively as is steering and handling. I often forgot I was driving a minivan until I had to brake suddenly (oh right, I have a rear end) or corner (again, that rear). It was shockingly enjoyable to drive.

Over the course of the week, I managed to average 11L/100km overall with the 2012 Honda Odyssey. This, again, is impressive for a vehicle its size. And I wasn't trying to be conservative, the car does that all on its own. While I was pleased with the fuel mileage, I was not pleased with the 80L gas tank that cost a pretty penny to fill thanks to its size. However, it should “technically” last you longer.

Equipped with a 3.5L i-VTEC V6, the 2012 Honda Odyssey has 248 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Olivier Croteau)

Minivan for the masses
Final verdict? Well, I'm not about to go out and drop the near $30,000 MSRP on a new base Honda Odyssey nor am I about to pop out enough children to warrant buying one. However, I will recommend the 2012 Honda Odyssey for those in need of a stylish, capable, fuel-efficient people carrier.

Chevrolet will unveil the plug-in electric variant of the Spark at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. It's one of 13 new or significantly redesigned models that GM's best-selling brand will introduce next year.

Also on display at the Chevrolet stand will be an advanced version of the MyLink infotainment system, which will make its debut in the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala, as well as the Malibu Turbo, Sonic RS, Traverse, and Camaro Hot Wheels Edition.

''The Spark EV and next generation of MyLink demonstrate Chevrolet's commitment to delivering the advanced technologies that today's consumers will be eager to adopt and truly value,'' said Chris Perry, vice president of Global Chevrolet Marketing.

Photo: Chevrolet

Qatar and M-Sport are closer than ever to a deal for next season, where the British squad would run Petter Solberg and Mads Ostberg, with a third Fiesta for Al Attiyah at selected events.

Nasser Al-Attiyah and M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson recently met in Cyprus, scene of the last round of the IRC, the Intercontinental Rally Championship, a rally won by Al-Attiyah behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta S2000.

Ford Fiesta WRC. (Photo: M-Sport)

Thanks to Qatar's backing, two Ford Festa WRCs would be run for Norwegian drivers Petter Solberg and Mads Ostberg.

A third Fiesta may be run for Al Attiyah in selected events. The driver from Qatar will also run the Middle East Rally Championship next season.

Nasser Al-Attiyah, Citroen DS3. (Photo: WRC)

Qatar, which backed Citroën Racing until this season, will be replaced by Abu Dhabi from 2013.

As Solberg and Ostberg are set to be teammates at Ford M-Sport, Dani Sordo seems to be on his way to join Citroen Racing alongside Mikko Hirvonen.

Cars are works of art. And just as art has admirers and haters alike, so too do automobiles. I've come to realize I have a very specific flavour of car I fall in love with at first site, while others take more time to warm up to.

Let's start with a “normal” breed: BMW, for example. I find their design language appealing because of the businesslike appearance with a hint of something more, something rough around the edges. Slightly flared wheel arches, a short, stubby nose, quad tailpipes, these subtle features, these design elements give away the car's true nature; they give away the artwork's soul.

Now, the Mercedes-Benz SL550 is a beast of another breed. I could stare at this two-seater for far too long. It's hypnotizing in a way that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. There's no denying what it is, or what it was meant to do. Sleek, slender, precise: This Merc was built with purpose and I adore that. There's no hidden message: Sex appeal is what it's got (and lots of it).

I'm attracted to the likes of Range Rover for its pure, brute strength (with a touch of class). I love the strong, bold lines of the Land Rover clan. They're big and brash and proud of what they are. These are, again, purpose-built luxury off-roaders and they look to be just that. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class garners the same reaction from me. I feel like I'm looking at a well-muscled man, ready to hike up a steep hill. I know they'll get the job done, and they'll look damn good doing it.

When it comes to everyday vehicles, there isn't just one that stands out as uber attractive, but bits and pieces that catch my eye, make me turn my head and take another look. For example, the Kia Optima I drove last week features fantastic headlights that are unique on the market right now. They are both modern and fun, and I appreciate the artistic flare from Kia. Audi's infamous LEDs are both futuristic and oh-so good looking and the Hyundai Veloster's rear is so out there I'd take it and hang it on my wall as a conversation starter.

Why not mention the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati? Well, that would be too easy. There's no denying the attractiveness of the likes of the Italians. Sensual lines from nose to tail are the reason they hold rent on teenage boy's bedroom walls.

So, no, not every car is a stunner (by no stretch of the imagination), but to each their own. I have preferences, just as I would if I were choosing a piece of art to display in my home. I look for clean lines, masculine undertones, assertive design elements and hints of power and strength in the little things. I like symmetry paired with organic bits and bobs; an oxymoron that rarely works but when it does, watch out.

Vehicles are more than a means to an end, they can be so much more and artwork is just one such thing.

Photo: Kevin Corrigan

From GMM

Sauber is set to announce a joint sponsor with its partner Chelsea, the English premier league football club.

Earlier this year, the Swiss F1 team announced the "new and innovative partnership" with Chelsea, in which the sports teams wear each others' logos.

Now, the Daily Mail reveals that Sauber and Chelsea are poised to announce their first joint sponsor.

"The first commercial joint venture will be announced in two months' time," said Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay.

"You are going to see some results of the partnership very soon."

Photo: Sauber F1 Team

The Daily Mail also reports that, amid the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption affair, premier league chief executive Richard Scudamore is on the list of potential candidates to replace Bernie Ecclestone.

"But it would need a considerable offer to tempt Scudamore away (from football)," admitted journalist Charles Sale.

NASCAR and sponsor Nationwide Insurance announced the 2013 schedule which will include a trip to the Mid-Ohio sports car circuit for the first time.

While series retains three road course races in its' 33-race schedule it will mark the end of the six-year tenure of the popular race at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Kevin Harvick won the first race, in 2007, and Justin Allgaier won this past August.

Regarding venerable road course, which is in the home state of the series sponsor, “with Mid-Ohio on the schedule, the NASCAR Nationwide Series has another opportunity to lead the way at a new venue,” said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations, of the sixth time in nine years the series will run an inaugural race. “This gives us the opportunity to bring the series' signature side-by-side racing to a new fan base, and build enthusiasm among race fans that have yet to experience the unparalleled experience of attending a NASCAR event.”

As in previous years NASCAR's triple-A series will open at Daytona Beach (Feb.23) and close at Homestead Miami Speedway (November).

There will be six standalone events Iowa Speedway (June 8 and Aug. 3), Chicagoland Speedway (July 21), Kentucky Speedway (Sept. 21), Road America and Mid-Ohio.

Kentucky's first NASCAR Nationwide Series race on June 28, one of 27 companion weekends with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, also will be the qualifying event for the 2013 “Dash 4 Cash” bonus program. The subsequent four races make up the 2013 “Dash 4 Cash” events: Daytona on July 5; New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 13; Chicagoland and the Brickyard.

“This is a competitive and well-balanced schedule that challenges our drivers and teams with a variety of different tracks and distances” O'Donnell said. “It's a schedule that the fans will enjoy.”

2013 NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES SCHEDULE

Date Site
2/23 Daytona International Speedway
3/2 Phoenix International Raceway
3/9 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
3/16 Bristol Motor Speedway
3/23 Auto Club Speedway
4/12 Texas Motor Speedway
4/26 Richmond International Raceway
5/4 Talladega Superspeedway
5/10 Darlington Raceway
5/25 Charlotte Motor Speedway
6/1 Dover International Speedway
6/8 Iowa Speedway
6/15 Michigan International Speedway
6/22 Road America
6/28 Kentucky Speedway
7/5 Daytona International Speedway
7/13 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
7/21 Chicagoland Speedway
7/27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway
8/3 Iowa Speedway
8/10 Watkins Glen International
8/17 Mid-Ohio
8/23 Bristol Motor Speedway
8/31 Atlanta Motor Speedway
9/6 Richmond International Raceway
9/14 Chicagoland Speedway
9/21 Kentucky Speedway
9/28 Dover International Speedway
10/5 Kansas Speedway
10/11 Charlotte Motor Speedway
11/2 Texas Motor Speedway
11/9 Phoenix International Raceway
11/16 Homestead-Miami Speedway

The last and only Formula 1 Grand Prix ever to be held in Texas happened in July 1984. The organisers overcame 38 °C heat, a disintegrating track surface and weekend-long rumours of its cancellation.

The street track was located at Fair Park in downtown Dallas. Lotus-Renault driver Nigel Mansell captured pole position and led the early laps.

However, Keke Rosberg passed him in his Williams-Honda as the tarmac temperature reached 66 °C!

Roberg crossed the line in first place, followed by René Arnoux's Ferrari and Elio de Angelis' Lotus.

Mansell hit the concrete wall and the impact damaged his gearbox. The Briton coasted around the last corner. As his car slowed on the home straight, he leaped from his black Lotus and tried to push it to the line, but collapsed from exhaustion and the oppressive heat before reaching the finish line. He was classified sixth, three laps behind.

Residents in New Jersey and New York are still scrambling and assessing the damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Many also had -- or still have -- to deal with closed gas stations.

Hybrid and electric car owners had a much easier time, however. They were able to avoid the endless lines waiting for the precious few litres of fuel available.

In New York, part of the city's taxi fleet is proving quite popular, namely Ford Focus Hybrid Taxis. Stranded commuters also received help from some EV owners.

Will Sandy turn out to be the tipping point for many Americans who used to discard alternatively powered vehicles? Time will tell...

Source: usa.indiandrives.com

First Look: 2013 Honda Civic

Our first look at the Civic's second chance.

Who knew there would be hell to pay for perpetually setting the bar high? Honda, certainly didn't, but discovered otherwise when it came time to launch the ninth-generation Civic. Although still an adequate automobile to many, it lacked the same spark and innovation we'd come to expect from previous Civics. Worse, with competitors finally upping their efforts in the C-segment, the Civic no longer seemed to stand head and shoulders above the crowd.

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Honda Civic - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Honda Civic - Automobile Magazine

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Fiat must pay at least $342 million for a 3.3 percent stake in automaker Chrysler Group that is held by a union-related trust, the trust claimed in court documents filed on Monday. The UAW health care trust said Fiat's offer of $139.

Auction giant Manheim is relaxing some policies at 11 mid-Atlantic and Northeast auction sites in an effort to help dealers impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

Also in this episode: Lamborghini unveils the Aventador roadster, and the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Phoenix

Porsche is reproducing its famous crests from 1952 to 1973 for Porsche Classic customers.

Faurecia, Europe's largest maker of car interiors, plans to cut about 3,000 jobs in its home region, or 7.5 percent of the workforce, by the end of next year as it retrenches in lackluster European markets.

Faurecia, Europe's largest maker of car interiors, plans to cut about 3,000 jobs in its home region, or 7.5 percent of the workforce, by the end of next year as it retrenches in lackluster European markets.

Hertz has agreed to shed more airport locations than previously offered, which may lead the Federal Trade Commission to allow the $2.6 billion acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc.

Dyer Consequences: Almost Perfect

The pace of automotive improvement accelerates each year.

The pace of automotive improvement accelerates each year. Your average V-6 Chevrolet Impala puts down numbers that would've qualified it as a supercar thirty years ago, and we expect our cars to last 200,000 miles without much more than oil changes. You can buy a Ford Mustang with 662 hp, and Toyota Priuses effortlessly get 50 mpg. Rolls-Royce even has technology to keep its hood ornaments from being touched by poor people. I mean, let's just close the patent office and call it a century, right?

Photo Gallery: Dyer Consequences: Almost Perfect - Automobile Magazine

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Porsche will halt weekend production of two-seater sports cars at its biggest plant next year as Europe's deepening debt crisis is eroding demand for luxury vehicles, company sources told Reuters.

The energy and scale of the

Nissan announced pricing for the 2013 Titan pickup last Friday.