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Don't count Nissan President Carlos Ghosn among those impressed with new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ability to weaken the yen against all major global currencies. Ghosn's dissatisfaction with the exchange rate, echoed by Toyota Motor Corp.

NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: I really enjoyed a weekend in the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque coupe.

SENIOR ONLINE EDITOR RORY CARROLL: From the outside, this generation of BMW's big

Imre Molnar, the longtime academic chief at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, died Dec. 28 of a heart attack while bicycle riding in California. He was 61.

Imre Molnar, the longtime academic chief at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, died Dec. 28 of a heart attack while bicycle riding in California.

Here's a look back at some notable executives and innovators who died this year.

Luxury vehicle buyers want service -- not just repairs done right, but the kind of pampering they get at high-end hotels, restaurants and boutiques. It's all about the extras.

Every year since 1953, reporters and editors at Automotive News have chosen the year's top auto story. Here are their picks.

From Barra to Winterkorn, a look at 10 people who made an impact on the industry in 2012.

The sizzling North American light-vehicle market was the year's biggest story, according to the 60th annual Automotive News staff poll. Here are our choices for the top 10 stories of 2012.

Some Chevrolet dealers have stopped carrying the Volt after deciding that their sales didn't justify an additional $5,100 for tools to service the plug-in hybrid.

Eley Duke III, vice president of Duke Automotive, could watch worry-free this year when Google deleted thousands of customer reviews from dozens of dealerships nationally.

VW's desire to launch a low-cost brand and Nissan's plan to sell Datsuns for as little as 2,300 euros underline the rising interest from automakers to tap demand for budget cars in fast-growing markets to offset falling sales in mature, stagnant...

After he left the World Rally Championship at the end of this season, Petter Solberg got offers to run in Rallycross, WTCC or Le Mans Series.

2003 rally world champion Petter Solberg is ready to move forward after he could not secure a WRC seat for next year.

Petter Solberg, Ford. (Photo: WRC)

Solberg revealed to norwegian medias that he was in talks for a WTCC drive. Several brands are rumoured to make WTCC debuts in 2014, including Citroën. Solberg has strong links with the french constructor, having ran a C4, then a DS3 in his private team in WRC in 2011 and 2011. Solberg would join Sebastien Loeb in the Citroen WTCC team, which would be a great pair!

Subaru is also linked to a WTCC entry. Solberg had his greatest WRC seasons with the japanese constructor, with numerous win and the 2003 world title. Renault is the third brand that could enter WTCC in 2014.

Petter Solberg also revealed he has offers for the Le Mans Series. Several years ago, he had the opportunity to test an Oreca LMP1 car at Le Castellet.

The european rallycross championship could also be a possibility for Petter Solberg. The championship is about to extend its media coverage, with the backing of IMG starting in 2013.

Petter Solberg will run the Finnskog Rally in January aboard a Ford Escort MKII, with his wife Pernilla as co-driver.

A new system by Hyundai allows car owners to lock and unlock their doors using a smartphone. Introduced on the European i30 (Elantra in North America), it will be produced by Broadcom Corporation for a possible mass release in 2015, the Korean automaker hopes.

The system employs Near Field Communication (NFC) technology to synchronize the phone with the vehicle, providing access to the Internet, music library and contacts through a touchscreen display. It can also memorize a driver's preferred settings for the mirrors, seats and radio.

The next step? Turning users' smartphones into remote starters -- seriously. How great would that be?

Source: Cnet

From GMM

Charlie Whiting, the highest ranking FIA official at grands prix, is sure formula one will not miss the sound of F1's current V8 engines.

For the past couple of decades, fans have been spoiled by the ear-splitting tones of normally aspirated V12, 10 and now 8-cylinder power plants.

But from 2014, the sport will sound more placid, as turbocharged and comparatively low-revving 1.6 litre V6 engines power the cars around the tracks.

There have been fears the more sedate sound will turn off fans.

"I think people will get used to it pretty quickly," FIA race director Whiting told F1 journalist Peter Windsor's blog peterwindsor.com.

"Honestly, when I think back to the old BMW four cylinder engine we ran in the Brabham days, that revved to 11,000rpm and it sounded fine. The new engines are not going to be silent. The sound is going to be different but people will get used to it very quickly, I think," he added.

V8 Ferrari engine. (Photo: Ferrari)

Charlie Whiting, ultimately in charge of all racing, safety and technical matters at grands prix, admitted to looking forward to the radical new rules.

"It's a big challenge," he said. "A very big challenge for the engine manufacturers. I'm looking forward to seeing the engines run -- to see how complicated they are and how clever they are. They're going to be extremely high-tech power units, that's for sure."

From GMM

The famous Brabham name could return to formula one.

Former triple world champion Sir Jack Brabham, an Australian who is now 86, founded his eponymous team in 1960 and it later raced under Bernie Ecclestone's stewardship.

In 2009, a German automotive supply company, Formtech, claimed it now controls the Brabham team name and filed an official entry for the 2010 F1 season.

But the Brabham family hit back, launching legal action to "protect the family name".

Jack Brabham's son David, a sports car racing specialist who contested 30 grands prix in the 90s, told Brazil's Totalrace: "Right now this is a very sensitive issue. But, yes, there is the possibility to bring the team back (to F1)."

Nelson Piquet, world champion in 1981, with a Brabham BT49C powered by a BMW turbo engine. (Photo: WRi2)

The Brabham team won two constructors' and 4 drivers' titles in the 60s and 80s, last racing with Damon Hill at the wheel in 1992.

David Brabham continued: "For now, we have a predicament behind the scenes, involving the rights of the name. It's 98 per cent resolved, and when it is 100 per cent we'll see what we can do."

Toyota couldn't have picked a better time to make a comeback on the sports car scene. True, they needed a little help from their friends, and we've been hearing about the development of this car for about four years now but, oh man, the wait was worth it.


We're not talking about some spruced-up, Yaris econohatch or a Corolla with a rear spoiler and side skirts: The 2013 Scion FR-S is the real deal, and so is its near-identical twin, the 2013 Subaru BRZ. While the differences between the FR-S and the BRZ are minimal, both are pure sports cars and won't disappoint those seeking a fun, affordable weekend track toy that also doubles as a great daily driver.

In fact, the Scion FR-S' only true shortcoming is that it's a Scion.

The more I drive it, the more I like it
A collaborative effort between Toyota and Subaru might have been a doubtful one a couple of years ago, but the result is flabbergasting. Subie provided the car's mechanicals, and Toyota penned the car's shape and cockpit.

Under the hood lays a 2.0L flat-four BOXER engine that develops 200 raucous horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. While these numbers may seem modest in the realm of 283-hp minivans, the Scion's curb weight of 2,578 lbs (or 1,251 kg) doesn't require a massive dose of power to get skeddadling.

And here's one thing you should understand: You don't need tons of horsepower to make a car fun. Straight-line speed isn't the only criteria for evaluating a sports car. In the Scion's case, our tester scooted to 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds. That's not a blistering pace, but it's not slow, either.

On the other hand, the 6-speed manual's shifter borders on magnificence, with short, stiff-but-clean throws and a mechanical feel that makes you wanna row through the gears all day long.

At 100 km/h, engine revs stand at 2,750 rpm, which isn't bad considering the nature of the beast. Overall, my fuel economy averaged 8.0L/100km over the course of the test week, which is very good despite what I put it through. Oh, the FR-S requires super unleaded.

The 2013 Scion FR-S, like its Subaru BRZ near-twin, gets a 2.0L flat-four engine that develops 200 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Track star
As we observed, by pitting the FR-S and the BRZ against each other on a closed course among other rivals during our compact sports coupe comparison test, the Scion is the better track car of the two. Suspension calibrations make the FR-S a little stiffer than the BRZ, and it shows; around the track, the car's tires squeal less than the Subie's and the Scion is generally more at ease.

Best of all, the FR-S clings reassuringly to the tarmac. Since it's not overly powerful, the beginner race-car driver will only get into trouble if he or she pushes the little coupe over its limits. And its limits are pretty high, even for a rear-wheel driver. In addition, the stability control system's track mode allows for some drifting action, but still acts as an effective safety net. In short, the 2013 Scion FR-S is brilliant on a track.

On the road, the ride is a little less comfy than the Subaru's, but remains more than tolerable. You sit low to the ground, and the car's ultra-low centre of gravity results in virtually no body roll when you tackle some twisty country roads -- which you'll want to do pretty frequently.

The FR-S is a brilliant track car, and its power output won't get the beginner racer into trouble. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Basic and effective cockpit
The FR-S wasn't designed to pamper its occupants, but they do benefit from a simple, effective and straightforward appearance and layout.

The back-hugging sport seats are fantastic. Although shorter drivers complained about sinking in the seat while driving, my 5"9' carcass fit just fine, and the driving position in this car is perfect. Rear-seat space, if you must ask, is bearable for kids if the front chairs are slid forward. As for adults, well, maybe they should take their own cars.

The cockpit is simple yet effective, and includes back-hugging seats. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Very affordable
For only $25,990, you get one mighty fine sports car. It's actually $1,300 cheaper than the BRZ, although you sacrifice a navigation system, LED driving lights and a few other minor details. Competition includes the Mazda MX-5, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T and the Hyundai Veloster Turbo, among others.

Here's the thing: The FR-S is the Toyota I desire most, at least since the original MR2. However, in North America, the marketing team has convinced the company to sell the car as a Scion, and that's quite a blunder. A lot of people don't even know what a Scion is to start with. They should've called it the Toyota FT86 in every global market instead of diluting the car's image.

The Scion FR-S is a steal at a base price of $25,990. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

The BRZ offers more standard and optional equipment. And for now at least, Scion doesn't list any accessories to customize the FR-S. Its sexy body doesn't really need any cosmetic add-ons, but a rear spoiler would do nice; but, sorry, you can't have one.

Regardless, I'd still buy an FR-S because Toyota and Subaru nailed it. In short, this car is nothing short of amazing.

Google recently launched a new car buying and comparison tool called Google cars.

Users looking for a new vehicle just have to enter any make and model to get a stock listing with names of dealers and their location. They can then refine their search by specifying a body colour or an engine type, for example.

Once they find a model that fits their criteria, users have access to a full vehicle overview and information to contact the dealer.

Google cars is still in development in California but could reach a broader scale in the near future.

Source: Webmarketing

Photo: Google

From WRC

The 2013 WRC season is about to start and here are 10 good reasons to get excited with this new year.

1. A new world champion will be crowned
With Sebastien Loeb set to contest a maximum of four WRC events in 2013, a new world champion will be crowned for the first time since 2003.

2. Ostberg's big chance
Having shone as a privateer in 2011 and 2012, Mads Ostberg gets his big break with a 13-round schedule in a Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team Ford Fiesta.

3. Hope for Hanninen
There's only a guarantee of two events (Monte-Carlo and Sweden) at the moment but Hanninen has what it takes to challenge for victory on both in a privateer Fiesta. You heard it here first.

4. The future is here
Esapekka Lappi emerged as one of rallying's brightest prospects in 2012 with several standout performances. He gets a WRC 2 bid with Skoda Motorsport as his reward.

5. Hello Volkswagen
Volkswagen will mount its first World Rally Car campaign with a three-strong team of Polo Rs for Jari-Matti Latvala, Andreas Mikkelsen and Sebastien Ogier. The car is unproven but Volkswagen's commitment is unquestionable.

6. M-Sport goes for youth
In addition to Mads Ostberg, M-Sport will also field young stars Thierry Neuville and Evgeny Novikov on all 13 rounds in 2013. Both have the ability to challenge for regular podiums under the watchful eye of Nasser Al-Attiyah, who will embark on a partial campaign in a fourth Qatar-backed Fiesta.

7. Australia is back
While Rally New Zealand is one of the best in the business, the return of Rally Australia (pictured) to the WRC schedule after a one-year absence will be a highlight with event organisers hard at work on some exciting changes.

8. Renewed impetus at Citroen
Citroen might no longer be able to count on Sebastien Loeb's services on a full-time basis but in Mikko Hirvonen and Dani Sordo it will still be hard to beat. Khalid Al-Qassimi also joins the team for 2013, making a welcome return to the WRC along with principal sponsor Abu Dhabi.

9. New classes and categories
It's all change in the WRC support categories for 2013 with WRC 2 replacing SWRC complete with a cup for Group N cars. The PWRC becomes WRC 3 but is now exclusively for two-wheel-drive machines. The WRC Academy is renamed the Junior WRC, while there are one-make contests for Citroen DS3 R3s, Mitsubishi Lancers and Subaru Imprezas.

10. Evans above!
After dominating the WRC Academy in 2012, Elfyn Evans will get the chance to show his ability in a four-wheel-drive Fiesta as part of an exciting prize drive with M-Sport. The young Briton is highly rated and is set to impress.