Auto News 5

Mitsubishi Motors has completed the sale of its wholly owned car plant subsidiary in the Netherlands to the country's VD Leegte Beheer for EUR1, in line with an agreement reached in July.

Hyundai Mobis is beginning operations at a Slovakian plant to produce core brake control systems for 600,000 cars per year.

Toyota Boshoku's European unit has raised its stake in a Polish joint venture to make it a subsidiary to strengthen its management base in Europe.

News 17 Dec, 2012

Leaked patent images give us our first glimpse at the production-ready Renault Captur crossover

Administrators handling London black cab producer, Manganese Bronze Holdings, say they remain hopeful the business will be sold as a going concern.

News 17 Dec, 2012

The final version of the Lexus LF-A supercar has been built in Japan

News 17 Dec, 2012

The facelifted Renault Scenic range will include a four-wheel-drive MPV

In line with plans to strengthen European R&D, Toyota Motor Europe (TME) has announced several executive appointments at its headquarters in Brussels and at its UK plant, from 1 January 2013.

Singapore's Gallant Venture is reported to have signed a conditional purchase agreement for a majority stake in PT Indomobil Sukses Internasional, Indonesia's second largest vehicle distributor.

Last week's premiere of General Motors' redesigned full-sized pickups spotlighted the divergent truck strategies of GM and its Detroit 3 rivals.

Consumers now have unprecedented Internet access to vehicle prices, so some dealers are turning to an old retail concept: no-dicker selling.

By calling for cleaner gasoline to help reduce tailpipe emissions, automakers again have put themselves on a collision course with the oil industry. Automakers say they are willing to follow California rules across the United States.

Nissan admits its launch strategy on the Leaf miscalculated the short-term market potential for the electric vehicle and says it will do a better job of targeting potential buyers.

UAW President Bob King said he expects few defections by his members when Michigan's right-to-work law takes effect in March. Unionized workers at parts suppliers will be among the first to test King's confidence.

Toyota will roll out Tundra and Corolla redesigns next year and will revise the RAV4, Avalon and Highlander, but there are some things the division probably won't do.

Four recalls on the redesigned 2013 Ford Escape crossover, on the heels of embarrassing technology glitches and delays introducing other important models, have raised concerns about Ford's launch processes.

Adapted from GMM

German driver Adrian Sutil has admitted he could complete Force India's 2013 driver lineup and adds that a criminal conviction for assault last year will not affect his return.

The former team driver, who sat out 2012 in the wake of his assault conviction, told German television Sat 1: "I certainly hope so. It's not yet certain, but I have a good chance”.

"I know this business very well, and so you can only be certain when you have something signed. I still have to be patient, but I certainly hope that it turns out in my favour. It would be nice because I know the team well,” he added.

Adrian Sutil. (Photo: WRi2)

The German admitted he is pinning his 2013 hopes on Force India, who have a vacancy alongside Paul di Resta after Nico Hulkenberg's move to Sauber.

"If it doesn't happen, I will have to think about something else, but I haven't really started that process yet," said Sutil.

However, it was rumoured his conviction might cause him trouble entering some of the countries on the 2013 calendar.

But Sutil told BBC radio: "We checked all the countries and there is no problem for me to travel. All my problems last winter are solved."

In January, a German court gave Sutil an 18-month suspended jail sentence and EUR 200,000 fine for attacking Lotus team executive Eric Lux in a Shanghai nightclub in May 2011.

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton has already started work at Mercedes.

Britain's Sun newspaper said that although the 2008 world champion remains under contract to McLaren for two more weeks, a "deal" has been agreed whereby the 27-year-old can at least meet his new engineers.

And the report said Briton Hamilton also got his first taste of Mercedes' driver simulator last week.

"Lewis has already been in the factory to see the team and fulfil some duties after we found an agreement about that with McLaren," said Mercedes' departing head of motor sport, Norbert Haug.

Lewis Hamilton has played down his chances of immediately succeeding at Mercedes, saying he will not really be thinking about titles and wins until at least 2014.

Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team

"That's fine," non-executive chairman Niki Lauda told Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "I don't really like when drivers say they are going to win every race. For me, a sober, pragmatic analysis of things is better, where you can positively surprise rather than promise something that can't necessarily be achieved."

Niki Lauda admitted, however, that Mercedes must improve.

"We have the best engine and the best drivers. Now we need to improve the car a lot before the season."

But he tipped reigning world champions Red Bull to enter 2013 as the definite favourites.

"Yes, the rules for 2013 are a great advantage for Red Bull, who are already on a high level, to just go on. But in spite of the limited possibilities, we have to try to make two or three steps forward. I know one thing: the people in England are highly motivated and have completely understood their failures."

And Lauda suggested that if Mercedes fails again, it will not be Hamilton's fault, nor his 2013 teammate Nico Rosberg's.

"For me, Hamilton-Rosberg is the strongest pairing compared to all the other teams. Take a look at Red Bull and the gap between Vettel and Webber, or Alonso and Massa at Ferrari. Or, even worse, at McLaren and the gap between Button and Perez. Some teams have worlds between their two drivers. Another advantage of Hamilton is that he comes with experience of another team, and he can tell us exactly what are the strengths and weaknesses of our car," added Lauda.

From GMM

Mercedes should not pin its failure to succeed as a formula one works team on departing motor sport president Norbert Haug, according to Hans-Joachim Stuck.

After 22 years in the role, spanning the famous German marque's entire grand prix involvement in the modern era, Haug has resigned.

Niki Lauda, who arrived at Mercedes recently as non-executive chairman, said on Sunday that Haug resigned as a result of the team's failure to succeed since taking over Brawn in 2010.

But Stuck, the president of Germany's motor sport federation, defended Haug by saying: "The failures in formula one are solely attributable to Ross Brawn."

"The car was just not fast enough," he told the Focus newsmagazine in its Monday edition. "He (Haug) was not the one who designed that car. He was the one who, after all those decades, made motor sport acceptable to Mercedes once again."

Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team

With the cold, limited visibility and reduced traction of winter driving, a problem on the road can leave you and your passengers facing a world of potentially fatal problems.

Like most motorists travelling in the colder months, you'll probably escape winter at the wheel unscathed. If you're one of the unlucky ones, you may not. Don't be a statistic. Here's a look at a few potentially life-threatening problems, and how to successfully handle them.

Photo: Matthieu Lambert

Issue: You're travelling at speed on a two-lane highway when a chunk of ice, perhaps 50 lbs in weight, slides off the roof of an oncoming transport trailer and strikes your windshield. Said windshield shatters in a contained fashion, but powdered glass finds its way into your eyes, and you're driving blind.

Solution: Know your surroundings. Ian Law is race car driver and the president and chief instructor of the ILR Car Control School. He's been teaching drivers of all ages advanced safe driving techniques for years and he recommends a preemptive approach to successfully tackling a catastrophic non-visibility situation.

“This is one scenario where staying focused on your driving pays off in dividends. A good driver will have been focused on their driving and the situation before the incident. This is called "situational awareness," and it involves processing all driving information so that the driver knows at all times what is around them -- and where. Pilots practice this when flying and it saves lives.”

Frequent mirror-checks, being alert, and avoiding driving-related distraction all help contribute to knowing your surroundings on the move. All could save your life if you've got to get off of the road while unable to see.

Issue: It's been freezing rain for 2 hours, salt trucks are nowhere to be seen, and the rising temperatures have called a thick, soupy fog onto the roadways. You've debated pulling over for the last few kilometers, but decided to keep driving. Coming around a corner, you discover you're 3 seconds from plowing head-on into the back of an active, multi-car pileup. You're going too fast to stop.

Solution: Ditch it, now. Being entangled in a pileup with the potential for dozens of subsequent impacts is a lethal proposition, but you and your car can probably survive an impact with a ditch. Aim for it. In this situation, getting your vehicle out of the roadway is likely to offer a higher chance of survival. Pulling onto the shoulder is probably a bad idea, too.

Law adds, “You are much better off waiting 3 hours for a tow truck to pull you out of a ditch than waiting 20 minutes to have the paramedics pull your body out of the wreckage. Remember: If you stop on the shoulder, you will probably get run into.”

Issue: You drive over a large ice-boulder left on the highway by a heavy transport truck. As it passes beneath your vehicle, it strikes and perforates your brake lines, causing a leak. You're now unable to stop using your brake pedal.

Solution: Use your eyes. Look for deep snow on the shoulder of the road, gravel, or even frozen turf. If you can get out of your lane safely, these surfaces can help slow your car down. If you're lucky, the area ahead of your vehicle will be clear, so you can focus on using the emergency brake (which doesn't use the same hydraulic fluid lines) to reduce speed. Firm, steady, progressive application is best, rather than “ripping” on the handle, which can cause a skid.

Downshift your transmission (if you can) and keep your eyes up, looking for emergency paths around vehicles and structures you don't want to hit. Brake system failure isn't fun, but it can be survived with some common sense.

Issue: You've spun off an empty side-road and are now stuck in the ditch. There's no cell phone reception and you won't be able to dig your vehicle free. Snow is falling, and its frigid outside.

Solution: Stay inside. This situation is justification of three important things to do ahead of winter travels: Keep your gas tank full; always tell a friend or relative where and when you're planning to drive; and pack an emergency kit. Assuming you've done this, the best course of action is to stay inside the vehicle if it's still able to start and run.

Conserve fuel by running the engine a few minutes every hour or so, to keep the cabin warm. Clear snow from around your tailpipe periodically, which can reduce the likelihood of carbon monoxide entering the cabin. Open a window from time to time for fresh air. Don't attempt to leave the car and wander around looking for help or shelter unless visibility is back to normal.

Remember: If you run out of fuel and the cold sets in, you can use extra clothing or the blanket in your emergency kit for warmth. Keep moving your extremities to fend off hypothermia, and cover your ears, cheeks and fingertips to help prevent frostbite.