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Volvo has negotiated a $1.2 billion loan from the China Development Bank to repay existing debt and hopes for more to help finance the investment it needs to double vehicle sales.

From ROC

Team India's Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok are celebrating Friday night after they took victory in the inaugural ROC Asia competition, the first night of action of the 2012 Race Of Champions weekend.

Karun Chandhok and Narain Karthikeyan celebrate their victory. (Photo: ROC)

On a hot evening at Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium, Karthikeyan and Chandhok joined forces for Team India as both made their ROC debuts. The Indian duo topped the group stage with four wins out of six to go into the final as favourites.

There they faced Toyota Team Gazoo Japan, who were represented by Kazuya Ohshima and Takuto Iguchi, who were both class winners in this year's Nürburgring 24-Hour race. In the end the Indian duo prevailed, both winning their heats to take the title.

The performance earns Team India a place in tomorrow's ROC Nations Cup along with Team Thailand, who qualify as host nation.

From press release

TheSwiss Kessel Racing team, runner-up in the inaugural Gulf 12 Hours, leads the race at the halfway stage of the second event with a 90-minute break before the second half runs into the evening under floodlights at the Yas Marina Circuit ay Abu Dhabi.

The format means that the mid-race break, during which teams can work on their cars, effectively acts as a Safety Car, wiping out the deficit between those cars on the same racing lap.

Photo: Gulf 12 Hours

Four cars remain on the lead lap (155) after six hours of racing. Behind the Kessel Ferrari 458 of Austrian Philipp Peter, Italian Daniel Zampieri and Poland's Michael Broniszewski, some 37s adrift, is the lead AF Corse Ferrari of Gianmaria Bruni, Toni Vilander and Gaetano Ardagna.

AF Corse will be pushing hard for a second successive victory in Abu Dhabi, having beaten Kessel by just 2.6s after half a day's racing in the inaugural race.

The other cars on the lead lap are also Ferrari 458s, led by the first AF Waltrip entry driven by Pierre Kaffer, Alex Popow and Ryan Dalziel, which finished the first segment of the race just 6s down on the lead AF Corse car.

It was ahead until the final moments of the stint, when Alex Popow was caught by surprise lapping the Black Falcon Mercedes SLS and made contact with the German entry, which in turn caused him to be lightly rear-ended by the closing Vilander, who was able to take advantage as Popow sorted out the moment.

The second AF Corse 458 is also still very much in the equation, driven by former Peugeot works Le Mans drivers Stephane Sarrazin and Nicolas Minassian, with Enzo Potolicchio.

Dutchman Jeroen Bleekemolen did all he could to make up for the lost time of a 60s stop-and-go penalty when the Autorlando Porsche narrowly exceeded the maximum 75-minute stint length at the start of the race, without which the 997 would still be on the lead lap.

From GMM

Scuderia Ferrari said it was satisfying that Formula 1 team directors declared Fernando Alonso the best driver of the 2012 season.

The Spaniard was beaten to the championship by 3 points by Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, but a British magazine asked the bosses of the 12 teams this year to name the standout performer.

"Well, Alonso got a resounding vote: (he) racked up 269 points, a whole 71 more than Vettel," Ferrari said in a report posted on its official website.

"Apart from (Stefano) Domenicali, seven other team principals chose Alonso as the best driver of the season," the famous Italian team added.

Fernando Alonso, 2012 world champion runner-up. (Photo: FIA)

Alonso said: "I was pleased to be chosen by the team principals as the best driver of 2012.

"Of course, next year I would prefer to win the title, happy to leave this prestigious yet idealistic award to one of my peers."

From GMM

Jenson Button has warned Nico Rosberg to be ready for Lewis Hamilton's speed.

After Button was paired with his younger countryman at McLaren between 2010 and 2012, the Briton and 2008 world champion Hamilton is now heading to Mercedes.

German Rosberg's teammate in the same three-year period was the great Michael Schumacher.

"I think he (Rosberg) will be a little surprised by his (Hamilton's) speed," Button is quoted by France's autohebdo.fr. "I know they have been teammates in the past, but I think it will be a surprise for him to see what Lewis can do with a bad car."

Nico Rosberg and his Mercedes' team mates. (Photo: WRi2)

F1 great Sir Jackie Stewart, however, has a different view, wondering if Hamilton will do as good a job for Mercedes as Schumacher did.

"Schumacher was an entirely different animal," the Scot is quoted by the Sun.

"He was completely focussed on F1. It was the only thing in life he did. Lewis has a lot of other pursuits -- some no doubt a distraction. Lewis' management team will want to prove they can earn him more money with outside things. But the more contracts he has the more work he has to do for them which takes up time," added Stewart.

According to David Coulthard, however, Mercedes was right to split with 43-year-old Schumacher and sign Hamilton.

"Jenson told me that Michael has lost none of his speed," the Scot is quoted by Speed Week. "I'm not so sure. Look at Rosberg -- is he faster than Michael was in his prime? That's hard to say."

Indeed, Coulthard thinks Schumacher will not even be missed.

"I think it will be just as it was with other drivers before him. Who wondered in 2012 about Jarno Trulli and Nick Heidfeld? No driver is greater than formula one," he insisted.

A survey commissioned by the SID news agency claimed 70 per cent of the German population believes Sebastian Vettel can one day surpass Schumacher's record of seven titles.

Australian race car driver, Will Power of the Penske Racing team, set the fastest time of both days at IndyCar testing at Sebring, Florida.

Power, driving a Chevrolet-powered Dallara DW12 of Penske, lapped the 1.6-mile road course in 52.84s in the last test session of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar season.

Will Power, Penske Racing. (Photo: LAT for IndyCar)

There was a huge surprise as rookie Tristan Vautier claimed the second-fastest time from the two days while driving for Schmidt Hamilton.

The former Star Mazda champion, and reigning Firestone Indy Lights serie's champion stunned the teams in attendance by running just .01 off Power, setting a fast time of 52.85s. Vautier was driving the HP car normally driven by his fellow countryman, Simon Pagenaud.

Canadian Alex Tagliani was third quickest, in the DW12 of team Barracuda Racing, with a time of 52.91s.

Alex Tagliani, Barracuda Racing. (Photo: LAT for IndyCar)

Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing's Josef Newgarden turned a 52.93s to be fourth, while Dale Coyne Racing's veteran, Justin Wilson and Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon clocked identical 52.94-second laps to share positions 5 and 6.

Swiss driver, Simona de Silversto, enjoyed every minute of her test with KV Racing, alongside her new teammate, Tony Kanaan. De Silvestro ran strongly, setting the 8th fastest time, overall.

Another rookie had a chance to shine in Florida: Derek Daly's son, Conor Daly, also got his first taste of IndyCar power on Thursday, setting the fifth-fastest lap before lunch.

Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Tony Kanaan. (Photo: LAT for IndyCar)

The American hoped to maintain his morning pace in the afternoon, but with the team electing to stay on used tires, his time fell to P12 as numerous teams went faster on fresh rubber.

IZOD IndyCar serie's test session* at Sebring:

1: Will Power, 52.84 seconds
2: Tristan Vautier, 52.85
3: Alex Tagliani, 52.91
4: Josef Newgarden, 52.93
5: Justin Wilson, 52.94
6: Scott Dixon, 52.94
7: Helio Castroneves, 53.00
8: Simona de Silvestro, 53.01
9: Oriol Servia, 53.02
10: JR Hildebrand, 53.04
11: Tony Kanaan, 53.13
12: Conor Daly, 53.29
13: Charlie Kimball, 53.31
14: James Hinchcliffe, 53.34
15: Graham Rahal, 53.48

*Unofficial timing

Los Angeles, CA - Driver interface and electronic-device connectivity are two areas in which automakers are really cranking on at the moment.

It seems like they're in a never ending chase to offer a taste of what the Apples, Samsungs, Googles, and Windows of the world keep throwing out there in smartphone and tablet land.

On this front, Chevrolet made two important moves both of which were announced at the recent 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

MyLink goes customizable
Chevrolet has revamped MyLink, the brand's infotainment system and portal to link other devices to the vehicle. The 2014 Chevrolet Impala will debut the new system then it should start filtering into other Chevy products as they are revised, such as the all-new Chevrolet Silverado pickup and the all-new Chevrolet Corvette.

Chevrolet spokesman, Chad Lyons, gave us a demo at the L.A. show and noted that the philosophy is to get in the car “and put the phone away.”

With your phone connected via Bluetooth or “tethered” via a USB connection, MyLink let's you do stuff via a new in-car screen setup which actually mimics the setup on a smartphone or tablet. The new system also offers drastically improved voice recognition.

The new MyLink system has some of the same “guts” as Cadillac's new CUE system; however, for this Chevrolet application it has notable differences. For one, it has some knobs. (Hallelujah!)

MyLink doesn't have the motion sensors and “haptic” feedback touch controls of CUE, but the Impala's optional 8” screen allows users to swipe and drag stuff just as they would on a tablet.

Another new feature on the revamped MyLink system is the ability to store up to 60 presents -- and not just music stations. Presets can be anything: nav settings, satellite radio, songs, music genres, phone numbers, favourite restaurants, etc.

However, the neatest new feature of MyLink might be the four different “visual styles” you can select for both the big IP screen in the centre stack and the smaller screen in the instrument cluster. For example, boomers might select the “Main Street” look, while their offspring might prefer “Edge.” There is also
“Contemporary” and “Velocity.”

Photo: Chevrolet

You like my Sonic, Siri?
GM figures Chevrolet Sonic and Chevrolet Spark owners are a bit different than Impala and Cadillac owners when it comes to this connectivity stuff. Sonic and Spark drivers are probably younger and probably prefer to have access to their mobile devices at all times.

To help them on their quest, Spark's and Sonic's standard MyLink systems will integrate Siri, the iPhone app that gets things done by voice commands.

To minimize distraction, drivers should use Siri's Eyes Free mode, which only allows for voice interaction and keeps the iPhone's screen dark.

Among the many actions you can do “verbally” with Siri are the sending and receiving of text messages, and the choosing and playing of a song in your iTunes library.

The all-new, seventh-generation 2014 Chevrolet Corvette won't make its debut until the North American International Auto Show next month. However, starting today, fans can get a taste of its performance and driving prowess by downloading a camouflaged prototype of the car through the PlayStation Store into their Gran Turismo 5 virtual garage.

Photo: Chevrolet

The cover is tightly drawn over the Corvette's body, showing its aggressive lines and profile. Cutouts even reveal the taillights and centrally located quadruple tailpipes.

Testing is still ongoing, and a fully operational C7 Corvette will finally show its true colours in Detroit on January 13th.

From GMM

Norbert Haug has denied Niki Lauda played a decisive role in his departure as Mercedes' motor sport boss.

When it was announced on Thursday that, after 22 years, 60-year-old Haug will not be with the German marque in 2013, some sensed the hand of Mercedes' new non-executive chairman, triple world champion and Austrian great Lauda.

"I want to state strongly that this was a decision that the board and I reached by consensus. Niki had absolutely nothing to do with it. We have respected each other over the years, and this changes nothing," Haug told the news agency SID.

He hinted that Mercedes' failure to properly succeed since forming its works team in 2010 was a reason for the split.

"We have had success in the past three years, but not enough consistently," said Haug.

Only one victory collected by Team Mercedes AMG in three seasons. (Photo: WRi2)

Niki Lauda told German television Sky: "I was just as surprised as anyone about Norbert. For me personally, I'm sorry about it. I have always had a very good relationship with him and would have very much liked to have continued to work with him."

Michael Schumacher, who is returning to retirement in 2013 after three seasons with Mercedes, also sounded disappointed with the decision.

"This step represents a major turning point. His departure will tear a big gap in both our sport and our team," the seven time world champion said on his website.

German motor racing federation president Hans-Joachim Stuck is quoted by Speed Week: "Norbert has also had some health problems, perhaps that played a role."

This time around, I'm going to dive into Germany and Europe's largest, most prosperous automaker.

It's no secret that I've an affinity for the brand. I feel the same about it as I do for many other makes including Ford, Hyundai, Subaru and Honda, despite what I may have said about the latter in the past.

I've owned several 2nd generation Jettas in the last 12-13 years, and am now the proud owner of a 2012 Tiguan. I know Volkswagen, and I was recently at the wheel of a 2013 CC which finally inspired me to write this blog.

I'll start with the rough part: I think VW should concentrate on its core products in the near future. This means that the Eos and CC have got to go. The make's core belongs to the Passat, Jetta and Golf. The Tiguan, Touareg and Beetle are nice-to-haves, but are not what make Volkswagen tick.

This is why I say that the Golf Cabrio should make a comeback, and replace the Eos or better yet allow the Beetle Convertible to be the only drop-top in the lineup. This little clean-up could allow VW to bring the Polo to North America.

Clearly, Volkswagen of North America would not make as much dinero on each unit as they do with the CC, but this foot in the small-car business door could only help. The Polo is currently being built in Brazil so throwing a few across the Gulf of Mexico our way shouldn't be too much of an issue. Right?

And here, keep in mind that my mild bitching is not to request an Amarok, a Scirocco or even a CrossGolf; because I could complain, but am well aware that it would be for naught.

And now, the nicer part: The remainder of VWoA's lineup works fine. In many expert's opinions (not just mine), both the Tiguan and Touareg are leaders and some of the best-to-drive vehicles in their respective categories.

The Routan is on its last legs and will be replaced by something interesting being assembled in Chattanooga, Tennessee, so it's a non-issue.

Volkswagen has a boat-load of cars that people want, but pricing will and remains to be a delicate topic. The de-Volkswagen-ed and thus less expensive current 6th generation Jetta and Americanized Passat have done fairly well so far, better than the previous cars, and I expect that an equally Americanized Touran- or Sharan-inspired family vehicle (the other Chatt. car) replacing the sadly defunct Passat wagon will catch on.

What drives people to Volkswagen dealerships are the same elements that get consumers into Hyundai and Ford showrooms: The promise of forward-thinking design, and high levels of perceived quality and performance that come without the expense of an environmental conscience.

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

In order to educate American drivers on the benefits of diesel-powered vehicles, Audi, BMW, Daimler, Porsche, Volkswagen and Bosch are joining forces in the new ''Clean Diesel. Clearly Better'' campaign.

The goal is to bring an accessible information platform to teach the U.S. population about clean diesel technology, which offers superior performance, fuel economy and emission reduction. The six manufacturers also launched a website called ClearlyBetterDiesel, which features illustrations and animations.

While diesel-powered models enjoy marginal popularity in the U.S., sales in the first nine months of 2012 have increased by 127% compared to the same time frame in 2009. The trend is likely to continue with diesel variants of the Chevrolet Cruze, Jeep Grand Cherokee and the next-generation Mazda6, not to mention four new Audi models.

Source: Autoguide.com

Audi's entry into the midsize luxury (or near luxury depending on your point of view) category of CUVs is the Q5. When ordered in the top S line trim, The Audi Q5 keeps life interesting for competitors such as the Infiniti EX, the Mercedes-Benz GLK and the Range Rover Evoque.


At first glance
When you come up to a new vehicle, there are two sets of first impressions. It goes without saying that the exterior has to be something that pleases your eye or you won't be interested in going for a drive. Audi is near the top in design for the 2012 Audi Q5 with smooth flowing lines and a roof line that appears to drop away at the tail, giving the impression of cutting through the air smoothly. There is little bling on the outside, and what is there accents the overall design quite nicely.

Interior
The doors of the 2012 Audi Q5 open wide making entry and exit easy. Rear doors are carved around the seat so you can slide in quite easily. The only issue I had with the back of the 2012 Audi Q5 was if I set the seatback for me to be comfortable as a driver, I had to be a bit more careful getting into the back (as an XL, I tend to take up a bit more space than the average person). Once in, everything was fine with plenty of space to settle in.

There may be three seat belts across the back of the 2012 Audi Q5, but it's the two outboard seats are the most comfortable. The middle seat works best as an armrest with cupholders when the back is folded down -- then you have a very civilized way to travel.

Up front in the 2012 Audi Q5, the bucket seats are well shaped and take some getting used to. They provide much more support than the average seat without actually restricting movement. My side-seat-cruise-control declared the passenger seat to be excellent when she found out how comfortable the seat was, as well as the fact that it was fully adjustable like the driver's seat. Life is much easier when the team is happy!

The doors of the 2012 Audi Q5 open wide making entry and exit easy. (Photo: Charles Renny)

Control placement
Systems engineering in the Audi follows a Teutonic bent, meaning the control logic is different in comparison to many other companies. Instead of straightforward dials and buttons in set locations, Audi uses a system of dials and buttons that change based on what you wish to control. This helps the interior look tremendously, and even when you turn the switches off, the settings stay. I absolutely love the idea of not having to reset piddle-y things each time I get in a car. This is a two-thumbs-up idea!

Engine and Transmission
Audi provides a choice of engines for the 2012 Audi Q5. The standard engine is a 2.0L, direct-injected, 16-valve turbo 4-cylinder that puts out 211 horsepower. If some is good and more is better, there is an optional 3.2L direct-injected V6 that puts out 270 horsepower.

The neat thing about the turbo 2.0L 4-cylinder engine is that it gets an 8-speed automatic which really takes advantage of the turbo four's broad torque band. A much more conventional 6-speed automatic is used with the V6.

Both engines offered in the 2012 Audi Q5 utilize Audi's world renowned all-wheel-drive system know as quattro. It was one of the first AWD systems patented and used in automobiles. Today, it is still used by many companies as a benchmark for how good a system can be.

The standard engine is a 2.0L, direct-injected, 16-valve turbo 4-cylinder that puts out 211 horsepower. (Photo: Charles Renny)

Driving
Driving a turbo takes getting used to, and driving one with an 8-speed is no exception. The turbo in the 2012 Audi Q5 seems a bit slow off the start, and that impression lasts long enough for you to get through the crosswalk and then the power is on! You get pushed back in your seat and wonder what just booted you in the backside. Once used to the throttle tip-in, you can exert a very fine control over the boost and driving in the 2012 Audi Q5 is always easy.

All wheel drive
Quattro is insidious because you never know for sure when it's helping you out and when you are actually getting everything right by yourself. Even in seemingly dry conditions the system helps with cornering, stability and acceleration in the 2012 Audi Q5. Then when the weather is bad, you look at all the other drivers and wonder what their problem is.

The 2012 Audi Q5 is the CUV equivalent of a “sleeper” which is a car that performs at a level well above what is expected. That makes it fun, as well as practical!

Sahara Force India, Vijay Mallya's Formula 1 team, took 7th place in this year's Constructor's championship with 109 points. Can the Indian team improve in 2013?

It's a really difficult question to answer. Billionnaire Mallya confirmed in November that his team would invest several million dollars in new technology for the next season of the World Championship. Will that be enough? Will that produce a faster car?

Drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Paul Di Resta, drove very well all year long and made relatively few mistakes. Both finished fourth once, but is the Force India car strong enough to win a race? Probably not, unless under very special circumstances such as what happned in the rain in Brazil when Hulkenberg led the race for quite a while.

Photo: Sahara Force India

Nico Hulkenberg
11th in the Driver's Championship with 63 points
Best place in qualifications: 4th (once, Germany)
Best race result: 4th (once, Belgium)
Retired twice

Paul Di Resta
14th in the Driver's Championship with 46 points
Best place in qualifications: 4th (once, Singapore)
Best race result: 4th (once, Singapore)
Retired once

The Mercedes-powered VJM06 proved to be a reliable race car, if not super fast. In fact, the Force India looked to be more performant in race trim than in qualifying. That probably has to do with the behaviour of the tricky Pirelli tires.

There was also some financial issues to solve a few month ago when the High Court of Hyderabad issued a non-bailable warrant against Mallya in a case of cheques bouncing filed by the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport.

Photo: Sahara Force India

Back on the track, Scot Paul Di Resta was pushed hard by Hulkenberg, with both men extracting maximum from midfield machinery. Di Resta will continue with Force India next year, despite suffering a wretched end to the season. He scored just two points in the final six races this year, and knows he has to do better next year if we wants to move to a bigger team.

His teammate, Nico Hulkenberg, was relieved to be back on the front line with Force India after a year on the bench, and impresses with a fifth-place finish in Valencia and fourth at Spa. Hulkenberg led brilliantly in the wet at the final round in Brazil before dropping back to fifth after tangling with Lewis Hamilton of McLaren who signed for Sauber for 2013.

From GMM

Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez has admitted his might not be an easy transition to Formula 1 in 2013.

The 21-year-old rookie is replacing his Mexican countryman Sergio Perez at Telmex-backed Sauber next year.

In 2012, he finished the GP2 season in third place behind Davide Valsecchi and Luiz Razia.

"I am fully aware that F1 is not easy, because it's the highest level of motor sport," Gutierrez is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace.

Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

"It's true that I have not been consistent in GP2, but I think this has been the most rewarding season on my career because it's the kind of experience that gives you a better perspective for the future.

"I will try to look for consistency in F1 and when I get it, I can start thinking about great results," he added.

"First, I have to go step by step, adapt, and for that the beginning of the season will be very important."

Gutierrez admits he cannot say for sure that he is ready for F1.

"It makes no sense to say I am 100 per cent ready because it's difficult to judge.

"But definitely I am doing my best and using all the time I have had on the track to improve my knowledge with the car, not only for the driving itself but also the feedback to give to the team.

"In F1, this is crucial," he concluded.

2013 Infiniti IPL G37 Convertible

You could boil down the upgrades the Infiniti Performance Line gives to the G37 into three areas: the exterior design, the engine, and the suspension.

You could boil down the upgrades the Infiniti Performance Line gives to the G37 into three areas: the exterior design, the engine, and the suspension. Unfortunately, I'm not necessarily sure the hopped-up G37 excells in any of them.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Infiniti IPL G37 Convertible - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Infiniti IPL G37 Convertible - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

2013 Infiniti IPL G37 Convertible | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Ford is aiming to boost the gas mileage of its next-generation F-150 pickups by 15-20 percent, thus shifting the battleground in full-size trucks from power, durability and towing capacity to fuel economy.

Also in this episode: The Circuit of the Americas gets generally positive reviews, and Mini plans a John Cooper Works version of the Paceman.

General Motors entered December with bloated inventories reminiscent of its prebankruptcy days-and its lowest market share in 90 years.

The final chapter of the 2012 Nissan GT Academy has been written and Steve Doherty, an unemployed mechanic from Plainfield, Ill.

News 13 Dec, 2012

Prices for the Fiat Panda 4x4 start at £13,950, while the Trekking is available from £12,450