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BERLIN, Germany - Cities are making a comeback. They never really went away but what drove people to the burbs and further away still, the cheap cost of energy, is now a thing of the past.


As these changes transpire, mobility is taking on a whole other dimension. Carnuts like me and most of those who work at Auto123.com will always be, but the number of carnuts will not grow in the foreseeable future. Getting around will no longer have anything to do with power, performance and passion; it'll be about simplicity, ease of use and economics.

Think of it as the car becoming something like an iPad; it's a cool tool to use when required, is easy to operate and, to a certain extent, a fashionable item to have. To some, it could sound boring but it really isn't, or better yet, doesn't have to be.

electric drive
I've been a big fan of smart since the beginning and so, I can say with conviction that the 2013 smart fortwo electric drive is the best smart, bar none, I've ever driven. I've spent time behind the wheel of the smart roadster, the smart forfour and both the first-generation fortwo cdi diesel and latest-generation fortwo. Of all of the above, I pick the electric drive.

This is actually the second-generation edrive fortwo. The first was based on the current pre-facelifted car but featured a very different powertrain. The most immediate improvement is the in-house, jointly developed Evonik-Daimler battery pack. It is roughly 75% more powerful but more importantly, has a 10-year lifecycle as opposed to the previous Tesla battery which reached its imminent end after four years.

The second highly improved aspect is the jointly ventured Bosch-Daimler electric motor. The new, more efficient and powerful unit, combined with the higher-capacity batteries (17.6 kWh vs. 16.5) are what make the 2013 smart fortwo electric drive move about town with authority.

Think of it as the car becoming something like an iPad; it's a cool tool to use when required, is easy to operate and, to a certain extent, a fashionable item to have. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

electric driving
The engine's peak power is 55 kW and 130 Nm, or for us North Americans, 74 hp and 96 lb-ft of torque. Translation: this fortwo is capable of reaching 60 km/h in 4.8 seconds and 100 km/h in 11.5. This is a vast improvement over the old car's 26.7 seconds to reach the ton.

The reason why 60 km/h is used as a marker is simple: in many cities around the world, it is considered an average ground-covering speed. As with all electric vehicles, the fortwo's instant torque is what makes it an ideal urbanite. From a streetlight, there is no reason why this little car should fall behind.

As well, as with the old cdi engine, top speed is limited; 125 km/h is as fast as the 2013 smart fortwo electric drive will let you go. This cap will allow the fortwo to be taken on the highway, but be mindful that this is how the battery's range will be severely compromised. At full charge and in normal ideal operating conditions, the car should travel a max distance of 145 km.

This fortwo is capable of reaching 60 km/h in 4.8 seconds and 100 km/h in 11.5. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

electric bonuses
The thorn, nay lightsaber, in the smart's side has always been its transmission. Although a few like it, such as me, it has consistently been the source of "yuk, I'll never buy one" for the fortwo. Electric cars have a single-gear transmission. In the fortwo edrive, the ratio is 9.922:1. In other words, it reduces engine speed to useable drive speed or better put still, it essentially has no transmission. It's like a CVT but without engine revs, if this helps.

The weight of the batteries lowers the center of gravity, making the car feel safer and better planted to the road. The pack is located under the passenger-area floor (no trunk space is lost), ahead of engine. Therefore, not only is all the weight between the wheels, as with the basic car, but it is mere inches off the ground. That's what we call a win-win situation.

Steering is tight and surprisingly heavy, and the brakes actually feel better, not as jerky or with play at the top of pedal travel as the regular car. The smart reps on hand told us that these components are identical to the standard fortwo other than an electric vacuum creator for brake boost. Even so, they made the 2013 smart fortwo edrive a real pleasure to navigate through the streets of Berlin.

Steering is tight and surprisingly heavy, and the brakes actually feel better, not as jerky or with play at the top of pedal travel as the regular car. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

a few extras
The brakes function in three stages. The first stage is regenerative deceleration, much like all hybrids and other EVs. The second, upon more pronounced regen braking is the brake light simply going on. The final phase consists of the actual hydraulics. Again, they work well and are very progressive.

smart went out of their way to reduce parasitic energy loss on the edrive. Heating and cooling cause huge draws on the batteries so when plugged in, the car sets its interior temperature based on desired settings; no more cold start-ups or sweltering heat.

Evidently, the car must be heated or cooled while driving. Mercedes-Benz has insulated the 2013 smart fortwo electric drive like few others. The doors have insulation as does the firewall. This prevents the batteries from being constantly used for climate adjustments, thus increasing range.

Heating and cooling cause huge draws on the batteries so when plugged in, the car sets its interior temperature based on desired settings; no more cold start-ups or sweltering heat. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

The electric conclusion
Like in all smart and Mercedes cars, safety is, as always, very important. The edrive fortwo is as safe as the regular car with its tridion safety cell, multiple airbags, and crash boxes. No compromises made here.

In fact, the 2013 smart fortwo electric drive is not a compromised car. The cabin is all but identical: the dash-mounted gauge pods now display state of charge and amount of power used or recovered as well as an "off" indicator. The remainder is smart quirky quality.

My time at the wheel of the car was enlightening and revitalizing. smart totes the car as being fun to drive, but it's more than that: it's cool to drive. It's not fast, it doesn't handle or stop like an SLS AMG (ridiculous comparison, I know), but the general feeling is really good. If I've called the fortwo the ultimate urban car in the past, the fortwo electric drive is three steps ahead.

As a city car, the 2013 smart fortwo electric drive is simply amazing.

I will be putting together an explanation on the car's pricing structure and purchase plans. As for MSRP, the coupe retails for $26,990 and the cabrio, $29,990. Watch this space for more details.

The car will be on sale as of spring 2013.

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Nissan Leaf

Chevrolet Volt

From GMM

Banning the use of the moveable rear wing innovation DRS on Friday and Saturday is a good move, Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen has declared.

DRS (Drag Reduction System) was introduced in 2011 to make overtaking easier during Grands Prix.

But because the FIA feared that setup compromises would minimise the effectiveness of the system, it was decided that DRS could also be used during free practice and qualifying.

That will now change for 2013, when DRS is only used during races.

Kimi Raikkonen (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

"It's a sensible change," said Lotus driver Raikkonen.

"It had been going more and more in the direction of everyone trying to take advantage all the time to use DRS earlier and earlier.

"At some point it was going to cause a big crash. The drivers wanted this change."

And Finn Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat newspaper the DRS clampdown could also be useful for another reason.

"Probably it will stabilise the better cars, where for example the Red Bulls were able to drive through some corners with the DRS open, while others could not," he said.

Meanwhile, Raikkonen rubbished suggestions that top drivers - like, for example, Lewis Hamilton - are able to switch teams and improve the performance of a team's car.

"If it was true, you wouldn't need engineers anymore," he said. "That's just rubbish.

"Of course we as drivers say our opinion and the engineers listen. We try what they come up with and see whether it works or how good it is or not.

"But it's not right that they ask the drivers how to build the car," insisted Raikkonen.

Less than three weeks away from its debut at the NAIAS in Detroit, new sketches of the highly anticipated, seventh-generation 2014 Chevrolet Corvette have surfaced on the Internet thanks to CorvetteForum.com members. This comes a day after a drawing of the front fascia ended up online.

Based on what we see here, the C7 Corvette sports a more European-looking silhouette than its predecessor, as well as Camaro-style taillights. Meanwhile, interior sketches hint at a large centre display and improved overall layout.

Are these accidental leaks or a carefully planned stunt? Whatever, most fans of the Corvette would probably say.

Source: La Presse

From GMM

Italian Alex Zanardi will not be racing in the German touring car series DTM in 2013.

Aelx Zanardi in the BMW M3 DTM (Photo: BMW Motorsport)

The former Formula 1 and IndyCar driver recently tested a BMW M3 DTM fitted with hand controls, sparking speculation the popular 46-year-old Italian and Paralympian could return to full-time motor racing.

"We did have a conversation about taking it seriously further on," Zanardi told the Telegraph, "but I decided it would be a little bit too much for me to be involved full-time for the whole season next year.

"It would mean I wouldn't have time for things I'd enjoy - like cycling and fishing with my son , so I decided to wait for the next train," the two-time IndyCar champion added.

Want a late Christmas gift? We have the first official pictures of the new Mercedes-Benz CLA that will make its debut in Detroit a little more than two weeks from now. The sedan will share platforms and powertrains with the A-Class, so expect output numbers ranging from 122 to 211 horsepower. A diesel engine will be available, too.

Of course, that's only part of the performance story. Mercedes-Benz will also launch the CLA AMG with a 2.0L turbocharged mill rated at a whopping 350 horsepower.

More details and specifications to come at the NAIAS on January 14th.

Source: Turbo.fr

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

From GMM

Frenchman Romain Grosjean thinks he is ready to take a more mature approach to Formula 1.

After the abortive start to his career at scandal-ridden Renault in 2009, the Frenchman got a second chance at the pinnacle of motor racing this year, with Lotus.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus F1 Team (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

By mid-season, he had proved his speed with three podiums, but the 26-year-old also became the subject of intense criticism for repeat mistakes, culminating in his ultra-rare race ban following the Spa-Francorchamps start crash.

After a period of speculation about his seat, Grosjean has been signed for a second consecutive full season in 2013.

"I had figured F1 was hard, but not that much," he admitted to Sport24.

"Gradually I realised that the difficulty of the challenge was at least a multiple of two compared to what I knew at the beginning.

"For sure I have been criticised a lot, but if you had told me at the start that I would finish eighth with three podiums, I would have signed for it immediately.

"Yes, I made rookie mistakes for wanting to do things too quickly -- for example, I wanted to get their (Lotus') first win at all costs.

"I hope I've learned now and grown up although there is still work to do," added Grosjean.

"I expect a different pressure now; I cannot commit the same mistakes over and I'll try to score points as often as possible.

"I hope to demonstrate the same pace as this year but be more consistent.

"In terms of the standings, I would rather not set any targets -- that would be another mistake," Grosjean concluded.

From GMM

If Pastor Maldonado was the penalty king, then Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso is the master of fair play during the 2012 Formula 1 season.

That is the finding of Brazil's Globo Esporte, having compiled a list of the official FIA penalties attracted by F1's 24 drivers this year.

Williams' Maldonado tops the list with 15 penalties; almost double the tally of the penalty runner-up Sergio Perez, whose 8 penalties was also matched by world champion Sebastian Vettel's official infractions.

At the other extreme is Ferrari's Alonso, whose tally of zero penalties is matched only by German Timo Glock of Marussia.

From NASCAR Public Relations

Brad Keselowski, no one's pre-season choice to win the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, stumped the experts. Media members, in turn, have voted Keselowski's title run for owner Roger Penske as NASCAR's top story of the past season.

Keselowski's first championship prevailed in the voting over Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s drought-busting victory in June at Michigan International Speedway.

1.-Brad Keselowski's First Championship

Three races into the season and two finishes worse than 30th, Keselowski appeared a dark horse even to qualify for the postseason. But a second consecutive victory at Bristol Motor Speedway helped turn around the fortunes of the No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge team and by mid-September Keselowski was the No. 3 seed when the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup got underway. With two wins in the first three races, Keselowski went from underdog to favorite. He lost the points lead when five-time champion Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville but refused to fade under pressure. A top-10 finish in the penultimate race at Phoenix coupled with Johnson's accident and mechanical failure in the finale clinched the title for Keselowski, Penske and crew chief Paul Wolfe.

Brad Keselowski and Roger Penske. (Photo: Getty Images for NASCAR)

2.-Dale Earnhardt Jr. Breaks 143-Race Winless Streak

Entering the 2012 season it had been nearly four years and more than 125 races since Earnhardt had won a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Even some among his legions of fans openly wondered if Junior would ever grab another checkered flag. But this season the Hendrick Motorsports driver brought his “A” game, posting two seconds and a pair of thirds over the schedule's first nine races. The breakthrough victory came at Michigan International Speedway virtually to the day and at the site of Earnhardt's last win in June 2008. The 143-race drought was cleansed June 17 in a race on a brand-new track surface over which Junior led 95 laps and beat reigning champion Tony Stewart by more than five seconds.

3.-Matt Kenseth Wins Explosive Daytona 500

No Daytona 500 is ever quite like any other and this year's Great American Race was no exception. Rain postponed the race for the first time in history dating to the inaugural race in 1959. And - again a first - the Daytona 500 became a Monday night affair. Matt Kenseth proved to have the winning hand as his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford led the most laps and held off Earnhardt in a green-white-checker finish to record his second Daytona 500 victory in four years. What many will most remember about 54th annual event was the Turn 3 fireball resulting from Juan Pablo Montoya's Chevrolet, which suffered a mechanical failure, slamming into a jet dryer.

4.-Michael Waltrip Racing Makes Chase In Style

Since becoming a fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team in 2007, Michael Waltrip Racing had experienced the joys of winning but never the fruits of a post-season run. David Reutimann had come closest to qualifying for the Chase - 16th in 2009. Five seasons of frustration ended in 2012 as not one but two of MWR's drivers - Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. - made the Chase. Bowyer, the organization's first-year driver, made the most of his opportunity winning twice including Charlotte's Chase race. Bowyer finished a career-high second in final standings. Truex ranked 11th.

5.-Hendrick Motorsports Records Milestone 200th Victory

Leave it to Jimmie Johnson to register Hendrick Motorsports' milestone 200th victory. The organization's driver with the most championships - five - ended a 16-race, two-season count-down for win No. 200 on May 12 at Darlington Raceway. Johnson had won No. 199 at Kansas Speedway in October 2011, drew blanks ever since. Reaching the milestone seemingly ignited the fuse for HMS, which won three consecutive races including Kasey Kahne's Coca-Cola 600 victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Each of Hendrick's drivers - Johnson, Kahne, Earnhardt and Gordon - won in 2012 as well as qualified for the Chase.

6.-Classic Rockingham Raceway Returns To NASCAR In 2012

Rockingham Raceway, in North Carolina's sand hills, has provided many thrills during its five decades as a part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track's run ended after the 2004 season. Rockingham, under ownership of Andy Hillenburg, roared back to life in 2012 when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debuted under sunny skies and before full grandstands on April 15. Kasey Kahne, who finished second to Matt Kenseth in the track's final NASCAR Sprint Cup race, drove his Chevrolet Silverado to Victory Circle posting the first series victory for Turner Motorsports.

7.-Stenhouse Goes Back To Back In The NASCAR Nationwide Series

Since the NASCAR Nationwide Series was created in 1982 only five drivers had won consecutive championships. In 2012, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. became the sixth member of the series elite. Stenhouse battled Elliott Sadler - his chief rival in 2011 as well - throughout the season. The points lead changed hands five times with Stenhouse and his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford forging ahead for the final time after a fourth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in November. Stenhouse moves to RFR's No. 17 Ford for a NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie campaign in 2013.

8.-Patrick Makes History With Top-10 Championship Finish

Danica Patrick became a full-time NASCAR driver for the first time in 2012 and she made the most of her opportunity with JR Motorsports. Patrick, who would become the highest-finishing female driver (fourth) in a NASCAR national series a year ago, made history again. Her 10th-place NASCAR Nationwide Series championship finish set a new standard for female competitors erasing Sara Christian's previous record of 13th in 1949 NASCAR Sprint Cup standings. Patrick finished four times in the top 10 and won the Coors Light Pole for the season opening race at Daytona. She'll move to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series fulltime in 2013 with Stewart-Haas Racing.

9.-Ambrose Wins Second At The Glen In Wild Finish

You couldn't have scripted a wilder finish than that of August's Finger Lakes 366 at the Glen. Take three hungry hounds - Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Marcos Ambrose - mix in the drama of a final lap and stir with the possibility of making or missing the Chase and you've got a recipe for one of the year's wildest conclusions. The final laps saw leader Busch and Keselowski collide and Keselowski on and off the track and running side-by-side with Ambrose, who finally pulled out a half-second victory off the final turn. Busch's loss was the difference between making the Chase as a Wild Card and being a spectator in the postseason.

10.-Jeff Gordon Claims Final Wild Card Spot At Richmond  

Nail-biting intrigue sits atop the menu whenever the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolls to race No. 26 - the Chase cut-off race at Richmond International Raceway. And the 2012 edition ranks among the best versions since its inception in 2004. For the first time since 2009, a driver outside the Chase bubble raced his way in after the 400-lapper. That driver - four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, who leap-frogged past Kyle Busch to earn the second Wild Card spot by three points. Gordon finished second in the race. Busch, thanks in part to a lug nut problem on pit road, finished 16th, missing the Chase for the first time since 2009.

From GMM

Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat quotes 'Russian sources' saying that Vitaly Petrov is set to keep his Caterham seat in 2013.

Already this week, the 28-year-old's manager Oksana Kosachenko revealed that "all the necessary work on our part is done -- and it's for Caterham to decide".

Vitaly Petrov (Photo: Caterham)

Petrov's teammate in 2012 was Finn Heikki Kovalainen, but Caterham has already announced that Charles Pic will be driving one of the green-liveried cars next year.

Among the other candidates to be Pic's 2013 teammate are Giedo van der Garde, Bruno Senna and Luiz Razia.

Turun Sanomat quotes Kosachenko as saying: "I believe Vitaly's race in Brazil securing tenth place in the manufacturers' championship helps us to stay where we were."

Also playing in Petrov's favour is a recent visit to Caterham's headquarters of his sponsor Russian Helicopters, and Bernie Ecclestone's desire to have a local driver on the grid when Russia hosts its inaugural grand prix in 2014.

From GMM

The carbon fibre monocoque of two more Formula 1 teams' 2013 cars have passed the mandatory FIA crash tests.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, one of them is Mercedes' W04, to be raced next year by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

The report said the silver single seater will have a new and smaller gearbox, totally different sidepods for the Coanda exhaust, and rear suspension designed to be flexible to geometry changes if required to suit Pirelli's new tires.

Meanwhile, Spain's El Mundo Deportivo said the successor to Ferrari's 2012 car has also passed the FIA's monocoque crash tests.

Earlier this month, Sauber became the first team to announce that its new car, the Ferrari-powered C32, had passed the FIA crash tests and was therefore clear to begin winter testing in February.

Unlike the sparsely populated gap between the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles, the BosWash corridor features ample opportunities for range-sapping traffic. As our Rory Carroll

Nissan plans to bolster the warranty of the battery modules in its electric Leafs to reassure consumers of their durability.

Motor City Blogman: 2012 - Year In Review

This year, I’m going from memory, because, if you can’t remember it off the top of your head, how is it a highlight/lowlight?

Elsewhere at this site, you’ll find a compilation of Automobile Magazine editors’ bests and worsts of 2012. This isn’t that. Normally, I would check blog posts from the just-ending year to refresh my memory about highlights and lowlights in the automotive world.

Photo Gallery: Motor City Blogman: 2012 - Year In Review - Automobile Magazine

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Also in this episode: Ford faces a federal fuel economy lawsuit, and the Renault Alpine will become a reality within three years.

President Barack Obama is facing pressure to block a strike that would gridlock East Coast ports and risk damaging industries that include auto manufacturing.

Porsche Automobil Holding SE won the dismissal of a New York lawsuit by 26 hedge funds that accused the German automaker of causing more than $1 billion of losses by cornering the market in Volkswagen AG shares.

Porsche Automobil Holding SE won the dismissal of a New York lawsuit by 26 hedge funds that accused the German automaker of causing more than $1 billion of losses by cornering the market in Volkswagen AG shares.

Is there anyone in our readership who wouldn't jump at the chance to buy a Series 1 Jaguar E-type coupe for well under $10,000?

Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson, one of the key players in raising federal fuel-efficiency standards to 54.

Toyota Motor Corp. is setting aside $1.1 billion to settle various U.S. lawsuits and other claims stemming from reports of