Auto News 5

Toyota topped a list of 12 car companies in the top 100 best global brands listed by Interbrand.

Scandinavian supplier body, FKG, is asking the Swedish government to provide bridge financing and short-time working backing for component firms in anticipation of any future slowdown.

Magna Steyr is insisting it will not invest "right now" in any Polish contract assembly in Warsaw as rumours intensify surrounding the future of its eastern Europe operations.

There has been pessimism among industry analysts who are couching their bets, looking for the big drop in US light vehicle sales. While the larger economy is growing mostly by fits and spurts, the auto business is enjoying a more rapid recovery than other industries.

News 3 Oct, 2012

Vehicle Excise Duty could be replaced by an up-front fee of up to £23,000 for cars with the highest emissions

Even optimistic forecasters predicted August's hot sales would cool to lukewarm in September. But the US light vehicle market demonstrated its surprising strength one more time.

Glazing over the French winner of Autoweekand#8217;s Best Concept award from the Paris motor show would be a mistake.

Videos 3 Oct, 2012

First official footage of the Jaguar F-Type, following its debut at the Paris Motor Show

Continental has launched three production lines to build NOx (nitrogen oxide) sensors, high temperature sensors and canister purge solenoids at its plant in Changchun, China.

Sales of Mercedes-Benz cars rose 7 percent in the United States last month, helping the premium German marque to extend its nine-month lead over rival BMW brand to 5,221 deliveries.

Volkswagen expects to add up to 15 new dealers by year end in the United States, bringing the brand's dealer count in the country to 615.

Volvo's sedans will get a major refresh next year that should boost sales, said Doug Speck, global head of marketing and sales for Volvo Car.

It's no secret that VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech wants to prize Alfa Romeo away from Sergio Marchionne's Fiat Group. Marchionne won't let it happen, but he may just be angling to snag his own piece of Piech's Volkswagen turf.

The penultimate round of the Formula Renault 3.5 championship held at the Paul Ricard circuit of Le Castellet saw Frenchman Jules Bianchi take the lead in the point standings.

Nicolas Todt's protégé claimed his second victory of the season in Race 2, after finishing 4th on Saturday.

Bianchi is also a member of the Ferrari driver development programme, as well as the Sahara Force India F1 team test driver.

Title rival Robin Frijns took 7th and 9th places, and dropped down to second in the provisional point standings

The last two rounds of the season will be presented in Barcelona, October 20 and 21.

Race 1:
1 - Antonio Felix Da Costa - Arden Caterham - 21 laps in 47'07"036

2 - Nick Yelloly - Comtec - 1"958

3 - Daniil Move - P1 - 22"690

4 - Jules Bianchi - Tech 1 - 23"955

5 - Marco Sorensen - Lotus - 26"742
etc.

Race 2:
1 - Jules Bianchi - Tech 1 - 21 laps in 46'48"147

2 - Antonio Felix Da Costa - Arden Caterham - 5"046

3 - Sam Bird - ISR - 20"979

4 - Nick Yelloly - Comtec - 28"811

5 - Marco Sorensen - Lotus - 33"743
etc.

Championship:
1. Bianchi 179 ; 2. Frijns 174 ; 3. Bird 155 ; 4. Yelloly 122 ; 5. Sorensen 121, etc.

The motorsport department of German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz confirmed Wednesday two young drivers for the 2012 season of the DTM.

Spaniard Roberto Merhi and Canadian Robert Wickens will contest their second season in the DTM next year aboard C-Coupe DTM cars.

Last year's champion of the European Formula 3 series, Mehri this year drives the No. 23 Mercedes sponsored by “Junge Sterne”. His best result so far this season has been an 11th place in Zandvoort.

Wickens, from Toronto is the reigning Formula Renault 3.5 series' champion. He drives the No. 20 “stern” car this season.

Wickens so far this year finished three times in the Top 10, and took one ninth and two seventh places at the Norisring, Oschersleben and the Nurburgring.

For both drivers, it was a first experience aboard tin top race cars.

“Hybrids with a three-cylinder engine are coming rapidly,” said Ian Robertson, BMW AG board member for sales and marketing, at the Paris Auto Show.

In the US, this smaller powerplant will reportedly find its way into the 2014 BMW i8 and possibly non-hybrid models such as the next-generation MINI.

"It behaves like a six-cylinder, it is half of a six-cylinder engine and has the noise of a six-cylinder," Robertston added.

The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile has announced that the DRS zone for the Grand Prix of Japan will be slightly modified.

It will be shorter than what it was last year.

This weekend, the detection point (blue) will be located 50m before Turn 16 (compared to 70m after Turn 15).

The activation point (green) of the DRS, Drag Reduction Zone, will be at the Control line after Turn 18, compared to 30m after Turn 18.

The zone will therefore by 20m shorter compared to last year.

Additonally, the whole West Course (from Turn 7 until after the chicane) has been resurfaced, and a new storm water drainage systems have been installed around the newly resurfaced section of track.

In a bid to make the Quest minivan more competitive than ever, Nissan Canada announced that prices are down $2,380 on the SV model and $180 on the SL model.

The entry-level Quest S remains at $29,998, while the fully equipped Quest LE undercuts the 2012 edition by $1,580 despite adding some new features.

Every 2013 Nissan Quest uses a 3.5L V6 engine that produces 260 horsepower through an advanced Xtronic CVT.

The automaker's Around View Monitor, which utilizes four small superwide-angle cameras mounted on the front, side and rear of the vehicle to provide a virtual 360° view, is now standard on LE models.

Also new for 2013 is the availability of a DVD entertainment system on the SV model.

SiriusXM satellite radio comes standard (subscription required, sold separately).

Pricing for the 2013 Nissan Quest goes as follows:

Quest 3.5 S	$29 998,00
Quest 3.5 SV	$33 398,00
Quest 3.5 SV, DVD Entertainment System	$35 498,00
Quest 3.5 SL	$38 898,00
Quest 3.5 LE	$46 998,00

Photo: Nissan

From GMM

A new controversy about flexible front wings is set to emerge, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

The magazine said McLaren has developed a front wing which moves around the horizontal axis, with Red Bull following suit with a similar idea that appeared in Singapore recently.

The report said the FIA, despite clamping down on past 'flexi wing' sagas by ramping up the scrutineering tests, will study the latest designs closely this weekend at Suzuka.

Auto Motor und Sport reported that Ferrari complained to the governing body about the latest designs, prompting "several discussions" between FIA officials and McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh.

However, Autosport Wednesday that Whitmarsh has denied talk that his outfit has had any dialogue with the FIA over the matter.

Photo: McLaren

The magazine's analysis said the secret of the new wings is the supporting pillars, which allow the wing to twist about the transverse axis.

Red Bull was the first to recognise the trick, launching a slightly longer nose in Singapore allowing an "even more extreme" wing movement than on the McLaren.

The rotation of the front wing decreases drag on the straightaways, aloowing the car to reach a higher top speed.

Auto Motor und Sport said the FIA's reaction could be to introduce a 'torsion' test.

McLaren's Whitmarsh on Wednesday played down the story.

"From time to time questions and disputes arise between teams, who feel that other teams are too flexible or whatever," he said during the regular Vodafone teleconference.

"I don't envisage any particular problems for McLaren in that regard, and consequently I don't think that it is anything that will harm us."

Episode 1: What's a Barry?
Shopping for a new vehicle, a Hollywood wardrobe designer finds herself behind the wheel of a 2013 Ford Escape during a free test drive. However, she discovers a man named Barry in the cargo area!

Episode 2: Yesterdead
Skylar the costume designer is now stuck with Barry, who is in charge of reporting on her experience with the 2013 Ford Escape. Living with a stranger and a voice command system is turning out to be quite an adventure!



Directed by Ruben Fleisher of Zombieland fame.
Featuring Natasha Leggero and Jo Truglio (of Superbad and Pineapple Express).