Auto News 5

“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.

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!



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

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

"There's nothing like the Sequoia to make a big impression," said Tony Wearing, Senior Managing Director, Toyota Canada Inc.
"Enhanced with Toyota technology to maximize power, efficiency, vehicle control and capability, every Sequoia delivers full-size adventure for seven or eight adults or up to 120 cubic feet of cargo, as only an authentic Toyota SUV can."
For 2013, Toyota's largest family hauler features an upgraded rear-seat entertainment system (standard on Platinum models and available on Limited models) than can play both DVD and Blu-ray discs.

Under the hood is a 5.7L i-Force V8 engine rated at 381 hp and 401 lb-ft. With the six-speed automatic Super ECT transmission, the 2013 Toyota Sequoia achieves a combined city/highway fuel efficiency of 14.8L/100km.

Every Sequoia comes standard with a towing package that includes a heavy-duty tow hitch receiver, 4- and 7-pin electrical connectors, trailer brake controller prewire, and more - good for a 7,000 lb towing capacity.

Safety highlights include eight airbags, a blind spot monitoring system, anchor points for child seats, a power rear door with jam protection, a back-up camera, and Toyota's Star Safety System.

The 2013 Toyota Sequoia Limited starts at $58,960, while the Sequoia Platinum is priced at $67,140.

Photo: Toyota

Mikael Grenier of Stoneham, Quebec will take part in the official “Road to Indy” tests of the Firestone Indy Lights' series at Indianapolis, October 10 and 11 with Team Moore Racing.

Grenier contested his last Indy Lights race in Trois-Rivieres last year with Team Moore.

The 19-year-old will test the car for two days next week with hopes to secure a full-time drive in the series next season.

Mikael Grenier, Team Moore Racing.

Engine oil manufacturer April Superflo will pay for the test.

“I am really confident to return in the Indy Lights series in 2013,” said Gernier in a press release.

“Several teams and drivers from this season will take part in that test. This represents a golden opportunity to to prove everyone that despite the fact that I've been away from race cars for quite a long time I am still very competitive,” said Grenier.

Yokohama has issued a recall on 499 Avid Touring S tires (215/65R16) that were manufactured in 2009.

The lower sidewall could crack due to a manufacturing defect, possibly resulting in a slow loss of tire pressure. If left in service, the crack/separation could grow and rapid air loss could occur, jeopardizing vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Moreover, pieces could detach from the rim and strike a vehicle, property, or a bystander.

Yokohama retailers will replace affected tires.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Yokohama

Ander Vilarino extended his lead in the Racecar Euroseries championship after the Spaniard secured win in both rounds presented in Valencia, Spain.

The top three drivers in the series dominated Valencia, as Villarino won the sprint race ahead of pole sitter and fellow countryman Javier Villa (3rd in the standings) and Romain Thievin (2nd in the standings).

On Sunday, they concluded the endurance race in the same order.

Photo: Racecarseries

Power Boost
New for the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox is a boost in ponies under the hood. Powering the V6 model is now a 3.6L engine that has 301 horsepower and 272 lb-ft of torque. That replaces the current 3.0L V6 rated at 264 horsepower and 222 lb-ft of torque. However, highway fuel economy -- for the front-wheel drive model -- remains unchanged at an estimated 8.1L/100km.

Does the extra juice under the hood make that big of a difference? Heck, yes! The 2013 Chevrolet Equinox feels more spirited and lively to drive. While that might seem like an obvious observation, there are cases where there's been an increase in power and the car just feels the “same.”


Can you handle this?
A new FE2 suspension package is coupled with the 3.6L V6 and is offered with 18” or 19” chrome-clad wheels on LTZ models of the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. What does that mean for the operator? A smoother handling ride that feels more confident on the pavement. And with the AWD, you can take it off the beaten path and still be OK.

Entertained for the drive home
On the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox AWD LTZ trim, there's an available rear-seat, dual-player DVD entertainment system with displays in both seat backs and dual wireless headphones ($1,295). Popping in a movie during a long drive can eradicate the “Are we there yet?” interrogation that proves annoying to both the driver and other passengers. Just ask my friends! Then again, sitting in the back seat of this vehicle proved cozy enough, so I don't see discomfort to be a huge issue. If the DVD doesn't lessen the whining, perhaps a warm glass of milk with cookies might do the trick. If not, there's always the bus.

Sitting in the back seat of this vehicle proved cozy enough, so I don't see discomfort to be a huge issue. (Photo: General Motors)

Inside story
Perhaps redundancy is getter the better part of me, but I can't help but comment on how much better Chevrolet interiors are these days. And they keep getting better. Slip inside the cabin of the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and you're greeted by tones and textures that work well with each other. The centre stack is inviting, and the controls are easily recognizable. Further adding to the cabin's functionality are the standard MultiFlex rear seats. They allow the seat to be moved fore or aft 200 millimetres (7.9”) for best-in-class rear legroom.

Slip inside the cabin of the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and you're greeted by tones and textures that work well with each other. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

MyLink in your car
Chevrolet's infotainment system, MyLink, along with navigation is yet another perk of this vehicle. Perhaps one of the most straightforward systems on the market, it acts as an extension of your smartphone. Not to mention the blend of pretty colours that comprise the various images are also pleasant to look at. The high-resolution, 7” touchscreen only enhances an already appealing inside.

Gimme chrome
What would a Chevy be without its flashy bits? Chrome bits, that is. On top of the aforementioned rims, there are also various accents on the grille, window frames and the nether regions of this five-seater vehicle. Not to mention the accents inside the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, as well.

Whether on the inside or the out, the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox LTZ AWD is a fine piece of GM engineering. My first impressions are, obviously, quite positive.

From GMM

Two team members were electrocuted at Toro Rosso's Faenza headquarters on Tuesday morning, the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero reports.

The report said the accident occurred at about 10.30.

One team member, 58, is now recovering in a local hospital, while a 23-year-old is reportedly in a serious condition.

Reportedly based on interviews conducted by police and medical crews, the shock occurred when a forklift was being operated to move a large piece of metal.

The vehicle reportedly touched electrical wires, with the subsequent shock strong enough to leave a mark on the floor.

Entrance of Toro Rosso's factory at Faenza, in Italy. (Photo: Red Bull)

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is interested in securing the former Turkish grand prix venue in Istanbul, the Hurriyet daily reports.

The newspaper said a tender is scheduled to take place next Wednesday.

The Istanbul Park circuit hosted formula one races between 2005 and 2011, and although poorly attended the Hermann Tilke-penned layout was lauded particularly for its challenging quadruple-apex turn 8.

But Turkey fell off the F1 calendar for 2012, after local organisers and F1 chief executive Ecclestone failed to agree a new higher race sanctioning fee.

Hurriyet now cites "sources" in reporting that Ecclestone is among those interested in bidding for the circuit.

Main straight line of the Istanbul Park. (Photo: Turkey4travel.com)

Luxury car owners drive with a sense of entitlement. There's no denying it. Pick any Porsche/BMW/Mercedes/Maserati/Audi/Rolls-Royce on the road and watch them drive. They merge when they want (where they want), park however and wherever they want, and they often don't signal for any move they pull. This might seem like a generalization, but I emplore you to do your own case study for a week and try and deny the results.

Well, there's a reason for the luxury car driver's sense of entitlement: We give it to them.

Despite my job allowing me to drive some of the higher-end vehicles on the market today, I consider myself as part of the masses, driving my "regular" car. I own a Subaru. I am not a luxury car owner... at least not on the inside.

Recently, I was handed the keys to a Porsche Cayenne Diesel. Besides being uber excited to pilot a diesel car for the week, I was also happy to have a great vehicle to head downtown with to catch a concert.

2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Forget "riding in style" I was excited for the space and the entitlement. Here's the thing, you get away with a lot when you drive a car like a Porsche Cayenne (which is precisely why those drivers get the egos they do behind the wheel).

When I arrived downtown for the concert (for an extremely popular pop icon whose tickets were outrageously expensive, but worth every penny), traffic was tight but I was always given a wide birth. Once I found an outdoor lot, I pulled up to the little man who'd been collecting keys and parking the cars himself. As soon as he saw the Porsche he told me the price, then said nothing else. I told him where I wanted to park (up front, under a light, away from harm), and that I'd park the car myself. He made no motion to stop me, just waved me through.

Upon leaving that night, amongst the throngs of concert-goers still singing and partying in the street as well as in their cars trying to leave the downtown core, I gently eased into traffic and made my way through the crowded streets without much delay as most cars let me slide in where I pleased.

And I swear I'm not overly pushy when I drive luxury cars. I simply drive the way I normally would, and other motorists on the road give me opportunities; they give me that sense of entitlement.

So, remember that next time you complain about an Audi driver's "attitude" on the road, or a BMW driver's better-than-everyone-else-on-the-road move: You made them that way.

You make them feel special with your looks of awe, your finger-pointing and your space given on the road. You make them feel important when you simply scoff and say nothing when they park where they want. Your impressed looks and jealous side-glances make luxury car drivers feel like they deserve more of the road and that they can get away with anything.

Kind of like the hot, popular girl in high school: she could be a complete b*tch, but everyone would still want to be her bestie.

Maybe we should start treating luxury cars like any old Honda Civic instead and see where that leads.

From GMM

Vijay Mallya is enduring a troubled run into this weekend's Japanese grand prix.

International media reports say the Force India chief has temporarily grounded the entire fleet of his Indian airline Kingfisher, with staff revolting after not being paid since April.

Kingfisher confirmed it had locked out staff because some had instigated "unabated incidents of violence, criminal intimidation, assault" against some employees who were still trying to work.

"It's sad they are putting the blame on employees," Indian airline advisor Harsh Vardhan told Bloomberg, "because nowhere in the world anyone would accept this kind of situation."

Kingfisher, main partner of Team Sahara Force India. (Photo: Pirelli)

Texting behind the wheel is a fast-growing issue that's made countless headlines in recent years. Despite the repeated warnings, a number of drivers keep doing it.

The Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) has just launched a second awareness campaign to alert drivers about the dangers of reading and writing text messages while driving.

Running from September 30th to October 28th, the French-language televised message presents four scenes that show drivers through time. With an approach that combines humour and drama, the ad illustrates how quickly an accident can happen when a driver's attention is diverted by a demanding task such as texting.

Meanwhile, in English, there's a new radio campaign that includes three different ads with the main message: ''Every letter can kill. Don't text and drive.''

You may also be interested in the Focus Mode application that blocks text messages and incoming calls, and sends an “acknowledgement of receipt” message to the person who tried to contact you.
Of course, the app will only work when activated.

The bottom line again: Don't text and drive!

Source: SAAQ

From GMM

Responding to criticism in the German press, Norbert Haug says Mercedes decided to oust Michael Schumacher after the seven time world champion's "long period of reflection".

The German marque has poached Lewis Hamilton from McLaren, teaming him with Nico Rosberg for 2013 and beyond.

Former driver and German-language television pundit Christian Danner told DAPD news agency Schumacher was "dumped ice-cold", even though he has some sympathy for Mercedes on the basis that the highly rated Hamilton was on the market.

But German motor racing federation chief Hans-Joachim Stuck told Spox he was "shocked" when he heard Mercedes had dropped Schumacher.

"Hamilton is definitely one of the fastest formula one drivers, but for me he lacks the consistency. I don't think Mercedes has done itself a favour," he added.

Another former German driver, Jochen Mass, told Auto Presse that the way Schumacher was dumped via press release was "below the belt".

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher in China. (Photo: WRi2)

But Mercedes' Haug explained: "Michael has had a long period of reflection and was not definitively sure whether he wanted to go on or not."

When asked about reports the 43-year-old was only Mercedes' 'plan C' for 2013, Norbert Haug answered evasively: "Michael was informed that the team had to develop its alternatives, he was always informed and he accepted that," he is quoted by Welt.

Mercedes/Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche is also on the defensive, insisting the Hamilton signing is "not a reproach" of the seven time world champion's performance since 2010.

But he did admit to Bild newspaper that, "given the name of Michael Schumacher, expectations were probably too high" for his comeback.

"But I called Michael on the day the decision was announced to speak with him. It was a very good discussion," insisted Zetsche.

It is clear, however, that Schumacher's next discussions are with teams that might want to take him on board for 2013.

Sauber, Williams, Lotus and even Ferrari have been mentioned, but the latter is almost certainly not in the frame.

Swiss commentator Marc Surer told Servus TV that Sauber is a "romantic" option given Schumacher's pre-F1 sports car past, but thinks the financial aspect will spoil the deal.

"They would need a sponsor to pay Schumacher. So I believe that's why this opportunity will fail," he said.

Danner, however, said Schumacher should push for Sauber if he still wants to have "fun" at grands prix.

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes W03. (Photo: WRi2)

But if Sauber is Schumacher's only option, Gerhard Berger insists: "It's time for him to stop.

"Schumacher is for Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren or Mercedes. Everything else cannot be an alternative," the Austrian great told Auto Motor und Sport.

Berger does not scold Mercedes for moving on.

"You have to congratulate them," he insisted, "as with Hamilton and Rosberg they have a great driver pairing -- probably the best. If you have the chance to get Hamilton, you really have to try."

He also understands why Briton Hamilton needed a new challenge after six years with McLaren.

"Most drivers need a change of scenery after three or four years," said Berger, who in his career drove for teams including Benetton, McLaren and Ferrari.

"It brings you new motivation," he explained. "Of course the McLaren is the better car, but the appeal for him now is to make his Mercedes the best one."

Traffic deaths in the United States rose 9 percent in the first half of 2012 compared with the same period last year, breaking a 5-year downward trend, according to preliminary data that experts cannot yet explain.

Traffic deaths in the United States rose 9 percent in the first half of 2012 compared with the same period last year, breaking a 5-year downward trend, according to preliminary data that experts cannot yet explain.

General Motors' Chevrolet Volt widened its lead as the top-selling U.S. rechargeable car this year and Toyota Motor Corp. expanded plug-in Prius deliveries as Nissan said it's working to boost electric Leaf sales.

Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz, after a 7 percent sales gain in September, extended its lead over BMW to 5,221 units after nine months in the race to be the top-selling luxury auto brand in the United States.

Strong sales of small and mid-sized cars propelled Chrysler Group to its best September since 2007 and its 30th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gains. The automaker sold 142,041 units last month, up 12 percent from September 2011.