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UPDATE: Whoever you are, wherever you are, take a moment to think of Chris Economaki. Make it your personal tribute, however brief, to this grand old man of auto racing journalists because he left us late Thursday, Sept.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne and Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn resolved a dispute that threatened to paralyze Europe's main car lobby group as the region's market sinks to a 17-year low.

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne and Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn resolved a dispute that threatened to paralyze Europe's main car lobby group as the region's market sinks to a 17-year low.

Fisker Automotive says it has completed the initial closing of its current equity financing, representing in excess of US$100 million of new funding.

Hyundai Mobis plans to establish new large-scale distribution centres in the US, China, Russia and Brazil over the next year.

Carmakers dealing with economic gloom and weak consumer appetite in the battered European market pointed toward inevitable cuts to plant capacity and labor costs at the Paris auto show, as hopes for a quick recovery appeared to recede.

Nissan has agreed to buy back two of the seven Leaf electric cars whose owners in Arizona have publicly raised concerns about aging batteries.

From press release

Takuma Sato will make his sports prototype debut with OAK Racing at the FIA World Endurance Championship rounds in Asia this October when the team returns to the LMP1 class following its switch to Honda Performance Development engines.

And the 35-year-old former Formula 1 driver has now been lined up to contest the WEC's final two rounds at Fuji (13/14 October) and Shanghai (27/28) aboard the Onroak Automotive designed and built No. 15 OAK/Pescarolo LMP1, which is now powered by HPD's proven AR6-LMV8 powerplant.

Photo: OAK Racing

The team's regular LMP1 drivers Bertrand Baguette and Dominik Kraihamer will also return to the car's cockpit alongside Sato in Asia.

Sato drove the car during a shakedown at Magny-Cours circuit in France Thursday where the new HPD engine and OAK LMP1 chassis were tested together for the first time.

A further full day of running is scheduled for Friday when Sato will have more time to familiarise himself with the car.

From GMM

Martin Whitmarsh on Friday insisted McLaren did not push Lewis Hamilton away.

After the news arrived that the team's protege and 2008 world champion is switching to Mercedes, some said McLaren simply didn't offer the Briton enough money or good enough contractual terms.

"We made a financial offer which is better than anyone in formula one, other than himself, receives today," team boss Whitmarsh is quoted by Reuters. "I know we made a very, very big financial offer."

Whatever went wrong for Whitmarsh, who insists he is happy to pair youngster Sergio Perez with Jenson Button, it has also gone wrong for Michael Schumacher.

"We had a good time with Michael Schumacher," Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche told Welt newspaper, "however we did not achieve the goals that we set ourselves. That was the requirement for a contract extension."

Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm revealed that they let a summer option on his current Mercedes contract lapse.

Schumacher "would have been able to sign (for 2013) if he had wanted to earlier in the summer", she told the BBC.

Michael Schumacher. (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team)

Now, Sauber appears the seven time world champion's only real option to keep racing.

"It's true I was at Sauber," said Sabine Kehm, responding to reports she met recently with Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn. "I have known them for years. But that doesn't mean anything more than I'm regularly there."

Willi Weber, Schumacher's former manager, doesn't know what went wrong.

"I saw him last at Monza, and he was full of energy and ambition, which convinced me completely that everything was in the bag with Mercedes," he told SID news agency.

Weber said he can imagine his former charge taking up a management or ambassadorial position with Mercedes now.

He would not advise Schumacher to take up Sauber's offer.

"No, and I have nothing against Sauber, but I do not think he wants to go from a global player to a private team," said Weber.

Miguel Molina (Audi) set the best performance in the first free practice session in Valencia, Round 9 of the 2012 DTM championship.

This first session was held in the rain.

Miguel Molina, Aiudi (photo: dtm.com)

The Spaniard set his best lap in 1m37'.547 ahead of his teammate Timo Scheider and Augusto Farfus' BMW.

The best Mercedes driver was Ralf Schumacher who was classified 5th, 1.2 seconds slower than Molina.

Concerning the title contenders, Canadian Bruno Spengler (BMW) was in the best position, as he ranked 8th overall, 1.6 seconds down to Molina.

Mercedes drivers Gary Paffett and Jamie Green had a difficult practice session, taking 17th and 19th position, respectively.

From press release

The Mercedes AMG team announces a three-year agreement with Lewis Hamilton, from the 2013 season.

Lewis is one of four drivers, along with Juan Manuel Fangio, Mika Häkkinen and Jenson Button, to have won the Formula One world championship with Mercedes-Benz power. With 20 Formula One victories, he is equal with Mika Häkkinen as the most successful Mercedes-Benz Formula One driver.

The recruitment of the 2008 world champion marks the start of a new chapter for the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. Lewis will replace Michael Schumacher, who has contributed significantly to the development of the Silver Arrows works team over the past three years.

Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) fighting at Monza in 2011 with Michael Schumacher (Mercedes). (Photo: WRi2)

In parallel, Mercedes-Benz has put in place the right technical structure and given the team in Brackley and Brixworth the tools it needs to achieve long-term, durable success in Formula One. In the near future, three-time world champion Niki Lauda will also bring his extensive experience to the role of non-executive chairman of the team's board of directors, further reinforcing the strength in depth at MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS.

Michael Schumacher
“I have had three nice years with the team which unfortunately did not go as well as we all would have wanted on the sporting side. I wish Lewis well and for the team to achieve the success we worked so hard for in the build-up. I would like to thank the team for their trust and all the guys for their unconditional commitment. I will now concentrate on the next races.”

Lewis Hamilton
“It is now time for me to take on a fresh challenge and I am very excited to begin a new chapter racing for the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. Mercedes-Benz has such an incredible heritage in motorsport, along with a passion for winning which I share.
“Together, we can grow and rise to this new challenge. I believe that I can help steer the Silver Arrows to the top and achieve our joint ambitions of winning the world championships.”

One podium until now for Michael Schumacher with Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

Ross Brawn, Team Principal
"On behalf of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, I would first of all like to thank Michael Schumacher for the important contribution he has made to the growth of our team over the past three seasons. His energy and commitment have never wavered, even when results have not matched our own expectations, and we are determined to finish the 2012 season together on a high. As always, it has been a pleasure to work with Michael. 

"Looking ahead to 2013, I am delighted to welcome Lewis Hamilton to our team. The arrival of a driver of Lewis' calibre is a testament to the standing of Mercedes-Benz in Formula One and I am proud that Lewis shares our vision and ambition for the success of the Silver Arrows."

Norbert Haug, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
"Mercedes-Benz has supported Lewis throughout his career, from karting, to Formula 3, to our successful partnership with McLaren, and it will be a very nice moment for all of us in the team to see him at the wheel of a works Silver Arrow next season, following in the tradition of British Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix drivers Sir Stirling Moss and Richard Seaman.

"Of course, it takes a great driver to replace such a legendary and successful one as Michael Schumacher. Over the past three years, Michael has been a great driver and an exemplary ambassador for MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS. His experience has been an important factor in guiding the development of our team in Brackley and we extend our sincere thanks to Michael for his loyalty, team play and commitment. We will be working very hard together in order to achieve the best possible results in the remainder of the 2012 season."

The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile has released the calendar of the 2013 World Endurance Championship.

Next year's calendar features eight events, with some notable changes such as the exit of the 12 Hours of Sebring, which usually opened the season.

The Sebring event will move under the Grand-Am umbrella, and the season will now start at Silverstone on April 14. The US raqce will be staged on the brand new Circuit of the Americas in September.

The 24 Hours of Le Mans will still be the highlight of the season, and will take place June 22-23.

The season will end in Bahrain November 30 , the event has been moved in order to provide lowest temperatures (the 2012 Bahrain race is ran this week end).

Audi and Toyota will finally fight at Spa-Francorchamps, in May 2013. (Photo: Toyota)

2013 World Endurance Championship calendar:

14 April - Round 1 - 6 Hours of Silverstone GBR

04 May - Round 2 - WEC 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps BEL

22/23 June - Round 3 - 24 Heures du Mans FRA

24 August - Round 4 - 6 Hours of Sao Paulo BRA

22 September - Round 5 - 6 Hours of Austin * USA

20 October - Round 6 - 6 Hours of Fuji JPN

10 November - Round 7 - 6 Hours of Shanghai * CHN

30 November - Round 8 - 6 Hours of Bahrain BAH

*to be confirmed

Ten standard airbags and cool tech toys make the 2013 Chevrolet Trax safe and technologically up-to-date.

This new Chevy has car-ma sutra-like abilities. With eight different seating configurations to test out, there's a comfortable position to fit all your gear, and more...


With the success of the Cruze, Sonic and Spark, Chevrolet is hoping that the 2013 Trax will enjoy the same. Does it have the substance to do so? Only time will tell, but if the prototype vehicles that I took for a spin are any indication, they're on the right track. Or should I say, Trax?!

Making Trax worldwide
The 2013 Chevrolet Trax is a global car on multiple levels. It was designed and engineered as a collaborative effort, literally. North American, Korean and European teams were assigned to the project to make sure that the needs of local markets were being met -- it's expected be sold in 140 of them.

What does the tailoring process include? Well, adjustments to steering, the suspension and tires will all be relative to each market's location.

In Canada, we can expect both front-wheel and all-wheel drive models.
Regardless of which one you choose, they're all matched to Chevrolet's 1.4L, turbocharged, 4-cylinder engine and will have an output of 138 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission comes standard on the LS model, while the LT and LTZ models are matched with a 6-speed automatic.

Having only had the opportunity to test the automatic 2013 Chevrolet Trax, it's pretty darn good. And for braving the gridlock traffic known as “rush hour” in San Francisco, it's quite a blessing in disguise! Not to mention the hills that make up the city's geography. Luckily, the Trax won't leave you in a bind when stopped on a slant; it comes standard with Hill Start Assist (HSA).

Chevrolet plans to sell the Trax in 140 countries. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

Size matters
This five-seater 2013 Chevrolet Trax is the smallest SUV that the North American automaker produces. And with people wanting large-vehicle functionality, but in a small package, the Trax offers that.

Using up all that large-vehicle space is not hard to do. There are storage bins galore inside, not to mention a cargo capacity of 1,370 litres, with the rear seats folded down. Additionally, the 2013 Trax has car-ma sutra-like abilities to fold its seats into different seating positions. There are eight in total, so should you want to use the 60/40 split configuration, or fold the front passenger's seat flat to fit a longer item, go for it! There are also storage spaces under the floor mats for whatever your heart desires.

Looking into the future
The 2013 Chevrolet Trax has yet to arrive in Canada, but looking inside its cabin and experiencing it firsthand is fairly impressive. Having tested both the LT and LTZ trims there's a commonality between them, and I'm not talking about the engine!

Over the last few years, GM has really upped the ante with their interior composition. Embracing the concept of “Surface Drama” -- that's the design philosophy implemented here -- I was impressed with the various tones and textures found throughout the cabin. They meshed well together and they looked good.

While the prototypes weren't 100% perfect when it came to fit and finish, I would expect that the production models will be when they start showing up on the streets.

What I liked about the interior of the 2013 Chevrolet Trax is the utilization of the twin cockpit theme, also embraced by the Sonic and Spark. There's the big instrument cluster in front of the driver, and to the right on the centre stack are the rest of the tech and climate goodies.

I was impressed with the various tones and textures found throughout the cabin. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

Hey, check me out!
Throughout my drive route, I caught people checking out the 2013 Chevrolet Trax. Perhaps it's the bold lines, big wheels (you can get 18-inchers on the upper trims) or even the flashy chrome bits around the exterior that have fellow motorists inquisitive.

The front end features twin port openings bridged by the Chevy bowtie. Wheel arches are pushed out to the corners to add a little aggression to the mix. Furthermore, the front and rear silver-painted skid plates show off its SUV DNA.

And helping show of its sportier side, the five-spoke wheels are similar to that of the Camaro.

Drive time
It's a quiet and comfortable ride behind the wheel of the 2013 Chevrolet Trax. While I think its suspension needs a little more fine-tuning -- it was a little too soft for my liking -- I'm curious to see how the final product will feel. That doesn't mean it couldn't handle the curvy roads that garnish the Northern California topography (Lucas Valley Road, in particular) I just would have preferred a little less bounce in its step.

Price tag
Pricing has yet to be announced for the all new 2013 Chevrolet Trax.

From GMM

Much like in 2006, when Ferrari replaced him with Kimi Raikkonen, the seven time world champion has now been elbowed out at Mercedes to make room for Lewis Hamilton.

Some expect the 43-year-old to now return to retirement, or take up a job offer on Mercedes' management side. But Schumacher has also been linked with Sauber, whose Sergio Perez will move to McLaren next year to replace Hamilton.

Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm was spotted in conversation with Sauber chiefs Peter Sauber and Monisha Kaltenborn recently.

Michael Schumacher, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

"I don't want to give him (Schumacher) advice, as I sure he will consider his future carefully and calmly. We will see what he decides," said Niki Lauda.

The fact Lauda is not simply wishing Schumacher well for his retirement is significant, as the Austrian legend is set to join Mercedes as non-executive chairman.

"I don't know the details," the triple world champion told SID news agency, "but generally I don't think he is too old for formula one. His comeback was surely not as good as he imagined, but in those three years he never had a really fast and reliable car."

Swiss commentator Marc Surer, meanwhile, said it is fairly obvious that the loss of the Mercedes seat was "not voluntary" for Schumacher, as the great German has insisted for weeks that he will only announce his intentions in October.

Marc Surer told German Sky television: "I can imagine that one team or another will be very interested in him (for 2013). The problem could be the price."

A meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) took place Friday September 29 in Paris and the 2013 calendar of the 2013 Formula 1 championship was approved.

In a press release, Jean Todt, the President of the FIA confirmed that positive and constructive discussions continue with regard to the new Concorde Agreement and it is anticipated a contract will be signed by the end of October.

Following a fax vote by the Technical Working Group, the 2013 Sporting and Technical Regulations were approved by the WMSC.

The 2013 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar is confirmed as follows:

17/03 AUS Grand Prix of Australia
24/03 MYS Grand Prix of Malaysia
14/04 CHN Grand Prix of China
21/04 BHR Grand Prix of Bahrain
12/05 ESP Grand Prix of Spain (Barcelona)
26/05 MCO Grand Prix of Monaco
09/06 CAN Grand Prix of Canada
16/06 USA Grand Prix of Jersey (New York) *
30/06 GBR Grand Prix of Great Britain
14/07 DEU Grand Prix of Germany
28/07 HUN Grand Prix of Hungary
25/08 BEL Grand Prix of Belgium
08/09 ITA Grand Prix of Italy
22/09 SGP Grand Prix of Singapore
06/10 KOR Grand Prix of Korea
13/10 JPN Grand Prix of Japan
27/10 IND Grand Prix of India
03/11 ARE Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi
17/11 USA Grand Prix of USA (Austin)
24/11 BRA Grand Prix of Brazil

* To Be Confirmed

I'm a Northern Ontario boy living in the land of Dodge Ram 2500s, Ford Super Dutys and GMC Sierra HDs. People up here love their diesel-powered torque, low-range gearing and tens of thousands of pounds of towing capacity.

The Honda Ridgeline is a truck with none of these attributes -- and one considered “less” of a truck by many of my misinformed, diesel-burning friends.

Face it, guys: Driving a Ford Super Duty to the grocery store, baseball game or mall is a massive waste of fuel. At least it'll make quick work of towing that utility trailer a few times a year, eh?

Photo: Justin Pritchard

The Ridgeline only comes with a V6. It's decent on fuel and as powerful as anyone needs. It's 4x4 system is, usually, front-wheel drive. It's got a small-ish box.

However, if you don't regularly need the services of a great, big towing rig, it's a truck that makes plenty of sense. Moreso if you have a family, love camping, own a four-legged friend or two, or like to partake in outdoor sports.

A clever, flexible design ideology lies at the Ridgeline's functional core.

The large rear seats offer heaps of room for 2 or 3 full-size adults and have a generous storage space beneath them -- helping occupants stay organized. And those rear seats flip up and out of the way in about 3 seconds, creating a large cargo area that'll securely accept a bike or two, a flat-screen TV, a few golden retrievers, or a load of groceries, or even some of the above and a passenger if you leave one of the seats in its “seat” position.

The box is short but adequate for a dirt bike, motorcycle or a small quad. The firewall at the front of the bed has built-in notches for holding tires in place, which work with tie-downs to make securing two-wheeled toys a breeze.


The tailgate opens out, like a door, or downwards like a tailgate, too. Four lights illuminate the bed as needed. It's full of clever, thoughtful touches.

Underneath, Ridgeline's famous “under-bed compartment” adds a trunk similar in capacity to that of a midsize car. It's lockable, waterproof and is illuminatedand drainable.

If you've got, say, three buddies and two dirtbikes along for the ride, other gear can be kept out of the way in this “truck trunk” without chewing up interior space or being tossed around in the box. Soggy lifejackets, groceries, ice and beverages, coolers, firewood, sandy beach towels and the like all found a home in here on my test dive. Hose it out at the coin-wash when you're done.

Ridgeline is also comfortable, rides like a big car, and isn't a giant, imposing, clumsy, thirsty thing to drive. It's almost like a minivan -- but cooler, more capable and without the jokes. That's a good thing for many.

Honda's hit the mark here with a truck that's perfect for what 99% of pickup owners use their trucks for 99% of the time. I came away from my test wondering if I'd ever driven a vehicle so purely handy and flexible.

From press release

The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team officially names Jenson Button and Sergio Perez as the new driver line-up, starting in 2013.

The up-and-coming Mexicain already scored three podiums this season and has been signed by the Woking team on a multi-year contract.

Sergio Perez leaves Team Sauber for McLaren. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

"I'm thrilled and delighted to have become a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver," said Sergio Perez. "The McLaren name is one of the greatest in the history of Formula One. For more than 40 years McLaren has been a team that every racing driver has aspired to drive for - I was brought up on the great stories of Ayrton Senna's many world championship triumphs for McLaren - and I'm truly honoured that they've chosen me to partner Jenson from 2013 onwards."

"I've spent the 2012 season working very hard to demonstrate my potential, but I've always remained humble and focused. I am, and always will be, extremely grateful to Peter [Sauber] and everybody at the Sauber Formula One team for their belief in me, and for giving me the chance to race in Formula One. I'm under no illusion that it is indeed a very big step - as it would be for any driver - but I'm ready for it."

"I'd like to thank Carlos Slim Jr, who has helped me since I was 14 years old, without whom I wouldn't be where I am today... Finally, I'd like to thank my beloved family, who've encouraged me at every turn, and last but far from least the people of Mexico, my home country, whose magnificent support I'll do my very best to reward with future successes with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes."

Martin Whitmarsh will no more supervise Lewis Hamilton's qualifying. (Photo: McLaren)

Martin Whitmarsh (Team Principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes) said: “On behalf of everyone at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, I'm delighted to welcome Sergio on board. His performances throughout 2012 have convinced us that he's an extremely exciting prospect for the future.

“It was a string of giant-killing performances, a trio of podiums and a brilliant fastest lap in this year's Monaco Grand Prix that showed us that Sergio lacks nothing in terms of speed and commitment. We've been monitoring his progress carefully for some months - and, now that he's become part of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team, our task will be to refine and develop his abilities as his career progresses over the coming years. He's perfectly poised to develop into a world championship challenger."

“Finally, it's entirely appropriate that I should take this opportunity to pass on our thanks to Lewis [Hamilton]. He wrote a huge chapter of his life and career with us, and was, and always will be, a fine member of an exclusive club: the McLaren world champions' club.

“It goes without saying that we all wish him well for the future, just as it also goes without saying that we hope and believe that Sergio, too, will become a member of that exclusive club before too long.”

Morten Lundal (Group Chief Commercial Officer, Vodafone) said: “On behalf of all at Vodafone, I'd like to say how pleased we are that Vodafone McLaren Mercedes has signed Sergio to a multi-year deal. We look forward to enjoying success with Sergio and McLaren.”

In addition to the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive and smart BRABUS Electric Drive, visitors at the 2012 Paris Auto Show can see the premiere of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Concept, due for market launch in 2014.

The B-Class Natural Gas Drive and the new A-Class, which is already proving extremely popular across the pond, are on display as well.

“Electric cars are a significant component of our strategy for sustainable mobility,” says Prof. Dr. Thomas Weber, Daimler AG board member in charge of research and Mercedes-Benz Cars development.

The B-Class Electric Drive Concept uses a 100 kW electric motor and provides a range of 200 kilometres, while the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is equipped with four electric motors generating a total of 552 kW and delivering 0-100km/h sprints in just 3.9 seconds. That makes it the fastest electric-drive production vehicle in the world.

As for the tiny A-Class, Mercedes-Benz has taken around 70,000 pre-orders in Western Europe alone. More than 700,000 visitors took part in the market premiere - the most successful experienced by the German brand to date.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

The first two free practice sessions of the 6 Hours of Bahrain, round of the FIA World Endurance Championship, took place at the Bahrain International Circuit Thursday.

The first 90-minute session saw the sun setting on the 5.4km circuit and it was the Toyota Racing Toyota TS030-Hybrid that set the quickest time.

However in the second session, which was run in the dark, it was the Audis that regained the advantage, with the No. 1 Audi of Benoit Tréluyer posting a time that was 0.3 seconds faster with a lap of 1m47.403. The No. 21 Strakka Racing HPD-Honda was the faster of the four LMP1 Privateers, with Danny Watts setting the quickest time in the two sessions, just 1.3 seconds adrift of the lead Audi.

Photo: Toyota Racing

LMP1
1 1 Audi Sport Team Joest M. Fässler / A. Lotterer / B. Tréluyer Audi R18 e-tron quattro 1:47.403
2 2 Audi Sport Team Joest T. Kristensen / A. McNish Audi R18 e-tron quattro +0.381
3 7 Toyota Racing A. Wurz / N. Lapierre Toyota TS030 - Hybrid +0.947
4 21 Strakka Racing N. Leventis / D. Watts / J. Kane HPD ARX 03a - Honda +1.377
5 22 JRM D. Brabham / K. Chandhok / P. Dumbreck HPD ARX 03a - Honda +1.697
6 12 Rebellion Racing N. Prost / N. Jani Lola B12/60 Coupé - Toyota +2.055

The No. 35 Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan was the quickest LMP2 in both sessions with the second session being the quickest as Alex Brundle set a lap of 1:53.434, just 0.018 seconds ahead of the nr44 Starworks Motorsports HPD-Honda and 0.109 seconds ahead of the nr24 Oak Racing Morgan-Nissan.

LMP2
1 35 Oak Racing B. Baguette / D. Kraihamer / A. Brundle Morgan - Nissan 1:53.434
2 44 Starworks Motorsports V. Potolicchio / T. Kimber-Smith /S. Sarrazin HPD ARX 03b-Honda +0.018
3 24 Oak Racing J. Nicolet / M. Lahaye / O. Pla Morgan - +0.109
4 49 Pecom Racing L. Perez Companc / N. Minassian / P. Kaffer Oreca 03 - Nissan +0.307

LMGTE Pro
1 97 Aston Martin Racing S. Mücke / D. Turner Aston Martin Vantage V8 2:01.849
2 77 Team Felbermayr-Proton M. Lieb / R. Lietz Porsche 911 RSR (997) +0.452
3 51 AF Corse G. Fisichella / T. Vilander Ferrari F458 Italia +1.498
4 71 AF Corse A. Bertolini / O. Beretta Ferrari F458 Italia +1.622

LMGTEAm
1 88 Team Felbermayr-Proton C. Ried / G. Roda / P. Ruberti Porsche 911 RSR (997) 2:04.725
2 57 Krohn Racing T. Krohn / N. Jönsson / M. Rugolo Ferrari F458 Italia +0.097
3 61 AF Corse-Waltrip R. Kauffman / R. Aguas / B. Vickers Ferrari F458 Italia +0.314

The Auto123.com team is delighted to announce that it will once again be competing in the Rallye international vert de Montréal, from September 28th through September 30th behind the wheel of a 2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid.

Last year, Auto123.com teamed up with Porsche for the first time, piloting the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid and managed an 11th place finish after the weekend was up.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

The event, unique in North America, is part of the FIA's international Alternative Energies Cup, which has been held for the last six years in 10 countries on four continents.

Olivier Delorme and Emilie Asselin-Mercier (covering the event for Auto-Venus.com) will join forces and represent our team for the 600-km event where precision is key.

The Porsche Panamera S Hybrid will be up against some pretty stiff competition against the likes of the Toyota Prius Plug-in (as well as the Prius c), Lexus CT 200h -- both winners in the 2011 Rallye international vert de Montreal -- Mitsubishi i-MiEV and even propane-driven GMC Sierras and an F-150.

Registered vehicles will be split into several classes including hybrids, EVs, biofuel and diesel, as well as weight categories (car, SUV, truck, prototype, etc.).

Photo: Philippe Champoux

The event starts the evening of Friday, September 28th as companies like Add Energie, Hydro Quebec and Circuit Electrique host booths on McGill College in downtown Montreal. When the rally begins on September 29th, there will be three circuits per day, each approximately 60km in length, for the drivers to complete with strict restrictions and rules to follow. McGill College Avenue will serve as both the start and finish line throughout the weekend.

Throughout the weekend, Auto123.com will publish updates of the rally experience, and the results of the rally will be posted early next week. Stay tuned for the trials and tribulations of Olivier and Emelie as they embark on their Green Rally adventure, and follow them on Twitter throughout the weekend!

Émilie Asselin-Mercier: @autovenus

Olivier Delorme: @odelorme