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SANTA BARBARA, CA - A typical car launch goes something like this: begin somewhere pretty enough to show the car in the best possible light, then spend most of the day following a highly choreographed drive route -- complete with detailed guide book -- stopping at prescribed check points along the way to both fortify our souls with candy handouts and reassure the manufacturers that we haven't managed to toss their vehicle off the side of a mountain.


The route is always picturesque, with plenty of kitchy photo ops along the way, and usually predictable with the result that everyone attending submits a variation on the same photographic theme. And since we're piloting the base, 4-cylinder model of a conservative midsize sedan, the day promises to be rather devoid of drama.

"I know a road," my partner began, shuffling the route book while I took first shift behind the wheel.

"Go on," I said.

"I saw it during the (insert wildly expensive sports car here) launch and wondered where it went."

And so began one of the best drives in memory, easily equalling anything the Smoky Mountains, the Hollywood Hills or the Alps had ever thrown at us.

Spiralling continuously upward, we eventually crested the snaky spine of the Ynez Mountains, grinning ear-to-ear, while the Pacific coastline receded to a hazy blur far below. Heat waves shimmered off the cracked pavement, an occasional lizard streaked across the road in front of us, but not a single other vehicle did we see.

"You're not going to believe this," I said to my driving partner. "But this thing is actually pretty good."

Photo: Leslay Wimbush

Understated sophistication
The ninth generation 2013 Honda Accord doesn't look significantly different. Although it's been massaged into a more sculpted image with sharper character lines, both sedan and coupe are instantly recognizable. New LED driving lights add a touch of sophistication, and a lower belt line and narrower, high-tensile steel a-pillars improve visibility.

No, the biggest changes lie under the skin. Honda swapped the old double wishbone front suspension setup with MacPherson struts in an effort to reduce noise and vibration and improve its handling. Our crazy, impromptu drive route revealed the 2013 Honda Accord to be balanced and settled on the kind of twists and turns no family sedan had ever boldly gone before.

The electrically assisted steering is on the light side, but we were pleasantly surprised by a crisp new steering ratio that was sharp and accurate even through the snaky loops. Weeds pushed up through the pavement's cracked and fissured surface, but any vibration or harshness was absorbed by the car's suspension.

In fact, the only disconcerting sound making its way into the well-insulated cabin of the 2013 Honda Accord was the drone of the continuously variable transmission, which moaned like a sorrowful Wookie when pushed hard. Accleration is good though, and it displayed none of the inherent rubberband behaviour so maligned in CVTs. Paddle shifters would have made our drive more fun, but their absence isn't really an oversight in this segment.

Although it's been massaged into a more sculpted image with sharper character lines, both sedan and coupe are instantly recognizable. (Photo: Honda)

Smaller on the outside, bigger where it counts
Although the 2013 Honda Accord's wheelbase has shrunk by 90 mm, interior space has increased. Overall cargo volume increases by 36 litres, while rear passengers gain 33 mm of legroom.

Quieter and more sophisticated, the overhauled cabin features premium soft touch materials and a redesigned centre stack. The confusing array of switchgears gives way to a modern, more intuitive interface that features an 8" touchscreen. It's attractive and sophisticated, although what initially appeared to be "piano black" trim turned out to be an odd, sparkling metal flake treatment.

New technology in the 2013 Honda Accord includes cloud-based HondaLink connectivity, which lets the driver access a variety of services using their own cell phone data. Facebook, Twitter, thousands of music stations and even audio books can be accessed using steering wheel or voice-activated controls.

There's also a host of new safety features including Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Lane Departure Warning (LDW), which we found irritatingly sensitive, and eventually it was switched off. Impressive though, is the new Lane Watch system which, when the right turn signal is activated, uses a passenger-mirror mounted camera to reveal blind spots in the inside lane. Just the ticket for urban driving and spotting cyclists.

Quieter and more sophisticated, the overhauled cabin features premium soft touch materials and a redesigned centre stack. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

New powertrains, better fuel economy
There are two new "Earth Dreams" power trains offered in the 2013 Honda Accord, including a direct-injection 2.4L, 4-cylinder that's mated to either a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or 6-speed manual; and a 3.5L V6 with automatic or manual -- both 6-speed. Estimated fuel economy (L/100km combined) for the sedan is 6.7 (I4 CVT), 7.4 (I4 6MT), 7.9 (V6); for the coupe 6.7 (I4 CVT), 7.4 (I4 6MT), 8.2 (V6 6AT) and 9.5 (6MT).

Both coupe and sedan 2013 Honda Accords have just begun production and should be in showrooms by late fall. Scheduled for early 2013 is an Accord plug-in hybrid powered by a 2.0L Atkinson cycle engine paired with a 124 kW electric motor. Although its range of 20-28 km is less than competitors, it can be quick-charged an extra 16 km in only half an hour. Honda claims it will achieve 100 mpg (2.35) in estimated fuel economy.

Although final pricing won't be released until late September, Honda estimates that the Accord LX sedan will start around $24,000, the Accord Touring sedan $32,000, Accord V6 Touring sedan $35,000 and pricing for the coupe will be revealed later.

And as for our spectacular drive route? We're keeping that to ourselves.

According to reports, the IZOD IndyCar Series is looking at expending its calendar in 2013 by adding a street race in Providence, Rhode Island.

More than just a wish, work is already complete and the design has been laid-out for a 2.1 mile street circuit of Providence which is located about an hour drive south of Boston.

The circuit has been proposed by NZR Consulting, which also designed the Baltimore street circuit. A potential date for a race in Providence would be August 9-11.

We have also learned that some of the promoters are people already familiar with the IndyCar Series.

Ryan Hunter-Reay in the streets of Baltimore. (Photo: IndyCar)

Upgraded brakes are, simply, a logical part of your aspiring tuner car, especially if you're dialing up its handling, power output and rubber. After all, what good is all that handling and horsepower if you can't stop?

Many aspiring tuners look with shame at the factory brakes on their rides. Colourless, dull and uninspiring, a vehicle's brakes often look even more insignificant when easily visible behind a set of aftermarket wheels.

Fact is, those fancy brake rotors you see on high-end cars, with holes drilled in them, look fantastic. They're an exotic bit of styling, and generate some mystique as to what sort of under-hood performance may have necessitated such a capable-looking set of brakes. You probably want a set.

Photo: Stillen

But, tackle brake upgrades carefully. Misinformed shoppers improperly upgrading their brakes may wind up wasting a lot of money, experiencing reduced brake-system performance, reduced durability or even winding up in an accident.

Here's why:

Those slotted and cross-drilled brake rotors, or “track” brake pads, are designed and engineered to deliver consistent stopping performance when exposed to the extreme levels of heat generated by racetrack driving.

Street driving doesn't generate that level of heat and stress. Not even close. Even aggressive driving on a public road won't subject your brake system to the extremes that repeated stops from 200+ km/h will. On a track, maximum stopping power applied from extremely high speeds frequently and regularly is a reality. On the street, it's not. There's no additional performance to be had by installing brake parts intended for track use if you're not hitting the track.

Those holes or slots in the fancy rotors are present to dissipate the gasses formed when brake pads virtually “vaporize” under extreme heat. They give expanding gasses a place to escape, allowing the pads to “bite” harder against the rotor. On the road, this simply isn't an issue. Plus, drilled rotors can crack, split and rip up your pads like a cheese grater -- especially if you buy the cheap, knock-off units.

Those slotted, vented rotors won't shorten your stopping distance on a public road anyways. Use of completion-spec brake pads may improve your stopping distances slightly, though they'll likely chew up your brake rotors and make a hell of a lot of noise.

So, with any brake “upgrade,” be double sure you're not actually hurting your car's capabilities. And remember: Since track pads are designed to work under extreme heat, they're typically made of a compound that doesn't “bite” as hard until it gets hot.

This can be dangerous.

Ian Law is the President & Chief Instructor at ILR Car Control School. He comments: “Race pads are very dangerous on the street as they need to be hot to work properly. They are not recommended at all for street use. On a cold day it can actually feel like the brakes are broken. In short, street vehicles do not need the fancy stuff to stop well. A good set of quality pads and rotors will work just as well for street use.”

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel is expecting to get back in the game next time out in Singapore.

The reigning world champion is now 39 points behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso after the Spa-Monza double header, where Red Bull's RB8 struggled on the high speed straights.

"Our biggest problem is a lack of speed on the straights," he is quoted by Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo, after seeing the gap blow out by a factor of 15 points at Monza.

"We were always among the slowest. Fortunately the tracks for the next races have less long straights, which should allow us to fight for victories," added Vettel.

But some members of the international press are now saying Vettel is little more than an outside chance to defend his two consecutive titles this season.

Sebastian Vettel. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz told Salzburger Nachrichten: "As long as we have a mathematical chance, we continue to believe."

A pragmatic Dr Helmut Marko added: "It is going to be difficult.

"Alonso has to be our model," he is quoted by Bild newspaper, "scoring podiums or at least points in every race. It's still possible."

The immediate hurdle, however, is to solve the alternator problems that left Vettel at the side of the track both in practice and also the race at Monza.

The Renault/Magneti Marelli units are failing in higher ambient temperatures, and the conditions in Singapore this week are already in the low-30s.

Renault's Remi Taffin ruled out Vettel as a cause of the failures.

"It's nothing to do with him," he insisted.

Sounds simple enough, right?

In theory, yes. In application, no.

These signs are posted all across the country. Heck, they're even posted internationally. So, why is it so hard to grasp this concept of staying in the right lane unless you're overtaking someone?

This question boggles my mind since I witness motorists constantly defiling the aforementioned sign. Too often do people lollygag in the left lane with no regard for other commuters. Not only is it a road safety hazard, especially when at highway speeds, it also creates a hostile driving environment.

A couple of weeks back, I was riding a motorcycle in the left lane as I had just overtaken a vehicle on the right. I was then about to overtake the car in front of them when, for some unexplained reason, they changed into the left lane. There was no one in front of them as far as I could see. There was no hazard to move away from, no fear of hitting anything, no cyclists: nothing. I was baffled.


When behind the wheel, or handlebars, one of my self-imposed cardinal sins when driving/riding is passing on the right. Passing on the right teaches people that it's OK to hang out in the left lane because those who want to go around will, but that's not proper driving.

To give commuters in front of me a fair chance to move over before I honked, I flashed my high beams. Nothing happened. They just kept on keepin' on.

Then I honked to signal I wanted to pass. I received the middle finger from them and they still didn't do anything.

The worst frame of mind for me to be in when riding is angry/frustrated (scared would also make the top 5 list!), so I decided to let it go, sinned, and passed on the right.

It makes me wonder why people can be so stubborn behind the wheel. Are driving schools and instructors failing to do their job and teach their students this simple yet essential road rule? Possibly. But even if it's not taught in school -- or if it's forgotten -- there are signs almost everywhere. Maybe people aren't paying enough attention? I'm not sure. Whatever the reason, I plead with the general public to yield to the sign's prompting.

In Europe, drivers adhere to this rule quite well. They're a lot less forgiving if you're somewhere you're not supposed to be!

While recently driving along a three-lane highway in Austria, it wasn't necessarily busy, but the extreme left lane was empty. People were passing in the middle lane and then promptly moving to the extreme right lane. Same in Germany and Hungary. You pass on the left and drive on the right. That's just the way it goes.

In the U.S., you can get fined if you use the left lane and are not overtaking.

Regardless, those five magical words can save both you and fellow motorists a fair amount of headache and keep the roads safer.

The Mercedes AMG W03 Formula 1 car that ran Tuesday at Magny-Cours during the young driver test featured a heavily revised exhausts layout.

Photo: WRi2

The Ross Brawn team has modified the W03 by fitting side exiting exhausts to blow the diffuser area. These exhauts use what is called the Coandă effect to force the exhaust plume back down from the higher tailpipe. The Coandă effect is the tendency of a fluid jet to be attracted to a nearby surface.

Photo: WRi2

The Coandă effect will now direct the burning exhaust plume down towards the edge of the diffuser, even at relatively low speed. This helps to both speed up airflow under the floor and to seal the diffuser from airflow entering from the sides, which increases low pressure below the floor for more downforce.

Photo: WRi2

On the photos, we can see that the Mercedes engineers were monitoring variations in air pressure with racks of Pitot tubes located on each side of the rear wing, underneath the main plane of the rear wing and under the diffuser.

On this 11th of September 2012, Volkswagen celebrates 60 years of doing business in Canada.

Back then, the less-than-a-handful of dealerships had only the Beetle and Transporter to offer. The first order of Volkswagens arrived in December of 1952 in Toronto. Obviously, only a few Volkswagens were sold in 1952. In the few years that followed, dealers were popping up all over the country including Toronto, Victoria, Montreal, and Winnipeg.

In the last 60 years, Volkswagen has grown from a few hundred deliveries a year to roughly 70,000. In those 60 years, many different vehicles have been offered for sale.

The following is our Top 10 Volkswagens of all time.

10- Thing

Photo: Volkswagen

Continue reading 60 years of Volkswagen in Canada

A Formula 1 Grand Prix is likely to be held in France next year but there is a huge battle raging between the circuits of Magny-Cours and Paul Ricard to stage the event.

The officials of the Paul Ricard Circuit presented their application on Tuesday to stage the race in Southern France.

The following excerpts are taken from the press release that was sent to the medias earlier today:

Invited by the Ministry of Sports and the Auto Racing French Federation (FFSA), the Paul Ricard Circuit representatives have presented this morning the basics of the Var's project “F1 Frnch Grand Prix”, accompanied by the President of Var's Board of Trade and Industry, the representative of the Var's business partners.

This project aims to host the Formula 1 French Grand Prix every two years on the Paul Ricard Circuit, Le Castellet (Var) from August 2013.

Aerial view of the Paul Ricard paddock.

The organisation and the promotion of this international sportive event will be managed by the “Grand Prix de France” GIP promulgated on May 3rd 2012, whose founder members are:

The French State
The Var department
The Agglomeration Community of Toulon Provence Mediterranean
The Agglomeration Community of Sud Sainte Baume
The Board of Trade and Industry of the Var
The Auto Racing French Federation

The Paul Ricard Circuit teams will be put in charge of the technical and operational management.

The application is based on the following principles:
The wish of the local authorities
A location that is easy of access and located in the first touristic region of France
A ready-to-race race circuit
A crowd of 60,000 spectators
Attractive ticket prices
VIP services

During the presentation, the representatives of local authorities and of the Paul Ricard Circuit's direction put the emphasis on the budget realism, the technical quality and the credibility of their project whish they work on for over twelve months with close consultation of FOM, FFSA and the Ministry of Sports.

Organisers and circuit's officials are now waiting for a quick and favourable decision in order to add the Grand Prix to the 2013 FIA calendar.

From GMM

Williams has provided an interesting insight into the sport's Concorde Agreement negotiations so far.

Most teams have now signed up with Bernie Ecclestone for 2013 and beyond; the exceptions being Mercedes, Marussia and HRT.

Because Williams is listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange, it must publicly publish its financial results.

The Oxfordshire based team's latest figures show a 57 per cent turnover increase, with net profit up several million pounds.

"The notable increases ... are largely due to our diversification strategy as well as the recent receipt of a one-off payment following a new commercial agreement for our continued commitment to formula one," Williams said in a statement.

During the 1979 Grand Prix of the Netherlands at Zandvoort, the left rear tire on Gilles Villeneuve's Ferrari exploded. Against all odds, the Canadian made it back to the pits with his Ferrari 312T4 running on three, and sometimes on just two wheels!

Villeneuve was battling with Alan Jones (Williams) for the lead when the tire exploded. But nothing could stop Villeneuve. He rejoined the track and drove his Ferrari back to the pits at speed.

When he stopped at the Ferrari box, technical director Mauro Forghieri told Villeneuve that there was nothing left of the left rear suspension to attach the new wheel at! Villeneuve had nothing else to do but to sadly retire from the race.



Alan Jones was not impressed however: “Itwas nice of you (Villeneuve) to stay in the car, too, but had the brake line let go at the wrong moment, your rim would have hit the driver behind,” Jones told Auto123.com in a recent article.

French driver Jules Bianchi, driving a Ferrari F2012 set the fastest time in the first day of the young driver test held at the Magny-Cours circuit in the centre of France.

Bianchi, who contests the Formula Renault 3.5 series this season has also been the Sahara Force India test driver.

Jules Bianchi, Ferrari (Photo: WRI2)

Jules Bianchi is also the test driver of the Scuderia Ferrari and today he completed 87 laps of the French circuit, setting the best time of the day in 1m18.070. The day's running finished slightly ahead of schedule because of an electrical problem.

Luiz Razia, Sahara Force India (Photo: WRI2)

GP2 series' driver Luiz Razia was second in the Mercedes-powered Sahara Force India, half a second down to Bianchi. The team had a few technical issues in the morning that limited Razia's running.

Briton Sam Bird spent the day behind the wheel of the Mercedes AMG W03 that featured a heavily revised exhaust layout.

Tomorrow, Bird will be back in the Mercedes as Bianchi will switch to the Force India and the Ferrari will be driven by Italian Davide Rigon.

Pos. Driver Car Time* Laps
1 Jules Bianchi Ferrari 1:18.070 87
2 Luiz Razia Force India 1:18.535 65
3 Sam Bird Mercedes AMG 1:19.094 95
*Unofficial timing

Weand#8217;ve had our first taste of the 2013 SRT Viper on-track at GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Mich., which you can read about

The 2013 SRT Viper will be Chrysler Group's most expensive production vehicle ever but still cheaper than a comparable Chevy Corvette ZR1 when sales begin late this year.

Patrick Pelata, the longtime associate of Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn who stepped down as Renault's COO in 2011 after a botched corporate espionage investigation, has accepted a new job.

Ford is looking to claim a bigger slice of the hotly contested mid-sized car market with its 2013 Fusion by adding a second factory for its redesigned mid-size sedan.

Matthias Müeller, chairman and CEO of Porsche AG, attended the Grand Prix of Baltimore during the first week of September to witness his first-ever American Le Mans Series race in person.

Also in this episode: A new BMW 7-Series anniversary model marks 25 years of V12 power, and we review weekend

Toyota, roaring back after three years of recession, recalls and natural disasters, will struggle to regain its former dominance as it grapples with improved competition worldwide.

2012 Lexus GS350 F Sport

The GS F Sport feels like a serious sport sedan. All the Jello has been squeezed out of the suspension and steering, leaving an athlete that responds instantly to your inputs.

The GS F Sport feels like a serious sport sedan. All the Jello has been squeezed out of the suspension and steering, leaving an athlete that responds instantly to your inputs. In fact, it's a bit too twitchy: It tends to dart left or right in response to seemingly slight steering inputs, bolt forward at the tap of the gas pedal, and stop in its tracks if you so much as brush the brakes. The steering isn't as heavy as I'd like, though it does communicate rather well. Overall, the driving experience is not quite as fluid as in a Jaguar XF or an Audi A6. But, then, a Jaguar XF or Audi A6 will probably be nowhere near as reliable as a Lexus GS, so nobody's perfect.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Lexus GS350 F Sport - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2012 Lexus GS350 F Sport - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

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Navistar International defended itself today against activist investor Carl Icahn, who had said the Illinois-based truck and engine maker's August hiring of a new CEO was ill-advised.