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China's policy of requiring foreign car makers to form local joint ventures is "like opium" for local firms and is failing to foster world-class indigenous automakers, according to a former minister.

Volkswagen hopes a sleek makeover for its seventh-generation Golf will help it remain a best-selling compact car and allow the automaker to achieve its aim of overtaking General Motors and Toyota in global sales.

Volkswagen hopes a sleek makeover for its seventh-generation Golf, to be unveiled in Berlin today, will help it remain a best-selling compact car and allow the automaker to achieve its aim of overtaking General Motors and Toyota in global sales.

Bill Pollack was one of the founding drivers during the early days of sports car racing on the West Coast of America.

AvtoVAZ has revealed the replacement for the 1110-series Lada Kalina, the B-segment car that has been the Russian market's best selling vehicle for the year to date.

Monthly new-car registrations fell again in Germany, France and Italy in August with mass-market brands hit hardest as southern countries bore the brunt of the euro zone debt crisis and its withering effect on consumer demand.

Suzuki plans to cut production at its car factory in Hungary. The automaker cited the "dire business environment" for the decision."

On Monday, three new Audi board members joined the company from different brands within the Volkswagen Group.

Later today Joe Gibbs Racing has called a press conference for what we expect to announce that Matt Kenseth will be joining the team starting next year.

Since late June, when the 2003 champion announced that he'd be leaving Roush Fenway Racing, there had been speculation where the 40-year old would land.

And the worst-kept secret this year should be confirmed.

Although Kenseth had made the Chase every year, except for one year, since its' inception; he may have had the perception that he was the number two driver on Roush Fenway after Carl Edwards. And Kenseth had also won two Daytona 500 races in that span.

Matt Kenseth fighting with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Daytona. (Photo: NASCAR)

One of the questions expected to be addressed; at the press conference is where he stands in team ranks against Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. Hamlin is the hottest driver on the Sprint Cup circuit at the moment and a legitimate contender for the coveted Cup Championship.

Another topic of the press conference will likely be the future of Joey Logano. In his fourth full year at the Cup level the 22-year old has had only two victories, although he has 15 wins in the Nationwide Series. It's been no secret that JGR has had trouble finding sponsorship for Logano in the Cup Series next year.

And, lastly Elliott Sadler, the current point's leader in the Nationwide Series told the media at Atlanta Motor Speedway that he does not have a contract for next year at Richard Childress Racing. That leads to speculation that he will become a Nationwide driver over at JGR.

From GMM

Jenson Button has revealed he is "disappointed" Lewis Hamilton gave away McLaren secrets last weekend at Spa.

In trying to show his million Twitter followers why he was so much slower than the sister McLaren in qualifying, Hamilton published a highly-confidential telemetry image that also contained sensitive information about ride heights and acceleration rates.

The 2008 world champion was reportedly scolded behind closed doors for the breach, although team boss Martin Whitmarsh and communications chief Matt Bishop have been trying to play down the affair.

Telemetry sheet published by Hamilton and broadcasted by Eurosport.

"Very surprised and, yes, disappointed," Button answered when asked how he feels about the Hamilton incident. "We work so hard to improve the car and to keep things like that secret and private. I didn't want to see it on Twitter. It was the whole telemetry from qualifying."

Jenson Button also said he thought Hamilton was making an irrelevant point about the 6 tenth top-speed difference between the new and old wing specifications.

"He (Hamilton) should be gaining it back in the corners because he's got more downforce on. And I was eight tenths quicker in qualifying anyway," Button insisted.

Gary Anderson, a former F1 technical chief who now works for the British broadcaster BBC, said the fact Hamilton opened a "cupboard" of McLaren secrets to the world "shows how naive" the Briton is, and "how little he understands the big picture".

McLaren technical director Paddy Lowe played down the damage.

"The data in there isn't any great use to anyone, so I don't think there is much damage done," he said.

But the BBC cited an unnamed engineer who said rival teams could 'work out how McLaren were running their car' from the telemetry sheet.

Former long-time McLaren driver David Coulthard wrote in the Telegraph: "Teams go to great lengths to protect that sort of information. I remember when I started out there used to be bin hokers who would go through the rubbish bins of rival teams on a Monday after a race, searching for just such telemetry. Nowadays everyone has shredders in their motor homes and high-tech security on their computers. It's another lesson learned for Lewis, I'm afraid."

Former Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari added: "I would never do something like this because it is a kick in the teeth to confidentiality, to yourself and to your team, who are all working so you can do your best and the company can improve."

It seemed Subaru's redesign of the Impreza was for the better. With top-rated AWD fuel efficiency and a downsized engine (reduced from 2.5L to 2.0L), this compact puts an end to the criticism of underwhelming fuel economy from recent years.


A winter wonder
With one of the best all-wheel drivetrains on the market, the Subaru Impreza is indeed impressive when it comes to driving on icy and snowy roads. Having tested the car only on perfectly paved roads and well above freezing point, I have to admit I wasn't wildly enthusiastic behind the wheel. Certainly, it behaved well, but it was a bit of a boring drive.

Fewer horses at the drinking trough
Featuring a 2.0L, 148 hp engine producing 145 lb-ft of torque, our svelte little Subie sent 22 horses back to the barn in 2012. To appease the brand's fans, Subaru's engineers trimmed the Impreza's appetite for fuel, so this reduction in engine capacity should keep everyone happy. I scored a fuel rating of 8.2L/100km. For a vehicle that used to hit 10.0L/100km, we have to give full marks to Subaru for its commendable efforts.

Forget about the all-too-generic drum brakes of the competition; the Impreza's disk brakes on all four wheels provide excellent braking. Combined with electronic stability and traction control, the ABS and emergency braking assistance give you everything you need for a safe, fast stop.

Without being overly extraordinary on the asphalt, the suspension (and especially Subaru's own AWD) indeed responded well. When cornering drier sections of the road, you feel the rigidity of the frame further emphasized by the addition of stabilizer bars as well as the powertrain. However, the feel seemed to be a one-off because under normal situations, the 2012 Subaru Impreza drives with understated, "no fuss" handling.

Featuring a 2.0L, 148 hp engine producing 145 lb-ft of torque, our svelte little Subie sent 22 horses back to the barn in 2012. (Photo: Marie-Andrée Ayotte)

A bigger interior
The interior was also remodelled for the 2012 model. Here, we're talking about more room for backseat passengers in particular, with greater shoulder clearance space and indeed more space for all passengers. Of course, it's just a question of millimetres -- however, that means a welcomed 5 centimetres more legroom for rear passengers.

The Impreza's cargo space design wins brownie points this year! Seats that fold down flat save some how-do-I-fit-it-all-in headaches. Personally, I really appreciate it when automakers think this way. The sedan's trunk volume increases from 320 to 340 litres. As for the 5-door Impreza hatchback, storage capacity jumps another 100 litres to 638 litres -- exactly what you need for that camping trip on the long weekend.

The cabin of the 2012 Subaru Impreza is quite comfortable featuring heated front seats on a reinforced base with pleasing upholstery. A Touchscreen Pioneer stereo plus text display Bluetooth connectivity round out the new Impreza's modern interior look. The middle console is simple and elegant and the menu screen is not too complicated. The Impreza's interior doesn't try to impress, it just wants to be practical without all the flash and fanciness.

Visibility from behind the wheel is totally awesome. With ample-sized windows and a raised seat height, you get to see exactly what other motorists are up to -- another great improvement from Subaru.

The middle console is simple and elegant and the menu screen is not too complicated. (Photo: Marie-Andrée Ayotte)

Small price for a big change
You can get your hands on the keys to a 4-door 2012 Subaru Impreza Touring for $22,995. This comes with standard features like the brand's celebrated all-wheel drive, automatic CVT, air conditioning, better-than-normal-for-Subaru sound system, heated seats, aluminum alloy wheels, and Bluetooth connectivity.

If you're searching for an AWD competitor, you'll have to take a look at the Toyota Matrix, at $28,070. And forget about a manual option: The Matrix is only available in automatic. Another surprising choice? Go see your Suzuki dealer about the SX4 Crossover JX iAWD with an automatic transmission, which can be had for $22,935.

If AWD is not on your "must have" list, check out the Volkswagen Golf 2.5 for its versatility, the Mazda3 GS-SKY for its fuel efficiency or even the Honda Civic for its legendary reliability!

This 2012 Subaru Impreza Touring 4-door review was originally published on Auto-Venus.com.

Lotus' Romain Grosjean has been given a one-race ban after the stewards at Spa-Francorchamps judged him to be responsible for causing the first-corner accident at the start of Sunday's 2012 Formula 1 Shell Belgian Grand Prix.

The ban means Grosjean will miss next weekend's Italian event, which takes place at Monza from September 7-9. He has also been fined 50,000 Euros.

Grosjean made contact with the McLaren of Lewis Hamilton as they made their way from the start line to the first corner of the race. The ensuing collision involved Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and the Saubers of Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Pérez.

Photos: WRi2

As the third of five all-new Nissan vehicles being introduced in a 15-month period, the 2013 Nissan Sentra will appeal to compact car buyers and their wallet with a 13% improvement in fuel economy over the outgoing model.

2013 Nissan Sentra (Photo: Nissan)

The Japanese automaker has announced a rating of 4.9L/100km on the highway and a best-in-class 5.8L/100km combined rating.

Nissan engineers pulled it off by shaving 150 pounds while still offering more interior room than the 2012 model.

The 2013 Nissan Sentra is motivated by an advanced 1.8L DOHC four-cylinder engine with a next-generation Xtronic CVT for greater efficiency and driving pleasure.

Available features include 17'' alloy wheels, fog lights, a chrome exhaust tip finisher and a rear spoiler with integrated LED brake lights, just to name a few. Let's not forget NissanConnect with navigation, hands-free text messaging assistant and POIs powered by Google.

Pricing for the 2013 Nissan Sentra has yet to be revealed. Check it out in showrooms this fall.

2013 Nissan Sentra (Photo: Nissan)

From GMM

British Formula 1 team McLaren could get involved in the FIA's new electric-only open wheeler series Formula E.

The series, featuring single seaters powered only by electric motors, will debut in 2014 and race in the centre of cities on street circuits.

Formulec EF01 electric (Photo: Formulec)

"Who knows, we might pop up in it," Martin Whitmarsh, boss of the famous Formula 1 team McLaren, told Reuters.

"I think it's a good initiative and we'd be delighted in whatever form to be involved with it."

Asked if that means there will be an electric McLaren team on the Formula E grid, Whitmarsh confirmed: "At some point, yes. But that's not at the moment."

In the Baltimore paddocks there were a lot of things going-on behind closed doors and, according to reports, Team Penske is trying to lure Ryan Hunter-Reay to come join the Captain's team for 2013.

As of today, Ryan Briscoe has not been confirmed for 2013 and Team Penske wants to lure the American ace who has had one of his best seasons ever, still standing second in the championship with only one race to go, close to Penske's ace Will Power.

But, it seems as though RHR is not Penske's first choice and its recent interest in the Andretti Autosport driver came only after Simon Pagenaud refuse its offer; the Frenchman unable to do anything thanks to the contract he has with Sam Schmidt's Honda-powered team.



Ryan Hunter-Reay ahead Simon Pagenaud at Baltimore, two drivers targeted by Penske. (Photo: IndyCar)

But Ryan Hunter-Reay still hasn't made his mind and his loyalty to Michael Andretti could weigh heavily in his final decision. The team is on the verge of re-signing DHR and Sun Drop as primary sponsors and they expect Hunter-Reay to stay with the team for a least a couple of years.

Meanwhile, Ryan Briscoe's management team has been busy making contacts with other teams. Although it is still possible that the Australian could be back with Penske in 2013, we have learned that Honda and Ganassi have approached Briscoe and that they would be eager to put him in Graham Rahal's empty seat.

Ryan Briscoe. (Photo: IndyCar)

Very much in demand, Briscoe has also held talks with Bobby Rahal and he could end-up as teammate to Graham Rahal who is almost certain to team-up with his father. 


We have learned also that Rubens Barichello won't be back with KV Racing next season and that the former F1 driver could find his way to Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports alongside Pagenaud. Other teams have also showed interest with the Brazilian. 


Lotus F1 Team officially confirmed Jerome d'Ambrosio as the replacement driver for the banned Romain Grosjean.

The Belgian driver will drive the E20 Lotus at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix.

Official Lotus reserve driver this season, Jerome d'Ambrosio will be back on the starting grid after his full season last year with the small Marussia team.

Eric Boullier, Team Principal, says: "When we signed Jerome as our third driver we signed a man who is highly motivated, fresh, talented and who contested the full 2011 season. We hope that this will pay dividends when he drives the car this weekend in Monza. We know that Jerome is well integrated into the team and that he did a good job when he drove the E20 at the Mugello test. Now he has the challenge of a Grand Prix at the challenging circuit of Monza, in a car which is capable of finishing on the podium."

Jerome d'Ambrosio adds: "My desire for 2012 has always been to get back into the seat of a F1 car so I am grabbing this opportunity with both hands. Monza is a fantastic circuit and I can't wait to take to the track on Friday. As third driver I have worked with the team at every Grand Prix, attending all the briefings and meetings that the race drivers do, so I am well prepared in this respect. I will hand the wheel back to Romain after Sunday's race and I hope that this one showing in Italy will allow me to show my capabilities fully."

Jerome d'Ambrosio was waiting for an opportunity with Lotus. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

After Autolib', Car2go and DriveNow, here's Multicity - a new carsharing service launched by Citroën in Berlin. A hundred Citroën C-Zero cars will soon be available to users across the German capital.

Just like Autolib' in Paris, Multicity doesn't require a subscription. Rather, there are monthly packages starting at €10 - or you can just pay for each time you use one of the cars.

The service also includes access to reserved parking spaces and free charging through the RWE network.

Berlin hopes to expand Multicity to 500 Citroën cars in the near future.

Source: voitureelectrique.net

Citroën C-Zero (Photo: Citroën)

From GMM

Lotus' double DRS-inspired "device" will remain on the back-burner for yet another grand prix.

The Enstone based team wanted to qualify and race the device at Spa last weekend, but Lotus changed course due to Friday's practice washout.

And according to French sources sport24.com and autohebdo.fr, team boss Eric Boullier has also ruled out fitting the straightline speed-boosting concept to the E20 cars for Sunday's Italian grand prix.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus E20, at Spa-Francorchamps. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

Sport24.com said the decision was made because of the "characteristics" of the Monza track, which is the highest speed circuit on the calendar requiring an unique low-downforce setup.

Auto Hebdo said Lotus is now expected to try to race the 'device' for the first time in Singapore later this month.

Without the device, Kimi Raikkonen finished third at Spa-Francorchamps.

"We couldn't use it because Friday was such bad weather," said the Finn, "but it's better to be third than not to finish."

From GMM

Lotus boss Eric Boullier has revealed there is little chance Robert Kubica will return to F1 with the Enstone based team.

The Pole was a Renault (now called Lotus) driver ahead of the 2011 season, when he was seriously hurt during a minor rally in Italy.

February 2011, latest appearance of Robert Kubica at the wheel of a Formula 1 car, Lotus Renault GP. (Photo: WRi2)

For months afterwards, Frenchman Boullier said the team was supporting Kubica's quest to return to F1, but there were rumours of a subsequent falling-out.

Boullier told the Daily Mail's World of F1 blog: "He (Kubica) stopped contact with us months ago."

It emerged last week that Kubica is still pushing to recover his driving fitness, having reportedly tested a works Ford world rally car.

Eric Boullier insisted: "I cannot make any assumptions about anything because I am not in contact with him anymore."

From GMM

Sunday's terrifying first-corner crash at Spa Francorchamps has reopened the debate about whether the sport's days of open cockpits are numbered.

Paddy Lowe, McLaren's technical director, thinks Fernando Alonso's lucky escape after Romain Grosjean's flying Lotus only narrowly missed the Spaniard's hands and head on Sunday means that action is now "inevitable".

He is quoted by the Herald Sun as acknowledging that the drivers' exposed head is the last "big" safety issue for formula one.

Lowe is part of the working group that is looking into whether closed cockpits, shields, forward roll-hoops or canopies are the right solution to the problem.

"I think 2014 is intended (for introduction), as we started the project a year ago," he said.

However, it has been suggested the FIA might have to admit that the benefits of better head protection might be outweighed by its disadvantages, such as reduced driver visibility.

"Ideally a driver wants nothing in the way," said Lowe, "but in the same way as you drive a road car or even the old VW camper van with the centre pillar, you just get used to it, don't you? We found that as long as the pillars don't get too big it is something you can get used to."