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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)

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.

National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS) acquired assets of Saab on June 13, 2012, and now the transaction is completed. Financial details remain undisclosed, however.

NEVS is a Swedish company that was founded last spring with the aim of buying back Saab and producing an electric car at the Trollhättan plant.

The vehicle will reportedly be sold in China as a Saab but under a new logo since NEVS wasn't able to secure those rights. With the increasing popularity of EVs around the world, look for it to spread to other markets beyond 2014.

Saab filed for bankruptcy in December 2011, less than two years after Spyker bought it from General Motors.

Source Lapresse.ca

From GMM

At least four drivers could be in the running to race the banned Romain Grosjean's black and gold Lotus at Monza this weekend.

F1 veteran turned Indycar driver Rubens Barrichello is desperate to break back into his favourite category, and has admitted his interest in Grosjean's seat to his 1.7 million Twitter followers.

"People are asking (whether) if Lotus called me to race in Monza, would I go? The answer is YES," said the 40-year-old.

Latest crash of Romain Grosjean at the beginning of a Grand Prix. (Photo: WRi2)

Team boss Eric Boullier has confirmed that official reserve Jerome d'Ambrosio is "80 per cent" assured the seat.

But Jaime Alguersuari, the official Pirelli test driver, told Spain's AS sports newspaper that he is also "ready to race in Monza".

"I'm ready to race, of course I am. It (Lotus) is a big team with possibilities -- I would climb into the car tomorrow, no problem."

Asked if he has a real chance of being called up by Lotus, Alguersuari answered: "I don't know, I have no idea how things are, but I am here and ready to do anything."

And reports in the German-language media said former Force India driver Adrian Sutil might be another outside chance for the drive.

Meanwhile, Ferrari is definitely not on the lookout for a stand-in driver for Sunday's Italian grand prix, despite championship leader Fernando Alonso admitting the Grosjean crash had left him with a sore shoulder.

"Today I woke up with no pain," he told his million Twitter followers, "and 200 per cent ready for Monza!"

President Barack Obama said his 'bet' on America's auto industry is paying off and that letting 'Detroit go bankrupt' would have led to another Great Depression, drawing attention at a Labor Day rally in Ohio to Republican...

Since its beginning 62 years ago, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance has featured some of the rarest automobiles ever built.

Traditional Indian festival season new car buying failed to produce strong signs of recovery in August, prompting the local auto association to lower its fiscal year 2012/13 sales target.

Faurecia has purchased Plastal France, the sole supplier of plastic body parts for the smart brand of Daimler city vehicles.

BMW's SUVs have been rightly praised for closely mirroring the brand's sedan performance. With the X1, that continues.

Saab Automobile Parts is expressing interest in working with National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) following its acquisition of bankrupt Saab today (3 September).

Tata Group's Ratan Tata has said his company's UK-based luxury vehicle unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is examining the possibility of setting up an assembly plant in Saudi Arabia to benefit from a planned multi-billion integrated aluminium complex in the country.

Pictures 3 Sep, 2012

News 3 Sep, 2012

New seats, Alpine sound system and colour options for Land Rover Defender

Sales of new vehicles in Japan, excluding minivehicles, rose 7.3% year on year in August to 232,372 units, the Japan Automobile Dealers Association said.

Autoweek reader Josh Lindquist recently snapped these photos of what may be a camouflaged Cadillac ELR cruising around metropolitan Detroit.

The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has given approval for a passenger car project by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.

Further details have emerged from GM Europe concerning its September factory shut-downs that will see a swathe of plants in the UK and Germany closed for up to ten days.

As just-auto's lists of motor show vehicle and concept car global debuts have proved so popular, we now publish the media preview dates for the medium-to-large sized shows taking place in 2013.

National Electric Vehicle Sweden, the new owner of Saab, says it has completed the deal to acquire most of the Swedish carmaker's assets, but said it would not be able to use the brand's distinctive griffin head logo.

News 3 Sep, 2012

Frustrated Kia Soul owner takes to YouTube to tell Kia that “you can do better”