Auto News 5

Renault-Nissan finalized a long-awaited deal to expand in the Russian market, investing $742 million in a joint venture which will control Lada-maker AvtoVAZ.

Daimler said that Mercedes-Benz trucks chief Hubertus Troska will take over a newly-created portfolio for China to boost the car maker's flagging business in the world's largest auto market.

PSA plans to shed an additional 1,500 jobs by 2014, deepening its workforce reduction as car sales in Europe plunge to levels not seen in nearly two decades.

Maserati's boss says the carmaker's new Quattroporte flagship has 'nothing to envy' when compared with German premium rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz S class or BMW 7 series.

PSA plans to shed an additional 1,500 jobs by 2014, deepening its workforce reduction as car sales in Europe plunge to levels not seen in nearly two decades.

Red Bull's Junior Team in Formula 1, Scuderia Toro Rosso ranked 9th in this year's Constructor's championship, scoring 26 points. Its best result was 8th -- undoubtedly, a disappointment for team boss, Franz Tost.

The team started the 2012 season with two new drivers: Australian, Daniel Ricciardo (from HRT) and Frenchman, Jean-Eric Vergne, both former Formula Renault 3.5 front runners.

The season began on a strong note with Ricciardo qualifying a surprising 6th in Bahrain. However, on average, the Ferrari-powered STR7s were eliminated at Q2 during the qualifying sessions. Their race pace was not amongst the best, and the two drivers experienced real difficulties breaking into the top 10.

Photo: WRi2

Jean-Eric Vergne
17th in the Driver's championship with 16 points
Best place in qualifications: 11th (once, Australia)
Best race result: 8th (four times)
Retired 4 times

Daniel Ricciardo
18th in the Driver's championship with 10 points
Best place in qualifications: 6th (once, Bahrain)
Best race result: 9th (four times)
Retired 1 time

It's quite hard to conceive that the small team based in Faenza, Italy scored a victory in F1: It was with Sebastian Vettel at Monza in 2008. Nowadays, the team is really struggling. Dr Helmut Marko, Red Bull's motorsport man, made it very clear that the B team has to raise their game in 2013.

Toro Rosso hired a new technical director in James Key (former Force India designer) to replace Giorgio Ascanelli. Next year's car, still powered by the Ferrari V8 powerplant, will need to be a regular point scorer.

Photo: Toro Rosso F1 Team

Tost is known to put immense psychological pressure on his drivers. And sometimes, that does not work as they crack under pressure and make silly driving mistakes. Rookie, Vergne -- spectacular on occasion -- seemed to have more difficulty handling intense pressure. He spun a few times in qualifying, but saved his season with four 8th place finishes.

The outgoing Ricciardo's 9th place in Australia looked promising for the rest of year, but his campaign was stymied as the STR7 faltered. His best run was a trio of point-scoring finishes in Singapore, Japan and Korea where he was able to mix it with faster cars.

Tost kept them both for next season, with hopes that they'll do better if one has hopes to graduate to the A team, Red Bull Racing.

Robby Gordon will contest the next edition of the famous Dakar rally in a Hummer H3 to be run by his own team.

The American driver will compete in the event for the 8th time, and this will be his seventh with a Hummer. Last year, Gordon was fighting for overall victory when he was excluded for technical irregularity.

This year, Kellon Walch will be his new codriver.

Photo: RobbyGordon.com

"I am excited to go back to race the prestigious Dakar Rally," Gordon said. "And show the world that we are ready to give it our best shot once again at an overall victory. Obviously our cars are good enough to compete for the win. Last year we had the fastest cars at the rally and led the most check points with the fastest times, with five wins as a team, two wins with the second Hummer (which was also approved and is available to compete) and three wins for myself."

"It is now time for us to go back and capitalize on what we developed and worked on over the last seven years to put ourselves in position to compete for the overall win," he added.

On January 7th 2013, figureheads from the leading OEMs and tech companies in the automotive and mobile space will head to Las Vegas, NV, USA for the Consumer Telematics Show in order to answer the crucial tech and business strategy questions set to unlock the value of telematics innovation in the US market and beyond, with high quality, seamless and personalized connected driver experiences at the top of the agenda.

With over 350 attendees set to attend, on the eve of the International Consumer Electronics Show, CTS 2013 will be the largest and most influential forum to unite the ecosystem of automotive infotainment, app developers, and the HMI community. Senior-level representatives from companies such as Mercedes- Benz, Honda, Toyota, Harman, Fujitsu, Ford, Google, Subaru, Hyundai, Chrysler, Porsche and KIA have already confirmed their attendance. Bookings for the conference have reached an all-time high.



Precksha Saksena-Sood, Managing Director of Telematics Update stated, 'This is the event to attend for those serious about infotainment and HMI. CTS 2013 has grown with more OEMs in attendance than ever before. This reflects the potential that they see in this fascinating vertical of the telematics industry'. Precksha then warned, 'however, due to such an overwhelming response, only a few conference passes remain. This stage of the development lifecycle is crucial to the OEMs. They must align themselves with government regulations, harness the latest technology and partner with innovators in the market'.

John McLaughlin, National Manager for Cross Car Line Planning at Toyota, declared "CTS is your one stop shop to get on board with the latest technological innovations driving change in telematics". Now in its 11th year, CTS is the largest forum dedicated to automotive infotainment and HMI in the USA and is once again set to feature exclusive keynote OEM announcements of brand new services for 2013.

The race to merge the consumer's out-vehicle and in-vehicle lifestyle

At this lucrative tipping point for connected vehicle services, The Consumer Telematics Show 2013 (Jan 7, Las Vegas) marks the start of a critical year in the development of the consumer telematics industry. Indeed, with embedded connectivity on the horizon, it is imperative that the ecosystem unites at the start of 2013 to engage and maintain consumer loyalty through bridging the gap between life outside and inside the car.

Senior-level speakers at CTS 2013 including Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Audi, Chrysler, Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Porsche, KIA and many more will address key infotainment and HMI focused topics such as:

• CREATE YOUR APP DELIVERY STRATEGY: Assess how the availability of apps will influence consumers' device-related purchasing decisions and debate their form and function in the vehicle: through a tethered solution, embedded, hybrid, or cloud

• THE ARRIVAL OF HTML5 AND ITS VALUE TO THE AUTO WORLD: Harness the full capability of an HTML 5 ecosystem to create a flexible, cross-platform, non-proprietary solution which enables developers to build a host of profitable applications for the automotive environment

• BALANCE NEXT-GEN HMI WITH D.O.T GUIDELINES: Discuss innovative HMI technologies such as touch, gesture and audio to ensure the compliancy of your solutions in a landscape fraught with fears over driver distraction

• BRING CLOUD-BASED APPLICATIONS UP TO AUTO STANDARD: Render apps to the high-quality and robust specifications which customers expect, and ensure a seamless transition for the driver when it comes to cloud-based integration in the vehicle

• A BRAVE NEW WORLD OF M&As: Hear directly from Hughes Telematics and Verizon Wireless as they speak out on the telematics industry's first major acquisition and forecast its impact on the market's development from 2013 to 2020

With exclusive OEM presentations, 350+ exec delegates, 30+ senior-level telematics speakers and 10+ business-focussed sessions, CTS 2013 is the premier business intelligence and networking forum for the CE, telematics, digital, mobile and wireless industries.

For the complete CTS 2013 conference program and speaker line-up, access the e-brochure at

http://www.telematicsupdate.com/cts/conference-event-brochure.php, or contact the Telematics Update team at cts@telematicsupdate.com

Register today to join the 350+ senior delegates already registered, via the secure link below: https://secure.telematicsupdate.com/cts/register.php

About Telematics Update:
Telematics Update Conferences are the most prestigious in the industry. We produce the largest telematics events in North America, Europe & Asia, and attract the most influential speakers providing a rich environment for establishing strategic relationships and networking.

Contact:
Rory Menage
Conference Director | Telematics Update
T: (UStf) 1 800 814 3459 ext 7546 | (Global) +44 (0)20 7375 7546
E: rmenage@telematicsupdate.com
W: www.telematicsupdate.com/cts

Hyundai Canada has issued a pair of recalls on the 2012 Veloster hatchback. The first one, which affects 1,593 vehicles, is about the panoramic sunroof. It appears that the glass may have been damaged during an automated assembly procedure at the factory, which could result in a fractured sunroof panel. Dealers will therefore inspect and, if necessary, replace the panoramic sunroof glass assembly.

The second recall has to do with moisture and road grime that could infiltrate into the parking brake mechanism and lead to corrosion and failure. Drivers may experience rear brake noise, the parking brake not releasing, or the inability to properly apply the parking brake. In this case, Hyundai dealers will replace the rear brake calliper assemblies on the 1,565 units affected.

Sources : Transports Canada

Hyundai Veloster (Photo: Hyundai)

The opportunity and ability to make a statement without saying a word is a rare gift. People go to great lengths to make an impression, to get people to comment -- even to point and stare in admiration.

The 2013 Audi A8 goes one step further where passersby admire, respect and know that this is not average Joe's car. The A8 comes out of the box looking the way it does and puts no effort in trying to achieve anything: it just does.


Mind you, the two times I washed the car during the week-long test did help it shine a little more.

To drive around in a 2013 Audi A8 is to sit on top of the world -- knowing it, but not needing to flaunt it. I know what you're thinking and no, I don't work for the company. The odd time you'll see an A8 on the road, you'll know it to see it and understand.

Quiet distinction
Luxury car manufacturers are currently doing an amazing job at keeping interests high on what they plan to do next. Audi is especially gifted in this department as they seemingly unleash a prototype, concept or revamped existing model, every other week.

Two years ago, it was the Audi A8's turn. The latest iteration of Audi's corporate fascia took on a new dimension and continues to be jaw-droppingly in your face. The front grille is oversized and over the top -- and perfect. From the murderously brilliant LED headlights, the car's aluminum shell calmly drifts towards the rear, wrapping around the gorgeous optional 20” wheels, ending with sharp creases around the bumper and LED taillights.

The car is gracefully intent on taking everything on.

Uniquely refined
If the shell is spectacular, the cabin is to die for. The wide-opening, power-closing doors reveal a cocoon of sumptuous luxury beyond. The first items that catch the eye are the nougat brown Valcona leather with pleated diamond-pattern covered seats. The fronts are 22-way adjustable, ventilated and have a massage function. Yes, once on them, you'll never want to get up again.

Ahead of them is a dashboard that intently wraps itself around the front occupants. The driver is privy to a strong position of command; from the “T” shaped shifter to the MMI and climate controls, they all fall properly under hand. The clever and aesthetic layout requires little adjustment time. As an added bonus, the standard Bose audio system is amazing.

There is no doubt in my mind that the 2013 Audi A8 can, and will, slay any and all fans of luxury and high-end accoutrements. If it doesn't, the underpinnings will.

The driver is privy to a strong position of command. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Smart power
New for the 2013 model year are the Audi A8's powertrain choices. All are interesting, but the one that makes the A8 more attainable by lowering its base retail price is the supercharged 3.0L V6. This mill, as tested in the Audi A6 and also found in the S4, A7 and a few others, generates 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque.

Mated to the always excellent quattro AWD system and an 8-speed autobox, the 1,985-kg (4,367-lb) A8 not so much as takes off, but launches itself with zero fuss. Grip is instantaneous, and the car propels itself to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds. The twin-turbo 4.0L V8, which replaces the 4.2L, is good for 420 hp and gets the car to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. Then, there's the upcoming 520 hp S8...

Possibly the most rewarding aspect of the drive is the powertrain's responsiveness. The slightest amount of pressure on the throttle is rewarded with spotless momentum. The transmission is just as willing to get things going. When the shifter is pushed into “S”, the good times get better.

While I'm a huge fan of flappy paddles, I must say that I don't get Audi's decision to stick with the same minute plastic paddles found in the A3 and the A8. Seems a little cheap...

This mill generates 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Regal express
Once under way, the 2013 Audi A8 hovers. The big Audi's adaptive air suspension filters out most of the road surface's nastiness. I say “most” because some medium-size irregularities would harshly creep into the cabin and create a few unexpected and unfortunate rattles.

The 2013 Audi A8's servotronic, speed-sensitive steering, drive select system and huge powerful brakes all contribute to make the A8 one of the best driving full-size luxury sedans in the world. What's more, exclusivity and privilege do not come at the expense of environmental consciousness. My returned 10.5L per 100 km fuel consumption average clearly demonstrates that.

Well priced?
At $89,900, the 2013 Audi A8 3.0T is the most affordable large German luxury sedan. The 2013 BMW 740Li xDrive retails for $106,600 which is still $9,200 more than the equivalent A8L 3.0T.

The car is no bargain, but I'd have to say that at the moment the 2013 Audi A8 is the most distinctive of the flagship sedans currently available. The current BMW 7 Series is fairly recent, however, the Mercedes S-Class is getting on in age. I suspect that the next one will set more new standards.

At the moment, the 2013 Audi A8 is king of the hill.

The 2003-2004 Honda Pilot and Odyssey as well as the 2003-2006 Acura MDX are the subject of a recall that affects 52,441 vehicles.

Acura MDX. (Photo: Acura)

In some cases, the ignition interlock blocking mechanism could become damaged if excessive force is applied to the ignition key. If this occurs, it may become possible for the driver to remove the key when the gear selector is in a position other than Park. As a result, the vehicle could roll away and cause a crash.

Honda Pilot. (Photo: Honda)

Honda Canada dealers will therefore install an updated ignition interlock lever and replace the ignition lock cylinder if necessary.

Source: Transport Canada

Continuing just-auto's series of interviews with major tyre makers, Matthew Beecham talked with Kate Rock, customer and brand public relations and James Bailey, director, brand public relations, Goodyear Dunlop Europe about the use of winter tyres, tyre labelling and runflat tyres.

First Drive: 2013 Buick Encore

Filling a big hole with a small crossover.

The Buick Enclave revolutionized the brand from Flint, Michigan, when the three-row, seven-passenger package hit the market in 2007. With the sensibilities of a family crossover yet the trappings of an upscale luxury car, the Enclave drew parents into Buick showrooms that had for years attracted more grandparents than the early-bird roast beef special. In fact the Enclave set the stage for a subsequent overhaul of the entire Buick lineup, and the average age of a Buick buyer dropped to 57 from 64.

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Buick Encore - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Buick Encore - Automobile Magazine

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News 12 Dec, 2012

Our spies have caught the first glimpse of the storming new Audi S1 Sportback getting into shape

News 12 Dec, 2012

Commuters are resorting to more extreme measures to cut fuel bills

News 12 Dec, 2012

The pioneering Twizy could soon be offered as a cargo van by Renault

News 12 Dec, 2012

Convicted drivers can serve driving bans in jail, Auto Express has learned

2013 Subaru BRZ - Reality Sets In

We love the BRZ, but it's far from flawless.

After living with a 2013 Subaru BRZ Premium for five months, we've noticed a few problems with the car. The day after our last monthly update, we had to order a replacement right taillight because ours filled with condensation. A simple fix, right? Sure, if you can find the part, which is currently back-ordered until January. A minor problem, but our new car no longer looks so new.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Subaru BRZ - Four Seasons Update - December 2012 - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Subaru BRZ - Four Seasons Update - December 2012 - Automobile Magazine

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News 11 Dec, 2012

Distinctive look for the MG6 special edition, celebrating MG's success in the 2012 BTCC championship

2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - D'oh, a Deer

We accidentally test the CX-5's safety credentials.

Earlier this year, the Insurance Institute for Highway Traffic Safety named the 2013 Mazda CX-5 a Top Safety Pick. Associate Web editor Evan McCausland unluckily put this claim to the test in mid-November when he struck a deer. His story follows:

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Four Seasons Update - December 2012 - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Four Seasons Update - December 2012 - Automobile Magazine

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