Auto News 5

Making a sick child's dream come true is to provide not only hope and joy, but also a reason to keep fighting. Once again this year, the entire team at Auto123.com is supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Quebec.

What kind of dreams are we talking about here? Well, something magical, and something that any normal kid wishes for - a long vacation with their family, meeting an idol, doing a photoshoot, swimming with dolphins, etc.

These kids dream of leaving the hospital for good and fully enjoying what life has to offer.

Since we believe that anything's possible, three teams of riders will take part in the 48-Hour Ride For Wishes on September 14-16, 2012. For this edition of the annual fund raiser, the organizers hope to reach the million dollar mark.

Photo: Mathieu Germain

The six members on each team will take turns on Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal - and each one has to ride for a minimum of eight hours, day and night, and raise at least $600.

As of today, August 21, we are currently sitting at 63% of our collective goal, which is to raise over $10,000 to make a sick child's dream come true.

If you'd like to make a donation to one of our teams (or better yet, all three!), click on the links below. The deadline is September 16th and all donations are eligible to a tax credit.

• Team 1
• Team 2
• Team 3

The participants in the 48-Hour Ride For Wishes 2012 are: René Fagnan, Mathieu Germain, Jacques Bérubé, Philippe Champoux, Josée Paquet, Sébastien D'Amour, Sharon Go, Peter Kovalcik, Roxanne Thomas, Guillaume Serrat, Yan Renaud, Martin Paquette, Maxime Gibeau, Ghislain D'Amour, Frédéric Feudi, Jacqueline Fillion-Robin and Marie-Ève Leroux.

BMW's DriveNow car sharing service is about to make the jump to North America. Unsurprisingly, California has been chosen as the inaugural destination.

A total of 70 BMW ActiveE electric cars will be located at nine DriveNow stations across the entire city of San Francisco. Customers can register online or in person, allowing them to locate and reserve an available vehicle via the DriveNow website or mobile app.

On the road, drivers can easily locate the nearest charging point should they need to charge the vehicle - at no cost - during their unlimited rental. Also, 14 dedicated ParkNow stations are currently set up in and around San Francisco.

DriveNow was originally launched in June 2011 and now has around 45,000 members. This fall, Cologne will become the fourth German city to offer the car sharing service after Munich, Berlin and Düsseldorf.

Photo: BMW

It's that time of year again: Vacationers are busy returning home and buying school supplies for their kids. Drivers are being warned by the police to watch out for the legions of young students that will cross the streets all over the city, be it at intersections or between parked cars. I'd like to jump in as well and remind you to pay extra attention.


You should note that many streets around schools and playgrounds have a speed limit of 30 km/h, but only on weekdays between 9-and-5 from September to June. However, a number of children at various levels will return to school as early as next week (heck, some already have).

Ecstatic to renew ties with their classmates, they often forget about basic safety rules even with school crossing guards nearby. Drivers need to be careful to avoid accidents, especially at a time when the increased traffic seriously grates on their nerves.

Does the summer heat make us all forget our usual morning routine? How come we have to wait until October (at least) for everything to return to normal?

When you approach a school area, make sure to observe the speed limit and double-check at every street corner. We're not too old to remember what it's like to be a kid and feel like you can do just about anything, and run around just about anywhere because the world will stop for you. Also, keep in mind that some of those crazy youngsters like to ride their bicycles to school.

And for the love of God, do not drive by an idling school bus with the stop sign activated. Not only will you save about nine demerit points and a big fine, but you will also help those little boys and girls safely arrive at school, and later back home. Thank you!

Extreme performance summer tires are designed for sporty driving during the hot season.

They feature an ultra-aggressive tread design; however, like all summer tires, they are not suited to ride at temperatures near the freezing point, let alone on snow and ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

We're back with our annual summer and all-season tire evaluation and rankings, which will help you make the best selection for your pickup truck, sport utility vehicle (SUV) or crossover utility vehicle (CUV). All the main tire models available in Canada have been considered.

Once again, the team at PMCtire.com relied on multiple sources of information such as consumer reviews from various North American websites and message boards, customer feedback, road tests, auto writer columns and literature provided by tire manufacturers.

These evaluations were conducted mainly to help you select the summer or all-season tires that best fit your driving needs. Obviously, the rating system may differ from one tester to the next since everyone has their own personal expectations and driving habits.

You'll also notice that the gap between models is often small. That's mostly because the technology used by tire companies in the design and manufacturing process is similar. Therefore, it's difficult to rank one particular model above or below another while staying impartial.

We tried to cover tire models from a wide price range and various quality levels since every customer has a specific budget and plans to use the tires for a specific period of time.

Here are our summer and all-season truck tire reviews and rankings for 2012:

1. Top 5 all-season tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
2. Top 5 performance all-season tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
3. Top 5 performance summer tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
4. Top 5 all-terrain tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
5. Top 5 all-terrain tires for commercial trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012
6. Top 5 off-road tires for trucks, SUVs and CUVs in 2012

Article provided by PMCtire.com

From press release

Toyota's GT86 is now available for racing after Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) launched the cost-effective TMG GT86 CS-V3 for private participants.

The Toyota GT86 is sold under the Scion FR-S moniker in North America.

Following a successful development period, during which it won its class in the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the TMG GT86 CS-V3 has been refined and packaged as an entry-level race car for easy maintenance, low running costs and great fun.

Photo: TMG

The exciting rear-wheel-drive, 200hp car has been developed specifically for the V3 class of the Nürburgring-based VLN series and homologation from the Deutsche Motor Sport Bund provides a licence to thrill in this and many other production-based championships.

A race-ready TMG GT86 CS-V3 is instantly competitive in a production-based class and represents impressive value for money at €38,500 excluding tax or €45,815 including German VAT.

The road-going GT86 has been widely praised after its official launch earlier this year, with most road tests praising its sporty character, nimble handling and fun-to-drive quality. Using its vast motorsport experience, TMG has added even more excitement to the GT86 by creating an all-action race car.

Photo: TMG

TMG has stiffened the chassis and optimised weight distribution for motorsport while installing racing exhaust, suspension and brakes.

The result is an eye-catching and competitive race car built to TMG's usual high standards which hits its primary target: to deliver a fun and easily-accessible racing experience.

Development of racing cars based on the GT86 continues at TMG, with a GT86 Cup car under consideration.

We're back with our annual summer and all-season tire evaluation and rankings, which will help you make the best selection based on your needs. All the main tire models available in Canada have been considered.

Once again, the team at PMCtire.com relied on multiple sources of information such as consumer reviews from various North American websites and message boards, customer feedback, road tests, auto writer columns and literature provided by tire manufacturers.

Obviously, the rating system may differ from one tester to the next since everyone has their own personal expectations and driving habits. These evaluations were conducted mainly to help you select the summer or all-season tires that best fit your driving needs.

You'll also notice that the gap between models is often small. That's mostly because the technology used by tire companies in the design and manufacturing process is similar. Therefore, it's difficult to rank one particular model above or below another while staying impartial.

Here are our summer and all-season car tire reviews and rankings for 2012:

1. Top 5 all-season tires for passenger cars in 2012
2. Top 5 performance all-season tires for passenger cars in 2012
3. Top 5 performance summer tires for passenger cars in 2012
4. Top 5 extreme performance summer tires for passenger cars in 2012

Article provided by PMCtire.com

These tires are designed for paved roads as well as dirt, gravel, snow and off-road trails. Having said that, they often prove more capable off the road than on the road.

Their aggressive tread design features a number of separate blocks and deep grooves for maximum traction in every direction. They sport the ''M+S'' (Mud and Snow) logo that certifies their all-season performance including during winter.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

These tires deliver excellent performance both on dry and wet pavement while giving a sportier look to pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUV) and crossover utility vehicles (CUV).

They feature a very aggressive tread design; however, like all summer tires, they are not suited to ride at temperatures near the freezing point, let alone on snow and ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

These all-season tires ensure a pleasant ride and predictable handling any month of the year whether you're driving a sport utility vehicle (SUV), crossover utility vehicle (CUV) or pickup truck, including luxury and/or performance models.

They feature a versatile tread design and can be used all year long except in provinces where winter tires are mandatory. Of course, handling on snowy or icy roads is average at best. Moreover, they are not suited to ride in deep snow and at temperatures below -7° Celsius.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

Performance summer tires are designed for sporty driving during the hot season.

They feature a very aggressive tread design; however, like all summer tires, they are not suited to ride at temperatures near the freezing point, let alone on snow and ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

Performance all-season tires are designed for year-round sporty driving. They feature an aggressive tread design and provide good versatility.

These tires are not suited to ride in deep snow and at temperatures below -7° Celsius.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

These models are designed for trucks that ride on heavy-duty tires and need maximum off-road traction for driving around construction sites and recreation areas as well as through deep snow.

They allow great payload capacity and feature an ultra-aggressive tread design that provides exceptional grip in the mud and on slick rocks.

These tires sport the ''M+S'' (Mud and Snow) logo that certifies their all-season performance including during winter. They can even receive studs to improve traction on ice.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

These tires are mainly designed for roads and trails covered with mud, rocks, gravel, dirt and/or snow.

They provide great off-road capability while still delivering a decent ride on the road. However, they will prove quite noisy and offer limited grip on pavement.

Their ultra-aggressive tread design features a number of separate blocks and deep grooves for maximum traction in every direction. They sport the ''M+S'' (Mud and Snow) logo that certifies their all-season performance including during winter.


Article provided by PMCtire.com

Although there were doubts regarding the return of the Texas Motor Speedway for 2013, track officials have now confirmed that the track will be back on the IZOD IndyCar Series' schedule for next year.

That means that the IndyCar will be back there for a 17th consecutive year. Also confirmed are two NASCAR Sprint Cup weekends for the ninth consecutive season.

After the IndyCar race this summer, there was uncertainty about the series returning to the 1½-mile high-banked oval in 2013, since there hadn't been any discussions then between track boss Eddy Gossage and IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard.

While some drivers raised issues about safety concerns at Texas, the June race won by Justin Wilson went without a hitch.

There have been 24 IndyCar races at Texas since the track opened in 1997. That included twin races on the same night in 2010.

Canadian Bruno Spengler, driving for BMW won the last race of the DTM held last Sunday on the Grand Prix circuit of the Nurburgring, and he's now ranked second in the point standings.

“Basically, the BMW M3 DTM is really good - as are the guys at BMW Team Schnitzer,” said Spengler in a recent interview published by BMW.

“They always want to win, and the same goes for me. That was also my approach to my first season with BMW. However, at the start we did not know how we would compare to the opposition. It relatively quickly became clear we are up there with the front-runners.

Photo: dtm.com

“That is fantastic and shows just how well BMW Motorsport and BMW Team Schnitzer have worked,” declared Spengler, a regular contributor to Auto123.com.

He continued: “Only a very few members of the team had any DTM experience prior to the start of the season. However, the team has learned at record speed. We are now consistently completing pit stops in 3 to 3.5 seconds. That is the sign of a top team”.

Although he's moved up to second place in the standings, Spengler has not started to think about the 2012 title.

Photo: dtm.com

“I am obviously pleased I am only 20 points behind Gary Paffett,” Spengler said.

“However, we would be well advised to approach the remaining four races in exactly the same way as we have the first six. So far we have managed to find our feet quickly on new circuits. If we pull that off again in Zandvoort and Oschersleben, where the only experience we have is from testing during the early stages of the development of our car, we should be up there with the leaders again.

“We are taking it one race at a time, then we will see where we end up come the end of the season,” the Canadian explained.

From GMM

Nelson Piquet Jr has slammed the driver lineup of his former formula one team.

Scoring just 19 points in his 28 races for the works Renault team in 2008 and 2009, the now 27-year-old Brazilian turned to NASCAR racing after leaving F1 amid the 'crashgate' scandal.

Enstone based Renault is now Genii-owned Lotus, and while Piquet says the black and gold E20 is a "very good car", he evidently has no admiration for the men at the wheel.

His main target is Romain Grosjean, the Swiss-born Frenchman who in 2009 was drafted in by Renault to replace him.

"Romain has been lucky," said Piquet Jr, "because he came (back) at a time when he had a slightly weaker teammate (Kimi Raikkonen) and a very good car.

"It happened for him in the right team at the right time," he told the Terra website.

Piquet added: "If Fernando (Alonso) was at Lotus, he would win the championship.

"Grosjean has improved, but he is no phenomenon and certainly not comparable to Alonso. He had the luck to return to F1 after a bad start and another season in GP2 -- he had a sponsor to return to F1, right?

"The timing was just right for him."

General Motors has redesigned the OnStar buttons in 2013 vehicles to better reflect software updates, the company said today.

The first mass-production version of the new 2013 model year Honda Accord, the most important new vehicle for Honda this year in the United States market, rolled off an Ohio assembly line today.

Also in this episode: Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas triumph in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series, and