Auto News 5

VW Group reported a 7 percent gain in profit in the first half, as demand for Audi vehicles in China and the U.S. insulated Europe's biggest carmaker from the effects of the debt crisis in its home region. Operating profit rose to a record 6.

Nissan posted a 19.7 percent drop in quarterly operating profit today as the effect of a strong yen outweighed solid global vehicle sales. Nissan said it posted an operating profit of 120.7 billion yen ($1.5 billion) for the April-June period.

From GMM

The operators of the Nurburgring are considering buying the embattled circuit.

The development comes after the German grand prix host last week commenced an insolvency process, which has endangered the future of the venue's biennial formula one race.

One solution could be for the circuit's existing management to propose a buyout, amid reports the Nurburgring's current debts actually outweigh its overall value.

"If it is on the table, we would think about whether and how we would participate in the tender," Nurburgring Automotive GmbH chief Jorg Lindner is quoted by the German news agency SID.

He also revealed: "We have developed a concept for the formula one race at the Nurburgring that does not require a cash grant from the state."


UPDATE
Die Rheinpfalz newspaper reported on Thursday that Bernie Ecclestone is looking into buying the embattled Nurburgring.

Citing an interview with F1's chief executive, the report said Ecclestone would not talk about the price he is willing to pay for the German grand prix venue, whose future is in the air after entering an insolvency process last week.

Rheinpfalz did however say the 81-year-old is not willing to organise the race at his own expense, nor forego the sanctioning fee for 2013, as was previously reported in the German media.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog about how journalists, such as myself, are baffled by Lotus' strategy.

But, since Proton sold the brand to DRB-Hicom (another sign of the Lotus change in ownership), everything is really going haywire - and the bad news just keeps rolling on in.

We had to ask ourselves how Lotus could invest massive amounts in Formula 1, IndyCar, endurance and GT when it sells so little of its standard models to the general public (and, in turn, must make relatively little profit).

Warning! This Lotus is not a Lotus! (Photo: Renault F1 Team)

So now, there's the Lotus Formula 1 team, originally Renault, though Lotus doesn't give the team a red cent. What the...?

There are more alarm bells: current rumours are circulating in the US that Lotus is looking to break off, at any cost, its contract with IndyCar to supply the race with V6 turbo engines. This Lotus-badged, John Judd-built engine has become the laughing stock of the track since it ran its first race.

Shaky and weak, all teams once onboard with Lotus, save one, have cut their ties. It looks like the IndyCar series might become an exclusive Chevrolet-Honda battleground next season.

And now there's news this morning from the online edition of US auto magazine, Car & Driver, that Lotus has pulled out of the Paris Auto Show next September.

After the company fired Dany Bahar, its cantankerous CEO, Lotus halted all new car development. No money, no cars, no Auto Show.

It's really unfortunate to see a prestigious auto brand such as Lotus take such a turn for the worse. Poor Colin Chapman, who founded the brand in 1952 - he must be spinning in his grave...

AJ Allmendinger, the Sprint Cup driver who was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR has agreed to undergo the sanctioning body's "Road to Recovery" according to a team spokesperson.

Early in July Allmendinger's required drug test, Sample A, contained a proscribed substance. NASCAR would not disclose what that substance was.

As his right, under the sanctioning body's rules, the driver requested that the “B” sample - which in essence is a part divided from the original, be tested and that test was also positive.

Allmendinger's representative has previously stated the test turned up a “stimulant,” but gave no further identification of what was found. The representative stated, strongly, that Allmendinger was unaware how the substance was introduced to his person. He denies knowledge of taking any substance which would have caused the rules violation.

On Tuesday evening NASCAR issued a statement that Allmendinger was suspended "indefinitely".

Under NASCAR rules any licensed individual may request the “Road to Recovery,” which is in the essence of a rehabilitation program.

Tara Ragan, vice president of Walldinger Racing said in a statement "While we await further information from testing to determine the cause, we have notified NASCAR that AJ will participate in the Road to Recovery Program starting immediately. As we have stated earlier, we respect NASCAR's drug testing policies. They are first and foremost in place to protect drivers and AJ being among those.  We fully support the program, and and as more details become available, we will share them. We would like to personally thank Mr. Helton and John Bobo for helping worked through this in an expeditious manner."

Early on Wednesday morning Allmendinger's Twitter account had emotional posts thanking his fans for support in what can be described as an extremely trying time for him.

Penske Racing announced that Sam Hornish Jr., who is racing full-time in the Nationwide Series will fill-in the No. 22 Dodge for Allmendinger at this week's Brickyard 400 and next week's Pocono 500 Sprint Cup races.

Here's a very good high definition video that shows for the first time apparently the real Formula 1 driver point of view of the long circuit of Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium.

Join in an installation lap around Spa in wet and tricky conditions with Pirelli test driver Lucas di Grassi in the Renault F1 car for the first time ever eye-level camera real driver point of view.



"I had to drive with only one eye open as the camera was blocking my other eye, quite tricky," the Brazilain said after the experience!

On the top of the steering wheel, the left number in red shows the speed of the car and the other red number is a gear engaged.

The motor racing world, and especially Formula 1, is where some of the most beautiful girls can be seen. Here is our Top 10 gorgeous girls seen during the first Grands Prix of the 2012 season.

The photographers of the WRI2 agency took the following photos in Melbourne, Monaco, Montreal, Silverstone and Hockenheim.

10.

Photo: WRI2

Continue reading Top 10 beautiful girls in Formula 1

D.J. Kennington scored his fifth straight win in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series with a victory at Auto Clearing Motor Speedway that was presented exceptionally this Wednesday July 25th.

With this latest victory, Kennington broke the series' record for consecutive victories and has now moved ahead of Andrew Ranger for the number of victories with 16.

DJ Kennington celebrating on Victory Lane. (Photo: NASCAR.com)

Kennington, who started fifth, took the lead for the last time when he passed Jason Hathaway after his car broke on a lap-196 restart. From there he held off numerous challenges from pole-sitter J.R. Fitzpatrick and Mark Dilley.

Dilley ended-up with second place in front of JR Fitzpatrick while defending series' champion Scott Steckly finished fourth. Jim White completed the top 5.

Photo: NASCAR.com

Once again, Andrew Ranger had a somewhat ordinary run finishing in sixth. Louis-Philippe Dumoulin, Ron Beauchamp Jr., Nick Jewell and Martin Roy rounded-up the top 10 riders for the evening.

In the point standings, Kennington has opened a formidable lead of 41 points over Steckly with Ranger and Fitzpatrick holding down the third and fourth positions, respectively.

The next event for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series will be the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivieres, Quebec on August 3-5.

From GMM

Sauber has rejected claims that expanding Formula 1's parc fermé rule could drive down costs.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that one cost-cutting suggestion from a top team is that mechanics and engineers be forbidden from working on the cars on a Friday outside of the 180-minute practice period.

The apparent logic is that, just as no work is allowed in the parc fermé period between qualifying and the race, the extended rule could reduce the size of the teams' race teams from 60 to 50 people.

But Auto Motor und Sport claims the small teams have rubbished the idea, claiming they vitally need Fridays to test new parts and do not enjoy all the high-tech simulation facilities that the bigger teams have back at base.

The VJM05 in "parc fermé". (Photo: Sahara Force India)

And Sauber team manager Beat Zehnder suggested the plan isn't even necessary.

"We were at Hockenheim with 47 people, and tested quite normally," he said. "I don't know why the big teams need 60 people."

Auto Motor und Sport also revealed that proposals to designate Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes, Lotus and Williams as the exclusive suppliers of 'customer cars' to the rest of the field is now definitely dead.

The report said that because some of the smaller teams threatened to take the proposal to European court, the new Concorde Agreement will continue to disallow the sale of the monocoque, suspension, nose and other fundamental areas of the cars.

From GMM

Marussia is tipped to reveal in the coming days that Maria de Villota's test crash was the result of a "chain of unfortunate circumstances and mistakes".

The team recently insisted that, following an internal investigation, a failure of the 2012 car had been ruled out as the cause of the incident.

Spaniard de Villota, 32, is currently in a Madrid hospital, having spent 17 days in a Cambridge (UK) hospital recovering from severe head and facial injuries that required the amputation of an eye.

"We're now 100 per cent confident that the car was not to blame in the slightest," team boss John Booth said at Hockenheim last weekend.

An external investigation is now underway, but Booth warned that it will be a "very long process".

Photo: Marussia F1 Team

In the meantime, Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said Marussia is planning to release "within the next ten days" a further report about the circumstances leading up to de Villota's impact with a stationary truck.

The report said the finding will depict a "chain of unfortunate circumstances and mistakes" that led to the front of her helmet striking the truck loading ramp.

Auto Motor und Sport said de Villota's trajectory from the Duxford runway to the temporary pits included a curve, resulting in her struggling to find the clutch lever as the steering wheel was not in the normal 9 and 3 o'clock position.

Spaniard de Villota had reportedly already forgotten to push the neutral button, and with cold tyres and brakes then struggled to stop the car as the 750hp engine powered it forwards in a low gear.

A role may also have been played by "panic", or "doing the wrong thing at the wrong moment", the German publication added.

UPDATE
After a six-day stay, Maria de Villota finally went home on Tuesday, La Paz hospital confirmed.

The media statement said de Villota has not incurred brain damage.

"The patient is in good general condition, so she was discharged from hospital yesterday," said the Spanish hospital.

La Paz added that the hospital's plastic, neurology and eye departments will follow up their treatments.

MUNICH, Germany - Set to the backdrop of rolling hills, quaint villages whose names I can't pronounce and smiling faces, the 2013 Audi Q5 and I are making our way around Bavaria.

Its personality is as temperate as the gentle summer breeze that blows while I take its photo. Looking pretty from its various angles, our interaction is a brief interlude before its launch in October, nevertheless, our time together is splendid. Here's why.


Bavarian Beauty
A team of professional cosmetic surgeons (aka the designers and engineers at Audi) have put their collaborative know-how to good use. The end result is a face-lifted and refreshed version of their luxury crossover. Its front end appears to have a lower and wider look. Furthermore, LED daytime running lights are incorporated.

Around back, its perky rear end has been toned up and also includes LED taillights.

While it's not a dramatic overhaul by any means, a little nip and tuck here and there help it stay youthful and modern.

And regardless of exterior colour, the Q5 looked absolutely smashing against the backdrop of the bright blue sky dotted with clouds, a Bavarian specialty. Or so I've been told.

Its front end appears to have a lower and wider look. Furthermore, LED daytime running lights are incorporated. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

Three's a Family
Audi's luxury crossover offers a choice of three different engines to satiate one's driving needs. The first is the third-generation 2.0L TFSI in-line four. With an output of 225 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, it feels perfectly adequate for everyday romping. Power delivery is done via Audi's eight-speed automatic that has such features as Sport and Manual Modes. Paddle shifters also come standard.

If 225 German ponies aren't enough, there's also a 3.0L, supercharged V6 to get you going. With the more sizeable engine - one that is also found on the Q5's bigger brother, the Q7 - there's a generous 272 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Getting up to autobahn speeds (or Canadian highway speeds!) is no problem with this powerplant. This too is mated with eight-speed gearbox.

For the ‘greener' customers out there, Audi will be bringing their first hybrid variant to Canada in the form of the Q5 Hybrid.

It's powered by a 2.0L turbocharged engine with an electric motor and a 1.3-kWh, lithium-ion battery. The net output is 245 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque thanks to the combination of a gasoline engine, which produces 211 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. It is then coupled with an electric motor, which kicks in an additional 54 horsepower and 154 lb-ft of torque.

Did you get all of that? Good. There will be a quiz.

The 3.0 L V6 supercharged gives you a generous 272 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque.(Photo: Audi)

Smooth as Silk
Highway speeds. Here in Canada, that's considered around 110km/h. In Germany, depending on the road or autobahn, the car's built-in speed regulator is the limit.

When cruising at a very swift pace, the Q5 is confident and quiet. It was hard to believe that my driving partner and I were whizzing by other commuters at speeds upwards 160 km/h. Why? Because we could. And because the Q5's suspension didn't waver when put to task. Its tight feel - not to be confused with a stiff feel - complements the rolling countryside roads. Weaving in and out of the tight, tree-lined corners was done without sweat. Adding to its capable driving dynamics, the cabin remained muted in respect to road and wind noise, further enhancing the driving experience.

Less is More?
The clean and concise nature of the interior's refreshed layout is modern, yet has a warm aura to it. Fit and finish are tight and pleasing to the eyes. Materials used are soft to the touch and look good in the various trim colours.

I also commend what Audi has done over the years to minimize buttonage in their cabins. I recall driving an S4 a few years back, where at night, it looked like I was commanding a spaceship. Not only because of its speed capabilities, but because there were little red lights strewn throughout the cabin. It was overwhelming to have that much selection.

The clean and concise nature of the interior's refreshed layout is modern, yet has a warm aura to it. (Photo: Alexandra Straub)

The Q5 is nothing like that, but what it makes up for in compactness, it lacks in initial functionality. Trying to figure out how to get the temperature down and the fan speed up took a little trial and error. It also required my eyes to be off the road for longer than say, if they had their own designated buttons. But that goes back to the issue of swimming in a sea of knobs. What's better or worse?

I'm sure if I had more time to better familiarize myself with the setup, it wouldn't be as much an issue.

With competitors in the segment like the Range Rover Evoque and BMW X3, the 2013 Audi Q5 should have no problem maintaining a strong road presence, especially with its available engines, refined looks and an inviting persona.

Pricing for the 2013 Q5 will be announced at a later date.

From GMM

Dr Helmut Marko is critical not only of the moves to change the engine mapping rules mid-season, but also of rival teams who lobbied the FIA and then refused to own up at a meeting earlier this week.

In the wake of the Hockenheim controversy about Red Bull's reportedly legal traction control and engine exhaust blowing settings, F1's governing body on Wednesday issued a rule clarification that means the team must revert to a more conventional setup in Hungary this weekend and beyond.

The move follows the FIA revealing its concern about the Red Bull solution at Hockenheim, but admitting the wording of the existing rules made it powerless to stop it.

Wednesday's clarification closes the loophole.

"We were not cleared (at Hockenheim) because we falsified the evidence, but because we were within the regulations," Austrian Marko, Red Bull's motor racing consultant, told Servus TV.

He railed against overnight rule changes.

"If something is green, you can't then make it blue," said Marko. "Nowhere does it say that we can't use the regulations in our favour."

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB8. (Photo: WRi2)

He also criticised the behaviour of Red Bull's rivals, who according to speculation lobbied the FIA for the change but were then silent in Monday's technical meeting in London.

"Again and again, there are people who do such a thing. I'm talking of the other teams," said Marko. "Then on Monday, when we could have addressed it professionally and objectively, it is not even addressed."

Red Bull is also still annoyed about Sebastian Vettel's demotion from second to fifth at Hockenheim for his illegal pass on Jenson Button.

Dr Helmut Marko has already referred to a "double standard" sometimes employed by the FIA when it comes to penalties, and now team boss Christian Horner says he has reviewed footage of Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso's pole lap at Hockenheim.

"On the last corner he was off the circuit with all four wheels," the Briton is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport, intimating that the Spaniard also broke the rules for advantage but was not penalised.

From GMM

A source at Volkswagen has rejected speculation the German car giant could team up with Sauber in formula one.

Peter Sauber fuelled the Hockenheim paddock rumours when he confirmed that he had met up with VW chairman Martin Winterkorn at the Geneva motor show recently.

"We are certainly not going to make public the content of the conversation," he said.

A Volkswagen source, however, has been willing at least to wind down the rumours about a F1 tie-up with Sauber.

The source said: "As long as Ferndinand Piech is alive, the chance of a formula one entry (for VW) is zero point zero."

Piech is Volkswagen's supervisory group chairman.

The Sauber C31 at Hockenheim. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

F1 teams are already making plans for winter testing.

Auto Motor und Sport reports that provisional plans are already being made for the teams to reveal and test their 2013 cars for the first time from February 5 next year.

The date of the first test, set for Jerez, is based on the fact that - according to the Melbourne organiser - Australia is provisionally scheduled to host the 2013 season opener on March 17 "subject to FOM confirmation".

The teams are therefore already setting dates for the 12 days of pre-season winter testing, which will be divided into three four-day tests.

Photo: Ferrari

The German report said the teams have agreed to simply scrap a mid-season test.

Auto Motor und Sport revealed that teams will after Jerez then move to Barcelona in mid-February, and then stay at the Circuit de Catalunya for a third and final test until 3 March.

"There is a contingency plan," said McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh, "in the event that we race in Melbourne on 10 March."

In that case, the February testing plans will be moved forward by a week.

That could, however, create a problem for the opening Jerez test, because Auto Motor und Sport says the Spanish venue is already booked for other activities prior to 5 February.

Transports Canada posted two Hyundai recalls, including one for 1,925 2012-2013 Hyundai Sonatas, because of a flaw in their airbag system, which might deploy unnecessarily and cause an accident.

The second recall targets 29,679 2007-2008 Hyundai Santa Fes. On some vehicles, the front passenger seat's passive occupant detection system (PODS) could mistake an adult of small stature for a child, thus deactivating the passenger airbag (the recall does not concern the driver's airbag).

Owners of recalled vehicles are urged to get in touch with their dealership, which will make all the necessary repairs.

2013 Hyundai Sonata (Photo: Hyundai)

2007 Hyundai Santa Fe 2007 (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

2012 is barely 8 months old and already we've put dozens of 2013 model-year cars and trucks to the test.

The following is a compilation of our favorite new 2013 road tests. They are listed in alphabetical order:


2013 Audi Q5

Continue reading Top 10 Auto123.com 2013 test drives

The automaker is currently developing a system capable of detecting pedestrians and cyclists on busy streets or when visibility is reduced.

Vehicles may be able to detect pedestrians carrying a smartphone equipped with Wi-Fi Direct, a wireless technology that allows devices to communicate directly with each other rather than through a shared access point.

GM is also looking to develop a smartphone app which could be downloaded by frequent road users, such as bike couriers or construction workers, to help vehicles identify them more easily.

With a 200-metre range (roughly the length of two football fields), this system could warn drivers about a pedestrian stepping out from between two parked vehicles or a cyclist riding behind the car's blind spot, for instance.

A team from Montreal's École Polytechnique ranked 9th in the American Solar Challenge, taking place from July 14 to 21 in the United States, where solar-paneled vehicles competed against each other according to the highest criteria in the world.

Photo: EstebanSolar

For the first time ever, the Esteban VI prototype drove 2,575 km in eight days, crossing eight American states. Despite a few technical glitches, the team and its solar-powered car, built entirely by Polytechnique engineering students, won the prize for best team work and most powerful solar panels, tying them with the University of Michigan, which won the overall race.

The Canadian team also wants to compete in the 2013 Green Global Challenge in Australia, but this time with a lighter vehicle and an improved engine, which dates back to 1998.

I was recently invited by Suncor Energy (Ultra 94) to enjoy a day at the famous Bridgestone Racing Academy. Now only a fool would turn down the opportunity to clamber behind the wheel of a $70k+ race car with experienced instructors on hand so -- as I like to think myself marginally outside that category -- I eagerly accepted their kind offer.

However, I did wonder. After all, although the Academy uses nothing but Ultra 94 in its race vehicles, was this really the best way for me to learn about gasoline? Yes, I know we all use the liquid gold, but simply knowing how to operate the pump and credit card has got me this far in life without too many issues.

Photo: Kevin « Crash » Corrigan

So I started thinking to myself: There has to be a catch to all of this. They're going to sit me down and bore me silly rattling on about all sorts of complicated fuel technology of which I know nothing and then, if I'm lucky, I'll get to run a couple of laps!

Boy was I ever wrong! Obviously, we did get to listen to a Suncor representative explain Ultra 94 to us but, in all honesty, it was almost as fascinating as experiencing the glorious Van Diemen Formula cars. You see, the clever speaker grabbed my attention straight away by explaining that the development of high-octane fuel had led to the Royal Air Force winning the Battle of Britain. He even had pictures of Spitfires and everything! Of course at this point, being an ex-pat, I had to refrain myself from rising from my chair and singing “Rule Britannia!”

He then explained that although the German Messerschmitt had the initial power advantage over the British Spitfire, not to mention outnumbering them 4-to-1, with the arrival of the American-developed higher octane fuel it enabled the Brits to greatly increase the horsepower of the Spits; and the rest is history, so they say!

He then went on to explain RON which, up until this point, I'd believed to be the name of the man who tested all octane levels for our Government fuel agency. Apparently not, as it refers to something called Research Octane Number. There is also something called MON, which is not the day after SUN, but the shortened form of Motor Octane Number.

Now this is where it gets interesting because what you purchase at the pump is actually an average of these two. Therefore, if the fuel has an MON number of 85.6 and the RON is 97.2, then the octane rating is actually somewhere around 91. In fact, you'll notice under the figure at the pump, it actually says “Minimum,” which means you're actually purchasing better than what's posted.

That's all well and good then, eh, but what do octane ratings really mean to you? Well, with motor technology changing rapidly today and car companies pushing powerplants to the max in order to squeeze every last drop of power from them, it's rather important to understand fuel ratings. You see, you can do a lot of damage if you cheap out and throw in just any old gasoline.

Photo: Kevin « Crash » Corrigan

I know in the past, we've all thought: So the power output will suffer slightly, but what the hell (be honest, you have, haven't you?). But it's not as simple as that. Dad's old V8 Cadillac may have run superbly on regular gas, as it was designed to do just that, but this doesn't mean your modern, high compression, direct-injection turbocharged love-of-your-life will also. Far from it! In fact, by straying from the manufacturers' recommendations, you'll not only risk serious damage to your engine (anything from bent valves to full-blown detonation), but you're likely to burn more fuel as the motor has been specifically designed to operate on a certain octane level. So you're not only risking your engine, you're doing it all for nothing as the vehicle won't perform, or be as economical as it should. So the rule is: Always stick to what the manufacturers recommend for your particular vehicle.

In one of the best-kept secrets in motorsports these days General Motors unveiled the 2013 Camaro for NASCAR's Nationwide Series at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday.

Nationwide series' 2013 Chevrolet Camaro (Photo: Chevrolet)

"Chevrolet is proud to bring the Camaro to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2013," said Jim Campbell, vice president, Chevrolet Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "The Camaro Nationwide race car incorporates many of the distinctive styling elements of the production Camaro, including the unique power-bulge hood and deep recessed grille. In addition, the design incorporates the distinctive halo light rings and dual-port grille appearances, and the gold bowtie."

Nationwide series' 2013 Chevrolet Camaro (Photo: Chevrolet)

"Our team of Chevrolet designers and aerodynamic engineers did a fantastic job capturing the great looks and styling cues of the production Camaro, while providing our NASCAR Nationwide teams with a highly competitive aero platform," said Pat Suhy, manager, Chevrolet Racing Oval Track Group. "For the remainder of 2012, our engineers will be busy working with our Chevy teams on wind tunnel and on-track testing to fine-tune the car in preparation for next year. It will be great to see Camaro compete on the track against its showroom competition starting with the 2013 season opener at Daytona."

Nationwide series' 2013 Chevrolet Camaro (Photo: Chevrolet)

When the new Nationwide Series body style debuted a few years ago Chevrolet said that they had no models which would fit the NASCAR regulations. This is a reversal of that policy and compares with the pony car image to the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger in the series.