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Featuring an Absolutely Red paint finish, full skirt, rear spoiler, centrally-located exhaust and 18-inch wheels in a black gloss finish, the Scion tC Release Series 8.0's distinct look will surely entice performance and style enthusiasts alike. In addition to an impressive list of standard equipment, each model also has its own unique numbered badge.

Under the hood, you'll find a 4-cylinder, 2.5 L engine with 180 hp, with a combined fuel consumption of 7.9 L/100 km for the 6-speed manual transmission or 7.7 L/100 km for the automatic.

With only 125 units available across Canada, the starting price for the Release Series 8.0 is $24,420.

Photo: Scion

Photo: Scion

WTCC press release

Honda confirmed Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro for its maiden season in the FIA World Touring Car Championship. The pair will be at the wheel of the new Civic WTCC cars run by Honda Racing Team JAS in 2013.

JAS Motorsport are currently developing the European Honda Civic 5-door racing car, whilst Honda R&D has designed and built a new 1.6-litre four-cylinder direct injection turbocharged petrol engine at its research and development centre in Tochigi.

Gabriele Tarquini and Tiago Monteiro. (Photo: Honda)

As part of its development programme, Honda will enter one car for Monteiro in the three final events of the 2012 WTCC, at Suzuka, Shanghai and Macau. Honda R&D and Mugen will provide trackside support to the team as the new engine makes its racing debut.


2009 World Touring Car champion Tarquini will also assist the works team on the car's development this year.

Hideo Sato, General Manager of Honda Motorsport Division in Japan, commented: "We are delighted to have Gabriele back with us and excited to welcome Tiago into the Honda racing family for the first time. Both are former Formula One drivers and have also proven time and again that they belong in the absolute top echelon of world touring car drivers. We are convinced that both drivers will contribute to the success of the Honda Civic in the FIA WTCC."

The Jetta will be the first compact hybrid offered by the automaker, as well as the first hybrid in the world to use a 7-speed DSG duel-clutch transmission. Without revealing the cost, Volkswagen claims that it will be competitively priced with other hybrid sedans.

The Beetle Convertible will showcase a fast-acting retractable top, consistent with the sleek lines of the coupe. The engine lineup will include a 2.5 L, a Turbo 2.0 L as well as a 2.0 L TDI diesel. The automaker has confirmed that both these models will join the Volkswagen roster in 2013.

All Volkswagen 2012 models will be slightly modified, except for the Routan, which will remain unchanged.

Adapted from GMM

Marussia team is yet to decide whether or not to keep rookie Charles Pic for 2013 and which engine to use starting 2014.

Since the team's inception as Virgin in 2010, Timo Glock's teammate has been constantly changing.

In 2010 the German was paired with Lucas di Grassi, last year it was Jerome d'Ambrosio, and this year the second cockpit is occupied by 22-year-old Pic.

Charles Pic told Ria Novosti news agency: "I think I have to stay focused on this year and make a good job, and if I do a good job it (a new contract) will come naturally for next year."

Team chief executive Andy Webb admitted a decision has not been taken.

"Usually those decisions are made at the end of the season. We are constantly studying the situation with the drivers, but I will say that we are happy with Charles Pic," he is quoted by the Russian website Championat.

Charles Pic working with his engineer. (Photo: Marussia F1 Team)

Regarding the engine, the small team is currently powered by Cosworth, but there is speculation the independent British engine supplier is set to pull out of the sport.

When asked about Marussia's engine plans for 2014, chief executive Andy Webb said: "It's a difficult decision, because a lot will depend on the financial side."

There is great consternation among F1's 'customer engine' teams at present about the likely high cost of buying the new V6 engines.

"They're going to cost somewhere between EUR 10 and 25 million, a team like ours will need some help in order to afford something like that." added Andy Webb.

The Team chief executive also revealed that, starting next year, Marussia has decided to use KERS for the first time, "The only question is whose system we will have. It depends on what engine we choose for the future."

2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition PRHT

The Mazda MX-5 is a car that floods the driver with the joy and sensation of driving.

I must have racked up some serious good karma last week, because when I left work on Friday I discovered beautiful blue skies, 70-degree weather, and the keys to a Mazda MX-5. It felt like the perfect day to lower the car's power hardtop and take the long way home, so I unwound from the work week by winding around the back roads of Ann Arbor.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition PRHT - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition PRHT - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

2012 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition PRHT | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

News 18 Jul, 2012

Car rental customers are being talked into buying extra insurance policies they don’t need by pushy sales people

A spokesperson for Land Rover has told just-auto that a facelifted Freelander/LR2 will be revealed at next month's Moscow motor show, to be followed by a new Range Rover at the Paris show.

Yokohama Tires recently released a short film documenting the

EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: This SuperCrew version of the 2012 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson stomps a huge footprint out there in the world, in every way.

What is it?

French Industry Minister Arnauld Montebourg plans to summon members of the Peugeot family to explain why PSA/Peugeot-Citroen had continued to pay dividends even as it was facing mounting difficulties, he told parliament on Tuesday.

News 17 Jul, 2012

New pictures of upcoming Range Rover Sport show most athletic figure to date

Pictures 17 Jul, 2012

News 18 Jul, 2012

Larger Toyota RAV4 has been spied testing ahead of 2013 launch

Pictures 17 Jul, 2012

News 18 Jul, 2012

Facelifted Insignia estate spotted ahead of its launch next year

Pictures 17 Jul, 2012

Mitsubishi Motors North America has started US production of the Outlander Sport (ASX) compact crossover at its plant in Normal, Illinois.

European Automotive Supplier body, CLEPA, says it is closely monitoring the situation at PSA Peugeot Citroen following the automaker's decision to drastically reduce headcount.

Opel's supervisory board has named Thomas Sedran deputy chairman of the management board. He will act as chairman until a permanent chairman is in place.