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There's plenty riding on the success of Fiat's planned US relaunch of Alfa Romeo, from a justification of the Chrysler acquisition to the business reputation of its CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Fiat's near-premium brand Lancia is hoping to bring some Italian flair to the brand's image in the European market, with the launch of the Flavia convertible.

Two major auto industry trade groups opposing so-called Right to Repair legislation in Massachusetts say they've reached a stalemate in negotiations with the measure's backers.

We're on a landing strip in the middle of a cornfield near Stuttgart. There's a very surreal "Field of Dreams" quality to the scene, because although we're here to test the new Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG, standing on a platform surrounded by a sea of green, waving fronds is a piece of automotive history - the 300 SEL 6.8 AMG, otherwise known as "The Red Pig."

It's been my experience that the German car company types aren't much for humour, so I wasn't really expecting an answer when I pointed to the celebrated racer and said "Can we drive that?"

Surprisingly, the response was "Ja, you can drive it."

Seriously. The great-grandaddy of AMG, the car that started the entire legacy of Mercedes-Benz's performance arm - and I'm actually going to have the chance to experience it from behind the wheel?

Well, as it turns out, not exactly.

Tragically, the Red Pig - after stunning the racing world by defeating sports cars a fraction of its size and weight in the 1971 24 Hours of Spa - was sold to an airplane manufacturer to test fighter jet landing gear.

Say what?

Apparently, the original vehicle, which should be enjoying its rightful place in the company's museum among other priceless and historically significant vehicles, was sold to Matra, the French aircraft manufacturer. They then proceeded to cut a bloody great hole in its floorpan and the Red Pig spent its final days hurtling down runways, while tires were lowered from its belly to determine their ability to withstand the 200-mph contact with the tarmac. Where it eventually ended up is, alas, unknown.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG

Acknowledging that they'd made a most unfortunate error - Mercedes undertook the task of recreating the Red Pig as accurately as possible - with the intention of displaying it at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. It was a difficult job, as the original car was a base model without air conditioning or sunroof, very few of which were ever produced.

At last, a suitable base car was located in Berlin, while Mercedes scoured all of Western Europe to procure the various other matching parts needed for the project. Underhood is the same bored-out, 6.8L mill with 420 hp - an astonishing output for its era.

Outrageously flared wheel arches frame lightweight magnesium wheels, its boxy prow bristles with an arsenal of lights. Emblazoned across the red flanks and hood are the same decals worn by the original.

Although it was obviously a letdown to know we were looking at a mere replica, it was comforting that such a painstakingly accurate recreation exists to pay tribute to the lost icon.

Still, I'll admit to butterflies when I cranked open the door and took in the vintage bucket racing seats, cheesy wood trim and long, slender, ball-topped shifter.

After being repeatedly cautioned to take it easy ("you vill be careful, ja?") I turned the key and the Red Pig burst to life in a cacophony of rude, raspy blatts, bangs and pops. Gripping the skinny wheel, and shifting to drive (ja, it was automatic, but who cares?) we thundered down the runway, stinking of race fuel and trumpeting like an off-key bull elephant.

Obnoxiously noisy - mechanical and rough, with tugboat-like steering and rudimentary braking, the porky sedan nonetheless charmed me to the core. I emerged from the cockpit with the sappy grin of the recently smitten. I wasn't the only one.

That a mere replica could induce such feelings is a poignant reminder of the importance of historical preservation.
The Red Pig may be gone forever but its legacy remains.

From GMM

The judge who sentenced corrupt F1 banker Gerhard Gribkowsky on Wednesday described Bernie Ecclestone as the "driving force" of the $44 million bribery.

Condemning Gribkowsky to eight and a half years in jail, presiding judge Peter Noll said in the Munich state court: "In this process we assume the driving force was Mr Ecclestone".

The F1 chief executive "brought the accused into breaking the law and not the other way around", Noll added, according to the Financial Times.

It is a strong indication that Ecclestone, 81, could himself be charged.

The diminutive Briton sounded open to returning to Germany in relation to the scandal.

"If I was asked, yes, of course," he said on Wednesday. "They asked me before and I went."

It is not known if this will happen.

Daniel Amelung, one of Gribkowsky's lawyers, told the court the prosecutors are "scared of Mr Ecclestone, his position and his wealth".

Ecclestone maintains he was effectively the victim of Gribkowsky's extortion, telling the Daily Mail: "I think (he) told them what he thought he had to tell them."

As for whether he will face charges, he answered: "I don't think I should but you don't know, do you?"

Bernie Ecclestone is already facing investigations in the UK, with the Times newspaper reporting that the tax and serious fraud offices have been in contact with German authorities.

"I suppose you'd expect that," said Ecclestone.

The Volkswagen Jetta GLI is the epitome of the compact sport near-luxury car. With subtle yet classy styling, it encompasses performance without compromise.


What we call compact sedans in North America is considered compact executive saloons in many parts of Europe. This is perhaps the best way to describe the latest crop of new compact sedans from every car manufacturer.

Take a moment to look up the Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Subaru Impreza in our galleries. Now, tell me that these cars are not some of the best looking, compact cars you've ever seen. Heck, some of these could actually be categorized as near-luxury cars! The 6th generation Jetta falls into this category, no doubt, but it's the GLI trim that makes it an Executive car.

Executive = Power
The 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI features what is arguably one of the best engines ever conceived in Volkswagen's long and storied history. In its most basic form, such as here in the GLI, it produces 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque.

Despite the seemingly meager 100 hp/litre turbocharged output, the GLI will cross the 100 km/h mark in just under 7 seconds. This may not make the GLI a pocket rocket but what really impresses is how the power is delivered. In fact, the car feels faster than the numbers suggest.

Engine gusto reaches 207 pounds at a very low 1,700 rpm and holds on all the way to 5,000. Max horsepower rushes in at 5,100 rpm and so momentum never really drops. The near total absence of boost lag further enhances the impression that the car is really moving.

The engine of the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI reaches 207 pounds at a very low 1,700 rpm and holds on all the way to 5,000. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Executive ride
Another aspect that sets the common small car from an executive's ride is the ride. Volkswagens, especially those endowed with such letters as R, GTI and GLI, have always been particularly gifted in the suspension department.

Somehow, Volkswagen long ago figured out how to maintain tolerable levels of comfort all the while limiting pitch and roll. The 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI is possibly the best example of give and take. The car drives with superior confidence regardless of the surface's condition.

Unlike the base Jetta, the GLI sports a rear multilink independent suspension. This setup aids in keeping the car's rubber in constant contact with the pavement which in turns sends all the right signals to the driver, inviting him or her to push a little harder.

Two other aspects play a huge role in making the GLI very rewarding to pilot. The first and prominently important aspect is the car's electro-mechanical rack and pinion steering. With nearly perfect power assistance and feedback, the car is a willing partner in any type of manoeuvre the driver wants to put the car through. The other is Volkswagen's super-slick and easy shifting 6-speed manual ‘box. The light shifter and clutch action enables the driver to perform rapid gear changes. As well, impeccably distanced throttle and brake pedals make heel-toe rev-matching downshifts pure bliss.

Unlike the base Jetta, the GLI sports a rear multilink independent suspension. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Executive cabin
Volkswagen, like every other member of the large VAG family, can put a cabin together. Unlike the unique mechanicals, the 2012 Jetta GLI features only a few upgrades from the regular Jetta.

Red stitching, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and special leather/cloth seats round out what is otherwise a spacious, well crafted place for up to five occupants to hang out.

The seats are supportive, designed for both comfort and spirited driving and, by their looks alone, enhance what could be considered an interior good enough for an Audi. Fit and finish are without flaw.

The only negative note I can make concerns the location of the start button on the centre divider; it's not exactly intuitive nor is it chiefly aesthetically pleasing to glance at; it reminds me of a silver pimple.

While on the topic of less-than-pleasant things, know that the car's ESP cannot be switched off. Nowhere is there a switch that would permit me to deactivate this otherwise useful nanny. “Otherwise” because it is not inconceivable that the owner of a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI would like to occasionally track said car. I'm still having a hard time digesting this issue... I'm going to drop the matter before I start to flip out as I did when I first found out.

Fit and finish are without flaw. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Executive = smart
The GLI will not stand out as would a Mustang GT but for many, this is a requirement. How the GLI will make its way under your skin is through the way it drives and how satisfying it is to push the 2.0T near its redline.

Other reasons will be its incredibly low fuel consumption. As a self proclaimed leadfoot, I still managed to consume only 9.0L/100 km! Like golfing? The huge trunk will easily swallow two bags and pull-carts with room to spare.

How the GLI will make its way under your skin is through the way it drives and how satisfying it is to push the 2.0T near its redline. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

The 2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI has a base price of $27,475. This entry fee includes sport seats, handsome 17” alloys, a dashingly handsome front end, a choice powertrain and a great driving experience.

The car's closest competitors are the 2013 Acura ILX and BMW 1 Series. The ILX fails to ignite anything other than its own spark plugs and the 128i is $8,000 more for less car overall.

The GLI is an ideal stop-gap between a base $15,875 Jetta and a $37,800 Audi A4 sedan. In the end, it manages to blend performance and luxury, making it perhaps the best near-luxury compact executive saloon currently on the market.

The IZOD IndyCar Series has announced that it would re-introduce the Push-to Pass button for all the remaining road courses still remaining on the 2012 calendar starting with the upcoming Honda Indy of Toronto.

The Push-to-Pass button was first used in the series back in 2009 and the device allows the driver to add turbocharger boost and additional rpm with the press of a button on the steering wheel in order to overtake a car.

Photo: IndyCar

Although, series' officials did not talked about the specifics regarding its use on track but when it was first introduce in 2009, it allowed drivers 20 separate opportunities to use. The 12-second blast of power then required a 10-second recharge period.

The boost will not engage until a certain throttle position is reached and will disengage if the driver lifts or presses the button again.

Everyone one involved will have the opportunity to get acquainted and test the Push-to-Pass button during practices before the Honda Indy Toronto.

From GMM

Spa-Francorchamps is no longer part of the proposal to revive the French grand prix.

Prior to ex president Nicolas Sarkozy losing the general election, plans to alternate a single annual race between Paul Ricard and Belgium's fabled Spa were well advanced.

But with Francois Hollande in power and his sports minister Valerie Fourneyron in the driving seat of the grand prix project, the situation is now very different.

French reports this week say Fourneyron has told France's motor racing sanctioning body, the FFSA, that Paul Ricard and Magny Cours are competing to secure the rights to a grand prix that the state will not contribute to financially.

And according to the Belgian news agency Belga, the formerly proposed race alternation between France and Spa will remain merely an "unconfirmed possibility".

"Alternating with Belgium is no longer on the agenda," a report by the French language news agency Agence France-Presse added.

The ultimate off-road pickup truck just got even better for 2013. Ford significantly improved certain aspects of the F-150 SVT Raptor starting with industry-first, forged aluminum wheels that can be upgraded after purchase to extra-capable beadlocks.

Other enhancements include powerful HID headlights, an 8'' centre touch screen with truck-specific MyFord Touch, a 4.2'' productivity screen mounted in the instrument cluster, plus a new Raptor-exclusive, camouflage-inspired body colour called Terrain.

''Ford F-150 SVT Raptor's popularity continues to grow based on its proven reputation,'' said Ford SVT Chief Engineer Jamal Hameedi. “It's the ultimate high-performance off-road pickup, so it's critical that we continue to push the boundaries of off-road capability.''

The 2013 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor relies on the same 411-horsepower 6.2L V8 engine. Pricing has yet to be announced.

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

In order to pay tribute to the late Carroll Shelby, who passed away on May 10th, Ford will showcase the almighty Shelby GT500 this weekend at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Along with the iconic Zakspeed Capri, the Shelby GT500 will try to eclipse the 1.16-mile Goodwood hillclimb speed record of 41.6 seconds set by Nick Heidfeld in 1999.

Its 5.8L all-aluminum supercharged V8 produces 662 horsepower and 631 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful engine ever fitted to a North American production car. The Shelby GT500 can reach a top velocity of more than 200 mph (320 km/h).

The model at the Goodwood Festival of Speed will also benefit from a Performance Package featuring electronically adjustable dampers and a Torsen limited-slip differential, plus a Track Package including three additional coolers for all-out racetrack performance.

Photo: Ford

Belgian rally driver Thierry Neuville will be among those topping the bill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, driving his Citroën DS3 WRC to the delight of the fans.

Neuville and his co-driver, Nicolas Gilsoul, will take part in Rally Estonia, an event that provides an ideal training ground for their visit to the country of the 1000 lakes, the Rally of Finland.

Thierry Neuville has scored points in the last four rallies and is currently lying eighth in the Drivers' World Championship ratings, and is also the best rookie of the 2012 season.

He drove two fault-free races in Greece and New Zealand and he will tackle another legendary event in the world of motorsport at the beginning of August - Rally Finland.

Thierry Neuville. (Photo: Citroën Racing)

In view of this, Citroën Racing has decided to replace the test session initially planned by participation in Rally Estonia.

“Finland is certainly the most difficult event for a driver who doesn't come from the north of Europe,” says Benoît Nogier, director of Citroën Racing Technologies in a press release issued by Citroen.

“From Sébastien Loeb to Kimi Räikkönen, Citroën Racing has entered its drivers in additional rallies to those in the WRC to help them prepare for the specific challenges of the terrains in question. As replacing a test session by taking part in this rally doesn't result in extra cost we felt that Rally Estonia was the best possible training for Nicolas and Thierry.”

Lotus F1 Team driver Romain Grosjean got married Wednesday June 27 with long-time girlfriend Marion Jolles, a motorsport journalist for French TV TF1.

The religious ceremony was celebrated in the small church of Chamonix in France, just in front of the magestious Mont-Blanc.

Jean-Pierre Frizon, the team physiotherapist and coach of Grosjean was one of the witnesses.

Team boss and manager Eric Boullier also attended the ceremony.

Local newspaper Le Dauphine Libere wrote that wedding took place in front of members of the families and close friends, and the happy couple was now on honeymoon (for two days!) in Megeve, the famous French ski resort.

Romain and Marion Grosjean. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is gearing up on Thursday to launch a bid for a grand prix on the streets of London.

The plans are reportedly separate to a McLaren sponsor event that imagines a fictitious layout in the British capital, as well as suggestions a London race could be run in and around the Olympic stadium.

The Times reports that 81-year-old Ecclestone is prepared to put up almost $55 million to organise a street race around famous landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben and Nelson's Column.

Other British media reports say the plans will be unveiled later on Thursday.

"Think what it would do for tourism," Ecclestone said. "It would be fantastic, good for London, good for England -- a lot better than the Olympics."

Mayor of London Boris Johnson's office did not immediately comment.

Bernie Ecclestone continued: "With the way things are, maybe we would front it and put the money up for it. If we got the okay and everything was fine, I think we could do that."

UPDATE:

London mayor Johnson told the UK newspaper Express on Thursday afternoon, he is "broadly positive" about the plans.

"I am always interested in projects that attract jobs and bring growth," he said, insisting it will be important to find out if there is "a really good economic case" for the event.

Johnson added: "The question of air quality and noise impact will have to be looked at. I am broadly positive providing we can satisfy the air quality and noise issues."

Set to hit the market later this year, the 2013 GMC Terrain will offer a new 3.6L V6 engine that generates 301 horsepower and allows 0-100km/h accelerations in 6.7 seconds, making it the fastest and most powerful Terrain yet.

Fuel consumption ratings are similar to the outgoing model's - 12.4/8.1 L/100km in FWD configuration and 13.2/8.4 L/100km in AWD configuration. Meanwhile, towing capacity for the V6-powered Terrain is rated at 3,500 pounds.

''This new 2013 Terrain engine delivers the uncompromised performance our customers desire,'' said Tony DiSalle, vice president of GMC Marketing. ''It's the most powerful V6 the brand has ever produced, and our engineers deserve credit for achieving that without sacrificing fuel economy.''

The new V6 will be available as a standalone option of $1,725 on SLE-2, SLT-1, and SLT-2 models. It will require a premium of $2,025 with the top-of-the-line Terrain Denali, which also includes upgraded 19'' chrome-clad wheels.

Renault Sport, the company that supplies V-8 Formula 1 engines to Red Bull Racing, Lotus F1 Team and Caterham F1 Team admitted that overheating alternators have caused Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean's retirements from the European Grand Prix.

Vettel's Red Bull RB8 and Grosjean's Lotus E20 both stopped on the race track during the race as a result of alternators getting way too hot.

However, Rob White, Renault Sport F1 deputy managing director explained that overheating parts cut the electrical supply to the power units and forcing both drivers out. White also admitted that Renault is still uncertain about why the parts got too hot in the first place.

Sebastian Vettel leading the race in Valencia before his retirement. (Photo: Pirelli)

"We've checked over the parts thoroughly now and it seems that there were no obvious reasons for the failure, so we are conducting further tests on the dyno at Viry-Chatillon to replicate conditions and double checking the findings,” White said.

The Briton added that investigations showed that the failures were not related to the mid-race Safety Car period.

"We had evidence that the alternator on Sebastian's car was showing signs of overheating before the Safety Car period, but the slower speeds prolonged its life expectancy slightly," White explained.

“With Romain's (Grosjean) car, the problem occurred very suddenly some laps after the Safety Car had been withdrawn,” White added.

The engineer indicated that Renault Sport would look at various measures to prevent a similar problem occurring at Silverstone during the Grand Prix of Great Britain, using a different batch of alternators, increasing the cooling or going back to last year's units.

Kia Motors, official sponsor of Euro 2012, is donating US$100,000 to its selected charity, Make-A-Wish International. The automaker has also invited six children to serve as official ball carriers during the matches in Poland and Ukraine.

"Make-A-Wish International is thrilled to be Kia's selected charity and know that our wish children are very excited to take part in UEFA EURO 2012," said Jon Stettner, president and chief executive officer of Make-A-Wish International. "A wish come true helps children feel stronger, more energetic and more willing and able to battle their life-threatening medical conditions. All the children attending are an example of the strength given through a granted wish. This opportunity offers a wonderful way for our wish children and Kia to take part in celebrating our mission and love for football together!"

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. The Quebec chapter will host its sixth annual Ride for Wishes event at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal from September 14th to 16th, 2012 and Auto123.com will enter three teams of riders.

Canadian driver Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 Formula 1 World Champion has taken Danica Patrick off the race track last weekend during the last moments of the NASCAR Nationwide race held at Road America.

The television footage shows Villeneuve past Max Papis and on Danica Patrick's rear bumper going into a sharp left-hand corner when he appeared to miss his braking point and tapped into her GoDaddy.com car, sending her spinning off the track.





After first blaming the whole thing on another driver, Villeneuve dismissively waved Danica's crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and reporters away and made the following statement on TV: "It (Patrick's trip into the gravel trap) had nothing to do with me. I don't care."

That promoted Discount Tire, the main sponsor of Penske Racing's No. 22 Nationwide Series car driven by Villeneuve that day, took the rare step of issuing a statement.

"Together Penske and Discount Tire have achieved great success in the Nationwide Series, including a championship, and have maintained the highest levels of integrity and sportsmanship throughout that relationship. Although we believe the contact between Villeneuve and Patrick to be unfortunate, it is a part of professional racing. However, Villeneuve's post-race comments did not reflect our ideals regarding sportsmanship. Having said that, we continue to be very proud of our relationship with the Penske organization."

The Corvette is more than just a legend; it is the definition of the American sports car. No other North American built and designed car has the same clout, history or desirability factor.

As the car's 60th anniversary approaches, we did a quick survey of the team to get their favorite Vettes of the last six decades. We had a tough time overall as the person's age played a factor in selecting the cars that marked our psyches over the years.

As we built the list, a number of prototypes came up and so we decided to list those out as well.

The final Corvette tally looks like this:

10. 2012 Corvette Grand Sport

Photo: General Motors

Continue reading Top 10 Chevrolet Corvettes of all time

After being struck down by a nasty intestinal infection at the Grand Prix of Europe in Valencia, Marussia F1 Team driver Timo Glock is back on the road to recovery.

“Generally I am feeling much better. I still feel a little weak in the legs, but otherwise I am okay,” Glock said in a news feature posted on the Marussia F1 Team's web site Thursday.

Timo Glock, Marussia F1 Team (Photo: Marussia F1 Team)

"It was obviously very disappointing that I was forced to miss the race in Valencia, but that is the way it goes sometimes. You cannot just ignore the symptoms I was experiencing. I am now on my way to a full recovery, although it will be a few more days before I am allowed to train again,” the German driver added.

"I am now looking forward to the forthcoming weeks. Included on the programme is my home race with my Marussia F1 Team, which means it will be a busy and demanding period with lots of events and activities. However, by then I should be totally fit again."

Glock is now looking forward to the Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone next weekend.

While Rick Hendrick may have swapped crew chiefs at the end of 2010, New Hampshire Motor Speedway has gone one step farther.

The one-mile oval has moved the Sprint Cup garages to the virtual center stage starting with the LENOX Industrial Tools 301 weekend July 13-15th.

"With the garage switch to the middle, where the visibility will be so much greater from the main grandstands. I think it gets them a little closer to the action,” said Jerry Gappens the executive vice president and general manager of the track, adding “it's our sport's version of the locker room."

The line between white and dirt shows how high cold pit road had been. (Photo: NHMS)

Gappens credits John Zudell "our vice president of facilities and operations. He's been part of Bruton's development team. John pretty much rebuilt Bristol, Las Vegas and Sonoma. He made the move up from Charlotte with me in 2008. He's got a vision with the fan amenities from his experience the great SMI facilities. It starts with Bruton; he puts money back in the facilities for the fans."

Zudell explains "this is a culmination of about four years of planning. When we rearranged the south half of the infield in 2009, it started the conversation of putting the Sprint Cup Series in the center garage. This upcoming season, fans will be able to see Cup drivers in the center of the infield."

Construction of pit road area at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (Photo: NHMS)

The track announcement said "fans will now have a garage that's far more accessible than previous years, while still providing teams more maneuverability - which is crucial given pre-race pit pass distribution, has increased by nearly 300 percent."

"The increase brings a lot more fans close to the pit-road activities," added Zudell of the spike in pre-race pit passes. "We've added two more crossover gates on the front stretch that will give us more capacity to get people in and out in the rush just prior to the race."

Additionally the pit stalls at the pits #29-43 will be leveled with the pits south of the start finish line.

There's more than meets the eye at the "Magic Mile".

Construction worker at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (Photo: NHMS)

"This time we've done more to the infrastructure piping and drains," said Gappens adding "people wouldn't notice kit with the naked eye. We reconfigured the tunnel. Actually put a sidewalk in the tunnel. There never had been an actual sidewalk in the tunnel."

Instead of being just another aging track New Hampshire Motor Speedway has a comfort factor unknown to other ovals.

As Gappens noted "I'm really proud of it. It has a kind of a Fenway Park/Wrigley Field feel to it."