Auto News 5

The Calcutta High Court has ruled in favour of Tata Motors over a long-running battle for the land on which the firm had originally begun to build its Nano plant. The half-finished manufacturing facility was eventually abandoned after violent protests.

Vauxhall reveals the limited Black Edition Corsa, powered by a new 1.4-litre turbo engine

Elektromotive, a privately owned firm which specialises in recharging points for EVs, has announced plans for a national network of pay-by-mobile plug-in stations for the UK.

A Rome labor court has told Fiat to hire 145 workers who are members of Italy's largest metalworkers union, Fiom-CGIL, in the latest twist in a long-running dispute between the carmaker and the union.

Samsung Group says it now wants its name removed from Renault Samsung Motors (RSM), even though the firm agreed in 2010 to its use until 2020.

Automotive cables supplier Leoni AG has achieved the highest increase in shareholder value of all stock market listed companies in the European automotive supplier industry.

The Hyundai i30 Tourer starts from £16,195, and goes on sale in the UK today

BMW adds four-wheel drive, hybrid and M Sport variants to the 3 Series line-up

Automakers will have to radically change their business models to integrate into the connected transport systems predicted for the long-term future.

Automakers will have to radically change their business models to integrate into the connected transport systems predicted for the long-term future.

The chief executive of Volvo Car Corporation (VCC) has told a newswire that he is discussing plans for a US plant with several rival makers.

Chrysler says traffic delays at the Canada-U.S. border are driving up costs for the world's seventh-largest automaker, which sends 2,000 finished cars and trucks a day across an 83-year-old bridge linking Detroit to Windsor, Ontario.

Five companies were recognized at the Automotive News Europe Congress in Monte Carlo on Thursday, as leaders in their field who have managed to increase their shareholder value over the last 12- and 36-month periods.

Five companies were recognized at the Automotive News Europe Congress in Monte Carlo on Thursday, as leaders in their field who have managed to increase their shareholder value over the last 12- and 36-month periods.

After a French newspaper reported this week that the Peugeot family was unhappy with the way CEO Philippe Varin was running PSA, the carmaker's supervisory board was quick to rally to his defense, issuing a statement of support on Wednesday.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn is considering stepping down before the company's next mid-term business plan begins in about five years.

Volvo is seeking a partner that can help it build vehicles in North America. "In the medium term, five to six years, we need to find a proper solution in North America," Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby said.

Tesla survived a cash crisis in 2008 and today delivers its first electric car designed and built solely in-house. Co-founder Elon Musk will soon learn if there's enough Model S demand for Tesla to profit.

AMG has been wholly owned by Mercedes since 2005, but the real romance between the two brands began 45 years ago. The adventure culminated in the creation of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG in 2009. That was only the beginning of the rest of the story.


The SLS AMG was the first car entirely designed by AMG, as opposed to “tuning” an existing Mercedes. When AMG built this car, they knew that the sky was the limit as far as versions, power numbers and racing was concerned.

Enter the new 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT, the first street-legal baby step in exploring the seemingly unlimited potential of this car.

The SLS AMG was the first car entirely designed by AMG, as opposed to “tuning” an existing Mercedes. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

The first element that makes this SLS a GT is its engine. The 6.2L (6,208 cc) V8 now develops 591 hp, up from 563. Torque remains identical at 479 lb-ft. The 0-100 km/h drops one-tenth of a second to 3.7 seconds. The AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7‑speed transmission, mounted on the rear axle, is unchanged physically.

What has been improved upon are the car's electronic controls. Throttle is now even more responsive as are transmission shift reaction times. When in "M" manual mode, the DCT's newly developed gear change functions and optimized transmission controls have made it possible to reduce upshift and downshift times. As well, each downshift comes with even more aural feedback.

The most important and novel feature of the new SLS AMG GT is its AMG RIDE CONTROL Performance suspension. This adjustable sport suspension forgoes the Comfort mode available in the regular SLS for a Sport Plus setting that is specifically designed for smooth tracks.

The suspension itself revolves around twin aluminum wishbones at every corner, electronically controlled dampers and stiffer springs. From Normal, Sport caters to those that love to push their SLS AMGs hard on country roads. This setting provides increased suspension travel for less-than-perfect roads, thus limiting pitch and roll, but all the while maintaining ideal controlled contact with the surface.

As one would expect, only the best is offered when it comes to crafting the SLS GT's interior. New top-end AMG designo Exclusive STYLE leather is an option but all cars are swathed in the finest hides and high-quality woods.

As one would expect, only the best is offered when it comes to crafting the SLS GT's interior. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz)

What physically distinguishes the GT from the basic car are smoked headlights and taillights. Other stunning details include AMG forged, matte black 10-spoke wheels (19” front, 20” rear) which partially hide red brake callipers. Also, the hood, fenders and front grille fins along with side-view mirrors all have a glossy finish. The all-important AMG logo now features “GT” letters.

The 2013 Mercedes SLS AMG GT will launch in October of 2012. Canadian pricing has not yet been set; however, expect the base Coupe GT to retail for 10 to 15% more than the regular $206,900 Coupe.

Maybe you already own a GPS or you're planning to buy one in the near future. Here's a thought: are you allowed to mount it on your car's windshield?

Well, it depends on where you live.

Kicking Tires reported data from POI-Factory.com that shows the different US states and Canadian provinces where it is legal to mount a GPS on the windshield and others where current laws forbid you.

The map below should come in handy if you decide to embark on a cross-country trip:



Source: POI-Factory.com