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Mazda has posted train-wreck fiscal year 2011/12 results with an operating loss of JPY38.7bn (profit of JPY23.8bn the previous year) on sales of JPY2.03 trillion (JPY2.3 trillion).

German chemicals giant, Evonik Industries, has put forward several alternatives to its Nylon 12 resin product, following the recent fatal explosion at its partially-destroyed Marl factory that killed two employees.

The Indonesian automotive association, Gaikindo, has dramatically cut its forecast for vehicles sales this year to 700,000 units, from 950,000 earlier in the year, citing new government policies designed to curb excessive borrowing.

There was a time when VW liked to strut around a bit and emphasise its success relative to the competition. But now that rivals have jobs, and even whole factories on the line at risk, it was sensible and sensitive to concentrate on reporting its own results rather than its results relative to others.

Does 31 mpg, eked from a 4,255-pound, five-passenger luxury sedan swimming in leather and wood and all the techy accoutrements to which the 1 percent have become accustomed, sound reasonable? Fathomable, even?

Remember the basket-case that was Chrysler? Then who do you think Sergio Marchionne can have been describing in yesterday's webcast eulogy: "We are incredibly satisfied with the first quarter; absolutely outstanding; fired on all cylinders.600,000 cars for the quarter.the target for the year is 2.4m. The outlook is absolutely positive."

Honda said it more than doubled its quarterly operating profit as production recovered from a number of natural disasters last year.

German supplier Continental AG today reported better-than expected first-quarter sales and affirmed its outlook for the full year. Sales rose by about 11.5 percent to 8.3 billion euros ($10.98 billion), the company said in a statement.

All three engine offerings for the 2013 Ford Escape were certified by the EPA to get 30 mpg or more on the highway, Ford said. Ford has redesigned the Escape for 2013 and dropped the V-6 engine option in favor of a top-of-the-line 2.

Sergio Marchionne launched another attempt by Fiat to win over Chinese buyers on Monday, with the unveiling of the Viaggio sedan at the Beijing auto show.

It would be impossible to narrow down which, of all the countless cars I've driven, I would name as my favourite - but people do ask. Constantly.

Let's just say that I have so many personal favourites, for just as many reasons - but there are a few that are especially memorable.

Not the fastest, nor the prettiest, the DeLorean is nonetheless, one of the most compelling vehicles I've ever experienced.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The DeLorean DMC 12 (DMC for DeLorean Motor Company, 12 for its originally projected price of $12,000) is the embodiment of a long-held, but short-lived dream.

The brainchild of John Z. DeLorean, a controversial playboy executive who left General Motors to build the ultimate sports car, the Northern Ireland based DeLorean Motor Company produced just over 8,000 cars between 1981 and 1982, when the company folded amidst allegations of drug money funding.

Although charges against John DeLorean were later dropped, it was too late for DMC which had been plagued by production problems and claims of inflated performance figures.

But the DeLorean remains a pop culture icon thanks to its starring role as the time machine in the movie "Back to the Future" and a symbol of the flamboyant lifestyle of its creator.

Photo: profilesinhistory.com

The Italdesign body isn't what you'd call conventionally pretty. Angular, wedge-shaped with a rakish fastback and louvered rear window, it uses every design cue of its era. Its most famous visual elements are of course, the signature gullwing doors and brushed stainless steel body panels. It rides on a Lotus-designed frame and suspension.

Ducking my head and dropping into the seat, I tug on the leather strap to lower the gullwing door. The seats are well cushioned and upholstered in leather that's finely cracked and burnished with the patina of age.

Driving position is somewhat reclined - since the seat has minimal adjustment fore and aft, and being short, I found myself stretching for the pedals. At only 44 inches tall, this is not a car that accommodates an upright seating position!

The headliner is indented to allow more head clearance - sort of an interior variation of the Gurney bubble.

Everything is upholstered in stitched grey leather, including the vertical, flat dash and the high-walled centre console which runs like a spine through the car, bisecting the cockpit.

By today's standards, the interior is dated and kitschy, but for 1981, it must have seemed futuristic indeed. The small windows inset into the gullwing door's larger glass are a late add-on, allowing for North American toll booths. And thankfully, Tim Horton's drive-throughs!

Available with either a 5-speed manual, or 3-speed automatic, the DeLorean's powered by a 2.8L 130 hp V6 developed jointly by Renault, Volvo and Peugeot. Located under the angular hatch, its placement behind the rear axle makes this a true rear-engined car.

The steering wheel is leather-wrapped, and has a nice feel, although the lack of power steering makes turn-in a bit heavy. The brakes, however, are decidedly vague. The Lotus derived suspension is firm and there's not much roll. By today's sports car standards, the DeLorean is underpowered at 130 hp. But who cares? Grinning ear-to-ear, we managed to achieve the magical 88 mph mark, but unfortunately remained firmly planted in this decade.

There's no question that the DeLorean is still a fan favourite: everywhere we went, people slowed down to point, wave or give us the thumbs up sign.

A beloved pop-culture icon, the DeLorean transcends its past to become perhaps a more fitting tribute to its creator than even he intended.
And certainly remains one of my most memorable.

Harrison Ford? What the hell does he have to do with the Lincoln Navigator? I'll get to that in a bit. First, let me express how stoked I was when I found out I was going to be driving a Lincoln Navigator for a week. I was at the launch of the current generation Ford Expedition back in July of 2006 and I clearly recall liking the big galoot.


As you all know, the Lincoln Navigator has always been the other favourite mode of transportation of pimps, mafia and the likes. The Navigator's enforcer aura has also tickled the fancy of all types of ball players since it first arrived back in 1998. I have always wanted to meet a chromed-out Expedition and now I have.

Ageing gracefully
Upon closer inspection of my press truck, I came to realize that the 2012 Lincoln Navigator isn't all badass as it might have once been. In fact, I've found it to have a few wrinkles which actually made it somewhat endearing. Are you starting to get it? Harrison Ford used to be badass, but now he's a nice and handsome old guy.

On the inside, it's much of the same. The boxy symmetrical presentation of the dashboard dates back to another time. Every control, dial and knob are still highly functional for say, a guy Harrison's age. Someone half his age might prefer the jazzier user interface found in the Ford Explorer, for example.

In any case, everyone will find the Navigator's comfort levels to be outstanding. Indy always felt so comfortable with his fedora on this head. The big Lincoln's seats rival most La-Z-Boy chairs and the amount of interior space is akin to the size of Harrison's ranch; all 800 acres of it.

The boxy symmetrical presentation of the dashboard dates back to another time. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.TV)

Still smooth
Despite being a body-on-frame vehicle, like Mr Ford, the 2012 Lincoln Navigator is still solid, rugged and pretty much ready for anything. In spite of that, the Navigator still prefers cruising city streets over going off-road. I don't know about you, but Harrison seemed far more comfortable sitting at the news desk in Morning Glory than he did running away from the Soviets in the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Under bonnet, the truck ('cause we can call it that) sports Ford's venerable 5.4L V8. Rated at 310 hp and 365 lb-ft of torque, it's outclassed by many of its younger full-sized competitors like the 400 hp Infiniti QX56. Harrison can no longer compete physically with the likes of Hugh Jackman.

However underpowered, the 5.4L's silky torque delivery and easygoing 6-speed autobox still get the job done. Most of the torque swells in at just over 3,000 rpm, so the 2,723 kg (6,003 lb) friendly giant gets moving. The cost, however, is fuel. Lots and lots of fuel... I averaged 19L/100km in mixed driving. I'm still shivering at the thought of filling up the 106L tank. Want Harrison Ford in your movie? It'll cost you $20 million. Same thing.

Under bonnet, the truck ('cause we can call it that) sports Ford's venerable 5.4L V8. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.com)

Comfort be thy name
Body-on-frame used to signify getting shaken to the core before ralphing your lunch, back in the day. This old dog soaks up the world's nastiest paved roads with little shuddering. The refinement level of the Navigator rivals that of the old Town Car, it even surpasses it. The Navigator stays quiet and docile on the highway; it's almost cocoon-like. Han Solo, the old dog (or was it pirate?), eventually trusted Lando with the Millennium Falcon...

The 2012 Lincoln Navigator is truly all about comfort, almost. Its older design does betray the driving position as the steering wheel is not telescopic. I found it difficult to stay put in my perch, especially when navigating in the city. On the freeway, leaving one hand on the wheel was the only way to be at ease.

The refinement level of the Navigator rivals that of the old Town Car, it even surpasses it. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour/Auto123.TV)

The price
At $73,900, the Navigator is priced at the lower end of its segment which includes the likes of the aforementioned Infiniti QX, the Cadillac Escalade, the Lexus LX and the Audi Q7. Unfortunately, it finds itself in a dying segment where there really only is room for one American and one German. Perhaps the next Navigator will shine, should it come back. For certain, the next instalment of Indiana Jones is coming; let's hope it'll be better than the last.

Like Harrison, the Navigator is getting old but hasn't lost all of its charm. The wrinkles are more obvious, but you can't help yourself from saying: it's Harrison; it's a Navigator.

Infiniti QX56

Lexus LX 570

Cadillac Escalade

Mihai Marinescu set the best performance at the end of two day of collective tests in Portimao, Portugal.

German driver Markus Pommer dominated the sessions on Wednesday, setting the quickest lap in the morning, then in the afternoon session, and was again the fastest driver on Thursday morning. But, on Thursday afternoon, Mihai Marinescu set his best lap in 1'33''871, which put him in front of the classification of the four sessions cumulated.

Steering wheel of Mihai Marinescu. (Photo: FormulaTwo.com)

The performances were very close during the last test session, as the romanian driver finally led Kevin Mirocha, from Poland, for only one thousand of a second, while British driver (and championship leader) Luciano Bacheta was only 78 thousands slower, and Pommer concluded the session 99 thousands of a second slower than Marinescu.

Markus Pommer. (Photo: FormulaTwo.com)

The Portimao circuit will host the 3rd and 4th rounds of the Formula 2 championship, after both opening rounds presented in Silverstone were won by Luciano Bacheta.

It's no surprise that Sprint Cup drivers are happy with the repaving at the two and-a-half mile Pocono Raceway. The track takes a pounding from the hot summers and cold winters and the last repave was in 1995

Goodyear conducted a tire test on Wednesday to determine the best compound for the new surface.

Jamie McMurray, a Daytona 500 winner who drives for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, said “I think they did an amazing job on the repave. I was really concerned because the track was so rough and when they did Talladega, it was super smooth. As soon as they repaved Daytona, it still had bumps in it, in different places than what it had before. So, I didn't know when we got here, if it was going to still be rough, you know smoother, but rough. But, (they did a) really good job on the repave on how smooth the track is.”

Photo: Pocono Raceway

Kasey Kahne, who is now driving for Hendrick Motor Sports and is looking for his first win of the year added,“ the track feels great. I mean as far as the grip, and the way rubber is that we put down a little bit yesterday and this morning, it's smoother. It still has the same transitions, the same rolling hills in spots that Pocono has always been known for. To me, it's really good.”

And Kahne, who is the track record holder, was able to run laps about half-a-second faster due to running on the new pavement in cool weather.

Looking forward to the summer races he noted “the thing you can look forward to is as more cars get here, more rubber on the racetrack, you can start moving around the track. You know, this place takes a beating in the winter time, and even in the summer, it's hot. So, it will widen out quickly and that's what makes good racing. As long as Goodyear is giving us good tires, that fall of and everything that we look for in a tire, I think the track is going to be great. We're going to want to come up here and race more often than what maybe we have in the past.”

Photo: Pocono Raceway

Austin Dillon, the reigning Camping World Truck Series Champion, was also happy with how his test went for Richard Childress Racing “well, the track is very fast. We're just working on adjusting the new grooves right now. It's fun. I'm happy to be driving it. It's like driving a go cart out there. (There is a) lot of grip out there and pretty much wide open for us. Turns 1 and 2 you are gaining a lot of speed. It's very wide open, especially; the turns are close to wide open.”

Also testing at the track called the tricky triangle were Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports), Matt Crafton (ThorSport) and Joey Logano (Joe Gibbs Racing).


From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is getting married again.

It will be the F1 supremo's third marriage. His first wife was Ivy, and they had a daughter, Deborah.

81-year-old Ecclestone's best known marriage, however, was to Slavica, a former Croatian model who, at six foot two, conspicuously stood a foot taller than diminutive Bernie.

Their two daughters are socialites Tamara, 27, and Petra, 23.

They were divorced in 2009 after a 24-year marriage, but Slavica remained entrusted with most of her former husband's huge wealth.

Ecclestone met his new fiancee, Fabiana Flosi, through his work, as she formerly worked on the marketing of the Brazilian grand prix.

"We are officially engaged -- and it is not going to be a long engagement either," Ecclestone told the Daily Mail.

Fabiana Flosi and Bernie Ecclestone.

"We are so happy and it's just a case of when we get married, not if, though we haven't fixed a time or place yet. We have been together for two years and what makes it work is that Fabiana has a really good sense of humour -- and when you live with me you need to have a sense of humour," he explained.

"Though I must say I am absolutely no trouble at home and I think she is lucky to have me."

Fabiana's diamond engagement ring is thought to have cost about $160,000.

She is five foot ten -- shorter than Slavica but still head-and-shoulders above her billionaire fiance.

"I didn't need to go down on one knee," Ecclestone quipped.

Following a lengthy hearing on Thursday before a three-person panel, the IndyCar Series has rejected Chevrolet's protest against Honda's planned turbocharger modifications the manufacturer wanted to introduce.

Honda had been granted permission by the series' governing body to introduce a new housing for the upcoming race in Brazil to which Chevrolet had objected.

Honda engine. (Photo: IndyCar)

The decision was made as to achieve parity between the alternative turbo layouts. - despite this promise not being formally enshrined within the regulations.

But after a lengthy hearing on Thursday, IndyCar ruled that Honda could go ahead with its changes.

Honda welcomed the decision, saying in a statement that it would level the playing field. "The new compressor cover helps to offset a demonstrable performance disadvantage between single- and twin-turbocharged IndyCar Series engines."

So far this season, Chevrolet has won all three rounds held since the new technical package came into effect.

From GMM

Pirelli is getting the credit - or the blame - for F1's unstable pecking order so far in 2012.

For the first time in almost three decades, four different cars - McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull - have won the opening four races of the season, while others - Lotus and Sauber - have displayed potential winning pace.

"The explanation is Pirelli -- it's the tires," Swiss commentator and former F1 driver Marc Surer told Austrian television Servus TV. "It's been a question of who can make them work, and that is depending on a number of factors."

Some cars, for example, require the tires to be running hot and working hard before they deliver their pace, whilst others only find the 'sweet spot' in cold conditions.

For most, however, it's just a mystery.

Red Bull engineer evaluating a brand new tire. (Photo: Pirelli)

"We know we were slow (in Bahrain) but we don't understand why," revealed Melbourne winner Jenson Button.

Publicly, teams like McLaren are hailing the invigorated 'show'. Privately, they may be looking back ruefully on the Bridgestone era.

"Bridgestone made great tires that could hold on for the whole race," Surer continued. "The only tension was when the two at the front were going to pit. Now, there is a stress factor that has been produced by the tire company. Sometimes, maybe, it's a bit too much."

Vitantonio Liuzzi, the former HRT driver, doesn't agree with Surer's final point, nor Michael Schumacher's claim that Pirelli needs to rethink its approach to making F1 tires.

"The tires are not blowing up, they are not blistering and it's always a challenge for both drivers and engineers to set up the car properly and get the maximum out of them. A tricky situation," he told gocar.gr. "We have to give thumbs up to Pirelli for the work they have done."

Pirelli engineers analysing Ferrari's used tires. (Photo: Pirelli)

It is on Liuzzi's point about the situation being "tricky" that F1 team bosses completely agree about.

"The challenge is how to use the tires, how to set up your car," said Mercedes' Norbert Haug.

Agreed Red Bull's Christian Horner: "I think this year the tire has dominated performance and I think it's crucial to try and understand how they work."

"It's clear," Lotus' Eric Boullier added, "that the key for performance is the tires."

From GMM

Jaime Alguersuari reportedly ended talks with the Lotus (nee Renault) team late last year because he believed his job at Toro Rosso was safe.

That is the claim of the Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, referring to the 22-year-old Spanish driver who was ousted at the last minute for the 2012 season by Toro Rosso owner Red Bull.

"Everybody was caught out with not enough time to think of everything, so I was left without a seat," he said in March.

For 2012, he is still in the paddock full-time with a co-commentary role on British radio BBC, while he will keep his senses sharp by serving as F1 tire supplier Pirelli's main test driver.

"It (the Red Bull decision) hurt me but it didn't kill me," he is quoted as saying.

Photo: Lotus F1 Team

But Mundo Deportivo claims that it was "very difficult" for Alguersuari to witness Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean finish on the podium in Bahrain last weekend.

"He no doubt remembers last November 26, the day of qualifying in Brazil, when the Lotus Renault team was interested to know if he was free to go to them in 2012," read the report.

Alguersuari, who writes a column for Mundo Deportivo, reportedly told the Lotus bosses that he would be at Toro Rosso in 2012, because Franz Tost and Dr Helmut Marko had told him so.

Interestingly, Alguersuari will drive a Lotus Renault this year, because it is the Enstone based team's 2010 car that has been acquired by Pirelli for private tire testing.

His track programme kicks off at Jerez next month.

When people think of the electric car, they still see that small, comical, short-ranged automobile that we all fear we'll be stuck with when the world's runs out of petrol. But for years' already, California-based Tesla has been offering the Roadster - a cool-looking two-seater that goes the distance.


Tesla has now brought out the five-seater Model S, available with a extra two seats for small children.

The opposition on the electric car market has so far been scarce for Tesla, the main competition being, at best, still in the shape of promising prototypes. Audi has the R8 e-tron, supposed to come out towards the end of 2012.

Infiniti has the LE concept - an 100% electric-powered car unveiled at the New York Auto Show - but has yet to confirm a date for when it will be commercialized.



Price for the Model S varies according to the battery range. The first of three option is a 40 kWh version (costs $50,000), that can take you anywhere in the 257 km range. Then there is the 60 kWh ($60,000) good for 370 km, and finally the 85 kWh ($70,000) that will go 483 km.

That last alternative also comes in a faster trim, that will do 0-100 km/h in 4.4s (rather than the 5.6s of the "standard version"), but costs $15,000 more for the same range.

All batteries are guaranteed for eighth years.

Design with efficiency in mind, the Tesla S is sleek to look at. No exuberant wheels, no door handles sticking out, even the electric plug is tucked behind the rear headlamp for better aerodynamics. The car having no exhaust system, the body was closed at the back to further reduce drag under the car.

Design with efficiency in mind, the Tesla S is sleek to look at. (Photo: Tesla)

The black microfiber seats help to give the interior a sporty look. Other textures are optionals, such as napa leather. Also available is a panoramic glass roof.

To better stay in tune with all the car's systems, the onboard computer is operated by the driver through a 17 inch high-resolution screen. Navigation and audio systems are displayed, as well as the battery's charge. It also features two USB and WiFi ports, 12 speakers and can store up to 3,000 songs.

For charging, adaptors allow you to plug in either North American 110 or 220V.

The Model S will be available starting this fall. So far, Tesla only has one dealership in Canada, which is located in Toronto.

From GMM

Two teams deployed a quiet 'trick' in Bahrain in order to exploit a loophole in the long-life gearbox rules, a specialist publication claims.

Williams' Pastor Maldonado had to move five places back on the grid last Sunday because a fault in his gearbox was discovered after the Chinese grand prix.

A cost-saving rule in F1 requires gearboxes to last five consecutive grands prix, with unscheduled changes met with the penalty.

But some gearbox problems "can be simulated for tactical reasons", read a report in Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

So why would a team do that?

Whilst he was struggling out of the points during the Bahrain grand prix, Williams decided to pull the sister FW34 driven by Bruno Senna out of the race.

"I started feeling a lot of vibration in the brake pedal," said the Brazilian, "and the decision was made to pit to avoid risking an accident."

But Auto Motor und Sport contends: "His retirement was tactical."

The publication said a manufacturing defect was discovered on both Williams cars ahead of the Bahrain weekend, with a fix not set to be in place until Barcelona.

The loophole in the long-life gearbox rule is that genuine retirements - for whatever reason - are not further penalised on the grid of the next race, even if a gearbox is changed out of sequence.

McLaren's Jenson Button also did not see the chequered flag in Bahrain.

Photo: WRi2

Whilst running in the points a few laps before the end, the Briton had to pit due to puncture, probably caused by a broken and noisy exhaust that was blowing hot gases onto the tire.

"A lap later, despite setting a personal best in sector two, Button was back in the pits," said Auto Motor und Sport.

The official explanation was a differential problem, but Auto Motor und Sport claims the retirement, like Senna's, was "probably for tactical reasons".

"Button was in 13th place, with no hope of breaking into the points."

The retirement means he can now take on a fresh gearbox for Barcelona, without penalty. This could have an added benefit, journalist Michael Schmidt contends, because McLaren is planning modifications at the rear of the car that require a new gearbox shape.

Without the tactical retirement in Bahrain, Jenson Button would have had to wait until Monaco for the new gearbox.

Meanwhile, Michael Schumacher took a five-place grid penalty in Bahrain due to Mercedes having to break the seal on his gearbox prior to the race.

He can therefore have a complete gearbox change for Barcelona, which according to Auto Motor und Sport is an all-new carbon housing design that is lighter, which should improve the W04's treatment of the Pirelli tires.

Teammate Nico Rosberg must wait until Monaco before he can use the new 'box.