Auto News 5

Chrysler will pay workers represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) the second half of the US$3,500 ratification bonus on 21 December, waiving a condition outlined in the collective bargaining agreement signed last year requiring payment in the first quarter of 2013.

Porsche will add at least four new vehicles by 2018, including the Macan mid-sized crossover and 918 Spyder hybrid sports car due next year.

The French car market is on course for its worst performance in 15 years in 2012, the CCFA industry association said as it reported a 19.2 percent drop in November new-car registrations.

A former GM engineer and her husband were found guilty of conspiring to steal the automaker's trade secrets for hybrid and electric vehicles.

As Mazda and Fiat work to finalize their deal to make roadsters together, the companies are looking at other possible joint projects, Mazda's CEO said.

Like many Canadians, I store my sports car away in a "garage" for winter. That's "garage" with "bunny ears" because its not actually a garage.

I don't have a real garage. I have a portable shelter. And since I can't tuck my little MR2 into a snuggly warm bed for the winter, that's where he gets to spend it.

Said shelter isn't my first attempt at giving my beloved ride a comfy place to sleep. His first shelter looked like a good deal, until the weight of a winter's worth of snow stressed and ripped the crappy, cheap seams apart. Less than a year later, a wind storm ripped the cover from all but three of the straps that held it to the shelter's frame, leaving it flapping in the wind.

The replacement shelter is still in tip-top shape, 3 years later. Turns out, theres a right and a wrong way to buy a shelter. So, learn from my mistakes and consider a few common sense tips when shopping for a place for your car to stay with these winter storage solutions:

Photo: Tempo

Winter Storage Solution No.1: Observe
Look at the cover.

Usually, its made of a polyethelene “tarp.” Is it double or triple stitched together around the edges? What about where implements like windows, doors and straps are attached? Are the seams substantial? Is there a gaurantee against ripping and tearing?

The cover is the only thing separating your ride from the elements, so be sure its up for the job. Retailers like Canadian Tire even offer shelters with “welded” seams that do away with stitching altogether.

Winter Storage Solution No. 2: Count your grommets
Grommets are passages through the cover that allow it to be attached to the frame by screws, bungee cords or other means. These attachment points take a lot of wear when the cover is exposed to wind and snow. Generally, more grommets holding the cover in place give it less room to move over the frame, which results in less ripping, tearing and stress. Less flapping equals a longer cover life.

Winter Storage Solution No. 3: Keep the vicinity clear
Don't underestimate the damage that tree branches, possibly weighted down with snow, can do to your shelter's cover. Trim branches away so they can't come in contact with your storage solution, and remember that a sharp branch in a windstorm can wear significantly on your investment.

Winter Storage Solution No. 4: Anchors away
After finding a location for your car's winter refuge and checking with local bylaws that everything is hunky-dory, consider how you'll anchor the shelter to the ground. Unlike a garage, your shelter has no foundation which is why numerous anchoring options are possible. Shop knowing your surface so you can choose the best anchornig system for the job. Measure your car to ensure it will fit into your shelter (even with its doors open).

Winter Storage Solution No. 5: Domed is the way to go
A domed roof will help prevent the build-up of heavy snow, keeping weight off your shelter's cover and reducing wear. If you don't opt for a domed-roof model, occasional clearing of heavy snow is a good idea.

Winter Storage Solution No. 6: You get what you pay for
Remember that your shelter is likely similarly priced to a few years of paying to store your car elsewhere. With that in mind, spend a few extra bucks to get a top-quality unit, rather than opting to save a few dollars at the expense of quality.

The iconic Batmobile from the 1960s TV series Batman will be auctioned on January 19th, 2013 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Inspired from the 1955 Lincoln Futura concept, the car was shaped into a crime-fighting machine by famous customizer George Barris, instantly becoming a classic for the ages.

Over the years, various Batmobile replicas have fetched around $250,000, and while the auction house won't say how much it hopes to get for the original, some believe the bids will reach a few million dollars.

Source: Lapresse

Photo: Barris.com

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has announced that it had hired veteran engineer Eddie Jones, who has worked in the past for drivers like Michael Andretti (2001-03), Dan Wheldon (2003-05), Marco Andretti (2006-08, 2012), Danica Patrick (2009-10) and Rubens Barrichello (2012).

According to what we can only guess, that move was made in preparation for the coming of a second entry for the 2013 season.

Foyt to have a team in Indy Lights starting in 2014
AJ Foyt Racing has officially revealed that it will enter the 2014 Firestone Indy Lights series with driver Timothy Paul who has run competitively in the F2000 Championship Series in 2012.

The 27-year-old will spend 2013 competing in both F2000 and USF2000 in a CellMark Paper-sponsored entry in order to prepare for the 2014 season when Indy Lights will introduce its new car/engine regulations.

Andretti hires Zach Veach
Andretti Autosport has signed 17-year-old Zach Veach to compete in Firestone Indy Lights alongside 20-year-old Carlos Muñoz.

Veach will drive the No. 12 K12 entry for the 2013 season, which includes the Freedom 100 held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Last year, while testing an Indy Light car for the first time, Veach topped the speed charts and set an unofficial new track record at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hitachi with Helio Castroneves
Hitachi will serve as the primary sponsor for nine races on the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet driven by three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves in the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series.

Hitachi will have its logos on the Brazilian No. 3 DW-12 at races in St. Petersburg, Sao Paulo, Detroit (two races), Iowa, Pocono, Toronto (two races) and Sonoma.

I'm looking at the latest edition of Desrosiers Automotive Reports, which breaks down each brand's sales by region, and notes some interesting numbers. Here are a few significant and obvious ones:

Ontario
National sales proportion: 37%
In Canada's biggest vehicle market, the luxury brands are doing very well. Land Rover, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, Lexus, and Jaguar move between 41% and 54% of their total Canadian sales in this province.

British Columbia
National sales proportion: 10%
Ah, the land of the fortwo; smart sells a staggering 48% of their total Canadian volume in BC. Land Rover is also doing well at 24%, while most luxury brands boast above-average percentages.

Prairies
National sales proportion: 20%
Unsurprisingly, trucks rule in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, racking up 27% of total Canadian light truck sales. The Prairies is a big market for GM (29%), Ford (27.5%) and Chrysler (27%), while small-car brands such as MINI, Fiat and smart are just about nonexistent here.

Atlantic
National sales proportion: 8%
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland are not big markets for auto manufacturers. Still, a few brands enjoy above-average numbers, such as Hyundai and Toyota at 10% as well as Honda, Suzuki, GM, Mitsubishi and Kia, all at 9%. The luxury brands perform poorly here, with between 1% and 4% of total national sales.

Quebec
National sales proportion: 25%
As opposed to the Prairies, cars rule in La Belle Province, as 32% of all cars sold in Canada roll off Quebec dealer lots. A few brands concentrate their efforts here; almost one out of two Suzuki vehicles are sold there (45%), while Mitsubishi (39%), Subaru (38%), Kia (38%), Mazda (37%), Fiat (36%), Scion (35%), Hyundai (34%) and Volkswagen (33%) please a lot of Quebec small-car shoppers. Underachievers obviously include GM, Ford and Chrysler, who all rely heavily on their light-truck sales in Canada.

Territories
National sales proportion: probably 0%
There are very few dealers up here. Ford, GM and Chrysler each have a dealer in Yukon and one in the Northwest Territories. Honda, Kia, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota also have a dealership in Yukon. Due to their low volume, their numbers have been added to adjacent regions.

Source: Desrosiers Automotive Reports, 3Q YTD 2012

The 2012/2013 season of the Andros Trophy ice racing series held in France will kick off this weekend at Val Thorens. Here is the entry list of the two mains categories : the Silhouette (powered by thermal engines) and the Androscar electric.

It is interesting to note that two of last year's bigger teams -- Skoda France and Dacia -- are not back this season. This means that some big stars of the Trophy, such as Alain Prost, Jacques Villeneuve, Franck Lagorce, Nicolas Prost and others will not be competing this year.

The Andros Trophy will likely feature smaller, private teams that have access to limited financial and technical ressources, which is a very good thing for the sport.

ANDROS SILHOUETTES

N°   Team  Car  Drivers
01   SpeedAventure.com  Citroën DS3  Benjamin RIVIERE
02  Saintéloc Racing  MINI   Jean Philippe DAYRAUT
03  Tork Eurodatacar  Dacia Lodgy  Berenice DEMOUSTIER Olivier PANIS
04  DA Racing  Renault Cio III  Jean Baptiste DUBOURG - Andréa DUBOURG
05  SpeedAventure.com   Citroen DS3  Laurent BARBIERI
07  Sainteloc Racing  MINI  Bertrand BALAS - Gerald FONTANEL
08  SpeedAventure.com  Citroën DS3  Jean Pierre PERNAUT - Olivier PERNAUT
09  Sainteloc Racing   Ford Fiesta  Guy MOTTARD - Didier THORAL
10  Racing Devt PHYLAMY   Toyota Auris  Lionel DAZIANO - Serge LUBRANO
11  Sainteloc Racing  Ford Fiesta  Eddy BENEZET - Dominique CHIANALE
12  Knapick Compétition  BMW série 1  Anne Sophie LEMONNIER - Herve KNAPICK
14  Sodifuel Racing  Renault Cio III  Cyril CALMON - Guillaume MAILLARD
15  Saintéloc Racing Ford  Fiesta   Ludovic GHERARDI - Thierry JONCOUX

ANDROSCARS ELECTRIC

N°  Partner  Car   Drivers
01   PILOT   Andros Car 04  Adrien TAMBAY
02  STEF   Andros Car 04  Olivier PERNAUT
03  ANDROS  Andros Car 04   Franck LAGORCE
04  SAFT   Andros Car 04   Matthieu VAXIVIERE
05  MOTUL  Systems Andros Car 04  Stephane ORTELLI
06  METROPOLE NICE COTE D'AZUR  Andros Car 04  Christophe FERRIER
07  PICARD  Andros Car 04  Margot LAFFITE
08  ALD  Automotive Andros Car 04  Louis GERVOSON
09  La SUN   Andros Car 04   To be Announced
10  TROPHEE ANDROS  Andros Car 04  Charlotte BERTON

2012/2013 CALENDAR

December 8-9, 2012        Val Thorens
December 14-15, 2012    Androrra
December 21-22, 2012    Alpe D'Huez
January 11-12, 2013        Isola 2000
January 18-19, 2013        Lans en Vercors
January 26, 2013        Saint-Dié des Vosges
February2, 2013        Clermont Ferrand/Super Besse

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel has revealed he hopes Red Bull can celebrate a "home grand prix" in Austria.

Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz, who co-founded the highly popular energy drink, not only owns Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso, but also the former Austrian grand prix venue A1-Ring.

After a complete refurbishment, the circuit in Spielberg - which last hosted formula one in 2003 - is now called the Red Bull Ring.

Illustration: Red Bull Ring

Red Bull's triple consecutive world champion Vettel said: "I was at the inauguration and had the chance to drive there.

"The track is completely formula one-compatible," the German is quoted by Austria's laola1.at.

"I don't know why we (F1) don't go there. For us (Red Bull) it would be great for it to be our home grand prix," he said at an event in Graz, Austria.

From GMM

Luca di Montezemolo used Ferrari's end-of-season event at Valencia to criticise former team driver Michael Schumacher as well as F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone.

Directing his attention to German Schumacher, who won five consecutive drivers' titles at Ferrari, president Montezemolo admitted he was unhappy the now-retired Mercedes driver moved over so readily at Interlagos for his countryman Sebastian Vettel.

In Brazil, Ferrari's new 'number 1' Fernando Alonso was fighting for the drivers' title with Red Bull's champion.

"I was expecting a slightly different final race on the part of Michael Schumacher because he is a driver with links to Ferrari through some extraordinary moments and with whom we feel very close," said Montezemolo.

The Ferrari president, however, saved his real vitriol for Bernie Ecclestone, who last week described Ferrari's questioning of the outcome of the 2012 championship as a "joke".

Bernie Ecclestone and Michael Schumacher made both Luca di Montezemolo mad last week. (Photo: WRi2)

The affair surrounded an overtaking move by Vettel that, although ultimately declared legal by the FIA, was questioned by Ferrari in the days after the Brazilian finale.

Insisting Ferrari remains highly critical of F1 regulations including the emphasis on aerodynamics and a lack of testing, Luca di Montezemolo said: "Since some people have used the expression 'It's a joke' in recent days, I would like to say that this is the real 'joke'."

As for 82-year-old Ecclestone's criticism of the yellow flag saga, Montezemolo - who is 65 - said: "My father always taught me that you have to have respect for your elders, above all when they reach the point that they can no longer control their words. So I will stop there. Certainly, old age is often incompatible with certain roles and responsibilities."

Range-topping luxury flagship cars are typically reserved for those wishing the best life has to offer. This level of opulence is not typically aimed at those who seek out performance or even a dynamic driving experience.


There are cars out there that manage to blend extremes, and the 2013 Audi S8 is one such car. This band of super-luxo supercars includes the likes of the BMW Alpina B7, Aston Martin Rapide and Jaguar XJ Supersport. This is, without a doubt, an exclusive bunch.

“S” is about power and luxury extremes.

The Audi S8 has been an elusive and rare car in Audi's lineup since 1999. It started off with a pumped-up V8, followed by a luscious Lambo-derived V10. Now, for the 2013 model year, the V8 returns with a twist. In fact, two twists...

The heart of the new 2013 S8 is a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8. Whistling Dixie at wide open throttle, this marvelous undersquare engine pumps out 520 hp at no less than 6,000 rpm and 481 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm.

At a relatively svelte 2,105 kg (4,641 lb), and with all this power, the 2013 Audi S8 reaches 100 km/h in only 4.1 seconds. The 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission plays a huge role in making it all happen. The other principal element at play here is Audi's Quattro AWD system.

The heart of the new 2013 S8 is a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8. (Photo: Audi)

The 2013 Audi S8's Aluminium space frame holds to it an S8-specific adaptive sport air suspension. Other features include servotronic dynamic speed-sensitive steering and huge ventilated discs.

But enough on the part that makes the S8 dynamic. Let's look into what makes it decadently lavish.

On the outside, the 21” wheels and S8-specific aluminum optic mirrors, door sills and grille are all one needs to see to understand that this is not a regular 2013 Audi A8.

Onboard, the 2013 Audi S8 is all A8 +1. This means that the front passengers get first class seats for take-offs, landings and serious passing manoeuvres. The seats are covered in Valcona leather with a sport-stitched diamond look. Love Nappa leather? The S8 features some everywhere, including on the centre console, knee rests, door armrests and airbag cap.

Love buttons and gadgets? How about 22-way power sport comfort front seats including four-way power lumbar adjustments? What about a 630-Watt BOSE Premium audio system with 14 speakers, Audi MMI touch with handwriting-recognition technology and navigation, and a plethora of other gadgets?

The front passengers get first class seats for take-offs, landings and serious passing manoeuvres. (Photo: Audi)

And, we have yet to discuss what's on the option list. Think a 19-speaker, 1,400-Watt Bang & Olufsen advanced sound system and Night vision assistance with pedestrian detection and heads-up display.

The 2013 Audi S8 is a silent statement that says: I want it all. Pricing starts at a cool $130,000.

Adapted from GMM

Dr Helmut Marko has hit back at Fernando Alonso, after the Spaniard recently said his real championship rival is Red Bull designer Adrian Newey.

"Our Spanish adversary does not seem quite up to date with his knowledge of the quality of Herr Vettel," Dr Helmut Marko, a leading figure at the reigning champion team, said at a celebratory event in Graz, Austria. "Yes, Vettel races in a Newey car, but he (Alonso) seems to have missed that we put two of them (Newey cars) at the start, and at the end it is always Vettel who wins."

Speaking after the FIA rejected Ferrari's challenge to Sebastian Vettel's title over a disputed yellow flag pass at the 2012 Brazil finale, the leading Red Bull Racing official : "He seems to have problems if he doesn't win. When he (Alonso) doesn't win, then he develops incredible political skills."

It was rumoured that the Alonso camp got fully behind the campaign to disseminate the video evidence of Vettel's allegedly illegal overtaking throughout the internet.

The German Grand Prix, this Summer, has been the last victory of Alonso and Ferrari in 2012. (Photo: WRi2)

As for next year, Helmut Marko has no problem admitting that Red Bull will be a favourite, "We assume that we will have a competitive car. Why should things change so much? We have the same team."

Also essentially the same in 2013 will be the regulations, leaving Marko to point out that the one changing element will be Pirelli's significantly different tires. And he thinks Ferrari will continue to be the main enemy.

"McLaren has been weakened significantly by the departure of Hamilton," said the Austrian. "Despite what Niki Lauda says, I don't see the possibility that he (Hamilton) will be racing for the championship (at Mercedes). That leaves only Ferrari. It will surely be a tough fight with them again."

Porsche Motorsport press release

For the 2013 racing season, Porsche AG will field two new GT racecars based on the newest generation of the Porsche 911 at the Le Mans 24 hour race and in the World Endurance Championship (WEC).

For the first time since the overall victory in 1998, a factory team from Porsche will tackle the famed long distance classic in France.

Porsche 911 RSR. (Photo: Porsche)

The two new Porsche 911 RSR, which race in the GTE category, will be run by the Porsche AG Team Manthey.

The role of team manager goes to the experienced endurance specialist Olaf Manthey, who has celebrated five overall wins with Porsche at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race and recently fielded a 911 GT3 RSR in the International GT Open.

From GMM

Sergio Perez thinks he is ready for the pressure of racing for a top team.

Ahead of his move to replace Lewis Hamilton, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh recently warned the young Mexican that the added pressure of driving for the famous British team will shock Perez.

"He might think he understands it, but he doesn't," said Martin Whitmarsh.

Photo: WRi2

Sergio Perez, 22, acknowledged: "Of course there is extra pressure when you're driving at the front. I have to get used to that, but I have already had a taste of it at Sauber."

"When I was on the podium I was a superstar, and when I didn't do well, I was the driver who made too many mistakes," he is quoted by the Dutch website Formule.nl.

Still, Sergio Perez said he expects to succeed in 2013.

"I want to win titles with this team, so I want to do it next year," he said. "It will be a long season, so it's important that I am well prepared from the beginning in order to satisfy their expectations."

Intercontinental Rally Challenge's champion Juho Hanninen left Team Skoda to join Ford M-Sport to contest two events of the 2013 World Rally Championship.

The Finn, who also secured the European Rally Championship title this season, wil, compete at the top level of world rallying as he will drive a Ford Fiesta WRC next season.

For the moment, there are only two rallies planned for Hanninen : Monte Carlo and Sweden, the opening rounds of the 2013 season. However, the IRC champion aims to contest the entire season alongside his new co-driver Tomi Tuoninen.

Ford Fiesta WRC, M-Sport. (Photo: WRC)

Juho Hanninen will compete as a private entry, and not under the official Qatar M-Sport colours alongside Mads Ostberg. The Norwegian driver may be joined by Russian driver Evgeny Novikov, which would let veteran Petter Solberg without a drive for next season.

The World Rotax Challenge finals were presented this week end in Portimao, Portugal.

South African driver Cristiano Morgado takes win in DD2 Master, ahead of Scott Campbell, from Canada. Luc Sauriol, from Quebec, secured 8th place overall. In DD2, british driver Ben Cooper, who lives in Canada, won the race ahead of Konstantins Calko, from Lituania. Canadian drivers Zacharie Richard-Robichon and Nicholas Latifi take 8th and 11th position, respectively.

Harry Webb, from Great-Britain, dominated 125 Junior class ahead of Dutch driver Janneau Esmeijer and Canadian driver Parker Thompson. It was a 1-2-3 victory for Great Britain with Charlie Eastwood's win ahead of fellow countrymen Edward Brand and Oliver Hodgson.

Micro Max win went to young belgian driver Ayrton Simmons ahead of Juan Carlos Resoagli, from Spain.

The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is all about numbers bestowed upon it by an engineering team concerned with your bragging rights. Namely, you get a 6.2L “LSA” V8 good for 580 horses and the better part of 560 lb-ft of torque. That's thanks, in part, to a belt-driven Eaton supercharger the size of a toaster oven.


Some serious output
Owning a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is sort of like owning a bazooka. Both use combustion to propel metal quickly through the air, and can be dangerous to operate. Neither are useful, but, man oh man, if you had a bazooka, you just know some cool stuff would happen.

So, the 2013 Camaro ZL1 has a whole lot of power. Enough to, say, put you sideways through an intersection if you (theoretically) dropped your right foot to clear a (theoretical) yellow traffic light on a mid-fall morning while the road's surface was a bit on the cold side. Did I mention the ZL1's traction control is a bit on the “relaxed” side?

Tame, as needed
On the one hand, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 can be remarkably tame and uneventful. Clutch take-up is firm and easy, if a little heavy. You could take off in fourth in the Camaro ZL1, if you wanted. You can even get an automatic transmission (don't). The engine makes scarcely more than a muted, crackling burble when driven gently through traffic. Gears shift easily and with minimal effort.

When driving the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 gently, the tremendous amount of unused power translates into a sheer sense of effortlessness and unused awesomeness. Driving the ZL1 modestly is like going to Barberian's Steakhouse and having a salad.

It's easygoing on board, too. Terrible outward visibility and cheap trim aside, there's decent at-hand storage in the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, a very modern touchscreen radio, a great stereo, and fairly logical control layout.

The big, comfortable seats are superb, even for very large folks. You can relax in here, even if you're north of 300 and afraid of celery. The ZL1 even rides nicely, thanks to a fantastically tuned Magnetic Ride Control suspension system borrowed from the Corvette.

Owning a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is sort of like owning a bazooka. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Lurking performance
However, those 580 horses are always there; as is the handling tuned to benchmark the Corvette Grand Sport. And the fact that available performance figures will embarrass AMGs and Porsches costing numerous times as much.

And the 2013 Camaro ZL1 always tells you that (while you're behaving yourself) you're wasting its potential.

The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 fires up with a nearly distasteful belch. You can hear the gears engaging and the rear differential whining. Ditto for the pebbles and sand as it's flung from gummy-bear-sticky tires against the wheel wells. Should a bump in the road cause a sudden poke on the throttle, the Camaro ZL1 leaps forward as if it's been rear-ended by a rhinoceros.

Translation? The 2013 Camarao ZL1 can play nice -- but it never really lets you forget that it's ready to go. It's always inviting you to open it up.

The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 fires up with a nearly distasteful belch. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Careful....
Accept the invitation by hammering down in first on some bare, warm pavement, and it lurches ahead in a startlingly way as if it's had a cattle prod shoved into its backside. Usually, there's no squirming or sliding, just traction, grip, a massive increase in speed, and NASCAR sound effects pumped thickly into the cabin.

Get to banging some gears in the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, and mere seconds separate you from “step out of the car please” territory should you wind up on the wrong end of a radar gun.

Mind you, massive Brembo brakes make decelerating just as instantaneous and abrupt in the Camaro ZL1 as getting up to speed. A good stab on the middle pedal will get you out of demerit-point territory in quick order when the radar detector goes off. Steering, handling, grip and even high-speed brake-system durability are all right there, too.

Too Much
Unmistakably, this is a car with performance far exceeding what any driver needs on a public road. Realistically, on said public roads, you can drive the bejesus out of the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in brief, carefully dosed chunks when nobody's looking. The rest of the time, you enjoy the looks and noises, and the flocks of nearby youngsters loudly demanding to see a burnout or hear the supercharger.

The 2013 Camaro ZL1, like the even more powerful and license-threatening new Mustang Shelby GT500, demands massive respect. And forget that the Chevrolet doesn't smash the 600-horsepower mark, because anything beyond about 500 ponies on the road is way too much, anyhow. For both Chevrolet and Ford, the power alone is going to sell a lot of units.

Is the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 an insane thing to drive? Is it unmanageable? Scary? Menacing? Will it get your driver's license shredded by an angry radar-cop with a thick moustache and set of Ray-Bans? That's largely up to the communication between your right foot and the warm, grey mass between your ears.

Two more teams, AV Formula and DAMS, have confirmed their driver line-ups for the 2013 Formula Renault 3.5 series, a development series leading to Formula 1.

DAMS, headed by Jean-Paul Driot, has announced that Dane Kevin Magnussen, one of the major revelations of the year in Formula Renault 3.5 Series, will team up with French hope, Norman Nato.

Kevin Magnussen, born on October 5, 1992 in Roskilde, is the son of the famous endurance and ex-Formula 1 driver (McLaren and Stewart), Jan Magnussen. In 2006, he won the national kart championship, in 2008 he triumphed in Formula Ford and in 2009 he filled the runner-up spot in Formula Renault 2.0 Europe. Two years later he was also runner-up to Felipe Nasr in the British F3 Championship.

He has had a very promising first year in Formula Renault 3.5 finishing seventh overall with a victory and three pole positions.

Photo: Paolo Pellegrini

Meanwhile, Arthur Pic and Yann Cunha will fly the flag for AV Formula during their debut Formula Renault 3.5 season in 2013.

Arthurs Pic is the younger brother of F1 driver Charles Pic. Arthur stepped up to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2011 and finished eighth this season after a breakthrough campaign that included a maiden win at Moscow Raceway as well as a further podium at Motorland Aragon and a brace of pole positions.

Brazilian Yann Cunha was runner-up in the 2010 South American Formula 3 championship before switching to the prestigious British category in 2011. This year saw him make his Formula Renault 3.5 debut.