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There is an intense, behind-the-scenes race to find what automakers see as the cure to clunky infotainment systems: natural language.

Hyundai is trying to bring the venerable written CSI survey into the age of the cloud, Twitter and Facebook. The brand has devised a new method, using e-mail and three-day turnarounds, to change the way it determines customer satisfaction.

The Enstone, UK based Lotus F1 Team has unveiled Monday night their new, 2013 challenger called the E21.

The E21 is again powered by Renault Sport's 2.4-litre, normally aspirated V8 engine. It has been designed by the team led by technical director, James Allison.

Lotus E21

The team has retained the same pair of drivers as last year, Finland's Kimi Raikkonen and France's Romain Grosjean.

“The rules are very similar to 2012, lot of family resemblance. You can expect a lot of family resemblance, but the evolution is in the details. There is a significant increase in performance,” said Allison during the launch.

Lotus E21

The E21 did not feature a small piece of laminate - nicknamed a ‘modesty' or 'vanity' panel - to smooth the nose section and hide the infamous stepped nose.

“No, there's no pannel, because it weights a little bit. F1 is all about keeping the weight down. If we find some way to generate downforce with this pannel, we'll pop it on right away,” Allison added.

Lotus E21

From GMM

Mercedes' new recruit Toto Wolff has revealed he will be based at Brackley.

A new team shareholder and officially called executive director, 41-year-old Austrian Wolff is in essence replacing Norbert Haug, Mercedes' long-time motor sport vice-president.

"These are very large shoes to fill," he said in an interview with Austrian broadcaster ORF. "He (Haug) did a lot of things extremely well."

"It has not gone as expected last year and now we have to figure out what happened. But Norbert certainly was not working on the car. Anyway, I think it is important to be on site. I hope I do a good job in England," Wolff added.

Niki Lauda, the team's chairman, will also be in Brackley this week, but the triple world champion will not be based in the UK full-time.

Toto Wolff explained: "It is important that there is someone on site who understands the English mentality."

Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team

Also still a Williams shareholder and co-owner of Mercedes' DTM company HWA, Wolff has bought 30 per cent of the Brackley based team.

"I would really like to say (how much he paid), but I have signed something that obliges me to secrecy," said Wolff.

"Niki and I are partners, we therefore carry some of the risk, which was important for Mercedes. We have a big responsibility and I am very proud to own a company together with Mercedes -- how many people can say that? I am responsible for business operations and therefore Brackley, Niki is chairman of the company -- so the formula one team and the formula one engine company. He (Lauda) has no operational role, but he is of great help with his valuable contacts and know-how. Ross Brawn is responsible for the technical side," added Toto Wolff.

From team press release

Quebec rally driver Antoine L'Estage and his co-driver Nathalie Richard won this weekend's Sno*Drift Rally in Michigan, Round 1 of the 2013 Rally America series and the North American Rally Cup.

For the Rockstar Energy Drink Rally Team, this was a very significant come-from-behind win against the more powerful American teams, only days before the start of the Canadian Championship.

Antoine L'Estage and Nathalie Richard, Mitsubishi, Rockstar Energy Drink.

Reigning Canadian and North American champions, L'Estage and Richard spent the entire event in a very tight battle with Brits David Higgins and Craig Drew in their Subaru USA car, at one point closing the gap to less than half a second on Saturday morning.

Driving their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, they turned on the heat in the last two competitive stages of the rally, overtaking their rivals and claiming a thrilling victory by 6.2 seconds.

“David and I had such a good battle this weekend! The snow and ice conditions somewhat level the playing field in terms of machinery and both of us had very clean runs, free and clear of any problems. It's unfortunate that Ken Block suffered his mechanical issues early on. Nathalie and I are very happy with our car and we were able to finish the event without the slightest dent, ready for our next rally in four days. Thank you to John Buffum's Libra Racing shop for preparing such a great car to kick off the season,” said L'Estage.

“We used our Yokohama AO34s for all twenty stages and they did a great job keeping us on the road, even on the sometimes very icy conditions. It was great to have confidence in our tires, confidence in our notes, and confidence in ourselves to pull off the fastest times when the pressure was on. Seeing that third place was about twelve minutes behind says something about the pace we kept throughout the entire event,” L'Estage concluded.

From Williams press release

The Williams F1 Team confirmed Monday morning that development driver, Susie Wolff will be continuing her role with the team during the 2013 Formula 1 season.

Susie Wolff, née Stoddart, joined the Williams F1 Team in April 2012 and has played a valuable role in helping to develop the Williams-Renault FW34 and FW35.

Susie Wolff aboard the Williams FW33. (Photo: Williams F1 Team)

Susie's level of involvement will increase during the 2013 season, with an increased programme in the team's simulator combined with a greater level of in-car testing. She will be the first to get behind the wheel of the FW35 when she drives the car at Idiada next month, and will do the majority of aerodynamic testing this season.

Prior to joining the Williams F1 Team Susie spent seven seasons driving in DTM driving for Mercedes, and was twice nominated for the prestigious BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award.

From GMM

Carlos Sainz Jr, now the cream of Red Bull's driver development programme, is excited about 2013.

Spain's El Confidential reports that the 18-year-old Spaniard - the son of the famous former world rally champion - has been signed by Christian Horner and Mark Webber's GP3 team.

Sainz jr is also sponsored by Cepsa, the Spanish oil company and sponsor of Red Bull's second formula one team Toro Rosso.

Last year, he raced in the British and European F3 categories.

Carlos Sainz Jr. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

"I am seeking more consistency," said Sainz jr, "because GP3 is a very serious thing, with laptimes only six seconds behind formula one.

"Christian Horner has the ultimate responsibility, so I'll be even more linked to Red Bull," he added, revealing that he is moving to live in Milton Keynes.

"It's a whole new experience and I really want to get started."

From GMM

James Key, Toro Rosso's new technical boss, says the Faenza based team is "superior" to Sauber in some ways.

Briton Key moved to Red Bull's second team late last year, replacing Giorgio Ascanelli.

He is quoted by Russia's f1news.ru: "After Force India and Sauber, Toro Rosso is the third team I have worked with."

"On the one hand, they are all a bit alike, but as they are three teams from three different countries, they each have an unique culture. In Toro Rosso I have to solve some new problems compared to Sauber, but also the resources of this team (Toro Rosso) are much more, both human and technical. Toro Rosso is at a decent level, although in some areas it is inferior to those I have worked with before. I'm focusing on (those areas)," said Key.

Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso STR7. (Photo: WRi2)

He revealed he is "pleased" with the progress of the 2013 Toro Rosso, the STR8, which will be launched at the first Jerez test next week.

Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo confirmed: "We have changed some things with the team.

"I hope to get some more points this season and get into the fight with teams like Force India, Sauber and Williams," he is quoted by Spain's AS newspaper.

Toro Rosso finished the 2012 championship ninth.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — As someone who's had a life-long abhorrence of cold, I was surprised by the emotional impact of this remote and uncompromising land when I first visited in 2011. It's almost a relief, despite its mostly harsh and unsympathetic climate, to realize there are still places on this earth that man hasn't harnessed, spoiled and beaten into submission.

Photo: Lesley Wimbush

We're welcomed by temperatures of -37 Celsius on arrival. We'll be completing the second leg of a journey that began in Edmonton, travelling in a convoy of nine Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans. Our final destination is Coldfoot: the very last stop on the Alaska highway, and one of the best places on earth to see the fabled Northern Lights.

The Sprinter, we're to find, is well-suited to this environment. They're developed to withstand extreme cold through rigorous testing at a dedicated facility in Northern Sweden. They feature a 34,000 BTU diesel heater that can be set to pre-warm before start-up. An anti-gelling agent has been added to the fuel.

We're scheduled to leave at 8:00 a.m. the following morning -- most of us eager, some with just a bit of trepidation.

Continue reading Sprinter Arctic Drive

Brake problems on the 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV have forced the automaker to issue a recall. A total of 226 units are affected in Canada.

Apparently, the brake system vacuum pump may have been manufactured incorrectly and could fail, resulting in longer stopping distances and possibly a crash.

Mitsubishi dealers will therefore replace the brake vacuum pump.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced that it has reached an agreement with Mike Conway that will see the Briton race for the team at the Long Beach Grand Prix in April.

Conway, who was the event winner in 2012 with Andretti Autosport, will join regular driver Graham Rahal in a second entry for the prestigious Californian event.

Last year, Conway stunned everyone in the paddock when he decided to stop racing because he was no longer comfortable racing on ovals.

The team said that it is hoping to schedule a test for Conway prior to his Long Beach outing.

From GMM

A spat has emerged between Italy's motor racing sanctioning body, and the Italian grand prix venue Monza.

The existing head of the circuit's operator Sias, Enrico Ferrari, has stepped down amid an investigation into his behaviour.

His successor is Fabrizio Turci, but it is clear the president of the Automobile Club d'Italia - Angelo Sticchi Damiani - is no admirer.

"I am concerned about the grand prix of Italy," he is quoted as saying.

"I do not think Turci has the experience to handle the organisation of this event," Sticci Damiani is quoted by Italian media.

Podium 2012 of the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. (Photo: WRi2)

Subaru is reportedly planning to launch its first production hybrid model at the New York International Auto Show in March.

Little is known about the vehicle, but Kenichi Yamamoto, director of product management and coordination at Subaru of America, did confirm that parent company Fuji Heavy Industries is working on a hybrid model.

He also explained that Subaru's motivation reflects the growing sales of hybrid vehicles around the world. Japan and the U.S. would likely be the first markets to receive the car. No word yet on Canadian availability.

You may remember that Subaru unveiled the Advanced Tourer Concept with a hybrid powertrain at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.

Source: The Detroit Bureau

Photo: Subaru

Sometimes, you've got to roll with the punches. On our selected test day, Mother Nature was fully intent on releasing and demonstrating the power of her pent up winter fury. By 9 a.m., not only were we under nearly 20 cm of snow, but we were an hour behind schedule and still missing two players.

Tough conditions - not uncommon in Canada and a large portion of the United States. (photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

However, as they say; the show must go on. Our plan for the day differed little from our usual exercises. Sadly, our late start and blustery wintery conditions made progress slow and arduous, and so our strategy had to be modified.

Time might have been an issue, however, the cars were not. All equipped with winter tires, we set off on our way, albeit at much reduced speeds.

On this day, we once again discovered a company of cars that all had a number of strong points going for them and very few negatives on which to harp. Even in these tough conditions -- not uncommon in Canada and a large portion of the United States -- certain cars stood out, while at least one slipped behind.

Once more, the newest players took the bar and pushed ever closer to perfection. Our previous favourite car, the Kia Optima, is the one that felt the brunt brought on by the latest in styling and technology. As you will see though, all-new need not mean all-good, but that simply proves the point that competition is fierce.

There are two side-notes to this comparison test: The first is the marked absence of one 2013 Ford Fusion which, because of an ongoing recall campaign and a believed shortage of parts, could not make it on test day. We were upset to learn that the new Fusion was to be left out as we know it would have done very well.

The other note pertains to tires of the winter persuasion. Three out of the five vehicles were shod with Michelin's new X-Ice Xi3 tires. Last winter, Matt evaluated these new tires and was thoroughly impressed with their performance.

Continue reading 2013 Midsize sedan comparison test

From GMM

Ferrari will hide the 'step' in the nose of its 2013 car, it has emerged.

The FIA has allowed teams to install a "structurally irrelevant" laminate over the unseemly step for this year's cars, following the public's reaction to the dubious aesthetics of the 2012 field.

The 'modesty panel', however, is not mandatory, even though Valtteri Bottas revealed earlier this month that Williams will take advantage of the new rule for its 2013 car.

Ferrari F2012 with the step nose. (Photo: WRi2)

Now, a few days before the 2013 Ferrari appears officially, Spain's Marca reports that the latest Maranello-built creation also has a smooth nose section.

"Visually, there is no step on the nose, but the nose remains high to allow the airflow under the car," wrote correspondent Marco Canseco.

He added that the 2013 Ferrari's front and rear wings "may not be shown in detail" at the forthcoming car launch, "to avoid giving clues to its rivals".

The Marca report also said the new Ferrari will have smaller sidepods, front pull-rod suspension as per the 2012 car, and a Red Bull-style Coanda exhaust layout.

The completely redesigned 2014 Subaru Forester looks meaner than ever and well prepared to tackle the worst conditions. It also offers one of the roomiest interiors in its class.

Two engines
When it goes on sale this spring, the 2014 Subaru Forester will come standard with a 170-horsepower, 2.5L four-cylinder boxer engine. For more performance, there's the XT variant with a 2.0L turbocharged flat-4 rated at 250 horsepower. Pricing will start at $25,995 and $32,495, respectively.

The new Forester boosts safety by adding a driver's knee airbag and innovative systems such as anti-whiplash front seats, Brake Override, and an impact-sensing fuel system cutoff. Meanwhile, fuel consumption (2.5i models) will drop to an estimated 6.2L/100km on the highway.

Three transmissions
The old four-speed autobox has been replaced with the automaker's Lineartronic CVT for optimum efficiency. If you're looking for a sportier driving experience, consider the new 6-speed manual transmission (entry-level 2.5i and Touring Package models only).

While the latter would have been greatly appreciated with the turbo engine, it's nice to know that Subaru paired the 2.0XT with a high-torque version of the CVT featuring 6-speed and 8-speed manual shift modes via steering-wheel paddle shifters.

Symmetrical all-wheel drive and more
Subaru's symmetrical all-wheel drive system is a benchmark in the auto industry. With the 2014 Forester, it adds a brand new X-Mode and Hill Descent Control on CVT-equipped models. Working in conjunction with the engine and brakes, these AWD features provide extra control in slippery driving situations.

Other equipment
While 2.0XT models stand out with more power, bigger brakes, and sportier attributes, including a more aggressively styled front fascia and 18'' wheels, the rest of the lineup has a lot to offer as well. All but the base 2.5i model come with a standard rear-view camera and multifunction colour display.

Among the numerous options are a power liftgate, touchscreen navigation, and an eight-speaker, 440-watt harman/kardon audio system. It's all there for you to choose; just set your budget first!

In addition to more passenger room, the 2014 Subaru Forester has a maximum cargo capacity of 2,115 litres with the 60/40-split rear seatbacks lowered -- impressive for a compact CUV. Overall comfort, material selection, and an available panoramic sunroof should make long trips even more enjoyable.

Canadian race car driver, Jacques Villeneuve -- the winner of the 1995 Indy 500 and 1997 Formula 1 World Champion -- has claimed his maiden victory in professional ice racing, finishing first in the St. Die des Vosges round of the French Andros Trophy.

Driving a Citroen DS3 prepared by team speedaventure.com, Villeneuve managed to keep at bay championship leader, Jean-Philippe Dayraut (MINI Clubman) all race long to claim his first victory.

Villeneuve crossed the line two seconds ahead of Dayraut, then came Benjamin Riviere (Citroen DS3) and Jean-Baptiste Dubourg (Renault Clio 3).

In the provisional standings, Villeneuve now appears in 20th place with 417 points, despite the fact that he has missed three races, or six heats since the staret of the season.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is banned from using Twitter.

Former Olympic chief Michael Payne now works as the F1 chief executive's special advisor.

France's RMC Sport quotes him as saying: "I suggested to him (Ecclestone) that he should be on Twitter."

"But he told me that his lawyers have forbidden him, fearing a catastrophe," Payne laughed.

From GMM

Now back in retirement, Michael Schumacher will return to his karting roots in 2013.

In the days after the seven time world champion's last grand prix late last year, we reported that the 44-year-old had signed up to be a test driver for the Italian kart maker Tony Kart this year.

Spain's El Mundo Deportivo newspaper reports that the great German will in fact be racing in 2013.

Preparing for his new race seat in the KZ category, Schumacher was testing his Tony Kart at the Lonato circuit in Italy last week and - reportedly - his laptimes were "very good".

Michael Schumacher, Tony Kart. (Photos: Angelo Scaroni/South Garda Karting)

Meanwhile, the Kolner Express newspaper reports that - with Hermann Tilke on board as designer - Schumacher has commissioned a new world championship-standard karting circuit near Cologne.

"We will build the best track in Europe," Gerhard Noack is quoted as saying.

Tilke confirmed: "The plans are ready."

According to an article published on Sunday by the German publication, Der Spiegel, several Formula 1 teams are expriencing serious financial difficulties due to a drop in sponsorship revenue.

Der Spiegel claims that Lotus F1 Team, owned by Luxemburg financial investor Genii of Gerard Lopez, “has tens of millions of euros” in debt.

In an interview with Germany's Welt newspaper, published in November 2012, Lopez laid out many of F1's problems, including the scarcity of sponsors.

"We certainly want to stay in F1," Lopez said.

"Our involvement in F1 is only possible if the numbers add up. At the moment, they do. But if that is no longer the case, then we would have to think like business people and ask ourselves the question: 'Is this still interesting for us, or not?'” Lopez added.

The situation forced several teams to hire “pay drivers;” drivers who bring several millions of dollars in sponsorship.

Drivers who arrive with sponsorship money this season include Max Chilton (with insurance company Aon), Esteban Gutiérrez (Telmex) and Pastor Maldonado (PDVSA).

Der Spiegel writes that the Venezuelan, state-owned oil company PDVSA is giving team Williams $189 million euros over a 5-year period to get Maldonado into one of their cars.

The magazine concludes by saying that only four of the 11 F1 teams are financially healthy: Red Bull Racing, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes AMG are free of financial problems.

The 24 single-seaters at the start of the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, in Barcelona. (Photo: WRi2)