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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.

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."

GM is reconsidering its emerging-market strategy, CEO Dan Akerson says, in remarks that could dent the global ambitions of its Chinese partner, SAIC Motor.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Were it my money to spend -- I found myself pursuing a different career path, voluntarily or otherwise, for example, and suddenly required a new car -- the

Many advertisers in the Big Game are already teasing and revealing details of their Super Bowl ads as a means to generate buzz through digital and social media.

With toxic smog engulfing Beijing and much of China, the government is considering tighter emissions standards that match Europe's. That could benefit General Motors, Volkswagen and Hyundai.

Jacques Villeneuve (Citroen DS3) has won his first ever Trophée Andros race at Sain-Dié-des-Vosges, as Jean-Philippe Dayraut (MINI) keeps getting closer to the title.

The qualifying rounds for the first race were dominated by championship leader Jean-Philippe Dayraut, who won his finale to finish in first position overall for race 1 ahead of Bertrand Balas (Mini) and Olivier Panis (Dacia Lodgy).

Jacques Villeneuve was 10th of this first race's classification, but ended race number two on top. On his way to his first ever Trophée Andros win, Villeneuve dominated qualifying and then the final.

Jacques Villeneuve earned his first Trophée Andros win this weekend (Photo: Tropheeandros.com)

Meanwhile, championship leader Dayraut pulled an even bigger lead in the championship race. The Frenchman could lay hands on his fourth title at the final round of the season, in Superbesse.

Scott Pruett and his teammates Charlie Kimball, Juan Pablo Montoya and Memo Rojas still have the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley in the lead, after 18 hours of racing at the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona.

Joao Barbosa, in the No. 9 Action Express Corvette DP, has moved up to second, leading a push from Chevrolet, which now has three cars in the top five.

The No. 42 Team Sahlen BMW/Riley which was running strong in the early phases of the race has fallen back down to 23rd overall, 11th in class. Simon Pagenaud is currently holding the wheel, 28 laps behind the leaders.

In GT, the No. 30 NGT Motorsport Porsche has taken over as leader from the No. 44 Magnus Racing entry. Audi's No. 24 customer racing entry, with Filipe Albuquerque driving, completes the top 3.

The No. 61 Canadian-backed Ferrari, led by factory drivers Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander is only 14th in class, 10 laps down on the leaders.

Meanwhile at BMW, the last Turner Motorsports M3 left in the race is a lowly 23rd. Maxime Martin and Andy Priaulx, who were entered on the No. 93 car (which never took the start because of a practice crash) have switched to the No. 94 instead of giving up.

Napleton Racing still leads the GX class, with a four-lap priority over Bullet Racing.



Standings after 18 hours - 24 Hours of Daytona
1.Scott Pruett (Chip Ganassi Racing)
2.Joao Barbosa (Action Express) + 18.8s
3.Jordan Taylor (VelocityWW) + 20.0s
4.Richard Westbrook (Spirit of Daytona) + 23.5s
5.Alex Popow (Starworks) + 1 lap
(...)
11.Patrick Pilet (NGT Motorsport)
12.Richard Lietz (Magnus Racing) + 9.4s
13.Filipe Albuquerque (Audi Sport Customer) + 17.5s
(...)
32.David Donohue (Napleton Racing)

Juan Pablo Montoya, driving the No. 01 BMW/Riley across the finish line of the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona, added to Chip Ganassi Racing's win tally.

Montoya and teammates Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Charlie Kimball were the class of the field, leading almost from start to finish.

Second place goes to Max Angelelli, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Jordan Taylor (No. 10 VelocityWW Corvette DP).

Once again this year, the battle for the lead lasted until the final minutes of the 24-hour race. With only a handful of minutes left on the clock, Montoya pitted for some extra fuel. Luckily, Angelelli too, as it turned out, didn't have enough fuel to reach the end and soon followed suite to Montoya into the pits.

Audi's efforts to establish itself on the North American racing scene bore fruits, as the Ingolstadt manufacturer pulled off a 1-2 finish in GT, led by Alex Job's No. 24 R8 driven by Filipe Albuquerque, Oliver Jarvis, Edoardo Mortara and Dion von Moltke.

In a class of its own, Napleton Racing won the GX category. David Donohue, Shane Lewis, Jim Norman and Nelson Canache, driving the No. 16 Porsche Cayman comfortably led through it all.



Race results* - 51st 24 Hours of Daytona
1 - Pruett-Kimball-Montoya-Rojas (Riley-BMW) - Ganassi - 709 laps in 24.00'37"699

2 - Angelelli-Hunter-Reay-Taylor (Dallara/Corvette) - Taylor + 21"922
3 - Allmendinger-Ambrose-Negri-Pew-Wilson (Riley-Ford) - Shank + 55"585

4 - Barbosa-Frisselle-Rockenfeller (Corvette) - ActionEx. + 1 lap
5 - Garcia-Gavin-Taylor-Westbrook (Corvette) - SDR + 12 laps

6 - Bourdais-Dalziel-McNish-Popow (Riley-Ford) - Starworks + 13 laps

7 - Fogarty-Gidley-Gurney-Law (Riley/Corvette) - Stallings + 14 laps

8 - Fittipaldi-Frisselle-Nasr-Piquet (Corvette) - ActionEx. + 21 laps
9 - Albuquerque-Mortara-Jarvis-Von Moltke (Audi R8) - AJR + 31 laps

10 - Baas-Basseng-Rast-Stippler (Audi R8) - APR + 31 laps
(...)

*Unofficial

Kimi Räikkönen is keeping his lips shut in a interview about the next Lotus F1 car with TV star Matt LeBlanc.

Because of the uncooperative Finn, the interview had to be cut short.



Source: Lotus F1 Team Youtube channel

MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner has confirmed his move to the V8 Supercar series in a interview with Australia's Sunday Telegraph.

The 27-year-old Australian, who announced his retirement from bike racing late last year, is set to race a Red Bull-backed Holden Commodore for Triple Eight, a team that won the championship in 2011.

The deal signed by Stoner only covers next season. Before jumping in completely, the former Honda, Ducati and KTM rider wants to test the water.

Casey Stoner in 2010 (Photo: CaseyStoner.com)

"It's a trial year to see how I go and how I like the sport," he told the Sunday Telegraph.

"I started on two wheels and have done little to nothing on four," he added.

"I'm trying to get on the simulator to learn the tracks, and that is as much as I can do really. I have had one proper test in the car. I went well, but it doesn't mean anything.


"I have no expectations except I want to enjoy it and not get too wound up."

From GMM

Lotus' James Allison is staying put.

That is the claim of an insider at the Enstone based team, despite admitting that Mercedes' Niki Lauda came calling for the highly rated British technical director.

Last week, as the Paddy Lowe saga unfolded, we reported that Allison had been earmarked by McLaren as a possible replacement, in case Lowe jumped ship.

Actually, the Lotus insider confirmed that it had been Mercedes' Lauda on the phone.

"Lauda calls Allison every day," the source is quoted by Speed Week, "but James' contract is bullet-proof."

Moreover, "He also doesn't want to leave," the Lotus insider added.

Ever wished for an 800-hp pickup that can do over 100 mpge? That dream might just come true in the not-too-distant future thanks to one of the biggest personalities in the automotive business: Bob Lutz.

Lutz, a veteran of the automobile industry who has worked for BMW, Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors, is showing no signs of slowing down; despite the fact that he will be celebrating his 81st birthday in less than a month's time.

At the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, he was on hand to show the world his latest project: VIA Motors.

VIA Motors, formed in 2010, is all about building plug-in hybrid vehicles and while the other manufacturers who are building such vehicles are concentrating on family cars, VIA Motors is working on full-size SUVs and pickup trucks.

Their models are based on existing vehicles from the General Motors portfolio, such as the Chevrolet Silverado and the Suburban. This saves VIA Motors money to develop its technologies, and also bring the vehicles to market sooner.

While their vehicles haven't gone on sale just yet, they have secured corporate fleet partnerships with PG&E and Verizon Wireless.

While there is a need for construction site pickup trucks and service vans that can achieve over 100 mpge, these vehicles aren't going to get the hearts of enthusiasts racing.

VIA Motors XTRUX (Photo: Nauman Farooq)

To address that, at the North American International Auto Show, VIA Motors unveiled their latest model called the XTRUX. The XTRUX is a full-size pickup truck with an aggressive body kit and mammoth tires. Oh, it also has two electric motors that together produce 800 hp. That alone will ensure this will be a fun and fast truck.

On the sensible side, the VIA Motors XTRUX will also be capable of travelling roughly 80 km on electric power alone on a full charge thanks to its 24 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. When the battery runs down to 20% range, a 5.3L V8 motor (sourced from GM) on board will power the vehicle and run a generator to charge the battery. Once the battery is up to 25% charge, it will switch back to electric-only propulsion. VIA Motors hopes this continuous cycle will result in better fuel efficiency.

Lutz took time out to speak with Auto123.com exclusively, and told us that he hopes the XTRUX will be in production within two year's time. When asked how much it and their other vehicles will cost he said, “We don't have an exact figure yet, but close to twice the price of a conventional pickup.”

He also hinted about a continued partnership with GM, and when asked if VIA Motors will one day offer a plug-in hybrid Camaro or Corvette Lutz said, “I think we will have to. It's only a matter of time. We have lots of plans for the coming years.”

Whether VIA Motors will be successful in the long run is yet to be seen. However, given they have Lutz on board it has a better chance than most upstarts of making it in this tough automotive business.

History/Description: With room for up to 7 people and standard V6 power, the last-generation Suzuki XL7 was built for the Japanese automaker by GM at their CAMI facility in Ingersoll, Ontario.

Riding the same platform and sharing much of its powertrain and underpinnings with the Equinox / Torrent / Vue models from GM at the time, the XL7 intended to be a large and family-ready sport ute. Slow sales killed the model off after just two years.

Look for a 3.6L V6 with 252 horsepower on all models, with front- or all-wheel drive available. A 5-speed automatic handled gearshift duty. Feature content included heated leather, automatic climate control, fog-lamps, keyless entry, and plenty more.

Look for a 3.6L V6 with 252 horsepower. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

What Owners Like: Suzuki XL7 owners tend to enjoy a high level of standard equipment for the money, a spacious and flexible interior, and a smooth, quiet ride. A “solid” feel and good performance round out owner-stated positives.

What Owners Dislike: Blind-spots, rearward visibility, factory stereo quality and fuel mileage are common gripes. Some owners wish for more upscale interior trimmings as well.

Some owners wish for more upscale interior trimmings as well. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Common Issues: Suzuki XL7 shoppers have a few fairly significant issues to be aware of:

Start your test drive by checking the level and condition of the engine oil, ensuring its full and clean. Numerous reports of oil sludge and blocked oil pickups (where the engine sucks up its oil to be pumped around) have been made. If in doubt, have a mechanic remove the oil pan and do an assessment to ensure sludge isn't an issue. If the model you're considering seems to sporadically hesitate or displays an “oil” light at any point during your test drive, move to another model.

A check-engine light may indicate a problem with a camshaft sensor or other engine management sensor. If any check-engine lights are illuminated, determine why before agreeing to purchase the XL7 in question.

Inspect the XL7's body for signs of peeling or rusting paint, especially on “pearl white” coloured models. Be sure all windows operate fully in both directions as expected, too. Shoppers are also advised to check for signs of a leaky sunroof drain, which typically drips water into the front footwell areas or into the ceiling liner.

Steering should be light and smooth in both directions. Any unwelcomed sounds or sensations while steering could indicate a well-known problem with a faulty steering rack and/or power steering pump.

Have a mechanic check the underside of the Suzuki XL7 in question for signs of an oil leak, especially around the engine's timing cover.

Inspect the XL7's body for signs of peeling or rusting paint. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

The Verdict: Numerous complaints, some fairly serious, have been made online -- though low sales volumes mean it's difficult to ascertain what percentage of XL7 owners have experienced these issues. Thankfully, the Suzuki XL7 carried a fairly lengthy warranty.

Members of the XL7 section at Suzuki-forums.com note that it's typically cheaper/easier to get service at a Chevrolet dealership, where they are familiar with the model. Shop cautiously, and opt for plenty of remaining warranty if you're set on a Suzuki -- or choose a different model to play it safe.

SENIOR ONLINE EDITOR RORY CARROLL: Launched in 2010, the Honda CR-Z is billed as the successor to the

BMW plans to earn the first profit in 2013 from a two-year-old venture that rents cars by the minute. The automaker hopes to overtake Daimler with a push to woo urban consumers who are looking for an alternative to owning a vehicle.

As GM CEO Dan Akerson works on a global corporate reorganization, the decisions he faces are playing out in one of the company's most important emerging markets: Brazil.

Frigid temperatures cut electrified vehicles' driving range, but automakers say there are ways for owners to maximize efficiency.

Saab is raising fresh hopes in its Swedish hometown as the mothballed brand gears up for another revival, more than a year after it went bankrupt.

Scott Pruett (No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley) got off to a good start at the 51st 24 Hours of Daytona.

The pole-sitter currently holds a few seconds lead over teammate Scott Dixon (No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley), 60 minutes into the race. Canadian Michael Valiante (No.6 Michael Shank Racing Ford/Riley) rounds out the top three.

So far, the happy story of the race has been Team Sahlen's impressive start. The team, which started out in the Daytona Prototype this year, has a car in the top 5: Dane Cameron (No. 42 Team Sahlen BMW/Riley) is currently running fourth.

Bad luck for 8 Star Motorsports, mechanical issues have pushed Stéphane Sarrazin (No. 3 Corvette DP) all the way back to 56th overall.

In GT, it's Andy Lally (No. 44 Magnus Racing Porsche GT3) who's leading the way. Pole-sitter Nick Tandy (No. 32 Konrad Motorsports Porsche GT3) tumbled down the order already.

Shane Lewis (No. 16 Napleton Racing Porsche Cayman) is leading the GX class by a lap already.