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On certain 2013 Chevrolet Malibu sedans, one or more rear suspension bolts may have been tightened insufficiently during vehicle assembly. If the bolts loosen, handling could suddenly be affected, particularly at higher speeds. This would increase the risk of a crash.

As a result, dealers will inspect and, if necessary, tighten the rear suspension bolts.

This recall targets 67 units.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Chevrolet

The countdown to the start of the 2013 24 Hours of Daytona is now down to hours. Read what the drivers had to say coming off qualifying.

Scott Pruett (1st in DP, No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley): "Winning the pole is big for us. A lot of people have been talking about a lot of sandbagging, but I can absolutely tell you, we laid out all our hand on the table for qualifying. That's what we're supposed to do. We're racers."

Scott Dixon, No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley (Photo: Grand-Am.com)

Scott Dixon (2nd in DP, No. 02 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley): "Qualifying was the first time I was in the car all week. We've had a lot of problems with the steering and all kind of things, an even the handling-wise, we haven't done too well with that. I'm surprised we're only a tenth off."

Nick Tandy, No. 32 Konrad Motorsports Porsche GT3 (Photo: Nick Tandy/Facebook)

Nick Tandy (1st in GT, No. 32 Porsche GT3): "We managed to get one clean lap in - which was all we needed. The car is really good on race pace, which is everything[.] Winning the pole sounds very good to me. Let's see if we can translate that into 'Nick Tandy, champion of the Rolex 24.'"

Shane Lewis, No. 16 Napleton Racing Porsche Cayman (Photo: Shane Lewis 2013)

Shane Lewis (1st in GX, No. 16 Napleton Racing Porsche Cayman): "It's a great way to start the Rolex 24, but we've got a lot of hours ahead of us[.] Obviously we can't run this kind of pace during the race, and we're going to have to take care of it, but it's a great car with a lot of street parts."

Scott Pruett, driving the No. 01 Chip Ganassi Racing BMW/Riley, has secured the first pole position of his 2013 season, ahead of the 51st 24 Hours of Daytona.

Scott Dixon placed the No. 2 Chip Ganassi Racing Daytona Prototype right beside Pruett, on the outside of row one. Dane Cameron (Team Sahlen) made it an all BMW/Riley top three.

In GT as well the same brand swept the first three positions, Nick Tandy (Konrad Motorsport/Orbit) being the fastest of the top three Porsche GT3 drivers. Andy Lally is second is the No. 44 Magnus Racing entry.

Shane Lewis notched the first ever GX pole aboard his No. 16 Napleton Racing Porsche Cayman. Ryan Eversley, in another Porsche Cayman is second, and Andrew Carbonell (No. 25 Freedom Autosport/SpeedSource Mazda 6) third.

The green flag drops Saturday at 3:30 pm.

Toyota is one of those companies who, for some, can do no wrong. Brand loyalty keeps Toyota customers coming back for more year after year. And as their family situations and financial statuses change, they make their way up through the Toyota lineup.

Well, I have no loyalty to the Toyota brand, and as an outsider looking in I have a hard time seeing the relevance in a model like the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS I recently drove. With an MSRP of $25,565 and a thirst at the pumps I'd not expected, one word continued to circle my brain throughout the week-long test: Why?


It's not quite the Matrix of Hollywood films
Despite the sportier look of the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS (thanks to the sport grille, 17” aluminum alloy wheels, fog lights, chrome exhaust tip and roof-mounted spoiler), I'm not taken with it. There's still something a bit mundane about the whole thing.

It's as if Toyota tried to be a bit risqué with the Matrix XRS, then got shy and covered up the corset with a bath robe. I appreciate the slightly flared wheel arches over the front wheels, and the front bumper lip that juts out just a little -- but it's just not enough to make a statement.

However, I can see how the look of the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS may appeal to some: it's subtle sportiness makes it different enough from the base model, but it's not too in-your-face.

Despite the sportier look of the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS, I'm not taken with it. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Entering the Matrix; take that red pill, first
And I mean a Tylenol, and not because the interior is obnoxious or loud, but because you're going to be so bored with the whole thing you may fall asleep and smack your forehead on the trying-to-be-sporty-with-a-semi-flat-bottom steering wheel.

My 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS was as loaded as it gets yet I felt like I was in the entry-level version. Plain and simple is the name of the game here from the somewhat comfortable seats to the analog climate controls.

Of note: With a rear-facing convertible baby seat behind the front passenger's seat it becomes rather unusable. At 5'2” (on a good day) my knees were mere centimetres from the glovebox when seated there, and my 6'1” husband barely fit at all.

And with cargo capacity of 561 litres (19.8 cu.-ft) behind the rear seats of the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS, it's somewhat practical. With a stroller in the trunk, there was little room left over for any other large items. However, the hatch/wagon shape does give a bit more room in the end.

Plain and simple is the name of the game here. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Driving in the Matrix
Thankfully, the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS sports a 2.4L 4-cylinder VVT-i engine that pushes out 158 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. It is, along with the 5-speed automatic transmission, the car's saving grace. I was impressed with the pickup the Matrix XRS actually had when I asked it to perform. From passing moves on the highway to leaving a stop, the autobox is quite pleasant to drive -- something I didn't expect to discover.

Equipped with sport suspension, again the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS is trying its best to be a sportier ride. However, the sportiness translates into a harshness that's just unpleasant as the days go on. While it ensured the Matrix cornered well and stayed planted on the road, I would have rather smoother travels behind the wheel.

What shocked me the most, really, was the amount I spent at the pumps over the week. I travelled my usual amount (in fact, a little less) and still racked in well over $100 in gas receipts -- in part due to our high gas prices right now -- for seven days of piloting the 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS. Toyota rates the Matrix fuel efficiency numbers at just over 9L/100km in the city (compared to the 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT which boasts a rating of 7.6L/100km), and that's if you drive carefully, which I did not. So I was probably more in the 10.5 and above range. I'd tell you the exact number, but I couldn't figure out how to display it on the dash and refused to take out the manual.

A 2.4L 4-cylinder VVT-i engine that pushes out 158 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. It is, along with the 5-speed automatic transmission, the car's saving grace. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

So, why a Matrix?
The only reason I can think to purchase a 2013 Toyota Matrix XRS over a 2013 Toyota Corolla S is to have a hatch/wagon look. However, for roughly $400 dollars less, I think I'd choose the Corolla (and it pains me to admit that, truly it does).

From GMM

Christian Horner was not at Maranello recently to discuss his or Adrian Newey's possible switch to Ferrari, but rather to talk politics with other F1 head of states.

When the Red Bull team boss was spotted at Ferrari's fabled headquarters, it fired into action the speculative minds of the Italian and - in turn - the international press.

Actually, according to German correspondent Michael Schmidt, also at Maranello for the very same meeting were Bernie Ecclestone, Martin Whitmarsh and Niki Lauda.

They were sitting with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo, to discuss the incomplete 2013 Concorde Agreement.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, the only document agreed so far is a 'financial agreement', with teams sharing 60 per cent of the sport's revenue and top teams like Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes receiving an even bigger slice.

But the governing FIA, pushing reportedly for a $40 million slice, is yet to sign, meaning that the processes for agreeing and enforcing rules are currently up in the air.

A bone of contention is the issue of cost control, with the smaller teams pressing for a 'budget cap', and the bigger teams obviously not wanting to sign up to that.

"As long as there is no consensus," wrote Schmidt, "there is a legal vacuum."

"50 years in the making. 62 front-row lock-outs, 155 pole positions, 182 wins. The MP4-28 will be born on January 31st 2013," reads the McLaren official Youtube channel on the eve of the team launching its 2013 challenger.



Source: OfficialMcLarenVids

British magazine Autosport has confirmed former F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan has changed his mind about racing in IndyCar.

Since his first grand prix season, with Jordan in 2005, Karthikeyan entered a total of 28 F1 races, in the 2011 and 2012.

He also competed in A1GP, and notoriously lost a chance of racing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans when he injured himself, having fell over the pit wall 10 minutes before the race start.

Photo: HRT F1 Team

"I don't know where these rumours of me switching to IndyCar emanated from," Karthikeyan told the IANS news agency back in October.

Now, it's been confirmed by Autosport that the self-proclaimed "fastest indian in the world" is in talks with Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport regarding a potential switch to IndyCar.

The only oval experience the Chennai-native comes from nine starts in NASCAR's truck series.

Hot rodders are a pretty devout bunch. A little rain is not going to keep them away from the high holy days of their hobby. Thus, the crowd was pretty good at the opening of the 64th Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona this weekend.

Hewlett-Packard lost a bid for a Texas court order allowing it to question under oath two former information technology workers who were among 18 people that quit the company in November to join GM.

Also in this episode: The price of the 2014 Nissan GT-R cracks the six-figure barrier, and we take a look at the McLaren P1 on the track.

GM, which isn't advertising during CBS' telecast of the Super Bowl, plans to air commercials during the network's pre-game programming on Feb. 3.

A Ferrari F70 mule was spotted testing in Europe recently, and it's now sporting a Daimler SP250 or '58 Packard look at the front end.

Hyundai has teamed-up with psychedelic rock band the Flaming Lips for the brand's 60-second Super Bowl commercial running prior to kickoff.

The 1949 Cadillac Coupe de Ville prototype will make a second debut of sorts, after 64 years under wraps, at the 18th annual Amelia Island

Ford, responding to soft sales for the Ford Focus EV and recent moves by rivals, has launched a wave of discounts and special lease deals to spur demand for the alternative-powered compact car.

BF Goodrich launched a new extreme-performance street tire this week, the g-Force Rival.

Mini will bring two special-edition vehicles to the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Kenneth Merrill, a former Ford Motor and Ford Credit executive, died Jan. 22 in Livonia, Mich. He was 82.

Automakers are reaching out to celebrities, fans and even YouTube sensations for 2013 Super Bowl advertisements.

Fifty-seven auto dealers have been nominated by automotive trade associations for the 2013 Time Dealer of the Year award. The nominees were announced by Time magazine and Ally Financial, this year's sponsor.