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A team at the University of Sherbrooke has developed an engine with the power of a Ferrari... and the size of a football.

''We used aircraft engines and reactors, and we made them spin on a rotor at ultra high speeds. The result is an extremely potent, yet extremely compact engine,'' says Jean-Sébastien Plante, mechanical engineering professor at the University of Sherbrooke.

It took them five years of research to get to this point. Should this type of engine ever enter production, it would revolutionize transportation. One notable application would be as a range extender for electric vehicles.

The ''football engine'' is featured in Québec Sciences magazine's Top 10 Inventions and Discoveries of 2012.

Source: Radio-Canada

Mercedes-Benz is introducing an assistance system that can prevent car owners from driving unintentionally in the opposite direction to the flow of traffic.

Much like racing video games that provide ''wrong way'' alerts, the German automaker wants to reduce tragic accidents caused by distracted drivers who don't even know or remember which way they're supposed to go.

A camera on the inside of the windscreen is able to identify no-entry signs and send the information to the computer. If it detects that the vehicle is about to enter anyway, three loud beeps will be issued and a red no-entry symbol will light up in front of the driver.

In the event where snow limits visibility, the system will report to the driver that it is "temporarily unavailable."

Mercedes-Benz S-Class and E-Class owners in Germany will be the first to take advantage of this new technology. The company is working intensively on adapting it for use in other countries, however.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Missed our complete coverage of the 2013 NAIAS? This top 10 showcasing the finest vehicles unveiled in Detroit will surely give you an eyeful.

10. Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis Concept

Photo: Hyundai

Inside, the driver-focused cockpit prioritizes dramatic sculpture over infotainment button overload, the company stresses. As such, the clean dashboard features state-of-the-art driver eye-tracking and 3D hand-gesture recognition technologies to recognize driver commands without the use of manual controls. More details on the Hyundai HCD-14 Genesis Concept.

Continue reading Top 10 2013 Detroit Auto Show Unveils

From Daimler press release

German car manufacturer Daimler AG plans to reorganize its Formula 1 activities. In this context, Daimler welcomes two new investors.

Daimler has signed a letter of intent with Austrian investor and motorsport manager Christian “Toto” Wolff, according to which Wolff will acquire a significant minority interest in the Daimler subsidiary Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd. (MGP) and will also head that company as its executive director.

Furthermore, former Grand Prix driver Niki Lauda, currently non-executive chairman of MGP, will also acquire a stake in the company. Together with Ross Brawn, Lauda and Wolff will complete the management of the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 racing team.

Toto Wolff is to become both a shareholder and executive director of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd., and will take over the complete coordination of all Mercedes-Benz motorsport activities.

Photo: WRi2

Toto Wolff started his motorsport career in Formula Sport in 1992. Since 1998, Wolff has founded several venture capital companies. His current investments include an interest in HWA AG, the partner of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport in DTM racing. In November 2009, he acquired a stake in British racing team Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC and joined its board of directors. Since July 2012, Toto Wolff has been a member of that team's management. Toto Wolff will resign from that position when he joins Mercedes-Benz, but will remain a Williams shareholder.

Christian Wolff is married to Susie Wolff, née Stoddart, and former DTM driver for Mercedes-Benz.

Susie Wolff, Mercedes. (Photo: DTM)

On May 23rd, 2012, Mazda and Fiat announced a partnership to develop new sports cars on the MX-5 platform; last week, the two automakers made it official and confirmed that Mazda will build a two-seat roadster for Fiat's Alfa Romeo division.

Developed for the global market, and based on the architecture of the next-generation MX-5, the car will feature distinctive styling and powertrains. Technical specs have yet to be disclosed, however.

Production will begin in Hiroshima, Japan in 2015. concernant les deux véhicules n'ont pas été révélés par Mazda et Fiat.

From GMM

Dr Helmut Marko is bitter because he was turned down "several times", Fernando Alonso has claimed.

Following Red Bull and Ferrari's 2012 title battle, a verbal spat broke out between Spaniard Alonso and Austrian Marko, who is Red Bull team owner Dietrich Mateschitz's right-hand man.

Marko claimed that while world champion Sebastian Vettel is fully focused, Alonso is too "busy with politics and funny comments".

Dr Helmut Marko. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)

Fernando Alonso retorted: "Some (people) say they don't read them (Alonso's comments), don't hear them and don't see them, before adding that they are not influenced by them -- so clearly they do read them, maybe at night."

Now, the feisty 31-year-old Ferrari driver has hinted Marko is bitter because of how many times he rejected Red Bull's interest in his highly-rated services.

"After hearing 'no', it always hurts a little more each time," Fernando Alonso is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace.

Race team owner and car dealer Rick Hendrick bought the first 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, VIN 0001, at the Barrett-Jackson car auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Jan. 19.

With the 2013 RM, Bonhams, Gooding and Co., and Silver auctions in the bag, the record-breaking sales trend we saw earlier in the week seems to be holding strong.

EU politicians are sharply divided between those keen for ambitious green car standards they say are needed to keep up with U.S. goals and those trying to limit the regulatory impact on makers of big luxury cars.

BMW Group Canada and the Canadian Olympic Team have signed a four-year partnership which will run until the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The news was announced as both Winter and Summer athletes took part in simultaneous events in Montreal and Toronto.

''We are delighted to welcome this amazing corporation as an official National Partner of the Canadian Olympic Team and look forward to driving together toward an even more exciting future for our Canadian athletes,'' said Marcel Aubut, president of the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Photo: BMW

Roseline Filion, a bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympic Games, expressed how ''it's a tremendous feeling to know that, once again, we're seeing increased support for the amazing work athletes and coaches are doing 365 days a year.''

In addition to supporting the Canadian Olympic Team, BMW Group Canada will sponsor two national sport federations that have yet to be named.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut (MINI) made another step toward his fourth title in Trophée Andros, winning both rounds presented in Lans-en-Vercors this weekend.

The championship leader dominated the field from start to finish. He first won in the qualifying heats of Saturday, then in his Elite Sup finale, therefore ending day one in first position overall. Andrea and Jean-Baptiste Dubourg were happy to join him on the podium, both driving a Renault Clio III.

Jean-Philippe Dayraut in action (Photo: Trophée Andros)

The second day yielded the same results. Again, Dayraut was quickest in the qualifying rounds, and won his Elite Sup finale, which granted him another victory on Sunday, this time ahead of Olivier Panis (Dacia Lodgy) and Jean-Baptiste Rivière (Citroën DS3).

Dayraut extends his lead in provisional championship classification, as Rivière retains his second position ahead of Olivier Panis.

2010 24 Hours of Le Mans-winner Romain Dumas was replacing Jacques Villeneuve aboard the team speedaventure.com's Citroën DS3. The Canadian was at the side of his newly born baby.

Volkswagen opened its 100th plant worldwide in Silao, Mexico on Wednesday. The facility is dedicated to TSI engine production and will have an annual capacity of 330,000 units.

Photo: Volkswagen

The German manufacturer is strengthening its presence in Mexico after investing in the Puebla (Jetta, Golf, Beetle and Beetle Convertible for all markets), Querétaro (commercial trucks) and San José Chiapa (Audi Q5 starting in 2016) assembly plants.

It's expected that 700 new jobs will be created in Silao, which will supply the North American vehicle plants in Puebla and Chattanooga, Tennessee with the latest generation of fuel-efficient TSI engines.

Photo: Volkswagen

History/Description: Sporty, practical and ready for Canadian life, the Nissan Altima was often considered a sportier alternative to models like the Honda Accord, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion.

The last generation of this Japanese machine was available in sedan and coupe variations, packed 4- or 6-cylinder power and offered CVT or manual transmissions. Specifically, look for a 2.5L 4-cylinder engine as standard, with 175 horsepower or a 3.5L V6 with 270. All Nissan Altima variants were front-wheel drive.

Altima could be specified as a basic family sedan, a luxurious performance coupe, or just about anything in between thanks to feature content like a sunroof, Bluetooth, navigation, heated leather, push-button start, automatic climate control, and plenty more.

Altima could be specified as a basic family sedan, a luxurious performance coupe, or just about anything in between thanks to feature content. (Photo: Michel Deslauriers)

What Owners Like: Many Altima owners report plenty of space, a comfortable ride, plenty of at-hand interior storage, a quiet ride and even good fuel economy. Performance from the V6 engine is also highly rated, and a solid, confident handling dynamic is also reported.

What Owners Dislike: Blind spots, a large turning radius, sub-par performance from the up-level BOSE stereo system and some cheap interior trim are among the most common complaints.

Common Issues: Start your test drive of a used Altima by “feeling” for any unwelcomed sensations from the CVT transmission. It should deliver power smoothly, and on an uninterrupted surge when given the boot. Revs will often wind up and stay fairly steady. This is normal. Lurching, surging or sporadic power delivery is not.

If you're unfamiliar with the “feel” of a CVT transmission, ask a Nissan mechanic to give it a check-up ahead of your purchase. Or, opt for a model with the manual transmission to be safe.

A “brake” warning light on the dashboard could be caused by a common master-cylinder leak, which is a big deal because it can prevent your used Altima from being able to stop. Be sure this warning light isn't present, and that the brakes on the model you're considering perform strongly.

Your local Nissan mechanic will be familiar with the leaking master cylinder problem and able to diagnose it quickly.

Have tires and brake pads/rotors inspected for signs of wear, and have the underside of the Altima inspected for fluid leaks, which aren't common but could be evidence of a problem. Budget for a full fluid change if you're uncertain of the service history of the used Altima you're considering.

Opting for a high-end Altima model? Ensure its features, including automatic climate control, power seats and navigation work as expected. On any model, inspect the dashboard carefully for signs of cracking.

Have tires and brake pads/rotors inspected for signs of wear. (Photo: Michel Deslauriers)

The Verdict: Despite a few fairly concentrated issues, the last-generation Altima seems to be a fairly solid used-car bet, especially if it checks out with a mechanic ahead of your purchase. A manual-equipped 4-cylinder sedan will be the least expensive to run while delivering an appreciable blend of comfort, space and performance.

Stéphane Peterhansel (MINI) secured his fifth win in the car category of the Dakar rally, 42 minutes ahead of Giniel de Villiers' Toyota, Saturday in Santiago du Chili, the final halt of the event.

This adds to be Peterhansel's 11th Dakar win, including his victories on two wheels.

The Frenchman dominated the 2013 race, despite early pressure from Carlos Sainz and Nasser Al Attiyah. Eventually, both buggy drivers were forced to retirement by mechanical issues.

Leonid Novitskiy takes third position driving a 4x4 MINI ahead of Juan Roma, who sacrificed his podium position to protect his teammate Stéphane Peterhansel in the last days.

The buggies of Guerlain Chicherit and Robby Gordon were fast during the two weeks of the race, but both lost hopes of a good result to mechanical and navigational issues.



Dakar - Final classification:
1. Peterhansel-Cottret (MINI) in 38h32'39''
2. De Villiers-Von Zitzewitz (Toyota) +42'22''
3. Novitskiy-Zhiltsov (MINI) +1h28'22''
4. Roma-Perin (MINI) +1h36'43''
5. Terranova-Fiuza (BMW) +1h49'10''
6. Sousa-Ramalho (Great Wall) +2h38'16''
7. Chabot-Pillot (buggy SMG) +3h18'05''
8. Chicherit-Garcin (buggy SMG) +3h27'44''
Etc.

Sébastien Loeb (Citroën) has won the World Rally Championship (WRC) season-opening Rally Monte-Carlo, which was shortened for safety reasons.

The nine-time world champion, who was leading by 1min40s over Sébastien Ogier (Volkswagen) before the last day, maintained his advantage to the end, which came sooner because the last two special stages were cancelled.

Evgeny Novikov, Ford Fiesta RS (Photo: McKlein Photography/WRC)

Organizers considered the excessively large amount of spectators a threat for safety, had a car gone off.

This last day of racing saw several drivers retiring. In the ESS14 “Moulinet-La Bollène Vésubie”, Evgeny Novikov (Ford), Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen) and Juho Hanninen (Ford) all went off the road for good.

Juho Hanninen, Ford Fiesta RS (Photo: McKlein Photography/WRC)

In the end, Loeb took a seventh (and probably last) win in Monte-Carlo, 1min39s ahead of Sébastien Ogier. Dani Sordo (Citroën) completes the podium ahead of teammate Mikko Hirvonen.

Bryan Bouffier (Citroën) finished fifth because Mads Ostberg (Ford) lost several minutes after he went off the road in the very last stage he competed in. Bouffier also posted his first WRC stage win in ESS14.

Mikko Hirvonen, Citroën DS3 (Photo: McKlein Photography/WRC)

The results put Loeb in the championship lead after the first event of the season. But lets not forget the Frenchman will compete in only four or five rallies this season before leaving WRC for good.



Final classification:
1. Loeb / Elena (Citroën DS3 WRC) 5h18'57''2

2. Ogier / Ingrassia (VW Polo R WRC) +1'39''9

3. Sordo / Del Barrio (Citroën DS3 WRC) +3'49''0
4. Hirvonen / Lehtinen (Citroën DS3 WRC) +5'26''3
5. Bouffier / Panseri (Citroën DS3 WRC) +8'13''1
6. Ostberg / Andersson (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) +12'03''7

Etc.

Championship:
1. Loeb 25 points, 2. Ogier 18, 3. Sordo 15, 4. Hirvonen 12, 5. Bouffier 10, etc.

The Alfa Romeo brand will re-enter the U.S. market late this year with its 4C sports car, Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said Friday. Increasing Alfa's sales is a cornerstone of Marchionne's plan to cut losses at Fiat in Europe by 2015.

The Arizona collector car auctions are in full swing, and we've seen some big sales already. Join Hagerty classic car experts Rob Sass and Dave Kinney and Andy Reid of

Jaguar Land Rover has roared to health in the four years since it was bought by India's Tata Motors, but now comes the hard part for the luxury British automaker: proving it can build new models without former owner Ford.

The recovering U.S. economy has brought conspicuous consumers out of hiding in the world's biggest supercar market.

Automakers plan to introduce 61 new or redesigned models in the United States this year, 50 percent more than any year since 2006. While the resurgence gives consumers more choices, suppliers could be hard-pressed to keep up.