Auto News 5

Kevin Blanch, IZOD IndyCar Series technical director, has used the Dallara Automobili facility to lay the groundwork for technical rules in the 2013 rulebook.

"With delivery of the new car last Dec. 15 and all the testing, it's given me an opportunity to check and verify procedures," Kevin Blanch said of the Dallara chassis introduced for the 2012 season. "We had about two months to update what we had built over eight years to fit the old car. We approached the 2012 season as what were the most important things we needed to check, and then we prioritized items and worked through all that until we went racing. Then you're racing back to back to back and there wasn't much time to develop the tech pad. So, just like the teams over the winter are developing the car, we're developing the tech pad to get back to where we used to be."

About 175 measurements and dimensional checks are conducted the first time a car goes through technical inspection during a race weekend - all in about 12 minutes. Additional checks are performed pre-qualifying and pre-race, plus spot checks following qualifications and the race.

Kevin Blanch adds: "Being able to work here where there is a fab shop and machine shop and engineers has been a big help. I've put the car on the tech pad and have played out different scenarios and have tried different ways to inspect items. I've talked to teams a number of times about what we're thinking of doing, and they're good about saying what they think needs to take place but here's what you need to be looking for if somebody will take it to the next level."

Photo: LAT for IndyCar

Car dimensions for 2013

Length:
Road and street course / short oval - The overall length of the car is 203.94 inches +/- 0.250 inches.
Speedway - The overall length of the car is 197.335 inches +/- 0.250 inches.

Wheelbase:
The maximum wheelbase is 121.500 inches and minimum is 117.500 inches.
The wheelbase of the car, left to right, may have a maximum variance of 0.750 inch.

Track width (measured at axle center line):
Oval events - Front and rear are limited to a minimum of 75.750 inches and a maximum of 76.750 inches.
Road and Street events -- Front and rear are limited to a minimum of 75.500 inches and a maximum of 76.500 inches.

Wheelbase offset:
Oval events - The car can be between .150 inches off center to the left or 0.600 inch off center to the right.
Road and street events - A maximum of +/- 0.250 inches permitted left or right of center.

Kia Motors Corp. has a new president. Peter Schreyer, the gifted designer who will forever be associated with the gorgeous Audi TT, becomes the first foreigner to head all of the South Korean automaker's operations.

Since leaving the four-ringed logo in 2006, Schreyer has completely transformed the face of Kia, as evidenced by the new Forte and Optima.

"I thought I wanted to give Kia a character and a family feel... If you come to a country and you see a Kia, you should recognize it immediately, like you recognize a BMW or Mercedes immediately," he said in an interview with Reuters in March 2012.

Source: Reuters

From GMM

Sebastien Buemi has kicked off his new year by learning he will not be making his return to the formula one grid in 2013.

Switzerland's Blick newspaper reports that the 24-year-old has been told he is out of the running to secure the vacant Force India race seat.

Driving the Toro Rosso in 2011, Sebastien Buemi was on the verge of securing a race seat with Sahara Force India in 2013. (Photo: WRi2)

Veteran correspondent Roger Benoit said Buemi, who lost his Toro Rosso drive at the end of 2011, will now work instead on having his deal as Red Bull's official reserve driver extended.

Roger Benoit said Buemi, who had also been linked with a Ferrari test deal, wants that new Red Bull contract in place "as quickly as possible".

"Buemi will not comment at this time. First he needs to safeguard his future," the journalist wrote.

Blick added that the Ferrari-linked Frenchman Jules Bianchi, and former team driver Adrian Sutil, are now the favourites to become Paul di Resta's new teammate at Force India.

Subaru Canada is recalling 293 vehicles equipped with dealer-installed accessory puddle lights after it's been discovered that a short circuit may develop causing the lights to melt and/or emit smoke. This could result in a fire.

Consequently, Subaru dealers will install an additional fused wiring harness.

Affected models include the 2006-2012 Tribeca, 2010-2011 Outback and Legacy, and 2009-2012 Forester.

Source: Transport Canada

Photo: Mike Goetz

Forbes magazine recently published the list of the 10 best-selling cars in the world in 2012 and crowned a new leader.

With nearly one million units, the Ford Focus edged the venerable Toyota Corolla (966,000 units), followed by the Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Elantra, and Ford Fiesta.

Rounding out the top 10 were the Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Camry (No. 1 in the U.S.), Volkswagen Polo, Chevrolet Cruze, and Honda Civic (No. 1 in Canada).

As you may have noticed, all of them are small, fuel-efficient cars, save for the Camry.

Toyota could have retained its seat atop sales charts if it hadn't been for a territorial dispute between Japan and China that sparked a boycott of Japanese cars by Chinese consumers in the latter half of the year. As a result, Toyota sales in China dropped about 25%.

Source: Forbes

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Bentley will launch the Continental GT Speed Convertible at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 14th. With a 625-horsepower W12 engine allowing a top speed of 325 km/h, this brand new model will become the fastest four-seat production cabriolet in the world.

The Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible sports exclusive 21'' wheels, dark tinted grilles, and ''rifled'' tailpipes. Inside the lavish cabin, buyers will find distinctive diamond-quilted leather upholstery along with an exclusive Dark Tint Aluminum ''engine spin'' finish inspired from the dashboards of the Le Mans-winning Bentleys of the 1920s.

The infotainment system has been improved and can now store up to 15 Gigabytes of music. Optionally, the Naim for Bentley sound system comes with custom-built speakers that automatically adjust audio balance settings when the roof is lowered.

Similar to Mercedes-Benz and its Airscarf system, the company also added a practical neck warmer. When you don't have a choice but to keep the top up, the four-layer fabric has proven to withstand even the harshest elements and conditions.

Pricing for the Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible will be announced later.

Photo: Bentley

From GMM

Sahara Force India is in negotiations to revert to Ferrari engine power, according to Italy's La Stampa newspaper.

The talks between the Silverstone based team and Ferrari are "under way", the correspondent Cristiano Chiavegato claims.

Sahara Force India is currently powered by Mercedes' V8 engine, but Vijay Mallya's team began its formula one career with customer power supplied by fabled Ferrari.

Central to the new talks, according to La Stampa, is the Ferrari-linked French driver Jules Bianchi, who was Force India's reserve in 2012 and is now reportedly first in line for the race seat alongside Paul di Resta this year.

Photo: Sahara Force India

Infiniti has released a short video of its upcoming Q50 sedan just to whet our appetite before the all-new model's official debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Fans who want to catch the event live on January 14th can do so by visiting InfinitiUSA.com or the automaker's Facebook page, where they may also ask questions about the Q50 via an interactive text chat.

Watch:

Ray Evernham, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion winning crew chief, has taken a 1960s-era Daytona 500 racing stock loaded it with modern technology and will offer it at the Barrett-Jackson auction which starts on January 13th.

Proceeds from the auction will be donated to IGNITE, a Davidson, NC based program that supports adults with high functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome.

In a new role as designer and manufacturer Evernham, who owned a Dodge-powered Sprint Cup team, has constructed a retro-mod stock car named ForPly.

Starting with the restored body of a 1964 Plymouth Belvedere, the year, make and model that won the 1964 Daytona 500 and NASCAR Grand National championship. Add a Dodge racing powertrain, plus the driveline of a modern day stock car that Evernham's former team built and raced in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the ForPly is the result.

Photo: Barrett-Jackson Auction Company

Details supplied by the Evernham include power from a Kasey Kahne driven Evernham Motorsports Dodge R5-P7 race engine has been re-engineered as a 358/750hp+, fuel injected, V8 power plant. Racing components integrated from the Evernham Motorsports #10 Dodge Charger driven by Scott Riggs at the 2007 Daytona 500 include the front and rear clips, 4-speed manual transmission and fully adjustable NASCAR suspension.

“Ray Evernham's Plymouth shows an extraordinary level of design and craftsmanship, and a very unique theme,” said Mike Joy, Voice on NASCAR on FOX & SPEED collector car expert. “While repurposing NASCAR Sprint Cup cars are not new, hiding the framework and components inside a nearly 50-year-old body shell is certainly a new twist.

“This is a very special build and I hope the bidders take the time to examine it carefully in the display area,” Joy continued. “There just won't be near enough time to describe all its special features when it is up on the block.”

The item (Barrett-Jackson lot 1394) description is: “The slant back, 2 door hardtop coupe is blazoned in a Sherwin-Williams Radiant Red matte finish with Graphite racing stripes, featuring the same finish technology available in Sherwin-Williams Planet Color Barrett-Jackson Restoration System kits. The Graphite Grey colored, race ready cockpit features carbon fiber panels and race bucket seats.. Other unique features include NASCAR style splitter and spoiler, custom 18" NASCAR style wheels, a multi-channel input, all digital backlit dual display dash with separate driver and passenger controls.

TORONTO, Ontario — “We looked at all our competitors, but make no mistake, we went directly after the BMW 3 Series,” says Scott Meldrum, the product manager at GM Canada responsible for the all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS.

A short Powerpoint presentation later, we're driving our first ATS — a 2.5L “Standard,” the nameplate's entry-level point, at $35,195.


A few city blocks behind the wheel is all we need. The
all-new 2013 Cadillac ATS is an incredibly serious attack on its German competitors in the luxury compact segment.


Athletic platform
Even in slow city traffic, the ATS feels taut and agile, light on its feet, and ready to spring into action. Its near perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution is evident every time you turn the wheel.

The ATS is based on a clean-sheet rear-drive platform, which features extensive use of precious metals to keep weight down. At 1,503 kg (3,315 lb), the 2.5L ATS is lighter than any Mercedes-Benz C-Class or Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series, save for the Canada-only BMW 320i.

The ATS' rear suspension is Cadillac's first five-link system. The front suspension utilizes two ball joints on the upper wishbone of a double wishbone system — main advantages are more suspension geometry options and a smoother ride.

Combine all that with ZF's newest rack-mounted power steering, which provides excellent feedback, and it's not hard to see why ATS feels as good as it does. Even over rough roads, the car is always composed, and the steering wheel is virtually vibration free.

Its near perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution is evident every time you turn the wheel. (Photo: Cadillac)

Alright base powertrain
On route to Mosport International Raceway, we wondered if the base 202-hp, 2.5L direct-injection I4 would detract from the 2013 Cadillac ATS' chassis goodness. So far, we would say “nay nay.” This reworked Chevy motor is quite modern, does the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) deed in a reasonable 7.5 seconds, and only gets a bit vocal at high revs.

The 6-speed automatic likes to stay in gear (versus downshifting) when you dip moderately into the throttle, which I don't mind, and helps it achieve decent fuel efficiency. However, more sport-orientated 7 and 8-speed automatics are out there.

Track turbo-ing
It's raining and Mosport is wet. Not good. Mosport's high-speed sweepers and concrete patches commands serious respect when things are bone dry.

The track session is our only chance to try the new over-achieving 2.0L turbocharged direct-injection four, good for 272 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The only 6-speed manual model is the RWD Turbo, for $35,480.

The 2.0L turbo can also be had in RWD automatic and AWD automatic. The 2.5 is strictly RWD automatic. The 3.6L V6 is RWD automatic or AWD automatic.

Top-shelf V6
The 3.6L V6 grunts out 321 horses and 275 torques, and like the 2.5, uses regular fuel. Our V6 track car was fitted with the optional Magnetic Ride Control suspension with real-time damping, which can be set to Touring, Sport and Winter modes.

We take off, obviously, in Sport mode, and are immediately rewarded with great “automatic” downshifts and a nice, firm steering feel. We wonder, however, if Sport mode would enact too aggressive downshifts in less-serious driving, like say, not on a racetrack.
Engine power and brake power are both impressive, the latter courtesy of Brembo.

V6 models start at $43,935. The V6 AWD we drove back to the city commanded $46,600.

The 3.6L V6 grunts out 321 horses and 275 torques (Photo: Mike Goetz)

Finish line
The 2013 Cadillac ATS's dedication to the BMW 3 Series formula has given it a cozy cabin. Trunk size and rear-seat legroom is appropriate for a compact sport luxury vehicle, but no more than that.

But this is a driver's car first and foremost, and the driver's perch is wonderful. Sight lines and seats are great, and there is a lovely modern interior to behold, featuring Cadillac's new CUE interface. The high-tech screen remained surprisingly crisp, even in sunlight. We can't begin to list all the amenities for this first fling. Let's just say it's got the luxury thing covered.

And it's got the sport thing covered too. So if you prefer your luxury compact in European sport flavour, and dig Cadillac's current design language, then you suddenly have an American option.

Well, 2012 is over, we've watched the ball drop and made our New Year's resolutions. Before we venture into 2013 it's time to put a bow on 2012 with our top 12 videos of the year.

and#8220;We can get there faster on the 210,and#8221; we told our piloto, Harry Hernandez, in whose 1924 Model T we were driving.

VW's desire to launch a low-cost brand and Nissan's plan to sell Datsuns for as little as 2,300 euros underline the rising interest from automakers to tap demand for budget cars in fast-growing markets to offset falling sales in mature, stagnant...

Following Google and its driverless car, Continental has developed its very own semi-autonomous vehicle from a Volkswagen Passat. The German-based automotive parts and technologies manufacturer recently got the green light from Nevada authorities to test the car on public roads. In fact, it has already covered some 25,000 kilometres.

Unlike Google, which relies on expensive radars, Continental uses in-house technologies that are currently in development, including a motion-sensing, stereoscopic camera that will be introduced in the upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Continental AG president Elmar Degenhart claims that semi-autonomous cars could hit the road by 2016.

Source: Cnet

Watch:

The contributors of Auto123.com Racing are taking a day off and are sending you their best wishes for a Happy New Year.

May each day of the New Year
Bring happiness, good cheer
And sweet surprises...
To you and all your dear ones!

Happy New Year!

May the 2013 motorsport season be highly exciting, safe and hotly disputed in all categories!

You've all heard about and probably seen the Gymkhana series by drift master Ken Block; now, in the middle of the holiday season, Ford is presenting the ''Snowkhana'' with a Fiesta WRC... in Hot Wheels size!

The short video will make parents smile and kids marvel. The little four-wheel star dances its way around LEGO trees while avoiding Star Wars and Playmobil figurines, not to mention the dangerous Sheriff from Disney's Cars.

Watch:

While not how the expression usually goes, I think it's self-explanatory.

In the mid-'90s, Chrysler unleashed the Neon and all hell broke loose. To bring order back, they dropped the Neon 2.0 -- sorry, the SX 2.0 on dealer lots with little fanfare. In all, the Neon was around for 12 model years.

With all fires put out, the winged brand revealed its new Neon -- sorry, the Caliber. That didn't go so well, either. The Dodge Caliber bowed out after only six model years, leaving a big entry-level hole in Chrysler's lineup. The moment Fiat took hold of Chrysler's reins, I believe a collective sigh of relief was had by designers and engineers alike.


Fiat's got loads of small cars onto which a Chrysler or Dodge logo can be affixed. This is why, last year, I test drove the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. At the time, rumours were running rampant about the lovely Giulietta becoming the donor-car for Chrysler's next small car. The rumours were true.

Although no one would know that the Alfa and Dart are non-identical twins to look at, both are smashingly good looking.

Highs and lows
Side by side, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is clearly the more feminine of the two. The Dart is, after all, a Dodge: the same brand that carries the likes of the Challenger and the Charger (insert manly grunt here).

The 2013 Dodge Dart is immediately identifiable as a Dodge. The crosshair grille, badass demeanor and raccoon-influenced taillightss all work to make the Dart possibly one of the most attractive compact sedans currently available.

My Rallye tester's cabin was trimmed with youthful red accents, plenty of soft-touch plastics and the amazing class-exclusive Uconnect Touch 8.4” touchscreen.

This giant piece of tech-lover stuff is the centrepiece of what is a generally well crafted and designed dashboard. It's all quite “electric” with the aforementioned red highlights carried on through the gauges and seats. On that topic; the front perches are over-bolstered, but generally comfortable.

The Premium cloth that covers the 2013 DodgeDart's seats is far from being nice; the material proved rough on bare skin as my knee left a mark on the rear bench after I reached for an item. The recently tested 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT has far nicer interior materials than the Dart. Then, there's the Garmin navigation system which is not only awfully slow, but has terrible graphics.

The Uconnect Touch 8.4” touchscreen is the centrepiece of what is a generally well crafted and designed dashboard.. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Thank you Fiat!
The 2013 Dodge Dart's base engine is the queerly named Tigershark 2.0L 4-cylinder. The optional motor, straight from Italy, is the superb turbocharged MultiAir 1.4L 4-some. At 160 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, this gem of a motivator is -- without evaluating the R/T's Tigershark 184 hp 2.4L -- the best there is.

Twenty-two pounds of boost spit out all that torque in an instant from 2,500 rpm and hold it until 4,000. By the time the torque backs off, every horse comes into play at 5,500 rpm. How this entire action takes place is wonderful: there is no lag and the swell of power is wonderful. Unfortunately, in order to reach rapture, the driver must go through hell first.

To drive the car is to get annoyed. The tiny gas pedal requires 50% travel in order to respond which only ever turns into jerky take-offs from a start. I can only guess that Chrysler tuned the throttle response with improved fuel economy in mind. What's more, this renders oh-so important heel-and-toeing extremely difficult; the widely spaced small pedals make fancy footwork difficult.

The optional motor, straight from Italy, is the superb turbocharged MultiAir 1.4L 4-some. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

The weight
The 2013 Dodge Dart feels excessively heavy. By comparison, the Alfa Giulietta was lithe and reactive. The Dart is overburdened somehow. Steering is very heavy, which the driver will adapt to fairly quickly. Then there are the brakes which are so responsive that the first few stops will ruin the average hairdo when passenger's heads fly forward. Again, adaptable.

The ride is European-inspired, but with a difficult-to-pinpoint avoirdupoids that is poorly managed by the fully independent suspension. At moderate speeds, the front end of the 2013 Dodge Dart would push out and regularly need to be reeled back in. The drive is comfortable enough, but quickly falls apart in any type of spirited driving; namely, rally...

The 2013 Dodge Dart feels excessively heavy. (Photo: Dodge)

Darting forward
I liked the car, but the throttle management thing killed the whole experience for me. I want to believe that the optional 6-speed autobox will fare far better. I do love the aftermarket-sounding exhaust note!

At $15,995, the entry-level Dart falls within the competition. In fact, the same goes for all of its trims (SXT $17,995; Rallye, $19,495; Limited, $23,245; and R/T, $23,995).

Despite Chrysler's excellent effort, and however attractive the car may be, I don't think it'll dethrone the likes of the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra or Toyota Corolla any time soon. The small shoes, it turns out, do not fit.

Alright, I'm going to go out on a limb here (a very thin, unstable and probably unsafe limb to be on, actually) and say that I really don't care about fuel efficiency numbers. Nope. Not one bit.

I pretend I do because they are shoved down my throat, shouted at me from the rooftop and forced on me from every angle, but really I couldn't care less.

No, wait, that's not true: I care when I drive a hybrid and/or a diesel and only because I'm curious to see the numbers I can actually achieve. It's like a game I have to win, a score I must attain. I'm competing with myself and the car and the technology. I'm weird like that.

So, as I continue to sit here on this precarious limb I'll further explain myself: Yes, gas is expensive, but if it were so astronomically hard to afford we'd stop buying it all together. We'd boycott. We'd give the oil companies a big “FU” and take the bus or bike or resort to horse and carriage again. If we were so up in arms about it, we'd do more about it. We, the public, far outnumber the oil companies... I'm fairly certain we'd win if we truly wanted to do something about it.

Then there are the “improved” fuel efficiency numbers carmakers are so proud to announce every year: “We shave off 0.8657L/100km in this year's model!” Great. Thanks. That'll save me all of a quarter cent at the pumps. Thank you for giving me some breathing room in my finances. I am forever indebted to you.

Their pride in gaining that half litre here and one litre there often makes me smile. Who are they trying to impress? Their financing departments who gave them efficiency quotas to meet? Possibly. And what if it all goes south like it did for Hyundai? All this hype around fuel efficiency is reaching a point where it's almost (if not more) important than the number of airbags in a car.

“Oooh, it gets 5L/100km, that's amazing.”
“But it only has 1 airbag...”
“Whatever, I'll take it!!”

So, no, I don't care about fuel efficiency numbers and I'm not afraid to say it. I care about handling, driveability, visibility, ease-of-use in the driver's seat, horsepower, and the drivetrain... important things like that.

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

It might be lonely out here on my limb, but I'm holding on for dear life as I'm sure more than one of you are trying to shake me off right now in your frustration over my not caring about making vehicles more fuel efficient.

If a car is going to cost me less at the pumps at the expense of something else inherently important to a vehicle (read: driveability, power) then I want nothing to do with it. I'll continue to tell you all what my vehicle “achieves” throughout the week, but know that I care nothing about it. I do it for you readers who feel the need to hear it, for some peace of mind.

I don't drive to be fuel efficient, and I doubt I ever will. By the way, there's room on this unstable limb for anyone else who cares to join me.