Auto News 5

The 2013 season of the DTM, the German touring car championship, will kick off this weekend at Hockenheim, Germany. Reigning series' champion, Canadian Bruno Spengler will be contesting the race aboard a BMW M3 carrying the No. 1 plate.

Timo Glock, BMW. (Photo: DTM)

Official entry list
Car number   Driver   Team Car
1 Bruno Spengler  BMW Team Schnitzer  BMW M3 DTM
2 Dirk Werner  BMW Team Schnitzer   BMW M3 DTM
3 Gary Paffett  Mercedes AMG DTM  DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé
4 Roberto Merhi  Mercedes AMG DTM  DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé
5 Edoardo Mortara   Audi Sport Team Rosberg   Audi RS 5 DTM
6 Filipe Albuquerque  Audi Sport Team Rosberg   Audi RS 5 DTM
7 Augusto Farfus  BMW Team RBM  BMW M3 DTM
8 Joey Hand  BMW Team RBM  BMW M3 DTM
9 Christian Vietoris  Mercedes AMG DTM   DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé
10 Robert Wickens   Mercedes AMG DTM  DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé
11 Mattias Ekström   Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline  Audi RS 5 DTM
12 Jamie Green   Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline   Audi RS 5 DTM
15 Martin Tomczyk   BMW Team RMG   BMW M3 DTM
16 Andy Priaulx   BMW Team RMG  BMW M3 DTM
17 Daniel Juncadella  Mercedes AMG DTM  DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé
18 Pascal Wehrlein  Mercedes AMG DTM  DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé
19 Mike Rockenfeller  Audi Sport Team Phoenix  Audi RS 5 DTM
20 Miguel Molina  Audi Sport Team Phoenix  Audi RS 5 DTM
21 Marco Wittmann  BMW Team MTEK   BMW M3 DTM
22 Timo Glock  BMW Team MTEK  BMW M3 DTM
23 Timo Scheider   Audi Sport Team Abt  Audi RS 5 DTM
24 Adrien Tambay   Audi Sport Team Abt   Audi RS 5 DTM

Gary Paffett, Mercedes. (Photo: DTM)

Race calendar
Date   Circuit    Circuit length   Number of laps
May 5  Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg  4,574 km  42 laps
May 19  Brands Hatch  1,929 km  98 laps
June 2  Red Bull Ring Spielberg  4,326 km   47 laps
June 16   Lausitzring   3,478 km  52 laps
July 14  Norisring  2,300 km  83 laps
August 4   Moscow Raceway  2,555 km  74 laps
August 18  Nürburgring   3,629 km   49 laps
September 15  Motorsport Arena Oschersleben   3,696 km   51 laps
September 29   Circuit Park Zandvoort  4,307 km  44 laps
October 20  Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg  4,574 km  42 laps

Timo Scheider, Audi. (Photo: DTM)

Tesla Motors Club and Tesla Motors have joined forces to create Teslive, an action-packed conference event that will take place July 12-14, 2013 in San Jose, California, near the electric car company's headquarters. Participants will be limited to 300.

The program will include a tour of the assembly plant in Fremont, interaction with members of the Tesla team, discussion panels, meetings with experts, group drives, and much more.

Teslive organizers also hope to break the world record for the largest gathering of electric vehicles. Last November, Nissan lined up 225 LEAFs during a special event in the U.K.

Obviously, charging stations will be available at the plant and hotel.

From GMM

Dr Helmut Marko has admitted he is not satisfied with the minor tweak made by Pirelli ahead of next weekend's Spanish grand prix.

So far in 2013, world champions Red Bull have been putting pressure on F1's official supplier to significantly change this season's heavily-degrading tires.

But, after the first four 'flyaway' grands prix, Pirelli has announced that only a minor tweak will be made to the 'hard' compound tire for Barcelona and beyond.

Red Bull's Marko said on Monday: "We want - as soon as possible - a tire that does not limit our potential," he is quoted by DPA news agency.

"It should be that you are able to get the most out of your car," he said at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria.

Photo: Pirelli

Marko argues that the current Pirelli tires are penalising the very best cars, like Red Bull's RB9.

"If we use our full potential, we cannot even last a full lap of qualifying. To tell your drivers that they are not allowed to drive some corners properly is not easy," claimed Marko.

A Red Bull team insider told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "If we had a normal tire, Vettel would be half a second quicker than everyone on each track.

"We know it from our simulations," the source added.

This weekend in Brazil, KV Racing's veteran, Tony Kanaan will reach the mark of 200 consecutive starts in his IndyCar career despite suffering torn ligaments in his right hand in a crash during the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

His boss and former CART/Champ Car ace, Jimmy Vasser holds the record with 211 consecutive starts, which Kanaan will break fittingly Labor Day weekend at Baltimore, barring injury/illness or other unforeseen circumstances.

Kanaan's streak dates back to June 24, 2001 (Portland).

Al Unser Jr. is third overall with 192 from 1983 to 1995 while Michael Andretti (1983-92 / 1994-2002) and Emerson Fittipaldi (1984-95) are tied at 164 consecutive starts for fourth.

Among the still active drivers, Ganassi's Scott Dixon has 141 consecutive starts and Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti has 117.

Tony Kanaan and Jimmy Vasser. (Photo: LAT/IndyCar)

Pros and Cons*
Pros
The generous storage capacity and cargo dimensions of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E Class Wagon are its obvious strong points. This sleek Mercedes shares the remarkable fit and finish, hush cabin, ideal driving position and innovative security features that we've come to expect from this brand.

Cons
On the flipside, its nonathletic nature is handicapped by vague steering, hard to modulate brakes and a significant weight problem. What's more, certain not-so-user-friendly controls, an interior noise level that is higher than its sedan siblings and expensive option packages hurt this model even more.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Price
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz E 350 4MATIC Wagon starts at $70,400. 18-inch wheels, black roof headliner, electrical tilt and telescopic wheel, and the appearance package are among the standard equipment.

Different option packages are available, such as; driving assist package, for $800, advanced driving assist package for $2,700, the premium package, for $3,800, and a drive-dynamic multicontour driver seat for $900.

Fuel consumption
Fuel economy ratings are 11.2 L/100 km in city driving conditions and 7.3 L/100 km highway driving for this model.

Exterior design
This intermediate family wagon has a refined, conservative, yet distinctly modern design. The quadruple headlights add a dramatic effect to its stylish front end. Its aggressive aerodynamic profile is accentuated by the plunging black AMG roof rails. The straight-bar design DEL daytime running lights are neatly installed underneath the front bumper. It is 27 millimeters longer, 45 millimeters taller and 100 kilograms heavier than its E Class siblings.

Drivetrain
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz E Class Wagon is powered by a 3.5 litre V6 that produces 302 hp and 273 lb-ft torque. The engine is mated to a 7-speed 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission.

Luggage capacity
The rear cargo area offers 695 litres of capacity, which more than doubles, to 1950 litres when the rear seat is lowered.

Security
A total of seven airbags can be found in this model. Furthermore, Mercedes has an impressive list of active and passive safety features, and over 80 different sensors, all working together to protect the occupants.

Comparable models
BMW 5 Series GT, Cadillac CTS Wagon, Lincoln MKT, Volvo XC90

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

*References
Brière Francis, L'annuel de l'automobile 2013, Montréal Transcontinental, 2012, p.424
Lachapelle Marc, Le guide de l'auto 2013, Montréal, Les éditions de l'Homme, 2012, p.446
www.mercedes-benz.ca

From GMM

Flavio Briatore has played down the prospect of a return to formula one.

The flamboyant Italian left the sport amid disgrace and the 'crashgate' scandal, but in the wake of his lifted ban he has been linked several times with a return.

But Briatore, 63, told the British magazine F1 Racing: "I know everything that's going on and I know to have a team at this moment makes no sense financially. So, there is no reason for me to come back to F1.

"Now I have a son, three years old, I'm working 20 hours a day for different businesses, different investments, different situations, both here and over in America; I'm very happy," he added.

Fernando Alonso and Flavio Briatore, world champion 2005 and 2006 with Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

It seems hardly a month goes by when there isn't one new form or another of the new Audi A3 being announced. Glenn Brooks, who attended the UK launch of the Sportback, looks at what's ahead for the local importer's best selling model.

Mercedes-Benz USA appointed a new general manager of the Smart brand and is transferring the head of the company-owned Mercedes-Benz Manhattan dealership in New York to a corporate position in Montvale, N.J.

Aston Martin drove the first lapand#8212;of many, we assumeand#8212;of its hydrogen-fueled racecar at the 13-mile Nürburgring circuit in Germany on Saturday. Aston CEO Dr.

President Barack Obama said Charlotte, North Carolina, Mayor Anthony Foxx will press ahead as transportation secretary with the administration's goals to rebuild and expand the nation's infrastructure.

"Everyone else was doing it," and "I had to go to the bathroom" extend beyond excuses used in a kindergarten classroom -- they actually top the most common excuses drivers use to get out of a ticket.

Successful car auctions are hardly surprising these days; it seems like there's a mad rush to throw money at every halfway desirable bit of steel, aluminum or fiberglass and not even a still-precarious global economy can cool buyers down.

Motorsports editor Mike Larson goes over this weekend's racing news and results.

Tenneco, the supplier of emission-control and ride-control systems, today reported sharply higher first-quarter profits.

Tenneco, the supplier of emission-control and ride-control systems, today reported higher first-quarter profits.

We recently brought you road test editor Jonathan Wong whipping the Ford SVT Raptor through an intense off-road course. Now we talk with two top

Daimler China sales chief Nicholas Speeks accused independent Mercedes dealers in China of laziness. In the first three months, Mercedes sales in China dropped 12 percent.

As Daimler AG struggles to keep pace in China with rivals BMW and Audi, the company is picking a fight with its own dealers.

Mazda Motor Corporation posted a profit for the 2013 fiscal year (FY) ending on 31 March.

The Toyota 4Runner is getting a mid-cycle refresh for 2014. The Japanese giant gave the SUV a new exterior treatment, interior refinements and added some comfort and convenience options. The 270-hp, 4.0-liter V6 is the only engine available.