Auto News 5

Poor Saab; as if their demise in the auto world weren't enough, their name was once again dragged through the press gutters when Saab Automobile AB's then-chariman, Mr. Victor Muller was accused of tax evasion in 2010-2011.

Rumours of him pocketing money from the company via Latin America Tug Holding NV, a tugboat company registered in his name, circulated and the Swedish authorities began investigating the matter. Also, Muller's $773,000 salary at Saab raised some eyebrows.

By association, Spyker has been dragged through the media gutters as Victor Muller is their current CEO, however, they released a statement today stating that Spyker is and was in no way involved in this tax evasion matter.

Source: Email following story from Spyker and Autoblog

Ferrari has confirmed that Felipe Massa's accident in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix was the result of a suspension failure.

The Brazilian shunted heavily at Sainte Devote for the second successive day on Sunday, and despite the first incident in Saturday's free practice session being put down to driver error, the team has announced on its official website that Massa's race ending incident was due to suspension failure.

'The findings validated the first impressions of the engineers, confirming that the accident was caused by an element of the front left suspension breaking,' the statement read.

Photo: WRi2

Team principal Stefano Domenicali also confirmed that Massa has some slight muscle pain, and his driver has had no side effects as a result of the accident.

"The best news to come out of the Monaco weekend is that Felipe is fine.

"Two big accidents, just over twenty fours apart and all he has to show for it is a bit of muscle pain.

“Fortunately there were no other injuries."

Taking it all on
Drumheller, AB - The 2013 Ford F-150 not only takes on competitors, but takes on the countryside as well, with or without roads. Driving on the road is like being in a Lincoln, while off-roading is like having your own tank. In a word: Awesome!

What is the Ford F-150?
Simply put, the Ford F-150 is Canada's best-selling pickup truck, and has been for the past 47 years.

Technicalities
Ford wisely chose to leave the powertrains in the F-150 alone. The 302 hp 3.7L normally aspirated V6 is still the base engine, followed by the 365 hp 3.5L twin-turbo EcoBoost V6. First up on the V8 list is the 360 hp 5.0L V8, followed by the 411 hp 6.2L V8. The 6.2L option is limited to use in select models, such as the Platinum and Raptor.

All 2013 Ford F-150 engines are backed by a 6-speed automatic transmission, and an available 4X4 drivetrain.

A basic, regular cab F-150 in two-wheel drive can be ordered for $19,999; while the Platinum edition starts at $61,099.


Driving the F 150
Trailer towing gets a bit easier with the 2013 Ford F-150 thanks to available towing packages. With the Max. trailer tow package when combined with the Lariat trim or higher, the trailer-towing mirrors become electronically adjustable and can telescope in and out, as well as fold, and the mirrors themself are still fully power-adjustable. This is something that GM has yet to do with the Silverado and Sierra; Ram and Toyota Tundra mirrors are only power-adjustable, as well.

The 2013 F-150 is offered in regular, Super Cab or Crew Cab versions with three different box lengths also available. All of the trucks can tow conventional trailers, but it is not recommended to use a fifth-wheel hitch with the short box. Towing capacities vary slightly amongst the 2013 Ford F-150 models, but properly equipped the F-150 is rated at 11,300 lbs.

I drove a normal 2013 Ford F-150 (equipped with EcoBoost) hooked to a trailer with 11,000 lbs. My partner and I took to the highway and proceeded to get up to the 100 km/hr speed limit. Aside from a little trailer sway dampened by the trailer-sway control program, it stayed stable and was hardly noticeable.

The only time a heavy load was obvious with the Ford F-150 was under braking or while traversing an 8% grade. Braking took a bit of extra time and distance, but not a lot of extra pedal pressure. Going up the hill took about 50% more throttle pressure to keep slightly above the posted 70 km/hr speed limit.

Next on my list of real world tests came a 50 km fuel economy run. Ford says the EcoBoost motor should get 9.6 l/100 km on the highway and 14.1 l/100 km in town. My average for both town and highway, including headwinds and the 8% grade was 11.8 l/100 km. That is certainly much better than I thought it would be!

With the Max. trailer tow package when combined with the Lariat trim or higher, the trailer-towing mirrors become electronically adjustable and can telescope in and out, as well as fold, and the mirrors themself are still fully power-adjustable. (Photo: Ford)

Ins and Outs of the Ford F-150
As far as new looks go on the 2013 Ford F-150: The front grilles have changed, HID headlamps are widely available, and the front fascia has changed a bit to accommodate these new lights. New 18” and 20” wheel packages round out the differences.

Exterior definition for the average F 150 depends on the trim level chosen. Side badges are distinctive and depend on the trim level chosen. And while the front fascia has been updated, designers managed to keep the “Built Ford Tough” image.

The most distinctive exterior belongs to that of the 2013 Ford F-150 Raptor. With an instantly recognizable grille, a slightly different front end treatment, and a more aggressive stance, the Raptor means business. Even the Raptor's tires have a more bad-ass tread design, and the wheels are equally angry-looking. Paint and badging stand out as well, adding to the predator look of the F-150 Raptor.

Interiors are as distinctive (and important) as exteriors. Basic seating is a 40/20/40 split bench that can be upgraded to bucket seats with a centre console that can be used as an office. Add space through ordering a Super Cab or Super Crew Cab F-150 and buyers gain both seating capacity and storage space. Rear seats may be comfortable to sit on, but they also fold up to open up interior storage space.

SYNC™ with MyFordTouch® is now available in all 2013 Ford F-150s, and has been redesigned specifically for the truck buyers. That means, owners can now work SYNC™ with gloves on, just like all the other controls.

As far as new looks go on the 2013 Ford F-150: The front grilles have changed, HID headlamps are widely available, and the front fascia has changed a bit to accommodate these new lights. (Photo: Ford)

Comparing the F 150
Main competitors, such as Ram and GM's Silverado and Sierra are closing in where sales are involved, but haven't managed to outdo the F-150 just yet. The other players in Canada are Nissan with the Titan and Toyota with the Tundra, but neither of these companies offers the depth of model lineup that Ford has with the F-150. None of the companies goes to the effort that Ford does to ensure there is an F-150 suited to every customer.

From GMM

Renault will look to reduce the price of its new turbo V6 engines over time, the French carmaker's president Carlos Ghosn said.

Reports have indicated that Renault's new engine for 2014 is millions more expensive than any of its rival F1 suppliers, causing Williams to jump ship to Mercedes.

It is also rumoured that, while Caterham looks set to stay with Renault, Lotus is in talks with Ferrari.

Already signed up with Renault for 2014 are Red Bull's two teams, including Toro Rosso.

Christian Horner, Carlos Ghosn, Franz Tost and Helmut Marko in Monaco. (Photo: Renault Sport)

"We will not be surprised if the third one will come soon. We may have more but we don't need more," said Ghosn.

"There is some concern about the cost of the engine, I understand it, but our commitment is to work to reduce these costs," Ghosn said in Monaco at the weekend.

He insisted, however, that the initial cost of the engines to customers - believed to be over EUR 20 million per season - will not be reduced.

"We are not going to drop the price for anybody for 2014," said Ghosn. "But our commitment is every year we will be working hard to make this engine more efficient, to reduce the costs and then try to pass part of the cost reduction to the users."

From GMM

The furore over Mercedes' secret Pirelli test looks set to deepen, as rival teams claim they were not informed by F1's tire supplier.

As it refused to rule out "penalties", the FIA said Pirelli and Mercedes would have got the green light for the test "provided every team" was also offered the same opportunity.

It has emerged Ferrari did a secret test for Pirelli before Barcelona with a 2011 car, with Pedro de la Rosa at the wheel.

And Red Bull confirmed it was asked about conducting a test for Pirelli, "but we very clearly said no," Dr Helmut Marko told Austrian television Servus TV.

"In our opinion, such a test is not covered by the regulations. It is a clear violation."

Photo: WRi2

There are reports that Pirelli distributed an email about the possibility of tire testing, but many teams reportedly deny ever receiving it.

"We feel cheated," Sauber founder Peter Sauber is quoted by 20min.ch.

According to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, Williams also denies knowing about the possibility of Pirelli tire testing.

And asked if his team was consulted, Lotus boss Eric Boullier is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace: "No."

Force India's Bob Fernley said the issue came up in a FOTA meeting, but it was not a formal invitation to test.

"I don't remember getting a letter from Pirelli on the subject," he insisted.

In fact, the Telegraph newspaper refers to an email to teams from the teams association FOTA, explicitly warning that in-season testing is not allowed unless there is "unanimous" consent by all teams.

The matter is now in the FIA's hands.

"I don't expect there to be a judgement before Montreal," Marko said. "I would say by Silverstone at the earliest."

Red Bull and Ferrari are reportedly proposing that, if Mercedes was allowed to test, they should as well.

"We want to have the same test in order to get to the same level," said Marko. But it is clear that not all teams, particularly those who are happiest with Pirelli's difficult 2013 tires, will agree to that remedy.

"There will certainly be a penalty, because Mercedes' tire advantage in Monaco was obvious," Marko is quoted by Bild newspaper. "There is also a question of cost, because such a test costs nearly a million euros."

Another factor, said Marko, is the long-life engine rule, with Mercedes' three race distances at the secret test supposedly now excluded from its allocation of eight engines per driver.

"There is a long list of things," said the outspoken Austrian. "We also want to have this test. Logistically, it can only happen at Silverstone, which means that we have lost two races until we have the same knowledge."

Mercedes chairman Niki Lauda, meanwhile, is accusing Red Bull of sour grapes.

"Red Bull was also asked (about the test) but we were simply faster to accept. So they are just sore losers. I have made a bet with Helmut Marko - 50 euros - that there will be no consequences for Mercedes," the Austrian legend added.

Finally, Marko said Red Bull is not questioning the validity of Nico Rosberg's Monaco win.

"We deliberately put in the protest before the race, because our protest is about the test, not Nico Rosberg's victory. It was a great performance and we can live with second and third places," he insisted.

From GMM

Kimi Raikkonen has delivered another punchy quote to his legions of fans, after his run-in with Sergio Perez in the Monaco grand prix.

Furious about being run into by the McLaren driver at the exit of the tunnel, Finn Raikkonen initially called his Mexican rival an "idiot" and "stupid".

"We've lost a lot of points to Sebastian (Vettel) in the championship and you can't afford to lose ground like that," said Raikkonen.

Asked if he will seek Perez out for talks, Raikkonen insisted: "No, that won't help."

Asked what will, he suggested: "Maybe someone should punch him in the face."

Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) and Sergio Perez (McLaren) in Monaco. (Photo: WRi2)

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso also had trouble with Perez in Monaco, skipping the chicane after an attack and having to give the place to his rival.

"Only McLaren has to be happy with him," former McLaren driver Alonso said coyly afterwards.

Team boss Martin Whitmarsh, however, insisted McLaren is indeed happy with the feisty 23-year-old, saying run-ins are "what happens in Monaco occasionally".

"I am happy with his spirit and his challenge," he said.

"You can over push sometimes but I think he did some great overtakes. I have got to be pleased that he is there, he is committed and racing," added Whitmarsh.

Technically, it was my second car. Before that I had a 2002 Dodge Neon SXT, but that was a short-lived experience because it was essentially a beater.

2013 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG

Effortless, immense power from a twin-turbo V-12.

The CL65 AMG is the epitome of a German grand tourer, a unique beast that's half sybaritic sled, half sport coupe. Good God Almighty: There's so much torque on tap from the twin-turbo V-12 engine, it can barely get to the ground, especially if the 20-inch Dunlop tires are cold. You'll be lighting up the rear tires with just the slightest misapplication of your right foot to the accelerator. Forward thrust belies the vehicle's 5000-pound curb weight, and the CL65 hungers for open freeways where it can hurtle along effortlessly at triple digits. Despite our test example's matte paint, this is still a pretty understated car compared with competitors like the Bentley Continental GT. A new S-class is coming soon, and not far behind it will be a new S-class coupe (Mercedes is going to dump the CL badging). There's no word yet whether this wonderful twin-turbo V-12 powertrain will still be offered, so if you've been wanting to join the twelve-cylinder club, there's no time like the present.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

2013 Mercedes-Benz CL65 AMG | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

There's some song, it's an old song -- and#8220;you don't know what you got till it's gone, da da-da da, da-da-da da-da and#8230;and#8221; Well, that's how I feel about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee Classic you see here.

There's a picture of it in a shoebox somewhere, freshly painted red, parked next to our Candian family friends' prized first-generation Mustang.

The 1991 Saturn SL2 wasn't my first car. Those honors go to a 1980 Ford F-150 with a and#8220;

The claim of 'an all-new platform' by Kia Motors was something I challenged when the company first made this statement last year. To the credit of Kia Motors' UK importer, the facts did indeed seem to stack up: the floor was lowered and there are additional front, side and rear structures as well as a more rigid monocoque (torsional stiffness is said to be improved by 18%).

Glenn Brooks tries the latest Sorento and considers the arrival of the era of the £35,000 Kia.

Glenn Brooks tries the latest Sorento and wonders if almost GBP40,000 is too much for a Kia?

Other editors are remembering their long-lost first rides. I still have mine: a 1951 Packard 200 Deluxe Touring Sedan.

Full disclosure: This is my second Supra. My first car ever was a white 1983 model that I foolishly sold. I got seller's remorse and, about a year later, bought this 1984 Supra that came in on trade at the Dodge dealership where I worked.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reaffirmed her target to bring 1 million electric cars onto German roads by 2020, despite weak interest from consumers.

Renault is ending a five-year partnership with Better Place LLC after the operator of electric-vehicle charging stations announced plans to shut down. The two companies have worked together in Israel and Denmark since 2008.

SENIOR ONLINE EDITOR RORY CARROLL: I can't think of a modern front driver I've had more fun in. What a joyful car. If it were all-wheel drive, I'd be lusting after one.

Doug Betts has spearheaded Chrysler Group's effort to improve product quality since he joined the company from Nissan North America in 2007.