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News 18 Jun, 2013

The production-ready Honda Civic Tourer will have a "significantly" bigger boot than its rivals, Auto Express has learned

European car sales fell to a 20-year low in May as rising joblessness caused by a recession in the euro region reduced demand. Registrations dropped 6 percent to 1.08 million vehicles with all volume automakers reporting sales declines.

European car sales fell to a 20-year low in May as rising joblessness caused by a recession in the euro region reduced demand. Registrations dropped 6 percent to 1.08 million vehicles with all volume automakers reporting sales declines.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: I honestly didn't expect to get much out of the

Valeo has issued a short statement saying the French supplier and Osram have agreed on an option contract by which, if the reciprocal options are exercised by either in early 2014, Valeo would be committed to acquire Osram shares in the companies' joint operations in North America.

GM's Holden unit and its labor unions will begin talks to reduce costs enough to keep its Australian plants viable, a month after Ford said it will stop making cars locally.

Toyota will use Twitter to show how it builds the Auris hybrid at its UK factory. The company aims to reach new customers in what it says is a world-first social media project.

Toyota will use Twitter to show how it builds the Auris hybrid at its UK factory. The company aims to reach new customers in what it says is a world-first social media project.

Toyota will use Twitter to show how it builds the Auris hybrid at its UK factory. The company aims to reach new customers in what it says is a world-first social media project.

Rolls-Royce has named Frank Ludwig, 42, as its manufacturing director. The German national has been with Rolls' parent, BMW Group, since 2002 and has held manufacturing jobs at the Mini and BMW brands.

Four new videos joined our top 10 list of most viral auto brand videos this week, including a spooky ride in a Hyundai, the New Wave stylings of a new dad in a Fiat and Chevy's Tetris win. But a double-fake test drive in a Toyota took top honors.

From GMM

Melbourne has all but confirmed news it has lost its status as the opening race on the formula one calendar.

It emerged recently that F1's hugely controversial Bahrain grand prix is provisionally scheduled to kick off an unprecedentedly-long 21-race schedule in 2014.

Bahrain's race will be in early March, which is a couple of weeks earlier than Australia usually hosts the season opener, in the third week of the month.

The Sunday Herald Sun newspaper reports that Bahrain next year will be held on March 2, followed by Melbourne two weeks later.

But Andrew Westacott, boss of the Australian grand prix corporation, said Melbourne is happy with the mid-March slot, due to the scheduling of other sports events in the city at that time.

"Our preference is to retain the third weekend in March," he said, playing down fears crowd numbers might be affected by the race's altered status.

"The grand prix ran on the first weekend in April (in 2006) and estimated attendance remained strong with crowds in excess of 300,000," Westacott insisted.

The 2014 calendar is expected to be confirmed by the FIA in August.

Bahrain track.

On the face of it, an unprecedented 21 grands prix should be listed, due to the new races in Russia and New Jersey.

But Speed Week claims teams may actually only end up travelling to a more comfortable 19 destinations, with the events in India and South Korea reportedly in doubt.

The report said Korea's current contract runs through 2016, but that the unpopular and poorly attended F1 host is losing the support of the local authorities.

As for India, Speed Week said: "We are hearing that the 2013 race is financially backed, but not the 2014 one.

"Indian sources suggest the (promoter) Jaypee Group is nearing bankruptcy."

A new collision warning system will be used at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend in France.

Bosch's long-range radar sensor (LRR3) will be fitted on the two velocity yellow Compuware Corvette C6.R race cars.

The new system is based on a third-generation Bosch long-range radar sensor.

Photo: Bosch

With an aperture angle of up to 30 degrees, the sensor can detect objects at a distance of 250 meters. It can also track up to 32 objects simultaneously, along with their distance and speed relative to the car.

The objective is to warn the drivers about the speed of the surrounding cars of various categories, and therefore avoid possible collisions.

Meanwhile, Audi chose to fit their R18s with a camera that allows the drivers to see the road, and the traffic, better.

From wrc.com

Malcolm Wilson believes the new price-capped R5 specification rally car is a big step forward for the sport and could eventually become the top category of vehicle in the World Rally Championship.

Wilson made the comments as his M-Sport firm unveiled its new Ford Fiesta - the first R5 specification car to be launched.

Photo: M-Sport

The car, which costs 180,000 Euros, is expected to be homologated by the FIA on July 1st and will make its WRC competitive debut in Finland with Elfyn Evans at the wheel.

The turbocharged 1600cc four-wheel drive Fiesta R5 will compete in the WRC 2 category, alongside Super 2000 and Regional Rally Car (RRC) machinery.

Before Finland, Thierry Neuville will demonstrate the R5 as a course car at the European championship Ypres Rally in July.

“I really believe it's a big step for rallying for the future,” Wilson told wrc.com.

“I'm so excited about the car and also about the concept going forward, It's going to provide a lot of performance for a very realistic cost.”

“With the proper driver this car is going to surprise a lot of people. It's going to be quicker everywhere than a Super 2000 car and a lot of places it will be quicker than a regional car.

“Put it this way, I don't believe there's ever been a way for a young driver to drive a competitive car for so little money.

“I think that the R5 is a very strong car and has got the potential to become the top model in the future.”

Further R5 models are expected to be homologated this year, with Skoda, Peugeot and Citroen all currently developing cars.

From Formula1.com

Following the sad death of Argentinean Jose Froilan Gonzalez last weekend, three-time Formula 1 World Champion, Sir Jack Brabham, now aged 87, becomes the oldest living F1 race winner.

The Australian, known as 'Black Jack', is the only man to win a world title in a car of his own construction.

Jack Brabham's three world championships were the product of both his engineering expertise and driving skill.

Jack Brabham, Brabham BT-26 Repco, Monza 1968 (Photo: WRI2)

His first two titles, in rear-engined Coopers he helped develop, confirmed the obsolescence of front-engined F1 cars.

His third title, in a Brabham, made him the only driver to become champion in a car of his own make. For his lifetime achievements, which also included nurturing the talents of other notable drivers and pioneering the business side of the sport, he became the first F1 driver to receive a knighthood.

Always a man of few words - his nickname 'Black Jack' referred to both his dark hair and his propensity for maintaining a shadowy silence - he avoided small talk and was undemonstrative in the extreme. But behind the wheel he was anything but shy and retiring. He put his head down and drove exceedingly forcefully, opposite-locking his car dirt-track style, and was not averse to deliberately showering gravel in the face of a too closely following pursuer.

Sir Jack Brabham (Photo: WRI2)

Jack Brabham, whose final F1 victory came in the 1970 South African Grand Prix when he was 44, chose that season to retire as a driver.

The Brabham team was sold to Bernie Ecclestone and Jack returned home to Australia, where he busied himself running a farm, a car dealership and an aviation company, and helped his sons with their racing careers.

His contribution to British motorsport was officially recognised in 1985 and he became Sir Jack Brabham.

Several web sites are writing Tuesday that Ross Brawn will be the sole representative of the Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team to face the FIA tribunal June 20.

A Mercedes spokesman on Tuesday apparently confirmed that Brawn will be at the FIA hearing while motorsport director, Toto Wolff and supervisory board chief, Niki Lauda will not be present in Paris.

Ross Brawn, Mercedes AMG. (Photo: WRi2)

The International Tribunal of the Paris-based FIA is to decide whether the “private” tire test by the German team and tire manufacturer Pirelli was illegal or not.

Mercedes AMG conducted a tire test apparently requested by Pirelli in May in Barcelona, Spain. Pirelli said the test was to evaluated 2014 tires.

However, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari lodged protests after the Monaco Grand Prix because they claim that the test was conducted with the 2013 car and its regular drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Mercedes and Pirelli insist they didn't violate F1 rules, and Mercedes AMG even revealed that it has an email from the FIA authorising the test.

The FIA and its president Jean Todt have referred the case to the International Tribunal.

From Lotus F1 Team

Lotus F1 Team has new part-owners as of today, with Infinity Racing Partners Limited (Infinity Racing) acquiring a 35% minority stake in the team. Infinity Racing joins Genii Capital, who retain a controlling stake in the team, with Gerard Lopez continuing as Chairman.

Infinity Racing is an investment consortium whose special purpose vehicle is comprised of private investors that include an American hedge fund manager, an Abu Dhabi-based multinational business group and royal family interests of a major oil producing nation.

Lotus E21. (Photo: WRi2)

Lotus F1 Team was previously 100% owned by an investment vehicle of Genii Capital - a global investment management and financial advisory firm headquartered in Luxembourg - which retains a controlling stake of 65% in the team.

Gerard Lopez, co-founder of Genii Capital, will remain Chairman of Lotus F1 Team. Eric Lux, CEO of Genii Capital, will continue his role on the team's Board of Directors.

Gerard Lopez, Chairman, Lotus F1 Team:
“Infinity Racing's principals have exceptional expertise and a proven strong track record in developing and delivering high quality technologies. This partnership will enable us to increase Lotus F1 Team's competitive advantage related to KERS technology as it becomes more central to Formula 1's push for environmentally sound racing, while also making Lotus F1 Team more marketable as a brand, opening up additional major sponsorship opportunities.”

Mansoor Ijaz, Chairman and Suhail Al Dhaheri, Vice Chairman, Infinity Racing:
“Gerard Lopez, Eric Lux and the entire Genii Capital team are building Lotus F1 Team to make it a serious competitor at every race and a winner on a par with the top racing teams in Formula 1. The recent developments at Enstone and results of the Team's high-quality drivers are testament to this. Patrick Louis, Chief Executive, and Eric Boullier, Team Principal, are continuing the time-honoured traditions of Lotus F1 Team and have re-established the Team as a competitive force in Formula 1. We are honoured to be part of the Team's forward march to the No.1 ranking and proud of the team spirit, down-to-earth nature and performance-oriented results that characterise the experts at Enstone, who endeavour to make Lotus F1 Team a title challenger in Formula 1 today.”

The Clarington 200 will be the third event of the 2013 season for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and the second of eight oval-track events.

This will be the series' seventh and last visit at the old Mosport oval.

The Speedway at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, formerly known as Mosport Speedway, will be closed to make way to an expanded driver development course.

Start of the 2011 Canadian Tire Series. (Photo: NASCAR)

However, the NASCAR Canadian Tire series will be back at the motorsport complex to race on the 2.459-mile road course and looks forward to the September 1st shared date with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The single-lap qualifying record is held by Pete Shepherd III of 21.517 seconds (83.655 mph) was set on June 16, 2012.

The 200-lap race record was established on May 28, 2011 by Scott Steckly at 1 hour, 30 minutes, 21 seconds for an average speed of 66.740 mph.

After six Canadian Tire Series visits on the oval, each of the three series' manufacturers - Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford - have been to Victory Lane twice.

Don Thomson Jr. took Chevy to victory in 2007 and 2010. Kerry Micks (2008) and Andrew Ranger (2009) drove Fords to the win. And Steckly (2011) and Kennington (2012) took Dodge to the winner's circle in each of the last two years.

The Board of Directors of International Speedway Corporation, the parent of Daytona International Speedway, has approved a project with a budget of at least $375 million to makeover the frontstretch.

It is a reduced plan because of the failure to obtain any governmental funding.

Groundbreaking, at the 54 year old speedway, will start on July 5th this year and is expected to be completed by January 2016.

“We are truly creating history with this unprecedented endeavor,” said ISC's Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy.

“The decision was made with strong consideration of the current macroeconomic condition and a clear view for our long-term growth,” Ms. France Kennedy continued. “This significant private investment is a strategic use of our capital that will ensure the long-term viability of the iconic speedway, and when completed, will contribute favorably to the Company's revenues, as well as to our community and the sport as a whole.”

Illustration: ROSSETTI

The redevelopment is expected to cost between $375 million to $400 million, excluding capitalized interest. “The Company expects to fund the redevelopment from cash on hand, cash from its operations and may use borrowings on its credit facility for a limited period of time to even out cash flow.”

According to a press release “the vision for the redevelopment of the Daytona International Speedway frontstretch places an emphasis on enhancing the complete fan experience, beginning with five expanded and redesigned fan entrances, or injectors, along International Speedway Boulevard. Each injector would lead directly to a series of escalators and elevators that would transport fans to any of three different concourse levels, each featuring spacious and strategically-placed social "neighborhoods" along the nearly mile-long frontstretch.”

Seating will be decreasing from approximately 147,000 to approximately 101,000 permanent seats with the potential to increase permanent seating to 125,000 all on the fronstretch. There will be no capacity changes for the 2014 DAYTONA 500

To learn more about the redevelopment project, fans can visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/redevelopment or www.redevelopdaytona.com.

Staff members of Canada's automobile web site, Auto123.com, will participate for a third time in the 48-hour bike marathon fund raising event for the Make-A-Wish Foundation Quebec.

Make-A-Wish's mission is to grant wishes to create hope, strength, and joy for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Photo: Auto123.com

What kind of dreams are we talking about here? Well, something magical and something that any normal kid wishes for: a long vacation with their family, meeting an idol, doing a photo shoot, swimming with dolphins, etc.

These kids dream of leaving the hospital for good and fully enjoying what life has to offer.

Auto123.com has entered two teams of six riders each who will cycle one after the other, night and day, for 48 consecutive hours to raise money for sick kids. The event will be held again at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, home of the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix, September 13, 14, and 15.

Photo: Auto123.com

This year, organisers hope to have more than 1,000 riders who will collect $1,250,000 in total. Each rider is expected to collect at least $600.

If you'd like to make a donation to one of our teams, click on the links below. All donations are eligible for a tax credit.

Team 1
Team leader: René Fagnan, assisted by Mathieu Germain, Philippe Champoux, Miranda Lightstone, Olivier Delorme, and Mathieu St-Pierre

Team 2
Team leader: Marie-Eve Leroux, assisted by Kyell Vyncke, Martin Gendron, Peter Kovalcik, Fredéric Feudi and Jacqueline Fillion-Robin

For three of your riders, this will be their third participation in a row. Riders from Auto123.com, and the sick children, say thank-you for your support!

Photo: Auto123.com