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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.

On 3,456 SUVs produced by General Motors from 2005 to 2007, the driver's door module could short circuit and fail, potentially leading to fire.

Dealers will test the driver's window and door lock switches for proper operation. If the switches function correctly, a protective coating will be applied to the door module. If not, the door module will be replaced.

Affected models include:

• 2006-2007 Buick Rainier
• 2006-2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer
• 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT
• 2006-2007 GMC Envoy
• 2006 GMC Envoy XL
• 2005-2007 Saab 9-7X

Source: Transports Canada

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."

From GMM

Legendary F1 commentator Murray Walker has revealed he is set to undergo treatment for cancer.

'The voice of formula one', who hung up his microphone more than a decade ago, told his former employer, the BBC, that the lymphatic cancer was detected when he was hospitalised last month for a broken pelvis following a fall.

"They've caught it incredibly early. It's treatable, the doctors say my condition is mild and I'm very hopeful," the 89-year-old Briton said.




Meanwhile, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has admitted he is "honoured" but "shocked" to have been selected for an OBE - order of the British empire - in the Queen's birthday honours list.

"It's all a bit unexpected, incredible really," the 39-year-old is quoted by the Express newspaper.

Briton Horner has led the Milton-Keynes based team, owned by the Austrian energy drink, to three consecutive seasons of drivers' and constructors' world championship clean sweeps.

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

Johnson Controls is speaking to private equity firms about selling its roughly $1 billion automotive electronics unit, after buyout interest from several rival auto parts suppliers faltered, according to several people familiar with the matter.

2013 Scion xB

Funky box-on-wheels styling conceals a mediocre driving experience.

The xB doesn't look at all like something I would enjoy driving, but I did indeed. Whereas the Nissan Cube, for better or for worse, drives exactly like it looks -- that is, like a living room on roller skates -- the xB feels like a sporty compact. The steering is tight, responsive, and has more weight than any Toyota product I can remember. The 2.4-liter engine happily winds up the rev range. I found myself chucking this box into corners, which must have looked rather funny to anyone behind me.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Scion xB - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Scion xB - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

2013 Scion xB | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

The 2014 Audi SQ5 high-performance SUV will cost $51,900 when it hits showrooms later this summer. The first S variant of the Q-line makes power with a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 delivering 354 hp and 347 lb-ft of torque.

In 2009, Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt shattered the world record for the 100-meter sprint, crossing the line in just 9.58 seconds.

Bill Ludwig, CEO at longtime Detroit ad agency Campbell Ewald, is stepping down after more than 30 years at the company, executives familiar with the matter said. The agency is expected to tap an internal successor in a matter of weeks.

Advertising agency Doner has regrouped since losing a $150 million Mazda account in June 2010 to a consortium of WPP Group agencies in California.

NASCAR driver David Pearson's win at the Riverside 400, slumping small-vehicle sales and future vehicle predictions are the top stories of our June 19, 1976 issue.

The court battle to settle the fate of the long-lost Cunningham Corvette No. 1 continues.

Automakers are coming under increasing pressure to sell zero-emission vehicles to consumers in the United States who haven't shown much interest in them, with more states following California's lead in setting sales targets.

Nissan's take-no-prisoners approach to gaining U.S. market share has the auto industry worried that a price war is brewing that will erode the profit progress made since the recession ravaged auto sales.

Jaguar's F-Type convertible is on fire right now.

Alfa Romeo is doing a little public relations work on YouTube today. The Italian brand is hyping the new 4C sports car that is scheduled to hit American shores later this year.

GM has named a longtime labor relations and manufacturing executive to run its North American factories during one of its busiest-ever vehicle launch periods.

Not only is is possible to spend forty thousand pounds on a Land Rover Freelander, lots of people are doing exactly that. Glenn Brooks tries a top-spec HSE Lux to see what you get for your money.

Ford plans to revert to more traditional knobs and buttons in its MyFord Touch infotainment and control system. The system has hurt Ford's ratings in several quality surveys.