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PSA has unveiled first half group revenue of EUR27.7bn (EUR36.8bn), down 3.8% compared to the same period last year, while automotive division revenue also fell 7.5% to EUR18.7bn.

Chrysler buoyed up the Fiat Group in the second quarter as trading profit increased 9% to over EUR1bn on sales up 4% to EUR22.3bn.

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Honda's quarterly net income fell 7 percent as the company lagged behind rivals in U.S. sales of SUVs and pickups, and as the company's Japan sales fell following the end of subsidies.

Honda reported a decline in first-quarter profit as deliveries in its home market fell and spending on overseas plants rose.

Honda Motor reported a decline in first-quarter profit as deliveries in its home market fell and spending on overseas plants rose.

PSA widened its first-half loss compared with a year earlier but said it may be on the road to recovery as spending cuts and an alliance with General Motors begin to pay off.

Ford will offer the 2014 F-150 with an equipment package that allows the popular pickup to run on compressed natural gas or liquid propane gas. The option will be available on F-150s powered by Ford's 3.7-liter V-6 engine.

Fiat failed to persuade a judge to set the value of some Chrysler shares now owned by a union healthcare fund, probably delaying a push to complete the combination of the two companies.

Ford will offer the 2014 F-150 with an equipment package that allows the popular pickup to run on compressed natural gas or liquid propane gas. The option will be available on F-150s powered by Ford's 3.7-liter V-6 engine.

From GMM

Marussia would like to keep its current race drivers in 2014, boss John Booth has revealed.

Recently, just as Pat Symonds was set to announce his departure for Williams, Marussia's former technical boss admitted 2013 drivers Max Chilton and Jules Bianchi had left the team with "tied hands".

"We need to have drivers who also bring money," he lamented.

But when asked if the inexperienced 2013 duo had done enough to secure their seats for another season together, boss Booth insisted: "Absolutely.

"I'd like to keep them both for next year," he is quoted by Sky Sports. "At the moment it depends on a variety of (contract) options and option expires and things like that."

But John Booth insisted that, despite Marussia taking a "massive gamble" on two rookie drivers, Chilton and Bianchi have done a good job.

"It's been really impressive as to how few mistakes they've both made. With two rookies it could have finished in a right old mess, but you can count on one hand the mistakes made between them," he said.

Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton. (Photo: Marussia F1 Team)

Briton Chilton is substantially backed by his wealthy father, while Bianchi is the cream of Ferrari's driver development 'academy'.

The Frenchman's seat seems secure in light of Marussia's new engine deal with the Italian marque.

But John Booth insists: "The two deals are totally separate. The powertrain deal has no bearing on Jules' future at all."

Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris loves his 1991 Mazda 626. And luckily for him, the automaker offered to restore it like new.

Affectionately called “Bentley” by Morris, the old Japanese sedan has ran into its fair share of troubles over the years, yet their bond remains strong.

Mazda representatives contacted his agent and said they could have the 626 refurbished and fitted with modern extras like a navigation system and CD player, but “nothing too lavish,” Morris apparently said.

The restoration process will take 6-8 weeks, and the young star hopes the car can run for about 20 more years.

Who ever said that football players don't have a soft side?

Source : washingtonpost.com

Photo: Wikipedia

July 30th, 2013 marked the 150th anniversary of Henry Ford's birth. Celebrations were held in Dearborn, Michigan, on what is now known as Henry Ford Day, while in Washington D.C., hundreds of people enjoyed commemorative cupcakes delivered by a food truck.

Elsewhere around the world, dealers in 21 Asia Pacific markets have launched Ford Heritage month, transforming showrooms into exhibitions on Ford's rich history. In the U.K., celebrations were capped by the reveal of a restored statue of Henry Ford at the company's Tech Centre. Ford of Germany held a series of 5 road rallies that celebrated Ford's numerous automotive breakthroughs, while more than 4,000 people attended community events held by Ford in Romania.

Festivities will continue with additional events across the United States, Europe, and South America in the coming months.

Henry Ford, who died on April 7th, 1947 at 83 years old, was named “Businessman of the Century” by Forbes in 1999. Last year, a History Channel documentary highlighted him as one of “The Men Who Built America.”

Photo: Ford

From IMSA

The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and Continental Tire have reached a multi-year partnership agreement that will make Continental Tire the exclusive tire supplier in three classes during next year's inaugural United SportsCar Racing season.

Starting with next January's Rolex 24 At Daytona - the season-opening United SportsCar Racing event - Continental's exclusivity will extend to the new series' Prototype (P), Prototype Challenge (PC) and GT Daytona (GTD) classes.

The GT Le Mans (GTLM) category will be open to multiple tire manufacturers.

Continental Tire also will return as title sponsor and exclusive tire supplier of the IMSA Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge (CTSCC), a developmental series currently sanctioned by Grand-Am Road Racing.

Photo: United SportsCar

Having recently crossed over into the realm of parenthood, I've begun to look at the automotive industry and its extensive lineup of vehicles in a totally new light. Oh, sure I'm still obsessed with horsepower, how many gears it has, and if my press car comes equipped with satellite radio, but there's a new element I've now got to consider: Will a baby seat fit in the back?

My now 1 ½ year old son is my unofficial backseat driver in every test vehicle I bring home. From the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S to the Honda Odyssey, he's seen them all. Over the months I've come to realize something: You can make any car your family vehicle.

Men, women, rejoice: Having children doesn't relegate you to the realm of minivans and boring sedans. I promise you that. I'm here to lay a comforting hand on your shoulder and tell you it's all going to be OK, that yes you can still enjoy your daily commute while Junior throws Cheerios at the back of your head.

Now, of course, this dream fades a little farther away the more offspring you produce, but in the 1-2 child range the automotive world really is your oyster. So, let's get shucking.

I make it a point to put a baby seat in every single car I bring home. From the Scion iQ to the Ford Explorer, my son has been in them all. Some more comfortably than others, but he's been in them nonetheless. Why? Because I want to prove that its possible, that while I understand there are some limits, you don't have to sell your soul to be a parent and have a family.

I once spotted a 911 on the highway with two baby seats in the back. Two! I tried to give the guy a thumbs up, but never got the chance.

Sure, there are some great family haulers out there (the Mazda5 and Dodge Caravan come to mind), but if owning a three-rowed people carrier is your absolute nightmare, fear not!

The beauty of today's vehicle market -- and by association baby-seat market -- is that there's something to fit every need and every family. You can, essentially, purchase a baby seat to fit your vehicle needs. Have a smaller back seat? No problem, companies like Evenflo and Safety 1st manufacture baby seats made for small, compact cars. Have a huge SUV and want the biggest baby seat there is? You won't have a problem finding one! Have a Porsche and want something specially designed for your vehicle? Porsche Design manufactures baby seats specifically to fit in their 911 models (they even have a stroller that fits in the “boot”).

What I'm trying to get at here is that your automotive desires and needs do not have to be put on hold the moment you decide to start a family. Plus, there are some pretty hot wagons out there if you really do want/need more space. Just check out Matt's Top 10 Station Wagon list to see what I'm on about.

2013 Porsche Carrera 911 4S (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Veteran racer Oriol Servia will return to the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio this weekend.

For the Spaniard, it will be a third start for Panther Racing and his ninth at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Servia last drove the Chevrolet-powered Dallara at Iowa Speedway on June 25 where he finished seventh. Servia will start his work week by participating to the Open Test on July 31.

Photo: Panther Racing

Ryan Briscoe drove the car in the first race of the Honda Indy Toronto doubleheader but suffered a fractured wrist that continues to heal following surgery July 15. Firestone Indy Lights championship points' leader, Carlos Munoz drove in the second Toronto race.

Ever since Kurt Busch successfully tested an Andretti Autosport Dallara Chevrolet at Indianapolis this May he's been intrigued in attempting “The Double;” the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, on the same day.

The Indy 500 is run in the afternoon and Charlotte is a night race.

Now Busch, 34, says it's a “good possibility” that he be entered in the IndyCar finale at Auto Club Speedway in October.

The 2004 Sprint Cup champion added “we're working on it. We just have to keep our fingers crossed." He didn't name any possible teams, but, it would likely be a Chevrolet powered team because of his Furniture Row Chevy SS affiliation in NASCAR.

That would represent a double of sorts because IndyCar races on Saturday night, October 19th and the Sprint Cup Series runs at Talladega Superspeedway back east on Sunday afternoon. "Now that it has settled in, and I was able to find some speed and feel comfortable, I'd like to do another oval before I race Indy next year," Busch told reporters at the Watkins Glen test.


He was referring to the fact that he passed the IndyCar rookie test and turned his fastest lap of 218.210 at the 2.5 mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway.


Kurt Busch. (Photo: Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

Busch, a versatile driver had tested Michel Jourdain's Rahal Lola-Ford at Sebring in 2003, but that was a different type of Indy car on a road course.

Auto Club Speedway is the only 500 mile IndyCar race between now and the 2014 Indy 500. As a full time stock car driver Busch feels it's necessary to get an entire oval IndyCar race under his belt before making any attempt at Indy.

If sufficient funding isn't found for Busch to run at Auto Club Speedway this season, he says he would feel "blind" at Indianapolis next May "and that's just going to be too much to make up."


Another issue for October for Busch would be to consider his NASCAR standing. At the present time he's 14th, and would need to advance to the top ten to make the stock car series playoffs call the Chase. With the one-car Furniture Row team it's a bit of long shot, but, still a possibility and a one-off IndyCar race would be in conflict with a shot at a second NASCAR title.

If the stars and the moon align and he does attempt the Double he'd be the fourth driver to do so after Robby Gordon (2004) who was the last driver to make the attempt, John Andretti, and Tony Stewart (who finished sixth at Indianapolis and third in Charlotte in 2001).

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Ferrari president, Luca di Montezemolo attended the technical meeting of the Scuderia following a quite disappointing Grand Prix of Hungary for drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

“The Ferrari I saw in yesterday's race doesn't sit well with me,” said Montezemolo during the meeting held Monday with Stefano Domenicali and the Ferrari engineers.

The President asked for an immediate upping of the beat, right from the Belgian race, to start being a contender for victory again, as had been the case up to the Grand Prix of Canada in Montreal.

Photo: Pirelli

According to a Ferrari statement, Montezemolo also criticized Pirelli, the official tire supplier. After several teams suffered from tire delamination problems, Pirelli opted to produce updated tires that incorporate last year's structure to the compound of the 2013 tires. That updated tire was tested at Silverstone and raced in Hungary.

The introduction of this new tire is a variable that definitely did not suit the Ferrari F138.

“Pirelli's choice contributed to artificially altering the hierarchy in the field, something that has not pleased the President or the men of the Scuderia. This topic will be the subject of further debate in the near future,” said the Ferrari press release.

Big everything
The glory days of the large SUV seem to be passing us by. As the crossover craze takes over and family sedans start offering up just as much room and comfort (and a boat-load better fuel economy), the SUV seems to be going the way of flip-phone; replace by smaller, sleeker, more efficient models.

However, all is not lost. The likes of the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport is proof that the SUV breed is still alive and kicking. Since its '11 redesign, the Ford Explorer has forged an SUV-sized path in the marketplace, and with good reason. And if anyone is going to forge ahead in the big-vehicle market it's going to be Ford, a leader in the segment for decades now.


What is the Ford Explorer?
First introduced in 1990, the Ford Explorer paved the way for the popularity of the SUV. For the first 20 years, Ford's Explorer sported a traditional body-on-frame structure. It wasn't until the fifth generation (2011 model year) that the crossover unibody construction emerged.

First introduced in 1990, the Ford Explorer paved the way for the popularity of the SUV. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

2013 Ford Explorer Sport Price and Specs
Four models are available across the Ford Explorer lineup. In base trim, the starting price sits at $29,999. At the top of the spectrum sits my tester, the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport for $48,499.

There are also three engines available across the lineup: a 3.5L V6, a 2.0L inline-4 EcoBoost and a 3.5L V6 EcoBoost. We'll focus on the last since that was the one nestled in my Sport tester.

This fabulous engine features twin turbochargers and direct injection good for 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque that is coupled to Ford's 6-speed SelectShift Automatic transmission.

The Ford Explorer can also tow up to 2,268 kg, which means this can also be an ideal weekend country or camping warrior.

I was more than impressed with the amount of powered offered up from the EcoBoost V6 powerplant. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Driving the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport
If nothing else, the new Ford Explorer is big, and it drives just as large. However, despite that, I was more than impressed with the amount of powered offered up from the EcoBoost V6 powerplant. Truly, this thing's got some kick. Fast off the line, the transmission is happy to play and quick to shift, the Sport is just that: sporty.

I have to mention the interior space in the drive section for a moment because it was just that cavernous. After finding my ideal driving position, I found I actually had to lean to one side or the other to place my elbow on either rest, so large was the space. Comfortable to say the least, it was almost too big.

The V6 sounds great, and the ride is comfortable. This is a great road-trip vehicle, or short-trip-to-the-store ride.

Comfortable to say the least, it was almost too big. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Inside and Out of the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport
As I said above, this thing is huge. Outside and in, it's big-boned. From the massive, blacked-out front grille to the 20” machined aluminum wheels to the overall beefy look of the vehicle; the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport means business and has some serious presence on the road.

Here's a vehicle that's damn proud of being an SUV, and it's showing it off. With three rows of seating, the Ford Explorer Sport is an ideal vehicle for multiple-child families. Space in the third row is limited, but not horrible. And the cargo space in the back (with the third row up) is a satisfactory 594 litres. Without the third row that number jumps to 1,240 litres.

Of note; it seems the second-row folding seats have caused some issues in the Ford Explorer. After trying to fold them forward myself to get into the third row without success (instead opting to crawl over the half-folded seat), I went online to search. There are forums where owners have complained about a stuck latch and/or inability to fold the seats forward at all. We suggest you visit your local Ford dealer to sort out the issue should you come across this problem.

Amenities abound in the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport, as does MyFord Touch and SYNC. While I'm still not a huge fan of the system (too many commands and way too many touch-sensitive buttons), the steering-wheel controls help sort out most of the issues and let you control a great deal.

The cargo space in the back (with the third row up) is a satisfactory 594 litres. Without the third row that number jumps to 1,240 litres. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Comparing the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport
As the Sport version of the 2013 Ford Explorer is at the top of the price bracket in the lineup, its competition lies in the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8 and even the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG. Some may find the Sport pricey (the near $55k final price on my tester had some raising their eyebrows), but if you consider what you're getting (which is quite a lot), I think it's well worth the dollars.