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Nissan is to keep the current Rogue crossover - unique to NAFTA markets - on sale in the US "for the immediate future" after the redesigned model launched - as the X-Trail - at Frankfurt makes its North American debut.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: I put a lot of miles on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG over the course of a pretty darn near ideal September weekend, and I'd be kidding if I didn't say I enjoyed my time in the car.

New car sales in Turkey this year are expected to be somewhere between 820,000 and 860,000 according to forecasts by the automotive distributors' association. Last year, new cars sales totalled 778,000, a fall of 10% on 2011.

News 30 Sep, 2013

At Conservative party conference, Transport minister says 80mph limit should be "revisited"

Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester's revelation last week that the brand's 4C sport coupe is heading to Maserati showrooms next year raises new questions about Alfa Romeo's future in the United States.

At Sterling McCall Lexus in Houston, customers can get help setting up their iPads, advice on choosing the right cellphone and even a breakfast prepared by a country club chef -- all for free.

Auto lenders are peppering dealerships with letters that say analyses of the dealerships' practices indicate a pattern of discrimination against minorities, women or the elderly in the loans they arrange for those customers.

Most of the attention for Honda's Accord hybrid will come from its eye-popping 50-mpg EPA city rating and under-$30,000 starting price.

With incentives low, vehicle stocks lean and retail sales strong, the surging U.S. auto industry has seemed the picture of health. But North American carmakers also are piling on capacity at a rapid pace, and that has some analysts alarmed.

As auto marketing becomes increasingly global, there are simply fewer words to call a car.

Nine auto suppliers last week agreed to pay $740 million in criminal fines after pleading guilty to federal bid-rigging charges, but there are no signs that the U.S. Department of Justice's massive probe is winding down.

Dealers are worried that the Federal Trade Commission investigation will chill dealer commentary on blogs and other Web sites.

On September 30th, 1955, James Dean suffered a deadly car accident in Cholame, California. Famous for his roles in Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden, the 24-year-old actor failed to steer his Porsche 550 Spyder away from another vehicle at a road crossing.

Dean died, but the "curse" of his car lived on. Hollywood's George Barris broke one of his legs soon after buying the wreck for $2,500. He later sold some of the parts.

Two physicians, William Eschrid and Troy McHenry, bought the 550 Spyder's engine and transmission, respectively. During a race, the former was injured when he drove off the road, while the latter had a fatal encounter with a tree.

The person who bought the tires also crashed, while the two teenagers who attempted to steal the car suffered injuries in the process.

Wait, there's more: The California Highway Patrol got a hold of Dean's car and wanted to use it as a safety exhibit, but a fire occurred and slightly damaged the 550 Spyder while the other cars in the garage were unaffected.

Later, a trucker hauling the cursed Porsche was injured during an accident. Both the truck and the car mysteriously vanished in 1960 and were never seen again.

Photo: Wikipedia

Napa Valley, CA - Us Canadian journalists often complain and whine that we're missing out on some pretty cool stuff that's only available all the way across the Atlantic Ocean. Well, I can no longer complain as loudly since I recently had the opportunity to drive a European car I've been dying to get my grubby little fingers on: the Volkswagen Scirocco R.

For those who don't know what a Scirocco is, think GTI on speed with an inferiority complex and you've got it just about right.

Sadly, it's doubtful the Scirocco will ever come to North America (shed a silent tear for that), but I couldn't very well pass up the opportunity to drive it and tell all you lovely readers all about the experience.


What is a Volkswagen Scirocco R?
Besides being a badass hot hatch, the Scirocco has been Volkswagen's sporty coupe since it was first released in the 1970s. Even back then it was all about being sleeker and sportier than the Golf and Jetta models.

The Volkswagen Scirocco R didn't appear until 2009 (in the vehicle's third generation of existence), offering up more power under the hood as well as sportier body and wheels.

The 3rd generation Scirocco is not available in North America for fear of hurting GTI sales and at a price point that would be much too high, making the business case rather unintelligent. However, that won't stop me from bugging VAG about it. Every. Single. Day.

Besides being a badass hot hatch, the Scirocco has been Volkswagen's sporty coupe since it was first released in the 1970s. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R Price and Specs
With a base price of €29,039 in Germany, it would be approximately $39,000 here. Now, let me draw your attention to the juicy performance numbers this glorious little hatchback pumps out.

The 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R houses the 2.0L inline 4-cylinder turbocharged TSI engine beneath its hood. Despite being the same engine found in the GTI, different engine mapping means this little hatch is good for 265 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Yup, that's 40 more horses than the Mk VII GTI. While the Scirocco is actually a bit heavier than the 2014 Volkswagen Golf GTI, it somehow manages to feel much, much faster.

Controlling that pumped up 2.0L TSI is Volkswagen's fantastic dual-clutch 6-speed DSG automatic transmission that drives the front wheels. Now about that control...

Despite being the same engine found in the GTI, different engine mapping means this little hatch is good for 265 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Volkswagen)

Driving the 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R
I made sure to drive the 2014 Volkswagen GTI and 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R back-to-back. I wanted to see the real differences between the two -- and, boy, are there ever differences.

With only a limited amount of time behind the wheel of the Scirocco R, I had to use it wisely. Twisties it was; and what a glorious time I had behind the wheel.

Steering in the 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R is sharp, precise and to the point. The small, flat-bottom steering wheel made the GTI's feel like a bus-wheel in comparison. The Scirocco seemed to go where I wanted before I even made a motion with my arms.

Throttle response was just as precise, as the 2.0L TSI happily revved to redline on straights, farting out glorious exhaust barks and burbles via the dual pipes in the rear. Again, my time was so limited in the 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R that I didn't get as much of a feel for the vehicle as I would have liked, but first impressions tell me I like it -- and I like it a lot.

Steering in the 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R is sharp, precise and to the point. (Photo: Volkswagen)

Inside and Out of the 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R
That rear, though... Sorry, I got distracted. There's something alluring about the Volkswagen Scirocco R, but not in the usual sensual, smooth way of most supercars. Instead it's all about a rugged sex appeal that exudes the kind of confidence you'd hope to find in a long-term partner because you know they'd keep things interesting no matter how long you stayed together.

Wait, I got distracted again.

The 2013 Volkswagen Sicorocco R might not look the part to everyone; it is, after all a two-door hatchback with beefy haunches and an aggressive front nose. Some might think it's not forceful enough for an R, but I think Volkswagen did it just right with subtle skirts and body flares here and there.

Inside, the sporty nature of the Scirocco R is ever more evident with the gray cross-stitched sport seats wearing “R” logos, the R Design steering wheel and white backlit gauges with blue pointers. It's all very posh (in terms of hot-hatch posh) and very race-y.

Inside, the sporty nature of the Scirocco R is ever more evident with the gray cross-stitched sport seats wearing “R” logos. (Photo: Volkswagen)

Comparing the 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R
Let's imagine for a blissful moment that Volkswagen did plan on bringing the Scirocco R to North America... Oh to dream. If they did, then the Scirocco R would be up against the likes of the MINI John Cooper Works and the MAZDASPEED3.

Do we really need another hot hatch in North America, though? Good God, yes. Just do it Volkswagen.

Future MINI models will be the first to use the new family of 3- and 4-cylinder MINI TwinPower Turbo engines, not only covering a broader performance spectrum, but also setting new standards in terms of output, performance, comfort, and reliability, the company announced.

The 1.5L, 3-cylinder unit, rated at 136 horsepower, will be featured in base trim, while sportier Cooper S models will rely on a 2.0L 4-cylinder mill that produces 192 horsepower.

In Europe, MINI will offer a diesel variant of the 1.5L engine (116 horsepower) with a 7% improvement in fuel economy (3.5L/100km).

Other enhancements to the new MINIs include a revised chassis, electromechanical power steering, upgraded brakes, increased cargo room, and extra safety features for both occupants and pedestrians.

Photo: MINI

Toyota Canada is recalling 56,211 Sienna minivans from 2004-2009 because the transmission may be shifted out of Park without first depressing the brake pedal. This could result in unintended vehicle movement and lead to a crash.

Consequently, Toyota dealers will replace the shift lock solenoid.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Philippe Champoux

The good folks at Top Speed magazine recently came up with a speculative review of the 2015 Toyota Tundra Baja 1000, which could pose a threat to the fearsome Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. The image was created by designer David Kiss using several spy shots.

The editorial team also imagined what the 2015 Raptor will look like. Excited yet?

Click here to see the pictures: TopSpeed.com

Toyota Canada has issued a voluntary recall on 144,744 Corolla sedans from 2009-2010 because the trunk lid may begin to close after it has been opened. An unsuspecting user may be hit by the trunk lid and suffer a minor injury.

Owners who are dissatisfied with the performance of their Corolla's trunk lid can have the trunk springs replaced under special warranty coverage.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Philippe Champoux

I'm fresh from my trip to Monticello, NY, where I participated in the International Motor Press Association's (IMPA) Test Days.

The event is an opportunity to drive, both on road and track, many new cars in a relaxed yet organized atmosphere. With no specific intention in mind, I ended up spending an inordinate amount of time driving domestic cars and only realized it afterwards.

In fact, it was during the track portion of the event where I could not keep my hands off a Fiesta, Camaro or a Mustang. I did take a Countryman JCW around the track twice, but I kept coming back to the three above-mentioned cars. There were plenty of imports on-hand such as an M6 Gran Coupé, E 63 and SLS AMG, RS5, and a few others but believe it or not, it was the Roush Mustang that had me coming back for more. The Camaro. The Fiesta.

Go ahead and click on the name if you want to read my review on the 2014 Ford Mustang Roush Stage 3. The review will give you an idea as to how good this car is. The other car that had my juices flowing was the 2014 Chevy Camaro SS with the 1LE package. For this car, I raise my hat to GM and say thank you for making it growl properly and look so damn HAWT!

The other car that got me excited was the Ford Fiesta ST. Although less “Murica!” than the other two, I couldn't stay off the track very long without taking it back out there and making the brakes smoke.

At the Roush stand, the guys from the company that Jack started had also brought an SVT Raptor lightly done with a supercharger, good for 590 horsepower. A short and rather uneventful romp off the tarmac barely demonstrated 2% of what this loud and dominating monster Raptor could do.

So, what happened? I'm not sure. I won't hide the fact that I'm a fan of what the Germans make but I'm thinking that the Americans are catching on with styling and performance. What's more, I was imagining my dream driveway on the Friday drive back and it featured a 2014 Sierra and Camaro SS for daily usage, and Roush Mustang and SVT Raptor for weekend fun...

The one thing remains partially true is that these cars still suffer somewhat (tons in the Camaro) from shady ergonomics and cheapish plastics. My guess is that they'll catch on here sooner rather than later.

Luckily, to level the playing field, I spent time with both a Porsche Cayman and Audi R8 last week. I'm still dreaming of that Mustang though...

2014 Ford Mustang Roush Stage 3 (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

No one tames the Monster Mile at Dover better than Jimmie Johnson. The five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion held off a determined charge by teammate and pole sitter Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a record breaking eighth win at the one mile concrete oval.

With Johnson's victory, his sixth of the year and 65th in his career, he broke the seven win tie at Dover he had with NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison.

“It's incredible. To do anything that Bobby or Richard has done is quite an accomplishment. We've had a few sneak away from us here, too, over the years. I'm just so happy to get that done and be the sole leader of race wins here,” Johnson.

After the last pit stop, with about 26 laps of racing to go Johnson had taken two tires and Earnhardt took four. The usual advantage of four fresh tires on a relatively long run didn't pay off on Sunday.

Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet SS, Dover. (Photo: NASCAR)

"Two (tires) worked good for us in practice," Johnson who led a race high 243-laps said. "And believe me, I wanted to see four tires line up in the fourth or fifth row. When they lined up right behind me, I thought I was going to have my hands full. And I really did. Junior drove a whale of a race, and track position really gave me the advantage I needed to hold him off."


Jimmie Johnson had a comfortable lead when the fourth caution of the relatively caution free race waved. All the leaders pitted. Earnhardt had little to lose and everything to gain taking four new tires. Especially after he had recovered from two miscues early in the race while looking to end a 47-race winless drought.


"Yeah, if you really look at the race as a whole, they did cost us a little bit, at least the mistake I made missing pit road completely. We had the lead, gave up the lead. Jimmie had the lead and was able to take advantage of that clean air when it counted.


"If I had not given up that track position, had a smart enough race to keep the lead when it counted right at the end, we might have won the race. It would have been hard to get by us, just like it was (hard) to get by Jimmie,” Earnhardt said.


Joey Logano recovered from a slow start to finish third was followed by Jeff Gordon in fourth (the third Hendrick Motorsports driver in the top four).

Series points leader, Matt Kenseth, led 36 laps but faded at the end to finish seventh. He holds a slim eight point lead over Johnson with seven races to go in the Chase. Kyle Busch, third in the Chase, was never a factor in the race but still finished fifth but fell to third in the points 12 points behind his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate.

Gordon and Kevin Harvick (who finished sixth) are tied for fourth in the points 39 markers behind.