Auto News 5

Land Rover may rebadge its next Freelander medium SUV as a Discovery, creating a sub-brand for Land Rover, with the new vehicle slotting in below the current Discovery large SUV.

Renault will sell about 10,000 units of its Zoe subcompact electric car this year, well below its target of 50,000 deliveries, according to market analyst Inovev.

Honda embraces optical illusionist M.C. Escher in its latest spot, "An Impossible Made Possible," and rockets to the top of our weekly viral video round-up.

Fiat Group has acquired the remaining half of VM Motori, a diesel engine manufacturer, from GM for 34.1 million euros.

BMW does not intend to increase its stake in SGL Group, the carbon fiber materials supplier the automaker works with to create the passenger cabin for its i3 electric car and its i8 plug-in hybrid.

Land Rover may rebadge its next Freelander medium SUV as a Discovery, creating a subbrand for Land Rover, with the new vehicle slotting in below the current Discovery large SUV.

BMW has joined VW in backing the German government's goal to have 1 million electric cars on the country's roads by 2020.

On November 23rd at the Tokyo Auto Show, Honda will unveil the production version of its Urban SUV Concept, which made its debut in Detroit earlier this year.

Honda will also introduce the S660 Concept (a small cabriolet) and host the Japanese premiere of the Acura NSX Concept.

Production models on display will include the Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid, as well as the new Fit with Earth Dreams technology.

As for motorcycles, Honda will present the Dunk, a small 50cc bike aimed at the Japanese market, along with the CB1300 Super BOL D'OR, CB400 Super BOL D'OR, CB400 Super Four, and CBR250R.

Visitors in Tokyo will also get to see the original Honda F1 car from 1964, plus a replica of Honda's first public debut, the 1962 Sports 360.

Source: Tokyo Motorshow

Honda Concept Urban. (Photo: Honda)

From GMM

Lotus has apologised after an expletive-laden exchange on the radio with Kimi Raikkonen during the Indian grand prix.

When the Finn was struggling for pace but duelling with his much-faster teammate Romain Grosjean, chief engineer Alan Permane told Raikkonen in no uncertain terms: "Get out of the f***ing way!"

Kimi Raikkonen replied: "Don't f***ing shout at me."

It was said that Permane received death threats against himself and his family in the wake of the radio message, ostensibly from angry Raikkonen fans.

F1 Race Reviews wrote: "Upon further investigation there has so far not been found a single tweet containing death threats to Permane or his family. What was found was some nutcase that repeatedly tweeted “F*** your family” to Permane."

"With hindsight," team boss Eric Boullier said, "this radio message could have been sent in a less emotional way.

"I know that quite a few people were surprised and I can only apologise for that on behalf of the team. It won't happen again," he added.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus E21. (Photo: WRi2)

Testing for Google's autonomous vehicles in Nevada and California has shown that they're smoother and safer than human drivers.

Two separate studies of data from hundreds of thousands of miles indicate that Google's cars accelerated and braked significantly more sharply when a person was behind the wheel. The driverless cars also maintain a safer distance from the vehicle ahead.

Google has been testing its autonomous vehicle technology on public roads since 2010, always with a human in the driver's seat who can take over if necessary.

Source: MIT Technology Review

Teenaged Justin Pritchard was hopelessly in love with the Dodge Viper GTS, its obnoxious stripes, its superhero reputation, and its hopelessly curvaceous body.

When I was 14, I had a paper route. While walking it, I'd pass the time contemplating paint and stripe colour combos I'd choose for my Viper, of endlessly slamming gears at full throttle, and (when nobody was nearby) frequently imitating the burble-y exhaust note I heard the Viper make on TV.

Not so long ago, I decided to live my childhood dream and buy a 2000 Viper GTS, in black and silver. The boss asked for a review of this rarely seen piece of rolling shock-and-awe American firepower. I couldn't say no.


What is a Dodge Viper GTS?
The Dodge Viper GTS is a heat-spewing 8.0L V10 engine to which are attached some seats, some body panels, an instrument cluster, and a windshield. Despite the futuristic concept-car looks, this vehicle was scarcely more technologically advanced than a fireplace. The engine used pushrods. There were no antilock brakes. Cruise control? Traction assist? Forget it.

Two seats, gobs of power, and no BS? Very yes.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

2000 Viper GTS Specs
The Viper announces itself at startup with a deep, bellowing snarl that settles into a throbbing, building, piercing warble. My parents know all about the massive 8.0L pushrod V10 responsible for that sound, the steamroller tires and the 450 Porsche-smashing horsepower largely because I never shut up about them. It's all backed by nearly 500 lb-ft of torque delivered to the 335-series rear tires via a Tremec manual transmission. It's a 6-speed, though 6th is too tall to use anywhere under about 115 km/h.

Tall gear ratios, and an even taller final drive, ensure immense pulling power through each gear. The engine redlines by 6,000 rpm while making a noise that makes Prius owners cry. There are no fuel-saving engineering implements, no driver-assist systems, and no features.

Acceleration is instant and brutal, with 0-100km/hr available in 4 seconds en route to a top speed approaching 200 mph.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

Driving the 2000 Dodge Viper GTS
Entry and exit are tight and require some awkward bending thanks to the radical door shape. The exhaust is routed through the door sills, which means they can (and will) burn you if you're not careful. Parking is a chore; the hood is too long, you can't see out the back, the turning circle is confusingly large, and if anyone's honking at you to stop reversing, you won't hear them over the exhaust.

Seats only slide forward and back, but don't recline. The pedals are adjustable, though they sit a few inches too far to the left, requiring a strange angling of your legs and feet. Heat generated by the big V10 floods into the footwells on long drives too, in an attempt to melt your loafers.

The highway ride is quite comfortable in spite of this, and the GTS is nicely sprung. It cruises along, even over moderately rough surfaces, with a taut but comfortable demeanor. Steering is light at speed, and with battleship torque output, downshifting to pass is always optional.

Full throttle in any gear causes pure, adrenaline-laced euphoria, threatening to break the tires loose without notice. The noise? At full throttle, it's similar to the automatic gunfire in the climax of a war movie. Lift the throttle, and the GTS emits a deep, lusty burble that calls off-shore speedboats with through-hull exhaust to mind.

The brakes have a decent feel and do an admirable job of stopping the Viper in a jiff -- even after repeated laps of a road course. Steering is light and numb, but overall grip is tremendous. Driven hard on a track, you've got to think a step or two ahead of the Viper to balance its torque output with available traction, and the car gives you nothing in terms of support. But, get it right, and you'll be grinning like a 10-year-old riding on the back of Tyrannosaurus.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

Inside and Out of the 2000 Dodge Viper GTS
In any measure related to performance car coolness, the Viper GTS is off the charts. Even 13 years later, its performance figures are massive. The look still gathers drooling crowds wherever it goes, and the recognition and exclusivity are virtually second to none. The thrilling acceleration, noise, grip, and presence of this machine are priceless.

In any measure of practicality or sensibility, the Viper is pretty awful. Storage on board and in the trunk is dismal. There's no rear seat. On lengthy highway trips, the drone from the engine and slight but constant wash of exhaust fumes into the cabin wear away at comfort. Plus, fuel mileage lands around 24L /100km in the city if you're having any fun with it.

The Gist?
When it comes to performance, noise, and cool factor, there's nothing quite this extreme on the affordable side of the used-car spectrum. The Viper isn't for everyone. It isn't even, really, for most. It's an exhausting car to drive in many ways, but that's a small price to pay for those after one of the most instantly recognizable and lusted-after examples of four-wheeled American badassness ever built.

Lotus F1 Team has confirmed Tuesday that several technical issued has hit both Kimi Raikkonen's and Romain Grosjean's E21s during the Indian Grand Prix last Sunday.

“We tried something different with a one stop strategy and it didn't work. I had a brake problem for the entire race and they were overheating, and this got worse in traffic so I couldn't overtake,” said Raikkonen in a team press release.

It also appeared that Grosjean's Renault engine was not at its best, as the Frenchman had to nurse his car to the finish.

“We're working closely with Renault Sport. The issue seems to be a repeat of the one we faced in Singapore where a leak in the pneumatic system caused a loss of air pressure,” said Alan Permane.

“Fortunately, we know exactly what we have to do to fix it and Romain's engine has gone through the correction process put in place after Singapore. Our engine partner is also checking - and double checking - every single race engine at Abu Dhabi to ensure that the same problem does not reappear,” he added.

Photo: WRi2

Team boss Eric Boullier said that the words used in the infamous radio conversations were now a thing of the past.

“Romain was two seconds a lap faster than Kimi at that time, so it was not even a team order. By asking Kimi to let Romain pass, we just made the obvious choice, as Felipe [Massa] could have stolen our podium,” said Boullier.

“With hindsight, this radio message could have been sent in a less emotional way. There was a lot of tension, a lot of potential technical problems, and some of the words that flew around were simply not appropriate. I know that quite a few people were surprised and I can only apologise for that on behalf of the team. It won't happen again.”

From GMM

Another secret of Red Bull Racing's dominance in the second half of the season is emerging.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said former Jordan, Stewart and Jaguar designer Gary Anderson, now a technical pundit for the BBC, floated the theory about the RB9.

The car, which in Sebastian Vettel's hands has won the last six grands prix on the trot, caught Anderson's attention recently when images of a rear-facing thermal camera were broadcast.

The 'tea tray' of the RB9. (Photo: WRI2)

The images show that the floor just underneath the drivers' feet, the so-called 'tea-tray', was running extremely hot at slow speeds.

Anderson believes Adrian Newey may have found a way to "lift the 'tea tray' away from the track as it gets hot", allowing a lower front ride height.

Auto Motor und Sport reported on Tuesday that Sahara Force India also believes the Anderson theory, and that such a solution would be illegal.

So, in India, the FIA's technical delegate Jo Bauer reportedly put Anderson's theory to the test, heating the 'tea tray' to a temperature of 300 degrees C.

"The result? It did not move," said Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt. "Consequently, the Red Bull RB9 is legal, at least in this area."

In an effort to promote its new CR-V 1.6 Diesel in Europe, Honda came up with this mind-boggling advertisement that uses various optical illusions.

Unfortunately, the Honda CR-V 1.6 Diesel won't be available in Canada.

From GMM

Carlos Sainz jr insists he is "very satisfied" despite missing out on the vacant seat at Toro Rosso for 2014.

Like Antonio Felix da Costa and Daniil Kvyat, fellow Red Bull junior and Spaniard Sainz was in the running to move into formula one to replace Daniel Ricciardo.

Daniil Kvyat, who like Sainz is 19, got the job.

"I knew that the possibility (of securing the Toro Rosso seat) existed," Sainz, whose father and namesake is the world rally legend, is quoted by EFE news agency. "But I was sure that it would be da Costa, although in the end it was Daniil Kvyat."

Carlos Sainz Jr. (Photo: WRi2)

Like Kvyat, Sainz raced in the third-tier GP3 series in 2013, and in some Formula Renault 3.5 series races.

"I am very satisfied with running in the (Renault) world series next year," Carlos Sainz jr insisted.

But he also admitted there is the "possibility of being the third driver" for Toro Rosso "in some races" next year.

"It depends on many things and they have not confirmed anything," Sainz said, "but it would be another step for me."

Meanwhile, Sainz congratulated Sebastian Vettel for his fourth title win, but admitted that his countryman Fernando Alonso, racing for Red Bull's arch rival Ferrari, is his idol.

"Fernando knows he is the best driver on the grid; everyone considers him to be the best and nothing changes that," he said.

"But in formula one it depends not only on you but on many factors, the main one being the car. Without a winning team, it's hard to win," added Sainz.

"Alonso shouldn't be frustrated, because he has the respect of all the drivers and world motor sport," he said.

From GMM

Mercedes on Tuesday refused to confirm or deny the latest speculation about Ross Brawn's future.

Former F1 team owner and boss Eddie Jordan, who now works as a pundit for British television BBC and has a reputation for getting his predictions right, said the 58-year-old Briton is carrying ahead with his threat to leave the Brackley based team at the end of the season.

In Japan, Ross Brawn warned he might exit if his position as team principal is not confirmed.

And last weekend in India, he admitted the transition to Paddy Lowe running the team will take place "at some point".

"Now we are having discussions about what is the best solution for the team in the future," Brawn told F1's official website a few days ago. "When we are ready we will let everybody know."

Ross Brawn, Mercedes AMG Team principal. (Photo: WRi2)

Jordan's prediction on Tuesday, however, has only reinforced the perception in the paddock that Brawn's mind is already made up.

Still, Mercedes is saying nothing.

"A spokesman did not comment specifically on the story," a report by the Press Association news agency said on Tuesday.

The spokesman reportedly added that a decision about Brawn's future is still not due until the end of the season.

Following a unsatisfactory season in the ADAC Formel Masters series, Red Bull has decided to drop female driver Beitske Visser from its Junior Team.

The 18-year-old girl from Dronten in the Netherlands won a race and climbed another time on the podium to eventually ranked 8th in his maiden season in the ADAC Formel Masters series.

However, her contract was not renewed after the post-season evaluation of her performance.

"I'm sad to tell I'm no longer part of the Red Bull Junior Team anymore. It was a difficult season and the results were not what both expected," wrote Beitske Visser on her Twitter account.

"Many thanks to Red Bull and Dr. [Helmut] Marko for the great support they gave me. I will work hard to come back strong. I won't give up."

Beitske Visser (Photo: Red Bull)

Founded in 1909, Hudson Motor Company stopped manufacturing automobiles on October 29th, 1954.

At one point (1929), Hudson was the third largest car maker in the U.S., after Ford and Chevrolet. It gained international fame in 1947 with the iconic Hornet, which dominated in NASCAR from 1951-1954.

A decline in sales, combined with the high costs of racing, forced Hudson to merge with Nash to form the American Motor Corporation, better known as AMC. Sold to Renault in 1979, then to Chrysler in 1987, AMC became the Jeep-Eagle division of the latter.

Source: Wikipedia

Hudson Hornet Club Coupe 1951.

From GMM

Dietrich Mateschitz has likened Fernando Alonso to legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.

The Red Bull magnate is referring to the fact that many regarded Ali as the master of trying to win with the help of 'psychological warfare'.

Ferrari driver Alonso's key psychological weapon in the Red Bull era might have been his constant suggestion that arch rival Sebastian Vettel wins because his car is superior.

"Like Muhammad Ali, Alonso's media statements are very deliberate," billionaire Mateschitz told Kronen Zeitung newspaper.

"He is the worst of all at the psychological warfare," he added.

Fernando Alonso detailing the Red Bull RB9. (Photo: WRi2)

Mateschitz's right hand man, Dr Helmut Marko, thinks Vettel's struggle for popularity this year - including numerous bouts of podium booing - is partly due to the psychological war.

"People like Fernando Alonso say Sebastian is not the best driver, he only has the best car," the Austrian told Der Spiegel.

"These are targeted political statements," Marko insisted.

However, he insists that there is no reason for Vettel to jump ship to another team, after four consecutive championship triumphs in a Red Bull.

"He will only change teams if we no longer build him a competitive car," said Helmut Marko.

"Why would he go to Ferrari or Mercedes now, especially since he would have Alonso or Hamilton as his teammate?

"I see no alternative for him at the moment other than us," added Marko.

"Ayrton Senna won all of his titles with McLaren, he never drove for Ferrari, but he didn't have an image problem because of it.

"Maybe it's cooler to win for Ferrari, but that's not easy at the moment," he insisted.

Meanwhile, Mateschitz - who watched Vettel secure his fourth title in India from the comfort of his Salzburg lounge room - admitted the moment was satisfying if not euphoric.

"Because we expected it, it was like celebrating Christmas over a week," he smiled. "It's not quite as exciting, but the joy is there every time."

Everybody -- and I mean everybody -- wants to live comfortably. A roof over our heads, nice clothes, decent cars and enough disposable income to eat out a few times a week. Of these, the majority would like to have that much more but, sadly, Sunseeker yacht and Armani dreams are out of our grasps.

Or are they?

What we common folk really desire is the lifestyle, the feeling that comes with having nice things. Nice things are attainable, but need not necessarily be new. It is for this very reason that Porsche has an “Approved” program.

In their infinite wisdom, Porsche came up (as have other carmakers) with a factory-backed package where used cars are inspected and given a seal of “approval” as a certified used purchase with a Porsche warranty and 24-hour roadside assistance.

Photo: Olivier Delorme

2010 Porsche 911 Targa 4S
What do all used cars have in common? They're far more affordable than a new car. It is with this in mind that Porsche Canada put a 2010 997 911 Targa 4S on their press fleet. This Arctic silver 6-speed unit travelled just under 29,000km, but by the looks of it, could have only covered 29.

Back in 2010, this 911 sported a sticker price of just over $143,500 with accessories such as 19” Turbo wheels and the Sport Chrono Package Plus. This same car can now be had for $92,500. This is a 35% price drop that no one needs to know about. All your neighbours will know is that you now own a Porsche.

This may come as a surprise, but Porsche cars are actually fairly reliable (by sports and exotic car standards) and reasonably economical. No word of a lie.

The question that begs an answer is: Does a “gently used Porsche” drive as it should?

In short, yes. The long of it is that I so enjoyed the 3-year-old 911 that I'd never felt like I wanted to own one more. This 911 was every bit as quick, sharp, and infinitely rewarding as would be a new example. The 3.8L flat-6's 385 horsepower were all accounted for and the powerful brakes felt as good as any brand spanking new Porsche I've ever tested.

This car was inspected, as they all are, by Porsche technicians. They follow stringent guidelines to make certain that each 911, Cayman, Boxster, and the like is up to snuff and worthy of being a Porsche Approved Certified Pre-owned car. This one undoubtedly was.

The car was not perfect: One small trim piece surrounding the centre console was loose. Then again, I've had week-long test drives with very new cars from other makes that had many quality control issues.

Porsche holds a special place in the automotive world and regardless of which generation or vintage you own or drive (save perhaps for the 996...), you're a winner. To therefore place any Porsche in your driveway is to be part of a special group. To belong is to be part of and to embrace the lifestyle.

2010 Porsche 911 Targa 4S. (Photo: Olivier Delorme)

Porsche Bike S
On that subject, Porsche has more to offer the budding fan of the brand. As a cycling enthusiast, you may be in the market for a new bicycle. Should this be the case, Porsche has you covered.

This time, new is the way to go. A $5,000 investment gets you a Porsche Bike S made of hydroformed aluminum with a fork fashioned in carbon. A Shimano Alfine 11-speed hub gear system handles forward momentum with the help of a low-wear geared belt drive. Hydraulic disc brakes round out the mechanicals.

As this is a Porsche, its inherent quality is immediately obvious. The same goes for riding the Bike S. The smooth rolling DT Swiss wheel with Schwalbe Marathon Supreme tires and belt drive are its best features. The whole of the way it operates is premium Porsche.

Note for the buttock sensitive: The Fizik Tundra seat is especially short on padding. Should you plan to ride quite a bit, consider the purchase of padded biking shorts.

If your budget permits, a Bike RS is also available. For a little more than $9,000, a lightweight frame with components all made of carbon along with Shimano XTR equipment with 20 speeds can be yours.

Porsche Design Bike S. (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

The Porsche lifestyle
Yes, it can be yours as the price is right. Life is too short not to enjoy the finer things. With these two sets of wheels, life can be grand indeed!