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The Nissan Patrol claimed the world record of being the production vehicle that has pulled the heaviest aircraft.

General Motors yesterday unveiled the all-new 2015 Cadillac Escalade in New York. Both the standard-wheelbase and long-wheelbase variants (ESV) of the fourth-generation luxury SUV will enter production next spring in Arlington, Texas, before going on sale in April.

The Escalade EXT pickup has been axed.

Photo: Cadillac

The 6.2L V8 engine under the hood of the 2015 Cadillac Escalade generates 420 horsepower - 17 more than the outgoing model - through a 6-speed automatic transmission. An 8-speed autobox is planned for the 2016 model year, and the Escalade could be a good candidate for GM's future 10-speed transmission (scheduled for 2016).

From the outside, you'll notice the massive chrome grille and four vertically stacked crystal lenses and LEDs. Lightweight aluminum hood and liftgate panels reduce overall mass (the latter includes programmable height settings).

Photo: Escalade

Meanwhile, the spacious and more quiet interior of the 2015 Cadillac Escalade combines real wood trim with premium cut-and-sewn materials and sueded accents. The front seating area provides more than 10 centimetres of additional legroom compared to previous models, while the second- and third-row seats fold flat for greater cargo versatility. The instrument cluster features a standard, reconfigurable, high-resolution 12.3'' digital driver information display paired with Cadillac's CUE infotainment system.

The 2015 Cadillac Escalade will also offer numerous options including a Blu-Ray DVD rear entertainment system, Front and Rear Automatic Braking, Full Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control, and the Safety Alert Seat which offers directional vibrations to alert the driver about potential crash threats.

Source: General Motors

Photo: Cadillac

From GMM

Fernando Alonso, widely acknowledged as perhaps the best driver in F1 today, has given a boost to Nico Hulkenberg's quest for a 2014 seat.

Because he is unsponsored and also arguably too tall for next year's heavier cars, it is rumoured the German's push to simply stay on the grid in 2014 may fail.

That is despite his outstanding performance in Korea last weekend, where he held off a string of champions, including Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, in the increasingly impressive Sauber.

International media reports quote Alonso as hailing Hulkenberg's "superb" and "perfect" race.

"He deserved to be in front of us, because he did a fantastic race," EFE news agency quotes Alonso as saying.

"Sauber have been very good this weekend, they've done a great job," he added.

Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) and Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) in Korea. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

Alonso's comments may be interpreted as a slight against his own Ferrari team, because Sauber - who admit to have struggled financially this year and initially uncompetitive in 2013 - is powered by an identical Ferrari engine.

"I think he (Alonso) would love to leave Ferrari," said the hugely respected La Gazzetta dello Sport correspondent Pino Allievi, "but he cannot."

Fernando Alonso has also used Sauber as the prime example of how Pirelli's mid-season tire construction switch gave some teams a big boost, whilst hurting others.

But Hulkenberg is quoted by Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper: "The new Pirelli tires help to explain what is happening with us, but it's not everything. We have also improved the car. I would say it's 50 per cent for both."

Indeed, Hulkenberg has been sounding much happier at Sauber, where earlier it was considered very unlikely the 26-year-old will stay put for 2014.

"To say that I regret (moving from Force India) is a bit much," he is quoted by France's L'Equipe, "but I was not very happy because I wanted to make a step forward and actually it was quite a step back.

"But when you make choices in life, they can be good or bad but the best thing to do is to try to turn it around in your favour," Hulkenberg added.

"After seven or eight races, there were no real signs of improvement, but then suddenly there was a click." He is undoubtedly hoping that 'click' opens the door to better things in 2014.

But some in the paddock marvel at how arguably F1's hottest rising talent is still scrambling to secure a decent drive.

"You would just have to say that there weren't many top cockpits becoming available (for 2014)," Hulkenberg's manager Werner Heinz told the German newspaper Bild.

"We are still talking, but Nico will definitely go on in formula one," he insisted.

From GMM

Paul Hembery apologized after hitting back at comments made by Fernando Alonso in Korea last weekend.

Spaniard Alonso had questioned the "quality" of Pirelli's 2013 tires.

Pirelli boss Hembery hit back: "I can only suggest he goes to ask the soon-to-be four time champion how to get the best from the same tires."

In the wake of the pointed retort, "We invited Paul for a chat," Ferrari's Alonso is quoted by the Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

"He accepted, he came, he apologized and we understand (each other) now. It seems strange with the season they are having that they speak up, but, as I said, he apologized," he added.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F138. (Photo: WRi2)

Fernando Alonso, however, insists that the mid-season change of tire construction particularly hurt Ferrari's performance.

And "Force India is now struggling for points," he explained.

"I also remember Sauber struggling not to be out of qualifying in Q1, and now they're fighting out the front of the race," he added.

Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali admitted he sees both sides of the story.

"It is important to take the complaints of drivers seriously to help them (Pirelli) do a better job," he is quoted by Speed Week. "But I also see Pirelli's position, because if they are not given the chance to test, that's not right."

IndyCar KV Racing Technology team invited Canadian driver Mikael Grenier for tests on the Sebring Circuit, November 13th and 14th.

Following the departure of Tony Kanaan who will join Target Chip Ganassi for the 2014 season, KV Racing is in the process of finding a replacement for its veteran driver.

Tony Kanaan aboard the KV Racing Dallara, in Sebring. (Photo: IndyCar)

We can assume that this invitation is the direct result of Grenier recent association with well-known agent Alan Miller who became a fan of the 21-year-old racer.

The last time Grenier drove in a race was last April when he took part in the Indy Lights Series event in Long Beach, California.

Silly season is beginning to gain momentum and other drivers are on KV Racing's short list among them; James Hinchcliffe, Alexandre Tagliani and Oriol Servia.

Police in the small town of American Fork, Utah, are not kidding around. A 7-year-old girl named Autumn and her younger sister received a ticket for parking their Barbie Jeep in the street, in front of a neighbour's driveway.

Instead of calling for towing, the officer who spotted the violation moved the Jeep off the street and parked it behind Autumn's father's car in the family driveway.

"I came out of the garage. I noticed that the Jeep was parked in an unpopular place right behind my vehicle. And so, I got out and noticed that there was an abandoned vehicle tag on it," their father said. "This is definitely my favourite ticket that I have received."

Obviously, there was no fine attached to it - just a friendly reminder to Autumn and her sister not to leave their toys out in the street. You can bet they've learned their lesson.

Source: Yahoo! Shine

From GMM

Bahrain has receded as a weighty political issue in F1, as the sport schedules back-to-back winter tests in the island kingdom.

Racing in Bahrain has been a highly controversial topic since the civil uprisings of 2011, when the grand prix was cancelled due to violence.

It has remained a contentious issue until now, but F1's 2014 engine makers - Mercedes, Renault and Ferrari - have selected the Sakhir circuit as the ideal testing ground for days of pre-season testing of the new turbo V6 units.

It will force the teams to be based in Bahrain for days and even weeks during the European winter, amid the prospect of another return to the kingdom for a reportedly floodlit race weeks later in April.

According to the Reuters news agency, however, the teams are much more relaxed about Bahrain these days.

"I think people are relaxed about going there based on their experience of this year," said Martin Whitmarsh, boss of the partly Bahrain-owned British team McLaren.

Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn added: "Quite frankly, it's not been a major topic, it's not been discussed, so hopefully we can have a quiet time there. There have been assurances about the conditions there."

Ross Brawn said Bahrain had emerged as the ideal venue for crucial pre-season running of the new engines.

"From the purely technical perspective, Bahrain is a more representative circuit," he said, undoubtedly referring to the more traditional winter test venues in Spain.

"We can test there (in Bahrain), we prefer to test there. It's the best, most suitable track at that time of the year," added Brawn.

On October 8th, 1978, legendary race car driver Gilles Villeneuve won his first-ever F1 race - the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, no less. He also became the first Canuck to accomplish the feat.

Photo: Musée Gilles Villeneuve

After adding five first-place finishes to his short resumé, Villeneuve tragically died at Zolder during the qualifying session of the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. As you know, the track on Ile Notre-Dame now bears his name.

Sources: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilles_Villeneuve

Napa Valley, CA - It seems the VW Beetle and I have become quite good acquaintances over the past year or so. From attending the launch of the new Beetle in Berlin to driving drop-top and Super versions of the friendly German hatch, I'm actually quite grateful to count it amongst my vehicular friends.

I was able to add to my Beetle's Driven list while on a recent trip in Napa Valley, California. The ">2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR and I bonded as we streaked through wineries and along winding mountainside roads.

Is it the best Beetle I've driven so far? Not quite, but it's a great deal of fun, that's for sure.


What is the Volkswagen Beetle GSR?
Essentially, the Beetle GSR is a turbocharged Beetle with a fancy paint job and unique interior design. However, it's about a bit more than a bright exterior look, it's also about heritage and history. The original GSR (which stands for Gelb-Schwarzer Renner meaning Yellow Black Racer in English) appeared in the 1970s and was a special edition Beetle bred to satisfy the needs of sport-car Volkswagen enthusiasts.

The current generation of the Beetle GSR is somewhat similar, as it is also a limited edition model (only 3,500 models will be made in total) and is based on the now R-Line Beetle (previously known as the Turbo) with a few cosmetic differences.

Essentially, the Beetle GSR is a turbocharged Beetle with a fancy paint job and unique interior design. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR Price & Specs
As mentioned above, the VW Beetle GSR features the same internal specs as the Beetle R-Line. That means this little Bug is equipped with a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged TSI that produces 210 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. While a 6-speed manual transmission is available on the GSR model, I chose to take the 6-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic transmission -- yes, it's that good. Power is pushed out the front wheels, and the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR has an estimated fuel rating of 7.85 L/100 km (highway) with the DSG transmission.

As far as pricing goes, at the time of this writing Canadian figures weren't available, but the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR starts as a top-of-the-line Beetle R-Line with sunroof, sound and navigation ($29,995 USD). Then should you want the GSR's exterior and interior upgrades as well as its exclusivity (with an interior plaque announcing which model you've purchased from the 3,500 limited units) that price jumps to $31,095 USD.

This little Bug is equipped with a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged TSI that produces 210 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Volkswagen)

Driving the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR
While some may mock the shape and look of the VW Beetle, they wouldn't be so quick to chuckle if they sat behind the wheel and took it on some twisties. The rounded roof stiffens the structure and the short wheelbase helps the Beetle handle some pretty aggressive manoeuvres on the road. Add to that the fact that the 2.0L TSI is ready to play at all times, especially when equipped with the silky smooth DSG transmission, and you've got the ideal weekend “fun car.”

I was pleased with the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR's XDS cross differential system that ensured just the right amount of torque was delivered to the right wheel, no matter how curvy the Napa Valley roads became. Hunkering down into corners and powering out seemed child's play to the Beetle, and it was happy to engage for our jaunt through the hilly, windy, Californian roads.

The 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR is really quite a lot of fun to drive -- even if you're not traversing wildly turning roads through picturesque wine country. As a get-around-town vehicle, the Beetle GSR is just as much at home, which is great.

The rounded roof stiffens the structure and the short wheelbase helps the Beetle handle some pretty aggressive manoeuvres on the road. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR
If you thought the regular Beetle would turn heads, then the GSR will have them stopping dead in their tracks and staring.

On top of the already decked out R-Line base on which the GSR starts (with 19” Tornado aluminum alloy wheels, bixenon headlights with LED daytime running lights that kind of make the Beetle look cross-eyed), you'll get a brighter-than-the-sun yellow paint colour with black painted “racing stripes” as well as GSR logos on the side.

Inside, the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR offers unique yellow-on-black stitching as well as GSR badging on the seat and on the glovebox.

Inside, the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR offers unique yellow-on-black stitching as well as GSR badging on the seat and on the glovebox. (Photo: Volkswagen)

Comparing the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR
Those in the market for a VW Beetle clearly already want something different. Even in base trim the Beetle catches eyes (and hearts) on the road. With a heritage it wears on its happy little mug, the Beetle continues to garner new fans the globe over. The GSR only adds an extra element of special to it all.

However, its competition can boast the same since the likes of the Fiat 500 Abarth and MINI Cooper S are all nipping at its rounded little heels.

Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, Tony Stewart, underwent a third surgery on his right leg early on Monday, to examine and close a wound on his shin stemming from the broken tibia and fibula he sustained in a sprint car crash Aug. 5 at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

According to the team “Stewart will remain hospitalized for observation.” Stewart had attended a race with the use of a motorized chair recently.

Team characterized the operation “as a proactive measure and team officials do not expect it to impact Stewart's return” to his car in for the 2014 season.

Stewart's first surgery on Aug. 6 in Iowa served as a preliminary procedure to stabilize and clean the Grade 2 injury. The second surgery on Aug. 8, by a specialist in North Carolina, involved inserting a metal rod inside the tibia, pressing it to its anatomic position.

Tony Stewart still on race tracks with his broken leg. (Photo: NASCAR)

Last week, Hyundai announced plans to replace all cigarette lighter plugs in its vehicles with a USB port. Actually, all that remains is the familiar, round jack acting as an accessory socket to power or charge various portable devices.

Hyundai came up with this decision after a study revealed that 84% of drivers no longer used the feature, and 9 out of 10 preferred a USB port.

Expect other automakers to follow Hyundai's lead in the next few years.

Sources : The Detroit Bureau, Le Figaro

From press release

Robert Kubica moved back to the head of the WRC 2 standings after winning the category at Rallye de France - Alsace today and the Pole can secure the world title at the next round in Spain later this month.

Kubica was flawless in treacherous conditions to secure his 4th win of the season in a Citroen DS3 RRC and he leads the absent Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari by 8 points. A top 2 finish at his final nominated round, the mixed surface Rally de Espana, will guarantee him the crown no matter what Al-Kuwari does at his final outing in Britain in November.

Robert Kubica, winner in France. (Photo: Citroën Racing)

His only serious rival was Elfyn Evans, and when the Welshman dropped 3 minutes changing a puncture on his Ford Fiesta R5 early on Friday, there was little doubt about the outcome.

Kubica could afford to ease off to preserve his lead, but preferred to push hard when it was safe to do so to increase his experience. He eventually triumphed by 4min 03.9sec from the recovering Evans.

“The conditions were so tricky that we encountered everything you can find on asphalt, which gave me a lot of experience. It was a good rally from that point of view, as well as the points we gained, but to be honest it's more important and valuable to gain experience,” said Robert Kubica.

“After the first 2 real stages we had a 3 minute gap with 250km still to go. It can get boring by backing off and when you do that, you don't learn anything.

“My goal is to learn as much as I can so I backed off where I didn't feel confident or where the conditions were tricky. When the stages were clean, or we had good pace notes in the second pass, we tried to push,” he added.

On Thursday at New York Comic-Con, Hyundai will unveil its new Santa Fe Zombie Survival Machine inspired by The Walking Dead.

Similar to the Elantra and Veloster variants, it was built by Galpin Auto Sports.

The zombie-fighting crossover's design comes from Anson Kuo, the winner of huge contest that included more than 82,500 design ideas.

Hyundai Santa Fe Zombie Survival Machine

It features:
• Knife blades;
• Automatic crossbow;
• Razor-wired windows;
• Three machine guns;
• Samurai sword;
• Aluminum armour
• Muffler silencer.

Of course, the Hyundai Santa Fe Zombie Survival Machine won't enter production... at least until the dead start coming back to life.

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel says he will not try to boost his popularity by jumping on the social media bandwagon.

It has been suggested the almost 4-time world champion's unpopularity among the fans is worsened because he refuses to connect with them via Twitter or Facebook.

Indeed, among his F1 racing rivals, only the odd and aloof Kimi Raikkonen similarly stays away from the hugely popular social media sites.

But Vettel is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace: "I have no interest in sharing everything I do in my life. Maybe I am too boring," the German joked.

Amid his current streak of domination, Vettel was booed when he won at Spa, Monza and Singapore.

But there was no booing in Korea at the weekend.

Sebastian Vettel, winner in Korea with Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2)

Some cynics might say that's because there were no spectators at remote and soulless Yeongam, but German-language commentator Marc Surer said: "In fact there was a surprising number of locals (on Sunday), and they were fair.

"Sebastian Vettel has a lot of fans," he insisted.

Lewis Hamilton insists that booing Vettel is wrong, but the Mercedes driver does admit the German's recent domination reminds him of the Schumacher era, when the sight of a red car strolling into the distance would send him to sleep in front of the television.

The 2008 world champion told Bild newspaper: "He's won this title already, unless he doesn't go to the rest of the races. But he'd probably still win it even then."

It may be interpreted that some of Hamilton's recent comments indicate a lack of respect for Vettel.

But the Briton wrote on Twitter on Tuesday: "He (Vettel) is a great human being who is funny and humble. Deserves all the success he is having!"

Cadillac is considering adding a large crossover to its lineup and branding it under the Escalade name.

Still striking an imposing stance, the redesigned Cadillac Escalade is tauter and less truck-like.

The Manheim Used Vehicle Index rose in September for the fourth month in a row, capping its strongest quarterly gain since the middle of 2011, Tom Webb, Manheim's chief economist, said today.

What British saloon from the 1960s was as powerful as a Chevrolet Corvette, as fast as a

Collection Auto Group has opened Mercedes-Benz of Fort Mitchell in Kentucky, a 330,000-square-foot, $20 million dealership in suburban Cincinnati that the group touts as a technology showcase.

2014 Cadillac CTS First Drive

A little more art and a little less science, but still our kind of car.

Santa Barbara, California – The 2014 Cadillac CTS is looking pretty fashionable here in front of the El Encanto Hotel as the morning sun softens the air. A day on the roads around Santa Barbara lies ahead, but we're still kind of worried. Has the all-new CTS become the kind of car that you're supposed to drive on a tour of the local wineries? Does anyone really need yet another car like that?

Photo Gallery: 2014 Cadillac CTS First Drive - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2014 Cadillac CTS First Drive - Automobile Magazine

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