Auto News 5

From GMM

Pastor Maldonado has admitted it was "wrong" to publicly accuse Williams of sabotage.

After a poor qualifying in Austin - the first race since the Venezuelan's decision to leave the Grove based team was announced - Maldonado said he suspected mechanics had tampered with his tire pressures and temperatures.

"Sure, it was wrong of me to say it," he is quoted by Speed Week, "because for three years I respected them, and they respected me.

"I was stressed on the first weekend after the announcement that I am leaving the team," explained Maldonado, who has been linked with a move to Lotus.

"You come to the end of the season and you are stressed, but only because I want more and I want to give 100 per cent, but I'm limited by the car. Sometimes you say more than you should," he added.

Pastor Maldonado, Williams FW35-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

He insisted he has "a few very good friends" at Williams, who are "perhaps the only friends I have in formula one, and together we had maybe the best time of my career, but perhaps the worst.

"It was not easy for me to leave the team because I have very good friends here," Maldonado continued.

"There are certainly people who I do not like and maybe they don't like me too. This is a family, and there can always be differences. Now it's too late and I'm leaving, but I wish them the best," he added.

Summary
The Kia Soul cannot deny its Track'ster concept heritage. The inspired interior and superior ground clearance give it a definite leg up on the competition. However, the base 2014 Soul engine has dropped from 138 hp to 130 compared to the 2013 version. Kia is promising an all-electric version of the Soul for 2014.


Price
Pricing for the 2014 Soul has not been released at time of publishing.

Fuel Economy
Not available at this time.

Latest Improvements

• Stiffer, longer, wider chassis;
• Increased passenger compartment and cargo capacity;
• Enhanced soundproofing;
• Superior handling;
• Slimmer A-pillars (20mm) improve forward visibility.

Exterior Styling
Its unique styling is hard to miss. The slimmer, discreet front grille design and floating body-coloured insert that flows to the rear hatch were borrowed directly from the Track'ster concept. Available options include LED front marker and rear taillights.

Interior Design
The instrument panel and center console of the 2014 Soul benefit from the use of soft-touch materials and tasteful black piano-finish inserts. The Track'ster' spherical design theme is well represented: sculpted circles and inserts surround the inner door-locks, window controls, gear-shift lever and push-button start. The door-mounted speakers match the ‘'floating'' tweeters that are mounted above.

Drivetrain
The base Soul is powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC 4-cylinder all-aluminum direct-injection (GDI) engine that produces 130 hp. A 2.0 liter GDI engine that produces164 hp is also available.

Cargo Capacity
555 liters of cargo room is available behind the rear seatback, while more than 1,511 liters is available behind the front seats.

Comparable Models
Nissan Juke, Nissan cube, Scion xB, Scion xD, Toyota Matrix

Photo: Kia

Traffic signals have been around since 1868, but on November 20th, 1923, African-American inventor Garrett A. Morgan got a patent for his hand-cranked traffic signal using a T-shaped, three-position system.

In addition to having "stop" and "go" indicators, it had an "all stop" signal that could be used to clear the intersection to allow pedestrians to cross or to stop cross-traffic before signalling a different direction to proceed.

At night, when traffic was light, it could be set at half-mast (like a blinking yellow light today), warning drivers to proceed carefully through the intersection.

Morgan eventually sold the rights to his invention to General Electric for $40,000.

Sources: Wikipedia, History.com, Enchanted Learning

Latest upgrades
The 2014 Volvo XC60 benefits from a few minor upgrades, including an all-new infotainment system. The headlights, front bumper and grille, as well the exhaust system have also all gone under the knife.


Price
The base Volvo XC60, powered by a normally aspirated 3.2-liter engine, starts at $39,950. Three additional versions round out the lineup: the Premier, at $44,100, the Premier Plus, at $45,700, and the Platinum, which starts at $49,000.

The R-Design version starts at $54,500. Exclusive features include sport suspension and 20-inch wheels, among others. The Premier Plus version starts at $56,100 while the Platinum version starts at $59,400.

Fuel Economy
The 6-cylinder engine consumes 11.2 L/100 km city and 7.8 L/100 km highway. The turbocharged engine is rated at 12.1 L/100 km city and 8.5 L/100 km highway.

Exterior Styling
The front and rear styling of this crossover reinforce its racy image. The aerodynamic shape and high ground clearance underscore its superior all-road capability. The sculpted rear end adds an elegant styling touch.

Drivetrain
A 3.3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine producing 240 hp and 236 lb-ft torque propels the front-wheel drive 2014 Volvo XC60. All-wheel drive aficionados benefit from the turbocharged 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder engine that delivers 300 hp and 325 lb-ft torque.

Both engines are mated to an adaptive 6-speed Geartronic automatic transmission. The R-Design version turbocharged engine can deliver up to 325 hp.

Cargo Capacity
Different seat configurations offer between 872 and 1909 liters of cargo capacity.

Safety
This sedan is equipped with six airbags, a pedestrian detection system and side impact protection. Options include adaptive cruise control, collision warning with full auto-brake and lane departure warning. Volvo remains an automotive-safety leader.

Comparable Models
Acura RDX, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Infiniti EX35, Land Rover LR2, Mercedes-Benz Classe GLK

Photo: Volvo

From GMM

Paul di Resta has admitted he might consider a move to America's premier IndyCar series for 2014.

We reported last week that the retirement of the Scot's famous cousin, Dario Franchitti, could have opened up the top Ganassi seat for di Resta in 2014.

After three years in F1 with the Silverstone based team, 27-year-old di Resta is struggling to hang onto his Force India seat.

The highly rated Nico Hulkenberg, the team incumbent Adrian Sutil, and also the possibly Carlos Slim-backed McLaren refugee Sergio Perez, are all more seriously linked with the Sahara Force India race seats for next season.

Paul di Resta said F1 remains his top priority, but he is also not ruling out continuing his career elsewhere.

"I built a good reputation in DTM," he is quoted by the Guardian newspaper, "and there are other opportunities in a few other series."

Photo: IndyCar

Referring to IndyCar and his cousin Franchitti, di Resta continued: "I've always been slightly concerned about the safety of it, but sitting down and looking at it logically, it's a serious option to look elsewhere because of the success he has had."

It remains to be seen if Perez is really a contender for di Resta's Force India seat.

The Mexican says he may not be interested in staying in formula one beyond this season if it is with a small team.

"Yes, McLaren is helping me find a place," he is quoted by France's L'Equipe, "but it is not easy to find something that motivates me enough to stay in F1."

Dodge will turn 100 in 2014, so the company decided to celebrate the milestone with 100th Anniversary editions of the Charger and Challenger. Both will arrive in U.S. showrooms during the first quarter.

Dodge Challenger 100th Anniversary Editions. (Photo: Dodge)

As the world's only four-door muscle car, the Dodge Charger 100th Anniversary Edition is based on the Charger SXT Plus. It comes with a choice of two engines including a 300-horsepower Pentastar V6 and a 370-horsepower HEMI V8.

Meanwhile, the Dodge Challenger 100th Anniversary offers the same engines, but with a 5-horsepower gain.

The 100th Anniversary Edition models are available with an all-new and exclusive High Octane Red Pearl Coat paint. They feature 20'' alloy wheels, a red or black Nappa leather interior, Uconnect with 8.4'' display, and ''100th Anniversary'' emblems on the dashboard and front seats.

Dodge Charger 100th Anniversary Editions. (Photo: Dodge)

Dodge says the Charger and Challenger 100th Anniversary Editions will require a premium of $2,200 and $2,500 USD, respectively.

Canadian availability remains a mystery. We'll keep you updated if and when an announcement is made.

Price Range: $44,595 - $57,250 USD (no Canadian pricing for 2014 yet)

Description
The 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe is a full-size utility vehicle, an SUV, with seating for up to nine passengers and enough cargo space (3,084 litres with the third and second row down) to accommodate pretty much anything.

For 2014 the Chevrolet Tahoe hasn't seen any major changes over the 2013 model. Three models are available: LS, LT, and LTZ. The Tahoe is also available in 2WD or 4WD. The Tahoe also offers a Z71 Off-Road package that features off-road jounce bumpers, skid plate package, and specially tuned springs amongst other things.

Drive
The 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe is powered by a Vortec 5.3L V8. That engine is good for 320 horsepower and 335 lb-ft of torque. Despite the size of its engine, the 2014 Chevy Tahoe manages fuel efficiency numbers (according to GM) in the 8.5L/100km (highway) range, a reading taken on the 4WD model. How did they achieve such low numbers? Well, Active Fuel Management in the 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe shuts down four of the eight cylinders when they aren't needed.

Not only does the 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe have the ability to cart around all your family members and their gear, but the American-bred SUV also offers up a towing capacity of 3,856kg. Features like a Hill Hold Assist as well as Tow/Haul Mode transmission help the behemoth play double duty with a tailor.

Amenities
The 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe can be loaded to the sunroof with creature comforts that'll keep all occupants happy (and quiet!) on long road trips. Bluetooth and satellite radio are available, as well as a Rear Entertainment Package with a DVD player and fold-down monitor. OnStar is also available in the 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe.

In short
The 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe is identical to the 2013 model and continues to offer up everything you'd expect from an SUV of its size and nature.

Photo: Chevrolet

Porsche next year will test the patience of sports car enthusiasts again when it begins selling the Macan, a compact crossover that likely will shift the majority of Porsche's volume from sports cars to people-haulers.

Pictures See all 19 pictures 20 Nov, 2013

News 20 Nov, 2013

The Nissan IDx concept has been revealed at the Tokyo show, a retro coupe to rival the Toyota GT-86

Jaguar priced the base F-Type coupe at $65,895, including shipping -- $4,000 less than the convertible that went on sale in May.

Despite some nascent signs of a plateau, a panel of auto executives said they anticipate U.S. light-vehicle sales to exceed 16 million units in 2014. Top executives from Kia, Mazda and Toyota said they expect U.S.

When

News 20 Nov, 2013

2016 BMW 5 Series hits the road and our spies catch it testing at BMW's R&D base in Munich

News 20 Nov, 2013

Toyota version to be badged as Lexus with styling cues from LF-LC concept

Car sales are leading housing starts in driving America's economic recovery, but housing starts are catching up and adding momentum, a leading economist said Tuesday. And a J.D.

The head of Audi's Munich design studio, Achim Badstuebner, is leaving to join Mercedes-Benz. Badstuebner will lead exterior design at Mercedes starting Jan. 1, said Gorden Wagener, Daimler's chief designer.

The head of Audi's Munich design studio, Achim Badstuebner, is leaving to join Mercedes as head of exterior design.

Ford, trying to satisfy customer demands for more in-car technology, said technology companies must work in more open and flexible ways for Internet 'connected-car' features to be as seamless as smartphone apps.

Masa-michi Kogai, the new CEO of Mazda Motor Corp., has set what looks like an impossibly high bar for reintroducing the company's rotary engine.