Auto News 5

This is the year of the IS for Lexus at the

Visteon Corporation has raised its equity stake in its Russian joint venture, Visteon Avtopribor Electronics, from 49 percent to 68.77 percent.

Nissan's Europe boss, Trevor Mann, has been promoted to chief performance officer of the automaker as part of a sweeping management overhaul executed by CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Dow Automotive Systems is a provider of polyurethanes, elastomers, films, fluids, adhesives, emissions solutions and acoustic-management materials to the global transportation industry. That includes supply to OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers for automotive applications in interior, exterior, under-the-hood, body-in-white structural, acoustic and thermal management, and powertrain. Here, Matthew Beecham talked with Eugenio Toccalino, Director of Strategic Marketing, Dow Automotive Systems.

Nissan, in a wide-ranging management shuffle, has appointed Jose Munoz its new chief of North America. He replaces Colin Dodge, who will be assigned to special projects and report directly to CEO Carlos Ghosn.

Ford executives are excited that the automaker's global regions of Europe, Africa, South America and Asia Pacific posted a combined quarterly profit for the first time since the second quarter of 2011.

Over the years, car designers occasionally have tried to capture some of the charm and practical benefits of athletic shoes in cheeky auto show concept cars. Now one of those concepts is headed for production.

A shutdown of the federal government hurt showroom traffic at many dealers in the first half of October, but auto sales are expected to be up at least 12 percent from a year ago for the month overall, according to analyst forecasts.

Understanding the supplier business is child's play compared with trying to grasp the meaning of one of Belgian surrealist Rene Magritte's bizarre paintings.

DETROIT -- A consummate gearhead who was once a race engineer for Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell, Hau Thai-Tang made a name for himself as chief engineer of the 2005 Ford Mustang.

Lookers became the latest UK car dealer to forecast better-than-expected 2013 profits on the back of resurgent car sales in its home market.

The latest issue of the Automotive News Europe monthly e-magazine looks at a battle between Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz that goes beyond unit sales.

As head of global product development before retiring in 2007, Richard Parry-Jones became known as Ford's alchemist of vehicle dynamics. He was a rally-car driver in his spare time, and pushed hard to make all Fords a blast to drive.

Auto sales increased 10 percent in the United States during October as the Detroit 3 gained market share while other major automakers fell short of projections.

On my way home the other day, I saw a driver ignoring a pedestrian crossing as a lady was about to step onto the road. While I stopped so she could make it safely to the other side, I wondered if the other driver simply missed the sign, didn't know what it meant or chose to ignore the law.

I'll never know because I was obviously not going to start chasing the guy to find out, but the fact is that road sign disobedience is not a rare sight. So, today I'll ask you this: Do you really know what the various signs and warnings mean?

Here are some of the more problematic ones:

The Pedestrian Crossing sign informs road users that they are approaching a crossing for pedestrians. They must show caution and yield to any pedestrian needing to cross. In Quebec, a violation of this traffic sign carries a fine of $100 for drivers and $37 for cyclists.

Everybody knows of the yield sign, but do they really know what it means? Judging by the sheer number of people who slow down to let others merge, my guess is no. Basically, this sign indicates that drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to vehicles on a priority highway.

You want to show courtesy by helping drivers in the on-ramp safely merge into traffic? Fine. But for God's sake, don't hammer the brake pedal when you have cars following you at more than 100 km/h!

What is that sign, you ask? Well, it's a hazard marker indicating the presence of an obstruction on the roadway or shoulders, as well as indicating where a public highway narrows. The diagonal bars point to the side you have to take to avoid said obstruction (in this case, the right side).

A Prepare to Stop sign indicates an intersection with traffic lights ahead. It displays flashing amber beacons when the lights are going to turn red before you reach the intersection. So, why do some drivers ignore the warning and brake at the last second, possibly encroaching on the intersection and risking a collision with other vehicles that do have a green light? I'm puzzled...

It's not just a red octagon; it also reads “Stop.” Get it? Stop! Not “Slow Down.” This can mean the difference between life and death if you ever hit a pedestrian or cyclist. Think about it...


If you'd like to test your knowledge, complete GM's Great Canadian Road Signs Quiz. I'd be curious to know your score.

On behalf of all road users, please know your signs and drive safely!


Sources: rsr.mtq.gouv.qc.ca
spvm.qc.ca

From GMM

Briton Lewis Hamilton was surprised when he heard that, after winning a fourth title in India last Sunday, Sebastian Vettel was penalised.

"He was reprimanded?" the Mercedes driver told reporters in Abu Dhabi, according to Brazil's Totalrace.

"Are you serious? That's crazy!"

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, New Delhi (Photo: Red Bull)

Indeed, Vettel spent some of his first moments as a quadruple world champion in the FIA stewards office, because his celebratory 'donuts' broke the strict post-race parc ferme rules.

Red Bull was also fined 25,000 euros.

But "The fans loved it," Hamilton insisted. "It didn't hurt anyone, it wasn't dangerous -- I saw it on the screen and the fans were going crazy.

"It was very cool to see," he added.

It might be said that Red Bull put two fingers up to the FIA's reaction this week when former team driver David Coulthard did donuts in a Red Bull some 210 metres in the air, atop the Burj Al Arab helipad in Dubai.

Team boss Christian Horner said the FIA needs to rethink its strict rules.

"I think the stewards perhaps need to be empowered to give a little more leniency in extraordinary circumstances," he said in Abu Dhabi.

I love rowing gears and having fun behind the wheel. Obviously, I have a weak spot for sports cars, while sedans often fly under my radar. Save for a few exceptions, sedans are depressingly uninspiring -- like the car your aunt drives.

What about the 2014 Kia Forte? Well, it sure looks great thanks to Peter Schreyer. However, they say one shouldn't judge a book by its cover, so let me tell you the whole story. I promise you, it's a good one.


Love at first sight
As I approached the Glittering Silver 2014 Kia Forte SX with the Smart Key in my purse, the side mirrors automatically deployed, and the door handle gently lit up to invite me in. Then, when I settled in the driver's seat and hit the Start button, a mini Forte appeared on the dashboard to greet me.

“Well hello to you, too!”

Among the first few things I noticed were the superb visibility, and abundant storage and passenger room.

The comfort zone
The leather seats in the 2014 Kia Forte SX proved comfortable. Heck, the driver's seat is even climate-controlled, so your butt always stays warm or cool depending on the temperature -- how thoughtful! It gets better with a heated steering wheel that helps you stave off the cold.

As for interior styling: All black doesn't mean all boring thanks to various textures including carbon-fibre patterned trim.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Putting on the charm
Good news for short-armed drivers like me: The 2014 Kia Forte SX has a sliding centre armrest. Did I tell you about the slick LCD screen, SiriusXM radio, paddle shifters, dual-zone climate control system, cooling glove box, power sunroof, and GPS? I would run out of breath listing the many luxurious amenities in my tester.

I also liked the 2014 Kia Forte SX's rearview camera, the small triangular window between the A-pillars and side mirrors, and of course the loading-friendly trunk opening (no need to swing your grocery bags up in the air).

The drive seals it
I could go on and on about the wide array of features and attributes of the 2014 Kia Forte SX, but telling you how it drove may actually be more impressive. The 4-cylinder engine is lively and feisty, making for easy passing manoeuvres. That was with the automatic transmission; I suspect the manual is wicked fun.

Photo: Philippe Champoux

Thinking about the next time...
This is one exception to the soporific sedan rule. I tip my hat to Mr. Schreyer for his bold approach. Now, that's what I call truly and delightfully breaking the mould.

With its many endearing qualities, fresh new looks, attractive price, and slightly delinquent nature, I would happily give the 2014 Kia Forte SX a spot in my driveway -- it's already got one in my heart!

From GMM

Nico Hulkenberg's best hope of simply staying in Formula 1 is a new deal with Sauber, according to reports.

Pastor Maldonado's PDVSA millions, and Max Chilton's lucrative Aon backing, appear to have locked the doors to Lotus and even Force India for the highly rated German.

"We are up against 150 million (euros)," Hulkenberg's manager Werner Heinz told Bild newspaper.

Hulkenberg told Sport Bild: "I have never ruled out staying at Sauber."

Mercedes' Niki Lauda told Bild: "It is ridiculous that someone like Hulkenberg has to fight for a cockpit."

World champion Sebastian Vettel agreed: "Nico has absolutely earned his place in formula one."

It is believed Sauber will retain the improving rookie Esteban Gutierrez, who has links to important Mexican backers.

"I feel very confident that I will stay in F1 next year," he is quoted by Brazil's Totalrace in Abu Dhabi.

The other seat, however, was reserved for the teen Sergey Sirotkin, who is a part of Sauber's crucial Russian rescue deal.

Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn, however, said on Thursday that the deal could include some flexibility when it comes to Sirotkin's driving role.

"I think we will find out fairly soon whether he is ready for Formula 1," she is quoted by f1news.ru.

"It is an important step and it should not be underestimated."

Former Formula 1 team Super Aguri will make a return on the international motorsport scene by running a team in the new, electric Formula E championship next year.

Super Aguri Formula E is headquartered in Tokyo and is overseen by Japanese racing driver and team owner Aguri Suzuki.

It becomes the second Asian team (after China) to enter the new Formula E series.

The Super Aguri name is best known for its association in Formula 1 where Super Aguri F1 competed in the sport from 2006 until 2008. The expertise and knowledge gained in F1 will now be applied to creating eco-conscious technological solutions which can be used in major urban cities such as Tokyo.

Super Aguri Formula E was founded in 2013 by four partners: Aguri Suzuki (Executive Chairman), Mark Preston (Team Principal), Peter McCool (Technical Director) and Ferry Spijkerman (Commercial Director).

“Today is a new chapter for the Super Aguri name and I'm proud that our team will represent Japan in the inaugural Formula E series. Zero emissions racing is a progressive concept for the motorsport industry, and after more than 40 years as both a driver and team owner, I see Formula E as a great stride towards the future,” said Aguri Suzuki.

From GMM

Red Bull Racing designer Adrian Newey this week said he didn't know if the team's alternator problems of 2012 have now resurfaced.

After Mark Webber's retirement in India, obvious questions were being asked about whether the same constant problems of last year had come back.

"The problem with Mark had nothing to do with the events of 2012," engine supplier Renault's Remi Taffin told Auto Motor und Sport.

He said the exact cause is not yet known.

Red Bull Racing changed supplier for 2013.

"Either the alternator came from a faulty series, or there was a problem with the installation," he added.

Taffin said Webber's Renault engine mercifully survived the problem, as was the V8 unit in Lotus driver Romain Grosjean's car.

Grosjean had a storming drive to the podium in India, but Auto Motor und Sport said that if the race had been two laps longer, the Frenchman would have retired as the engine was losing air.

Red Bull's Webber, meanwhile, laughed with resignation at his retirement last week in India, and shrugged on Thursday when contemplating his long run of bad luck.

"A lot of results have slipped through the net, but that's the way it's been, for whatever reason," he said.