Auto News 5

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: The 2014 Mazda 6 is one of my favorite non-German/ Cadillac ATS midsize sedans. Perhaps even at the top of the heap. It's really, really good.

-- It may not be the newest supercar, but few would argue the McLaren F1's place near the top of the all-time greats list. Now you can

Hyundai and affiliate Kia named a new president of their joint research and development division, a month after the previous chief resigned over quality issues.

GM's China joint venture will recall close to 1.5 million vehicles due to potential safety issues in one of the biggest recalls in the world's biggest autos market.

Audi plans to spend $30.3 billion through 2018, pushing models such as electric autos to gain the top spot in the premium segment.

Audi plans to spend 22 billion euros ($30.3 billion) through 2018, pushing models such as electric autos to gain the top spot in the premium segment.

When I returned to Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., to officiate at the

The Scottsdale auctions are the reset button for the collector-car world, the first big events of a new season. Despite the addition of a concours just before the auction action, Scottsdale, Ariz.

The UAW agreed to establish a two-tier wage system in 2007 in hopes of boosting employment at the Detroit 3. It worked: Chrysler has hired more than 10,000 workers in the United States since coming out of bankruptcy.

The Czech Republic has emerged as a key battleground between Hyundai and Skoda for cost-conscious consumers across Europe.

The Czech Republic has emerged as a key battleground between Hyundai and Skoda for cost-conscious consumers across Europe.

From GMM

Mark Webber quit formula one because he got tired of being beaten by teammate Sebastian Vettel.

That is the claim of Jean-Eric Vergne, who drives for the second-tier Red Bull team, Toro Rosso.

Frenchman Vergne told Spain's El Confidencial newspaper that he is now over the disappointment of missing out on the departing Webber's seat at the premier Red Bull Racing team to his 2013 teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Vergne, 23, was asked if he thinks Australian veteran Webber, who is heading to Le Mans with Porsche, quit F1 because he got "tired" of spraying champagne on F1 podiums.

"I don't think he got tired of that," Vergne answered.  "He got tired of his teammate winning all the time.  And another year of the same made no sense to him.

Mark Webber, Red Bull RB9 (Photo: WRi2)

"He would not even be happy if his team continued to win everything -- you have the same car but you're beaten every weekend by your teammate.  You would get tired of that," he added, "even when you are on the podium.

"I think Mark is a very good driver and a true competitor," Vergne explained, "but things were not going as he wanted.

"If your teammate is always beating you ... the goal is to win, not finish on the podium," he added.

Vergne was also asked about F1's sweeping changes for 2014, and he admitted that the move to the new turbo V6 engine will be "the main issue" for the season.

But he added: "There are many other changes.  The (blown) exhausts will be gone, the tires will be harder.  Traction will be extremely difficult and sometimes it will seem like children learning how to drive!"

And Vergne tipped Pirelli to recover from its tumultuous season, despite the fact Nico Rosberg suffered a high-speed blowout whilst testing a 2014 prototype in Bahrain recently.

"I think they will do a good job.  First of all the tires must be safe," said Vergne.  "They will be more conservative."

Pros: In the Scion FR-S, rear-drive dynamics draw out the simple, raw satisfaction that comes from operating a pure sports car. The shifter and clutch combo is meaty, holds lots of power, and has plenty of bite. The FR-S is thrilling to put through its paces and relatively comfortable on most highways, too. It's also very easy on fuel, packs crowd-gathering styling, and is arguably the ultimate driver's car in this price range.

Cons: A small trunk opening, and tight entry and exit for larger folks are among the Scion FR-S' cons. Further, no sunroof, covered storage console nor armrest are available, and knee-room can be tight for leggier drivers.


2014 Scion FR-S Pricing: For 2014, the FR-S is priced from $26,450, although a range of options are available to fine-tune the sports model to any driver's tastes. Further, Scion offers numerous dealer-installed accessory parts for further customization.

2014 Scion FR-S Fuel Economy: The Scion FR-S should put away between 7.2L and 8.2L of fuel in combined highway and city driving, depending on the transmission selected. The automatic 6-speed unit earns the lowest fuel consumption rating.

Improvements and Changes: Improvements on this new model are minor for 2014. Designers created a new upgraded stereo system display, and added knee padding to either side of the transmission tunnel to address a common complaint of last-year's model.

Don't Miss: The sports-car-first platform. Arguably, the Scion FR-S is the only machine in its class that was engineered to be a sports car from square one. Unlike other machines that simply add performance parts to a bread-and-butter commuter model, the FR-S' lightweight, compact, and performance-engineered architecture is fitting of a pure sports car -- and that shows in the driving experience. Plus, since it's got perfect 50/50 weight dsitribution, the FR-S is one of the best handling cars anywhere near its price range.

2014 Scion FR-S Powertrain: A Subaru-derived 2.0L BOXER 4-cylinder engine dubbed “D4S” is bolted low and wide in the bottom of the engine compartment to lower the centre of gravity and make for better handling. With 200 horsepower and a redline well over 7,000 rpm, it's thrilling to drive hard. Simultaneously, direct injection and variable cam timing, as well as lightweight aluminum construction, keep fuel consumption to a minimum.

Safety: The FR-S protects its drivers and passengers by way of a highly advanced traction and throttle control system, which includes driver-selectable modes for standard, sport or snow operation. Toyota's STAR safety system is also on board, networking six must-have safety technologies into a standard, confidence-inspiring package. Tire pressure monitoring, a distraction-reducing Bluetooth interface, and whiplash-reducing seat structures are included as well.

Comparables: Check the thrifty and agile FR-S out alongside models like the Mazda MX-5, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Subaru BR-Z, Ford Mustang, and others.

Photo: Scion

As of next year, London streets will be the hosts of new plug-in hybrid taxis; the Metrocab REE. The British manufacturer Fraser Nash and Ecotive teamed up to develop these green vehicles with particularities such as better fuel consumption and less CO2 into the atmosphere.

London's Mayor Boris Johnson, attended the unveiling of these taxis just before Christmas and was even able to sit behind the wheel. Able to carry up to 6 passengers, the Metrocab REE shows a range of 65 km in all-electric mode and a total of 450 km when the engine is requested.

Source: techno-car.fr

Russian rally driver Evgeny Novikov has given up on a full time drive, ahead of the 2014 World Rally Championship.

The 23-year-old is still hopeful he can secure a part time drive, however.

"We have been negotiating with different teams, but failed to agree," his backer Michael Lepekhov confirmed. "We do not exclude the possibility of participation of Evgeny in some races."

The former Russian Rally Cup winner, who spent the last two years behind the wheel of an M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC, scored two fourth places en route to a disappointing seventh in the standings.

Too many errors helped people forget the speed he showed in 2012, where he finished runner-up twice.

Evgeny Novikov, Ford Fiesta RS WRC (Photo: M-Sport)

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone is not worried Red Bull's run of dominance will drive the brand out of formula one.

The energy drink company's premier F1 team and its lead driver Sebastian Vettel have won the past four drivers' and constructors' championships -- so dominantly in 2013 that many questioned the spectacle of the latest triumph.

But when asked if Red Bull is so successful it may eventually tire both of winning and the sport in general, F1 chief executive Ecclestone answered: "I don't think so.

Sebastian Vettel (Photo: WRi2)

"Dietrich Mateschitz is so competitive, he loves racing, he likes when his car wins," the 83-year-old told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The successes of recent years also mean his team has earned much more than some of the others.

"Not only that, where else is he going to find as good a platform to advertise his brand?" Ecclestone wondered.

Red Bull is among the teams with the very highest budgets in F1; so high that many others are struggling to pay their bills in a difficult economic climate.

Ecclestone has little sympathy.

"The teams are spending too much," he said.  "Look at the top teams; they have a huge number of staff, 700 or more, no one knows the exact numbers.

"All these people to put two cars on the grid on Sundays.  It's ridiculous," Ecclestone added.

At the same time, teams are struggling to attract big brands to their sponsorship liveries, while F1 has managed to do deals with companies like UBS and Rolex.

Asked why the teams are failing to do the same, Ecclestone answered: "I don't know -- ask them."

Meanwhile, when asked to tip the 2014 winner, he responded similarly: "I don't know.  I think next year will depend most on the engine.

"The winner will be the one with the best engine."

Consumers Reports published a list of the 10 worst values on the road. They calculated some data like price, fuel economy and reliability.

Here is the list by categories:

• Compact/Subcompact: Volkswagen Beetle
• Midsize sedans: Nissan Altima
• Large sedans: Ford Taurus Limited
• Luxury sedans: BMW 750
• Convertible/Sports cars: Chevrolet Camaro
• Minivans/Wagons: Chrysler Town&Country
• Small SUVs: Ford Escape
• Midsize SUVs: Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara
• Pickups : Ford F-250 Lariat ( 6.7L V8)
• Large/Luxury SUVs: Nissan Armada Platinum

Source : thedetroitbureau.com

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel has been voted sportsman of the year by European news agencies.

Organised by the Polish news agency PAP, 21 European outlets cast their votes and the Red Bull driver emerged with more points than tennis' Rafael Nadal, and British athlete Mo Farah.

Vettel's latest victory is despite widespread claims that the German is only dominating F1 because of Adrian Newey's design genius.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull RB9 (Photo: WRi2)

But rival Felipe Massa told Brazil's Totalrace: "It (Vettel's dominance) is because of his talent, no doubt.

"He is an excellent driver who deserves everything he has achieved.

"Many people say he wins only because he has the best car.  He does (have the best car), but the work he has done is amazing and if he continues to have a competitive car, he will win more," added Massa.

Vettel's new status as arguably F1's very best driver is also supported by his traditional ally and friend Bernie Ecclestone.

The 26-year-old driver's popularity, however, is another matter, particularly after he was repeatedly booed on post-race podiums in 2013.

"He created this reputation himself when he went ahead of Mark Webber in Malaysia," F1's chief executive told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Now some see him as a person that really he is not.  But I don't think he did anything wrong to Mark."

Vettel has committed his medium-term future to Red Bull, but Ecclestone thinks the German will eventually move elsewhere.

"He is young and he won't stay for forever where he is," the 83-year-old Briton said.

"The problem is that all the drivers want to finish their careers at Ferrari, which isn't good," Ecclestone argued.

"I think he should go to the team that can help him win more titles, and that will not necessarily be Ferrari."

Major investments of € 22 billions are expected by Audi by 2018. These are part of a total budget of € 84.2 billion that the Volkswagen Group will invest within 5 years in its various subsidiaries.

More than half of the 22 billion will be injected into the German plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, to develop new models and new technologies.

Things are going well at Audi, since they have reached their goal this year of selling 1.5 million vehicles - target they had set for 2015. Audi hopes to sell 2 million cars annually by 2020, by upgrading its product range from 49 actually to 60.

Source : auto.lapresse.ca

Photo: Colin Styker

From GMM

Not everyone in formula one is opposed to the sport's new 'double points' innovation.

In fact, even the president of F1's governing FIA is not sure what all the fuss is about, as speculation increases that the rule could even be repealed.

"Well, so much is said, but really it's not such a dramatic change," Jean Todt told the Spanish sports daily AS.

"For me, the introduction of the new 1.6 litre engine with a 40 per cent fuel reduction is much more important.  And our priority is to reduce costs.

"I think the change of points in one race is not a revolution," the Frenchman insisted.  "It's a small change and nothing more."

And even Mercedes' powerful duo, chairman Niki Lauda and sporting boss Toto Wolff, are not opposed to the rule that aims to keep the title alive by awarding double points in the Abu Dhabi finale.

Lewis Hamilton with Niki Lauda (Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team)

Triple world champion Lauda even told Speed Week that he backs Bernie Ecclestone's idea to expand the double points beyond the 2014 finale.

"More bonus points should be given in the last third of the season," he said.

Wolff agreed: "A (higher) distribution (of points) for regions or continents would make sense."

Meanwhile, Wolff revealed that Lewis Hamilton has applied to the FIA to race his lucky number 44 for the rest of his F1 career.