Auto News 5

The Serbian unit of Fiat plans to produce between 110,000 and 160,000 of its new 500L family of compact cars for Europe and the United States this year, a key boost for Serbian exports, the head of the factory said.

Daimler will avoid forced job cuts as it reduces costs at Mercedes to keep pushing toward its goal of overtaking BMW. "We're looking everywhere to increase efficiency at Mercedes-Benz Cars," spokesman Florian Martens said.

Germany has written to the EU with a new set of proposals aiming to break a deadlock over a law requiring carmakers to stop using extremely potent greenhouse gases in air cooling systems, EU sources told Reuters.

Porsche SE, Volkswagen Group's largest shareholder, reported a surge in 2012 net income after selling the remainder of its automaking business to VW last year.

An image of the new-generation Range Rover Sport appeared Wednesday on Facebook community page VMax 200. The page has since been removed.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety unveiled new crash-test results today that highlight the weakness of steel guards installed on the back ends of large truck trailers.

From GMM

Sahara Force India has lashed out at F1's owner CVC, accusing the private equity firm of not being interested in developing the sport.

The financial news agency Bloomberg quoted deputy team boss Bob Fernley as saying new deals that give more money and power to the bigger teams are a "disaster".

"CVC is not interested in developing the sport, it's interested in making as much money as possible and then selling it," he said. "The income split doesn't support formula one."

Many of F1's smallest teams are struggling, and former Renault boss Flavio Briatore told Sky Italia this week: "I can't understand why none of the team bosses are saying anything".

Spanish backmarker HRT folded over the winter, the woes of Force India's owners Vijay Mallya and Sahara are making headlines, and Marussia and Caterham have had to dump their number 1s in order to sign 'pay drivers' in 2013.

Photo: WRi2

Still referring to CVC, Bob Fernley continued: "You need to have an investor who gets a good return but one that also has an interest" in F1. "CVC has milked it and anyone investing in it should be looking very closely at what they're getting."

However, former Minardi owner and boss Paul Stoddart has warned that equality up and down pitlane is "a lovely dream but it isn't going to happen".

In fact, he said a team like Sahara Force India gets about $35 million per year in income from CVC, insisting: "I would have crawled over hot coals to get" that."

From GMM

Valencia could be set to return to the formula one calendar.

The European grand prix is missing from the 2013 schedule, and it emerged recently that a return was unlikely because city authorities and race organisers had left the street circuit in a state of disrepair.

However, El Mundo newspaper reports that Valencia president Alberto Fabra met with Bernie Ecclestone in London at the end of February.

The report claims he agreed a deal whereby Valencia will annually alternate the Spanish grand prix with Barcelona.

"The agreement is (now) awaiting the signature of the Catalan president Artur Mas," wrote journalist Pedro Blasco, adding that if the deal is signed, Valencia will host formula one races in even years, beginning in 2014.

Spain's El Confidential newspaper quoted Fabra as saying at a news conference in Madrid that he hoped the deal would be formalised soon.

"We have been working to make this a reality," he added, revealing that he has already been in contact with his Barcelona counterpart Mas.

Photo: WRi2

Adapted from GMM

McLaren on Thursday swiftly confirmed reports that Vodafone will definitely end its seven-year title sponsorship at the end of 2013.

It emerged mid last year that the lucrative deal could be in doubt beyond 2013, with the Financial Times reporting that the British telecommunications giant was "reviewing" its major sponsorships. Citing a company spokesman, the newspaper said Vodafone has indeed decided to end the estimated $75 million per year McLaren deal.

"Having met and exceeded all the highly ambitious targets that Vodafone had set for its title partnership with McLaren, the company has now decided to focus on business priorities away from formula one sponsorship," the British team announced in a press release.

Launch of the McLaren MP4-28 at Woking. (Photo: WRi2)

Amid speculation it will team up with the Sergio Perez-linked Mexican giant Telmex, McLaren announced that its next title sponsor will be announced in December.

"While the current title partnership is in place... McLaren will not disclose its new title partnership, but (the team) will make an exciting announcement on 2nd December 2013, following the last grand prix of the season," said the Woking based team.

As it has since Perez entered F1 in 2010, Telmex currently sponsors Sauber. Rumours will surely now intensify about a switch to McLaren to replace Vodafone.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh said last September: "I did have a conversation with Carlos Slim ... but we have made an offer to Sergio, we are paying him well and there are no side deals. I'm not saying that ultimately there won't be other fresh partners coming forward because of it (Perez's signing) but that wasn't the motivating force."

From GMM

Ferrari insists it is happy with its technical structure, despite not having a high-profile figure like Adrian Newey in the limelight.

"The goal," said the Italian team's Greek designer Nicholas Tombazis, "is to combine respect with victory, which is what we have failed to do in recent years."

Indeed, in the wake of Kimi Raikkonen's title for the Maranello marque in 2007, the coveted drivers' championships have subsequently gone to McLaren, Brawn, and then Red Bull, whose technical head Newey is widely proclaimed a 'genius'.

"Without knowing the details," Tombazis told Italy's Autosprint in an interview, "I think the way we are organised is quite different. We do not have a person who does everything, who pretends to know everything, while all the others are slaves. We have a strong team and also quite a 'deep' one, that we have been able to re-examine in recent years because we were not winning.

"From the technical point of view I think it's hard not to feel admiration for Adrian Newey. From the human point of view, I know other people," he added.

Adrian Newey. (Photo: Red Bull)

Here is the track schedule of the Rolex Grand Prix of Australia - Round 1 of the 2013 FIA Formula 1 World Championship - to be held this weekend at Albert Park, Melbourne.

Please note that all times are local.

Friday March 15
11:00 11:30 MSS SECURITY V8 SUPERCARS CHALLENGE FIRST RACE (30 MINS)
11:40 11:50 SHANNONS HISTORIC DEMONSTRATION
12:00 12:15 RAAF ROULETTES AIR DISPLAY
12:30 14:00 FORMULA ONE - FIRST PRACTICE SESSION
14:20 14:50 MSS SECURITY V8 SUPERCARS CHALLENGE SECOND RACE (30 MINS)
15:00 15:15 THE ULTIMATE SPEED COMPARISON
15:30 15:45 MAZDA6 CELEBRITY CHALLENGE FIRST RACE (5 LAPS)
15:55 16:05 RAAF F/A18 JET RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHT
16:30 18:00 FORMULA ONE - SECOND PRACTICE SESSION
18:20 18:40 PORSCHE CARRERA CUP FIRST RACE (8 LAPS)
18:50 19:00 TARMAC RALLY CAR DEMONSTRATION

Photo: Rolex Australian Grand Prix

Saturday March 16
11:00 11:20 SHANNONS HISTORIC DEMONSTRATION
11.30 11:40 TARGA TARMAC RALLY CAR DEMONSTRATION
11:55 12:10 MAZDA6 CELEBRITY CHALLENGE SECOND RACE (5 LAPS)
12:20 12:35 ULTIMATE SPEED COMPARISON
12:50 13:10 PORSCHE CARRERA CUP SECOND RACE (8 LAPS)
13:30 13:45 RAAF ROULETTES AIR DISPLAY
14:00 15:00 FORMULA ONE - THIRD PRACTICE SESSION
15:20 15:55 MSS SECURITY V8 SUPERCARS CHALLENGE THIRD RACE (30 MINS)
16:10 16:20 FERRARI ROAD CAR PARADE LAP
16:30 16:40 RAAF F/A18 JET AIR DISPLAY
17:00 18:00 FORMULA ONE - QUALIFYING SESSION
18:25 18:45 TOTAL OIL INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CARS FIRST RACE (8 LAPS)

Sunday March 17
11:00 11:15 SHANNONS HISTORIC PARADE
11:20 11:40 TOTAL OIL INTERNATIONAL SPORTS CARS SECOND RACE (8 LAPS)
11:45 11:55 MAZDA6 CELEBRITY CHALLENGE & CAMS CHAMPS PARADE
12:00 12:10 JUNIOR GP CHALLENGE
12:15 12:25 MSS SECURITY V8 SUPERCARS CHALLENGE DRIVERS PARADE
12.25 12.30 GUEST LAPS
12:40 12:55 MAZDA6 CELEBRITY CHALLENGE THIRD RACE (5 LAPS)
13:20 13:55 MSS SECURITY V8 SUPERCARS CHALLENGE FOURTH RACE (30 MINS)
14:10 14:30 PORSCHE CARRERA CUP THIRD RACE (8 LAPS)
14:40 14:55 ULTIMATE SPEED COMPARISON
15:00 15:15 60TH AGP ANNIVERSARY PARADE LAP (REV DIRECTION)
15:25 FORMULA ONE - FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (58 LAPS OR 120 MINS)

Oddly enough, it took me longer to write this review than any in recent memory. The Dodge Dart, Chevrolet Spark and equally engaging Ford Mustang Boss all flowed and I typed them up in no time. So, what gives?


It's quite simple really: The BMW 3 Series is faultless. In fact, that was my final conclusion of last year's review. I know, there's no such thing (although the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 63 S-AMG 4MATIC wagon pretty much proved the opposite), plus the 3 Series has been bashed by countless auto critics around the globe (including me at one point), but the bottom line is: this is a great car.

It looks the part, feels the part, drives the part; and doggone it, I want one! Yeah, the 2013 3 Series is bigger, heavier and not as “dynamic” or involving as previous generation 3 Series cars were, but take one for a drive and you'll get it. I don't care if you select a $35,900 320i or a fully decked-out $59,200 335i xDrive Sport like my tester, you'll be smitten.

Better: You'll feel good, you'll want to hold the steering wheel with a firm grip, cuddle or mash the throttle, and never want to remove your buns from the car's most excellent seats. The drive, the feedback, sense of quality and purpose will all have you returning for more. Yet, it's not as “good” as it used to be... Kinda makes me want to go back in time.

Yeah, the 2013 3 Series is bigger, heavier and not as “dynamic” or involving as previous generation 3 Series cars were, but take one for a drive and you'll get it. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

The BMW out
It took me a while to get this one off the ground because, as stated, I reviewed a near identical example last summer. The principal differences between vehicles lay in the number of drive wheels, and the transmission -- more on this shortly.

Aesthetically speaking, the cars were duplicates save for the wheels. My tester was shod with Pirelli winter tires on lesser-sized wheels. Otherwise, all sharp and distinctive features that make the 2013 BMW 3 Series such an object of desire remain between the two.

Of particular interest is the entirety of the BMW 3 Series' front end. The kidney grilles, flanked by the angel-eye adorned headlights and wide, snarky determined grin make the owner swell with pride at the very sight of the car. Yes, you own a 2013 BMW 3 Series. The rest of the car follows suit.

The BMW in
The cabin is equally sharp and total BMW fare. From a purely functional point of view, some of the smallish buttons can be difficult to decipher, but the learning curve is small. As the driver/owner, the desire to master the car is all-consuming.

Fit and finish are BMW-spec, as are the material's presentation. With increasing exterior dimensions, occupant quarters have grown equally. The benefits to overall comfort are quite welcome.

The cabin is equally sharp and total BMW fare. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Driving the evolution
Gaining serious ground in a BMW is always as simple as caressing the throttle pedal up against the firewall, regardless of powertrain. The 335i is the third most gifted 3 Series behind the 335iS and, of course, the M3.

The 2013 BMW 335i xDrive sports BMW's most excellent twin-power single-turbo 3.0L inline 6-cylinder engine. This mouthful of specs produces 300 hp and equal amounts of torque. Mated to my tester is an 8-speed automatic transmission. With this getup, the 3 Series will stomp on 100 km/h in only 5.1 seconds.

The BMW xDrive AWD system's modus operandi is a constant 40/60 front/rear torque split, thus ensuring the car stays as true as possible to its RWD driving roots, while ensuring optimal traction.

All of these components are intimately connected to the Sports/ECO PRO mode control located near the shifter. ECO will do its best to keep things cool and green, while Sport will get your heart rate up. Normal mode is the ideal setup for cruising, but Sport is the one for me.

Never too harsh, never too soft; the 2013 BMW 335i xDrive defines what all cars should ride like today. Capable of impressive handling feats all the while cosseting occupants, the 3 Series is a prize. Although heavier past models, its comparably lightweight chassis endows the car with superb agility often emulated in the segment but never duplicated.

Equally rewarding are the car's powerful brakes and variable sports steering. Perhaps the best way to describe the drive of the car is as a reward. Rough day at work? The commute will make it all better.

The 2013 BMW 335i xDrive sports BMW's most excellent twin-power single-turbo 3.0L inline 6-cylinder engine. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

How great?
This review pretty much says it all: On top of still being at the pinnacle of driving enjoyment, the 2013 BMW 3 Series offers all forms of adaptive and passive safety features including one of my favourites; Head-Up Display.

The car is up against some very stiff competition namely from the very hot Cadillac ATS, Audi A4 and newly revamped Lexus IS and Infiniti Q50. If I were a BMW dealership, I'd not worry too much.

Honda Canada will recall approximately 3,200 Pilot SUVs, 700 Acura RL sedans, and 3,800 Acura MDX crossovers from the 2005 model year, as well as 100 Acura MDX crossovers from the 2006 model year to address potential malfunctions of the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system.

If an electrical capacitor on the VSA control unit was damaged during manufacture, the system could malfunction and apply a small amount of brake force for a fraction of a second, without any input by the driver.

Furthermore, if the driver simultaneously hits the brakes, the amount of brake force applied could exceed the driver's intended input and increase the risk of a crash.

Consequently, Honda and Acura dealers will install a new electrical sub-harness, free of charge.

Although the automaker has received several complaints about such malfunctions in these vehicles, no related crashes or injuries have been reported.

2005 Honda Pilot (Photo: Honda)

It was the end of the official IZOD IndyCar series' open test yesterday at Barber Motorsports Park and once again Will Power (Team Penske) was the fastest driver on the circuit for the second day in a row.

Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe finished second while Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson delivered the third-quickest time in his Honda-powered Dallara.

Tony Kanaan (KV Racing) took fourth just in front of current IndyCar series' champion Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti Autosport).

AJ Allmendinger, driving the third Penske car that he will race at the Alabama circuit and the Indianapolis 500, finished up 18th overall.

Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda. (Photo: LAT/IndyCar)

Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap Laps
1. Will Power Penske Dallara-Chevy 1m07.1329s 100
2. James Hinchcliffe Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m07.3839s + 0.2510s 95
3. Justin Wilson Coyne Dallara-Honda 1m07.4996s + 0.3667s 93
4. Tony Kanaan KV Dallara-Chevy 1m07.5478s + 0.4149s 135
5. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m07.6346s + 0.5017s 83
6. Scott Dixon Ganassi Dallara-Honda 1m07.6872s + 0.5543s 125
7. Takuma Sato Foyt Dallara-Honda 1m07.7534s + 0.6205s 42
8. Charlie Kimball Ganassi Dallara-Honad 1m07.7674s + 0.6345s 70
9. Helio Castroneves Penske Dallara-Chevy 1m07.8350s + 0.7021s 98
10. Simon Pagenaud Schmidt Dallara-Honda 1m07.8532s + 0.7203s 42
11. James Jakes Rahal Dallara-Honda 1m07.8912s + 0.7583s 72
12. Simona de Silvestro KV Dallara-Chevy 1m07.9050s + 0.7721s 125
13. Tristan Vautier Schmidt Dallara-Honda 1m07.9911s + 0.8582s 121
14. Alex Tagliani BHA Dallara-Honda 1m08.0116s + 0.8787s 70
15. Dario Franchitti Ganassi Dallara-Honad 1m08.1158s + 0.9829s 105
16. Oriol Servia Panther/DRR Dallara-Chevy 1m08.1290s + 0.9961s 99
17. Mike Conway Rahal Dallara-Honda 1m08.1584s + 1.0255s 122
18. AJ Allmendinger Penske Dallara-Chevy 1m08.1666s + 1.0337s 101
19. Josef Newgarden Fisher Dallara-Honda 1m08.2176s + 1.0847s 128
20. EJ Viso Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m08.2190s + 1.0861s 125
21. JR Hildebrand Panther Dallara-Chevy 1m08.2504s + 1.1175s 141
22. Marco Andretti Andretti Dallara-Chevy 1m08.3400s + 1.2071s 115
23. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon Dallara-Chevy 1m08.5213s + 1.3884s 71
24. Graham Rahal Rahal Dallara-Honda 1m09.0141s + 1.8812s 94
25. Ana Beatriz Coyne Dallara-Honda 1m09.4456s + 2.3127s 98
26. Sebastian Saavedra Dragon Dallara-Chevy 1m09.4749s + 2.3420s 112
27. Ed Carpenter Carpenter Dallara-Chevy 1m09.7177s + 2.5848s 130
28. Stefan Wilson Coyne Dallara-Honda 1m09.9153s + 2.7824s 121

Next-gen 2014 Toyota Highlander headed to New York Auto Show
Toyota will unveil the next-generation 2014 Highlander on March 27th at the New York Auto Show. The press conference will take place at 9:10 a.m.

The automaker didn't provide any details about its new midsize SUV, so come back to Auto123.com in the next few days.

Photo: Matthieu Lambert

It smells like spring, and I'm sure you've noticed. The time has come to swap the old winter tires for your summer/4-season rubbers.

Upon inspection -- either by yourself or someone you trust -- you may have found that new tires are in order. Making the right choice has never been more difficult or more important.

As the market floods with countless new “inexpensive” brands, the challenge becomes increasingly complex to make the right decision based on needs, expectations, budget and, most importantly, safety.

The following is a list of top recommendations per price point that I've devised along with the help of my friends at Talon Tire who are very well versed on the subject.

Compact cars are very popular in Canada. Therefore, I've selected the following P205/55R16 size as the benchmark.

As well, I've included P225/45R17 tires on the list as it has become a common standard and optional performance tire size. The below recommendations apply only to those marked as “performance” and the price ranges increase by $40 to $50 a tire.

Here are the top 2013 summer tire picks:

Best summer tire in the $100-$150 range

• Toyo Extensa HP (performance): Very quiet, unidirectional construction with performance in mind.

• Dunlop Signature II (touring): High-mileage tread designed for comfort

Toyo Extensa HP (Photo: Toyo)

Continue reading Top 2013 Summer Tires

A total of 980 Bentley vehicles are being recalled across Canada. Affected models include the 2004-2013 Continental Flying Spur, Continental GT, and Continental GTC.

In some cases, the DaytimeRunning Lights (DRL) system does not meet requirements when the sidelights are manually selected on the headlamp switch.

Bentley dealers will therefore modify the DRL system.

Source: Transports Canada

2012 Bentley Continental GT (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Russian driver Vitaly Petrov may have lost his seat at Caterham Formula 1 team, but his business manager has found a new job with the Anglo-Malaysian team.

A press release issued by Russian PR agenty Manuscript says "Caterham F1 Team has confirmed Thursday that Oksana Kosatchenko has joined the team as Commercial Director".

"Her primary responsibility is the acquisition of new commercial partners for the team and she will attend races and team events in her new role which started in February 2013."

Kosatchenko made her debuts in the motorsport world as a journalist before she took over the career of Vitaly Petrov when he was racing in the lower formulas.

Photo: Ivan Berezkin for Forbes Women

Here are the photos of the crash helmets of the 22 drivers who will compete in the 2013 FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Drivers' helmets are works of art. As well as providing protection in case of a crash, they also offer drivers the perfect chance to stamp their personality on the car.

F1 drivers wear custom-made helmets using 3D head-scan technology to ensure the inner padding is sculpted to the exact shape of their heads for ultimate comfort.

Helmets have to undergo strict impact tests set by the FIA. The shell is made of several layers of carbon fibre and Kevlar. Visors are made of Lexan and also have to undergo a front impact test. After that it's into the flames to endure temperatures of up to 800° C.

One complete helmet only weighs around 1400g. Drivers go through between 8 and 12 helmets per season, and each one is painted by hand.

1. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing (Photo: WRI2)

2. Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing (Photo: WRI2)

3. Fernando Alonso, Ferrari (Photo: WRI2)

4. Felipe Massa, Ferrari (Photo: WRI2)

5. Jenson Button, McLaren (Photo: WRI2)

6. Sergio Pérez, McLaren (Photo: WRI2)

7. Kimi Räikkönen, Lotus (Photo: WRI2)

8. Romain Grosjean, Lotus (Photo: WRI2)

9. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG (Photo: WRI2)

10. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG (Photo: WRI2)

11. Nico Hülkenberg, Sauber (Photo: WRI2)

12. Esteban Gutiérrez, Sauber (Photo: WRI2)

14. Paul di Resta, Sahara Force India (Photo: WRI2)

15. Adrian Sutil, Sahara Force India (Photo: WRI2)

16. Pastor Maldonado, Williams (Photo: WRI2)

17. Valtteri Bottas, Williams (Photo: WRI2)

18. Jean-Éric Vergne, Toro Rosso (Photo: WRI2)

19. Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso (Photo: WRI2)

20. Charles Pic, Caterham (Photo: WRI2)

21. Giedo Van der Garde, Caterham (Photo: WRI2)

22. Jules Bianchi, Marussia (Photo: WRI2)

23. Max Chilton, Marussia (Photo: WRI2)

From GMM

Toto Wolff has added fuel to speculation McLaren could be preparing for Honda power in 2015.

It is now strongly rumoured that, as per the British team's contract with Mercedes, McLaren will use German engines next year for the start of the new V6 era.

Then, the switch will be made to works Honda power, as the Japanese marque returns to F1 for the new era.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that the situation is making Mercedes nervous, because McLaren - and therefore Honda - could gain a lot of knowledge from Mercedes' approach to the V6 rules before going it alone in 2015.

Photo: WRi2

Wolff, the Mercedes team shareholder and director, is quoted as suggesting the German marque is indeed nervous.

"You can never completely prevent a transfer of technology know-how," he said.

"But we can try to protect ourselves."

His comments would suggest that, given the complexities of the all-new rules next year, Mercedes' efforts to shut out McLaren could be a clear disadvantage for the Woking based team ahead of its rumoured Honda switch.