Auto News 5

Ford of Britain Managing Director Mark Ovenden will add the role of chairman to his job title when the division's chairman, Joe Greenwell, retires in April

Russia's car market posted growth of just 2% on last year in the month of February, according to data released by the Moscow-based AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee (AEB AMC).

Audi aims for a "slight" increase in revenue this year after Europe's slumping market hit the brand's 2012 earnings.

Audi aims for a "slight" increase in revenue this year after Europe's slumping market hit the brand's 2012 earnings.

Volkswagen plans to introduce carbon dioxide-based air conditioning systems throughout its cars instead of the Honeywell refrigerant HFO-1234yf, which was created to meet tougher environmental standards.

The Volkswagen brand is off to a good sales start in 2012, with passenger car sales up 9.1 percent in the first two months.

Mercedes-Benz is again considering building a supermini wearing its own badges, rather than smart.

Volkswagen's Audi Group has posted financial results for calendar 2012 that, while including significant sales gains in the expected markets, reflect what was described at the presentation here in Ingolstadt as an "increasingly difficult economic environment".

Volvo sold 8,719 vehicles in China in January and February to establish China as Volvo's second-biggest market after the United States. Sales in China were strong enough to outpace Sweden, where Volvo sold 6,847 units in the first two months.

Magna International's roof systems business falls under the auspices of Magna Steyr. Continuing just-auto's interviews with global manufacturers of roof systems, Matthew Beecham talked with Johann Ecker, president, Magna Steyr roof systems.

PSA aims to shift the positioning of its two brands further apart, although analysts are skeptical of the move. Peugeot and Citroen cars chase a very similar customer base, which has been a problem for the French automaker for a long time.

From GMM

Kamui Kobayashi, who has lost his race seat at Sauber, will continue his career in Le Mans-style GT sports car racing in 2013.

Last month, the popular Japanese tested for the closely Ferrari-linked AF Corse sports car team.

He has now inked a deal to contest this year's World Endurance Championship at the wheel of a Ferrari 458.

"It's an honour for me to become part of the Ferrari family," said Kamui Kobayashi.

Kamui Kobayashi and Stefano Domenicali at Maranello. (Photo: Ferrari)

The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is a perfect metaphor for the world in which we live: it is the poster child for civilized chaos, and I guess that's the way I like it.


Unlike its rival, the Ford Shelby GT500, the 2013 Chevy Camaro ZL1 can be coaxed into being good with little effort. If you have sufficient self-restraint, the ZL1 will comply with traffic and its surrounding environment. The GT500 won't.

For the sights and sounds alone, the Camaro ZL1 is worth absolutely every penny that General Motors wants for it. The cabin is all business, but for the sake of the world as we know it; GM, put a proper and worthy steering wheel in the damn car, will you?

The Red Devil
It's like an accident with bloody bodies strewn about or a horrible, cheap suit: you can't help but stare at it.

The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is bar-none the car most in need of anger therapy on the road today, if only because of its looks. It's tough to know where to begin as the whole of the car turns the brain to Silly Putty with an onslaught of visual, “Buddy, don't waste my time” or better yet, “Get the hell outta here!” cues.

At night, the determined brow with haloed HID and fog lights can scare the panties off any girlie-man.

Low, wide, nasty, snorting: the ZL1 is perfect. In Victory Red (Rally Yellow if it was my money), the massive black 20” wheels poke, and the mesmerizing deep front fascia and gargantuan aerodynamics-improving bulged hood draw the eye to an inevitable conclusion: This is the most badass car on the road today. More so than my beloved Ford Mustang Boss 302...

The Camaro ZL1 is bar-none the car most in need of anger therapy on the road today, if only because of its looks. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

The belly of the beast
From within, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is more or less standard Camaro fare, which has its ups and downs. This means a top-heavy dashboard, low-slung seating position and impossible outward visibility. But it also signifies that the driver is in command of a missile.

To be aboard the ZL1 is to be consumed by the embrace of the suede-lined support and comfortable seats -- and of the colossal V8's rumble. As I sat there, controls well in hand thanks a great driving position, I could not shake the impression that I was possessed and in the arms of a manipulative mistress. The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 makes you do things you never thought you would.

Apparently, the car features GM's latest all-in-one, handsfree entertainment system called MyLink, but I can't tell you anything about it; not once did I use it or even turn the radio on. All I could make out were the sweet whispers of the LSA V8 messing with my senses, begging me to prod the pedal needlessly only to fill my senses with its intoxicating growl. More, it said. I only ever gave in.

The ZL1 is more or less standard Camaro fare, which has its ups and downs. This means a top-heavy dashboard, low-slung seating position and impossible outward visibility. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

What makes a ZL1
The heart of the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is GM's LS3 6.2L V8 which was then given an Eaton supercharger with four-lobe rotors. It boosts the 6.2L's output to 580 hp and torque to a skin-crawling 556 lb-ft.

Now, the ZL1 is not as fast or powerful at the Shelby GT500, but the fact that it will reach 100 km/h in a little over 4.5 seconds (about 0.5 more than the Shelby) and that it will top out at just under 300 km/h is plenty to brag about. But it's more than that; it's how it all comes together.

You see, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 can be civilly driven on a daily basis. The clutch is heavy, but its action and friction point are well judged and the shifter's to-and-fro moves are firm and tight. Jerky take-offs are not an issue with the ZL1. By comparison, the Shelby GT500's components are barely cooperative and rough even. Ask my friend Miranda about it; she prefers the Shelby for precisely those reasons...

Steering is well balanced and precise. Turn-in is quick, but easy to adapt to in an urban setting. I'd really like GM to create a dedicated race-inspired wheel for improved control over the wheel.

The ZL1 will reach 100 km/h in a little over 4.5 seconds. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Putting the power down
The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sports a unique drivetrain. Every component is larger, stronger and plain heavy-duty. The Performance Traction Management (PTM) features launch control, and the very awesome magnetic ride control suspension system provides a surprisingly good ride.

Its driver-selectable Tour and Sport modes manage to make the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 comfortable even on a rough road. Alternatively, it can shake your fillings loose unless the road surface is nothing short of perfect, like a race track for example.

On that subject, the 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is fully poised to take on any closed circuit. It's got engine and differential oil-coolers, huge vented powerful disc brakes with multiple-piston calipers and Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 tires.

With all of these mad, go-fast features, it's a wonder the car is street-legal.

From GMM

Eric Boullier, Lotus' team boss, has admitted he intervened personally to rescue protege Romain Grosjean's F1 career at the end of last year.

Lotus openly considered ousting the French driver, after he was banned by the FIA in Monza and angrily denounced a 'first lap nutcase' by rival Mark Webber.

But countryman Boullier thought Grosjean, in spite of his tumultuous 2012, deserved another chance.

"This is a boy who has the privilege of being one of the fastest drivers in the world," he told Le Figaro newspaper.

"But this is an uncompromising world that does not allow many mistakes. He still has to learn, but he must do so quickly," said Boullier.

"I think if I had not been here, he would not be here today," he admitted.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E21. (Photo: WRi2)

Romain Grosjean said he knows very well that he has been given a second chance - "three (chances), if you count my debut in 2009" - and that his mistakes might not be so easily forgiven now.

"There are only 22 drivers on the grid and the competition is huge," he said.

"We have discussed it with the management this winter and they've set goals for me to keep. I know now what I have to do to maintain their trust," said Grosjean.

He admits Boullier played a big role in rescuing his career.

"We have a mutual trust, but he is my boss. And because of that, he cannot defend me forever. I do know he did a lot for me to be here," smiled Romain Grosjean.

From GMM

John Watson has accused his former team McLaren of effectively hiring a pay-driver to replace Lewis Hamilton in 2013.

Ulsterman Watson, a McLaren winner three decades ago, thinks McLaren was tempted by team newcomer Sergio Perez's connections to the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.

"Politically they have always tried to employ the best possible drivers who were available. Not who they could afford but who were available," he told the Guardian.

"There were other options and some of those were probably ones I would have gone for," said Watson, who said Nico Hulkenberg and Kimi Raikkonen would have been better choices in his opinion.

"Unfortunately they've ended up with Perez and the fact he's associated with Carlos Slim will have some value to McLaren," he continued.

"McLaren have always sought the best talent and clearly that is not the case right now," the 66-year-old Briton added.

Martin Whitmarsh and his 2013 race drivers, Jenson Button and Sergio Perez. (Photo: WRi2)

As teams, fans, media and everyone associated with Formula 1 await the 2013 season's curtain raiser in Melbourne next weekend, Auto123.com's newest recruit, British journalist George East, takes a look at the best and worst Australian Grands Prix since the first event was held Down Under in 1985.

10. 2008 - Lewis conquers the carnage
The season opener was characterized by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton scoring a controlled lights to flag win in a race that featured just six finishers and three safety car periods in 37C degree conditions. Furthermore, all six powered Ferrari cars - the two works cars of Raikkonen and Massa, the Toro Rossos of Bourdais and Vettel and the Force Indias of Sutil and Fisichella - failed to finish the race.

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 2008. (Photo: WRi2)

9. 2005 - the changing of the guard.
Whilst 2003 was the first event in four years that a Ferrari driver had not stood on the podium, the 2005 race was pivotal in signalling that the balance of power had shifted in F1. The newly signed Giancarlo Fisichella took an emphatic pole to flag victory in the Renault R25 with with team-mate Fernando Alonso charging from 13th to third. The Spaniard went on to claim his first world title that year, and in the process became the youngest driver in the history of the sport to do so.

8. 1996 - Jacques rocks the boat
Although the first race in Melbourne will hardly go down as a ‘classic', the 1996 Australian Grand Prix heralded the arrival of Jacques Villeneuve. The son of the mercurial Gilles, Jacques literally ‘rocked up' from IndyCar with his baggy Williams overalls and dyed hair and proceeded to join the elite club of drivers who scored a pole position on their debut race. Had it not been for an oil leak on his Williams Renault, Jacques would have completed the triple in his first race: pole, fastest lap and the win.

7. 1988 - McLaren make history
The final race of 1988 saw McLaren Honda make history by scoring its 15th win in 16 starts with its MP4/4. Alain Prost won the race by 36.4 seconds from team-mate Ayrton Senna with Nelson Piquet finishing third in a Honda powered Lotus, giving the Japanese manufacturer a podium clean sweep in the last race for the 1.5 turbocharged engines until - should the rumours be true - 2014.

6. 1985 - Formula 1 arrives Down Under
1985 heralded the arrival of Formula 1 in Australia with the Adelaide based race running to its full two-hour limit over 81 out of 82 laps. Ayrton Senna recorded pole position in a Lotus Honda and the race saw the final victory of the Williams Honda/Keke Rosberg combination ahead of the Ligier Renaults of Jacques Lafitte and Philippe Streiff. The event was also one of many lasts as it was the final event for triple world champion Niki Lauda, the Toleman team (although it would reappear in 1986 under the guise of Benetton) and for Alfa Romeo and Renault as manufacturers, although the latter would reappear as the once again as a full manufacturer in 2002.

Keke Rosberg, Williams, 1985. (Photo: WRi2)

5. 1991 - Senna wins shortest ever Grand Prix
In the year of his third and final title, Ayrton Senna won the shortest race in Formula 1 history that was stopped after just 14 of the 82 scheduled laps (24 minutes) due to treacherous conditions. After the race, the Brazilian slammed the conditions by saying “I don't think that was a race, there was no point to try to go quick at all. It was impossible.”

4. 1994 - Schumacher takes the title under a cloud
In a season that was clouded by tragedy and controversy, the 1994 season ender - then held in Adelaide - continued in a similar manner; Williams' Damon Hill entered the race just one point behind championship leader, Michael Schumacher. Lap 36 proved decisive as Schumacher's ill-handling Benetton turned in on Hill, immediately retiring the young German on the spot with his rival retiring at the end of the lap with a damaged suspension; subsequently, Schumacher claimed the first of his seven.

Michael Schumacher (Benetton) and Damon Hill (Williams), 1994. (Photo: WRi2)

3. 1986 - Prost outsmarts Mansell and Piquet in Adelaide
In a vastly superior Williams Honda, Nigel Mansell needed only a third position to secure his first title, whereas team mate Piquet and Alain Prost - in a much less powerful McLaren-TAG - needed to win, with the Brit finishing third or lower. Fate played a hand in issuing Mansell's car a spectacular mechanical failure whilst in a championship winning position on the 20th lap, which forced him into retirement. Whilst his team-mate pitted as a safety precaution, Prost claimed the win and an unexpected second consecutive drivers title.

2. 2009 - a fairy tale beginning
The 2009 Australian Grand Prix could not have been scripted better; the newly formed Brawn - formerly Honda - team took a 1-2 in qualifying and the race with Jenson Button leading team-mate Rubens Barrichello home in the Mercedes powered BGP001. Brawn also made history by becoming the second car manufacturer since Mercedes in 1954 by winning their maiden event.

Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 2009. (Photo: WRi2)

1. 2002 - Webber makes his mark
In an event that is widely remembered for the nine-car pile up at the start, the 2002 Australian Grand Prix was also a matter of Australian pride. In an uncompetitive Minardi, then newcomer Mark Webber kept his head amongst the attrition and brough the car - with body damage, a missing top gear and a vastly more powerful Toyota of Mika Salo behind him - home to a fifth place and two world championship points on his debut. The result was so welcome to the Australian crowd, that Webber and fellow Australian, Minardi team principal Paul Stoddart, were given their own podium celebrations after the race.

Mark Webber, Minardi, 2002. (Photo WRi2)

From GMM

Carlos Gracia, a vice-president of F1's governing FIA, has lost his license for drink-driving.

Spain's El Confidential reports that the Spanish motor racing chief was pulled over in the Aragon region last October.

The 72-year-old failed the breath test, the report added.

A court has taken away Gracia's license for a period of eight months. The German-language Speed Week claims he also lost his license for the same reason in 1966 and 2003.

"We all make mistakes, and on that day (in 2012) I made one," he is quoted as saying.

"I was at my sister's birthday party, I was not feeling well and I had a glass too much to drink.

"The police stopped me, I did not have an accident but my alcohol level was too high," said Gracia.

Consumer Reports recently published its annual listing of the best used cars available. Here they are:

Less than $10,000
Small car: 2009 Pontiac Vibe
Sedans: 2008 Hyundai Sonata (4 cyl.), 2004 Acura TSX
SUV: 2004 Toyota RAV4 (4 cyl.)

$10,000-$15,000
Small cars: 2011 Honda Fit, 2011 Mazda3
Sedans: 2006-2008 Honda Accord, 2005-2006 Acura TL
Small SUVs: 2006-2008 Toyota RAV4 (4 cyl.), 2005-2007 Honda CR-V
SUVs: 2004-2007 Toyota Highlander, 2003-2004 Infiniti FX

$15,000-$20,000
Small cars: 2010-2011 Toyota Prius, 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra (sedan)
Sedans: 2011-2012 Toyota Camry, 2006-2007 Infiniti M
SUVs: 2007-2008 Honda Pilot, 2009 Mazda CX-9

$20,000-$25,000
Sedans: 2009 BMW 320i, 2009 Infiniti G, 2010 Toyota Avalon
SUVs: 2007-2008 Acura MDX, 2008 Lexus RX

What about the worst used cars? Consumer Reports urges buyers to avoid models like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Dodge Grand Caravan, MINI Cooper S, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, and Volkswagen Touareg from 2003-2012.

Source : Consumer Reports

From GMM

Former Formula 1 World Champion, Lewis Hamilton has revealed that part of his new Mercedes deal is being allowed to keep his helmets and trophies.

Although some see his move as 'leaving home' after years of grooming at McLaren, or simply seeking a better financial deal, the Briton last year insisted McLaren's refusal to let him keep his helmets and trophies was a deep frustration.

"The question is, do we get trophies (in 2013)?" Hamilton laughed, according to the Express newspaper.

"Great, I get to keep my trophies, oh shoot, I don't have any," he joked.

"It ws a small thing, but small things matter, like my helmets.

"It (his helmet) has my sweat, blood and tears in it so that is why I want to keep that," explained Hamilton.

"Now I keep them and my trophies are my trophies."

Podium of the 2012 United States Grand Prix, last victory of Lewis Hamilton with McLaren. (Photo: WRi2)

Although some still question whether McLaren-to-Mercedes was the wisest career choice for Hamilton, he insists he is enjoying life at the German team.

"I have come from a place with a lot of control, a really controlled environment where you are restricted to do and say what you are told," said Hamilton.

He revealed that he began to relax towards the end of 2012, once he had decided to leave McLaren.

"I was able to loosen up and put on the performances I put on," he claimed.

Ford will voluntarily recall 859 vehicles in Canada due to a problem with the left rear door child lock. Affected models include the 2013 Ford Escape, C-MAX and Focus.

In some cases, that lock may not engage when the owner uses normal turning force. As a result, the door can be opened using the inside door handle. This condition could potentially increase the risk of injury to an unrestrained child.

Ford dealers will therefore inspect the door latch and replace it if necessary.

Source: Transports Canada