Auto News 5

The struggling European auto industry will bounce back next year. Or maybe in 2016. Or maybe later.

The Chrysler and Volkswagen brands increased sales and raised their average sales per franchise last year by about a third, even as they added franchises.

After four tumultuous years of natural disasters, recalls and record losses, President Akio Toyoda is restructuring Toyota Motor Corp. to empower regional CEOs to anticipate problems and respond quickly.

The struggling European auto industry will bounce back next year. Or maybe in 2016. Or maybe later.

Ferrari's new supercar and Volkswagen's award-winning top seller were the big Web winners from this year's Geneva auto show, according to a study.

Sébastien Ogier (Volkswagen) dominated rally Mexico, much the same way he did in Sweden, in the end winning by 3.28 minutes over Mikko Hirvonen (Citroën).

Ogier led throughout the event, from Friday to Sunday, to eventually score his second consecutive win of the season.

Julien Ingrassia and Sébastien Ogier (Photo: VW Motorsport)

Mikko Hirvonen (Citroën) won the first stage of the last day, which helped him secure a first podium this year, albeit a long way behind Ogier.

Thierry Neuville (Ford) took his first WRC podium, in third position 4.23 minutes adrift.

Dani Sordo (Citroën) and Nasser Al Attiyah (Ford) take fourth and fifth positions. Chris Atkinson (Citroën) managed sixth position for his WRC return, just ahead of US driver Ken Block (Ford) in his only world rally outing this season.

Jari-Matti Latvala (Volkswagen) was forced into retirement after hitting a rock on Friday. Mads Ostberg (Ford) too didn't see the end of the rally, for a faulty alternator on Saturday. He was running second before retiring.

Sébastien Ogier, VW Polo R WRC (Photo: VW Motorsport)

Rally Mexico - Final classification :
1. Ogier-Ingrassia (VW Polo Wrc) in 4.30'27”0
2. Hirvonen-Lehtinen (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 3'28”89
3. Neuville-Gilsoul (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 4'23”8

4. Sordo-Del Barrio (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 6'06”7

5. Al Attiyah-Bernacchini (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 8'34”5

6. Atkinson-Prevot (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 11'28”0
7. Block-Gelsomino (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 11'48”3
8. Guerra-Rozada (Citroen DS3 Wrc) + 12'49”8

9. Prokop-Ernst (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 14'29”0

10. Novikov-Minor (Ford Fiesta RS Wrc) + 17'15”3
Etc.

Championship :
1. Ogier 74 points, 2. Loeb 43, 3. Hirvonen 30, 4. Neuville 25, 5. Ostberg 24, etc.

General Motors of Canada is investing $250 million the CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. The money will be used to install flexible body shop equipment and tooling to support future vehicle production.

“Conversion of the CAMI Assembly Plant to a flexible manufacturing facility will provide CAMI with the ability to produce multiple global architectures and body styles,” said Kevin Williams, President and Managing Director of General Motors of Canada.

As a result, CAMI will be able to build a higher variety of differentiated products, on multiple platforms, at much lower costs. This also gives GM the ability to launch new products at a faster pace.

This is all part of the automaker's increasing efforts to develop more flexible vehicle architectures and increase plant efficiencies.

Construction is expected to begin this spring.

Defying the best Las Vegas Motor Speedway odds, Matt Kenseth on older tires held off Kasey Kahne on fresher ones to get his first victory with a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

The icing on the cake was it was his own birthday present to himself as the Wisconsin native drove to his 25th Sprint Cup victory in his third race for JGR.

"I was real nervous all day. (Kahne) had the best car. I was getting too tight and killing the right front, but I just had to stay in front of him,” said the race winner.

Matt Kenseth holding off Kasey Kahne. (Photo: NASCAR)

Jason Ratliff, Kenseth's crew chief said “well, three weeks in, I mean, I knew this day would come, but to do it just in our third race is really special obviously. The hard work that these guys have put in over the winter, we've just got a great group here, and we've got Matt and we're going to win a lot of races, I think.  He'll probably get mad at me for saying that because he doesn't like that. But anyway, like I said, I knew that we would get to victory lane at some point, and to do it this early in the season is great, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.”

The penultimate pit stop, at the mile-and-a-half oval, set up the challenge to Kenseth. With 43 laps to go, in the 267-lapper Kenseth took fuel only. Kahne's Chevy took two right-side tires and fuel. Pit stops wouldn't be an issue, but, another restart gave an opportunity to Kahne but he couldn't close the deal.

“I felt really confident, that when I got to him I'd be able to do that again like I had raced with Kyle (Busch) and Jimmie (Johnson) earlier in the race,” said Kahne.  “And when I got to Matt I couldn't do it, so I was trying to brake in and mess with anything that I could, lift early, lift late, try it all, and just couldn't find a way past him. So he just did a really good job of keeping his momentum up, keeping his speed. He was cutting across me off the corner.  We were kind of tight, loose, and he just put up a great battle and pulled it off on told tires, did a good job.”

Despite having his third straight top-four finish third place Brad Keselowski wasn't pleased. “It is a different perspective because I'm not happy with top 5s; I want to win.  You know, the last three weeks, really the last two weeks, and I'm sure when I get home tonight I'm going to go home and throw around some pillows and punch some things because we've had a shot at winning all three races and come up short, whether it's circumstances or bad luck or today just a little bit of execution.”

Photo: NASCAR

As to the winning strategy there was no real debate between driver and crew chief.

Kenseth explained “Honestly, I was grinning inside as I was leaving pit road.  All I said on the track, I was like ‑‑ I knew we had to pit, I was like, try to keep me up front if you can.  I didn't say anything when he came on pit road and said that we only needed fuel.  I had him counting under his breath. I thought oh, I thought he was filling it up.  I left pit road, and I was like, ‘that's what you like.'"

Ratliff agreed “Well, we were talking about it, my two engineers and myself, we were like, okay, how much fuel do we need?  We're going to pick up about a little over a second if we don't take tires, or we can take right side tires if there's going to be some more cautions later in the race that's probably going to be the right call.  And then when Matt came on the radio ‑‑ I wasn't sure how you'd feel about it, he said, ‘man, just keep me up front', I said, ‘okay, game on.'”

That and some great driving put Kenseth back in Victory Lane.

The world premiere of the all-new 2014 Range Rover Sport will take place in the Big Apple later this month, which is fitting because no other metropolitan area in the world loves this premium SUV as much.

“The all-new Range Rover Sport takes the model to another level. It is Land Rover's most dynamic vehicle yet and showcases the best of British design, engineering, and technological innovation,” says John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director.

The redesigned Range Rover Sport marks the third Range Rover model to be launched in two years. It will prove to be Land Rover's fastest, most responsive and agile vehicle to date.

You can follow the event live on March 26th at 7:30 pm EDT by logging on to this microsite.

Photo: Land Rover

Ford Canada is recalling 33,262 Freestar minivans from 2004-2007 due to rust issues.

On certain vehicles originally sold or currently registered in areas of heavy road salt usage during winter months (Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada), corrosion can occur at the latch for the forward portion of the third-row seat. Continued corrosion in this area may result in the inability to fully latch the forward portion of the seat into its seating position, which could increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Ford dealers will install new third-row seat latch striker mounting brackets which relocate the seat latch strikers from the potentially corroded area. In addition, dealers will install overlay panels on the exterior of the wheel wells to prevent water and corrosive elements from entering the vehicle.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Ford

At the end of this month, the new 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid will make its world debut at the New York International Auto Show, starring alongside the Q70 Hybrid (currently available as the M Hybrid) and the previously announced Q50 Hybrid.

The company predicts that the 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid will achieve 9.05L/100km (combined city/highway driving), making it the most fuel-efficient 7-passenger luxury crossover on the market. Yet, buyers should expect the same type of performance as the non-hybrid version.

Here, the Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid system combines a 2.5L supercharged engine with a 15 kW electric motor connected to a lithium-ion battery, not to mention an advanced CVT. Net system output is estimated at 250 horsepower.

Said battery is located under the third-row seat, preserving a flat rear floor and the trunk's cargo capacity. An Intelligent Regenerative Braking system partially recharges the battery when the vehicle brakes or coasts.

The 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid will go on sale across Canada this summer. More information will be available following its official media unveiling on March 27th.

Photo: Infiniti

From GMM

Toto Wolff has admitted owning shares in Williams whilst working as F1 rival Mercedes' director is a "conflict of interest".

The 41-year-old Austrian changed teams over the winter, relinquishing his active role at Williams and buying into Brackley based Mercedes.

But Wolff, whose wife is the Williams test driver Susie Wolff, still retains part-ownership of the Oxfordshire based team.

"The situation is certainly not the way I want it," he told Der Standard newspaper.

"I no longer have an operational role (at Williams), but still it's not ideal. I need to deal responsibility with the shares and not just sell to anybody. I'll try to resolve this conflict of interest as soon as possible," added Wolff.

Share holder at Williams, Toto Wolff also manages Valterri Bottas' career. (Photo: WRi2)

Shopping for tires is time consuming and frustrating. In short: A pain! At least that's what George Silagadze, Founder and CEO of GetMeTires.com discovered last year when he tried to buy tires for his wife's car:

At first, he shopped online. While George found good prices and selection, that was soon overshadowed by the fact that he would have to pay up front for an unseen product (he shuddered to think of the hassle and expense if he'd had to return the tires). Then add shipping and handling, and arrange then pay for installation; all of a sudden it was no longer a good deal!

Next, George tried the box stores. The price was not as good, but a least he didn't have to mess around arranging installation. Unfortunately, the selection was limited and what he needed wasn't in stock.

Finally, George decided to go old school: He picked up the phone and started calling local dealers. After about a dozen or so calls and voice messages, he got back four quotes, two of which were cheaper than prices he had found online.

George picked one and arranged to have the tires installed. He remembered thinking at the time that there had to be a better way of doing this.

That's when GetMeTires.com was born -- the Hotwire for tires. A website was created that allowed you to search online for tires amongst your local dealers.



GetMeTires.com is a site where, in under a minute, you can search over 50,000 different tires by vehicle make/model, brand or by tire specification, and get in return an unbiased list based on price (including installation).

Simply select the tires you want to buy (based on the price and distance), assured by the fact there are no hidden costs, pay a small 5% deposit and GetMeTires.com will reveal the identity of the tire dealership and provide all the information you need to contact the dealer and arrange installation.

No further money is exchanged until the tires are installed, at which point you pay the balance to the dealer directly solving all of the frustrations of tire buying as well as feeding your own local economy.

The local dealers love the service too, as it opens them up to a whole new sales channel and makes them (and their inventory) visible online in a way that previously wasn't available to them due to time and resources.

It's a true win-win for everyone! Thanks to real-time manufacturer and wholesaler price adjustments and rebates on GetMeTires.com, the consumer gets the best deal with no time wasted, and their local dealer gets a client they might not have had before.

Try GetMeTires.com for yourself, and see how easy it is!

Sebastien Ogier and Mads Ostberg both experienced rather unusual incidents during Rally Mexico.

Ogier, who was untouchable in Mexico, taking his second win in-a-row, injured himself when banging a door while going to the podium to celebrate his success.

The Frenchman was treated by the team doctors for a cutten eyebrow. Ogier was nevertheless amused after his misadventure.

Sebastien Ogier and Jo Capito. (Photo: Volkswagen Motorsport)

It was a more annoying incident for Mads Ostberg.

While running comfortably in second position behind Ogier, the Norwegian driver was forced into retirement on the second day due to a broken alternator. Very upset, Ostberg kicked his car, injuring his foot. This did not prevent him to be at the start on Sunday under Rally 2 regulation.

Mads Ostberg did not lose his sense of humor, as he posted this picture on his Facebook account with this comment: "Ford Fiesta RS WRC vs Mads Østberg foot. Car strong! Car wins!"

Photo: Mads Ostberg/Facebook

Sometimes I wonder if I had a kid just so I could play with toys again...

My son has been inundated with everything car-related from the day he was born. From car-print onesies to a stuffed MINI Cooper pillow and toy steering-wheels to mount on carriages and car seats, Big O has been raised on cars. And why not? Every week he rides in my press vehicles with me and so “tests” them along with me. He's been in Porsches, Priuses and everything in between. This kid is bound to know a thing or two about cars.

However, now that he's gotten a bit older, he's entered a new level of toys. And I must say, I'm perhaps more excited than he is.

A few weeks ago, I brought home Owen's first Hot Wheels car: A bright orange Lamborghini Reventon that he chose himself.

First launched in 1968 under the Mattel brand, Hot Wheels started their 1:64 collection of die cast cars with only 16 models. Mostly American muscle cars, there was a Vdub in there for good measure. Designed to scale, the Hot Wheels fad was a hit from the very beginning, and it's only grown since '68.

Today, children aged 5-15 have (on average) 41 Hot Wheels to call their own -- and that's just an average. When you start looking at collectors (actually, I think most of the auto journalists I know fall into this category) the average is 1,550 models.

What's great about Hot Wheels (besides the fact that they're damn cool) is the price. At about $1 a pop, they won't break the bank. Throwing 3 (or 10) in the cart on any given shopping trip is no big deal. Of course, if you're really into collecting you could spend as much as $72,000 on one model. Yup, someone paid that much for one Hot Wheels: a 1969 Volkswagen Beach Bomb, a microbus with surfboards jutting out the back. Clearly a limited edition model, it was purchased for the astronomical price in 2000.

No, Owen will not be getting anything like that to add to his collection.

Personally, my workspace is littered with Hot Wheels models; some are still in the packaging while some have been released to roam around my phone, on my laptop, ride along my books, and line the edges of my cubicle wall. I even find some in my purse (thanks to Owen, of course). I try and collect only “real” models: cars I've driven or want to drive.

I distinctly remember playing with Hot Wheels when I was a kid. My Mum has confirmed that, yes; I preferred to play with miniature cars to dolls: loved the detail in them and racing them against one another.

When I was at the Canadian International Auto Show, I was once again reminded how I'm not the only car nut fascinated with Hot Wheels. On display was the Camaro Hot Wheels vehicle, and not just the 1:64 scale model, the real deal. Exactly the same as its Hot Wheels counterpart, it stood beside a vending machine that would dutifully produce an actual Hot Wheels version of the Camaro if you Tweeted you were at the show.

As Big O's collection grows (‘70s Camaro, '12 Subaru WRX STI, '12 VW GTI, '12 Camaro ZLI...) so does mine. I find myself spending entirely too much time perusing Hot Wheels at any store I visit with a toy section... but it's for Owen, not me. I swear.

Photo: Chevrolet

Adapted from GMM

Jules Bianchi is on a race to slim down ahead of his formula one debut in Australia this weekend, while Nico Hulkenberg won't use contact lenses anymore.

The Ferrari-linked Frenchman secured the Marussia race seat at the eleventh hour, after contracted Brazilian driver Luiz Razia's sponsorship money failed to materialise.

Speed Week reports that 23-year-old Bianchi has been put on a training and diet regime to shed 2 kilograms.

Jules Bianchi admitted the weight loss is "because of the weight distribution" of his 2013 car.

"Now there's only salad for lunch, which should help, even though I am hungry all the time," he said during an interview for French television.

Jules Bianchi, Marussia MR02. (Photo: WRi2)

On his end, Nico Hulkenberg has arrived in Australia for the first race of 2013 with a clearer view than usual.

Switzerland's Blick newspaper reports that the Sauber driver, previously a user of contact lenses whilst at the wheel, has over the winter had his eyesight corrected with laser therapy.

"I had no problem with contact lenses," the 25-year-old German confirmed, "but this makes things easier."

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber C32. (Photo: WRi2)

In today's world, automakers are trying harder than ever to clean up their act by developing alternative power sources for their vehicles that aren't internal combustion engines. Electric motors have been around for nearly 200 years. Present in our day-to-day lives, this technology has evolved and has now found its way into certain vehicles.

Photo: Nissan

It's a simple concept
Electrical energy transforms into mechanical energy by transmitting an electrical current to coil windings that, in turn, become electromagnets. A rotating force is thus created by the opposing forces from either pole. Identical charges oppose each other while opposite charges attract each other.

Let's find out more
The majority of electric motors are comprised of a rotor and a stator.

The stator is the rigid exterior part fitted with magnets or electromagnets. The rotor is the rotating part inside the stator, fitted with permanent magnets or electromagnets whose charge is determined by the direction of the electrical current. The rotor is either pushed away or attracted by the magnets mounted on the stator, which in turn creates a rotating movement.

This rotating movement is transferred to a transmission shaft in order to obtain mechanical energy. The voltage, amperage, and electromagnetic force determine the rotational speed of the shaft. There are different types of electric motors, some favour torque while others are more durable or precise.

The electricity that is applied to the electromagnets is produced by batteries which convert chemical energy into electrical energy. On-board computers and controllers are the bridge between the battery and the electric motor.

There are a number of different batteries on the market. Some are designed to store energy for long periods of time while slowly delivering the power, while others are capable of supplying huge bursts of energy in a very short time.

Batteries
Here is a list of the most popular batteries currently on the automotive market.

Acid wet batteries
This is the battery type most often found in 12-Volt systems and is made of a series of six galvanized cells. Nowadays, these batteries are commonly used to power accessories and to start internal-combustion engines.

Nickel metal hydride
These rechargeable batteries require minimal maintenance, but are sensitive to extreme temperature gaps. They are mostly used because of their dependability and low cost. These batteries are the same variety as those found on the Toyota Prius and Lexus CT200h.

Lithium-ion
This is the most advanced automotive-used battery, and they are also very popular in portable computers. They are 20%-35 % lighter and smaller than equivalent nickel metal hydride batteries. A big negative for lithium-ion batteries is that they are highly flammable. Security systems have been developed in order to avoid problems that may arise from collisions. They are also very expensive.

Charging
There are two ways to recharge the batteries found in the majority of vehicles currently on the market. They can either be plugged into a 110- or 220-Volt power source, or they can be recharged by recuperating the kinetic energy from the car's braking system. The electric motor acts like an alternator, thus capturing the energy created by the turning wheels, which is also used to slow the car down.

Photo: Michel Deslauriers

From GMM

Peter Sauber does not believe Red Bull will struggle to defend its world championships in 2013.

Based on winter testing, some believe the Austrian squad could be outpaced in Melbourne this weekend by Mercedes, Ferrari and Lotus, with McLaren also not far adrift.

Sauber, founder of the Swiss team that bears his name, agrees that Mercedes' pace at the end of the recent Barcelona test was "a clear exclamation mark", with Ferrari "not far away".

However, writing in Sonntagsblick newspaper, 69-year-old Sauber said he does not believe Red Bull is struggling.

"Anyone who concludes that they (Red Bull) are not right at the front are definitely in for a nasty surprise," he said.

"They have so many resources that they can always respond to difficult situations. You will see," added Sauber.

Photo: WRi2

It's sleek, powerful, fast and allows you to go topless: the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 is the car many enthusiasts have been begging for.

On the Corvette's 60th Anniversary, Chevrolet has finally offered the convertible Vette with the motor from the Z06.



When Chevrolet launched the Z06 version of the Corvette C6 (sixth-generation) back in 2006, it quickly garnered the world's attention. The motoring press and the public raved about it, and Chevrolet dealers sold every one the company could make.

The main reason the Z06 became so popular was its engine. Dubbed the LS7, it was a normally aspirated, 7.0L V8 that produced 505 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. While pretty much every engine General Motors makes gets used in their other vehicles in one tune or another, the LS7 was unique to the Z06, and it could only be had in coupe guise.

However, Corvette fans have been asking for years to have the option to order this phenomenal motor in the convertible body. Their wish has finally been granted in the form of the limited edition Corvette that Chevrolet calls the 427.

While the actual size of this car's motor is 428 cubic-inches, 427 was selected as the name to tie it to the classic Corvette's from the late-1960s.

So, is this final version of the C6 actually a special piece of kit?

Stylistically, you'll be hard-pressed to tell the 427 apart from the Corvette Grand Sport convertible, as it has the same wide-stance body. However, look harder and you will spot some differences. The heat extractor vents on the front fenders are bigger on the 427, the hood it slightly different and is made from carbon-fibre, not glass-fibre. There is also a discreet lip-spoiler on the tail that helps keep its rear end planted at high speeds, which is a good thing because this is a very fast car.

Use the clutch and the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427's 6-speed manual gearbox properly and you'll accelerate from 0-96 km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Its top speed is quoted to be in excess of 305 km/h.

The plastics used to cover some portions inside the Corvette 427 would look cheap in a subcompact, so they are out of place in a car of this caliber. (Photo: Chevrolet)

Numbers are one thing, how the car feels in your hands is quite another. I was fortunate enough to spend a few days with the 427, and what I can tell you right away is it plays the speed card very well. This is a proper supercar that loves to be driven fast. Not only is the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 quick in a straight line, it also handles really well, plus the brakes are fantastic at bringing you back down to legal speeds. However, as good as this 427 is; it isn't without flaws.

The first issue I had was with its noise. While most supercars can hum along at normal highway speeds, the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 was never quiet. At 100 km/h in sixth gear, it revs around 1,500 rpm, and this creates a droning effect in the exhaust. It is quite a loud and unpleasant drone which, after 30 minutes, will give just about anyone a headache. The solution is to go faster, let the engine breathe, but unfortunately the relaxed speed for this motor is well above our country's legal speed limit. So you have to choose to either deal with your headache or with a speeding ticket.

The bad news doesn't end there. Many have criticized the interior of the C6 before, and for good reasons. Space is not the issue here, but quality certainly is: The plastics used to cover some portions inside the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 would look cheap in a subcompact, so they are out of place in a car of this caliber. Plus, the navigation system, with its touchscreen interface, not only looked dated, but was a pain to use.

What isn't a pain is its ride quality. Thanks to its magnetic ride control system, this car can, at the twist of a knob, be either comfortable or stiff for track use.

Corvette fans have been asking for years to have the option to order this phenomenal motor in the convertible body. (Photo: Nauman Farooq)

Here's the thing, if you look at this Corvette 427 as a daily usable road car, it doesn't make much sense and there are better options to consider. However, if you see it as a weekend toy -- something to drive to a race track every now and then -- it makes much more sense.

You can also look at it as a future investment. The 2013 Chevrolet Corvette 427 is a one year special, a last hurrah before the brand new Corvette C7 hits the showrooms as a 2014 model.

So, if you're looking for a car that has the potential to be a future classic, this might be it. Pricing starts at $108,945.

From GMM

Max Chilton has denied claims he has only made the grade as a formula one driver because his wealthy father is buying the Marussia team.

Chilton's father Grahame, a leading executive of the insurance giant Aon, owns the Carlin team that Max drove for last year, and is also heavily involved in the touring car career of his other son, the six-years-older Tom.

Max, 21, has stepped up from GP2 for 2013, but some say he is now among the most obvious 'pay drivers' on the grid, amid rumours his multi-millionaire father will buy a bigger share of Marussia at the end of each season his son completes.

"I can say straight up that it is not true," Max Chilton told F1 Racing magazine.

"We've set up a scheme where we've got 30 individuals and businesses who have invested in me. In return, they will get a percentage of my future earnings. They have effectively taken shares in me," he added.

Max Chilton, Marussia MR02. (Photo: WRi2)