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News 23 Jan, 2013

Nissan has reduced the price of its Leaf EV by £2,500, which means it's now available from £23,490

Automotive metal processor, Kemmerich USA, is to establish a manufacturing operation and its American headquarters in Calloway County, Kentucky, creating120 new, full-time jobs in a US$12.2m investment.

China's car warranty regulation will become effective on 1 October, after eight years in the making. The rule will support customers' rights to return defective vehicles and seek a refund or replacement.

Recticel Automobilsysteme is to restructure in Germany with the loss of around 150 jobs following the news it had not been successful in securing interior component production for the Mercedes C-Class model.

German trade union IG Metall said it will not accept demands by General Motors to freeze wages for workers at its money-losing Opel division in Germany.

The anonymous Japanese collector was upset. The rare BMW Kompressor Rennsport, the finest pre-/postwar machine that he had listed, wasn't going for what he wanted. Five hundred thousand dollars he wanted.

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen plans to launch hybrid cars partially powered by compressed air by 2016. GM will likely use the technology as part of its alliance agreement with PSA, a spokesman said.

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen plans to launch hybrid cars partially powered by compressed air by 2016. The carmaker says the so-called "Hybrid Air" system developed with supplier Robert Bosch will be lighter than a hybrid running on gasoline and battery power.

The 2013 Ford Fusion mid-sized sedan won praise for its handling and sportiness from Consumer Reports, but the magazine's automotive experts faulted the car for poor fit and finish and fuel economy that falls well short of claims on the...

Porsche is counting on emulating the success of its Cayenne SUV in China when it launches the smaller Macan in the market next year as part of expansion plans aimed at making China the carmaker's No. 1 market.

Toyota is nearing a final agreement to license its fuel-cell vehicle technology to BMW, the Nikkei reported.

If nothing else, the 2013 Kia Sportage looks absolutely fantastic. Possibly one of the best looking compact CUVs currently on the road today, the Sportage sports a look that makes you take notice. Tricked out in metallic Techno Orange paint with 18” sport alloy wheels, my Kia Sportage tester was definitely a looker -- but was that enough?

The compact CUV market is a highly competitive one -- like asking the math club who can solve 2+2 the fastest; good luck with the results. With competitors like the Hyundai Tucson, Ford Escape and MINI Countryman, it's playing the right game: Style.

Yet, at just shy of $40k, my 2013 Kia Sportage SX seemed to be a bit too much style and not enough function for the price.


Commanding modernity
I absolutely love the design of the 2013 Kia Sportage SX. It's got a commanding look with fun-loving undertones -- like the popular kid who's also nice to all the nerds. A bold front end with LED running lights, a large chrome-lined honeycomb grille, oversized fog lights with subtle chrom accents above ensure the Kia Sportage demands attention in your rearview mirror.

Round back, the 2013 Kia Sportage's good looks continue with a subtle spoiler off the rear windshield, and aggressively shaped taillights that sit high on the shoulderline of the CUV, giving the Sportage a jacked-up, spring-loaded stance.

With the SX-trim 18-inchers (that might be a bit much for some, but I think are uber stylish and suit the vehicle), and dual exhaust tips out the rear, the 2013 Kia Sportage is everything a young, hip urbanite would want in a compact CUV package, even on the inside.

In the lap of looking good
Just as the vehicle's market placement would suggest, the interior of the 2013 Kia Sportage is compact. It's a bit of a tight squeeze with everything condensed and closely placed together. The dash sits low, as does the radio and other centre stack buttons and knobs.

I liked the closeness of everything in the 2013 Kia Sportage, but didn't appreciate the lack of storage space up front. I wished for a bin above the centre-mounted touchscreen, and that the cupholders weren't so recessed and low down (made grabbing hold of my morning take-out coffee quite difficult while driving).

The front seats are comfortable and roomy, although I did wish for a bit more lateral support at times. And a sliding armrest also would have been appreciated as my short stature means my seat was pushed forward quite a bit, leaving me mere centimetres to use on the stationary armrest.

In the back, while there's room for three, it's better suited for two adults or one baby seat (which required a rolled towel underneath to compensate for the angle of the seat) and one adult, nothing more. And although the 2013 Kia Sportage boasts 740 litres of cargo space in the trunk, I could not load my stroller perpendicular to the car (as I can in most non-cars).

I liked the closeness of everything in the 2013 Kia Sportage, but didn't appreciate the lack of storage space up front. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

And then you drive it
And everything that kind of bothered you about the style-over-function conundrum kinda goes away, especially in the SX which boasts Kia's 2.0L turbocharged GDI inline 4-cylinder. With 260 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, the 2013 Kia Sportage is a lot of fun to pilot. Add to that the fact that in SX trim you get AWD, and the Sportage has a lot to offer.

The 6-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox performs very well. The power delivery is clean and turbo-lag is nearly non-existent. And despite the Sportage's 3,600lb weight, this CUV can really boot it when asked. Something I definitely appreciated.

However, confidence was lost in cornering as the body roll is evident. And the electric-assist steering felt disjointed and removed from the wheels. I wanted to be more connected to the 2013 Kia Sportage SX, and I just didn't feel it.

Visibility in the Sportage is also rather hampered by the shape of the rear windows and the large A and B pillars. And with a rear-facing baby seat installed in the rear passenger-side seat, visibility is all but lost out that window.

With 260 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, the 2013 Kia Sportage is a lot of fun to pilot. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Form over function
While I appreciate Kia's efforts in the design and looks department, I can't help but feel they sacrificed some of the practicality associated with a CUV for that boost in street cred.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone has not given up on F1's scheduled return to the Nurburgring in 2013.

The financially-embattled venue is scheduled to host the July race, but it is also possible Hockenheim could step in at the last minute.

"I am doing my best to make sure we do not lose formula one in Germany," Ecclestone, 82, is quoted by the Allgemeine Zeitung.

The newspaper said it knows negotiations are still taking place between Ecclestone and Nurburgring officials, but that a deal is not yet signed.

"Whether he (Ecclestone) will sign in the coming days, he did not say," the media report explained.

Nurburgring official Karl-Heinz Steinkuhler would not comment.

Hockenheim could be an alternative solution.

Persistent smog over Beijing has forced 24 construction sites and 54 companies to stop or at least cut their CO2 emissions by 30%. That includes Hyundai, which suspended production at its local assembly plant.

The level of PM2.5 particles has reached unprecedented heights in recent days, with a weekly average of 500 and a peak of 886 on Saturday. It's now at 417.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the normal level for any given location should not exceed 65.

Elementary schools and high schools in the most affected areas have put outdoor activities on hold, including in Tongzhou, Miyun, Daxing, Mentougou, and Fangshan.

More than five million vehicles and 20 million people occupy Beijing on a permanent basis. Hundreds of thousands of additional cars hit the city's streets annually.

Source: French China

From GMM

Nick Heidfeld, a former long-time Sauber driver, has backed countryman Nico Hulkenberg's move from Sahara Force India to the Swiss team for 2013.

Some have criticised the 25-year-old's move on the basis that Sauber might not be seen as a vastly superior team to Silverstone based Force India.

Asked if he thinks Hulkenberg's move makes sense, Heidfeld told Speed Week: "When you're not going directly to one of the top teams, it is difficult to know whether you're making the right decision. Of course, in 2012 Sauber had the faster car, and they have excellent facilities at Hinwil. But they are now doing without designer James Key, who has gone to Toro Rosso."

Nico Hulkenberg (Sahara Force India) will drive the Sauber of Sergio Perez this season. (Photo: WRi2)

"It's always difficult to judge if you've picked the right car, but I can understand Hulkenberg's decision. He has been able to assert himself against the established and - in my opinion - the slightly overrated Paul di Resta, and now with this change he will get even more attention. It can be difficult to have a brand new driver to formula one as your teammate, but Esteban Gutierrez in my view was quite convincing in GP2," Nick Heidfeld added.

From GMM

Dietrich Mateschitz, the billionaire owner of the energy drink Red Bull, is not ruling out a future on the F1 calendar for his native Austria.

Earlier, the former Austrian grand prix venue A1-Ring - now refurbished and renamed 'Red Bull Ring' - was touted for the twentieth race date on the 2013 schedule.

But Bernie Ecclestone ruled out the venue in Spielberg, a city with a population of about 5,000, on the basis that the local hotel infrastructure would not be able to cope.

Red Bull Ring. (Photo: Red Bull)

But Mateschitz is quoted by Speed Week: "There is much in favour of a grand prix in Spielberg. Many conditions and factors could justify it, but whether it will ever happen again falls into the realm of speculation, and that's something this company doesn't do."

The Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso team owner, however, sounds serious about his grand prix aspirations, insisting that if he ever agrees a deal, it would have to be for "at least three to five years".

INRIX Parking, a newly developed app for iPhone and Android users, gives car drivers current hourly parking rates and real-time information on available spaces as well as the ability to navigate directly to the entrance of their preferred location.

The INRIX Parking database includes more than 18,000 parking facilities in North America and 42,000 in Europe. Right now, the app is available in a total of 38 countries.

Since 30% of all urban traffic in major cities comes from drivers circling the block looking for parking, according to experts, INRIX hopes to reduce traffic congestion for everyone.

Source: Inrix

Italian tire manufacturer and official tire supplier to Formula 1, Pirelli has revealed Wednesday in Milan its new range of tires for the 2013 F1 season.

The company says these new tires have been developed according to the wishes of the teams and the latest rules from world motorsport's governing body, the FIA. The most recent evolutions benefit the compounds, which have become softer, the structures, which are more flexible and the shoulders, which have been reinforced.

Photo: Pirelli

The defining characteristic of the 2013 Pirelli F1 tires is softer compounds all round, which will allow them to reach peak operating temperature faster and deliver lap times that are around 0.5 seconds faster than last year.

The objective of all these innovations, which work closely together, is to improve performance and increase thermal degradation, to ensure at least two pit stops per race and open up more strategic options for all the teams. Pirelli says that the bigger performance gap between the compounds will encourage overtaking throughout each race.

The sidewalls also look different, with colours that are more immediately striking and a brand new marking: orange, which comes in place of last year's silver to denote the hardest compound.

This year again, each F1 car will have 11 sets of tires available for the weekend, made up of six sets of the harder and five sets of the softer compound.

German car manufacturer, Mercedes-Benz confirmed that former Formula 1 driver, Robert Kubica will test a Mercedes C-Coupe DTM car later this week.

Kubica, aged 28 will begin his first tests in a DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia on Thursday. During the day's testing, Kubica aims to see how he fares in the cockpit after his long break due to his extensive hand and forearm injuiries.

Kubica -- a Formula 1 driver for Renault -- sustained multiple injuries in an accident on the February 6, 2011 whilst rallying in Italy. He has taken part in various national rallies during the past few months in preparation for a possible return to motor racing. This test drive with Mercedes-Benz in the world's most popular touring car series represents his first proper outing on a racetrack under actual test conditions since his time in Formula 1.

Mercedes C-Coupe DTM. (Photo: DTM)

"I'm really pleased that Mercedes-Benz is giving me the opportunity to test their DTM car and I'm looking forward to getting acclimatised to a race car again,” said Kubica in a presse release.

“It will be in proper testing conditions, on a permanent circuit, and it's important because the DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupe has good levels of downforce. It's still too early to make any statements about my future because of this one test. I'm just looking forward to tomorrow and we'll see what happens after that,” he added.

Kubica was a member of the Mercedes-Benz motor racing family right back at the start of his career; during the 2004 season, the Polish driver lined up in a Dallara-Mercedes on the Formula 3 Euro Series grid for Mücke Motorsport.

Several big names of motorsport, including Jacques Villeneuve and Sebastien Loeb, are expected to compete in the 2-litre Supertouring race to be held at the Grand Prix of Pau in May.

Villeneuve, who competes in selected events (he runs in the Andros Trophy ice racing series this winter), will drive a Silhouette car in the new series created by Jean-Philippe Dayraut. It will be a first experience in this type of car for Villeneuve.

Photo: Grand Prix de Pau

Sebastien Loeb will also be competing. The Frenchman -- the nine-time World Rally Champion -- is progressively moving to road racing. Last year, he won both French Porsche Carrera Cup races staged in the streets of Pau.

Both Villeneuve and Loeb could be joined by three-time World Touring Car Champion Yvan Muller. Muller, who still has to finalize a racing program after Chevrolet's withdrawal from the WTCC, could enter the 2-litre Supertouring race in Pau if he's not forced to contest the Austrian round of the WTCC held that same weekend, May 18-19.