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From press release

Rio Haryanto topped the second day of post season testing at the Yas Marina Circuit. The Indonesian who switched to EQ8 Caterham Racing set a laptime of 1:49.203.

As FIA Formula 3 European Champion Raffaele Marciello, who was quickest on Tuesday session, also set the pace on the Wednesday morning session ahead of Julian Leal and Jolyon Palmer, Haryanto was able to set the fastest time of the day during the evening session, as Palmer and Marciello were 2nd and 3rd quickest.

Ryo Haryanto, EQ8 Caterham Racing. (Photo: GP2 Series)

Today's final day will see some more changes in the entry list starting with Vandoorne moving to DAMS whilst Conor Daly will test at ART alongside Nikolay Martsenko. Nathanaël Berthon will join Arden with Pic whilst Marciello and Mitch Evans will join Racing Engineering for the day. Carlin will welcome Andre Negrao and Addax will test with Facu Regalia. Johnny Cecotto will switch to Rapax. Trident will have a new line up made of Giovanni Venturini and Gianmarco Raimondo. Leal will move to Hilmer. Finally, Lazarus will test Dani Clos and Binder.

Jaguar is busy developing its newest and largest advertising campaign ever, the company announced. Called "British Villains," it includes a 30-second commercial that will run during the second half of next year's Super Bowl on February 2nd.

A teaser spot titled "Disrupter" will air this Sunday during the 2013 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles Jaguar Britannia Awards on BBC America and during NFL games.

The main goal of this campaign is to promote the launch of the new Jaguar F-Type Coupe, which is set to debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. Jaguar did not reveal which "renowned" British actors it will use, but chose the ''British Villains'' theme largely because Brits often make the best television and film villains -- think of Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs or Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List.

The campaign will launch with the Twitter hashtag #GoodToBeBad.

Source: Automotive News

From GMM

Christian Horner this week has once again played down reports he is first in line should Bernie Ecclestone step down as F1 supremo.

83-year-old Ecclestone is fighting legal battles on several fronts at present over the Gerhard Gribkowsky bribery scandal.

On Wednesday, he amused reporters as he arrived to testify in London's high court, calling them "lazy bastards" before entering the revolving door and then exiting it on the same side.

He then tried to enter the building through a conventional glass door that wouldn't open, shrugging when the reporters asked if he is confident he will prevail in the multi-million dollar lawsuit brought by a German media company.

While testifying, F1's inimitable chief executive sounded unconcerned about the outcome of his legal troubles, which could ultimately see his long reign over the sport end.

"I don't mind," Ecclestone told Constantin Medien's lawyer, "I've got plenty of things to do."

If the diminutive Briton is forced into retirement, or is jailed, one name constantly mentioned as a potential successor is Christian Horner -- Red Bull's 39-year-old, ultra-successful team boss who is famously allied to Ecclestone.

Christian Horner and Bernie Ecclestone, Nurburgring 2013. (Photo: WRi2)

British newspapers quoted Horner as saying on Wednesday: "Looking at the health that Bernie's in, he's going to outlive all of us! I have no interest in the role that he performs. My focus is in running a team and I think actually to replace Bernie would be impossible, certainly with one person.

"I'm very happy with what I do here. I'm focused and committed to this team," Christian Horner insisted.

However, Horner's attitude might be changed if Red Bull's current team begins to break up.

Designer Adrian Newey has been linked with an America's Cup foray, while Sebastian Vettel is constantly linked with a move to Ferrari.

Indeed, it has been suggested leaving Red Bull might be the only way the new quadruple world champion is accepted both in terms of popularity and greatness.

Alain Prost said: "If he (Vettel) wants to he should move, but not to please someone else -- only if he wants to do it for himself."

Sebastian Vettel, however, said he is committed to Red Bull.

"Even if I go to another team, I will still have people who doubt or don't like who I am and what I do," said the 26-year-old. "At the end of the day you have to be happy with yourself and right now I can assure you I'm very happy with who I am and what I do."

McLaren F1 protégé Stoffel Vandoorne emerged quickest of post-season testing of the GP2 series at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

The final day of post season testing took place Thursday at Yas Marina Circuit with a slightly changed field, some drivers who have been testing on the previous days moving to new teams whilst new drivers joined the action.

Stoffel Vandoorne, DAMS (Photo: GP2 series)

The pit lane opened this morning and all twenty six cars fed onto the track.

Stoffel Vandoorne who switched to DAMS today set the early pace, and the final hour, he set a string of flyers with the best one a 1m48.657 - the best lap time of all three days of testing.

In the dying minutes of the session, Italian Giovanni Venturini found some clean air to move up into second place.

Yesterday's pace setter Rio Haryanto (Trident Racing) ranked third in front of new Euro Formula 3 champion Raffaele Marciello (Racing Engineering), Daniel Abt (Hilmer), Tio Ellinas (MP Motorsport), Johnny Cecotto, Facu Regalia, Stephane Richelmi and Jordan King (Addax).

That's a wrap to the 2013 GP2 Series season. The paddock will gather early in 2014 for the pre-season testing (dates and venues to be announced shortly).

Following last summer's SpongeBob-themed Highlander, Toyota came to the 2013 SEMA Show with another version of its midsize CUV inspired by the popular cartoon character.

Designed by Animal Planet's Tanked co-stars Wayde King and Brett Raymer in partnership with Toyota and Nickelodeon, the 800-gallon aquarium tank inside begins behind the front seats of the Highlander and stretches the length of the vehicle. It contains about 115 individual fish from 32 different species including starfish (like the SpongeBob character, Patrick), squirrelfish, Fiji foxface, flame angel, clownfish, and pilot fish.

“When we talk about the size and versatility of the new 2014 Highlander, we now can add how many fish swam inside one,” said Jack Hollis, vice president of marketing for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. “The Tanked designers and Nickelodeon combined the mystery of the ocean and the fun of SpongeBob into a Highlander everyone will be talking about at SEMA.”

Photo: Toyota

Honda introduced the significantly updated 2014 Honda Civic Coupe this week at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Featuring a more aggressive grille, hood, front fender and headlight design, the two-door model also gains new taillight lenses, sportier front and rear bumpers, new side mirrors, and new wheel designs.

The high-performance 2014 Honda Civic Coupe Si boasts the same revisions, but adds a few exclusive design cues, including a unique lower front bumper garnish, larger rear decklid spoiler, a distinctive front spoiler, and sporty rear air diffuser. Wheels grow from 17'' to 18'' in size, while a retuned exhaust system helps boost peak output to 205 horsepower (+4).

Photo: Honda

Honda also surprised tuning enthusiasts at SEMA by announcing plans to begin sales of street-oriented performance parts developed by its Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD) division, starting with a full range of performance accessories for the CR-Z sport hybrid coupe next spring.

On display at Honda's SEMA booth are a 2014 Civic Si Coupe, a 2014 Civic Coupe EX-L equipped with an aero kit and 18'' wheels, the HPD Civic Si Coupe Race Car, and the HPD Civic Street Performance Concept.

Photo: Honda

Our final day scouring the massive halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2013 SEMA Show has destroyed what was left of our feet, legs and backs -- and we couldn't be happier about it.

Photo: Olivier Delorme

The 2013 SEMA Show was truly an impressive display of everything automotive, from bumper to bumper, and we've tried our darndest to bring it all to you. We'll have hundreds upon hundreds of pictures for you, loads of texts, and a bunch of videos by the time all is said and done.

Each of us fell in love with something we saw over the last few days. As far as I'm concerned, my tally works out to roughly 29 cars and 32 pickups... I'm gonna need a bigger garage, and wallet.

So there you have it: the 2013 SEMA Show, done and done.

See you next year!

We may have found another "most popular" car at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and with good reason. No, it's not a Civic, it's not even JDM. We've stumbled upon the very popular, and very tunable, Chevrolet Camaro.

First introduced as an answer to Ford's Mustang (which has also proven to be a staple at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this year), the Camaro went on to be a cult classic and a highly collectible vehicle. The first and second generation Camaros were, perhaps, the most popular of the bunch. After that, the hype kind of fizzled out, but the fifth generation (2010) has ramped up the want for Camaro all over again, and with good reason.

The beautiful thing about the Chevy Camaros we've spotted on the showroom floor at the 2013 SEMA Show is that they're all done up beautifully in GM-bred bits and pieces. From LS9 ZR1 engines to anything big and boosted, some of these Camaros aren't just works of art, they're engineering feats.

All the modified Camaros strewn about the convention centre at the 2013 SEMA Show seem to culminate in one specific model: the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28.

We had a chance to check out the 2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and trust us you're going to want to check out the video below for all the nitty-gritty details on this modern-day American muscle car. And for more coverage, photo galleries and videos on the SEMA Show, make sure you head over to Auto123.TV.

Las Vegas, NV - Well, we made it inside the convention centre, finally, on day 2 of the 2013 SEMA Show in Sin City. We gotta say, the street candy was almost too distracting, but boy are we glad we made it inside.

2013 SEMA Show Photo Gallery: Day 2

From a classic 1960's Rambler American Wagon (#wagonlove!!) to a Fiat 500, day 2 was a mix of retro goodness and modern classics. Ferrari F12s, Nissan Skylines, Ford Broncos, and Hyundai Velosters... where to look? Heavily modded or tastefully enhanced, each possessed the power to capture our attention for just the right amount of time as we poked around each and explored the hard work and dedication each tuning house put into their vehicles.

The 2013 SEMA Show is, more than anything, a showcase of craftsmanship, of dedication. The vehicles on display are works of art in their own right. While some are about pure power (check out the 1965 Ford Mustang Fastback in the gallery), others are just absolutely stunning to behold (you'll wanna see the 1950 Studebaker Woody).

Check out our extensive photo gallery of day 2 at the 2013 SEMA Show. And for more coverage including videos, make sure you head over to Auto123.TV.

Legendary KISS bassist Gene Simmons and his wife, actress Shannon Tweed, helped unveil a custom 1956 Ford F-100 pickup nicknamed ''Snakebit'' at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The vehicle will be auctioned off next year by Barrett-Jackson, with proceeds going to help fund a children's hospital in Tweed's hometown of Saskatoon.

Called ''Wheels of Dreams,'' the project was originally conceived by Tom Foster, president of Saskatoon-based customizer Industrial Machine & Manufacturing, as a team-building exercise that could help raise funds for a new children's hospital. It was sponsored by the Ford dealer association in Saskatchewan.

This particular 1956 Ford F-100 houses a Ford Racing supercharged 5.4L V8 breathing through a high-performance exhaust system. A six-speed manual gearbox feeds the estimated 550 horsepower to the 20'' rear wheels (front wheels are 18''). A widened cargo bed and custom headlights round out the exterior changes.

The cabin of this metallic grey beauty features handmade panels and two-tone leather. The leather bench seat, carefully contoured to match the look of a Shelby Mustang interior, is from Glide Engineering.

Photo: Ford

Here is a cool video showing how the high revving engine of the Sauber Formula 1 car is fired up at the factory.

The team begins by warming the engine up to a temperature of 80°C by circulating hot coolant through the engine and radiators.

Then, the electric starter cranks the Ferrari V8 so the oil circulates through the galleries to ensure that the pistons, rings, bearings, con rods, and other internal components are covered with a thin film of oil.

Then, the engine is brought to life, revving between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm. The mechanics looks for any possible leaks and gently tap on the radiators to eliminate air trapped in the system.

Hans Werner Aufrecht, the boss of the DTM series, said he was thinking about adding a second race in Russia in the near future, adding a round in Sochi.

DTM staged a maiden race in Russia this past summer at Moscow Raceway, located about 100km away from the capital, Moscow. The three car manufacturers involved in the DTM asked to showcase their products in Russia, a major market for them.

Photo: DTM

Aufrecht declared ITR, right's owner and promoter of DTM, pondered the idea of staging a second race in Russia, this time on the new Formula 1 track in Sochi where the winter Olympic Games will be held in February 2014.

“I think the Russian market is so big that just one race is not enough,” said Aufrecht.

“I am confident that we'll stage a race in Sochi in one or two years' time”.

For that reason, we can expect to see the arrival of one or more Russian drivers in the DTM very soon.

For the second year in a row, the Scion FR-S has been named ''Hottest Sport Compact'' at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

This 2.0L sports car with RWD is known for its lightweight design, impressive performance, and affordable price.

To learn more about the Scion FR-S, check out this video from our staff on hand at SEMA.

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

On November 7th, 1993, Ayrton Senna earned the last podium of his career at the Australian Grand Prix. He did it by winning the race, while Alain Prost and Damon Hill finished second and third, respectively.

Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna, Australia 1993. (Photo: WRi2)

As you know, Ayrton Senna died a few months later during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. His rival Roland Ratzenberger suffered the same tragic fate, and several people were injured as a result of the crashes, including spectators.

Source: Wikipedia

Now, we know how excited you've all been with our automotive coverage of the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, but we also know you've all been waiting with baited breath for this video: the girls of the 2013 SEMA Show.

Sure, SEMA is about the cars, but what's a good tuner vehicle without a little side-mirror candy? Trust us, there's plenty of candy to be seen at the 2013 SEMA Show, and you'd be hard-pressed not to notice, even if you tried. Make no mistake, these girls are more than just pretty faces and short skirts, they're working as hard as the manufacturers whose vehicles are on display. Standing for hours on end in sky-high stilettos, mini-skirts and crop tops, these girls have a tough job. And we're grateful for all the hard work they're putting in this week -- truly.

It's all about grabbing attention at the 2013 SEMA Show, and these girls know just how to do it with style, grace, poise and that perfect, sultry smile. Which is why we knew you'd love to see them live and in action.

Natalia Marie, a car model, was nice enough to introduce us to a few of her closest (and hottest) friends at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. How could we say no? Check out the sultry side of the 2013 SEMA Show in our video below. For more coverage, photo galleries and even more videos, make sure you head to Auto123.TV.

Well, we've found another gem here at the 2013 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and it might not be what you'd expect. That's right, it's a Lexus IS -- but hear us out. We've been big fans of this particular compact luxury model since it first appeared about 15 years ago. It's not as long in the tooth as its age would suggest, and that was made abundantly clear to us by the number of modified IS vehicles (six of which are from Toyota themselves) scattered across the convention centre at the 2013 SEMA Show.

So, what made us stop and gawk at this particular Lexus IS model at the MOTUL booth? Well, for starters it's got 600 horsepower. Hang on, let's back up a moment though, the badging on the back made us take notice first and foremost: This is a 2014 Lexus IS 340. Then we took in the stunning colour, and the knee-weakening 18" Advan wheels along with the body kit.

However, the real gem here lies beneath the 2014 IS 340's vented hood: a 2JZGTE engine. That's right, an inline-six from a Supra. Pick your jaw up off the floor and know that this vehicle was built to originally handle 204 horsepower stock, and with a little bit more tweaking the boys at Philip Chase and MOTUL could potentially get that number up to 900.

There's so much more you'll want to discover (like we did) about the 2014 Lexus IS 340 by Philip Chase at the 2013 SEMA Show, so check out our video below. And for more live coverage, videos and photo galleries, make sure you click on Auto123.TV.

Vancouver is now the most congested city in North America according to GPS manufacturer TomTom's new Traffic Index for the Americas. Toronto is 7th, and Montreal 10th.

Here is the full top 10:

Vancouver, Canada
Los Angeles, U.S.
San Francisco, U.S.
Honolulu, U.S.
Seattle, U.S.
San Jose, U.S.
Toronto, Canada
Washington, U.S.
New York, U.S.
Montreal, Canada

When looking at North, Central, and South Americas, Vancouver is 3rd overall behind Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Source: TomTom

From GMM

The big question ahead of next weekend's US grand prix in Austin is the whereabouts of Kimi Raikkonen.

That is the claim of former F1 driver turned pundit Mika Salo.

Lotus claimed after Abu Dhabi that its pay dispute with Finn Raikkonen is now over, and that he will contentedly drive the black and gold car in Texas and Brazil before switching to Ferrari for 2014.

Fellow Finn Salo is not so sure.

"Let's see if Kimi is in Austin," he told the broadcaster MTV3, "and in what car.

"It's probably the most anticipated thing about the whole American grand prix weekend. There have been rumours Kimi will drive a Sauber instead of a Lotus," said Salo.

Kimi Raikkonen and Mika Salo, in Singapour. (Photo: WRi2)

The Raikkonen-to-Sauber rumour is new, but it would seem to tie in with reports Nico Hulkenberg, the Swiss team's current driver, is Lotus' preferred option to replace Raikkonen in 2014.

Sauber, meanwhile, is powered by engines supplied by Raikkonen's new employer, Ferrari.

"For now it's just a rumour," Salo admitted. "Kimi loves to drive, but the atmosphere at Lotus is no longer good for him. Sauber is also short of money and has not paid for Nico Hulkenberg."

Whatever is powering Raikkonen in Austin, Salo is sure the 2007 world champion will drive flat out.

"If Kimi is in Austin, he will definitely be on it," he said. "With our Finnish mentality, no matter what is going on it doesn't affect our performance. We sit in the car and drive it as hard as we can."

Here's the deal: As green as we all want to be, we also (from what I gather, anyhow) want to drive cars that feel normal and familiar. We don't want to be shocked by bite-y regenerative braking or bumped around with jerky power-source changes or even confused by shifter set-ups and gauge clusters. Humans are creatures of habit, and although we are trying desperately to change those habits, it ain't easy.

Well, Honda is here to make the transition into green driving that much easier with their brand new Honda Accord Hybrid.

The real beauty of this midsize sedan is the fact that it will truly save you money at the pumps, save the planet just a little, and save your sanity by being as close to normal as possible.


What is a Honda Accord Hybrid?
Essentially, the Honda Accord Hybrid is the Honda Accord we all know and love, with a brand new 2.0L L4 Atkinson cycle engine and a high-output lithium-ion battery pack.

The Accord is Honda's flagship model and has been one of the best-selling cars in the USA for just over 20 years. While it began as a three-door hatchback in 1976, the Honda Accord evolved into the ninth-generation model we now see today. The Honda Accord is available in sedan, coupe, and once more as a hybrid.

The Accord is Honda's flagship model and has been one of the best-selling cars in the USA for just over 20 years. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Price and Specs
This latest version of the Honda Accord starts at a higher price point than the outgoing base model; a 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid will set you back $29,590 without any options added. Opt for the higher-end Hybrid Touring version and you're looking at a starting price of $35,690.

For that coin you get the same engine in both, a 2.0L DOHC i-VTEC 4-cylinder along with a lithium-ion battery. The entire system is referred to as a two-motor hybrid Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive (i-MMD) setup according to Honda. This engine is part of Honda's high-efficiency Earth Dreams Technology division.

Together, the hybrid system supplies the 2014 Honda Accord with 196 horsepower. While the gas engine produces 122 lb-ft of torque, the electric drive motor's push is 226 lb-ft.

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid only comes with one transmission choice: an electric continuously variable transmission (E-CVT).

Of course, the most important spec in all of this is the fuel consumption rating for the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid. This sedan will see numbers in the 3.7L/100km in the city and 4.0L/100km on the highway. Impressed? Well, the combined rating dips below four at 3.8L/100km.

The hybrid system supplies the 2014 Honda Accord with 196 horsepower. While the gas engine produces 122 lb-ft of torque, the electric drive motor's push is 226 lb-ft. (Photo: Miranda Lightstone)

Driving the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
Besides being a terrible fuel-efficient driver (I failed miserably at Honda's “get the lowest fuel mileage reading” contest throughout the drive), I'm quite a good Honda Accord driver, and I enjoyed every moment behind the wheel.

The best thing about this hybrid is that it truly doesn't drive like one. The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid feels, blissfully, exactly like the regular, gas-powered sedan. Besides the silent start-up, which is always a bit disconcerting as you search the gauge for the green “GO” car indicating the car is in fact on. However, once that's sorted and the Accord Hybrid is set in “D,” you really are good to go, and go quite well.

I was most impressed with the brakes on the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid. Despite being a regenerative system (a new electric servo brake that Honda claims yields an 8% improvement in regeneration), it wasn't unpleasant. In fact, braking was the best part. I merely had to hover over the brake pedal and the Accord Hybrid would gently come to a stop.

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid switches seamlessly between gas and all-electric mode. While the EV mode is really only used for parking lot and traffic scenarios, as well as waiting at lights, it is rather nice to have.

A small vibration and a bit of engine noise are all the sensory cues you'll get that the engine has engaged after EV mode, and of course the power/charge digital read-out on the gauge cluster also indicates which mode you're in.

I was most impressed with the brakes. Despite being a regenerative system (a new electric servo brake that Honda claims yields an 8% improvement in regeneration), it wasn't unpleasant. (Photo: Honda)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
Essentially, this hybrid version of the Accord sedan is identical to its gas-powered brethren. Exterior looks are near-identical save for hybrid badging and uniquely styled 17” five-spoke alloy wheels and low rolling resistance tires. There are also special-to-hybrid models blue accenting on the upper grille, along with blue-tinted headlights (with energy-efficient LEDs available on the Accord Hybrid Touring model).

Again, blissfully, the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid looks nearly identical to the gas-powered version. There's comfort in familiarity.

Essentially, this hybrid version of the Accord sedan is identical to its gas-powered brethren. (Photo: Honda)

Comparing the 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid
Honda has re-entered the highly competitive segment. From the Ford Fusion SE Hybrid (in my opinion, the best-looking of the bunch) to the Toyota Camry Hybrid (with Toyota's storied and award-winning history of hybrid technology), the Honda Accord Hybrid has some serious and stiff competition. Will it come out on top as the gas-powered Accord has? If nothing else, the Honda name will carry it quite far.

2014 Acura TL

The TL is essentially a carryover model from 2013.

New For 2014

There are no major changes for the 2014 Acura TL. A Special Edition model was added in June 2013 and it is also offered for 2014. It includes ten-spoke, eighteen-inch wheels; keyless entry; push-button start; and special badging.

Photo Gallery: 2014 Acura TL

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