Auto News 5

Germany escaped fines after the European Union's top court said it complied with a 2007 ruling to change legislation known as the Volkswagen law which shielded the automaker from takeovers.

On Aug. 21, a team of three Land Rovers completed a 4,000-mile journey across the U.S.

Ford revealed customized versions of the Focus ST on Monday for the upcoming

UK-based supplier GKN said in a trading statement it had "made good progress in the three months ended 30 September 2013" after sales rose 16% year on year to GBP1,865m.

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen will remain French, Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg said today, after sources said the automaker is in talks with China's Dongfeng Motor and the French government over a capital increase.

News 22 Oct, 2013

The Audi TT 2014 Coupe has been spied testing at the Nurburgring for the first time

Ford Motor Co., which purchases about $100 billion worth of parts annually, plans to reduce its roster of suppliers by 40 percent to cut the cost of building its vehicles.

The C4 Cactus, which goes on sale next year, will be the first car in Citroen's new C-Line range aimed at emphasizing practicality, fuel efficiency and low ownership costs.

Mercedes-Benz will snatch the U.S. luxury-sales crown from BMW in 2013, said Steve Cannon, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA.

Chevrolet puts viewers right in the driver seat of the 2014 Camaro Z/28 in the latest spot from the brand.

From GMM

2014 could be the prelude to Carlos Sainz Jr's formula one career.

That is the claim of the 19-year-old Spaniard's namesake and father, hot on the heels of news another Red Bull-backed teen, Russian Daniil Kvyat, has secured the second Toro Rosso seat for 2014.

Sainz jr was also in the running to succeed Daniel Ricciardo at the Red Bull-owned team, and might now be considered the frontrunner for a 2015 debut.

World rally legend Sainz admitted 2014 will be a "very important" season for his son's F1 aspirations.

Carlos Sainz said his son will surely complete a second season in the Formula Renault 3.5 series next year.

Carlos Sainz father and son, during the Toro Rosso's testing in July. (Photo: WRi2)

"This year has been a race to catch up experience. He is only 19 years old, but if he is in the championship fight hopefully it will be the eve to formula one for him," added Sainz snr.

Asked if his son might combine his racing next year with a F1 test role, Sainz snr answered: "I know nothing of that.

But "It would be ideal," he is quoted by EFE news agency, "because it would mean he is getting the maximum possible experience in formula one. But I have no idea.

"I know that if something in the rules should be changed it is this, because three days a year for young drivers is nothing," Carlos Sainz snr insisted.

From GMM

McLaren on Tuesday said it understands Red Bull's reluctance to release aerodynamics chief Peter Prodromou from his contract.

McLaren has already signed Prodromou, who works closely with Adrian Newey, but it is believed he remains under contract to Red Bull for at least one more year.

"I can't see any incentive for Red Bull to release him early," McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale told reporters during the Vodafone teleconference. "We'd be happy if he was starting first thing tomorrow morning, but we do fully respect Red Bull's position as we do when we're recruiting anybody from another organisation."

It is believed Prodromou's deputy has also been signed by McLaren, but he too could also be under contract for some time.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko was quoted as saying last week: "We'll see in a year where the two men are working."

Peter Prodromou and Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Ram pickups stirred up some controversy a couple years ago when they replaced the traditional pickup truck's leaf-spring rear suspension with multilink coils. That setup has proved a winner for the brand formerly known as Dodge, and when they released the segment's first air suspension last year it garnered Ram multiple industry awards -- not to mention a 30% market share, up from 13% in 2009.

For 2014, Ram's done it again by producing the industry's first light-duty pickup with a diesel.


What is a 2014 Ram 1500?
Ram is Canada's longest running line of pickup trucks, established in 1917 with an estimated 79% of vehicles sold since 1987 still on the road today. Model designations refer to tow ratings, hence Ram 1500 (half-ton), 2500 (three-quarter ton) and 3500 (one ton).

While other companies have chosen to turbocharge their powerplants to achieve optimum fuel efficiency, Ram developed several technologies that lower consumption: reducing parasitic load on the engine, fuel-saving start/stop, improved aerodynamics (including active grill shuttering), and now the segment-exclusive EcoDiesel.

Although official fuel numbers for the diesel have yet to be released, the V6 Pentastar pickups are claiming a Best in Class fuel economy of up to 7.8L/100 km highway.

Ram is Canada's longest running line of pickup trucks, established in 1917 with an estimated 79% of vehicles sold since 1987 still on the road today. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

2014 Ram 1500 Price and Specs
The 2014 Ram is claiming an awful lot of "Best in Class" titles, including the segment first 8-speed transmission, active grill shutters, EcoDiesel engine, Multi-link coil rear suspension, 7" Display screen, and cargo-box management system.

There are nine trim levels from base ST to the range-topping Laramie Limited. The three lowest trim levels are available in Regular Cab, Quad Cab and Crew Cab, while Outdoorsman, Big Horn, Sport, and Laramie are available in Quad and Crew Cab only. Top-spec Laramie Longhorn and Laramie Limited come only in Crew Cab.

There are three powertrains: 3.0L EcoDiesel with 240 hp/420 lb-ft with an 8-speed transmission, the 3.6L Pentastar V6 with 305 hp/269 lb-ft and an 8-speed automatic transmission, and 5.7L Hemi V8 with 395 hp/410 lb-ft mated to either a 6-speed or 8-speed transmission. Prices start at $26,995 for a Reg. Cab ST and will travel up to $57,595 for a Laramie Limited Crew Cab 4x4. Diesel is available, but adds about $4,500. There are many additional equipment options for the 2014 Ram: RamBox cargo management ($1,195), four-corner air suspension ($1,500), power sunroof ($1,295), trailer tow group ($350), just to name a few.

The 2014 Ram is claiming an awful lot of "Best in Class" titles, including the segment first 8-speed transmission, active grill shutters, EcoDiesel engine, etc. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

Driving the 2014 Ram 1500
Of course, the big news here is the available 3.0L EcoDiesel. Although we drove all configurations, the diesel is bound to be the one that generates the most buzz for the Ram 1500, being the only one in its segment. It's an idea that is long overdue, especially given the current price of fuel.

The 2014 Ram EcoDiesel is light-years beyond the oil-burners of my youth with their stench and clatter. Beautifully refined, smooth and powerful, it will banish any preconceived notions you may ever have held about diesel pickups. Chrysler has yet to release any official ratings on this engine, but claims it will better the consumption of its Pentastar V6.

Our drive was limited to about 20km of rolling Halton Hills country roads, but was enough to convince us that the 420 lb-ft of torque was enough power to have us wondering why anyone would opt for the Hemi. It's perfectly matched to the 8-speed transmission, which makes efficient use of the engine's abundant low-end torque.

Beautifully refined, smooth and powerful, it will banish any preconceived notions you may ever have held about diesel pickups. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Ram 1500
The Ram retains its rugged "big rig" appearance, updated with content and a signature grille to suit each trim level. There are now 12 paint choices, available in single or two-tone, depending on the model.

We drove a Hemi-powered Crew Cab Laramie 4x4, resplendent in cherry red with grey trim, and chrome brightwork; as wells as the EcoDiesel version in a Quad cab Sport.

Both interiors are roomy and comfortable, and if they don't boast the almost ludicrously rich hand-tooled embellishments of the Longhorn, they feature quality materials with tight-fitting panel gaps. There's plenty of legroom in both configurations, although the Crew Cab is extraordinarily accommodating. All 8-speed-transmission equipped vehicles feature a dash-mounted rotary shift knob.

The multimedia U-Connect interface features a huge 8.4" touchscreen, voice recognition, real-time fuel price display, Wi-Fi hot-spot recognition, satellite and navigation, and iPod and other media compatibility. There's a slick new 7” integrated gauge cluster with a different start-up theme for each trim level. Steering wheel controls allow the driver to display information in a variety of configurations, including: fuel economy, speed, trailer tow information, compass direction, and vehicle info.

If the cabins don't boast the almost ludicrously rich hand-tooled embellishments of the Longhorn, they feature quality materials with tight-fitting panel gaps. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

Comparing the 2014 Ram 1500
Since the 2014 Ram is the only light-duty pickup to offer diesel (until Nissan's Titan, predicted to arrive next year), the competition just got tougher.

Ford's F-150 with the EcoBoost V6 has a towing capacity of 11,000lb to the Ram EcoDiesel's 9,200lb. Toyota's Tundra is rated at 10,000lb, but the soon-to-arrive 2014 Chevrolet Silverado trumps them all with 12,000lb.

There's stiff competition for ever-decreasing fuel economy too, with the 2014 Silverado/Sierra boasting 13.0L/100km city and 8.7L highway from the 5.3L V8, better than Ford's F-150 V8 by 1L and Ram's V8 by 1.5L. The Ram EcoDiesel's estimated 7.8L/100 km highway comes out the winner.

From GMM

F1's governing body is in a race against time to ensure teams obey the radical new rules next year.

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that sensors designed to ensure teams are sticking by the new maximum fuel flow rate next year have proved not accurate enough in initial testing.

Next year, with the arrival of the new turbo V6 regulations, fuel will only be allowed to flow into the engine at a prescribed speed.

Correspondent Tobias Gruner said a British company called Gill HySpeed was awarded the contract by the FIA to supply the fuel flow rate sensors, which were tested at the young drivers test earlier this year.

F1 fuel flow sensor. (Photo: Gill sensors)

"The result was worrying," Gruner revealed. "Instead of the maximum permitted deviation of 0.5 per cent for the specified flow rate, the error (margin) was actually up to 1.5 per cent."

The British company has been working to fix the problem, but if the solution is ultimately deemed not good enough, the FIA would have to rely on information provided only by F1's engine suppliers.

And accusations of cheating would surely follow.

Gill HySpeed's fix is expected shortly, and could be tested either at the Pirelli tire test at Vallelunga, or in a forthcoming Friday practice session, because as Gruner explains, "bench testing alone is not enough".

The sensors will then be supplied to the manufacturers a few weeks before the opening winter test.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon and his team were awarded with a $1 million championship bonus check and with Astor Challenge Cup at the IndyCar Championship Celebration at Universal Studios Hollywood.

In addition to the championship bonus, Dixon accepted the Jostens Champions Award, a ring valued at $10,000.

Scott Dixon, 2013 Champion IndyCar. (Photo: IndyCar)

Tristan Vautier of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports accepted the $50,000 IZOD IndyCar Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, while Josef Newgarden won the Tony Renna Rising Star Award.

Helio Castroneves of Team Penske was honored as the second-place finisher in the championship while Simon Pagenaud of Schmidt Hamilton Motorsports was honored for finishing third.

Sage Karam accepted the mini Firestone Firehawk Cup, the Firestone Indy Lights Rookie of the Year, a Jostens Champions Award valued at $5,000.

From Inside Track Motorsport News

On Saturday, February 8, 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup star Ryan Newman will be the headline star at the Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News.

During his appearance, the versatile racer will sign autographs for the fans and participate in an on-stage Q&A session. The CME takes place February 7-9, 2014 at Toronto's International Centre.

Ryan Newman is one of the most popular and successful racers in NASCAR. Currently a contender in The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup alongside stock car racing's elite competitors, Newman recently announced his plans to drive for Richard Childress Racing in 2014, piloting the team's No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet.

Ryan Newman. (Photo: Inside Track magazine)

The Indiana native was the NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year in 2002 and has been a series front-runner ever since. Known as ‘Rocket Man' for his qualifying prowess, some of Newman's career highlights include winning the Daytona 500 (in 2008), the Winston All-Star race (in 2003) and the Brickyard 400 (2013).

Newman, 35, has 17 career Cup victories to his credit and has earned 51 poles in just over 430 starts.

Prior to his NASCAR career, Newman was a successful USAC Midget racer, earning the Silver Crown Series championship in 1999.

One week after his appearance at the Canadian Motorsports Expo, Newman will be at Daytona International Speedway in his first outing with Richard Childress Racing. His goal, in the Daytona 500, will be to kick off his season on a winning note with the legendary racing team, with the ultimate aim of capturing his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup title.

The latest model participating in the battle for American pickup supremacy comes with numerous promises including fantastic mileage and the most refined ">Chevrolet Silverado driving experience, ever. For model-year 2014, designers, planners, and engineers put in the overtime on this rig and the result of their work recently landed at dealer lots across the continent.


What is a Chevrolet Silverado?
The new Chevrolet Silverado is the most recent iteration of one of the most popular trucks on the road. With selection, a solid reputation, and droves of fiercely loyal owners, Chevrolet has a strong sales leader with the Silverado.

Machines like this are a seriously big deal in northern locales and popping the hood on the latest bit of Chevy truck engineering instantly gathered a crowd at my local coffee shop hangout.

The new Chevrolet Silverado is the most recent iteration of one of the most popular trucks on the road. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

2014 Chevrolet Silverado Price and Specs
Other than a handful of parts, the new Silverado engine lineup is all new. At writing, shoppers could specify a 4.3L V6, or one of two V8s, with either 5.3L or 6.2L of displacement. All of these engine options use cylinder deactivation, direct injection, variable-valve timing, and plenty more to turn in more power using less fuel. They all come teamed to a 6-speed automatic.

My tester got the 5.3L, which sends 355 horsepower (up from last year's 315) to the ground through a four-wheel-drive system bolted away under some skid plates thanks to the Z71 off-road package. Beefed up shocks, tow hooks, and aggressive tires were fitted too. A dial lets drivers choose between various 4x4 modes, and the rear diff locks automatically if the ground beneath gets sloppy.

Towing capacity, depending on the model and selected hardware, tops out at 12,000 lbs.

Starting price for the new 2014 Chevrolet Silverado is $32,245; however, my Z71 trimmed pickup starts in the $40k range.

My tester got the 5.3L, which sends 355 horsepower (up from last year's 315). (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Driving the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado Z71
The driving experience stood out the most when visiting the open highway with the Chevy Silverado, as well as my local off-road trail system.

The suspension's heavy-duty shocks turn in a bit of a jiggle-y, busy ride on the off-road rough stuff -- though it largely feels pure tough, the way a truck should. Drivers visiting rough terrain in the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado should expect to feel well backed-up with a vehicle that feels like it belongs there. Though the truck's size and massive hood make it difficult to place on tight trails, the four-wheel drive system and auto-locking rear-differential mean traction never proved an issue -- even through trail segments that made your writer grimace.

On smooth highways, the beefy suspension is a bit stiff, but comfortable overall. Most notable on the highway were the noise levels. After some 12 hours worth of driving at speed, I left the Silverado impressed with the lack of outside noise allowed into the cabin thanks, in no small part, to an exhaustive aerodynamic assault on offending sounds. Even at higher speeds, I could have a conversation without raising my voice. A good number of high-dollar luxury sedans I've recently visited were noisier at similar speeds.

With voice commanded systems, a fantastic forward view, above-average headlamp performance and numerous automatic or self-activating features in the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, you're well set up for a confident and laid-back road trip experience that's conducive to relaxation and socializing.

I returned the tester after 1,800 kilometres having achieved an overall, measured-by-hand average consumption of 13.2L/100km. For where and how I drive, that's just about small-truck mileage in a big truck with a big V8.

The suspension's heavy-duty shocks turn in a bit of a jiggle-y, busy ride on the off-road rough stuff -- though it largely feels pure tough, the way a truck should. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado
On board, much of the switchgear and controls are familiar, too. It's mostly new and fresh, but those familiar with the interior of an older Silverado will feel right at home. The new cabin's layout is more dynamic, detailed and daring than the outgoing model, though the hard plastic lining the entire thing will let soft-touch buffs down, slightly.

I loved the abundance of clever, well-thought-out storage compartments and cubbies all around the front seats in the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado. Ditto for the presence of no fewer than three 12-Volt outlets, four USB power points, and one household outlet just inches from my fingertips. On one jaunt with some pals, four cell phones, one MP3 player, and my camera battery pack were all plugged in for recharging.

Complaints included the somewhat-cheesy application of a slivery spray-paint like finish on some interior panels, and the massive hood, long body, and relatively lazy turning circle eating away at my ability to look like I know how to park a big truck.

On board, much of the switchgear and controls are familiar, too. It's mostly new and fresh, but those familiar with the interior of an older Silverado will feel right at home. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Comparing the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado
Ultimately, the new Silverado (with Z71 package) should appeal strongly to pickup shoppers who frequently visit off-road situations, but who also enjoy a comfortable and quiet highway and around-town experience. With good fuel consumption figures (which will get better after engine break-in is complete), the high-efficiency V8 should also connect strongly with shoppers who aren't interested in the added cost of running a diesel or turbocharged gas engine in comparable models from Dodge and Ford, respectively.

From GMM

Porsche has denied the very latest suggestions it might be gearing up for a formula one foray.

Exactly a year ago, the Volkswagen-linked carmaker denied that its sports car programme - to feature Mark Webber at the wheel in 2014 - was a mere warmup to F1.

Alongside grand prix winner Webber, who has been poached directly from F1's world champion team, Porsche has also been busily signing up F1 personnel including Fritz Enzinger, Alex Hitzinger, Mike Krack and Urs Kuratle.

The Weissach facility has also been set up as a world-class motor sport factory complete with wind tunnel.

Now, the correspondent for Auto Motor und Sport, Tobias Gruner, suggests that Porsche has managed to attract those high-calibre personnel "on the prospect of a formula one comeback" in the near future.

Porsche has consistently denied the regular speculation. A spokesman said this week that the marque is "fully committed" to its 2014 Le Mans project, as well as GT racing.

"There are no plans to enter formula one," the spokesman added.

However, a subtle hint may have been dropped in the latest edition of Porsche's employee magazine.

In it, an article says that because F1 is returning to a turbo era from 2014, Porsche engineers got in contact with Hans Mezger, who developed McLaren's title-winning TAG-Porsche engines in the 80s.

"This (magazine) article was surprising, to say the least," said Tobias Gruner.

Alain Prost aboard the McLaren-TAG-Porsche. (Photo: WRi2)

Actor Patrick Dempsey' race organization, Dempsey Racing, has revealed its plans ahead of the 2014 season. They include the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the inaugural United SportsCar championship and a customer program in the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge.

The Atlanta outfit also confirmed it would continue working with Porsche, in an "expanded and formalized" relationship, a press release stated.

In 2013, Dempsey himself placed fourth in class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, on top of his many appearances in a TV series called "Grey's Anatomy".

Patrick Dempsey. (Photo: Dempsey Del Piero Racing)

Co-driving his team's 911 GTC Cup car with Andy Lally in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), he also racked up a total of three podium finishes, at Laguna Seca, Austin and Petit Le Mans, the last ALMS race before the merger with Grand-Am.

"We are looking forward to the new season and to many more successful years partnering Porsche," commented Dempsey.

Green Car Journal recently unveiled the finalists for its 2014 Green Car of the Year award.

They are:
• Audi A6 TDI;
• BMW 328d;
• Honda Accord;
• Mazda3;
• Toyota Corolla.

The 2014 Green Car of the Year will be crowned during the Los Angeles Auto Show Press Days (Nov. 20 and 21).

“The diversity of this field of finalists illustrates not only that 'green' has gone mainstream, but also that there is no single approach to achieving ever higher levels of fuel efficiency and environmental performance,” says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of Green Car Journal. “There's something for everyone in this year's field of finalists, including clean diesel, high efficiency gasoline, and hybrid/plug-in hybrid power featured in mainstream, sporty, and executive models.”

Source: PR Newswire