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Barb Samardzich will be just the third person to be Ford of Europe COO in the last decade when she starts the job Nov. 1. The other two were promoted to a CEO job in a year or less.

Volkswagen plans to start selling electric cars in the United States in 2015, a newspaper reported, citing a company official.

German carmaker Volkswagen plans to start selling electric cars in the United States in 2015, the New York Times reported, citing a Volkswagen official.

BMW disputes claims that subcontractors working for the automaker in France attempted to obtain information about rival Bollore's EV technology.

BMW disputes claims that subcontractors working for the automaker in France attempted to obtain information about rival Bollore's EV technology.

Electric car company Tesla Motors is working to produce a car capable of running on "auto-pilot" within the next three years, CEO Elon Musk said, joining tech giant Google Inc. and rival carmakers in the race to roll a driverless car into the market.

GM says it is hatching a plan on how to best position Chevrolet and Opel/Vauxhall in Europe, but disagreement on branding still exists between the marque's top managers.

GM says it is hatching a plan on how to best position Chevrolet and Opel/Vauxhall in Europe, but disagreement on branding still exists between the marque's top managers.

Your iPhone is a work of art. Engineered to be both aesthetically pleasing and usable, the iPhone was designed with the user in mind. Or was it? I don't know about you, but those flimsy little buttons to lock and mute my iPhone4 are bloody annoying. And that glass back? Yeah, I cracked that ages ago. Super practical, guys; thanks.

So, what's going through the mind of designers and engineers when they put together items like the iPhone, your microwave, your TV or the car in your driveway? In some cases, it's clear that function wins out over form, but more often than not I see form taking precedence over all, and that's not necessarily a good thing.

Take for example the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. You'd think this behemoth of an SUV would have practicality and usability written all over its massive flanks -- and, in essence, it does. However, one small detail left me scratching my head and wanting to ask Mercedes: “Why?!”

Equipped with a specific package, the GL had power-folding seats in both the second and third rows. At the touch of a button the seats would fold or unfold themselves -- a great feature if you've got a big family with lots of people moving in and out of each row. But what happens when you add a baby seat to all of that (a likely scenario for a large family)? Well, that's where it gets dicey.

The headrests in the second row are so massive that my baby seat was being pushed a good 3” off the backrest (no good). So, I tried to remove said headrest. No matter what it wouldn't budge. Online research revealed that this is a major issue with the GL-Class: The headrests are not removable on the power-folding seats.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

How does that make sense? Such a simple thing could make a huge difference in a family's life, and ultimately in their decision to buy a certain vehicle.

The Acura ZDX is another prime example of (horrible) form over function. The rear door openings are so severely angled you are guaranteed to smash your head every time you get in or out, unless you're an expert yoga practitioner and can fold your body perfectly in two as you slide in.

You like turning knobs to adjust volume, temperature, or browse radio stations? Don't get into a Fiat 500 or a Lincoln MKX; you'll only be greeted with a multitude of buttons to push or touch-sensitive panels, respectively.

I get the appeal of designing something that looks spectacular; sex sells, after all. Engineer and design a car that looks stunning and you've won half the battle, but is it worth sacrificing practicality especially when it comes to vehicles that are supposed to be practical (like the GL-Class)?

There is no such thing as a perfect car or a perfect phone for that matter, but there are levels of perfection that can be attained by paying attention to everyday user struggles and addressing those while still keeping the product attractive.

That's what redesigns and updates are for, and I look forward to every new vehicle that hits the market, eager to see the form vs. function battle rage on.

From PMRA

The Pro Modified Racing Association will be well represented when it pulls into Maryland International Raceway this coming weekend for the first annual Pro Mod Challenge at this storied drag strip.

This event will be part of the track's 28th Annual Superchargers Showdown.

This will be the eighth and final event for the 2013 PMRA schedule, now in its ninth year of operation.

Three PMRA champions will take to the track in a Canada versus USA event, with the PMRA competing against teams from the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association. On hand for the PMRA will be Bruce Boland, Eric Latino, and Rocky Di Lecce, all champions in the popular Pro Modified series.

Boland, from Stoney Creek, Ontario, is a three-time PMRA champ (2009, 2008, and 2007), and has never finished outside the top five in points since his first event victory at Lancaster Raceway Park in Western New York in 2005. He will be driving the B&B Racing 1968 Firebird at MIR, and has racing or more than 30 years.

After competing in the PMRA for several seasons, Latino, from Whitby, Ontario, took the 2012 championship driving his Team Green 1969 Chevy Camaro Pro Modified. He also won the Shakedown Nationals in Englishtown, New Jersey last year in the Latino/Rob and Ann Sporring entry.

The third PMRA champion is Di Lecce, who dominated the series in 2013 to take his first title. The Mississauga, Ontario racer of the Metro Infrastructure 1968 Chevy Camaro Pro Modified won five events this season with a solid and consistent performance all year.

Other PMRA teams making the trek to Maryland include the veteran Grainy Brothers team from North Tonawanda, New York with their G-Force Race Cars 1967-bodied 1967 Camaro driven by Jack Grainy. Ironically, this US team will be flying the Maple Leaf during the race for the Canadian-based PMRA.

The International Pro Mod Challenge is shaping up to be one of the largest gatherings of Pro Modifieds with 40 teams expected to compete. The will PMRA race against the NEOPMA in two 16-car heads-up fields.

In the first field, called the "Olympics," the fastest PMRA will race against the fastest NEOPMA teams. The second field, called the "NEOPMA Quick 16 Pro Modifieds Field" will consist of those cars that did not meet the Olympics requirements or did not qualify in the top eight.

Qualifying begins Friday September 20 at 8 pm, and will continue Saturday September 21 starting at noon. Eliminations will start Saturday at 5 pm.

From press release

Maryeve Dufault's NASCAR Nationwide series debut Saturday in the No. 79 SK Hand Tools/Go Green Racing Ford was a more challenging job than the Sorel, Quebec native would have liked to have on her resume.

Multiple car issues during the course of the Dollar General 300 left Dufault muscling the car around the 1.5 mile oval but she persevered through the problems to finish in 31st place.

Dufault, in her first outing in the Nationwide Series had some issues in practice that kept her time on track to a minimum so she was pleased to come out and qualify in 36th place for the 200-lap Saturday event.

Photo: Maryeve Dufault Facebook

“We were locked in for the race,” explained Dufault, “so after the issues we had in practice I decided not to push too much in qualifying because we didn't need to do anything extra to get in the show. I was pretty happy in qualifying though because we still picked up some speed and the car felt pretty good.”

Dufault started strong in the race and gained five positions in the opening stint and was on her way to pick up three more spots until after the first round of pit stops derailed her efforts.

Dufault described it this way: “After the first stop, the car really changed on me. I knew I needed to just hold on until the next pit stop so we could make some changes but before we got to the next round of stops, the rear of the car really started to jump. Even my spotter could see the car stepping out so we knew something had gone wrong and we needed to head to the garage to find and fix the problem”.

Photo: Maryeve Dufault Facebook

“We spent 11 minutes behind the wall and the crew did a great job working on a transmission issue but couldn't entirely get it fixed so despite the problems with the gears we decided to try and finish the race so I was able to get some seat time in the car. The crew really worked hard to get the car in a shape to make it to the end,” she continued.

“It was just disappointing because our results this weekend didn't do justice to the capabilities of our team or showcase our partner SK Hand Tools. I'm fortunate to get an opportunity to partner with companies like SK Hand Tools, Von Zipper, Hilton French Polynesia, Billabong and Bell and we all want to succeed and run beside the top teams in Nationwide. I think with hard work and time, it will come,” Maryeve said.

From GMM

As the class of 2014 shapes up towards the end of a frantic 'silly season', McLaren is still yet to announce its driver lineup for next year.

Boss Martin Whitmarsh has indicated Jenson Button and Sergio Perez will be staying put, but at the same time rumours have linked drivers including Ferrari refugee Felipe Massa with the Woking based team.

A McLaren spokesman told us this week: "We don't comment on media speculation with regard to rumoured driver movements."

Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-28. (Photo: WRi2)

Lead driver and 2009 world champion Button has not played a leading role in the 2014 silly-season, but rumours tentatively connected him with both Red Bull and Ferrari prior to those teams announcing their actual lineups for next year.

And until very recently, it was reported McLaren was yet to take up the 'option' on the 33-year-old's contract.

Asked about his contractual situation on Wednesday, Button told the British broadcaster Sky: "It's not an issue for either party.

"So just concentrating on racing and we'll be racing together in 2014."

Nationwide, the title sponsor of NASCAR's junior series will not be renewing as series sponsor after 2014.

“It's a natural evolution for Nationwide Insurance to move our marketing investment to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and we'll continue to put tremendous effort behind all of our NASCAR marketing platforms in the years to come,” said Nationwide Chief Marketing Officer Matt Jauchius in a news release.

The Sports Business Daily said that the deal, which dates back to 2007, had been worth in the area of $8USD million.

One of the stated reasons was to get exposure relating to NASCAR's premier Sprint Cup Series.

Jauchius said told the SBD "Being a series sponsor was the right thing at that particular time but we see Sundays (for Cup races) as the next step. You'll see us lean into this even more at the Cup level. ... I will spend more money in 2014 and 2015 (in NASCAR) by shifting assets around a bit." NASCAR plans to begin searching for a new title sponsor immediately.”

Thus it's possible that there will be no net loss in NASCAR spending by the Insurance giant, but, a shift to teams. Currently Nationwide has a partial sponsorship deal with Roush Fenway Racing on rookie, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.'s Sprint Cup Ford Fusion.

NASCAR and Nationwide Insurance have finalized a new agreement to extend Nationwide's position as the official auto, home, life and business insurance partner of NASCAR through 2017. As part of the new contract, Nationwide Insurance also will become the presenting sponsor of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award.

From GP2 press release

GP2 Series organisers announced Wednesday that they have renewed a multi-year deal with Pirelli for both GP2 and GP3 Series.

The two F1 feeder categories and Pirelli have enjoyed a strong relationship since 2010 and the inception of GP3 Series. The following year, the Italian manufacturer also became GP2 Series unique supplier and for the past three seasons has helped young drivers to get ready for the next step: Formula 1.

Pirelli tires. (Photo: GP2 Series)

“I am very happy to have renewed our deal with Pirelli for the forthcoming seasons. Our relationship, which started when we launched GP3 in 2010, has always been strong and healthy,” said GP2 and GP3 Series CEO Bruno Michel.

“It was then natural to choose them for GP2 Series since they also had become F1 sole supplier and it has always been our philosophy to use the same tire supplier as F1's. For the past three seasons this partnership has provided some of the best races in our history. It is great working with Pirelli: they are very reactive and understanding of what needs to be provided in order to make our categories extremely competitive.

“As sole tire supplier to both our Series, Pirelli prepares young drivers for the next step where tyre management is key, but also fully supports them in the development of their career: the GP3 Champion will again receive a cheque of 200,000 euros from Pirelli should he graduate to GP2 whilst the GP2 Champion will be offered a day of tire testing behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car,” Bruno Michel explained.

Paul Cooke, ASN's vice president made the announcement of the location of the 2014 Canadian National Karting Championships.

Cooke has confirmed that the 2014 Championships will return to the new karting circuit of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec at the Jim Russell Karting Academy.

The vice-president made the announcement at the conclusion of the victory ceremony at the 2013 Championships at Goodwood Kartways in August.

“It was raining at the conclusion of the Goodwood podium celebration and people were headed for cover,” Cook said.

“Nevertheless, we are pleased that Karting Mont Tremblant will host the 16th version of our Championships and we look forward to yet another great event in Québec's beautiful Laurentian mountains in August next year”.

This will be the fourth time in the last five years that the Canadian Championships will be held at the Mont-Tremblant facility.

From GMM

Leaving Ferrari could be the best thing for Felipe Massa.

That is the opinion of a growing number of figures, after the Italian team decided to replace the long-serving Brazilian with Kimi Raikkonen for 2014.

"Our relationship with Felipe was clear," Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport this week.

"He needed results, as we do. He got them, but not with consistency. He did some beautiful races but could not repeat them. Last year, we missed his points in the constructors' championship. The change will do him good," added Montezemolo.

Having not won a drivers' title since 2007 with Raikkonen, Ferrari's decision to pair the Finn with 'number 1' Fernando Alonso for the next couple of campaigns is a clear sign of intent.

Felipe Massa leading Fernando Alonso earlier this season, in Australia. (Photo: WRi2)

But according to Massa's friend, countryman and former rival Luciano Burti, leaving Ferrari could also be the best thing for the 32-year-old.

"If he (Massa) had continued at Ferrari, he would have stayed with the same beat as now, which is not ideal," said the former Jaguar and Prost driver.

"So if he gets a relatively good car for next season - which is not easy because there is only Lotus - it will be the best thing for him. I believe it would be a fresh start for him," Burti told Brazil's Totalrace.

It seems that even the Massa camp has a similar view.

Felipe Massa has already said that, for the balance of his Ferrari career, he will be fighting for his own interests, not those of the team or Fernando Alonso.

His manager, Nicolas Todt, said constantly having to serve a teammate "destroys the instincts of a driver".

"We want to stay in formula one," Todt told O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper. "But he has to be at a team where he has freedom. Then, I think that we would see the same Felipe who in 2008 lost the title by one point to a driver on the level of Lewis Hamilton."

Nationwide, the title sponsor of NASCAR's junior series will not be renewing as series sponsor after 2014.

“It's a natural evolution for Nationwide Insurance to move our marketing investment to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and we'll continue to put tremendous effort behind all of our NASCAR marketing platforms in the years to come,” said Nationwide Chief Marketing Officer Matt Jauchius in a news release.

The Sports Business Daily said that the deal, which dates back to 2007, had been worth in the area of $8USD million.

One of the stated reasons was to get exposure relating to NASCAR's premier Sprint Cup Series.

Jauchius said told the SBD "Being a series sponsor was the right thing at that particular time but we see Sundays (for Cup races) as the next step. You'll see us lean into this even more at the Cup level. ... I will spend more money in 2014 and 2015 (in NASCAR) by shifting assets around a bit." NASCAR plans to begin searching for a new title sponsor immediately.”

Thus it's possible that there will be no net loss in NASCAR spending by the Insurance giant, but, a shift to teams. Currently Nationwide has a partial sponsorship deal with Roush Fenway Racing on rookie, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.'s Sprint Cup Ford Fusion.

NASCAR and Nationwide Insurance have finalized a new agreement to extend Nationwide's position as the official auto, home, life and business insurance partner of NASCAR through 2017. As part of the new contract, Nationwide Insurance also will become the presenting sponsor of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award.

Portland, OR - Is there anything better than wind-in-your-hair motoring on a hot summer evening? Yes, convertibles may hold a special place in the car enthusiast's heart, yet most of us shy away from such impulsive purchases simply due to practicalities. For a start, it's difficult to source a sporty drop-top boasting anything but two usable seats (unless you count those just-for-show rear pygmy-pockets certain manufacturers fit), and that simply doesn't cut it for most of us.

Then of course, there's the image. A two-seater sports model may well appease one's midlife crisis (and possibly assist a little with your love life), but it's hardly the vehicle to be seen in arriving at your elderly aunt's funeral.

Whichever way you look at it, it's tough to balance style, prestige and dignified open-air pleasure, or is it?


What is a Mercedes-Benz E-Class?
In my opinion, the E-Class has always been the smart person's choice within the Mercedes-Benz lineup as it simply ticks all the right boxes. Prestigious enough to impress, it's perfectly sized for today's cramped highways and its purchase price won't break your bank manager's heart.

However, the E-Class Cabriolet adds to this with an abundance of open-air fun, which is enjoyable for four reasonably sized adults. In fact, if you're looking for an impressive (yet sensible) convertible, the new 2014 E-Class Cabriolet could be in a “class of its own.”

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet Price and Specs
Two engines are on offer for 2014: the 302 hp V6 E 350, and the 402 hp V8 E 550, and both feature the superb MB 7G-TRONIC PLUS transmission.

Mercedes also thoughtfully included some rather stylish colour schemes for 2014 (see photos) and all Canadian models receive AMG body styling as standard.

Pricewise, the E 350 starts at a quite reasonable $69,800 (a great deal for what you're getting), and there's very little in the way of additional packages to add to this figure as the vehicle comes well-equipped already. The more powerful E 550 will set you back substantially more (a tad over $80k), but performance-driven buyers (and possibly those seeking long-term ownership) may prefer it. Fuel-economy differences between the two aren't overly outrageous.

Two engines are on offer for 2014: the 302 hp V6 E 350, and the 402 hp V8 E 550, and both feature the superb MB 7G-TRONIC PLUS transmission. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

Driving the 2014 E-Class Cabriolet
I drove both the 2014 E 350 and 2014 E 550, and I enjoyed them each immensely. However, if it were my money being spent, I would probably choose the E 350. In my opinion, it's the best all-rounder. Its V6 propels the vehicle at a sprightly pace without any fuss or drama (particularly in Sport mode), and is surprisingly good at balancing performance with fuel economy (9.0L/100km combined).

The E 550, on the other hand, is perhaps more the choice of the automobile connoisseur as it truly is a refined driving experience (10.2L/100km combined). Its uber-power comes on silky smooth, and it boasts a wonderful exhaust roar at full bore!

If it were my money being spent, I would probably choose the E 350. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
Like the Mercedes E-Class sedan and wagon, the coupe and cabriolet versions were refreshed for 2014.

The new styling, both front and rear, is now complemented by a host of modern technology that includes something Mercedes refers to as, "Intelligent drive." This innovative system not only constantly scans for wayward pedestrians (it detects pedestrians and initiates autonomous braking at speeds up to 50 km/hr), and is also capable of keeping the vehicle centered in the lane should the driver start to wander (it can even follow the vehicle in front in slow-moving traffic automatically). This remarkable achievement is obtained via extensive use of radar, and with cleverly positioned cameras that effectively operate as all-seeing eyeballs. It's impressive to say the least, and is truly a major leap forward in vehicular safety.

If the stunning curbside appeal doesn't immediately melt your heart, then sliding behind the wheel of the new 2014 E-Class Cabriolet will certainly take care of that problem. Superb fit & finish is typically a foregone conclusion with Mercedes-Benz products, yet the new 2014 Cabriolet somehow manages to raise the bar even higher. Its well-planned cockpit ensures comfort for all shapes and sizes. Pleasant touches, such as contrasting stitching to the leather seating, make you feel special and then some.

Superb fit & finish is typically a foregone conclusion with Mercedes-Benz products, yet the new 2014 Cabriolet somehow manages to raise the bar even higher. (Photo: Kevin Corrigan)

Comparing the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet
Yes, there are other manufacturers offering luxury convertibles, but very few boast products to match the E-Class Cabriolet. Typically, convertible ownership is a compromise between performance, style, and capacity. You either go for all-out performance and suffer the discomfort while cruising or you plumb for a more sedate ride and perhaps greater seating capacity (think Chrysler Sebring). It's rare to find a vehicle that adequately combines sporty performance, style & comfort.

If you're considering the purchase of a convertible sometime in the near future, you owe it to yourself to check out the new 2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet. It truly is an exceptional vehicle.

Ford's EcoBoost engines are so popular now that two million units have been built since 2009. The milestone engine wound up in a Ford Escape produced in Louisville, Kentucky.

More than 100,000 EcoBoost engines are currently built every month, with a target of 1.2 million for 2013 -- up more than 60% from 2012. For the first time, EcoBoost production is expected to exceed Ford's global diesel engine production.

Customer demand so far exceeds projections globally, with 90% of Escape buyers in North America and 95% of Kuga buyers in Asia choosing EcoBoost. Moreover, in diesel-centric Europe, 39% of Focus customers opt for EcoBoost.

Ford had to double output at its Cologne plant in Germany, which builds a thousand 1.0L EcoBoost engines per day. It also invested $200 million to build 2.0L EcoBoost units in the U.S.

Photo: Ford

After months of struggles and uncertainty, Fisker may have found its saviour. A group of German investors has made a formal $25 million offer to the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE). Only problem: The electric car maker still owes $171 million from its 2009 loan.

Fritz Nol AG submitted a "detailed offer including a signed [letter of intent] and a short presentation of our restructuring plan."

According to Autobild, the group reportedly plans to relocate production of the Fisker Karma from independent Finnish manufacturer Valmet to the U.S., likely in Wilmington, Delaware. Fisker previously bought this site to manufacture its second model, the Atlantic.

The DoE is still waiting for other offers including one by company founder Henrik Fisker (backed by Hong Kong Asian investors), who left in March after a disagreement with the board of management over strategic direction.

Source : autonews.com

Photo: Fisker