Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer believes a growing interest in electric cars among Germany's carmakers is good for the industry and good for his company.
Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer believes a growing interest in electric cars among Germany's carmakers is good for the industry and good for his company.
Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said he is still a long way from reaching a deal to purchase the rest of Chrysler from a retiree healthcare trust.
The improved ability of automakers to build small batches of specialty cars in-house, combined with the global recession, made life difficult for coachbuilders.
The improved ability of automakers to build small batches of specialty cars in-house, combined with the global recession, made life difficult for coachbuilders.
Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer believes a growing interest in electric cars among Germany's carmakers is good for the industry and good for his company.
The improved ability of automakers to build small batches of specialty cars in-house, combined with the global recession, made life difficult for coachbuilders.
The improved ability of automakers to build small batches of specialty cars in-house, combined with the global recession, made life difficult for coachbuilders.
Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer believes a growing interest in electric cars among Germany's carmakers is good for the industry and good for his company.
Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said he is still a long way from reaching a deal to purchase the rest of Chrysler from a retiree healthcare trust.
The 65th edition of the Frankfurt Auto Show turned out to be quite the event. This was my first time visiting this massive 12-building (including Audi's homemade one) venue, and I was not let down.
The scale and importance of this event is demonstrated by the worth and importance of the cars and products unveiled during the two press days.
So, here's my top 10 list of the best unveilings that took place at the 2013 IAA:
Audi Sport Quattro Concept
Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre
Audi stole what little thunder Acura built with its NSX. For the last year, more enthusiasts have been waiting on the return of the legendary Quattro's modern replacement than any other car.
Sure, the LaFerrari was anticipated, but the Quattro is a whole other kettle of fish for real car and driving enthusiasts. Its rawness, power, grip, and legendary pedigree make it irresistible.
With the ink on Kimi Raikkonen's 2014 Ferrari contract still drying, Mark Webber is already making predictions about the next racer to make his way to Maranello.
Australian Webber, a close friend of Fernando Alonso, thinks the Spaniard's Ferrari contract will expire in unison with the team's new signing, Finn Raikkonen.
"Two years for probably both of them actually I think," the Red Bull driver, who is departing F1 for Le Mans sports car racing with Porsche at the end of the year, told the British broadcaster Sky.
"And then what they (Ferrari) do after that obviously (is) pick Seb up off the back of Red Bull and then they keep moving from there."
Ferrari F138. (Photo: WRi2)
'Seb', of course, is Sebastian Vettel, Webber's teammate of the past years who - in an identical Red Bull - won three and now almost four world titles compared to Webber's 9 grand prix wins.
But the 37-year-old backed Ferrari's next pairing, saying Alonso and Raikkonen is "a very short-term aggressive statement from Ferrari to put the team at the front".
Webber thinks the move is justified on the basis that Alonso needs "to be pushed".
"He needs to be squeezed on Saturday afternoon to get the car further up the grid," he added.
Valtteri Bottas has counted himself out of the running to replace his Finnish countryman Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus.
"For me it would be better to stay at Williams," the Finnish rookie told the broadcaster MTV3 in his native tongue.
Bottas, 24, made his grand prix debut with the Grove based team in 2013, after serving as the test and reserve driver in the two previous seasons.
He added: "Although the season has been difficult, I know that our team has great potential. So at this stage I see no reason to part ways."
Who to drive the Lotus in 2014? (Photo: René Fagnan)
On the other hand, Lotus' newly-vacant 2014 seat is one of the only options for Ferrari refugee Felipe Massa.
But the Brazilian's manager Nicolas Todt insisted: "It is not the only team, he will consider other options.
"But we do aim to sign a contract with Lotus, because at the moment it is the most interesting option," Frenchman Todt told France's Canal Plus.
"He will never drive for a small team, playing a minor role in formula one. In any case, I want to clarify the situation within the coming weeks," added Todt.
Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, however, thinks it is possible Felipe Massa will not be on the grid at all next season.
The influential daily said Ferrari's decision to replace him was "inevitable", because the "trend of his results has been downwards".
But La Gazzetta dello Sport said the Brazilian has been a "great number 2" for Ferrari, ranking him "better than Irvine and Barrichello".
GMC today unveiled the all-new 2015 Yukon, Yukon XL, and Yukon Denali models, which will deliver greater capability and refinement, with more power, new fold-flat rear seats, and a quieter interior.
The first two are motivated by a 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine that produces 355 horsepower, while the Yukon Denali gets a 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 rated at 420 horsepower.
Features include an 8'' colour touchscreen with enhanced IntelliLink and available navigation, as well as keyless entry and push-button start.
Numerous options can be ordered such as a power rear liftgate, a Blu-ray/DVD rear-seat entertainment system, 18'', 20'' and 22'' wheels (standard 20'' wheels on Denali), and illuminated, power-retractable assist steps (Denali).
Deliveries of the 2015 GMC Yukon are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2014.
GMC today unveiled the all-new 2015 Yukon, Yukon XL, and Yukon Denali models, which will deliver greater capability and refinement, with more power, new fold-flat rear seats, and a quieter interior.
The first two are motivated by a 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine that produces 355 horsepower, while the Yukon Denali gets a 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 rated at 420 horsepower.
Features include an 8'' colour touchscreen with enhanced IntelliLink and available navigation, as well as keyless entry and push-button start.
Numerous options can be ordered such as a power rear liftgate, a Blu-ray/DVD rear-seat entertainment system, 18'', 20'' and 22'' wheels (standard 20'' wheels on Denali), and illuminated, power-retractable assist steps (Denali).
Deliveries of the 2015 GMC Yukon are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2014.
The all-new 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban are set to arrive in U.S. showrooms in the first quarter of 2014. The latter is entering its 12th generation and celebrating its 80th anniversary.
Both SUVs offer more functionality, greater refinement, extra safety features, and many new technologies, led by a more fuel-efficient 5.3L EcoTec3 V8 engine with direct injection and Active Fuel Management (official fuel consumption ratings have yet to be announced).
Other highlights of the 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban include:
Fold-flat second- and third-row seats that enhance cargo capacity;
Approximately 5 cm greater legroom for second-row passengers;
Class-exclusive front-seat centre air bag;
Keyless entry and push-button start;
Available 8'' colour touchscreen radio with next-generation MyLink connectivity.
General Motors has partnered with Johnson Controls to develop an advanced cluster display for the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
It features many advanced technologies and can provide up to 69 unique sources of information, such as an interactive performance timer and tire temperature gauge. Meanwhile, the driver can reconfigure gauges using three different themes: Track, Tour, and Sport.
“We are pleased General Motors selected Johnson Controls to be a strategic partner in the development of the instrument cluster,” said Paul Lambert, group vice president and general manager, Electronics for Johnson Controls' Automotive Electronics & Interiors. “It is our goal to design instrument clusters that not only enhance the consumer driving experience, but also distinguish vehicles like the Corvette Stingray.”
For months now, I've been carefully following everything that's been going on around the upcoming movie from Ron Howard, Rush, which is about Formula 1.
Hollywood never really bothered with F1. Over the years, we've only been treated to a few (horrible) movies, and a racing-glove full of (just as horrible) small-screen series. The list of reasons why it was mostly bad is almost endless: bad understanding of racing, bad actors, bad stories, bad sense of reality...
For example, just think of Sylvester Stallone's dreadful, Driven. F1 really dodged a bullet when Rambo picked ChampCar to base his movie on.
The only title to really stand out as good is John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix, which dates back to 1966.
NASCAR had its moment on the big screen too when Days of Thunder (featuring the one and only Tom Cruise) came out in 1990.
Other than that, there's been nothing to set your nomex underwear on fire.
This time, though, it's serious. Rush traces back the tumultuous 1976 season of the F1 World Championship during which James Hunt, an eccentric British playboy, goes head-to-head with a cold, meticulous Austrian known as Niki Lauda.
Photo: RUSH official website
The turning point of their fight is that season's German Grand Prix, at the Nürburgring, where Lauda's Ferrari 312 T2 spectacularly burst into flames after a heavy impact. The championship leader spent almost a full 60 seconds sitting in the furnace of his car burning down.
Only six weeks later, Lauda was back in the ring to fight Hunt, albeit bearing scars of his trip to hell.
Truth be told, the story of the 1976 F1 season is already worthy of the best Hollywood movies, so it was an excellent starting point for Ron Howard. However, the most staggering thing about Rush is the surreal attention to detail.
Everything was thought through from the cars racing on the track to the bell-bottom pants worn by the ladies following Master James around. They went as far as giving actor Daniel Brühl a denture to make him look even more like Lauda.
We're talking documentary level reconstruction of the past here.
I think that's why people will be interested in the Lauda-Hunt confrontation, which is out of the ordinary but maybe a bit arduous for non-F1 fans, otherwise. I think that's why people will like Rush.
If everything goes about like it sets out to, maybe Rush will turn out like The Big Blue of Luc Besson, a story of two fearsome competitors and friends who live for their sport.
Starting this fall, Jeep will produce and sell its new Wrangler Dragon Edition in limited number. Canadian pricing and on-sale date have yet to be announced, but this model will be priced at $36,095 in the U.S.
Based on the 4-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, the Dragon Edition comes exclusively in black with Bronze Satin Gloss accents inside and out. It features a black, 3-piece hard top, as well as a Dark Charcoal dragon decal that starts on the hood and runs along the driver's side of the vehicle. There's also a black spare tire cover with the same dragon decal. Unique 18'' 5-spoke matte black alloy wheels with a Satin Bronze high-gloss outer edge complete the exterior.
The cabin of the Jeep Wrangler Dragon Edition offers heated black Nappa leather seating surfaces with Satin Bronze Dragon Scale on the outer bolsters, centre armrest, and steering wheel. A dragon graphic overlay can be seen in the gauge cluster.
The 65th edition of the Frankfurt Auto Show turned out to be quite the event. This was my first time visiting this massive 12-building (including Audi's homemade one) venue, and I was not let down.
The scale and importance of this event is demonstrated by the worth and importance of the cars and products unveiled during the two press days.
So, here's my top 10 list of the best unveilings that took place at the 2013 IAA:
Audi Sport Quattro Concept
Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre
Audi stole what little thunder Acura built with its NSX. For the last year, more enthusiasts have been waiting on the return of the legendary Quattro's modern replacement than any other car.
Sure, the LaFerrari was anticipated, but the Quattro is a whole other kettle of fish for real car and driving enthusiasts. Its rawness, power, grip, and legendary pedigree make it irresistible.
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