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ASSOCIATE WEST COAST EDITOR BLAKE Z. RONG: This 2013 Ford Focus ST is a joy, an absolute blast to unwind. Where to begin? Well, the steering is direct, communicative, well weighted.

ASSOCIATE WEST COAST EDITOR BLAKE Z. RONG: This 2013 Ford Focus ST is a joy, an absolute blast to unwind. Where to begin? Well, the steering is direct, communicative, well weighted.

ASSOCIATE WEST COAST EDITOR BLAKE Z. RONG: This 2013 Ford Focus ST is a joy, an absolute blast to unwind. Where to begin? Well, the steering is direct, communicative, well weighted.

ASSOCIATE WEST COAST EDITOR BLAKE Z. RONG: This 2013 Ford Focus ST is a joy, an absolute blast to unwind. Where to begin? Well, the steering is direct, communicative, well weighted.

Toyota minicar unit Daihatsu is adding 200,000 units of passenger car engine capacity at Astra Daihatsu Motor in Indonesia. The extended line is scheduled to run from summer 2015.

General Motors has slashed US$5,000 from the price of the Chevrolet Volt, meaning after allowing for a federal tax credit, the car could cost US$27,495.

Renault wants to return to the Iranian market as soon as the political situation eases. Iran was Renault's eighth-biggest global market by sales in 2012, above Italy and Spain.

Former Volvo styling chief Steve Mattin was hired to transform Lada's dull designs. Mattin says future Ladas will look simple and robust but must also excite potential buyers.

GM is cutting the Chevrolet Volt's price by $5,000 amid price pressure from rival electrified vehicles. The sticker price on the 2014 Volt, which will arrive at dealerships this month, will be $34,995, including an $810 destination fee.

The Tata Nano borders on psychedelic with its new "Celebrate Awesomeness" campaign, where actors change gender, burst into colorful balls, and disappear with a snap of the fingers.

The average age of all light vehicles on the road now stands at a record high of 11.4 years. That's up from 11.2 years last year, and 10.9 years in 2010, according to data released today from R.L. Polk.

Former Volvo styling chief Steve Mattin was hired to transform Lada's dull designs. Mattin says future Ladas will look simple and robust but must also excite potential buyers.

Horizon Fuel Cell is introducing the second version of its water-fuelled remote-controlled car, the i-H2GO.

Water poured into the refuelling station is electrolysed by power from a solar panel, and the hydrogen that comes out of it is converted into electricity to drive the RC.

The i-H2GO is controlled by an iOS app (Android is reportedly in development), either via on-screen buttons or a "Gyro Mode" that turns your smartphone into a steering wheel.

Deliveries of the i-H2GO will begin on August 15th. Buyers will have to pay $180 for the car, refuelling station and charging panel.

Source : www.horizonfuelcell.com

From GMM

Pastor Maldonado insists the arrival at Williams of Pat Symonds, and the departure of Mike Coughlan, must be good for the beleaguered British team.

2012 appeared to be a turnaround in fortunes for Williams, when Venezuelan Maldonado won the Spanish grand prix.

But the slump returned with a vengeance in 2013, and after the first half of the season only a solitary point separates Williams from the backmarkers Marussia and Caterham.

So, mid last month, Williams announced that Pat Symonds - formerly of the title-winning Benetton and Renault team until the 'crashgate' scandal - is switching from Marussia.

At the same time, Williams' technical director Coughlan 'stepped down'.

"Yeah, I think we need some change," said Maldonado. "The way we've been working, trying to improve our performance, was not the best and for sure any change in a good way is very welcome."

Pastor Maldonado, Williams FW35. (Photo: WRi2)

Teammate Valtteri Bottas agrees that Williams needs "some new ideas and new opinions".

Pastor Maldonado bluntly told Brazil's Totalrace: "It is practically impossible for us to be worse than how we have been this year.

"Any change is welcome," he added. "If it will solve the problem, we don't know. What I do know is that we work hard, but the way we have been working did not work. Now we have to change something in the team."

However, he refuses to say Coughlan, the former McLaren chief designer who initially left F1 at the centre of the 'spygate' scandal, is the reason for Williams' troubles.

"We cannot speak about one person; we are 500 employees, and I include myself," said Maldonado. "We did not do things the right way and so we did not get the results."

Most worrying, the 28-year-old driver admitted, is that Williams is baffled as to why its performance crashed so badly over the winter period.

"We don't know why, and this is one of the most serious problems we have," said Maldonado.

Ford Canada is recalling 1,100 Focus vehicles from the 2012-2013 model years because some of them, equipped with high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights, may not comply with Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 - Lighting System and Retroreflective Devices.

The front side marker lights may become non-operational, and the daytime running lights (DRL) may not provide sufficient lighting. These issues could render the Focus less visible to other road users, thus increasing the risk of a crash.

Consequently, Ford dealers will replace the headlight assemblies and reconfigure the DRL system.

Source: Transport Canada

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

As promised a week ago, the prototype of the new Acura NSX completed a lap on the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, just prior to the running of the Honda Indy 200 on Sunday.

The blue-clad NSX carved the track in front of thousands of excited fans, using a mid-mounted, direct-injected V6 engine mated to Acura's Sport Hybrid SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) system.

“With leadership from our R&D and manufacturing teams here in Ohio, we are developing a next-generation sports car that will be equally at home on the street and on the race track, so it is natural for us to showcase the prototype vehicle here at Mid-Ohio,” said Ted Klaus, chief engineer of Honda R&D Americas, Inc.

The future Acura NSX will be built in nearby Marysville, Ohio, for a 2015 market launch. No word yet on when the production model will make its global debut.

Photo: Acura

Volvo Cars of Canada has released pricing for its 2014 models, which boast new designs, upgraded features, and new support systems.

Available engines include:

• 3.2L naturally aspirated, inline six-cylinder rated at 240 horsepower;
• 2.5L turbocharged inline five-cylinder rated at 250 horsepower (T5);
• 3.0L turbocharged inline six-cylinder rated at 300 horsepower (T6);
• 3.0L turbocharged inline six-cylinder rated at 325 horsepower (R-Design).

Many 2014 Volvos feature a new hood, front fenders and fascia, as well as new LED light guides on the taillights. Select models get a new Adaptive Digital TFT Display instrument cluster that allows drivers to choose between three themes with different configurations and functionality: Elegance, Eco, and Performance.

S60	T5 FWD (AWD optional)	$39,750
S60	T6 FWD	$47,550
S60	T6 R-Design	$52,450
XC60	3.2 FWD	$39,950
XC60	T6 AWD	$47,950
XC60	3.2 R-Design	$54,500
XC70	3.2 AWD	$43,450
XC70	T6 AWD	$47,450
S80	3.2 FWD	$48,300
S80	T6 AWD	$55,450
XC90	3.2 AWD	$50,800
XC90	3.2 R-Design	$57,700

Photo: Volvo

Ontario's Pat Cyr has become a living legend in the world of drifting. He's been competing in the Drift Mania Canadian Championship (DMCC) since 2007, and is always looking for new adventures and responsibilities, like hosting the Scion Tuner Challenge.

Cyr now drives a Scion FR-S, a rare specimen among the cars modified for drift racing. Playing the role of a pioneer is never easy, and his 2013 season so far has proven both rewarding and frustrating.

I caught up with him recently, and we talked at length about his accomplishments and future projects.

Marie-Laurence Paquin (MLP): How did you discover drifting and wind up in the DMCC?

Pat Cyr (PC): Like just about everybody else, I started drifting in the snowy parking lots around my hometown of Mississauga, Ontario. A few years earlier, I took part in autocross races with a Corolla AE86, which I bought when I was 18. Now I'm 30, and I still drive this car -- only for drifting!

I heard about the DMCC in 2006. I attended a few events with buddies. I loved what I saw, and I immediately wanted in. A year later, I geared my car up for the whole season.

MLP: At the beginning of this season, you stuck with your old Corolla AE86 and actually won the first round. Did you run into some problems prepping your Scion during the winter?

PC: Yes, I did. My new car wasn't ready for the start of the season. We did plenty of tests in the spring, but we didn't get enough track time. There were a few adjustments left to do. Rather than risking some mechanical problem, we decided to go to Shannonville to perform more extensive tests and get the Scion ready as fast as possible.

MLP: Did you have to wait for parts to arrive or was it just a lack of track time?

PC: Nobody had ever modified a Scion FR-S like that. Therefore, we started from scratch. Production delays are normal, you know. Manley Performance, our engine partner, still did an excellent job. Now, I have to adjust my driving techniques, especially my steering inputs, since the old Corolla didn't have electric power assist.

MLP: How powerful is your new engine?

PC: It cranks out nearly 550 horsepower, which is a pretty incredible figure to get from the stock engine. The foundation is still the same, but everything else has been completely upgraded. I can even say it's the world's most powerful Scion FR-S with a stock engine!

MLP: Do you have any particular goals for 2013?

PC: With the Corolla, my goal is to win, but with the FR-S, it's hard to predict. We'll see how it goes, and we'll make adjustments as the season progresses.

One of my main goals is still to win the championship. I've already finished second overall three times -- always by just a few points. I want to be No. 1. Of course, I know it's going to be a bit more complicated with the new car. If I can't do it this year, then it'll be next year.

MLP: Do you intend to participate in the U.S. Formula Drift Championship?

PC: Not this year. We'll adjust to the new car before crossing the border. Competing in Formula D is so expensive and time-consuming. I'm pretty busy with my shop this year, so it'd be impossible. Maybe next year; I would certainly like that!

Honestly, though, I love the DMCC. The fans are awesome. Most drivers don't seem to realize how much this championship has to offer. We spend lots of time on the track, there are no registration fees, and the prizes are impressively generous.

MLP: Okay, let's talk about your shop...

PC: Well, I have a background in mechanics, and I recently opened my own shop called Cyrious Garageworks. When I signed with Scion, I decided to run my own business, which gives me more freedom. I don't do a lot of advertising; it's more word-of-mouth.

We're just three in there: My brother, a friend, and myself. It all runs smoothly -- so smoothly in fact that I'm thinking about hiring an extra set of hands pretty soon. We accept any project that turns us on, whether it's performance tuning or restoration work. Right now in the shop, we have a 1965 Mustang and a 1988 RX-7. We do everything, save for body painting!

Photo: Antoine de Cardaillac

Tony Stewart, the three-time Sprint Cup champion and track owner suffered broken bones in an open wheel sprint car wreck at Southern Iowa Speedway. He had surgery at a local hospital but the necessity for a substitute for this week's upcoming race in Watkins Glen is yet to be determined.

According to a team release he broke the tibia and fibula bones in his lower right leg.

Stewart's accident, away from his main job in NASCAR, was not the first this year. He also flipped last week at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario, Canada, and at Canandaigua Motorsports Park on July 16.

Caption: NASCAR.com

Earlier this year the NASCAR community was shaken by the death of Jason Leffler at another sprint car race. In light of that development Stewart was asked last week about his non-NASCAR crashes where he was not injured.

"You mortals have got to learn," the 42-year old Stewart said. "You guys need to watch more sprint car videos and stuff. It was not a big deal. It's starting to get annoying this week about that, so that was just an average sprint car wreck. When they wreck they get upside down like that. That was not a big deal."

Stewart is 11th in the NASCAR point standings with one victory, (with five races remaining before the reset in the Chase). The top 10 drivers qualify for the Chase along with the next two drivers in the top 20 who have the most wins.

NASCAR's dream of holding a Sprint Cup race in New York City came to a final conclusion with International Speedway's (ISC) sale of Staten Island property for $80 million to Marine Development, LLC.

ISC, is the parent company of Daytona International Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, this week's upcoming event at Watkins Glen and other tracks is a publicly owned company - NASCAR is privately held.

The 676 acre (274 hectare) complex on an outer borough of metropolitan New York was purchased in 2004 in hopes of erecting an 80,000 seat stadium for major league stock car racing in the US's largest market.

Years earlier Bill France Jr., son of NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. and then CEO had attempted a joint venture with New York millionaire Donald Trump to find a property where, according to France, “you could stand on your tiptoes at the track and see New York City.”

Although the proposed race track had union support local groups, worried about traffic and noise, blocked the construction of the facilities.

There were two, possibly three, deals before this sale was completed.

Photo: NASCAR

In a statement, released to the Wall Street Journal and others ISC said:

“The Company, as a result of the sale, expects to receive a cash tax benefit of approximately $41.5 million, based on its current corporate tax rate, that combined with the net proceeds will provide ISC with approximately $117.7 million in incremental cash flow. In addition to the sale proceeds, ISC has already received $4.2 million in non-refundable payments from Marine Development to have had the exclusive negotiation rights for our Staten Island property.

ISC received $7.5 million of the purchase price at closing. The remaining purchase price will be financed with the Company holding a secured mortgage interest in 380 Development as well as the underlying property. In accordance with the terms, the Company will receive the remaining purchase price of $72.5 million in payments of approximately $6.1 million, six months after closing and $66.4 million, 31 months after closing, plus an annual interest of 7.0 percent on the outstanding mortgage balances. The Company expects to receive the majority of its $41.5 million cash tax benefit during fiscal 2013 and 2014.”

ISC's Chief Executive Officer Lesa France Kennedy said, referring to the almost $400 million capital improvement project at Daytona International Speedway " With DAYTONA Rising underway and the other prospective developments on the horizon, this sale puts us in a stronger position to balance the ongoing capital needs of our business, and opportunities to grow the business, while returning capital to our shareholders. This allows us to maintain our disciplined capital allocation strategy and our leadership position in the industry."