Auto News 5

When General Motors launched the Cadillac ATS nearly a year ago, executives sent a bold message by pricing the newcomer in the same territory as BMW's 3 series, long the compact-luxury segment's top seller.

When the Berlin Wall fell in East Germany, supplier VEB GPM endured the ultimate shock therapy.

In March 2009, Ford Motor Co. asked suppliers to bid for a contract to provide wire harnesses for the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. It should have been an attractive proposition for two high-volume sedans.

"We're making good on our promise," says Evelyn Smallwood, who at 33 has been general sales manager of Ted Britt Ford in Fairfax, Va., for six years.

Gabby Chaves (Schmidt Peterson) won his first ever Indy Lights race Sunday after leading every lap on the Mid-Ohio road course.

Chaves, who was starting from pole position, maintained his lead right from the start and, soon enough, was able to build a gap of more than three seconds between himself and Peter Dempsey only to see the safety car make an appearance with only four laps to go.

Gabby Chaves. (Photo: IndyCar)

Once again, Chaves was forced to defend his lead on the restart but, despite pressure from Dempsey, the Colombian held on to cross the line 0.3s ahead.

Jack Hawksworth survived a tight battle for third while series' leader Carlos Munoz finished fourth in front of Zach Veach.

Results - 40 laps:
Pos  Driver  Team  Time/Gap
1. Gabby Chaves  Schmidt   52m22.5112s
2. Peter Dempsey  Belardi   +0.3508s
3. Jack Hawksworth  Schmidt   +1.6782s
4. Carlos Muoz  Andretti  +2.3369s
5. Zach Veach  Andretti   +2.5952s
6. Juan Pablo Garcia  Moore   +3.5719s
7. Axcil Jefferies  Herta  +4.2458s
8. Sage Karam  Schmidt   +4.9242s
9. Jorge Goncalvez  Belardi  +5.4682s
10. Matthew Di Leo  MDL/Dragffy   +7.2483s
11. Giancarlo Serenelli  Belardi   +2 laps

Nissan Canada is recalling 3,509 new Nissan Versa Note hatchbacks from the 2014 model year after 2 separate issues came to light.

First, the lower sill bolts may have been insufficiently tightened or may be missing, which could affect the Versa Note's rear impact performance and increase the risk of injury in a crash. Dealers will therefore inspect and tighten or replace the bolts as necessary.

Meanwhile, the bolts securing the rear seatback latch may have been manufactured incorrectly. As a result, the seat anchor could fail to meet the required strength, once again increasing the risk of injury in a crash. Nissan dealers will replace these bolts.

Source: Transport Canada

Photo: Nissan

Pros and Cons
Pros
The BMW i3 represents the first time carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are being used in a mass-production electric car. This exotic material makes the i3 extremely lightweight and strong. Combined with injected thermo plastics to make up the whole of the car's body, the i3 will never rust, will likely last forever, and will be dent resistant.

As a pure purpose-built EV, the i3 poses no real compromise on a day-to-day basis. It features a roomy cabin and a decent, useable trunk.

The 2014 BMW i3 is, according to BMW, a true BMW where driving dynamics are concerned.

Cons
Range always poses an issue for potential buyers. At roughly 100 miles or 160 km, it should be sufficient for most buyers.

The purchase price may turn some consumers away; however, it is only slightly more expensive than the Chevrolet Volt.


Price
Base price for the 2014 BMW i3 is $44,950. Equipped with a range-extender, pricing starts at $48,950. Offered trims will be: Loft Design World, Lodge Design World, and Suite Design World. The Technology package (BMW Connected Drive Services, Internet access, DC fast charging system, and Hi-Fi stereo) will be optional on all trims.

Exterior styling
The 2014 BMW i3 is a monospace or hatchback-type, 5-seater urban family vehicle.

The all-important signature kidney grille reminds all that this is a BMW. The black hood, roof and glazed hatch are a distinctive feature for the “i” cars. Handsome adaptive LEDs headlights and floating LED taillights are standard.

The lower beltline in the rear and absence of a “B” pillar improve side-rear visibility. The trick “coach” or suicide doors aid rear passenger ingress and egress.

The 2014 BMW i3 is 3,999 mm long, 1,775 mm wide and 1,578 mm high. 19” wheels with front P155/70 tires are standard. With the range extender, rear tires grow to 175/65. 20” wheels are optional.

Inside
The cabin is surprisingly roomy thanks to numerous thoughtful elements such as thin seats and the absence of a centre console and tunnel. The latter enables passengers to slide out one way or the other should the car be in a tight parking spot.

The instrument cluster and Control Display consist of freestanding screens, one behind the steering wheel and the other in the centre top portion of the dashboard.

Materials used onboard may not sound as exotic as CFRP; however, they are all from recycled, natural or renewable sources. BMW refers to this approach as “next premium.” For example, the dashboard and door cards are made from dried grass, aka fibres from the kenaf plant. It looks great and is in fact far more premium than it sounds. Eucalyptus wood is optional.

The 2014 BMW i3 features the interior volume of a 3 Series and the quality materials and attention to detail of a 5 Series.

Cargo capacity
The 2014 BMW i3's boot has a useable volume of 260 litres. Max cargo space with the rear bench folded is 1,100 litres.

Powertrain
The 2014 BMW i3's electric Hybrid synchronous motor with integrated power electronics engine is in the rear, under the trunk floor, and drives the rear wheels.

The large 22 kWh battery (or drive module which is made of 100% aluminum) is located in the center of the car, between the axles. A full charge on 110 volts requires 20 hours. The available 7.4 kW charger enables a 3-hour charge.

The drive system's output is 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Its power propels the i3 to 60 km/h in 3.7 seconds and to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds. The i3's range is between 80 and 100 miles or 130 to 160 kms.

For those with range anxiety, BMW offers a 2-cylinder range-extender engine. The 650cc 2-cylinder petrol engine develops 34 horsepower and is mounted along side the electric motor above the rear axle. It is fed by a 2.4-gallon (9.1 litre) tank and is available on all trims. It adds up to 265 lbs on top of the 2,630 lbs weight.

The 2014 BMW i3's turning radius is a short 9.6 metres. It features a near perfect 50/50 weight distribution.

Safety
All manners of airbags and electronic nannies are standard on the 2014 BMW i3. The CFRP shell has an impressive ability to absorb energy. An F1 car cockpit is made of the same material.

Comparables
Lexus CT 200h, Acura ILX Hybrid, Audi A3 e-tron

Photo: BMW

From GMM

Luca di Montezemolo has fired yet another warning at Fernando Alonso, insisting Ferrari has never had trouble filling its race seats.

"Even if I have lots of problems," the Maranello team's president told Corriere della Sera, "finding drivers for the future is not one of them."

Ferrari had already revealed that Montezemolo "tweaked" the Spaniard's ear after Hungary, when the number 1 driver dared to criticise the Italian team's lack of recent competitiveness.

During the same race weekend, Alonso's manager held talks with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner.

Photo: Ferrari

Montezemolo, however, has Alonso and sponsor Santander under firm contract for the next few years, and thinks the Spaniard is going nowhere.

"Fernando Alonso is a great, I have said it before," said the Italian. "He has proved it and he will prove it again."

At the same time, Montezemolo warned that the most important thing is Ferrari, not its drivers.

And he took issue with Alonso's claim that he wants "someone else's car" as a birthday president.

"Please," said Montezemolo, "let's not forget that last year for a few laps at the very last race, Alonso was virtually world champion, and he was driving a Ferrari, not another car.

"This team knows how to be competitive. Let me make it clear that it's Ferrari I'm interested in," Montezemolo continued to tell the Italian newspaper.

"Drivers, we've had a lot: some very good, some great, but drivers come and go while Ferrari remains."

The next driver to 'go' could be Brazilian Felipe Massa, who after eight years may finally have run out of time at Maranello.

"Felipe is a quick driver and a great guy," said Montezemolo. "But in the past days, we were very clear with him: both he and us need results and points. At some point, we will look one another in the eye and decide what to do."

Photo: WRi2

At the same time, Luca di Montezemolo insisted team boss Stefano Domenicali's place at Ferrari should not be similarly in doubt.

"When one talks about Domenicali, one truth is king," he said. "Under his management we have one constructors' title and come very close to three drivers' titles.

"Two of those we could easily have won and then people's opinion of Domenicali would be very different."

Finally, Luca di Montezemolo took an obvious swipe at F1's dominant team, Red Bull.

"We do not make drinks, and I say that with all the possible respect for those who do. We are not a sponsor," the 65-year-old added, "we design and manufacture machines of the highest level."

From GMM

F1's 'summer break' is a rare slice of relief for the sport's hard-working men and women.

"The level of dedication (in F1) is quite high," said former Toro Rosso technical director Giorgio Ascanelli, explaining that outside the top teams, wages are not particularly high.

"Life in formula one is a life of self-denial," he told Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper.

During the month-long break between the Hungarian and Belgian grands prix, teams must close their factories for a mandatory two-week period.

"Of course," Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko admitted to Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper, "you don't switch the minds off too."

Photo: Red Bull Racing

But at the very least, the situation does force everyone involved in the sport to ease back the throttle.

Even the Christmas and New Year's period is "intense", former Ferrari spokesman Luca Colajanni admitted, because the new cars are now launched in January.

So the August break is "a win for everyone in formula one," Toro Rosso sporting director Steve Nielsen said.

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner added: "Everyone has earned the chance to recharge their batteries."

It will be confirmed in the coming days that tire manufacturer Cooper will replace Firestone as the official supplier to Indy Lights starting in 2014.

This announcement should not really comes as a surprise since the series has now been transferred to Dan Andersen and his company Andersen Promotions, which already has responsibility for USF2000 and Pro Mazda.

It also means that all three of the junior categories will use the same tire manufacturer, with Cooper already active at the two lower levels.

A decision regarding who will manufacture the next-generation car will be made in the next three months.

Photo: IndyCar

From GMM

Renault chief Remi Taffin does not think the cars will lose much of their speed as F1 moves from V8 to V6 power next year.

"I don't think we'll lose so much," the French marque's head of track operations told Russia's Championat.

"Formula one is formula one, and we want the cars to still be the quickest. And they will be fast," he said.

"I think that at the beginning of the season they will be slower than the current cars by a second, but after mid-season they could even be faster. It's always been like that, (such as) when we moved from V10 to V8, and when there were big changes in the aerodynamics in 2009," Taffin added.

Remi Taffin. (Photo: Renaut Sport F1)

What will definitely change dramatically next year, however, is F1's sound. Recently, Renault released an audio clip of its new turbo power, and now Mercedes has followed suit.

Renault's Taffin thinks F1 will be loud enough next year.

"Have you heard the GP3 cars?" he asked. "If you find yourself in the pitlane during their races, you are unlikely to last the whole race without earplugs. Yes, the sound of the (F1) engines will be quite different in 2014, but it will still be very loud. It will still be formula one."

Finally, Taffin said there has been progress with 2014 Renault engine deals for existing customers Caterham and Lotus.

"The fact that the contracts are not signed yet does not mean we are not already working with them (for 2014)," he revealed. "But the signing of the contract is not so simple: we're talking about technical matters, marketing, finance. We know that the talks will end positively, but some questions still remain to be answered."

From GMM

As one Brazilian driver's future hangs in the balance, yet another looks set to step onto the 2014 grid.

Livio Oricchio, the respected correspondent for Brazil's O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, reported recently that GP2 driver Felipe Nasr is likely to make his debut next year.

The 20-year-old, currently second in the GP2 standings, admitted in June he is "not far" from making the big step up to formula one.

Now, Brazil's Globo has quoted F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone as telling Nasr: "I'm here. Anytime you need advice, you can shout. I need a Brazilian driver."

Felipe Nasr. (Photo: GP2 Series)

Indeed, if Felipe Massa - currently F1's only Brazilian - does not get a new Ferrari contract for 2014, he has not ruled out simply quitting the category.

Bernie Ecclestone hinted that some F1 teams are interested in Nasr.

"I have talked to them a few times and people are really impressed with how he has developed over the last few years," said the 82-year-old Briton.

Nasr, however, warned: "The dream of reaching the top of world motor sport is close, but not easy. It depends on good results but also financial support."

From GMM

Valencia has been left off F1's provisional calendar for 2014, it has emerged.

Absent from this year's schedule, the street race was set to return next year according to a new agreement with Barcelona to annually alternate the Spanish grand prix.

But tickets for the 2014 Spanish grand prix at Barcelona went on sale in June.

Spain's El Mundo newspaper now claims Valencia is absent from the provisional 2014 calendar, which has not officially been published.

Leaks from an unofficial draft of the schedule, however, are doing the rounds.

The Madrid-headquartered El Mundo said: "The (Barcelona-Valencia) alternation is not signed and Catalunya has been planning its (2014) race for more than a month."

According to the leaked calendar draft, Barcelona will host the Spanish grand prix on May 11 next year.

From GMM

Russia on Monday moved towards ending the uncertainty over its inaugural grand prix at Sochi.

Earlier, the country's automobile federation, the RAF, missed the July 31 deadline to apply to host the race in 2014, due to failing to reach an agreement with the promoter, Omega.

But the Russian sports daily Sport Express on Monday said Omega is now set to reach an agreement with the RAF.

Whether the Sochi race can be held in 2014 will then rest on the FIA accepting 'force majeure' as the reason for the missed application deadline.

"We just couldn't miss the chance to reach an agreement," Omega general manager Oleg Zabara was quoted as saying. "We're set to sign an official contract with RAF this week before sending an application to stage the 2014 race to the FIA. We've already reached the agreement, which we now need to formalise."

Photo: Formula Sochi

From GMM

Vitaly Petrov may have some new power behind him as he pushes to return to formula one.

Earlier, after losing his Caterham seat and splitting with his manager, the Russian admitted he needed private backing if he wanted to get his career back on the grid.

But Petrov was at the German touring car series DTM's Moscow round at the weekend, wearing a Mercedes team shirt.

And he hinted to the Russian news agency Ria Novosti that organisers of next year's inaugural grand prix at Sochi are helping him find his way back to F1.

"Even the race track itself, they are helping quite a lot because they are talking with people. We are working together to find a seat for next year," said the 28-year-old.

Fellow Russian Sergey Sirotkin is heading to F1 next year due to the Sauber rescue deal, while Williams could also have a Russian on the grid after forming a partnership with the GP2 team Russian Time.

Asked about the Williams link, Petrov told f1news.ru: "I would be interested in discussing this project."

Marussia, the F1 team owned by the Russian supercar maker, could be another logical place for Petrov.

"I need to understand their plans, what they want and how they want to be in F1 -- just to have a car and drive or they want to grow up," he said.

Vitaly Petrov said he will attend next month's Italian grand prix at Monza.

Ganassi's Charlie Kimball took advantage from some good strategy to take his maiden IndyCar victory this Sunday at Mid-Ohio.

Contrary to most of the front-runners, who had opted for a two-stop strategy, Kimball took a three-stop approach which put him head to head with Schmidt's Simon Pagenaud, who was on a similar strategy.

But in the final stop, because of lapped traffic, Pagenaud was able to move in front of Kimball but a nice move at the Esses allowed Kimball to re-pass Pagenaud on the same lap, and before long he had built a lead that extended to 5.5 seconds at the finish.

Charlie Kimball. (Photo: IndyCar)

Pagenaud crossed the line in second, while Kimball's teammate Dario Franchitti was a distant third ahead of Team Penske's Will Power, who was first of the drivers to have two-stopped.

Pole sitter Ryan Hunter-Reay was fifth, while series' points leader Helio Castroneves claimed sixth.

Series debutants James Davison and Luca Filippi finished 15th and 16th respectively.

Results - 90 laps:

Pos  Driver  Team/Engine   Time/Gap

1. Charlie Kimball  Ganassi/Honda  1h43m29.1371s
2. Simon Pagenaud  Schmidt/Honda  +5.5334s
3. Dario Franchitti   Ganassi/Honda  +28.8735s
4. Will Power   Penske/Chevy  +42.5032s
5. Ryan Hunter-Reay  Andretti/Chevy  +46.3449s
6. Helio Castroneves  Penske/Chevy  +48.3249s
7. Scott Dixon  Ganassi/Honda  +48.5496s
8. Justin Wilson   Coyne/Honda   +49.0431s
9. Marco Andretti   Andretti/Chevy   +49.5609s
10. James Hinchcliffe  Andretti/Chevy   +49.9283s
11. Simona de Silvestro  KV/Chevy   +50.4925s
12. Sebastien Bourdais  Dragon/Chevy  +54.1360s
13. James Jakes  Rahal/Honda   +54.6693s
14. Oriol Servia  Panther/Chevy  +1m04.6395s
15. James Davison  Coyne/Honda  +1m05.4079s
16. Luca Filippi   Herta/Honda   +1m09.0090s
17. EJ Viso  Andretti/Chevy   +1 lap
18. Graham Rahal  Rahal/Honda  +1 lap
19. Sebastian Saavedra  Dragon/Chevy  +1 lap
20. Ed Carpenter  Carpenter/Chevy  +1 lap
21. Tristan Vautier  Schmidt/Honda   +1 lap
22. Takuma Sato   Foyt/Honda   +1 lap
23. Josef Newgarden  Fisher/Honda   +2 laps

Retirements:
Tony Kanaan   KV/Chevy  64 laps

In order to show its appreciation for the five million “Likes” it has received so far, Porsche has created a unique edition of the 911 Carrera 4S based on what 54,000 Facebook users said would be their ideal design.

Painted in an exclusive “Aquablaumetallic” and riding on 20” Carrera S wheels with a special paint finish in white, this special edition also features the “Aerokit Cup” package, consisting of a front apron with additional front spoiler lip and a new rear lid with fixed spoiler.

Inside, custom-made door sill plates with the wording “Personally built by 5 Million Porsche Fans” make this 911 Carrera 4S a genuine original.

In related news, Porsche is running a competition on its Facebook page until August 18th for the chance to win a drive in the one-of-a-kind 911 model at the Porsche Experience Center at Silverstone in the U.K. Nine scale models of the vehicle are also available for the runners-up.

Photo: Porsche

Photo: Porsche

Photo: Porsche

Subaru Japan has released the first official pictures of the new and highly anticipated BRZ STI performance coupe -- along with two words: “Coming Soon.”

Sources say the car will make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, where 9 world premieres have already been confirmed, including one from Subaru

Source : sti.jp

Photo: sti.jp

Photo: sti.jp

Photo: sti.jp

Charging towards the future
The maniacal pursuit of a solution for the future of mobility rages on. Manufacturers are scrambling to introduce their version of what will be (according to them) the solution. The key to consideration is offering something in every current cool or modern segment or sub-segment.

BMW is trying something a little different.

When they announced the “i” cars, the intention was to introduce the EV 2.0. Now, it's a done deal.

A revolution
The 2014 BMW i3 is, according to BMW, a revolutionary shift in what the next electric car is. I will wait to drive the car and ideally live with it for a weeklong test before I agree with the statement. For the moment, it looks that way on paper.

What I do agree with is what the “i” stands for: innovation/intelligent. This may also prove to be one of the most important days in the company's history. Clearly, this is big.

What the i3 could be is a shift in society that becomes a way of living. 130 years ago, individual mobility consisted of the horse-drawn carriage; then the car arrived. In BMW's words, the i3 is a reform, the next step, in individual mobility.

Here are more BMW words: They liken the i3 to what the mobile phone has done to society, but in urban mobility terms.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

A new way to build
The arrival of the i3 ushers in a new era of true sustainable mobility. It all begins in the way the car comes together. The carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) used for the all-new platform are made with the help of renewable hydroelectric power in the State of Washington. From there, the material goes to Leipzig, Germany where wind power is sourced for the assembly of the i3.

The entire production process is far more efficient and clean when compared to, for example, a 1 Series. Many building steps of the 1 Series are not necessary for the i3.

All forms of metalwork are skipped and, therefore, a number of steps and processes (including materials, chemicals) are unnecessary. In fact, all CFRP parts remain unpainted, only the thermoplastic body parts are. This also means that less tooling is required for the assembly process.

For those who want to know: up to 40 parts are made of CFRP on the new 2014 BMW i3. It might seem like very few, however, the entire structure of the i3 is made of CFRP and consists of only a handful of large fragments.

Design (and the materials used to bring designs to life) are evolving. The i3 and its use of CFRP and other materials shows that the move towards the over-used “sustainable” are inevitable. This also applies to the interior where renewable raw materials are found throughout.

The future of the car, the way they are envisioned and built, will continue to evolve. According to an expert, the next step will be a biological revolution -- but it is difficult to say exactly when it will occur. One thing is certain: the 2014 BMW i3 will be regarded as pivotal in the evolution of the car.

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Continue reading 2014 BMW i3: The new reality of urban mobility

Apple has developed a system that can automatically customize various elements of a car, like the driver's seat, steering wheel, and mirrors, based on information from a single device like an iPhone -- with or without interaction from said driver.

When two or more people share the same car, the system would memorize the individual settings so each driver wouldn't have to manually re-adjust the controls every time. A person could store his or her personal preferences onto a portable device, and when that device enters the car, it will send the appropriate configuration information.

Apple initially filed for a patent in 2012, and Thomas Ethan Lowry is credited as the inventor. Future applications could include house or hotel climate controls, television, lighting, and other home automation settings.

Source : appleinsider.com

Photo: Apple