Auto News 5

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News 5 Jun, 2013

The latest on the new BMW X5, including release date, price and rumours ahead of its Frankfurt Motor Show debut

A new Magneti Marelli Automotive Lighting plant has been opened in Foshan, Guangdong province, in southern China.

European car sales rose for the first time in 19 months on strong demand in the UK and a rebound in Germany. Registrations in April increased 2 percent to 1.08 million vehicles from 1.06 million cars a year earlier, industry association ACEA said.

A surprise policy shift in China is expected to give a boost to VW Group, GM and other foreign automakers planning to expand in the world's largest car market.

Olivier Francois, chief marketing officer for Fiat and Chrysler, has helped rehabilitate Chrysler Group's image since its 2009 bankruptcy. Chrysler has racked up 37 consecutive months of year-over-year U.S.

Jaguar is rolling out a plan to refurbish its U.S. dealerships in preparation for a wave of new products. Regional Jaguar teams are going "door-to-door" to discuss the new corporate identity standards, starting with about 50 older stores.

Based on documents submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Jaguar may name the all-wheel-drive compact crossover it has in the works the XQ, and call a new compact sedan the Q-Type, according to news reports.

The redesigned Audi Q7 that debuts next summer in Europe will weigh about 363kg less than the current model, company insiders said, adding that Audi is also planning a hybrid version of the next-generation large SUV.

At the groundbreaking for the Q5 plant in San Jose Chiapa, Mexico, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler offered another explanation for deciding not to locate in the United States: The European Union slaps a 10 percent tariff on U.S.-built vehicles.

Fiat said the idea of moving the group's legal headquarters to the United States following a planned merger with Chrysler Group is not on the company's agenda.

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche was leaning back in the rear seat of a prototype Mercedes-Benz S-class sedan in 2010 when he realized it didn't recline far enough.

Russia's year-on-year car sales fell 8 percent in April after a decline of 4 percent in the previous month, the Association of European Businesses (AEB) said.

A federal judge in Kansas City, Kansas, ordered Dow Chemical to pay $1.2 billion in a price-fixing case involving chemicals used to make foam products in cars, furniture and packaging, according to court documents.

A surprise policy shift in China is expected to give a boost to GM, Volkswagen Group and other foreign automakers planning to expand in the world's largest car market.

Dick Trickle, one of the most popular if not one of the most successful NASCAR drivers, is dead at 71 year of age due to an “an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” according to local police in Lincoln County North Carolina.

The police report said authorities “received a call apparently from the victim that 'there would be a dead body and it would be his'. Communications Center workers tried to place a return call to the number but did not get an answer.
 The first emergency units arriving on the scene located the body lying near the victim's pickup truck.”

Trickle was one of the few early drivers from the United States Midwest to head to the then southern US states based NASCAR series to achieve national notoriety.

Dick Trickle. (Photo: NASCAR)

Rusty Wallace, a Cup Champion and NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee who comes from Missouri, tweeted “Dick Trickle was a friend, a mentor & one of the best drivers ever. Without him, I wouldn't be where I am now. I will miss him tremendously.”

Then Wallace added in an interview, “Dick Trickle was my mentor. When I was short track racing, I would call him every Monday morning and he would always help me with race setups and stuff. He and I had such a good time telling little stories, but he was the guy that taught me almost everything in the American Speed Association. And he was the guy that I battled right to the end for my 1983 ASA championship. I barely beat the guy that taught me everything.”

NASCAR's Chairman & CEO, Brian France, said in a written statement:
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Dick Trickle on his passing today. Dick was a legend in the short-track racing community, particularly in his home state of Wisconsin, and he was a true fan favorite. Personalities like Dick Trickle helped shape our sport. He will be missed.” 

Reigning Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski, who hails from Michigan, told reporters Thursday that Trickle "... was the most significant (short-track) racer in that era." Keselowski added. "His loss, in some ways, is a symbol of the end of that era. That's very sad to see."

Mark Martin an extremely successful driver who came from a Midwest background tweeted “Say it's not so. Sad news about a racing legend. Dick Trickle.”

One Trickle's crowning achievements was being named NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, in 1989, at 48-years of age. He was one of the oldest if not the oldest drivers so honored in NASCAR's premier series.

In a Cup career spanning 24 seasons and over 300 hundred races he had no victories, but he did have two wins in the Busch Series now known as the Nationwide Series.

Trickle was a short-track hero who won more than 500 regional races as a part-time driver from Wisconsin, according to longtime friend and former president of Charlotte Motor Speedway Humpy Wheeler.

“He won a tremendous amount of races but never got national acclaim because he won in a regional area,” Wheeler said.

Fifteen years of Sienna
The Sienna has been a successful nameplate for Toyota this past decade and a half. The first generation (1998-2003) worked especially well as it was deemed the Toyota Camry of minivans. At the time, and even today, that's a winning tagline.

By the time the 2nd gen hit the road, the end of the minivan was looming nearby. As players from other manufacturers began falling, Toyota decided to reaffirm its standing as a manufacturer dedicated to a dying breed. By 2011, the current Sienna was introduced, and this time Toyota put it all into design.

The 2013 Toyota Sienna is the looker of the segment, especially in its tested SE trim. Far more interesting to drive than one would imagine, the Sienna hurts where ergonomics and finish are concerned. Loaded with space, the less-than-user-friendly HMI mars what could otherwise be the best alternative to the equally heavy-hitting yet discounted Dodge Grand Caravan.


What is a Toyota Sienna?
The 2013 Toyota Sienna is a minivan -- one of four left on the North American market. Presented as the “swagger wagon,” the Sienna prides itself as the minivan with a little attitude, unusual for a Toyota product.

It is the minivan that offers the largest range of possibilities through powertrains and trim levels. It has the broadest price range and can be outfitted to near luxury car levels. It could be considered the best adapted minivan for our market thanks to its available AWD system. It was the second best-selling minivan last year.

Presented as the “swagger wagon,” the Sienna prides itself as the minivan with a little attitude, unusual for a Toyota product. (Photo: Olivier Delorme)

Technicalities
The 2013 Toyota Sienna is the only “full-size” minivan to make a 4-cylinder engine available. This 2.7L lump generates 187 hp and is only offered on the base 7-passenger LE.

All others gain the 3.5L V6 which significantly raises the power bar. Horsepower is rated at 266 and torque, 245 lb-ft. It is with this engine only that the Active Torque Control 4WD system can be had.

Pricing starts at $28,140 for the LE. The top line XLE AWD retails for $41,425, however, this is not where the buck stops as a $9,195 Limited package can be tacked on to the XLE which increases the price to $50,620.

All Siennas are equipped with a 6-speed automatic transmission and electric power steering.

La Toyota Sienna SE have a 3.5L V6 which significantly raises the power bar. Horsepower is rated at 266 and torque, 245 lb-ft. . (Photo: Olivier Delorme)

Driving the Toyota Sienna
The 2013 Toyota Sienna SE's sporty stance is equal parts show and go. The most noticeable aspect of the Sienna's drive is the weight of its electric power steering. Sporty and well dosed, the feel and response is better than that of the Odyssey -- another surprise. As well, its turning radius is very tight, especially useful in parking lots.

The ride is also eye opening. Controlled yet giving, it does not punish but firmly limits roll through on- or off-ramps. I would have preferred more brake-pedal feel, as well as quicker reactions, and more braking power.

The V6 is plenty powerful and generates a pleasing sound. The autobox plays nice with the engine and promotes spirited driving. In day-to-day driving, as a Toyota Sienna should be driven, it excels at “working.”

Its turning radius is very tight, especially useful in parking lots. (Photo: Olivier Delorme)

Inside and out of the Toyota Sienna
The 2013 Toyota Sienna, like its Japanese competitors, attempts to make itself look less like a minivan without affecting the fact that it is a minivan.

The Sienna's styling is fine, if not cool in the tested SE trim. Its wide squat bumpers give the Toyota a more seizing road presence that makes it most appealing to younger families. The SE gains 19” wheels, sport fascias and grille, and smoked headlights that make it the “hottest” of all minivans.

The cabin is roomy, as it should be, and all three rows are comfortable. The 3rd folds neatly and quickly into the rear load floor, and the 2nd features a stowable middle seats which is useless, save for a child under the age of 5.

The dashboard and its ergonomics are terrible. From the driver's seat, I had a hard time reaching a number of HVAC and audio controls. A shorter person will have an even tougher time making some adjustments. This is not something that mom or dad will get used to. As well, although fit is fine, the materials are deplorable. The textured hard plastics look cheaper than they probably are and tarnish the passenger experience.

The sport fascias and grille, and smoked headlights that make it the “hottest” of all minivans. (Photo: Olivier Delorme)

Comparing the Toyota Sienna
We did compare the 2013 Toyota Sienna with two of its three closest rivals and it fared OK. Its biggest downfall is its price/value quotient. It's no surprise here that the Dodge Grand Caravan is unbeatable.

The 2013 Toyota Sienna remains a positively good product, and the availability of AWD makes it a great alternative for families on less of a budget.

From GMM

McLaren has played down suggestions Honda will unfairly benefit from the great British team's continuing collaboration with Mercedes next year.

It was announced in Tokyo on Thursday that McLaren will be powered by 'works' turbo V6 engines provided by Honda from 2015.

But, before then, McLaren will run with customer Mercedes power next year, as the sport switches to the all-new and radical engine regulations.

The situation has raised some red flags: will the development of Honda's new V6 benefit from the insight gained from the ongoing McLaren-Mercedes pairing?

Is Mercedes' intellectual property in danger?

"We have discussed that at length with Mercedes," said McLaren managing director Jonathan Neale, "and we have made sure Mercedes has all the comfort it needs.

"It is not in Honda's interests either," he insisted. "Honda is very honourable as an organisation, as is Mercedes. McLaren will operate in a scrupulous way between both of those two organisations."

Jonathan Neale. (Photo: McLaren)

Jonathan Neale said it is in both Mercedes and McLaren's interests to ensure the 2014 collaboration - prior to the shift to Honda - is successful.

"We need each other to be successful, so we have a confidence in our partnership. We recognise there is mutual dependency. Although we are competitive on circuit, behind the scenes there is the highest of regard between the two organisations," he added.

Genuine Italian pasta is usually delicious. However, since the beginning of the 2013 Formula 1 season it seems that Pirelli has over-spiced Grand Prix racing, which now has a bitter taste.

Yes, I agree that today's F1 races are no longer processions of cars where the pole position holder -- usually sitting behind the wheel of a Red Bull -- drives away to an easy, totally unchallenged victory.

However, we are watching races that resemble a lottery and not real automobile racing. By wanting to spice up the on-track action, the deciders have gone way too far.

“Place your bets, please!”

The most frustrating aspect of today's style of F1 racing does not come from the unpredictability of the races, but from watching the most sophisticated machines being driven at just 70% of their possibilities throughout the entire race.

There's nothing exciting about seeing drivers forced to drive at a slow pace so as not to destroy their tires. That's a real concern.

Let's review what happened during last Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix:

Nico Rosberg planted his Mercedes-AMG W04 on pole position with a time of 1m20.718. The fastest lap of the race came from Sauber rookie driver, Esteban Gutierrez, with a time of 1m26.217 -- six seconds slower than Rosberg's pole time. And what about Nico during the race? His fastest lap was a 1m27.591, a staggering seven seconds slower than his qualifying time !

In comparison, Marcus Ericsson captured pole position for the GP2 series' race in 1m28.706. GP2 is a development series for future F1 drivers.

By wanting to improve the show, Pirelli has gone much too far and produced a tire which self-destroys in a handful of laps. We're also seeing a high number of tires that delaminate, a problem that could lead to terrifying accidents in high-speed corners.

Fernando Alonso, winner of the Grand Prix of Spain, made four pit stops to change his tires during the race. The Spaniard, therefore, used five sets of tires to cover a 300km distance, meaning each tire was only able to last 60km -- not great.

There are so many pit stops during a race that only race engineers and strategist -- not the fans -- can really understand what's going on. There's no real confrontation out on the race track because each driver is asked to follow a pre-established game plan, and not to fight with his rivals.

The drivers are completely lost and now have to ask their respective teams by radio: “Should I race this guy or not?” Or, “Sorry, I cannot drive any slower than this...” The deciders have to react, quickly.

Earlier this week, it was announced that Pirelli will bring updated tires to the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. Finally.

Photo: McLaren F1 Team

From GMM

Most formula one teams cannot afford to pay the prices quoted by engine manufacturers for next year's all-new turbo V6 engines.

Photo: Renault Sport F1

That is the claim of the German newspaper Bild, insisting that grandees Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes aside, the other seven teams are balking at the price demanded by F1's three V6 suppliers Renault, Ferrari and Mercedes.

"Even in Barcelona," said Bild correspondent Helmut Uhl, "you could feel the strange, invisible tension."

He wrote that, world champions and 'works' partner Red Bull aside, 2014 customers Williams, Caterham, Toro Rosso and even the highly competitive Lotus cannot afford to pay French supplier Renault the fee of EUR 23 million per season.

Mercedes, supplying McLaren and Force India, has reportedly lowered its price to between 18 and 20 million, while Sauber and Marussia are being asked for 15m by Ferrari.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz