Auto News 5

VW Group has confirmed a German newspaper report that said it will build a factory with an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles in Changsa, Hunan province, China.

Beijing Automotive Group, which makes vehicles with Daimler and Hyundai, started selling its first sedan based on Saab technology as it prepares to list its BAIC Motor Corp. unit in Hong Kong.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR SHERRICE GILSBACH: This

Some of the 204 Fiat dealers in the United States are struggling to turn a profit selling several versions of the Fiat 500 subcompact and some dealers said they anxiously await more details from Chrysler and its Italian parent, Fiat S.p.A.

From GMM

Sebastien Loeb, the most successful driver in world rally history, thinks Robert Kubica has more potential than Kimi Raikkonen.

In 2010 and 2011, Finn Raikkonen tried his hand at world rallying, and now former BMW and Renault driver Kubica - still recovering from his 2011 rally crash - is driving for Citroen in the second-tier world rally series.

"Robert's potential to reach the top is very good," Frenchman Loeb told Finland's Turun Sanomat newspaper.

"He is fast, he does need more experience but I think Robert will become faster than Kimi.

Both Kimi Räikkönen and Robert Kubica have competed in F1 and World Rallying (Photo: WRC)

"It's still difficult to say, but I can see that he really wants to develop.

"Kimi was really good straight away, but then was not able to improve in the way he wanted. He returned to F1 and won again, which shows just how completely different F1 and rally are.

"Robert is really serious about rally, and is working hard to improve," he added.

Kubica is currently unable to drive a single seater due to the restricted movement of his right arm, but he has been testing at the wheel of Mercedes' F1 simulator.

Mercedes' Toto Wolff played down suggestions the Pole is shaping up for a F1 return with the Brackley team.

"At the moment he's rallying, which I think is his decision at this time," he is quoted by Italy's Tuttosport.

"It's up to him if he wants to stay in rallying or return to formula one," added Wolff.

A recent photo shoot for the 2014 Ram Power Wagon ended badly when the prototype truck was lost at sea.

One witness (who also took these pictures) claims the Chrysler marketing team attempted to shoot the Ram on a beach near Trinidad, California. However, the pickup became lodged on the escarpment and got swallowed by the high tide.

“During a photo shoot, a Ram truck was lodged on some rocks on a beach when the tide came in,” a company spokesman confirmed. “The EPA inspected the vehicle and confirmed there was not any leakage from the vehicle's fluid tanks.”

Source: Automotive News

Nico Rosberg has made it a hat-trick of pole positions for Mercedes by claiming top spot for tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel in a front row clean sweep for the Silver Arrows.

Despite beginning the weekend in a low-key manner, Hamilton underlined the team's pace in Q2 by setting the fastest time, and Rosberg became the first driver to dip into the 1m20 times in Q3 with a 1m20.8 at around the five-minute mark.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes W04 (Photo: WRi2)

Once again on the medium tyres, Rosberg set his fastest time of 1m20.718 in the closing minutes of the session to take his third career pole.

In a disappointing session for Ferrari, which once again set the fastest time in FP3 this morning with Massa, local favourite Fernando Alonso finished fifth, with Massa finishing one position behind after having lost time in the final sector of his lap, which until that point, seemed good for a top-three position.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F138 (Photo: WRi2)

The Brazilian will also have to see the stewards after the session for allegedly impeding Mark Webber who will line up eighth, five positions behind teammate Vettel.

Mark Webber and Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel (Photo: WRi2)

Jenson Button's miserable weekend continued, after the Brit qualified a disappointing 14th on a day where teammate Sergio Perez eventually lined up ninth and put in a storming lap to finish Q2 in 7th in the largely revised MP4/28.

The Saubers of Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Gutierrez will line up behind Button in 15th and 16th, after tumbling down the order at the end of the frantic Q2 session.

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber C32 (Photo: WRi2)

Further down the grid, Giedo van der Garde won the battle of the Caterham/Marussia quartet with the heavily revised green car to line up 19th.

However, the biggest surprise in Q1 was that neither Williams made it through to the next session and will see Bottas and last year's winner, Pastor Maldonado, line up 17th and 18th.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E21 (Photo: WRi2)

Qualifying results* - Spain GP (Barcelona)
1.Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 1'20"718 - Q3
2.Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 1'20"872 - Q3
3.Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'21"054 - Q3
4.Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'21"177 - Q3
5.Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 1'21"218 - Q3
6.Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'21"219 - Q3
7.Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'21"308 - Q3
8.Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 1'21"570 - Q3
9.Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'22"069 - Q3
10.Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'22"233 - Q3
11.Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'22"127 - Q2
12.Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'22"166 - Q2
13.Adrian Sutil (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'22"346 - Q2
14.Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'22"355 - Q2
15.Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'22"389 - Q2
16.Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'22"793 - Q2
17.Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'23"260 - Q1
18.Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1'23"318 - Q1
19.Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'24"661 - Q1
20.Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'24"713 - Q1
21.Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1'24"996 - Q1
22.Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1'25"070 - Q1

Unofficial

Pros and Cons*
Pros
The 2013 Kia Optima provides a lot of bang for the buck, which is definitely its main competitive advantage. The driver-oriented instrument cluster, inspired design, great fit and finish, generous cabin space, well-balanced chassis and choice of engines combine to give the Optima a definite leg up on its competitors.

Cons
On the flipside, absence of an all-wheel drive option, overly firm suspension, and poor quality original equipment tires contribute to lower the overall comfort level of the Optima.


Price
The 2013 Kia Optima is available in seven different configurations.

The LX, which starts at $23,450, is equipped with standard air conditioning; steering wheel mounted controls, Bluetooth, 16-inch alloy wheels, AUX and USB ports as well as heated front seats.

You'll need an extra $2,400 to add the ECO-ACTIVE automatic transmission, power driver seat and rear air vents. The LX is the only model equipped with manual transmission as standard.

The LX+ comes with standard automatic transmission, auto-dimming rear view mirrors, compass and panoramic roof, with a starting price of $27,250.

Base price for the EX model is $28,250, which adds additional equipment including, backup camera, push start/stop button, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather covered steering and shifter knob, leather seats and UVO infotainment system.

The EX+, at $29,650, comes standard with panoramic roof

The $30,550 EX is equipped with standard 2.0 litre turbocharged 4-cylinder. In addition to EX+ standard equipment, the turbo has additional sport grille, larger brakes, wheel-mounted paddle shifters and rear spoiler. An extra $1,400 is required for the panoramic roof.

The Ex Luxury model is powered by a normally-aspirated 2.4 litre engine and is equipped with standard heated seats and steering, 18-inch alloy wheels and Infinity audio system, at a MSRP of $32,350 (or $33,850 with navigation package).

The turbocharged SX model starts at $35,450 and benefits from the complete lineup of available options.

Fuel Economy
The manual transmission and 2.4 litre engine combination delivers fuel economy ratings of 8.7 L/100 km city and 5.7 L/100 km highway while automatic transmission versions benefit from a 0.1 L/100 km reduction in overall fuel economy.

Turbocharged ratings consist of 9.2 L/100 km city and 5.8 L/100 km highway.

Exterior Styling
This mid-size sedan benefits from an exceptionally inspired, refined overall appearance. The triangular foglights, two-piece grille and flowing taillights make it unique.

Drivetrain
The base model 2.4 litre engine produces 200 hp and 186 lb-ft torque. It can be mated to both a manual or automatic 6-speed transmission.

The available 2.0 litre turbocharged engine delivers 274 hp and 269 lb-ft torque. The automatic is the only transmission option.

A hybrid version is also available.

Cargo Capacity
The 436 litre of available trunk space is on par with the Optima's main competitors.

Safety
Brake-assist, six airbags, electronic stability and traction control as well as an impacting-sensing system are some of the main safety features of the 2013 Kia Optima.

Comparable Models
Chevrolet Malibu, Dodge Avenger, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, Nissan Altima, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat.

Photo: Kia

*References
Joubert Antoine, L'annuel de l'automobile 2013, Montréal Transcontinental, 2012, p.340
Lachapelle Marc, Le guide de l'auto 2013, Montréal, Les éditions de l'Homme, 2012, p.360
http://www.kia.ca

What's New?
The lead on what is new has to be that Nissan announced a jaw-dropping price decease that averages $4,300 across all trim models. After that, a new SV Premium package which adds among other items rear sonar and backup camera, Dual zone AC and the Utili-Track™ bed tie-down system, seems to be the icing on the cake. PRO-4X models get equipment upgrades as well. Fuel efficiency has improved by 12% on some models with the addition of a seal between the bed and cab as well as the addition of a spoiler to the rear tailgate and a revised front spoiler. The Frontier will be available in S, SV, PRO-4X, SL (crew cab only). Body styles are King Cab (extended cab) and Crew Cab in both 2WD and 4WD as well as choice of manual or automatic transmissions.


Towing
Towing capacity depends on which body style and engine type is ordered. Nissan uses a fully-boxed steel frame for all Frontiers. The 4 cylinder Frontiers are rated at 1,588 kg (3,500 lbs). When properly equipped and with the V6, towing capacity increases to 2,948 kg (6,500lbs). Neither of these versions can be hooked up to any type of trailer except a conventional pull-type trailer.

Interior
Interiors of the Frontier vary from plain but durable cloth on the S model to leather-trimmed and power-operated on the Premium Leather package equipped Frontiers. A long list of equipment is standard and includes, but not limited to, excellent cab storage space, removable, under-seat storage bin and slide-on-rod sun visors. Features such as Bluetooth™ connectivity with streaming audio and Satellite radio are all optional (or part of a package) depending on the trim level ordered.

Powertrain
Frontier is available with either a 2.5 litre, 152 horsepower inline four or a 4.0 litre, DOHC, 261 hp V6. On basic models a 5-speed manual is standard and a 5-speed automatic is optional. On V6 engines, when offered the manual transmission is a 6-speed and the automatic is a 5-speed. Only the V6 models can be ordered with 4WD.

In Short
This is the year for Nissan to capitalize on the absence of competition since Colorado and Canyon from GM are taking a year-long hiatus from production. This leaves only the Toyota Tacoma as direct competition and the Frontier stacks up well against the Tacoma.

Fuel Economy
EnerGuide Canada rates the 4-cylinder, 2WD, 5-speed manual at 10.8 L/100 km and 8.6 L/100km for city/highway driving, respectively. The 4WD V6 automatic is rated at 14.9L/100 km. and 10.4 L/100 km.

Photo: Nissan

Vehicle Type: Hybrid Luxury Sport Sedan

Summary
The 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid is the world's first plug-in luxury vehicle. Contrary to the majority of hybrid offerings the Panamera S E-Hybrid does not sacrifice one iota of driving pleasure. Not only does it keep its promise to perform and handle, it also consumes very little fuel*. Porsche is expected to commence Canadian deliveries in the fall of 2013.

Price
The Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid starts at $113,300.

Fuel Economy
Porsche has accomplished an outstanding feat as far as fuel economy is concerned, witness the 7.1 L/100 km fuel ratings of its predecessor when compared to the expected 3.1 L/100 km rating for the 2014 Panamera S E-Hybrid, a whopping 56% reduction.

Photo: Porsche

Exterior Styling
The 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid has a more expressive exterior appearance with its tightened lines, larger front air intake ducts and highly accentuated, redesigned body panels. It has an enlarged rear spoiler and steeper back-glass angle, as well as a totally remodelled rear-end.

As was the case with the preceding Panamera, a variety of options are available to customise this German sedan.

Drivetrain
The 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid has a DOHC 333 hp V6 and 95 hp electric motor that is powered by a lithium-ion battery, which is 5X more powerful than the prior battery, for a total output of 9.4 KWH. This combination produces a total of 416 hp, delivered through an 8-speed Tiptronic transmission.

The 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid has an 18 to 36 km autonomy in 100% electric mode according to Porsche. It can reach 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and attain a top speed of 270 km/h (135 km/h in electric-only mode).

Tests performed in Germany claim that the 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid can be recharged in less than four hours using a standard 240 V outlet.

Safety

• A number of safety systems protect Panamera occupants such as:
• Adaptive speed control that intervenes if there is an impending crash;
• Onboard cameras that detect road signage and warn the driver;
• Front and rear seat belt pretensioners
• Parking assist

Comparable Models
2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid competitors include the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, Lexus LS 600h L and BMW ActiveHybrid 7.

Photo: Porsche

References ad Testimonials:
www.auto123.com
presse.porsche.de

One day after driving an IndyCar at Indianapolis Darlington polesitter Kurt Busch may be feeling that he had push-to-pass in his NASCAR Chevrolet SS.

The 2004 Sprint Cup Champion turned a lap of 181.918 mph Friday breaking a two-year old mark of 181.254 mph held by Kasey Kahne. It was his third career pole at the egg shaped 1.366-mile, oval.

Asked what it felt like after the speeds at Indy Busch said “when I first went out onto the track the car moved all around and had so much suspension movement. Yes, it was different, but I had to just zone right back into what I have done my whole career and that is driving stock cars. Secondly, you have to show respect to this track because it will jump up and bite you.  I mean running around at 218 (mph) is definitely faster than running around at 181 (mph) average.” 

Busch credited the tiny Furniture Row team which had gone to Victory Lane with Regan Smith here previously for giving him a fast car even if it didn't feel like it.

“Maybe I left a little bit on the table getting into (Turn) 3, but it didn't feel that fast,” said the 2004 Spring Cup champion. “And when it doesn't, that means the car was stuck really well. So that's just a tribute to these Furniture Row guys. The confidence they had coming here this weekend stems from the years ago when they won here with Regan Smith.

“All the changes we made in practice, all of them made sense. Sometimes we took a step back; sometimes we took a step forward. But we had a distinct definition on each of the changes. So the car has been feeling pretty good.”

Jimmie Johnson was second fastest qualifier with a speed of 180.974. Rounding out the top-10 in order were: Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick.

In addition to passing a Rookie Orientation Program at Indianapolis it's literally been a wild week for Busch who went airborne, last week at Talladega, landing former teammate, Ryan Newman's car.

“Yeah, it's been surreal. It's been an amazing ride,” said Busch.

“To have Andretti lineup a deal to where you can go and drive his Indy car in the month of May and post some speeds that are worthy of making the show. I had to pinch myself. That was a kid in the candy store feel. Then showing up today it's full on race mode. It is pretty sweet to get the pole and to lay down a track record at the same time.”

From GMM

McLaren team figures are downbeat in Barcelona, as a big upgrade for the uncompetitive MP4-28 car failed to fix the great team's problems.

"It definitely wasn't a good feeling today," said team boss Martin Whitmarsh on Friday, referring to the "huge effort" since Bahrain to prepare a visually different car for the first European race of 2013.

Hopes are now turning to a rush shipment of new wings, which are en route to Spain from Woking.

"I hope they will help us," Whitmarsh admitted.

Jenson Button qualified a lowly 14th aboard the revised McLaren MP4-28 (Photo: WRi2)

During the week, McLaren had played down the likely effect of the Barcelona upgrade, but Jenson Button could not hide his disappointment after practice.

"We're still a hell of a long way off the pace," he said.

His teammate Sergio Perez added: "At the moment it's not realistic to think we're going to be fighting for the title.

"It's the fifth race and we're still two seconds a lap slower."

From GMM

F1's winter test season will kick off early ahead of the 2014 championship.

Normally, pre-season running doesn't begin until February, but because of the radical new rules next year - including the shift to turbo V6 engines - some teams have been pushing for more testing.

That hasn't happened, but the teams have agreed to push forward the first of next year's three winter tests to January.

McLaren's sporting director Sam Michael also revealed: "There's the possibility of a non-European test or tests.

2013 winter testing kicked off in February (Photo: WRi2)

"I think there'll be a test in January and two in February."

Germany's Auto Motor und Sport said the first test, in January, is likely to take place at Jerez, Spain.

Renault engine boss Rob White said the limited test programme is no big problem, despite the huge regulation changes.

"We can do a lot of development work on the test rigs," he said.

From GMM

Pirelli is considering more tweaks to its tire design for 2013, following the failure at the rear of Paul di Resta's Force India on Friday.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton had an almost identical problem in Bahrain, where the tread peeled off the tire.

"It's a big concern for us," McLaren's Sergio Perez is quoted by Finland's MTV3 broadcaster.

"Every weekend we're seeing two or three cars with this problem. It could cause a very serious accident," added the Mexican.

Photo: WRi2

Pirelli, F1's official tire supplier, admitted it is also concerned.

"We're looking at it and seeing if there are things we can do to eliminate it," motor sport director Paul Hembery told reporters in Barcelona.

He admitted, however, that making significant mid-season changes is difficult.

"We are very limited in terms of tire tests," said the Briton.

"And if we change the structure, it can affect the aerodynamics, which could advantage or disadvantage some teams," he is quoted by Auto Motor und Sport.

A significant change for 2014, however, is on the cards.

"We will probably make the rear tires wider," Hembery said, "because the new engines have more torque."

From GMM

Munich prosecutors could be set to formally charge Bernie Ecclestone for bribery, the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reports.

The German report said authorities have now completed an investigation into the 82-year-old F1 chief executive's payment of millions to jailed F1 banker Gerhard Gribkowsky, and could publish the outcome this month.

If the court accepts the indictment, the trial would reportedly begin later in 2013.

Munich prosecutors, and Ecclestone's lawyers, declined to comment to Suddeutsche Zeitung.

Bloomberg reported on Friday that Gribkowsky has dropped the appeal against his eight-year sentence, having been convicted of receiving $44 million from Ecclestone amid the sale of the sport to CVC some years ago.

From GMM

James Allison's next destination in F1 will be known in two weeks.

That is the claim of former F1 driver Alex Wurz, who said in Barcelona on Saturday that he has spoken with Lotus' newly departed technical director since he decided to leave the Enstone based team.

The big paddock rumour is that Briton Allison, 45, is heading to Italy.

"He feels good in Italy," Austrian Wurz told ORF television from Spain, "but of course that could be Toro Rosso."

James Allison (Photo: Lotus)

Wurz knows Allison, who worked at Ferrari in the ultra-successful Michael Schumacher era, since his days as a Benetton driver in the late 90s.

"We worked together really well," he said.

"I have asked him what he's doing next, but he didn't want to say other than it will be (known in) two weeks."

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso hinted that Allison might have a future in red, but his boss Luca di Montezemolo played down the rumour, just this week.

Neverthelss, the fabled Maranello team's chief designer Nikolas Tombazis said in Barcelona: "I'm very good friends with James.

"I think he's a super bloke both technically and 'humanly'. I think that any team having him would be making a good buy."

IndyCar returnee A.J. Allmendinger has been confirmed as the driver for Team Penske's third entry for the upcoming Belle Isle Grand Prix Dual in Detroit.

The American will drive the No. 2 Quicken Loans Dallara/Chevrolet on the 2.3-mile street circuit. It is IndyCar's first doubleheader weekend, with races on both June 1 and June 2.

Allmendinger came back to open-wheel racing in 2013, following a six-year spell in NASCAR before which he competed in the defunct Champ Car series.

Allmendinger has raced in four Cup Series events for Phoenix Racing in addition to two IndyCar Series starts. He will race in the Indianapolis 500 later this month.

From GMM

McLaren will surely be Honda-powered in 2015, according to Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt.

Reporting from Barcelona, he said McLaren has let a deadline pass whereby it could have extended its customer deal with Mercedes beyond next season.

"That can only mean Honda in 2015," said Schmidt.

Reportedly, the Japanese carmaker - having withdrawn from F1 amid the global financial crisis at the end of 2008 - will not charge McLaren for its turbo V6 engines.

Honda, however, will surely subsidise its development costs with one or two customer deals, and Sauber and Lotus are thought to have already expressed interest.

"We are studying (the idea of returning to F1) as seriously as possible," Honda president Takanobu Ito said recently.

Lotus could be on the move due to the apparently high price of staying with Renault in 2014 and beyond.

Auto Motor und Sport said Renault wants to charge its customers between EUR 20 and 23 million per season, while the Mercedes engine will cost 17-19 million.

Ferrari is reportedly offering the cheapest package, with the price tag between 15 and 17 million.

Matt Kenseth established himself as the team leader of Joe Gibbs Racing with a convincing win at the Southern 500 at Darlington.

The 2003 Sprint Cup champion passed teammate, Kyle Busch, who led a race-high 265 laps with 13 laps to go for his third win of the year. Denny Hamlin, another teammate, finished second in his first full race following the back injury he suffered in February.

"He's a good leader," Gibbs said. "Denny and Kyle really like having him there and hearing what he has to say. And on the track, he's got a gift."

Busch seemed to have the race in hand but it turned out to be a slow leak in his right rear tire which ended what appeared to be an unbeatable run.

It's been a roller coaster of emotions for Kenseth, who joined JGR, at the beginning of the year. He's been capable of winning almost every race.  He had an engine problem at Daytona. Then, when he won at Kansas, NASCAR found a connecting rod that was underweight.

After the severest penalties NASCAR has levied his team got those penalties reduced on appeal this week. But Kenseth still lost his new crew chief, Jason Ratcliff, for this race.

It's no wonder Kenseth was elated with the win on Saturday night. "I don't know that I've had a win that feels bigger than this," said Kenseth who has two Daytona 500 victories to his credit. To be able to win a race at a track like this, especially the Southern 500, man, it's big.

In my mind, it's one of the biggest races we have of the year really.  It's just a special place to win at."

Kyle Busch who ended up 14th had no post-race comments. "Yeah, he definitely won't be happy, that's for sure," Hamlin said. "But it's tough when you have a car that was as dominant as his, then the last run, whatever happens happens."

As for his second place run "this is a tough, gruelling race," added Hamlin."Nothing to hang our heads about coming up second for second year in a row.

Jeff Gordon finished third in a Chevrolet his 700th consecutive Sprint Cup race.

Busch's only other serious competition came from Gordon's teammate Kasey Kahne who appeared to have passed him for the lead with around 50 laps remaining at the egg-shaped 1.366 mile track.

Only they made slight contact with 35 laps to go, Kahne lost control and hit the wall ending up 17th.

"Three times this year me and Kyle had contact and I had a chance, capable-winning cars, it's disappointing on the points side and not winning some of these races," Kahne said.

"Whether he hit me or just blew the air off, whatever it was, he blew his entry. I'm not sure what he was thinking on that."

The week kicked off with renderings of a Maserati MC12 successor. We also reviewed the