Auto News 5

British motorsport publication Autosport Friday writes that teams are working to get the winter test sessions to be revamped in order to run the new turbo cars in January of next year instead of February.

The switch to normally aspirated V8s to the 1.6-litre V6 turbo is already a huge task, the teams, as well as the engine suppliers (Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes-Benz) want to track test the new motors as early as possible to ensure that everyone is as ready for the first race of the season.

Although no dates have yet been formally approved, Autosport has learned that F1 teams are now gearing up for an earlier than usual start to running because of the desire of engine supplier to get some track mileage done in January.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

They are currently edging towards a plan of getting a test done at Jerez in Spain in late January next year prior to some tests in the Middle East. The FIA is currently reworking that rule so it can then be approved by teams.

It is hoped this can be ratified at the next meeting of Formula 1's Sporting Working Group that takes place ahead of the Grand Prix of Spain in Barcelona.

The go-ahead for a January test would leave the door open for teams to prepare an interim test car for the V6 turbo engine test, but such a scenario appears unlikely because of the huge drain of resources that would require amid the extensive effort needed just to get a 2014 contender up and running.

While Fisker's demise has been a foregone conclusion for a little while, it was only on Tuesday that co-founder and COO Bernard Koehler admitted to the U.S. government that “the company may be obliged to seek bankruptcy protection to facilitate its continued efforts to preserve value for all stakeholders.”

At the same time, Koehler said he doesn't know exactly what the future holds for Fisker, including whether new investors will emerge.

The struggling electric car maker, which laid off 75% of its employees earlier this month, has some serious financial problems that are only getting worse.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), which seized Fisker's emergency reserve funds this week, is also under fire after a PrivCo report claimed it knew by December 2010 that Fisker wasn't meeting milestones required to keep drawing taxpayer funds, yet waited until June 2011 to cut off funding.

Source: The Detroit Bureau

IndyCar driver Alex Tagliani has officially announced this morning that he will be returning to the streets of Trois-Rivieres this coming August to take part in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series round.

Tagliani will be driving a car that will be prepared by none other than the current champion's team DJ Kennington. The NCTS event is one of the most exciting of the season and it will be presented during the week end of August 9 thru 11.

The Lachenaie, Qc. native is quite familiar with the urban circuit having raced there two-times in the Atlantic Series and also in NCTS, in 2007, 2008 and most recently in 2009, where he earned pole.

In 15 starts in the Canadian stock-car series, he has 1 win (Edmonton 2008) and his best result in Trois-Rivieres is an 18th place in 2009.

Subaru Canada will recall 1,000 all-new 2014 Forester SUVs because the floor mats can curl when exposed to heat.

A deformed mat could interfere with the driver when shifting his or her foot from one pedal to another. This could cause a delay in brake pedal application, which could increase stopping distances.

Subaru dealers will therefore replace the four carpeted floor mats in all affected Foresters.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: Mike Goetz

Panther DRR Racing, which has been competing in the IZOD IndyCar series since 2000, could be forced to shut down its operations after the Indianapolis 500 if the team is unable to find more sponsorship or a new financial partner.

Team owners, Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl are facing the hard reality: unless additional sponsorship is found, they won't be able to field a car for Oriol Servia.

“IndyCar racing is getting more and more affordable and it needs to continue that way but we just don't have the funds to continue past May,” said Reinbold, who informed Servia and the crew of their financial problems this week after returning from Long Beach.

Photo: Panther DRR

“I didn't see it coming. There were no signs because we never missed a test and we just bought some new equipment,” said Servia who began his career in CART in 1999.

“I knew we were a little short and one big deal fell through at the last second but I figured we'd be OK. It's sad because Dennis and Robbie have put together a damn good team," Servia added.

We auto critics at Auto123.com get to drive news cars every week. Over the years, this equates to hundreds if not thousands of new cars. The following is our list of cars per category that should be on all of our bucket lists.

Convertible: 2013 Mazda MX-5

Photo: Mazda

Continue reading 1 car per category that must be driven

Toyota's latest environmentally friendly vehicle, called “WE.ME,” actually has a polypropylene (polymer) body and all-bamboo interior, making it 100% recyclable.

The WE.ME was penned by renowned French designer Jean-Marie Massaud in collaboration with Toyota European Design & Development. Instead of featuring a conventional dashboard, it makes do with a single display panel that users can plug their smartphone into.

The seats are entirely removable, allowing for increased cargo capacity. In fact, the interior can turn into a picnic area, for example.

The Toyota WE.ME takes versatility even further, mind you. It can morph from a 4-passenger convertible into a 2-passenger pickup truck or even a 4x4 ATV.

Photo: Toyota

German car manufacturer, Audi intends to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June with a special, low-drag version of its R18 e-tron Quattro.

Audi will race a long-tail R18 at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps May 4, Round 2 of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

But the German team has already tested the long-tail car on Monza's circuit in Italy. The layout of the track was specially modified so that the chicane could be avoided, resulting on a very fast race track which resembles that of Le Mans.

The long-tail R18 features a lengthened rear section which is designed to reduce drag at high speeds. The rear wing is also position a bit lower, again in an attempt to increase top speed.

Porsche also produced a long-tail version of its mighty 917 to race Le Mans a little more than 40 years ago.

From GMM

Despite a mixed start to the 2013 campaign for Ferrari, test driver Marc Gene insists the mood at Maranello is "calm".

Spaniard Alonso won in China earlier this month, but before that he retired after a crash in Malaysia, whilst last weekend in Bahrain his victory hopes collapsed due to an ultra-rare DRS rear wing failure.

"It's the first problem of its kind on this system seen in the three years during which it has been used," the Italian team revealed in a media statement.

Because of those problems, and despite having a much more competitive car this season than in 2012, Alonso is already 30 points off reigning champion Sebastian Vettel's title lead.

DRS trouble for Fernando Alonso in Bahrain. (Photo: WRi2)

But Spanish test driver Gene, who travels to all the grands prix with Ferrari, said this week: "Despite what happened the other day, the atmosphere at Maranello is calm.

"It was an unusual problem that has never happened before and won't happen again," he is quoted by EFE news agency.

Marc Gene said he is confident Ferrari will overcome its early-season setbacks and fight back.

"I think this year we will fight until the end for both championships," he said in Madrid. "Red Bull is the benchmark, and Lotus is the other team that is very strong, but we also do not forget about Mercedes. The nice thing about this season is that there are many teams fighting for the top positions."

Asked about Dr Helmut Marko's claim this week that Red Bull fears Lotus more than Ferrari in 2013, Gene insisted that the reigning champions "should be scared of Ferrari".

"I think this is just psychological warfare," the 39-year-old insisted.

From GMM

Formula one testing has resumed at the Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire, UK.

There has been no F1 running at the Imperial War Museum facility since Maria de Villota was seriously injured, and lost an eye, in a crash whilst testing for Marussia last July.

But an unnamed team was in action on the runway at Duxford on Friday, and the local Haverhill Echo newspaper said more test days are booked for next Wednesday and also in May, June and August.

On Friday, Spaniard de Villota said in Madrid that she thinks Fernando Alonso will win this year's world championship.

"Soon everything will line up for him and he will not have so much bad luck; for me he is the most complete driver on the grid -- the perfect combination of talent, passion and work," she is quoted by the EFE news agency.

Sixteen-year-old Alex Guenette has confirmed that he will be part of the 2013 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series driving a Dodge car prepared by Dave Jacombs and backed by major sponsors Motos Illimitées and DLG.

Last year, Guenette took part in the Pro Truck Series where he earned Rookie of the year title. During the summer he lives and races in Quebec and in Florida for the rest of the year, where he competes in various winter series and completes his schooling.

In his rookie season in stock cars in 2012, Guenette won four of the 10 races. This past February, Alex raced in the NASCAR-sanctioned World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna Beach Raceway in Florida, in the highly competitive Pro Late Model Class, where he finished the series tied for second place in points. 

The team will be on track for a preseason testing session on the road course at the Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, on April 30. The first race of the 2013 Canadian Tire Series season will be held at the same track, on May 19.

Photo: Alex Guenette Facebook

From Audi

With a seasoned driver squad whose combined tally reflects a total of 478 races, 34 victories and four titles plus an Audi RS 5 DTM that has been optimized in many details, Audi is entering the 2013 DTM season on May 5.

Photo: Audi Motorsport

Technical innovations such as the use of option tires and a rear wing that can be adjusted by the driver on track make for an additional thrill this year.

The DTM has rarely ever before entered a new season with so many unknown quantities. Accordingly, there is a high level of suspense in the Audi Sport squad and Audi Sport Teams Abt Sportsline, Phoenix and Rosberg.

Photo: Audi Motorsport

After a winter of intensive work and positive track tests in the past few weeks, the mechanics, engineers and drivers are all looking forward to the first real comparison of strengths with BMW and Mercedes-Benz this year.

A rookie again, despite his 83 DTM races, is Jamie Green, who will be competing at his first race weekend as an Audi factory driver at Hockenheim. The Briton, who has previously won eight rounds - including four events at the Norisring - is the only newcomer to the driver squad of the brand based in Ingolstadt.

Other Audi drivers are Filipe Albuquerque, Mattias Ekstrom, Miguel Molina, Edoardo Mortara, Mike Rockenfeller, Timo Scheider and Adrien Tambay.

Photo: Audi Motorsport

In line with the compact schedule, the timing of the two most important events of the weekend has slightly changed as well: Qualifying starts at 14:30 on Saturday, May 4 and the race on Sunday at 13:30.

Geely Automobile Group and startup automaker Detroit Electric have agreed to develop electric vehicles and electric drivetrains for sale in China.

Ford has partnered with Shinola, a Detroit-based luxury products manufacturer, to develop a commemorative watch celebrating

Mitsubishi today forecast its operating profits will jump 48 percent in the fiscal year that began April 1, lifted by a favorable yen exchange rate as well as an anticipated sales surge in the United States.

Hyundai apologized for a spot, created by the agency Innocean Europe for use in the United Kingdom, showing a suicide attempt failing because the vehicle, the ix35 crossover, did not produce any harmful emissions.

The auction of the Don Davis Collection isn't going to break any records where volume is concerned: Just 64 lots are set to cross the block this Saturday, April 27, in Fort Worth, Texas.

and#8220;Grid 2and#8221; will hit video-game store shelves on May 28.

GM CEO Dan Akerson's compensation mix was changed in 2012 to accommodate the possibility he may retire before his long-term restricted stock vests in three years, the company said.

2013 Nissan Leaf First Drive

Good news for the .0001 percent.

Almost two and a half years after its introduction, the Nissan Leaf's sweet spot may be in sight. The Leaf now exceeds Lotus's annual sales every month and soon will better Lotus and Maserati together. Meanwhile, there have been no reports of garage fires while the Leaf is charging, and the lithium-ion batteries that were baking last summer in Phoenix, impinging the performance of some Leafs, have enjoyed a rare winter that brought a snowfall to the Valley of the Sun.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Nissan Leaf First Drive - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Nissan Leaf First Drive - Automobile Magazine

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