Auto News 5

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has just made the Ford Fusion Hybrid the winner of its first annual Canadian Green Car Award.

The announcement came during the Green Living Show in Toronto, which recognizes vehicles with the potential for strong environmental benefits and provides consumers with authoritative information about them.

“We are extremely proud that the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid has been honoured by our country's top automotive journalists as the recipient of the inaugural Canadian Green Car Award,” said Steve Ross, Ford of Canada's product marketing manager, sustainability and electrification.

Photo: Sébastien D'Amour

In addition to fuel economy and emissions, criteria for the award included environmental features within each vehicle, like the use of recycled or naturally sourced materials, as well as steps each manufacturer has taken to green its operations. Factors such as build quality, driving experience, overall content, availability, general consumer appeal, and pricing were also considered.

Other nominees were:

• Ford C-MAX Energi (finalist)
• Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (finalist)
• Mazda3 (finalist)
• Volkswagen Jetta TDI Clean Diesel (finalist)
• Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel
• Chevrolet Volt
• Ford Edge EcoBoost
• Ford Focus Electric
• Mazda CX-5
• Mazda6
• Mercedes-Benz B 250 Turbo
• Mitsubishi i-MiEV
• Nissan LEAF
• Smart Fortwo Electric Drive

Source: AJAC

The fourth and final Japanese automaker involved in a massive recall pertaining to the front passenger airbag has now announced the list of affected models, which amounts to 84,503 units.

They are:

• 2001-2003 Infiniti I35
• 2003 Infiniti FX35
• 2003 Infiniti FX45
• 2003-2004 Infiniti QX4
• 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima
• 2001-2003 Nissan Sentra
• 2002-2003 Nissan Pathfinder

As you're probably aware, the airbag may deploy with excessive force and rip apart, leading to possible injuries.

Domestic automakers haven't been spared, mind you. General Motors has issued a similar recall on the 7,000 Pontiac Vibe hatchbacks from 2003.

In all cases, dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger airbag inflator.

Source: Transporst Canada

Peugeot has released photos of its new beast: a 208 T16 that will be driven by nine-time World Rally Champion, Sebastien Loeb in this year's Pike Peak hill climb, June 30.

Photo: Peugeot Sport

The Frenchman will tackle the world's highest hill climb - which culminates at an altitude of 4,301 metres - at the wheel of the 208 T16 Pikes Peak which was specially engineered and built by Peugeot Sport. The event marks the French team's return to the classic American event after its memorable victories there in 1988 and 1989.

Photo: Peugeot Sport

“Its proportions are very different to those of the production 208,” said Michael Trouvé who is in charge of silhouette design at Peugeot's Styling Centre.

“This difference gives it an almost beast-like appearance. Peugeot Sport provided us with a number of technical constraints, such as the width, body height, location of the wheels and engine, and we worked to this brief to produce an extreme take on the 208.”

Photo: Peugeot Sport

The start line of the Pikes Peak is located at an altitude of 2,800 metres, which means that competitors face an altitude difference of some 1,500 metres. Meanwhile, the lack of oxygen is a challenge not only for the engines - which can lose up to 30 per cent of their power.

Peugeot will soon release information about the engine and the final livery of the 208 T16.

Photo: Peugeot Sport

Photo: Peugeot Sport

Photo: Peugeot Sport

General Motors and Ford have announced a partnership to develop an all-new generation of advanced, 9- and 10-speed automatic transmissions for cars, crossovers, SUVs, and trucks -- both in front- and rear-wheel drive variants.

The new agreement will enable both automakers to design, develop, engineer, test, validate, and deliver these new transmissions faster and at lower cost than if each company worked independently.

This is the third time in the past decade that GM and Ford have collaborated on transmissions. The alliance started with a 6-speed autobox for the Chevrolet Cruze, Malibu, Traverse, Equinox and others. Ford used it for the Fusion, Edge, Escape, and Explorer.

Further technical details and vehicle applications for these 9- and 10-speed transmissions will be released by each company at the appropriate time before launch.

Bugatti has just set a new speed record for open-top production sports cars, reaching 408.84km/h with a Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. The feat took place at Volkswagen Group's proving grounds in Ehra-Lessien, Germany.

The 1,200-horsepower roadster will be sold in a World Record Car (WRC) Edition, which is limited to eight vehicles at €1.99 million (about $2.5 million) apiece.

Look for it to make its global debut next week at Auto Shanghai 2013.

Photo: Bugatti

The opening event of the 2013 World Endurance Championship (WEC) season was held last weekend at Silverstone, UK, and I couldn't help notice how twisted reality can be sometimes.

The 6-hour race on Sunday was the first round of a great, season-long battle between Audi and Toyota. A battle in which Audi -- it must be said -- has a psychological edge.

Simply put, the Ingolstadt manufacturer is No. 1 in the public's eye. Why? Because of its recent successes at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, of course!

Since 2004, victory has slipped out of Audi's grasp only once, when the win went to Peugeot in 2009.

How you do at Le Mans matters; it's what the spectators remember. As it turns out, Audi hasn't done so well everywhere else. Peugeot had the R15 and R18 beaten with its 908. Same goes for the still-young Toyota TS030, which in 2012 defeated the mighty Germans three times.

Shame then that we only remember Le Mans. It's as if the other races don't matter. Audi actually tailors its cars around the specific needs of the French track, with very slim, low-drag bodies. That's right: Audi builds its cars just for Le Mans because nobody cares who won the 6 Hours of Shanghai or the 6 Hours of Bahrain.

The reality of world rallying is equally twisted: I fell off my chair the other day when I heard somebody talk about the success Subaru is enjoying at the moment. Yup, the same Subaru that pulled out of the WRC five years ago, in 2008 -- and won its last world rally in 2006 (i.e., seven years ago).

Photo: WRI2

Too many people think Subaru is still involved, and winning, in the world championship, just like too many people think Honda is still in F1, and Mercedes-Benz still in IndyCar.

I'm not saying people are badly informed, I'm just impressed by the PR people of racing who manage to give whoever they represent credit for wins in series... they're not even in.

Maybe it's the future of sponsorship!

From GMM

Williams will survive if Toto Wolff withdraws his major stake in the famous British team.

That is the vow of Claire Williams, who is founder and boss Sir Frank Williams' daughter and the new deputy principal of the Grove based team.

Austrian Wolff bought into Williams in 2009, but over the winter he also became a co-owner of F1 rival Mercedes.

Because of his new management role, Wolff no longer works at Williams, but he has vowed to end the 'conflict of interest' by finding a buyer for his team stake.

Toto Wolff with the Williams' driver Valtteri Bottas. (Photo: Williams F1 Team)

He has pledged to do it responsibly.

"I cannot just go into the market and say 'who wants to buy these (Williams) shares' and that's it," Wolff told Reuters. "If I sell, I have to find somebody who is responsible enough, who is coming in for the sport, who understands how the team functions, hopefully a sponsor. And this is not so easy to find somebody who is suitable."

Time could therefore be on Williams' side, but Claire Williams insists that - no matter what ultimately happens - the health of the team is not at risk.

"Toto is a big shareholder and he's a great shareholder," she said.

"If he feels there's conflict then he has to make the decision in the best interests of his position and we would respect that. But we'll wait and see what happens. We are doing a good job on the commercial front," Claire Williams added.

"We are financially stable and have a good healthy budget to go racing with. We're not complaining about that and there aren't concerns that we aren't going to be here next year."

Wolff's wife Susie is a Williams test driver.

Photo: Williams F1 Team

Tesla Motors President and CEO Elon Musk announced during a recent trip to Texas that his company is looking to expand and considering a second plant, possibly in the Lone Star state.

His wish? To produce a battery-powered electric pickup truck that would have “the performance of a sports car but actually more towing power and more carrying capacity than a gasoline or diesel truck of comparable size.”

Musk also proclaimed that Tesla would invest “tens of millions of dollars” in additional showrooms and service facilities. However, the company is asking the Texas legislature to revise the strict franchise system, as it did in numerous other U.S. states. The saga continues...

Source: The Detroit Bureau

According to Radio Le Mans, Mark Webber has signed a five-year deal to spearhead Porsche's Le Mans assault as of 2014.

The Australian has suffered a difficult start to the 2013 Formula 1 season, with the Multi-21 affair in Malaysia, and then enduring a nightmare weekend in China which saw Webber pushed to the back of the grid following a fuel irregularity in qualifying and then the rear wheel parting company from his RB9 in the race which forced him into retirement following a pit stop.

To compound Webber's misery, he will also take a three-place grid drop in this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix after colliding with Jean-Eric Vergne's Toro Rosso in yesterday's race.

Citing information from the F1 paddock, Radio Le Mans broke the news during the World Endurance Championship's season opener, the Six Hours of Silverstone, that Webber had signed a five-year deal with Porsche beginning next season, when the Stuttgart marque returns to sportscar racing as an official manufacturer.

Mark Webber. (Photo: WRi2)

However, neither party have confirmed or denied the rumour, despite Porsche shedding some light on the situation.

"There is a test plan, and for sure Mark Webber is not part of them,” said Wolfgang Hatz, a member of the Porsche management board.

Despite the comments seeming like an immediate rebuff to Webber, Hatz's comments further reveal that teaming up with former Formula 1 drivers for next season was not impossible.

"We can have perhaps some F1 drivers in the future,” he continued, “but it is not necessary."

"We will use some of our own drivers and add some external drivers - we have two cars and need six drivers next year.”

"We still have plenty of time to decide our driver line up," he added.

"What we need is the best combination of drivers that fit together. LMP1 is a team sport, and if you have three of the quickest drivers I am not sure that this is the best way.”

Meanwhile, Webber has remained silent on the rumours following yesterday's race and has not mentioned anything on his official page, Twitter or to the media.

The Australian previously raced at Le Mans in 1999 for Mercedes.

After a week driving Volkswagen's new Jetta Hybrid in late February, I'd virtually tied the mileage I achieved a few months earlier while driving their Jetta TDI. After highway-intensive tests of both, I logged 6.7 and 6.9L/100km, respectively.

For accuracy, these real-life figures are measured by hand, not taken from the driver computer. The hybrid was at a relative disadvantage being tested in the cold and on winter tires. The TDI was on all-seasons in late spring.

At the end of the day, the difference in mileage between the two testers was negligible for where and how I drive.


Why a hybrid?
Why offer a Jetta Hybrid when you've been selling Canadians a diesel-powered Jetta TDI for decades?

Choices. Shoppers willing to pay a premium for a fuel-saving powertrain love them. So, as a business decision, the 2013 VW Jetta Hybrid makes sense to tap into a new market segment.

A seamless powertrain
The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid has a turbocharged engine and an electric motor that makes heaps of torque when fed electrons by the trunk-mounted battery. Coast or brake, and roles reverse as the battery is fed electrons by the motor, which acts as a generator when it's not driving the wheels.

Request acceleration, and stored electricity helps drive the car, lightening the load on the gas engine. At lower speeds, the 2013 Jetta Hybrid can run solely on electricity. This is all invisible to the driver, albeit for some readouts that visualize what the systems are up to, and an occasional squirm in the power delivery or an audible clicking of a relay.

Other than a missing chunk of trunk space to facilitate the battery, the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid literally operates, drives, and functions like any other car. You could lend it to you mother without explaining a thing, save for how the gas engine shuts off at traffic lights and hasn't stalled.

At lower speeds, the 2013 Jetta Hybrid can run solely on electricity. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Learning curve?
If this is your first hybrid car, there's nothing much to get used to other than the brakes. Like most hybrids, the Volkswagen Jetta's pedal isn't attached directly to the brake system, since a blend of traditional hydraulic brakes and electric-motor resistance are summoned by the pedal to slow the car.

The brakes are powerful when jammed hard and stop the 2013 Jetta Hybrid in a jiffy. Less pressure and it feels like the pedal is attached to a glob of Cheez-Whiz -- they feel squishy, inconsistent, difficult to modulate, and often cause lurching while stopping as your foot subconsciously re-learns the brake pedal every time.

Steering, additionally, is vague and light. The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid isn't opposed to spirited corner carving, though driving enthusiasts gravitating towards the Jetta's sporty reputation may be a little disappointed.

The brakes are powerful when jammed hard and stop the 2013 Jetta Hybrid in a jiffy. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Surprising performance, ready to save
The 2013 Jetta Hybrid puts 170 combined horsepower and even more torque under its driver's right foot, alongside lightning fast gearshifts from the 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) automatic transmission. Hammer down to get by slower traffic, and the Jetta Hybrid goes like all electric-assisted heck.

Screens display the hybrid system's current state, and the tachometer is replaced by a metre that shows whether the powertrain is in “charge,” “eco,” “power” or “boost” state. The latter was my favourite, and it announces that the turbocharger and electrons are all fired up for fun.

On the other side of the equation, you can drive with a light foot by using the gas-saving “E-Mode” which optimizes the powertrain for low-speed, electric-only driving. This means more sitting back and smiling smugly because, at times, you're rolling along sans fuel.

Other notes
I enjoyed the potent Fender stereo, comfortable leather seats, and especially the powerful adaptive xenon lights which drench the road ahead with clean, white light. This made confident work of tackling a 600-kilometre, after-dark road trip. A premium-feeling cabin with all the toys helped create an upscale atmosphere to take on the drive.

Even with winter tires mounted, the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid's ride was relatively quiet at speed. The suspension felt firmly sporty, robust and tough, adding to an overall feel of quality. It's ultimately a nice, relaxing and particularly premium-feeling car to drive. The 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid feels every bit a Jetta where ride quality is concerned, and that's a good thing.

I enjoyed the powerful adaptive xenon lights which drench the road ahead with clean, white light. (Photo: Justin Pritchard)

Choices
Volkswagen is giving shoppers choices when it comes to reducing fuel costs and going further on every tank of fuel.

My choice? The TDI. I like hybrids. But I like the massive torque of the TDI's diesel engine better. I also like that you can get a Jetta TDI with a manual gearbox. The Hybrid only comes with an automatic.

I'd strongly suggest test driving both models if you're considering either one.

From GMM

F1's tire situation will change after this weekend's Bahrain grand prix.

Pirelli's heavily degrading 2013 product is dominating the sport at present, to the point that - according to Mark Webber - it is "a bit WWF".

That is a reference to the American 'fake' professional wrestling federation, with that sport taking a back seat to choreography and elaborate plots.

"At the moment it (F1) is not much to do with racing," reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel was quoted on Sunday by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

Photo: Pirelli

Like Red Bull, Mercedes has also been pushing Pirelli hard for a change of tack.

"Pirelli has a plan," team chairman and shareholder Niki Lauda said on German RTL television in China.

It is believed new harder compounds that last longer will be brought to May's Spanish grand prix, the first European race of the season.

"I can break the good news that the situation will change from Barcelona. Then it will get better," said Lauda.

He said the decision has been made for the good of the sport.

"It's just that there is so much confusion. The tires need to last longer," said the triple world champion.

Meanwhile, Bernie Ecclestone reportedly told British Sky television on Sunday that - also from Barcelona - Pirelli will supply more tires to teams for Fridays, to ensure more action than has been seen in practice so far in 2013.

From GMM

Even amid McLaren's competitive slump, the spotlight is shining ever more brightly on Sergio Perez.

The young Mexican was signed by the British team to replace Lewis Hamilton this year and beyond, but some linked the deal with his commercial ties to billionaire Carlos Slim.

He struggled notably in China, admitting it "wasn't my best weekend in terms of pace".

Martin Whitmarsh and Sergio Perez at Woking. (Photo: McLaren)

Sergio Perez also got caught up in on-track incidents, most notably with Kimi Raikkonen, who screamed 'What the hell he's doing?' after being run wide and colliding.

When the Finn discussed the incident in the green room prior to mounting the podium, third-placed Hamilton agreed: "He (Perez) was all over the place."

Martin Brundle, a former McLaren driver turned British commentator, is quoted by Speed Week as suggesting Nico Hulkenberg would have been a better pick for 2013.

"I still don't understand why McLaren didn't sign this guy (Hulkenberg) up. His talent is abundantly clear. I would have signed him ten times before (signing) Perez," said Brundle.

Nico Hulkenberg. (Photo: Sauber F1 Team)

For now, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh is backing his new 23-year-old driver.

"In terms of the (Raikkonen) incident, I said to him (Perez), 'You have to be out there racing'. That means sometimes you've got elbows and you've got to be robust without being dirty."

From GMM

Some members of F1's travelling circus admitted their frustration at the end of the Chinese grand prix.

"It's quite excruciating," McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh is quoted by the Telegraph, "trying to save tires non-stop from start to finish. It feels painful, and however bad it is for me, it must be a lot worse if you have to drive like that."

He is referring to the new situation caused by Pirelli's rapidly-wearing 2013 tires. Some hail the new era that stands in stark contrast to a decade ago, when quite often the pole sitter would be predictably unchallenged to the chequered flag.

Photo: McLaren

Others, however, say F1 is racing away from racing itself.

"Balance of power? At the moment that's a bit of a joke," said world champion Sebastian Vettel on Sunday when asked his thoughts about the respective strength of the teams.

"It doesn't have much to do with racing, if all you're doing is going easy on the tires. If you lose five seconds per lap just because of the tires, that doesn't have much to do with the skill of the driver or how good is the car," he told SID news agency.

Indeed, throughout the Shanghai race, drivers and engineers could be heard on the radios wondering if they should go wheel-to-wheel with their rivals, or simply stick the plan of a strategy based on nursing tire life.

"Previously you could attack," said Vettel, "but now, when it comes to fights, you're a bit in the dark. Twice today I didn't try to defend myself, because it would have just been shooting myself in the foot."

Photo WRi2

1997 world champion turned TV pundit Jacques Villeneuve agreed on Canal Plus : "I saw a few corners of action and then everybody taking care of their tires. That's not real racing."

According to Niki Lauda and Bernie Ecclestone, the situation could change after Sunday's Bahrain grand prix, with Pirelli reportedly taking a different tack for the European season and beyond.

Told that the status quo is difficult for the spectators to understand, Chinese grand prix winner Fernando Alonso said: "It's the same for us (drivers) too!"

Lauda is quoted by APA news agency: "You have to wonder if it's necessary for the tires to be so on the limit, when everyone has to go in the box just after starting a race. It's so complicated, especially for the spectators."

Photo: Ferrari

From GMM

Explosions near the F1 track in Bahrain have marked the travelling circus' quick march from China to the island Kingdom.

AP news agency said 'a series of explosions', including a gas cylinder that set a car ablaze but injured no one, set the tone in Bahrain on Sunday, one week before formula one's most controversial annual race.

Bahrain authorities, however, have pledged "adequate" security for the grand prix, which has been under a cloud since the 2011 edition had to be cancelled due to clashes between the government and protesters of the regime.

Albeit expecting there to be some trouble this weekend, Force India deputy boss Bob Fernley said he is not overly worried.

"You'd be a bit foolish to think there's not going to be some sort of protest and things like that," he told Reuters. "If formula one activates some protests and they want to get things off their chests, that's good as well."

But last year, after a petrol bomb incident, Fernley ruled that Force India would sit out a late practice session so that team members could safely travel from the circuit back to the hotel before nightfall.

Recalling the incident, Bob Fernley said in Shanghai: "Once we'd got over that initial hiccup, we were fine."

IG Metall said supplier Schaeffler plans to cut up to half of its 1,500 jobs at a facility in western Germany.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: In my opinion this has got to be one of the most comfortable sedans you can get. For example, I love the seats. Now, are they grippy and firm and racy? No.

Continental posted a sharper-than-expected drop in first-quarter sales as the slump in core European auto markets was exacerbated by bad weather and fewer working days.

Supplier Continental AG posted a sharper-than-expected drop in first-quarter sales as the slump in core European auto markets was exacerbated by bad weather and fewer working days, Euro am Sonntag reported, citing finance chief Wolfgang...

NASCAR's Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski was furious about the way his team was treated this weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway.

Both Penske cars failed a pre-race inspection for improper rear end settings. Both Keselowski's No. 2 and Joey Logano No. 22 had to replace the rear axle causing them to get to the starting grid late.

Even though Logano finished fifth and Keselowski finished ninth, Keselowski the reigning Cup champion was fuming:

“I have one good thing to thing to say and that was my team and the effort they put in today in fighting back with the absolute (expletive) that's been the last seven days in this garage area,” Keselowski said.

“The things I've seen over the last seven days have me questioning everything I believe in. I'm not happy about it. I don't have anything positive to say and I probably should just leave it at that.

“There's so much stuff going on you guys have no idea, you have no (expletive) idea what's going on. That's not your fault. I can tell you there's no team in this garage with the integrity of the No. 2 team. And the way we've been treated over the last seven days is absolutely shameful.

“I feel like we've been targeted over the last seven days more than I've seen a team targeted in my life.”

After the race, won by Kyle Busch, NASCAR announced that Truex's car failed inspection - too low. And that Keselowski's Ford was being taken back to its' Concord, N.C. R&D Center as the “random” car for inspection.

You'd think that after seven weekend NASCAR sweeps Kyle Busch wouldn't be very excited and you'd be wrong.

After leading much of the NRA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway Busch - who won the Nationwide race on Friday - fell behind a determined Martin Truex Jr. then came a final caution, for debris, on lap 315.

As pole sitter, Busch's team had picked the first pit stall and also performed a blazing fast pit stop. The result? He came out of the pits three car lengths ahead of Truex Jr.'s Toyota. Busch beat Truex on the final restart and held him off for the final 20 laps. It was his second win of the year and 26th in Sprint Cup.

That seventh sweep is a NASCAR record.

Kyle Busch put on a real show in Texas (Photo: Kyle Busch@Facebook)

“It's just an amazing feeling,” Busch said adding “I'm jacked up. We're in Victory Lane, in Texas, finally in the Cup Series. Man, if it wasn't for my pit crew.”

As Truex, who was in a 209 race winless slump said “the race was over when we came out of the pits.” Later he added “second is a great accomplishment, but it's not what we're here for.”

Carl Edwards finished third in a Ford said “the tail pipe, something broke or cracked in the tail pipes and I thought the engine was blowing up, the whole race, that got worse.  On one of the restarts I tightened my belts and I unhooked my whole seat belt system coming to green.”

“Unfortunately, we came home third, but that's a gift for us.  I know Martin's not happy with second, but I'm real happy with third.” Greg Biffle finished fourth.

Kurt Busch who started second finished 37th and well off the pace.