Kia Canada has revealed pricing and content detail of the all-new 2014 Kia Soul at the Montreal Auto Show. The company has also reunited the Forte family by revealing pricing and content detail of the all-new 2014 Kia Forte 5-Door and Forte Koup.
While the Soul is currently on sale across the country, the two new Forte models will be available before the first quarter of 2014 ends.
2014 Kia Soul
Based on the Track'ster concept, the second-generation Soul delivers improved handling courtesy of a stiffer chassis and revised suspension. From a design standpoint, the large trapezoidal lower air intake is nearly a direct carryover from the concept, and the unique body-coloured "floating" panel inset into the liftgate originated with the Track'ster as well.
The roomier cabin of the 2014 Kia Soul was given a more premium look and feel. Highlights include push-button start, a round shift knob, and steering-wheel mounted controls that are housed in Soul-exclusive circular groupings along the lower spokes. Let's not forget the available 8'' touchscreen multimedia interface and leather seating.
Prices - Soul
LX (manual transmission): $16,995
LX+ (manual transmission): $18,595
LX (automatic transmission): $19,495
EX (automatic transmission): $20,795
EX+ (automatic transmission): $21,995
EX ECO (automatic transmission): $22,595
SX (automatic transmission): $23,595
SX Luxury (automatic transmission): $26,995
Photo: Kia
2014 Kia Forte 5-Door and Forte Koup
Boasting European-influenced style, these two Forte models offer a 2.0L engine rated at 173 horsepower and a 1.6L turbocharged engine producing 201 horsepower.
The sporty interior features premium materials and soft-touch points including carbon fibre-textured materials on the dash and seats. You'll also find Bluetooth connectivity, SiriusXM satellite radio, steering wheel-mounted audio and cruise controls, front fog lights, heated sideview mirrors, and heated front seats.
The all-new 2014 Honda Civic Si Coupe made its Canadian debut today at the Montreal Auto Show. Starting at $26,655, the sportiest version of Canada's top-selling car for the past 16 years has been rejuvenated thanks to a sharper silhouette and more youthful, energetic styling.
The 2.4L i-VTEC engine under the hood of the 2014 Honda Civic Si Coupe is also more powerful (205 hp vs. 201 hp). It remains paired with a close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox, however.
Exterior highlights include a redesigned front fascia, a distinctive grille and bumper, a new taillight design, and 18'' wheels.
The 2014 Honda Civic Si Coupe interior is sportier than ever courtesy of an exclusive seat fabric and decoration in a dynamic black/red combo. There's an all-new 7'' touchscreen and the latest generation of HondaLink.
The Nissan's full-size Titan pickup will become the automaker's next crowd-sourced project vehicle, the Japanese company announced on Wednesday during a special media event at the 2014 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show and Conference in Las Vegas.
Photo: Nissan
With ''Project Titan,'' fans will take to social media to submit their ideas for the ultimate off-road capable truck equipped with customized features designed to conquer extreme terrain.
In the months to come, additional phases will roll out and be communicated via Nissan's Twitter account (@NissanTrucks, #ProjectTitan) and Facebook page (Facebook.com/NissanTrucks).
Project Titan will build upon the success of its predecessor, Project 370Z.
Sahara Force India Formula 1 team announced Thursday an exciting multi-year partnership with Roshfrans, the lubricant oils specialists from Mexico.
Founded in 1955, Comercial ROSHFRANS S.A. de C.V. is a Mexican company dedicated to the formulation, manufacture and distribution of lubricant oils and greases.
A few years ago, Roshfrans sponsored several Mexican drivers who competed in the CART/Champ Car series, and also became an official partner of the ChampCar series.
The agreement will see prominent Roshfrans branding on the team's new car, the VJM07 (rear wing endplate) as well as on the drivers' suits, helmets and team clothing.
Let's underline that Sahara Force India's new recruit, Sergio Perez is a Mexican.
Visitors at the 2014 Montreal Auto Show can charge their electric vehicles at the two service areas in the underground parking garage (accessible via rue Cheneville) thanks to a partnership agreement between the Electric Circuit and Palais des congrès.
"We have been committed to sustainable development for more than a decade, so we are pleased to offer this new charging service for electric vehicles to our customers and visitors," said Gaétan Prud'homme, Director of Building Management for the Palais des congrès de Montréal. "Having these two new charging stations installed is perfectly in line with our desire to continue to develop sustainable services while managing our infrastructures in the most environmentally responsible way possible."
With this addition, the Electric Circuit now has 55 corporate partners and close to 250 charging stations across the province of Quebec.
More than ten years ago a sponsorship extension of team that wasn't in position to contend for a championship would hardly raise an eyebrow. Wednesday it was big news.
In today's tough economy even the biggest NASCAR teams seem to be struggling to get a 14-race deal on the side of name driver's car. The announcement of Smithfield Farms three-year extension of Richard Petty Motorsports and driver, Aric Almirola, coupled with increased support (meaning funds) for 29-races isn't the light at the end of the tunnel but it's a good start.
What makes the development extra special is that the company known for pork products was acquired by a Chinese company last year, but, they have left the US side of the deal in the capable hands of CEO Larry Pope. And Mr. Pope and Smithfield love NASCAR.
Photo: NASCAR
For the last few years some big name corporate sponsors have left NASCAR and other series leaving all motorsports in the lurch. Whether it was by merger, in the case of STP, which used to be synonymous with the “King” Petty or moving to another sport such as UPS which used to be a full ride for drivers like Dale Jarrett, the lack of sponsorship has put a crimp on the growth of the sport.
The key is a fancy word, activation. That's shorthand for getting the word out, whether by clever television commercials or fan engagement activities on or off the track and more.
The B to B (business-to-business) trend may have actually hurt growth as third party customers and fans may have been left out in the cold as business connections were more important. It's not that B to B doesn't work; it's abandoning the loyal fans that is the problem.
Now comes Mr. Pope and Smithfield farms who says they're “100 per cent” committed to NASCAR. And they are likewise committed to Petty and Almirola. That's because the relationships they've developed over the last few years of the deal.
As Mr. Pope put it “I'm probably more satisfied with Aric in 15th place than Aric Almirola is.” What he means is that the sponsor is sticking with the team. Now, with the extra support, RPM a two car Ford client is in a better position to compete against Roush Fenway Racing, the Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and others.
Once upon a time the late Italian racing impresario and car builder, Enzo Ferrari, used to call his suppliers and sponsors “partners.”
NASCAR and all other motorsports here in North America need more sponsors that will view their participation as partnership rather than just a return on investment.
Otherwise there'll be even less sponsorship announcements in the future.
Of the many exhibitions not to miss is the collection of exotic cars, the Performance Zone presented by Volkswagen, and the electric and plug‐in hybrid vehicle test-drive CAA Quebec, in partnership with the Montreal International Auto Show.
Not only will you find every car available under the Canadian sun, but as a consumer and enthusiast of all things cars, you'll also get to learn more about related aspects from established brands such as Antirouille Métropolitain, Desjardins Assurances generals, and Vortex Racing.
The Montreal International Auto Show is truly a one-stop shop for buyers and browsers alike.
As in years past, Press Day is held on the Thursday preceding the official opening of the show floor to the public, which takes place on Friday, the 17th of January. The show runs a full 10 days and closes on Sunday, January 26th.
It's never too late to buy tickets. They are available online at Ticketmaster or in person at the Palais des Congrès.
Prosecutors in Munich announced January 16 that they intend to bring Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to trial on bribery charges this spring. The decision led Ecclestone to step down as director of the F1 Group.
The German charges relate to the $44 million payment Ecclestone made to former banker Gerhard Gribkowksy, who is currently serving a jail sentence.
Ecclestone, 83, still has an executive role at F1 Group, his powers have been curbed.
The board decided to keep him in his position of CEO, running the day to day business of the sport, albeit with two significant restrictions.
From now on, Ecclestone's activities will be closely monitored and subject to scrutiny and he will not be able to sign off on significant contracts.
F1 Group published a press release explaining the current situation:
“Mr. Ecclestone has reassured the board that he is innocent of the charges and intends to vigorously defend the case, which will commence in April 2014. After discussion with the board, Mr. Ecclestone has proposed and the board agreed that until the case has been concluded, he will step down as a director with immediate effect, thereby relinquishing his board duties and responsibilities until the case has been resolved”.
It continues: “The board believes that it is the best interests of both the F1 business and the sport that Mr. Ecclestone should continue to run the business on a day-to-day basis, but subject to increased monitoring and control by the board. Mr. Ecclestone has agreed to these arrangements. The approval and signing of significant contracts and other material business arrangements shall now be the responsibility of the chairman, Mr. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, and the deputy chairman, Mr. Donald Mackenzie.”
Pros: The Jetta GLI combines numerous sought after attributes with a healthy dose of German-engineered performance to create a highly appealing package. Standard turbocharged power, handsome looks, heaps of safety equipment, and good fuel mileage lie at the core of Germany's most affordable sports sedan. Best of all, the GLI is a sedan, so it's sensible and practical.
Cons: The GLI only comes in one basic configuration: as a front-drive, 4-cylinder sedan. There's no AWD or up-level engine available. Some performance buffs may wish for more power.
2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Pricing: Expect to pay $28,290 plus freight and delivery charges. A sport package, leather package or technology package build on each other, and can be specified for additional feature content and high-tech flare. A full range of accessories is available for customization, too.
2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Fuel Economy: Depending on the transmission selected, fuel consumption is rated as low as 6.1L/100km during highway cruising and 8.9L/100km in the city. The DSG transmission offers slightly lower overall consumption figures.
Improvements and Changes: Changes for 2014 are minimal and relate to a new trunk badge, reduced interior colour selection, and deletion of wheel locks from the standard features list.
Don't Miss: The available DSG transmission. It provides lightning-fast gear changes and a slight boost in fuel efficiency -- as well as steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters for maximum control over the GLI's performance experience. In normal driving conditions, the DSG functions like a normal automatic. When drivers want full performance, it fires off upshifts and downshifts in mere fractions of a second, with perfect rev-matching in both directions. Forget boring automatic transmissions, the DSG turns the Jetta GLI into a pure performance weapon when it comes time to change gears.
2014 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Powertrain: The GLI's 2.0L turbo engine provides a hefty 210 horsepower and nearly as much torque, meaning on-demand power when required and tremendous fuel efficiency. This engine is an international award-winner that builds on years of experience with turbocharging and fuel-efficient performance. Intercooling and direct injection enhance the effectiveness of the turbocharger system at creating robust power alongside minimal fuel consumption. All units are front-wheel drive and equipped with a 6-speed transmission in the driver's choice of manual or DSG.
Safety: A full suite of advanced safety technologies, including six airbags and an Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS) system help keep occupants safe in the event of an unavoidable impact, while powerful antilock brakes and an Electronic Stabilization Programme help support drivers in maintaining full control at all times. Distraction-busting Bluetooth technology is also on board, and a powerful xenon lighting system provides top-notch illumination of dark roads.
IMSA officials have release the entry list for the 2014 Rolex 24 at Daytona, held January 22-26 on Daytona International Speedway's road course.
This year's 24 Hours of Daytona will mark the launch of the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
ENTRY LIST
Prototype (P)
0
Andy Meyrick / Cheshire, UK
Katherine Legge / Guildford, UK
Alexander Rossi / Nevada City, CA
Gabby Chaves / Bogota, Colombia
DeltaWing Racing Cars DeltaWing DWC13 Elan
1
Scott Sharp / West Palm Beach, FL
Ryan Dalziel / Orlando, FL
David Brabham / Maidenhead, UK
Extreme Speed Motorsports
HPD ARX-03b Honda
2
Ed Brown / Boca Raton, FL
Johannes van Overbeek / Oakland, CA
Simon Pagenaud / Poiters, France
AnthonyLazzaro / Atlanta,GA
Extreme Speed Motorsports HPD ARX-03b Honda
5
Joao Barbosa / Porto, Portugal
Christian Fittipaldi / Sao Paolo Brazil
Sebastien Bourdais / Le Mans, France
Burt Frisselle / Aspen, CO
Action Express Racing Corvette DP Chevrolet
6
Klaus Graf / Dornhan, Germany
Lucas Luhr / Koblenz, Germany
Alexander Brundle / United Kingdom
Muscle Milk Pickett Racing ORECA Nissan
9
Brian Frisselle / Aspen, CO
Burt Frisselle / Aspen, CO
John Martin / Australia
Fabien Giroix / France
Action Express Racing Corvette DP Chevrolet
10
Wayne Taylor / Apopka, FL
Max Angelelli / Monte Carlo, Monaco
Ricky Taylor / Apopka, FL
Jordan Taylor / Apopka, FL
Wayne Taylor Racing Corvette DP Chevrolet
31
Eric Curran / Holyoke, MA
Boris Said / Escondido, CA
Bradley Smith / Oxford, England
Max Papis / Como, Italy
Marsh Racing
Corvette DP Chevrolet
42
Oliver Pla / Toulouse, France
Roman Rusinov / Russia
Gustavo Yacaman / Colombia
Oliver Webb / United Kingdom
OAK Racing
Morgan Nissan
50
Bryon DeFoor / Ooltewah, TN
Jim Pace / Ridgeland, MS
Frank Beck / Scottsdale, AZ
David Hinton / Clearwater, FL
Highway To Help Riley DP Dinan
60
John Pew / Palm Beach, FL
Oswaldo Negri, Jr. / Aventura, FL
AJ Allmendinger / Charlotte, NC
Justin Wilson / Dacona, Colorado
Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian Riley DP Ford EcoBoost
70
Sylvain Tremblay / Parkland, FL
Tom Long / Raleigh, NC
James Hinchcliffe / Indianapolis,IN
SpeedSource
Mazda Mazda Continental
78
Alex Popow / Caracas, Venezuela
Scott Mayer / Franklin, WI
Brendon Hartley / New Zealand
Starworks Motorsport Riley DP Dinan
90
Richard Westbrook / London, England
Michael Valiante / Vancouver, BC, Canada
Mike Rockenfeller / Germany
Spirit Of Daytona Corvette DP Chevrolet
99
Alex Gurney / Irvine, CA
Jon Fogarty / Bend, OR
Memo Gidley / San Francisco, CA
Darren Law / Phoenix,AZ
GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing Corvette DP Chevrolet
01
Scott Pruett / Auburn, CA
Memo Rojas / Mexico City, Mexico
Jamie McMurray / Joplin, MO
Sage Karam / Nazareth, PA
Chip Ganassi Racing Telcel/Target Riley DP Ford EcoBoost
02
Scott Dixon / New Zealand
Tony Kanaan / Salvador, Brazil
Marino Franchitti / Scotland
Kyle Larson / Sacramento, CA
Chip Ganassi Racing Target/Telcel Riley DP Ford EcoBoost
07
Joel Miller / Hesperia, CA
Tristian Nunez / Boca Raton, FL
Tristan Vautier / St. Petersburg, FL
SpeedSource
Mazda Mazda
Prototype Challenge (PC)
7
Martin Fuentes / Mexico City, Mexico
Alex Popow / Caracas, Venezuela
Isaac Tutumlu / Barcelona, Spain
Kyle Marcelli / Ontario, Canada
Starworks Motorsport ORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
8
Renger van der Zande / Dodewaard, Netherlands
Erix Lux / Buffalo, NY
Sam Bird / Roehampton, United Kingdom
Pierre Kaffer / Germany
Starworks Motorsport ORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
25
Enzo Potolicchio / Caracas, Venezuela
Tom Kimber-Smith / Berkshire, UK
Mike Marsal / New York, NY
8Star Motorsports ORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
38
Ryan Booth / Charleston, SC
Raphael Matos / Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Tomi Drissi / Hollywood, CA
Gabriel Casagrande / Brazil
Júlio Campos / Brazil
Performance Tech Motorsports ORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
52
Mike Guasch / Pleasant Hill, CA
David Cheng/ Sammamish, WA
PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports ORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
54
Jon Bennett / Charlotte, NC
James Gue / Alpharetta, GA
Colin Braun / Charlotte, NC
Mark Wilkins / Toronto, Canada
CORE autosport ORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
87
TBA/TBA
BAR1 Motorsports ORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
08
Chris Cumming / Vancouver, BC, Canada
Alex Tagliani / Lachenai, QC, Canada
Rusty Mitchell / Midland, TX
Conor Daly / Indianapolis, IN
RSR RacingORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
09
Duncan Ende / Los Angeles, CA
Bruno Junqueira / Belo Horizonte, Brazil
David Heinemeier Hansson / Copenhagen, Denmark
Gustavo Menezes / Los Angeles, CA
RSR RacingORECA FLM09 Chevrolet
GT Le Mans (GTLM)
3
Jan Magnussen / Roskilde, Denmark
Antonio Garcia / Barcelona, Spain
Ryan Briscoe / Mooresville, NC
Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R Chevrolet
4
Oliver Gavin / Yardley Hastings, England
Tommy Milner / Lake Mary, FL
Robin Liddell / Edinburgh, Scotland
Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C7.R Chevrolet
55
Bill Auberlen / Redondo Beach, CA
Andy Priaulx / Guernsey, Normandy
Joey Hand / Sacramento, CA
Maxime Martin / Brussels, Belgium
BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE BMW
56
Dirk Mueller / Tägerwilen, Switzerland
John Edwards / Cincinnati, OH
Graham Rahal / Carmel, IN
Dirk Werner / Hanover, Germany
BMW Team RLL BMW Z4 GTE BMW
57
Tracy Krohn / Houston, TX
Nic Jonsson / Buford, GA
Andrea Bertolini / Italy
Peter Dumbreck / Banbury, England
Krohn Racing
Ferrari F458 Italia Ferrari Michelin
62
Matteo Malucelli / Italy
Giancarlo Fisichella / Rome, Italy
Gianmaria Bruni / Rome, Italy
Olivier Beretta / Monte Carlo, Monaco
Risi Competizione Ferrari F458 Italia Ferrari
93
Robert Bell / United Kingdom
Jonathan Bomarito / Monterey, CA
Kuno Wittmer / Montreal, Quebec, Canada
SRT Motorsports SRT Viper GTS-R Viper V10
97
Stefan Mücke / Berlin, Germany
Darren Turner / Banbury, England
Pedro Lamy / Lisbon, Portugal
Richie Stanaway / Tauranga, New Zealand
Paul Dalla Lana / Toronto, Canada
Aston Martin Racing Aston Martin Vantage V8 Aston Martin
911
Nick Tandy / Bedford, United Kingdom
Richard Lietz / Ybbs, Austria
Patrick Pilet / Auch, France
Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR Porsche
912
Patrick Long / Thousand Oaks, CA
Michael Christenson / Karlslunde, Denmark
Jorg Bergmeister / Germany
Porsche North America Porsche 911 RSR Porsche
GT Daytona (GTD)
18
Earl Bamber / New Zealand
Bradley Blum / Winter Park, FL
Alexandre Imperatori / Switzerland
Ronald Zitza / Maitland, FL
Muehlner Motorsports America Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
19
Robert Gewirtz / Columbus, OH
Mark Kvamme / Columbus, OH
Jim Michaelian / Seal Beach, CA
Muehlner Motorsports America Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
22
Cooper MacNeil / Hindsdale, IL
Leh Keen / Atlanta, GA
Shane van Gisbergen / Auckland, New Zealand
Shane Lewis / Jupiter, FL
LP Dumoulin / Trois-Rivieres, Quebec Canada
Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
23
Ian James / Phoenix, AZ
Mario Farnbacher / Ansbach, Germany
Marco Holzer / Bobingen, Bavaria
Alex Riberas / Barcelona, Spain
Team Seattle/Alex Job Racing Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
27
Joe Foster / Suwanee, GA
Patrick Dempsey / Malibu, CA
Andrew Davis / Athens, GA
Marc Lieb / Ludwigsburg, Germany
Dempsey Racing Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
28
Christian Engelhart / Kösching, Germany
Rolf Ineichen / Sursee, Switzerland
Klaus Bachler / Unzmarkt, Austria
Lance Willsey / Chestnut Hill, MA
Franz Konrad / Graz, Austria
Dempsey Racing Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
30
Henrique Cisneros / Miami, FL
Kuba Giermaziak / Poland
Christina Nielsen / Denmark
Frederic Makowiecki / France
NGT Motorsport Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
32
Alex Welch / Englewood, CO
James Sofronas / Pound Ridge, NY
Frank Stippler / Cologne, Germany
Marc Basseng / Germany
GMG Racing Audi R8 LMS Audi
33
Ben Keating / Port Lavaca, TX
Jeroen Bleekemolen / Monte Carlo, Monaco
Sebastiaan Bleekemolen / Aerdenhout, Netherlands
Emmanuel Collard / Paris, France
Riley Motorsports SRT Viper GT3-R Viper V10
35
Seth Neiman / San Francisco, CA
Dion von Moltke / Coral Gables, FL
Alessandro Latif / England
Filipe Albuquerque / Portugal
Flying Lizard Motorsports PR Newswire / UBM Tech / eSilicon Audi R8 LMS Audi
44
John Potter / Salt Lake City,UT
A
ndy Lally / Dacula, GA
Wolf Henzler / Nürtingen, Germany
JF Dumolin / Canada
Magnus Racing Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
45
Nelson Canache Jr. / Venezuela
Spencer Pumpelly / Atlanta, GA
Tim Pappas / Boston, MA
Markus Winkelhock / Germany
Flying Lizard Motorsports Venezuela / eSilicon Audi R8 LMS Audi
46
Charlie Putman / Mills, WY
Charles Espenlaub / Lutz, FL
Oliver Jarvis / Burwell, UK
James Walker / Jersey, United Kingdom
Fall-Line Motorsports Audi R8 LMS Audi
48
Bryce Miller / Summit, NJ
Réné Rast / Frankfurt, Germany
Christopher Haase / Waging am See, Germany
Matthew Bell / Richmond, United Kingdom
Paul Miller Racing Audi R8 LMS Audi
49
Piergiuseppe Perazzini / Verona, Italy
Gialuca Roda / Como, Italy
Paolo Ruberti / Verona, Italy
David Rigon / Thiene, Italy
Spirit of Race
Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
51
Matt Griffin / Ireland
Marco Cioci / Rome, Italy
Michele Rugolo / Italy
Jack Gerber / South Africa
Spirit of Race
Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
58
Madison Snow / Lehi, UT
Jan Heylen / Tampa, FL
Marco Seefried / Amerbach,Germany
Snow Racing Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
63
Alessandro Balzan / Rovigo, Italy
Jeff Westphal / San Francisco, CA
Toni Vilander / Kankaanpaa, Finland
Lorenzo Case / Mortara, Italy
Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
64
Rod Randall / Tampa, FL
John Farano / Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Ken Wilden / Oakville, Ontario, Canada
David Empringham / Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
65
Francisco Longo / Brazil
Daniel Serra / São Paulo, Brazil
Xandinho Negrão / Brazil
Marcos Gomes / Brazil
Scuderia Corsa
Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
71
Jim Norman / Tampa, FL
Craig Stanton / Long Beach, CA
Norbert Siedler / Wildschonau, Austria
Timo Bernhard / Germany
Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
72
Boris Rotenberg / Russia
Sergey Zlobin / Russia
Maurizio Mediani / Italy
Mika Salo / Finland
Mikhail Aleshin / Russia
SMP/ESM Racing Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
73
Patrick Lindsey / Santa Barbara, CA
Kevin Estre / Langenfeld, Germany
Connor De Phillippi / San Clemente, CA
Jason Hart / Flower Mound, TX
Mike Vess / Wichita, KS
Park Place Motorsports Porsche 911 GT America Porsche
81
Damien Faulkner / Ireland
Patrick Huisman / Netherlands
Bob Faieta / Los Angeles, CA
GB AutosportPorsche 911 GT America Porsche
94
Dane Cameron / Atlanta, GA
Paul Dalla Lana / Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Augusto Farfus, Monaco
Markus Palttala / Helsinki, Finland
Turner Motorsport BMW Z4 BMW
007
David Block / Gates Mills, OH
Al Carter / Greenville, DE
Brandon Davis / Napa, CA
James Davison / Melbourne, Australia
TRG-AMR Aston Martin V12 Vantage Aston Martin
009
Calum Lockie / United Kingdom
Pete McIntosh II / Hillside, NJ
Robert Nimkroff / Weston, CT
Max Riddle / Vancouver, BC, Canada
TRG-AMR MacConnal-Mason Gallery Aston Martin V12 Vantage Aston Martin
555
TBA/TBA
Level 5 Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
556
TBA/TBA
Level 5 Motorsports Ferrari 458 Italia Ferrari
Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation and co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, confirmed he showed interest in graduating to Formula 1.
Haas published a press release which says:
“We have responded to the FIA's ‘call for expression of interest' regarding a Formula One entry on behalf of Haas Racing Development. We respect the FIA's evaluation process and will share more details in the coming weeks.”
Founded in 1983 and based in Oxnard, Calif., Haas Automation is the largest CNC machine tool builder in the western world.
Stewart-Haas Racing won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2011.
This year, the team will field Chevrolets for Kurt Busch Tony Stewart, Danica Patrick and Kevin Harvick in the Sprint Cup.
While seven-time Formula 1 World Champion, Michael Schumacher is kept in an artificial coma at CHU of Grenoble in France, Ferrari decided to collect all the ‘get well Michael' messages.
Over two weeks have passed since Michael Schumacher had his skiing accident. In Maranello, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo and Scuderia Ferrari team director, Stefano Domenicali are still in daily contact with the family to keep up to date with the situation.
In the meantime, there have been many signs of affection for Michael which come in day after day at Ferrari, from those who spent eleven years working with him while he drove for Ferrari, as well as from people who have supported him from all around the world, namely the Ferrari fans.
Actions, words and thoughts that show just how important Michael is within the very heart of those who love and live for Ferrari and how important a role he has played in the history of the Prancing Horse.
Ferrari therefore decided to gather all these messages together through the Scuderia's Twitter (#ForzaMichael) and Facebook pages and to publish some of them in a special bulletin board on our Internet site.
Naturally enough, given the close links between him and Michael, the first post is from Luca di Montezemolo:
“Michael, my thoughts are always with you, with great affection! Everyone at Ferrari is following your situation, just as they did from the pits at so many Grands Prix that you won with us and I am equally certain that you will also win this very important battle!”
Italian tire manufacturer, Pirelli has finally signed a new contract to continue to supply tires to Formula 1.
The Pirelli press release reads: “Following a decision by the World Motor Sport Council confirming Pirelli's status as the single supplier of tires to the FIA Formula One World Championship, Pirelli and the FIA have renewed their Formula One tire supply contract. The duration of the agreement is for three years, starting from the 2014 season.”
Pirelli and the Formula 1 teams worked together to improve levels of safety and performance in the sport, resulting in important changes to the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations regarding the testing of tires.
These new rules, mandatory from the 2014 season onwards, can be summarised as follows:
1) One of the 12 days of official pre-season testing, as prescribed in the 2014 Sporting Regulations, will be dedicated exclusively to wet tire testing.
2) Each team will dedicate one of their eight days of in-season testing, as prescribed in the 2014 Sporting Regulations, exclusively to tire testing. This means that during each of the eight days of in-season testing, at least one team - and up to a maximum of two - will be concentrating on tire testing along with Pirelli's engineers.
Swiss driver, Nico Muller will be making his debut in the DTM in 2014, racing for Audi.
Nico Muller, Audi (Photo: Audi)
The 21-year-old is taking the place of Filipe Albuquerque, who is switching to Audi's LMP and GT program.
Following recent good performance in testing, Muller has been awarded the vacant Audi RS 5 DTM.
In 2013, his sixth year of open-wheel racing in total, Muller contested the World Series by Renault in a 530-hp formula car and finished in fifth place of the standings after scoring two race victories - which included winning the season's most pretigious event in Monaco.
Filipe Albuquerque will contest the 24 Hours Rolex of Daytona later this month, as well as the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps (May 3) and the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 14/15) in an Audi R18 e-tron Quattro.
Bernie Ecclestone looks set for a challenging 2014, as German prosecutors prepare to send him to court to face criminal bribery charges.
Sky News' authoritative city editor Mark Kleinman claims the announcement could be made as early as Thursday, as the F1 chief executive's long-running woes surrounding the Gerhard Gribkowsky corruption affair reach their zenith.
When asked if Ecclestone's latest troubles would finally prevent the 83-year-old billionaire from performing his duties, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner said: "It all depends on the outcome.
"Bernie is absolutely the best and only guy to do what he does, to take formula one to the global reach that the sport has achieved," he told reporters in London, according to the Bloomberg news agency.
"It's in all our interests that he's around as long as possible," the Associated Press quoted Horner as adding.
But even amid Ecclestone's troubles, it is also clear this week that the diminutive Briton is still pulling strings.
Aerial view of the Nurburgring track.
He told the Handelsblatt and Wirtschaftswoche publications that he has made a bid to buy the fabled yet troubled German grand prix venue the Nurburgring.
"We want to make sure there is a formula one race in Germany every year in the future," said Ecclestone.
"There are one or two other interested parties, but we will only pay what we believe the Nurburgring is worth. We believe we can do more for the track than anyone else," he added.
A recall on the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 affects a total of 38,710 units in Canada.
On certain 1500 series models equipped with 4.3L and 5.3L engines, exhaust components may overheat while the vehicle is idling in cold temperatures. This could cause nearby plastic components to overheat and melt, possibly resulting in smoke and/or fire and increasing the risk of injury and/or damage.
Dealers will therefore reprogram the engine control module.
The executive whose responsibility it was to ensure the 2014 Jeep Cherokee's innovative drive system worked properly has left Chrysler Group to pursue other interests.
Automakers can meet the CAFE target without introducing high volumes of electric cars and plug-in hybrids, said members of the purchasing panel today at the Automotive News World Congress.
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