Auto News 5

Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche said that Mercedes-Benz's victory in the 2013 U.S. luxury-car sales race 'feels pretty damn good.' And he is bullish about the brand's chances to defend the title.

VW Group has given the green light to a mid-sized SUV based on its year-old CrossBlue concept, and plans to start selling the SUV in the United States in 2016.

Automakers from Fiat to Volkswagen and Daimler to Renault lost a combined 20 billion euros developing and selling models ranked in a top 10 list of the European auto industry's most 'catastrophic' failures of the past 15 years.

DETROIT -- Toyota took the wraps off a concept car today that stakes a claim to the legacy of the Supra and may signal the return of a sports car to the brand's vehicle portfolio.

John Button, father of McLaren driver and 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button, has died at home in France at the age of 70.

John Button was found dead in his home on the French Riviera by a friend Sunday. He died of a suspected heart attack.

John and Jenson Button celebrating the 2009 world championship. (Photo: WRi2)

Ever since Jenson Button was a boy, racing go-karts, John - a former rallycross driver himself -- has been at his side, helping him, supporting him, finding the money for the next race.

John was still there when Jenson moved up to car racing and when he started his Formula 1 career.

“John's children Jenson, Natasha, Samantha and Tanya and the rest of the family are clearly devastated and ask for their privacy to be respected during this extremely difficult time,” reads a statement released by the McLaren driver.

John Button will be greatly missed.

John and Jenson Button, right after the victory in Montreal, in 2011. (Photo: WRi2)

The highly anticipated debut of the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and C7.R took place today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Sharing a plethora of components and attributes, these two models represent the closest link in modern times between Corvettes built for racing and the road.

“The 2015 Corvette Z06 and new C7.R will be more competitive on the street and track due to the successful design of the Corvette Stingray, which itself is heavily based on the C6.R race car,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports.

Photo: Chevrolet

Z06
Producing 625 horsepower and 635 lb-ft of torque, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is scheduled to go on sale early next year with a new, supercharged 6.2L engine that can be matched with either a 7-speed manual gearbox or an all-new, high-performance 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

From a design standpoint, larger fenders accommodate the oversized wheels (19'' front, 20'' rear), while larger air intakes improve cooling for the engine, brakes, transmission, and differential.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2015 (Photo: Chevrolet)

C7.R
Co-developed with the Z06, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R uses the same chassis and engine. Corvette Racing will field two C7.R race cars in 2014, starting later this month at the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona (Jan. 25-26). The team is also is expected to compete in June at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in GTE Pro class.

Chevrolet Corvette C7.R (Photo: Chevrolet)

As promised last week, Volkswagen introduced its Beetle Dune concept today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, so we have a few pictures to show you.

Designed as a much sportier version of the loveable Bug, this concept is based on the Beetle R-Line (sold in the U.S.) and proudly wears a bright metallic yellow-orange paint called “Arizona,” along with two-part wheel arch extensions that are offset in matte black.

The front of the Volkswagen Beetle Dune concept is highlighted by round bi-xenon headlights, LED fog lights, and a new hood with a raised centre section flanked by prominent air vents.

The interior carries the Arizona colour (dashboard, grab handle). The outer surfaces of the front sport seats and the two rear seats are upholstered in “Titan Black” leather, while the centre surfaces are made of ceramic-coloured “Gobi” breathable sport fabric.

Photo: Volkswagen

Photo: Volkswagen

Infiniti's Q50 Eau Rouge concept, which premiered this morning at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, expresses the brand's design vision of a high-performance premium sports sedan. Featuring an aerodynamically shaped carbon fibre body, the car is heavily inspired from Formula 1 through the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team.

While he didn't specify the engine under the hood of the Q50 Eau Rouge concept, Infiniti president Johan de Nysschen told journalists that he would expect a production version to generate over 500 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque.

Every exterior panel is bespoke to the Q50 Eau Rouge concept (including the custom red paint) save for the front doors and the arch of the roof pillars, which were retained as standard components. The 21'' forged alloy wheels partially hide red brake callipers and sit under flared fenders.

Photo: Infiniti

Photo: Infiniti

From press release

Williams F1 Team has expanded its engineering staff as part of its on-going work to strengthen the technical leadership structure at Williams ahead of the 2014 Formula season.

As part of this process, Jakob Andreasen has joined as Head of Engineering Operations and will work under Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds (photo).

Previously at Sahara Force India, Andreasen's focus will be on better integrating trackside operations with the continued design and development of the Williams-Mercedes FW36 at the factory.

Andreasen is supported by two further appointments in Craig Wilson, Head of Vehicle Dynamics, and Rod Nelson, Chief Test & Support Engineer.

Wilson returns to Williams from Mercedes to strengthen the engineering team in applying vehicle modelling and analysis to help bring further improvements to on-track performance.

Nelson joins from the Lotus F1 Team to head up the team's testing programme including leading the group at the factory that provide support and analysis from Grove over all race events.

Reporting directly to Andreasen, Max Nightingale is promoted to Head of Vehicle Science to ensure a focus on performance within the new structure which will improve the connection between race operations and on-going development work.

The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Silverado 1500 have just been announced as North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year, respectively.

Photo: Miranda Lightstone

It is the first time Chevrolet has won both awards in the same year.

A total of 49 auto journalists from the U.S. and Canada voted for the most outstanding vehicles of 2014 based on criteria such as innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, and value.

Photo: Justin Pritchard

From press release

Vintage car racing is highly popular. Accordingly, one of the most popular dates on the annual southern Ontario racing calendar is the Canadian Historic Grand Prix, held annually at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.

Produced and presented by the Vintage Auto Racing Association of Canada (VARAC), and sanctioned by CASC-OR, this three-day celebration of classic automobile competition brings to life the concept of 'Racing Into The Past,' with on-track activities, car cruises and shows, and celebrity forums.

Offering a preview of the 2014 Canadian Historic Grand Prix, VARAC organizers - along with several of their classic cars - will be in attendance at this year's Canadian Motorsports Expo.

The Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News runs from February 7-9, 2014 at Toronto's International Centre, adjacent to Pearson International Airport.

"We run Vintage, Historic and G70+ class races at most Ontario regional events, but the Canadian Historic Grand Prix is the 'big' show of the year; it's our true vintage celebration," explained Bob DeShane, Director of the CHGP. "The Canadian Motorsports Expo is the best place for us to tell our story, and to promote our unique brand of racing to the motorsport community."

The Canadian Historic Grand Prix takes place June 13-15, 2014 at CTMP. The featured event this year will be the 'Triumph versus MG Canadian-American Showdown,' with entries already confirmed from across Canada and the United States. For the fans of German marques, the CHGP will also present the 'Legends of the Autobahn' featuring Mercedes, BMW and Porsche cars.

Meanwhile, the off-track action will be just as entertaining.

"Bob Tullius will be our Grand Marshall this year," continued DeShane. "Most people will remember him for his Group 44 Jaguar Racing team. People will have a chance to exchange memories with him and maybe get a photo or autograph. And on Sunday morning, we will take a couple of hours to host the 'Legends of Mosport, a 'meet and greet' for fans at the banquet tent."

Bringing the local community on board for the Canadian Historic Grand Prix weekend, DeShane and the VARAC team - in conjunction with the Bowmanville (ON) Business Improvement Association - have organized a Friday night, 'Checkered Flag Cruise' which will take over the downtown core of the host town for a automotive street party.

"The CHGP weekend gets bigger every year, we expect to have well over 200 competitors in six different divisions showing up in 2014," states DeShane.

He adds, "There are lots of classic race cars still sitting in barns and garages. If people think they'd like to get them ready and bring them out to the track, we'd be more than happy to have them. They can come out to the Canadian Motorsports Expo and we can give them all the information that they need. And if they just want to do some 'bench racing,' we can do that, too!"

Attention, Supra lovers: Toyota's new FT-1 concept, unveiled today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, may hint at a replacement for the legendary sports car, insiders claim.

While production has yet to be confirmed, the FT-1 appears as the ''ultimate expression of a Toyota coupe design, building upon Toyota's rich sports coupe heritage dating back to the 2000GT, Celica, Supra, MR2, and most recently Scion FR-S.''

Photo: Toyota

The cockpit's wraparound windshield and side glass openings are a distinct nod to the design of the famous Toyota 2000GT (1967-1970), which starred in You Only Live Twice alongside Sean Connery as James Bond.

Meanwhile, the rear-end treatment evokes the last-generation Supra Mark IV (1993-2002), and the long hood and sharp nose are somewhat shaped like an F1 car.

Other than the front engine/rear-wheel drive layout, no technical specifications have been provided for the Toyota FT-1 concept.

Photo: Toyota

Swan Racing, which fields Toyota Camrys for Parker Kligerman and Cole Whitt in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has added a minority owner, Anthony Marlowe of Iowa City, IA.

"Anthony is an entrepreneur like me," said team owner Brandon Davis.

"He has the same work ethic and the same approach when it comes to finding creative and innovative solutions. Anthony is the perfect fit for the team and will be an integral part of it going forward."

"This is a remarkable day, which for me marks the intersection of my passion for NASCAR and my dream of owning part of a professional sports team at the highest level," said Marlowe.

"I kept a close eye on Swan Racing during its inaugural season last year and was so impressed with Brandon Davis, the way they do business, and their pursuit of excellence that I wanted to be part of his Cup team for the long-haul."

Marlowe joins other investors in Swan Racing including former NFL great Bill Romanowski. Romanowski, who played 16 seasons in the NFL, was an early investor in the team. Additionally, Romanowski's business, Lean1 Health Shakes, is a primary sponsor for Swan Racing.

Marlowe, 34, is co-founder and president of TMone (pronounced T-M-one), a domestic customer relationship management (CRM) firm supporting Fortune 500 companies.

He is also the managing member of Iowa City Capital Partners, which is a private investment firm that provides equity funding to companies. Inc. Magazine recognized Marlowe in 2007, at the age of 28, as one of the 25 youngest CEOs of the 5000 fastest growing companies in America.

The new Audi Allroad shooting brake show car unveiled today in Detroit is a small two-door crossover that's equal parts sporty and versatile, with a hybrid powertrain to boot.

Photo: Audi

“We are offering very concrete glimpses of the near future in this show car,” said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of AUDI AG, Technical Development.

The Audi Allroad shooting brake concept delivers a total of 408 horsepower by way of a 2.0L 4-cylinder TFSI engine that produces 292 horsepower and an electric motor rated at 40 kilowatts. It is mated to a 6-speed e-S tronic dual-clutch transmission which shifts at lightning speed and sends torque to the front wheels. A second electric motor, mounted just in front of the rear axle, generates 85 kilowatts and provides an all-electric range of about 50 kilometres.

Overall, drivers could realistically cover more than 820 kilometres with an average fuel consumption of just 1.9L/100km.

The Audi allroad shooting brake is a material mix of aluminum and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP). It weighs around 1,600 kilograms overall and reaches 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.

Photo: Audi

From press release

The FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA is pleased to announce for this Tuesday January 14, a new grandstand seat offer exceptionally well-priced.

In fact, it will now be possible to attend the June 6, 7 & 8 racing program in a Gilles Villeneuve circuit grandstand for an average daily price of $55.

Located at the Hairpin exit and the Casino straight entrance, this grandstand will welcome several thousand spectators holding tickets sold at $165 for the three days of the event or also, on a daily basis, at $70 for Friday, $100 for Saturday and $135 for Sunday, the day when will be disputed the 45th edition, a 25th in Montréal of the Formula 1 World Championship Canadian Round.

Photo: WRi2

"Formula 1 fans constantly suggest new ideas to improve our event and we pay special attention to each and one of them. One thing has emerged; there was a need to diversify our offer, expanding our range of prices particularly with regard to the grandstand seats. That's what we did with the introduction last year of our now popular 'trios'. We go a step further this time with the offering of a ‘bleacher” type grandstand available at a very affordable price,” said François Dumontier, President and CEO of Octane Racing Group, Inc. and promoter of this country's most popular sport event.

“We are pleased to offer for next June seats that, for those who will take advantage of this proposal, will mean an affordable daily average investment of $55. It is now possible to sit in a grandstand and live every single minute of a Formula 1 World Championship race at a very competitive price. We are really proud of this new offer''.

It will be possible in 2014 to attend the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA 2014 with non-assigned grandstand seats at a very advantageous daily average price. What is now proposed to the “Popular Grandstand” ticket holders is a comfortable seat, which however will not be predetermined.

Each day of the event, on a "first on site, first seated!" basis the early birds will have the privilege to choose the row and seat that suit their needs. One should note that places in this grandstand sold at very economic prices do not offer a view on a giant screen. Again, the prices are: 3 days at $165, Friday at $70, Saturday at $100 and Sunday, Race day at $ 135.

The Formula 1 fans who intend to purchase one or several places in the new “Popular Grandstand” (or any other grandstand or general admission tickets) must reach the box office as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 14 at 514 350-0000 or 1-855-790-1245, seven days a week between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Fans can also purchase their tickets on our secure website at www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca or at www.admission.com.

In the shadow of Ford's new 2015 F-150, General Motors today unveiled a more refined and tech-savvy 2015 GMC Canyon at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Buyers will have a choice of base, SLE and SLT models in 2WD and 4WD configurations, as well as a 193-horsepower 2.5L 4-cylinder engine and a 302-horsepower 3.6L V6. An aggressively styled All-Terrain package will be offered on SLE models. Expect class-leading power, payload and towing capacity, the automaker claims.

Photo: GMC

The interior of the 2015 GMC Canyon features a floor-mounted shifter, 4.2'' colour display (an 8'' touchscreen is also available), and OnStar with 4G LTE connectivity.

Similar to Ford's MyKey, GMC's IntelliLink system comes with a new Teen Driver configurable feature that allows parents to set a radio volume limit, establish a speed warning set between 40 and 70 mph, and set a speed limiter. It also automatically mutes the radio when the driver or front passenger safety belt is not fastened, and gives a “report card” that records mileage, wide-open throttle events, ABS events, maximum speed, and other data.

Prices and on-sale date for the 2015 GMC Canyon will be announced later.

From press release

BMW Motorsport has announced the driver/team line-up for the 2014 DTM season.

Like last year, four teams and eight drivers will compete for BMW in the popular touring car series and have their sights set on winning races and titles with the new BMW M4 DTM.

BMW Team RBM, which finished runner-up in last season's team competition with 148 points and therefore played a major role in BMW retaining the Manufacturers' title, will compete with the same pair of drivers as last year: Augusto Farfus (BR), runner-up in the 2013 Drivers' Championship, and Joey Hand (US) will be racing for Team Principal Bart Mampaey's (BE) outfit again in 2014.

Bruno Spengler and Martin Tomczyk. (Photo: BMW Motorsport)

Changes are afoot in the remaining three works teams. The two former DTM champions in the BMW Motorsport squad will pair up as team-mates. Martin Tomczyk (DE), the 2011 winner, switches to BMW Team Schnitzer. He will join Bruno Spengler (CA), who won the Drivers' title for BMW in 2012 and will contest his third season for Charly Lamm's (DE) team.

Timo Glock (DE), winner of the final race of the 2013 DTM season, will be back behind the wheel for BMW Team MTEK. The man who made 91 appearances in Formula One will be joined by a new team-mate: António Félix da Costa's (PT) first DTM season will be under the guidance of Team Principal Ernest Knoors (NL). Marco Wittmann (DE), DTM Rookie of the Year in 2013, switches to BMW Team RMG where he forms an extremely promising partnership with DTM newcomer Maxime Martin (BE).

Timo Glock. (Photo: BMW Motorsport)

The 2014 DTM season begins at the Hockenheimring on 4th May. In keeping with tradition, the same circuit will host the final race of the year on 19th October. Between these two dates, the calendar features a further four races in Germany (Oschersleben, Norisring, Nürburgring, Lausitzring) and four races abroad (Budapest, Moscow, Spielberg, Guangzhou).

Here it is, the all-new 2015 Ford F-150! Hailed by the Blue Oval as the ''toughest, smartest and most capable F-150 ever,'' it comes with a choice of four engines including a new 2.7L EcoBoost with standard Auto Start-Stop (standard), a 3.5L V6 engine with twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-CVT), a 3.5L EcoBoost, and a 5.0L Ti-VCT V8.

Available trim levels include XL, XLT, Lariat, Platinum, and King Ranch, with the FX4 off-road package optional on most four-wheel drive models.

The 2015 Ford F-150 benefits from a high-strength steel frame, plus an aluminum-alloy body structure that contributes to a 700lb total weight reduction.

Outside, the redesigned truck features LED headlights, taillights and spotlights on sideview mirrors, integrated loading ramps stowed in the pickup bed, as well as remote tailgate release. Meanwhile, the cabin offers ergonomically shaped front seats in addition to extra legroom for rear passengers.

The 2015 Ford F-150 will go on sale later this year. Prices have yet to be announced.

Photo: Ford

From wrc.com

Hyundai Shell World Rally Team boss Michel Nandan believes his squad will have the perfect driver pairing when it makes its WRC debut on next week's Rallye Monte-Carlo.

Photo: Hyundai Motorsport

Rising star Thierry Neuville and experienced campaigner Dani Sordo will give the Hyundai i20 WRC its competitive debut in the French Alps and Nandan believes the duo's skills and experience complement each other.

He said: “We have two very good drivers who have given the whole team a big boost. We all know that Thierry can achieve outstanding performance levels despite his young age, while Dani has a lot of experience in the WRC and at Rallye Monte-Carlo. I can definitely say that we have a very good mix.”

Photo: Hyundai Motorsport

Neuville, who impressed many by finishing second in last season's drivers' championship, completed a week-long pre-Rallye Monte-Carlo test with Sordo last month and both added to that experience with an extra test day earlier this week. 

He says his target in Monte Carlo is simple: “Our aim is to finish the event and get some good experience and mileage to further develop our car. We carried out some good testing ahead of the rally where we drove the car in very different weather conditions. Although it is difficult to recreate the exact same conditions we will find on the event, we will give it absolutely everything.”

Photo: Hyundai Motorsport

Photo: Hyundai Motorsport

From Ferrari

Monday January 13, Kimi Raikkonen embarked on his first week's work since starting his second career stint in red.

The Finn arrived in Maranello this morning and will spend three days with the engineers and in the simulator.

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 2014 (Photo: Ferrari)

“It's good to be back at work,” Kimi told www.ferrari.com during a break in proceedings.

“I began by getting used to all the new systems and procedures that we will use this year. From this point of view, the simulator is really very useful. It's true there's lots to do, but the workload is not much different to what it was in the past. For me, these days in Maranello are also an opportunity to be with the team and spend a bit more time with my many friends here.”

Kimi will stay in Maranello until Wednesday this week, proving that the Finn is keen to renew his relationship with the team that was his home from 2007 to 2009 as quickly as possible.