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News 30 Jan, 2014

nanoFlowcell AG has teased its debut model: the QUANT e-Sportlimousine, to be unveiled at Geneva

News 30 Jan, 2014

A lighter and faster version of Mercedes' virtual AMG Vision Gran Turismo concept has been revealed

Pictures See all 4 pictures 30 Jan, 2014

A successor for the Skoda Fabia will enter production during the fourth quarter of 2014, just-auto.com has learned. The same insider has also confirmed plans for a new, Touareg-sized SUV.

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen Chairman Thierry Peugeot has written to his cousin Robert Peugeot, head of the Peugeot family holding, to criticize a planned tie-up with China's Dongfeng Motor that would dilute the family's influence, a report said.

Andy Palmer, a British high school dropout who is Nissan's global No. 3 executive, believes a mathematical truth: Brand matters. Therefore, his plan to remake the carmaker's middling image will rely heavily on massaging fickle public opinion.

Volkswagen of America has rehired former COO and sales chief Mark Barnes as vice president of sales as it plots the next step toward its goal of nearly doubling deliveries in the U.S. by 2018.

Yesterday was certainly a big day for the venerable Dutch auto industry.

McLaren rookie driver, Kevin Magnussen made an impressive Formula 1 debut when he set today the fastest time around the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in his McLaren-Mercedes.

Kevin Magnussen, McLaren (Photo: WRI2)

The young Dane completed 52 laps of the Spanish road course, setting a 1m23.276. Magnussen took over the driving duties at McLaren after his teammate Jenson Button also set the fastest time during the morning session.

Williams' new recruit, Felipe Massa had his first outing with the team. He claimed the second time, just 0.4 second slower than Magnussen.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG (Photo: WRI2)

Lewis Hamilton was third in the Mercedes AMG. The Brit today completed a total of 62 laps. Yesterday, his teammate Nico Rosberg ran 97 laps, making the W05 the most reliable car at the moment.

Button -- who did not drive in the afternoon -- finished the day fourth overall.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari (Photo: WRI2)

Two-time World Champion, Fernando Alonso planted his Ferrari in fifth place, 2.2 seconds slower than Magnussen.

Nico Hulkenberg (Sahara Force India), Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso) and Adrian Sutil (Sauber) followed in order. Sutil had an accident, losing control of the car when accelerating.

Adrian Sutil's crash in the Sauber. (Photo: WRI2)

Most drivers reported that the new turbo cars were very different to drive, and said that the brake-by-wire system was causing the most problems.

Red Bull Racing endured another dismal day. Daniel Ricciardo completed just 3 laps before the RB10 stopped on the track. In three days, Andrian Newey latest creation completed 3+8+3 laps, for a grand total of 14. That's not what you call a great start.

Best lap Day 1
Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 1m27.104

Best lap Day 2
Jenson Button McLaren 1m24.165

Robin Frijns, Caterham (Photo: WRI2)

Jerez winter testing*, Day 3:
Pos Driver Car Time Gap Laps
1. Magnussen McLaren MP4-29 1m23.276 52 laps
2. Massa Williams FW36 1m23.700 +0.424 47
3. Hamilton Mercedes GP W05 1m23.952 +0.676 62
4. Button McLaren MP4-29 1m25.030 +1.754 40
5. Alonso Ferrari F14 T 1m25.495 +2.219 58
6. Hulkenberg Force India VJM07 1m26.096 +2.820 17
7. Vergne Toro Rosso STR9 1m29.915 +6.639 30
8. Sutil Sauber C33 1m30.161 +6.885 33
9. Frijns Caterham CT05 No time 10
10. Chilton Marussia F1 Team MR03 No time 5
11. Ricciardo Red Bull Racing RB10 No time 3
*Unofficial timing

From press release

Over the years, the Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News has played host to some of the most famous names in motorsport.

That tradition continues on Sunday, February 9th when NASCAR's all-time winningest driver, Richard Petty, takes to the CME Stage courtesy of Pinty's Delicious Foods.

Known simply as ‘The King,' Petty is one of two, seven-time champions of NASCAR's top-tier Sprint Cup Series (the other is the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.). Petty's 200 career victories and his seven wins in the sport's biggest race - the Daytona 500 - are records that will likely never be surpassed.

In addition to being respected for his on-track successes, Petty is also beloved by racing fans everywhere for his contributions to growing NASCAR into what it is today. In 2010, Petty was honoured as one of the inaugural inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. As head of Richard Petty Motorsports, The King is still one of the sport's most prominent and respected personalities.

“I'm looking forward to coming to Toronto and meeting a bunch of racing fans at the Canadian Motorsports Expo,” said Richard Petty.

“Some of them will know that I took part in my first career NASCAR Grand National race, back in 1958, at the Canadian National Exhibition track. We're gonna chat with the fans, tell some stories and sign some autographs. We'll see everyone on Sunday, February 9th at the Canadian Motorsports Expo.”

Light vehicle sales (excluding trucks larger than the standard pickup) jumped from 1.68 million units in 2012 to 1.74 million units in 2013, marking a third consecutive yearly increase according to a new report by BMO Economics.

"A solid model lineup and new offerings from manufacturers at very generous financing terms will continue to generate interest from the Canadian consumer," said Alex Koustas, Economist, BMO Capital Markets. "Sales activity will remain brisk, but will likely drop off last year's pace given rising ownership rates and more elevated debt levels. Nevertheless an overheating is unlikely as long as financing terms remain balanced."

The most determining factors were an increase in lease activity and car loans, as well as stronger competition between automakers, which strive to offer more technologies, performance, and fuel economy than ever.

Source : BMO

Puebla, located just south east of Mexico City, might as well be the centre of the Volkswagen world in North America. Although Volkswagen's Chattanooga, TN, plant is currently busy producing the Passat, it's the Mexican plant that holds the key to the company's future success between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Big bucks
Only a few weeks ago, the assembly of the new Golf 7 began at this impressive plant, all of which are destined for both North and South America. In order for this to happen, the Volkswagen Auto Group invested some US $700 million in new tooling and modern infrastructure for the Golf in Puebla.

This sum is part of VW's plan to invest upwards of $7 billion in North America in the coming years, up to 2018.

The future and the past
The building of the new Golf in Puebla opens up countless possibilities where the near full gamut of Volkswagen goodness may finally become a reality for us Northerners. I am getting a little ahead of myself, but I'm thinking 4MOTION, more TDI, and other Golf body configurations currently available elsewhere.

The inaugural start of the MKVII's assembly also marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of an import, production and sales company called “Volkswagen de México S.A.” started in 1964. A few years later, a car you may have heard of, the Beetle, started rolling off the assembly line in Puebla in 1967. The Bulli -- or Bus -- was also built alongside the Beetle, and both mobilized Mexico for decades.

Photo: Volkswagen

30 million Golfs so far
The first Golf that will roll off the assembly line is a red GTI. In the very near future, the Golf wagon will also be coming from this same line as will other versions further down the line. At full steam, the Puebla plant can produce up to 700 vehicles per working day. That works out to one Golf every 2 minutes and change.

As we know, VW continues to strive towards their goal of being No. 1 in total sales worldwide by 2018, and the new Golf will play a huge role in bringing North American deliveries to a cool million a year by that time. The addition of the SUV along with Passat and Jetta should sustain this growth and help VW attain the coveted No. 1 spot.

On that subject, Volkswagen may have to adjust some of its design decisions so as to not completely alienate its strong fan-base, but that's a discussion for another time...

More products
For the time being, Volkswagen continues its product onslaught and the next big launch will be the promised midsize SUV. The good CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, confirmed its coming just ahead of the recent Detroit Auto Show. According to him “development work on the seven-seater has already begun and will be launched in 2016.”

Numbers don't lie
It seems clear to me that the company is totally committed to this endeavour. This is certainly true if we consider that 2013 was a record year. The Volkswagen Group increased its deliveries by almost 5% to over 9.7 million vehicles compared to 9.3 million in 2012.

Photo: Volkswagen

The all-new 2015 Subaru Legacy will make its first public appearance worldwide at the Chicago Auto Show, which kicks off on February 8th.

Look for enhanced driveability and functionality, more interior room, and a design inspired from the Legacy Concept unveiled at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Photo: Subaru

NanoFLOWCELL, an upstart battery developer from Liechtenstein, will introduce its new Quant e-sport concept at the 2014 Geneva Auto Show in March.

Photo: NanoFLOWCELL

The company hopes to be able to increase energy storage and transfer capacities with this large performance electric sedan, which stands 5.25 metres long and offers comfortable seating for four adults.

While technical specifications have yet to be announced, you should know that the previous Quant concept, co-developed by NLV and Koenigsegg, was rated at 800 horsepower.

Photo: NanoFLOWCELL

John Booth and the Marussia F1 Team (finally) uncovered the 2014, Ferrari-powered MR03 this morning at Circuito Jerez de la Frontera in Southern Spain.

Marussia MR03 (Photo: Marussia F1 Team Twitter)

The Russian team said “goodbye” to British engine manufacturer Cosworth at the end of last season. From 2014, the cars will be powered by Ferrari V6 turbo hybrid engines.

Marussia MR03 (Photo: WRI2)

Marussia is the only team - with Mercedes AMG -- to retain the same drivers as last year. Ferrari protégé, Frenchman Jules Bianchi will drive the Marussia No. 17 and his teammate, Briton Max Chilton will be behind the wheel of car No. 4.

Jules Bianchi, Marussia MR03. (Photo: Marussia F1 Team)

From GMM

Lotus' innovative double-pronged nose solution for 2014 has been declared legal by the FIA's Charlie Whiting.

Lotus E22 (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

The solution is even clearly assymetrical, apparently only to slip through a loophole in the rules, but whether the 'spirit' of the regulations has been adhered to is less clear.

However, the FIA's technical chief and race director Whiting, who unlike Lotus is present at the Jerez test, said the E22 is "legal".

"The structure has withstood the crash tests and the concept adheres to the letter of the law," the Briton is quoted by France's Auto Hebdo.

"The approach is - without a doubt - different, but it is legitimate," Whiting declared.

"They presented the concept in the summer, and we did not find anything wrong with it. On the contrary, it is a very clever interpretation of the rules," he added.

Photo: Lotus F1 Team

The varying nose solutions up and down pitlane have attracted many column inches since the launch season began, but Ferrari's James Allison said the design of the very tip of the car is not so crucial.

"There are many concepts that work, and ours is one of them," he said, referring to Ferrari's more conservative solution that has been likened to a 'vacuum cleaner'.

The new McLaren MP4-29 Mercedes set the fastest time yesterday in Jerez, and the car features an intriguing new rear suspension design.

The rear suspension shows large, wing-shaped aerodynamic 'blockers'.

Experts say that the blockers are designed to restrict the airflow coming out of the Coke bottle area when it gets to the back of the diffuser.

2013 McLaren MP4-28. (Photo: McLaren)

2014 McLaren MP4-29 (Photo: WRi2)

The horizontal rear beam wing previously did this job, but the 2014 regulations have banned that so teams are looking for new ways to make up for it.

The blockers create an area of low pressure behind them. This then increases the velocity of the airflow travelling underneath the car, generating more downforce from the underfloor.

Michael Schumacher's assistant and manager, Sabine Kehm, confirmed Thursday that the German is slowly being brought out of a medically induced coma.

Schumacher suffered massive head injuries when he fell while skiing at Meribel's resort in France, December 29, 2013.

The German underwent brain surgery for a serious head trauma and has kept in a medically induced coma since then at the CHU hospital in Grenoble.

In an official press release published today, Kehm says “Michael's sedation is being reduced in order to allow the start of the waking-up process which may take a long time”.

“The family of Michael Schumacher is again requesting to respect its privacy and the medical secret, and to not disturb the doctors treating Michael in their work. At the same time, the family wishes to express sincere appreciation for the worldwide sympathy.

“For the protection of the family, it was originally agreed by the interested parties to communicate this information only once this process was consolidated.”

No additional information was provided.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone on Thursday ruled out paying millions to end his legal troubles in Germany and avoid ten years in jail.

Earlier, it was reported the F1 chief executive could take advantage of an unique German law in being able to negotiate a huge settlement and avoid the criminal trial for bribery.

But Ecclestone told the Daily Mail: "There's absolutely no way I'll do that.

"That is not how it works, anyway. We could possibly have come to some sort of arrangement when all this started but we decided not to do that.

"It's not an option now and we wouldn't go with it even if it was," the 83-year-old insisted. "We will go to court and present our case. We have nothing at all to hide."

Innsbruck, Austria -- What's really fast, looks boss, can go off-road, handle better than many sports cars in its price range, and you will want one?

The answer is the Audi RS Q3.

The RS Q3 combines some of Audi's best compact-performance elements in a package that is both appealing and enticing. Quicker than any compact crossover should ever be, the RS Q3 is bar none the penultimate small grocery getter that triples as a weekend track killer and weekend family hauler for trips to the cottage. This is no sales pitch: I rocked this vehicle through the heart of the Alps along with the RS 6 and a few other fantastic cars. Although the RS Q3 was the “lesser” of the lot, it still blew my mind.


What is an Audi RS Q3?
The Audi Q3, on which the RS Q3 is based, is Audi's entry-level compact crossover aimed at the masses desiring a small vehicle capable of urban and extra-urban exploration while leaving a minimal impact on its environment.

The RS Q3, as with all Audi RS vehicles, tips the scale of sanity with go-fast bits that are not unfamiliar to the likes of the TT RS and other such high-performance cars from the luxury brand based in Ingolstadt, Germany.

While the Audi Q3 will make its way to North America, the RS Q3 is not expected to land on our side of the Pond.

2014 Audi RS Q3 Price and Specs
The 2014 Audi RS Q3 actually has quite a bit in common with the TT RS, mainly the turbocharged inline 5-cylinder 2.5L TFSI engine. Its output is rated at 310 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

Between the motor and the road, the RS Q3 makes use of Audi's 7-speed dual-clutch S tronic automatic transmission and ingenious Quattro AWD system.

Its advantageous power-to-weight ratio allows the RS Q3 to reach 100 km/h in only 5.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h.

Pricing for the new Audi Q3 has not yet been set, but expect it to hover in the mid-$30k.

The Audi Q3, on which the RS Q3 is based, is Audi's entry-level compact crossover. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Driving the 2014 Audi RS Q3
My expectations of the RS Q3 were very different from those I had stepping into the RS 6. In fact, I stepped out of the wagon of my wet dreams into the super-CUV; it was therefore unlikely at that point that even a Bugatti Veyron could have impressed me...

However, the 2014 Audi RS Q3 did. The 5-pot mill was the element that truly caught my affections. We carved the Alps in groups of RS cars (yes, quite a sight to behold) and although the RS Q3 was the weakling of the group on paper, it managed to tango with cars nearly twice as powerful.

The engine's trick lies in the fact that max torque begins to drop off at the same time as max hp comes on tap. All 310 lbs of torque are available as of 1,500 rpm providing impressive go from the onset. Turbo lag is not, aided in large part by the TFSI's direct-injection system. Then there's the distinctive noise created by a welltuned 5-cylinder engine: a true and unique aural delight.

The old and often used adage is that power is nothing without control. The 2014 Audi RS Q3's specifically sport-tuned suspension and large Pirelli P255/35R20 tires seriously help grip the tarmac. On the uber-tight switchbacks, only the impression that the RS Q3 is nose heavy would slow me down. At all times, the RS Q3 would turn in quickly and crisply (although not with the same tenacious determination as the RS 6) and with limited body roll. Remember, this is a CUV, not a wide, low-slung oh-so-sexy station wagon...

As part of the control aspect, brakes are always very important. The Audi RS Q3 features oversized front discs clamped by chest-wide 8-piston callipers. Brake pedal feel and response is perfect, with the right amount of feedback and easily dosed.

One final element is Audi's Drive Select, which modifies the vehicle behavior through power steering assistance, throttle response, and exhaust flap control. The available modes are comfort, auto, and dynamic.

Come to think of it, maybe it's the driver that enabled the RS Q3 to dance so easily with the RS 5, RS 6 and RS 7...

The engine's trick lies in the fact that max torque begins to drop off at the same time as max hp comes on tap. All 310 lbs of torque are available as of 1,500 rpm providing impressive go from the onset. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Audi RS Q3
The 2014 Audi RS Q3 is the least aesthetically “RS” of the group. Its overall exterior styling is more Q3 than RS as most of what makes it an RS is located up front. The blacked-out RS front bumper with massive funnel-shaped air intake is the clearest sign of the vehicle's intentions. The 20” wheels, rear diffuser, and large oval tailpipe wrap up the Q3's physical enhancements.

The cabin is touched in a similar manner. Little is done to what is already a lovely cabin. The tasteful Nappa leather seats can be ameliorated with optional diamond-patterned stitching, which is in a word: dirty... Also “dirty” is the flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle-shifters and carbon accents.

The RS Q3's interior is snug, but will accommodate four passengers in comfort and with a fair amount of gear.

Little is done to what is already a lovely cabin. The tasteful Nappa leather seats can be ameliorated with optional diamond-patterned stitching. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Comparing the 2014 Audi RS Q3
The 2014 Audi RS Q3 has one current quasi-equal and it's the BMW X1 xDrive 35i. Purely on numbers, they are very close, but dynamically the RS Q3 takes it.

The latest Mercedes-Benz GLA 45 AMG might have something to say about the Audi's superiority in the very near future.

Sadly, we North Americans may never get to find out which is best... We'll get the cake but not the icing.