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From GMM

Footage from a camera mounted on Michael Schumacher's helmet proves the seven time world champion was skiing slowly when he fell on rocks recently.

That is the claim of France's RMC radio and also BFMTV television, after authorities reportedly extracted the footage as they investigate the incident at Meribel resort late last month that left Schumacher, 45, in a coma.

The information contradicts reports the former Mercedes and Ferrari driver was at speed in the rock-strewn 'off-piste' section between two slopes.

It could also spell legal trouble for Meribel, a major ski resort in the French alps, with lawyers already circling.

"The (safety) standard has not been met, as the signs and markings were inadequate and non-compliant. It cannot be that a resort collects the skiers' money, but does not ensure their right to safety," lawyer Edouard Bourgin told Le Figaro newspaper.

Germany's Welt newspaper reports that Meribel has already retained the services of a top ski industry-specific lawyer.

A top former ski racer and Olympic gold medallist, however, has leapt to Meribel's defence.

Markus Wasmeier said areas such as the one Schumacher fell in "are quite normal".

"The problem is unsolvable, short of lining the entire slope with guardrails," he is quoted by the Sport Bild magazine.

And a witness to the Schumacher rescue scene said the two slopes to either side of the rocky area were clearly marked with signs, according to Brazil's Globo.

"Even a professional can fall on a rock," Markus Wasmeier added.

Winter sucks. It's cold, miserable, grey, depressing, and makes thousands of Canadians head south and avoid our nasty climate until springtime re-arrives.

Driving in winter can be depressing, with slipping, sliding, salt spray, and reduced hours of daylight wearing away at the well-being and confidence of drivers. Difficulty starting on cold mornings, scraping pesky ice from your ride, and the fact that you'll likely freeze your tootsies until you're a block away from work on your morning commute doesn't help either.

What you need, my fellow Canuck, is a winter-busting ride. Thankfully, the used-car marketplace is full of affordable options for curing the above -- many of them for less money than you might think.

Listen closely. Hear that? It's the sound of a high-output engine driving all four wheels while you powerslide through conditions that leave lesser rides stuck. And it's closer than you think.

Here's a look at some fantastic sedans that can help turn your yucky wintertime commute into one of the most entertaining drives of the year.

Criteria to make this list of winter-ready rocket-sleds is simple: All sedans listed below can be bought for around $30,000, combine AWD with a powerful engine, and you'll be finding excuses to hit the road the next time the weather man says you probably shouldn't.

2004 to 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

2004 Subaru WRX STI (Photo: Subaru)

The Gist: Turbocharged BOXER power? Some 300 available horsepower? Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive with available driver-controlled centre differential? Check, check, and check. Look for sedan and hatchback body styles to fit your needs, and AWD as standard across the board. Wintertime sideways nincompoopery is in your immediate future if you decide on one of these beauties.

The Test Drive: If you're an enthusiast after one of Subaru's rally rockets, you probably know someone that owns one (or more). Bring him/her along for the test drive for a second opinion. Ask the seller to ensure the unit you'll be test driving isn't pre-warmed ahead of your arrival, as you'll want to watch the tailpipes for smoke as the engine heats up to operating temperature, but before you drive it. White, oily smoke could indicate a bad turbocharger, and sellers may pre-warm the unit to conceal other issues, too.

Be sure the model is stock in its engine tuning, and have a Subaru mechanic do a compression test to ensure all cylinders are healthy and gas-tight. A pre-purchase mechanical inspection on a hoist can go a long way to reveal potential problems with leaky differentials, excessive rust, and the condition of the suspension system. Be sure to ask your favourite technician to look for signs of a bad serpentine belt pulley, too. Confirm proper operation of the automatic climate control, wiper de-icer system and seat heaters, too.

2006 Subaru WRX STI (Photo: Subaru)

Continue reading Used Sports Sedans

From GMM

McLaren will launch its 2014 car on 24 January.

We reported recently that the Woking based team was planning to reveal the MP4-29 on the 25th, a Saturday.

But it is believed Ferrari would prefer the 25th for the Maranello launch of its unnamed new car, as Enzo Ferrari always avoided running cars on Fridays for superstitious reasons.

Indeed, McLaren announced officially on Tuesday that it will launch its new car live on the internet on Friday, January 24.

Long-time title sponsor Vodafone has now departed the British team, which will be powered by works Honda engines from 2015.

It is rumoured Sony, the Japanese multinational, could become McLaren's new main backer, possibly complementing a new orange livery as the team prepares to put its Mercedes era in the past.

Official testing kicks off at Jerez a few days after the McLaren launch, and it is there in Spain that several teams, including Mercedes and Red Bull, will roll their 2014 cars onto the tarmac for the world's press.

Unveiling of the MP4-28 on January 31, 2013. (Photo: McLaren)

From press release

The FIA Formula E Championship has today (January, 8) revealed the first eight drivers to show their support for the new fully-electric race series by signing up to its official Formula E Drivers' Club. 

Sebastien Buemi, Marco Andretti, Karun Chandhok, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Adrien Tambay, Ma Qing Hua, Lucas di Grassi and Takuma Sato have all committed to the new scheme, giving their official endorsement to the championship together with their willingness to race in the future. The new scheme will also give them the opportunity to experience track time in new Spark-Renault SRT_01E Formula E car, designed by Spark Racing Technologies together with a consortium of the leading names in motorsport including Dallara, McLaren, Williams, Renault and Michelin.

Sebastien Buemi. (Photo: WRi2)

Of the first eight names, Switzerland's Sebastien Buemi, Indian driver Karun Chandhok, Italy's Vitantonio Liuzzi, Lucas di Grassi from Brazil and Japanese driver Takuma Sato have all previously raced in Formula One, while China's Ma Qing Hua has been a test driver for both HRT and Caterham F1. Meanwhile, USA racer Marco Andretti - son of the legendary Michael Andretti - is one of IndyCar's top drivers finishing fifth this season, while Frenchman Adrien Tambay has raced in Formula 3, GP3, Formula Renault 3.5 and more recently DTM.

Marco Andretti. (Photo: FIA Formule E)

A further 10 drivers will be revealed over the coming weeks via the championship's official website.

Today's announcement also means that Lucas di Grassi will no longer act as the only official Formula E test driver.

December brought a strong finish to the year for Western Europe's car market with sales in the month up 11.8% on 2012's pace, according to data issued by LMC Automotive.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally, ending months of speculation, will not take a job at software giant Microsoft and will remain at the automaker through at least this year, the 68-year-old executive told the Associated Press in an interview Tuesday.

Chrysler Group is scheduled to start building its first salable 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel pickups this month, several months later than originally expected.

The 2014 Volkswagen Passat Sport will start at $27,295 including destination when it goes on sale early next year.

After selecting new creative and media agencies last March, American Honda is turning its attention to digital strategy and web development for its brands in North America.

Nissan has recruited a rising star from Hyundai, Derrick Hatami, to take over its United States sales operations as Nissan reorganizes its North American management structure.

General Motors today named Paul Edwards, a GM marketing director, as vice president of U.S. marketing for Chevrolet. Edwards, 44, replaces Chris Perry, who resigned last month. He will report to Chevy's global marketing chief, Tim Mahoney.

Last week, Audi board member for technical development Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg was meandering down the California coast, sampling red wines.

Just before a refreshed Rolls-Royce Ghost debuts at the

Nissan plans to build a new US$60m engine plant in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state, according to chief executive officer Carlos Ghosn.

Some of General Motors' Chevrolet brand cars sold in the US and Canada will soon get a new OnStar 4G LTE connection, running on AT&T's network, claimed to be the nation's fastest and most reliable.

News 13 Jan, 2014

Sleek Volvo Concept XC Coupe that hints at future SUV is unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show

Even though just a few years ago, cars weren't a prominent part of the annual

News 14 Jan, 2014

450bhp V8-powered Lexus RC F coupe debuts at Detroit, shows firm has its mojo back

Japanese supplier Nippon Seiki and its affiliates have agreed to pay a $4.56 million civil settlement for price fixing its instrument panel clusters.

News 8 Jan, 2014

New flagship SEAT Leon Cupra outmuscles VW Golf GTI with an incredible 276bhp