Auto News 5

The need for light-weight materials among OEMs and component producers is accelerating the demand for automotive plastics in Europe, according to researchers at Frost & Sullivan (F&S).

Volkswagen is to take its ultra-light and fuel-efficient XL1 on a tour of nine South Korean cities.

Renault has posted operating profit of EUR1,242m in 2013, a 59% jump on the previous year.

Skoda's sales rose 17 percent in January, the fifth consecutive monthly gain for the brand as it targets deliveries of 1 million cars this year.

Word on the street has Mazda resurrecting the

-- Hot Rod Magazine dives deep into the cylinder bores of the 426 Hemi, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Elana Scherr's chat with

Listed within its financial outlook statement for the next fiscal year, Renault has revealed the launch dates for two future models. Both the Twingo and Trafic will be replaced in 'the fall' of 2014.

News 13 Feb, 2014

Mercedes reveals exclusive alloy wheel designs along with exterior and interior accessories for the GLA

Renault said full-year earnings rose 59 percent as low-cost cars from the company's Dacia division pushed delivery growth and the automaker reduced costs.

Seat is hoping to win new customers to its compact Leon range with the arrival of the Sports Tourer, the first wagon variant in the lineup.

The French government doesn't intend to be a silent partner when it takes an expected step to acquire a 14 percent stake in PSA/Peugeot-Citroen.

The Datsun (and later Nissan) 510 is one of the most iconic and historically rich cars to ever come out of Japan. Fitted with a 1.6L carbureted 4-cylinder engine from the factory, the diminutive auto would easily accept a donor heart from many of its siblings, up to 2.0L and sometimes even larger if an owner had the required expertise.

Even today, the 510 enjoys a cult status amongst those who value volume Japanese metal and pristine examples can be found on sale for well over $10,000.

The IDx Freeflow and NISMO lean heavily on the tradition set by its predecessor, itself based on the BMW 1600-2. Both concepts sport a three-box, retro shape without making the cars themselves look traditional or dated. If anything, they are ultra-modern, minimalist homages to the essence of what was once a very fun, sporty, and practical compact.


Not just a couple of retro-themed coupes, Nissan's goal was to reopen the possibility of individuality expressed in an automotive form. The concepts are just examples of what your IDx -- if they choose to let you build one -- could look like.

Much like the smart fortwo and its swappable body panels, the IDx expands on the idea by allowing a customer to define almost every aspect of the car -- headlights, drivetrain, bodywork, and interior -- to create the closest thing to a personal automotive identity possible.

The IDx is the product of Nissan bringing consumers and loyalists into the design process. Nissan calls it co-creation and they specifically targeted members of the “digital generation” for input. The approach highlighted new ideas that may have been ignored in the past, while still showcasing Nissan's heritage.

“I think our heritage is very strong,” explained Nissan design chief, Shiro Nakamura.

“Therefore, if you have a very strong heritage, you can do it. If you don't have a strong heritage, you can not utilize that heritage.”

Underneath it all, the two concepts are identical. However, thanks to different bodywork, headlights, and interiors, the cars couldn't be further apart. Both measure in at 13.5 feet long and 4.3 feet tall. The Freeflow has a width of 5.6 feet while the NISMO is 5.9 feet wide, all thanks to wider fenders wrapped around a much more aggressive wheel and tire package.

Photo: Nathan Leach-Proffer

A wide range of engines could power the IDx concepts should they make their way to production. Nissan states a 1.2L or 1.5L 4-cylinder engine mated to a CVT could be found in basic models, while more sporting iterations could be powered by the same turbocharged 1.6L 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission found in the Nissan JUKE. While talking to Nissan representatives in Detroit, we were told electric propulsion could also be a possibility, meshing well with Carlos Ghosn's vision of an electrified Nissan future.

At the show stand, Nissan had a virtual reality game where a player could build their own IDx by telling the system about their personality, values, and basic choices such as colour. In all, the game allowed for some 300+ different combinations, including convertibles and weekend racers.

Nissan is taking this exercise quite seriously and wants to at least bring one of the concept models to production, if not the customization process touted in the press release. During the press conference, Andy Palmer stated, while standing in front of the IDx examples and Sport Sedan Concept, that two models are in the production pipeline.

These ultra-cool coupes could also spawn an IDx compact SUV exercise in the near future. However, for those of us pining for the heyday of simple, fun motoring in a small package, the IDx Freeflow and NISMO are the ticket.

Photo: Nathan Leach-Proffer

If anything blossoms from Nissan's experiment, expect to hear some noise before this year's Tokyo Auto Show in November.

Sabine Kehm, the official spokesperson for Michael Schumacher, has issued Thursday February 13 a statement about the condition of the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion.

Schumacher is still in intense care in the Grenoble CHU hospital.

The press release reads as this:

"Michael's family would like to again express their sincere thanks for the continuous sympathy coming from all over the world. The good wishes they receive help the family and, we are convinced they also help Michael, who still is in a waking up process.

As often in such situation no day is like the next. The family is thankful for one's understanding that they would not wish to disclose medical details in order to protect Michael's privacy. As assured from the beginning we will continue to communicate any decisive new information on Michael's health state. We are aware that the wake up phase can take a long time.

The family continues to strongly believe in Michael's recovery and place all their trust in the doctors', nurses' and nursing auxiliaries' team. The important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael's heal process progresses in a continuous and controlled way."

Nissan Canada has just revealed that the all-new 2015 Nissan Micra will arrive at dealerships this spring at a base MSRP of just $9,998, meaning that it will sell like hot cakes.

Unavailable in the U.S., the Canadian-exclusive 2015 Nissan Micra comes in three trim levels including S, SV, and SR. Its 1.6L 4-cylinder engine can be mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

Photo: Nissan

Elon Musk's company just got a big publicity boost after the founder of Koenigsegg, who recently purchased a Tesla Model S, declared he prefers it to his BMW M5.

Christian von Koenigsegg claims the lighter Model S accelerates faster and handles better than the renowned German sports sedan.

FYI, Koenigsegg will present the new One:1 supercar at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show.

Source : motorauthority.com

Photo: Tesla

The Kia Provo concept, introduced last year in Geneva, made its North american debut today at the 2014 Toronto Auto Show.

Photo: Kia

This hybrid sport compact car uses a 204-horsepower 1.6L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine on the front axle and a 45-horsepower electric motor driving the rear axle. It also features 19'' wheels and a unique grille treatment with 850 LEDs.

Photo: Kia

The interior of the Kia Provo concept makes extensive use of carbon fibre, Alcantara, and aluminum.

Photo: Kia

The highly anticipated 2015 Volkswagen Golf, which will arrive at dealerships across the country this spring, made its debut at the 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

Starting at $18,995, the 2015 Volkswagen Golf comes standard with an all-new 1.8L 4-cylinder turbo engine that produces 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Inside the roomy and comfortable cabin is a 5.8'' touchscreen, Bluetooth, and satellite radio.

The 2015 Volkswagen Golf is available in 3- and 5-door configurations.

Photo: Volkswagen

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest published Thursday the entry list for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours classic race.

The technical rules have been changed for this year. The cars entered in LM P1 will use 30% less fuel and make a big reduction in their carbon footprint, while maintaining a level of performance equivalent to that of the cars competing in 2013, thus guaranteeing the race the same nail-biting intensity while using different technologies.

Several major car manufacturers will compete. Thus, in addition to Audi and Toyota, Porsche, which was totally won over by this approach, is making its comeback to the Le Mans 24 Hours 14 years after its last outright victory. Nissan has entered its ZEOD in the context of the 56th garage (place on the grid granted to a technically innovative prototype running outside the overall classification) to prepare for its return to LM P1 in 2015.

The new Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 (Photo: Porsche AG)

In terms of numbers the reigning title holder Audi holds sway with three of its new R18 e-tron quattros to which two Toyota TS040s and two Porsche 919 Hybrids will provide fierce opposition.

In the LM P1-L category reserved for private teams Rebellion Racing and Lotus have entered a total of three cars.

In LM P2, 2014 will be marked by the return of Ligier, one of the great names in French motor sport, back in top-level racing joining Alpine, which has confirmed its entry. It is the first time that Ligier will return to Le Mans since 1975.

This year two cars developed by Onroak Automotive will be at the start. Another comeback of note is that of Dome, and Sebastien Loeb Racing will finally take on the best endurance has to offer.

In LM GTE Pro the Corvette C7s and Viper GTS-Rs are determined to take their revenge on the European GTs led by the works Porsches, the current title holders, the works Ferraris entered by AF Corse, the Ram Racing 458, plus the three Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantages.

In LM GTE, sixteen cars will be at the start including last year's winner, the IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche.

Among the drivers in the GTE Am category making their debut will be Fabien Barthes, the 2013 French GT Champion, who has made a remarkable reconversion to motor sport. American actor Patrick Dempsey is back for the third time after coming close to victory last year.

Shell also announces its return to top-flight sports prototype and GT competition, signing an agreement with the ACO as Official Fuel Partner to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

The 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto features the North American premiere of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, as well as the Canadian debut of the highly anticipated Macan compact CUV.

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup houses a 3.8L flat-6 engine that produces 460 horsepower, surpassing its predecessor by 10 horsepower. A 6-speed dog-type gearbox developed by Porsche Motorsport, which is operated via steering wheel-mounted shift paddles (for the first time in a Porsche brand trophy race car), transmits power to the rear wheels.

Photo: Porsche

Meanwhile, the 2015 Porsche Macan will excite small CUV buyers at the Toronto Auto Show with two models: S ($54,300) and Turbo ($82,200). The former gets a 340-horsepower, 3.0L twin-turbo V6, and can accelerate to 100 km/h in as low as 5.2 seconds with the Sport Chrono package. The latter drops that time to 4.6 seconds thanks to a 3.6L twin-turbo V6 rated at 400 horsepower.

Photo: Porsche

There's an old saying if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably a duck. In racing it's probably the same.

So what's up with one of NASCAR's all-time greatest crew chiefs?

According to Ray Evernham, Jeff Gordon's three-time NASCAR Cup champion's crew chief, he will not take over the crew position on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 team replacing Steve Letarte who will be leaving at the end of this year.

But Evernham whose own race team was shut down seven years ago maintains close ties to Rick Hendrick his former boss from 1993-1999, where he collaborated for 47 victories and those champions.

That makes him the obvious choice for Earnhardt who hasn't won in over a year and has no Cup level championships.

By the calculus of the garage denizens that makes him the favorite, right? Not so fast. First you have his denial. Okay, people deny things all the time.

Secondly Evernham has been working on a project along with Hendrick for cable television called Americarna seeking out American-metal with the stories behind them. One episode highlighted an original moonshine-running car that became the foundation of cars used in stock car racing leading to the formation of NASCAR.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Photo: NASCAR)

Now there's an article in the Sporting News where Evernham admits he'd be back on the pit box in an advisory role if not a crew chief role.

“I want to be the textbook, and I'm there and ready ... if they turn around and ask a question,” Evernham, considered one of NASCAR's greatest crew chief's said.

Ironically, he's back at Hendrick Motorsports and reporting directly to Marshall Carlson, Hendrick's son-in-law and president of the team. According to the article he has an office at HMS and plans to work there three times a week.

Moreover he's going to sit in important team meetings. And he said being around highly stimulating race team experts would motivate him.

He said he's not going to step in or ruffle the feathers of the other crew chiefs, but maintain a mentor-like presence.

All of these good intentions would be great for a normal person, but in the case of Evernham, who has accomplished so much in his racing career, how long can the siren song of weekly battle withstood?

The final piece of the puzzle is the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.

What if Mr. Hendrick cannot find a suitable crew chief to promote from within or from a another team? What if he goes to Evernham and says, “I need you?”

What then?

I think we may then have a duck.