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News 12 Feb, 2014

Exclusive interior and exterior detailing revealed in BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Individual programme

News 12 Feb, 2014

Faulty hybrid system affects over 30,000 third-gen Toyota Prius models

Toyota has issued a Prius recall covering all 1.9m of its third generation Prius cars sold worldwide. The recall concerns a software glitch in the hybrid system that can cause the car to lose power.

Mazda's 'convention-defying' approach to car design means its front-wheel-drive models have the long, flowing looks of popular premium rear-drive models.

From press release

Contrary to what circulated in the media in early January, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing will not be taking part in this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

While the team was hoping and initially planning to return to the famed event this season, upon further reflection the last few weeks and based on a couple of different factors, they had to make the tough decision of turning down their invite.

Knowing that preparing for the 24 Hours of Le Mans is a monumental task in itself, Muscle Milk Pickett Racing has decided to put all of their effort and focus on their initial season in the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

With the team fielding a new car, in a new series with new rules and new competition, they want to ensure that their focus is not taken away from the job at hand, which is to fight for the prototype class championship.

"We were really looking forward to returning to Le Mans, and I was excited about getting back behind the wheel, but we need to do what is right for the team at this present time," explained Team Owner Greg Pickett.

"We've gone to Le Mans in the past and we know how much work it takes to get to and be well prepared for that race. We also know how much work it takes to fight for a championship, especially with a new car, which is why we've decided to solely focus on the TUDOR Championship this season,” Pickett added.

After a strong performance at the Rolex 24 at Daytona last month, the team is hard at work getting ready for the second round of the TUDOR Championship, which takes place at Sebring International Raceway on March 15. As part of its preparation, the team will be returning to the track at Sebring for a series sanctioned test February 20 - 21, 2014.

KV Racing Technology Wednesday confirmed that Sebastian Saavedra will be part of the team's 2014 program alongside Sebastien Bourdais.

The 23-year-old Colombian will be partnering the Frenchman once again, having been his teammate last year at Dragon Racing.

Dragon is not competing full time at the moment, although team owner Jay Penske has said he will participate in the Indianapolis 500.

Saavedra has competed in 38 IndyCar Series races. He has never led a race lap and has finished in the top 10 only twice, both times last season.

Saavedra made his IndyCar debut with Bryan Herta Autosport in the 2010 Indianapolis 500, then spent the next season with Conquest Racing. With AFS Racing's Gary Peterson as a backer, he ran in 2012 as part of the Andretti Autosport contingent for three races.

His eighth-place finish last year at Baltimore is a career best.

ORLANDO, Florida -- The sweeping, cobblestone road, flanked on either side by vineyards and tall juniper columns, ends at a sprawling, $40 million stone fortress surrounded by Italian cyprus. Proof that with enough money, a central Florida landscape can be transformed into a convincing Tuscan estate.

An ultra-exclusive country club seems an odd place to showcase a Japanese compact car, and our convoy of grey Honda Civics looked a little out of place amongst the sun-drenched vines. However, when you consider that the Civic has been Canada's top-selling car for 16 consecutive years, it could easily buy the place outright.


What is the Honda Civic Coupe?
Introduced in 1973, the Civic, now in its 9th generation, is Canada's top-selling car. Of those sales, 15% are two-door coupes. The combination of economic decline, fierce competition, and interior quality complaints took a big chunk out of Civic sales recently, but it rebounded for 2013 with a 10.4% increase.

Dave Gardner, Honda Canada's VP of Sales and Marketing credits the Civic's well-rounded packaging for its popularity.

"The word ‘Civic' is defined as 'relating to a citizen,'" he explains. "We have a Civic for every walk of life."

The Civic returns in 2014 with new exterior styling, upgraded safety and technology, and a new CVT.

2014 Honda Civic Coupe Price and Specs
The Civic Coupe is available in four trim levels: the volume-selling LX $18,840 (39%); EX $20,900 (37%); EX-l Navi $25,600 (14%); and the performance-enhanced Si at $26,665 (10%).

Returning is the familiar 1.8L VTEC 4-cylinder, but exhaust tweaks have increased its output to 143 hp/129 lb-ft (up from 140/128). The Si Coupe's 2.0L engine increases to 205 hp/174 lb-ft (up from 201/174).

LX and EX models have a choice of 5-speed manual or CVT, while the EX-L is available with CVT only, and the Si comes exclusively with a 6-speed manual transmission. Fuel economy (L/100 km): 7.3 city; 5.5 hwy (manual); 6.7L/100km city; 5.0 hwy (LX); 6.9 city; 5.1 hwy (EX, EX-L Navi); 9.9 city; 6.6 why (Si coupe).

Introduced in 1973, the Civic, now in its 9th generation, is Canada's top-selling car. Of those sales, 15% are two-door coupes. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

Driving the 2014 Honda Civic Coupe
Our morning was spent at the wheel of a Civic Coupe EX with a CVT, unfortunately there were no Si models available for testing.

A firmer suspension with revised dampers gives the Coupe flatter cornering ability without undue harshness. Florida's mostly flat terrain didn't present much opportunity for the car to really exert itself, but it handled the winding back country roads nicely. The big news for 2014 is the addition of a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

Although universally disliked by performance fans for their characteristic moaning and sluggish response, CVTs are extremely efficient when it comes to fuel conservation. Thanks to a set of wheel-mounted paddles (Coupe only) the Civic's CVT can emulate a seven-speed transmission allowing the driver to gear down and use the engine brake while cornering or, when in "S" mode, control the transmission shifts entirely. This almost completely alleviates the traditional droning and brightens the drive experience considerably in the 2014 Honda Civic Coupe.

A firmer suspension with revised dampers gives the Coupe flatter cornering ability without undue harshness. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush)

Inside and Out of the 2014 Honda Civic Coupe
Externally, the Civic Coupe remains much the same, with the exception of a more aggressive grille and updated rear fascia. The new "solid wing face" incorporates new headlamps into the sweeping grille, underlined by a new fascia with larger air openings. A more chiselled rear finishes it off nicely. Si models receive new 18" rims, a "floating" decklid spoiler, and an even more aggressive front fascia and rear diffuser.

Inside, the cabin retains the same driver-centric layout with its "two-tier dash," but adds a black colour theme and new upholstery fabrics.

Honda ramps up the tech content with a new "Display Audio" multimedia system resembling an iPad. Geared to appeal to younger buyers, the system works through touch using two fingers to flick, slide, pinch or tap through various controls. Like many such systems that work well in theory, this one entails cumbersome screen-shuffling that could more easily be executed by simple knobs.

New technology includes HondaLink connectivity, which lets the driver access a variety of services using their own cell phone data. Facebook, Twitter, thousands of music stations, and even audio books can be accessed using steering-wheel or voice-activated controls. While EX-L Navi and Si models come with embedded Navigation, Display Audio-equipped models can download a HondaLink navigation app ($59).

Lane Watch, which first appeared on the Accord, uses a passenger mirror camera to reveal blind spots in the inside lane when the turn signal's activated.

Inside, the cabin retains the same driver-centric layout with its "two-tier dash," but adds a black colour theme and new upholstery fabrics. (Photo: Honda)

Comparing the 2014 Honda Civic Coupe
Although the folks at Honda declined to name their main competitors, the Elantra and Mazda3 have really upped the ante over the last half-decade, with the Corolla a perennial favourite, too. On sale since December, the new Civic sold 1,715 cars in January to the Elantra's 1,078, Corolla‘s 990 and Mazda3's 749.

Upgrades in features and technology have made this segment more cutthroat than ever, and the Civic's improvements will help in the fight to maintain its position as segment leader.

"I can't recall a better time to buy a new car," said Dave Gardner.

"It's a pretty good fight with Elantra and Mazda3. But let's just say we will be as competitive as the market requires us to be."

From Groupe de courses Octane

The FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA is proud to confirm today that Masters Historic Grand Prix will be part of his racing program, June 6, 7 & 8 on Gilles Villeneuve circuit.

The presence in Montréal of nearly Formula 1 beauties of yesteryear will certainly be one of the highlights of this, the 35th edition (45th in Canada) of our country's round of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.

Nearly 30 cars, including Gilles Villeneuve's 1980 Ferrari 312 T5 will be entered in the two races scheduled for the inaugural weekend of Montréal's ever festive summer season.

Ferrari 312 T5 de Gilles Villeneuve (Photo: Groupe de course Octane)

All the Masters HGP cars that the fans will see in Montréal June 6, 7 & 8, raced in the 1970's and early 80's, a very competitive and dramatic era in Formula 1's history.

Other than Villeneuve's 1980 Ferrari 312T5, we can already confirm that fans will be able to see Mario Andretti's 76 Lotus 77, John Watson's 1982 McLaren MP4/1B's, Jody Scheckter's 1978 Wolf Racing WR6, Jan Lammers' 1979 Shadow DN9and 1983 Keke Rosberg's Williams FW08C in what promises to be a full grid.

Enthusiasts will be pleased to note that all these cars are authentic F1 single-seaters carefully maintained and regularly raced by their owners and drivers. At this year's FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA, Masters HGP races will take place Saturday afternoon (June 7) and Sunday morning (June 8).



The fans who intend to purchase grandstand or general admission tickets to live the fever at the 2014 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA must reach the box office at 514 350-0000 or 1-855-790-1245, seven days a week between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased on our secure websites at www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca or at www.admission.com.

I was privileged enough to attend a special drive event hosted by Jaguar Land Rover Canada at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec. The experience entailed some adrenaline-packed Jaguars, but you'll have to wait for a separate story on that (coming next week). For now, let's focus on a completely different kind of challenge: manoeuvring big Land Rovers through an off-road course at 5 km/h!

A portion of the ICAR track was set up to put many of these British luxury 4x4s to the test. Among the various obstacles were a frighteningly steep climb, a giant pool of water, the most extreme washboard you'll ever see (if you can call it that), and a whole lot more. That was my “playground” for the day.

As far as I can tell, there are two types of Land Rovers: those with an air suspension, the real off-road kings, and the others like the LR2 and Evoque. Despite also lacking the more sophisticated Terrain Response 2 system of their siblings, the LR2 and Evoque still manage to overcome the smaller obstacles without any difficulty. More likely than not, these two vehicles will satisfy the average Land Rover owner in most situations.

Photo: Frédéric Feudi

However, I was there to experiment with the kind of driving conditions you'd only find in the most remote and treacherous locations -- like Mars.

First, I slid behind the wheel of the almighty Range Rover. Simply by pressing a button, the air suspension raised the vehicle to provide extra ground clearance.

Imagine a 5-foot high doughnut cut in half. The wheels on one side touch the ground, the other side climbs on said doughnut, and you make a turn. You look through the driver's window and realize that you're awfully close to the ground, and then you turn around and see nothing but blue sky out the passenger window. Every ounce of common sense suggests that you're about to tip over, except you don't. You keep inching forward, hands moist, pulse racing. Thrilling and chilling at the same time!

Photo: Frédéric Feudi

The second obstacle consisted of two rows of massive bumps running in parallel, but with an offset so that one or even two wheels stay off the ground (the extreme washboard I was referring to earlier, as you can see on the picture) known as articulation berms. Every time the Range Rover attacked a new set of bumps, I got the feeling that the front bumper was going to explode. I had to trust the vehicle, and more importantly my instructor. The images from the side mirror-mounted cameras also appeared on the centre display to help me properly align the truck and anticipate the next bump. I sure could use these cameras when I park my own car along city streets! Bravo, Land Rover!

The third obstacle was an enormous pool that submerged the vehicle up to window level. The air intake in the Land Rover LR4, Range Rover, and Range Rover Sport is each located completely above the engine, near the base of the windshield. As long as you don't get water through that opening, you can keep driving like it's no big deal. There's something utterly fascinating and mind-boggling about stretching out the window and touching the water as you move forward in a business-like fashion.

Photo: Frédéric Feudi

After exiting the pool, I took the big Land Rover to the bottom of a near-vertical (at least it looked like it) slope that posed a seemingly insurmountable challenge -- even after the other logic-defying feats accomplished earlier. How could the vehicle possibly reach the top?! Somehow it did, giving a new meaning to “sky's the limit.”

No time to rest: With an equally steep descent on the other side, my instructor told me to let go of everything except the steering wheel. The Land Rover immediately understood the situation and applied the brakes all by itself to control speed throughout the descent. As a driver, it really makes you humble when the vehicle decides to take over because it can do a better job than you -- at the same time, I appreciated the breather.

At the end of the day, I was both excited and relieved. Thank you, Land Rover, for this formidable off-road experience!

DTM teams and drivers will enjoy two four-day tests before the start of the 2014 season at the Hockenheimring, May 4.

Canadians Bruno Spengler for BMW and Robert Wickens for Mercedes will have the chance to drive their news cars.

The first four-day test will be held March 31 to April 3, from 9am to 5pm at the Hungaroring, near Budapest, Hungary.

Two weeks later, from April 14 to 17, the teams will put the finishing touches to the Audis RS5 DTM, BMWs M4 DTM and DTM Mercedes AMG C-Coupé at the Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg. The track session will be held from 9am to 12, and then from 2 to 6pm.

DTM fans will be given daily access to the ‘Südtribüne G' of the Hockenheimring for just 6 euros.

The Lexus LF-LC concept, introduced at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, will finally make its Canadian debut this week at the Toronto Auto Show.

As you may or may not know, this 2+2 coupe embodies the Japanese brand's future design direction. It features the boldest interpretation of the Lexus spindle grille, an industry-exclusive glass-to-glass roof panel, and taillights that are reminiscent of fighter jet afterburners.

Motivation for the front-engine, rear-wheel drive LF-LC comes from the most advanced Lexus Hybrid Drive system yet, generating the equivalent of 445 horsepower -- unmatched by any other Lexus.

The body marries carbon fibre and aluminum alloy to achieve an extremely lightweight package. Inside, dual 12.3'' LCD screens (one for navigation and one for the gauge cluster) communicate with each other to provide everything the driver needs to know.

From GMM

According to German daily Bild-Zeitung, seven-time Formula 1 champion, Michael Schumacher, in a coma since his skiing fall late last year, is now reportedly suffering from pneumonia.

Bild-Zeitung said that two and a half weeks since doctors began trying to wake him, the former Ferrari and Mercedes driver is now on antibiotics to treat the lung condition.

"The consequences are not yet clear," the newspaper's correspondents said. "Whether the waking up process was stopped because of the infection is not known."

Schumacher's manager, Sabine Kehm said: "We do not comment on speculation."

Professor Heinzpeter Moecke, of a Hamburg hospital, told Bild: "Pneumonia is generally a serious and dangerous disease, because the body is supplied with less oxygen and is weaker."

He said comatose patients sometimes contract pneumonia because ventilation prevents coughing.

"A healthy person coughs or swallows several times per minute, usually without noticing it. This protects the lungs," said Moecke.

Schumacher's former Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa told reporters in Sao Paulo this week that he recently visited his friend in the Grenoble hospital.

"I went to see him on a day when there was nobody from the press there.

"I stayed by his side for a long time," said Massa. "It was good to be there.

"It just looked like he was sleeping, like any of us sleeps. I'm really hopeful everything will be ok and that he will wake up and recover fully," said the Williams driver.

Massa said he is receiving daily updates from the Schumacher circle about the great German's condition.

Jaguar will take advantage of the 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto to present its new C-X17 crossover concept for the first time in the country. The model originally appeared in Frankfurt last September.

The Jaguar C-X17 features an all-aluminum body with sporty lines including a sloping rear hatch. The front grille is inspired from the Jaguar XJ.

The cabin has four stylish individual seats, while the generous cargo area also offers the flexibility of two occasional leisure seats that swing up and out of the floor for use when the car is parked and the rear tailgate is open. Other interior highlights include head-up display and a rotary shift dial.

Under the hood is a selection of 4-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.

The C-X17's platform will be used on a new compact sedan that Jaguar will launch later in 2014 for the 2015 model year.

Photo: Jaguar

Part of the floor at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, recently collapsed and swallowed eight vintage Corvettes.

The sinkhole, which is reportedly about 40 feet wide and at least 25 feet deep, has forced the museum to close while geologists conduct an investigation. Fortunately, no one has been hurt.

The damaged cars include:

• 1993 ZR-1 Spyder (GM loan);
• 2009 ZR-1 Blue Devil (GM loan);
• 1962 Corvette in black;
• 1984 PPG Pace Car;
• 1992 Corvette in white (one millionth Corvette);
• 1993 Corvette Ruby Red Edition 40th anniversary;
• Z06 Mallett Hammer;
• 2009 Corvette in white (1.5 millionth Corvette).

Source : theverge.com

Photo: Corvette Museum

Toyota Canada will recall 13,791 Toyota Prius vehicles from the 2010-2014 model years in order to update the motor/generator control ECU and hybrid control ECU software.

The current settings could result in higher thermal stress in certain transistors, potentially causing them to become damaged. If this happens, various warning lights will illuminate and the Prius can enter a fail-safe mode. In rare circumstances, the hybrid system might shut down, resulting in the loss of power and the car coming to a stop.

In a separate recall that affects 25,577 vehicles, including the 2012 Toyota RAV4, 2012-2013 Toyota Tacoma, and 2012-2013 Lexus RX 350, Toyota Canada will update the skid control ECU software in order to address an electronic circuit condition that can cause the Vehicle Stability Control, Anti-lock Brake, and Traction Control functions to intermittently turn off.

As part of these recalls, owners of affected vehicles will receive a software update free of charge. They will be notified by mail when the software updates are available at their dealerships.

The Journal de Montreal reveals today that 1997 Formula 1 World Champion, Jacques Villeneuve will contest the new FIA Rallycross World Championship in 2014.

The news will be officially announced Thursday during a press conference in Scotland.

According to the daily newspaper, Villeneuve has been hired by team Albatec to contest the full season of 12 rounds held around the globe of this new FIA-sanctioned World Championship.

Villeneuve will be behind the wheel of a Peugeot 208.

Photo: Global Rallycross Series

The former Williams driver may be new to rallycross but he has significant ice racing experience under his belt from his years in the French Andros Trophy.

Villeneuve's participation is not accidental as the only North American round of the World Championship will be held at the Grand Prix of Trois-Rivieres in August. It is different from the Global Rallycross Championship that is strictly American.

Do you own a Graco baby seat or booster seat? If so, you should know that the company is now recalling 3.7 million of them -- all manufactured from 2009 to July 2013 -- due to potentially faulty harness buckles.

Affected models include:

• Cozy Cline
• Comfort Sport
• Classic Ride 50
• My Ride 65
• My Ride 70
• My Ride avec Safety Surround
• Size4Me 70
• My Size 70
• Head Wise 70 Smart Seat
• Nautilus 3 en 1
• Nautilus Elite
• Nautilus Argos

Graco will send owners new and improved replacement harness buckles at no cost.

For further details, contact the Graco customer service team at 1-800-345-4109 or write an email at consumerservices@gracobaby.com

Source : canadianfreestuff.com

From GMM

Damon Hill has counted himself out of the furore surrounding the new 'double points' innovation for 2014.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said recently the fans' adverse reaction was akin to a "sh**storm", and should give rulemakers pause to reconsider handing out twice as many points in the Abu Dhabi finale.

His predecessor, Norbert Haug, is also no fan.

"If all the goals on the last matchday of the (German football) Bundesliga counted twice, the confusion would be just as big. Formula one is no different," he told the German news agency SID.

1996 world champion Hill, however, is not sure what all the fuss is about, saying he agrees with Bernie Ecclestone that the concept will keep spice in the title fight.

"If you go to Wimbledon and you are in a knockout competition it then gets more crucial and more important the closer you get to the final -- and the final is worth a lot more points than the first round," he told Sky Sports.

"Personally, I don't see what the story is about," said Hill. "Winning the world championship is the goal and if it gets more and more intense towards the end, and there is more at stake at the end of the championship, then that should be more exciting."

2013 podium at Abu Dhabi. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

New details of the plan to spice up qualifying for 2014 have emerged.

Last week, it emerged that at a meeting in Bahrain on February 21, F1's major players will move to ensure the final 'Q3' segment is exciting under the radically different regulations.

The fear is that, to preserve tires and for reasons of reliability, drivers will sit out the session for other tactical reasons.

It was reported that a likely solution would be to supply drivers with an extra set of tires for the final 'Q3' hitout.

Red Bull RB10. (Photo: WRi2)

Writing in Autosprint, the Italian correspondent Roberto Chinchero said the extra set, only eligible to be used in Q3, will be the 'option' - or fastest - tire.

According to the reported proposal, drivers will also be encouraged to push hard in Q3 by ending the rule that required cars to start the race on the last tire used in the top-ten hitout.

Now, top-ten drivers will start on the tire with which they set their best Q2 time.

The Q3 changes, likely to increase track activity, will mean the session is extended from 10 to 12 minutes, giving drivers more time to fit in their additional 'runs'.

And the lengthened Q3 will mean Q1 is reduced from 20 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, for drivers who do not make it into Q3, they will be given an extra set of 'option' tires for the race, also discouraging them from saving tires in qualifying.