Auto News 5

Honeywell says the European Commission's (EC) scientific report concerning its r1234yf refrigerant marks the "final word" in the contentious issue that has pitted Germany and Mercedes-Benz in particular, against Brussels and France.

Audi plans to introduce 17 new or revamped models in 2014 and will move forward with the production of an electric version of the R8 sports car in a push to gain momentum on rival BMW.

Forecasters at IHS Automotive have downgraded their forecast for vehicle sales in Russia this year as a result of the economic effects of the geopolitical crisis in Ukraine.

Ford is expanding its research and development complex in China by doubling the number of employees there by over 50% by the end of 2018, adding a new building and test track and broadening activities, the automaker has said.

Audi delivered more cars than BMW brand through the first two months of 2014 to claim the title of the world's best-selling premium brand.

Faurecia has announced a new just-in-time component assembly plant in Brussels, Belgium, inside an Audi factory.

Audi is bracing for another drop in operating profit this year as the cost of foreign expansion, new models and technologies keep burdening results.

American Honda, based in Torrance near Los Angeles, is splitting its upmarket Acura brand into a separate division to "create greater clarity and more cohesive sales and marketing plans", the company said in a statement (see below). The move is effective from 1 April.

News 11 Mar, 2014

An image of the fifth Bugatti Legend has appeared online, prior to an official reveal

When you saw video footage of eight Corvettes falling through the floor of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Ky.

When "Need for Speed" comes to theaters on March 14, it will be a fitting centerpiece to the Electronic Arts franchise: For nearly two decades, the games have been getting far more cinematic with each sequel, not just in poly counts and graphical...

-- Hagerty content VP and friend of Autoweek Rob Sass wonders out loud: When the baby boomers put down their auction flags and retire, what will happen to the collector car industry? "Who's going to buy all their cars?" (We will. and#8211;Ed.

What is it?

Mark Loyd, the designer behind the unique styling of the Citroen C4 Cactus, thinks the car fits well into the French automaker's history.

Six consecutive months of year-on-year growth in western European car sales has some market watchers revising their sales forecasts upwards.

Six consecutive months of year-on-year growth in western European car sales has some market watchers revising their sales forecasts upwards.

This week's hottest new auto brand viral video to make our list is ... an Apple product?

On March 11, 2011, a massive earthquake-tsunami devastated Japan and also torpedoed much of the nation's auto industry for the better part of a year.

From press release

Team Stange Racing owners John and Ashley Stange have announced they have hired Rick Crawford as crew chief for Team Stange for the rest of the 2014 ARCA Racing Series season.

Effective immediately, Crawford will be taking on duties of crew chief for Team Stange and their driver, Canadian Maryeve Dufault.

"I am ready to keep the momentum with the team, moving forward in the same direction that they left with in Daytona," Crawford said.

"The Stanges have been involved in other forms of racing and they have a vision and an understanding of what it takes to be a competitive team. They are fully committed to Team Stange and I am happy to be a part of that vision. I am looking forward to working with Maryeve, getting to know her and learning about what she wants out of her racecar to be able to have that competitive edge. 2014 will be a good year for Team Stange and we are all ready to make sure we are the best we can be."

Dufault is excited about moving forward with Crawford.

"I think Rick has proven himself at many levels of racing and also has an understanding being a driver himself. We started the season on a high note, running up front at Daytona in the season opener. Having Rick on board will keep us moving forward and on the right track as a new team."

The next scheduled race for the No. 46 Team Stange Ford and Dufault will be the ARCA-Mobile 200 at Mobile International Speedway Saturday, March 22, 2014.

From FIA

One of the main talking points surrounding the new Formula 1 V6 turbo hybrid Power Units has been the sound they make. The FIA has come to an interesting conclusion.

Some have fixated on the idea that the noise made by current F1 is part of the allure and while the sonic signature is certainly part of the thrill it is but one element of the sport's appeal, allied to technical innovation, glamour, skill and heroism - all contribute to the ‘noise' that constantly surrounds the sport.

Having said that, it is true that the 2014 Power Units will make less noise than the V8 of previous generation. However, it is worth putting this decrease into perspective.

Formula 1 engine manufacturers estimate that the intensity of sound of the F1 powerplants with the former V8s was around 145dB. With the new units it is expected to be around 134dB.

The high pitch shriek of the old V8 engines made them sound louder.

“Quality of sound is a very difficult thing to assess, as we all have different taste,” says Fabrice Lom, former Renault Sport F1 engineer and now FIA Head of Powertrain.

“Some like rock, others classic music. In 1988, V6 turbo F1 engines were revving lower and had less capacity. Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost both had fans in those days and the show, as far as we remember, was quite good.”

The table below illustrates the difference in sonic intensity:

Threshold of hearing (TOH): 0 dB
Rustling leaves: 10 dB
Whisper: 20 dB
Normal conversation: 60 dB
Busy street traffic: 70 dB
Vacuum cleaner: 80 dB
Front rows of rock concert: 110 dB
Threshold of pain: 130 dB
Military jet takeoff: 140 dB
Instant perforation of eardrum: 160 dB

The difference of 11db, according to the physics of attenuation of sound in air, is equivalent to 2.5m if you are at 1m distance from the car, meaning that the difference will be hardly heard in the garage.

If you are 15m from the car, it attenuates to 35m - that roughly represents the difference you can hear from seating in the first row to seating in the last row of a grandstand.