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In a short press release, Scuderia Ferrari has announced Thursday a new structure for the power unit management.

Ferrari confirms that, as of today, Luca Marmorini, Director of the Engine and Electronics department, is leaving the company.

As part of the restructuring of the Power Unit department, Mattia Binotto will assume the role of Chief Operating Officer.

James Allison, Technical Director, continues to be responsible for the entire car project, supported by Nikolas Tombazis, Chief Designer Chassis, and Lorenzo Sassi, Chief Designer Power Unit.

No word however on Pat Fry.

Luca Marmorini, Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

Niki Lauda has put his mind to the problem of F1's dwindling television and spectator audiences.

Before the sport breaks for the summer, key meetings will take place this week, including the brand new 'popularity working group' reportedly headed by Flavio Briatore.

But F1 legend and Mercedes team chairman Lauda doubts the sport needs the former crash-gate protagonist to solve the sport's problems.

To Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, he laid out his own blueprint of improvements.

On the empty grandstands in Hockenheim recently, he said that was "the fault of the organisers" in not promoting the race sufficiently, and setting ticket prices too high.

"For Austria, Dietrich Mateschitz adopted the approach I know well -- fill up with low prices instead of higher prices and empty seats," he said.

Crowd on the Red Bull Ring, for the Austrian Grand Prix. (Photo: WRi2)

Niki Lauda said F1 has already acted on his suggestion of "not interfering" in the actual racing with "so many stupid penalties".

"Then there is the low sound of the engines," he added. "At Mercedes, we have already promised Ecclestone another attempt at a solution to turn up the volume. But the real crisis is something else.

"The young people today want to stay at the beach with friends and watch the grand prix on the ipad. At the same time they don't see the drivers as their heroes. This is not easy to solve.

"But there are too many rules. If his rival goes over the white line, he starts screaming on the radio. And then there are the limits on what they can say to the media and when they have to shut up.

"We are at a breaking point," Niki Lauda claimed.

Pros: The competitively priced 2015 Acura ILX proves to be a refined, sporty sedan that's fun to drive, especially when equipped with the Dynamic Package.

Cons: Acura engineers should probably abandon the 2.0L SOHC engine, which sorely lacks power. Moreover, the Dynamic Package is not available with an automatic transmission. Some people would say the ILX lacks available high-tech features, but then again, it's not exactly a full-fledged luxury sedan.

Photo: Acura

2015 Acura ILX Price: The lineup consists of four trim levels including the base ILX ($27,990), ILX Premium ($30,290), ILX Tech ($32,090), and ILX Dynamic ($32,090).

2015 Acura ILX Fuel Economy: Based on Natural Resources Canada's new 5-cycle testing procedure to determine fuel consumption ratings, expect to burn an average of 8.3L/100km with the 2.0L engine, and 9.3L/100km with the 2.4L unit.

Improvements and Changes: The ILX got mixed reviews following its initial launch two years ago. For 2014, Acura responded with a number of improvements in hope of attracting more buyers. This time around, the ILX returns essentially unchanged.

Powertrain: Two different powertrains can be had with the 2015 Acura ILX. The base, Premium, and Tech models use a 2.0L, SOHC, 4-cylinder engine that produces 150 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque through a 5-speed automatic transmission. The ILX Dynamic benefits from a 2.4L, DOHC, 4-cylinder unit rated at 201 horsepower and 170 lb-ft, as well as a close-ratio, 6-speed manual gearbox.

Cargo Capacity: The 2015 Acura ILX offers up to 348 litres of cargo room in the trunk alone. The rear seats fold down for more versatility.

Safety: A number of modern safety features protect the occupants of the 2015 Acura ILX. Beyond ABS, brake assist, and electronic brake force distribution, you'll find Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control, Hill Start Assist, and six airbags.

Comparing the 2015 Acura ILX: Looking to buy a compact luxury sedan? There are plenty of alternatives out there including the Audi A3, Buick Verano, Cadillac ATS, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Infiniti Q50, and Lexus IS.

According to a Ford spokeswoman, Sara Tatchio, the company will start phasing out BlackBerry smartphones for employees in the next few months and replace them with iPhones from Apple. That's 3,300 devices this year, and another 6,000 over the next two years.

Ford deems iPhones to be more practical.“It meets the overall needs of the employees because it is able to serve both our business needs in a secure way and the needs we have in our personal lives with a single device,” Tatchio said.

It's another big blow to BlackBerry, which has lost several major customers in recent years including Home Depot in 2013. There's been no comment on Ford's decision to go with Apple other than the following statement:

“Enterprises should think twice about relying on any solution built on the foundation of a consumer technology that lacks the proven security benefits that BlackBerry has always delivered.”

Source : affaires.lapresse.ca

From GMM

A crisis meeting to plot formula one's future has been cancelled.

The meeting was set to take place in London on Thursday, involving Bernie Ecclestone, Ferrari's Marco Mattiacci, Red Bull's Christian Horner, Force India's Bob Fernley and Mercedes' Toto Wolff.

But Germany's Auto Bild reports that the meeting was called off at the last minute because Austrian Wolff, Mercedes' motor sport chief, called in sick.

Correspondents Bianca Garloff and Ralf Bach claim Wolff had to have follow-up checks on his broken bones in the wake of a bicycle crash last week.

"The meeting would have made little sense without the team boss of the dominant team," they said.

But there could be other issues at play as well. Ecclestone wanted to bring in his controversial friend Flavio Briatore to head the new 'popularity working group', but some members of the paddock were reportedly not so keen.

"Why do we need Flavio?" Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda was quoted on Thursday by the Daily Mail. "Bernie is the man in charge, and he should stay in charge. We should think together with Bernie as he is the master of what we can improve."

Auto Bild claims the cancelled meeting was rescheduled for Saturday.

From GMM

Fresh blood is in no short supply on the F1 grid this year, as Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas impress.

But if you ask Marc Surer, a former driver turned commentator for German television, he doesn't hesitate for a second when asked who he would sign up if he ran a team.

"Kvyat," he told Speed Week instantly.

Surer is referring to Russian youngster Daniil Kvyat, who has only just graduated from his teens.

"He is the man of the future," Marc Surer insisted.

"His rise from GP3 to formula one without the luxury Valtteri Bottas had to learn for a year as a test driver. The Russian was thrown into deep water but he does his job so well.

"I find it very impressive."

Daniil Kvyat and Franz Tost, Toro Rosso. (Photo: WRi2)

Kvyat is the latest cream of Red Bull's increasingly impressive young driver programme, which has also produced the likes of Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel.

He is currently being housed by Toro Rosso, the Red Bull 'junior' F1 team headed by Franz Tost.

Austrian Tost said this week: "He is doing a fantastic job. Taking into consideration how little mileage he was able to do before the season, he is driving very well, showing that he has natural speed.

"Equally importantly, he has had no accidents, nor has he made any mistakes."

The speed of Kvyat's progress would seem to have endangered the F1 future of his teammate Jean-Eric Vergne, who has been overshadowed in 2014 in his third consecutive season with the Faenza based team.

Poised in the wings is the next Red Bull-backed junior, Carlos Sainz jr.

"He (Vergne) has suffered a lot with reliability issues, but when his car was running fine, he delivered good performances," Tost insisted when asked about the Frenchman this week.

"Thanks to his experience he makes an important contribution to the team's technical development and I'm convinced that there is still more to come from him."

From GMM

F1 team bosses are heading for a clash with Bernie Ecclestone over the shape of the next grand prix calendars.

It has emerged that Mexico is joining the schedule next year, and Azerbaijan and possibly New Jersey in 2016.

That would blow the number of races out from 19 - comfortably under the Concorde Agreement limit of 20 - to a potential 22.

But actually, according to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, the newly agreed commercial agreements with F1 chief executive Ecclestone in fact allow for a new maximum of 22 races.

For F1's commercial rights holders, more races converts automatically into more income.

But Auto Motor und Sport claims that some internal cost calculations show that 21 races is actually the financial limit for the teams.

The 2014 Canadian Grand Prix. (Photo: WRi2)

"I think we should be careful of not saturating the year with too many races," Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said. "We know what it means on our personnel. We might have to restructure things again, so I think we should be careful before we take these kinds of steps".

It is believed Kaltenborn is referring to tipping point in the basic existing structure of the teams -- once a certain number of races is reached, for example, teams may have to consider rotating staff and rethinking logistics.

"It is clear that stretching the championship to many races means more investment on our side so it opens another discussion," agreed Ferrari chief Marco Mattiacci.

Jaguar Land Rover is no longer a brand that, if you're under the age of 60, you've only heard of. Over the last half-decade, JLR has shot up from near extinction to being stars of the silver screen, the track, and the road. Nowadays, they're leaving marks everywhere they go.


One of the cars credited with putting Jag back on the lips of potential buyers is the new XK, launched in 2007 and penned by the famous Ian Callum. Overnight, the XK literally seduced prestige and performance car suitors; it was quite a step in a very graceful direction from the outgoing XK8.


Last Call
The Jaguar XK underwent minor aesthetic changes over its lifespan, but now the curtain is falling on the big two-door mouser. 2015 will be the XK's final production year, as it will be officially replaced by the full F-type line that now includes the new Coupe.

My esteemed and Brit-minded colleague Miranda Lightstone got to drive the balls-out insane Jaguar XKR-S, it being the most extreme iteration of Jaguar's super GT cruiser. I too got to survey my territory with the sharper-clawed Jag and, although I liked it, it did not fit the XK's character -- its true reason for being.

No, the Jaguar XK is meant to be a boulevardier-cruiser-GT-style-stupid-fast-in-a-straight-line-and-loud-show-off poser car. Chop the top and I'm all in.

What it is
The 2014 Jaguar XKR convertible is the alternative to the Porsche 911 (but less focused), the Corvette convertible (but with more class) or even the BMW 650i (but with more attitude).

This Jaguar is as mean as any famished cat on the prowl looking for its next meal or as tame as a domesticated kitty that gets a few square meals a day. The difference lies in the application of one small flag-adorned button in the centre console, and a heavy right foot.

Prowling
In domestic mode, the XK hovers above ground and remains calm, comfortable, and as tame as any household pet. The supercharged 510-horsepower 5.0L V8 hums, almost bored, making little or no use of its available 461 lb-ft of torque. Bored perhaps, but clearly not out of sorts as the Jag is quite happy prowling the riverfront for young girls to impress or the missus currently onboard or, what the hell, both.

Low-slung, wide, and always in full-on stance, the Jag will rise to the occasion should an annoying kid in his beat-up Dodge Neon R/T try to cramp your style -- the poor chump will get whipped by the exhaust fumes lashing their way out the quad tailpipes. Once the go-pedal is released, the storm settles and all is right with the world once more.

Hunting
This time around, some clown in a Mustang GT thinks he's got your number and thinks he can impress your girl with his snarling V8. A quick sleight of hand down to the Dynamic Mode button, located below the chromed JaguarDrive Selector, and the XKR's fangs come out for the kill. Rotating the selector fully to the right sets the 6-speed automatic transmission in Sport and then the pony can kiss the cat's ass.

Throttle response is now sharper, steering's heavier, and gear shifts are quicker and occur at higher engine speeds. As a true bad-ass, a slight tug on one of the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel sets the ‘box in manual mode. Ready; set; attack.

The 2014 Jaguar XKR convertible reaches 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and the top speed will send you to jail well over 2.5 times over.

Covering ground
The 2014 Jaguar XKR convertible's GT nature comes from its suspension tuning designed for cruising rather than setting lap times (that's the XKR-S' job).

In fact, the XKR's ride is surprisingly supple and comfortable. All but the worst road hazards will truly upset the car's poise on land, and such is pliancy in the dampers that weight transfers are ever present under spirited cornering, acceleration or braking. In Dynamic mode, the dampers stiffen up, but we're far off from the XKR-S' sport-tuned setup.

In D, the autobox is efficient and always minding its business. Sweet, luxurious poise is the best way to describe the XKR's drive. It is possible to forget at times that you're at the wheel of a 500-hp cabriolet and not an XJL.

The lair
From Coventry, we can always expect the finest hides, top-drawer craftsmanship, and supreme attention to detail. The Jaguar XK is all about leather, sumptuous fit and finish, and class. The seats are supportive, well bolstered, and infinitely adjustable.

The rear bucketed bench is not pleasant for any human, and only the most compact of child seats will ever fit. Much the same goes for the roof when stowed in the trunk, where it belongs.

Sadly, the entirety of Jaguar's HMI getup is poorly designed and won't always execute what the driver wishes and when. Miranda also touches on that in all of her recent JLR reviews -- make sure you check it out.

That roar!
Yes, the Jaguar XKR emits quite the snarl under hard acceleration. It also spews out lovely tempered backfires off-throttle. Both sequences of sounds are what I will remember most fondly of the Jaguar XK -- that and the ludicrous rate at which it accelerates.

Farewell, Big Cat. Say hi to Bootsie for me when you get to cat heaven.

It is a known fact that the Ferrari V6 power unit is overweight and underpowered.

Autosport magazine's Alberto Antonini Tursday wrote that Ferrari engineers came up with a simple change that they got tested by one of their customer teams, Marussia.

The 059/3 power unit has been designed without the use of heat shields, simply because of a lack of space at the rear of the F14 T.

Additionally, the exhaust pipes of the Ferrari motor are longer than those of the rival engines. Therefore, the exhaust gases that are blown into the turbo are a bit “cold”, resulting in a lack of power.

Last February, the three F1 power units were homologated and frozen for the rest of the year. The Mercedes and Renault were homologated with heat shields, but not the Ferrari.

Ferrari engineers soon realised that the turbo was running at too cold temperatures in the car.

Ferrari then asked the FIA to do some changes, but the sanctioning body turned them all down because they were considered as “major modifications”.

Recently, Ferrari tested a solution on the Marussia engines with a special paint applied on the exhaust pipes and some components.

Autosprint says the power gain is about 20 bhp in certain circumstances.

On the down side, Antonini adds that the increased temperature inside the tubes may cause them to break.

Ferrari F14 T. (Photo: WRi2)

Fiat-Chrysler has announced a recall on 29,500 Fiat 500L models from 2014-2015 due to a problem with the knee airbags. Four thousands of those are in Canada, and roughly one third of all affected vehicles are currently on dealer lots, the automaker said.

Apparently, the knee airbags may not deploy properly and offer adequate protection in the event of a crash since “they do not meet the requirements for unbelted passengers,” a company spokesman told Automotive News.

While no related incident has been reported so far, dealers will replace the airbags at no cost. Affected owners will be notified within the next 60 days.

Source : autonews.com

Photo: Fiat

Tesla Motors has now officially teamed up with Panasonic to build a large-scale battery manufacturing plant in the U.S., known as the Gigafactory. Its location, however, remains to be determined.

According to the agreement, the electric car maker will prepare, provide and manage the land, buildings and utilities, while Panasonic will manufacture and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells and invest in the associated equipment, machinery, and other manufacturing tools based on their mutual approval. Third-party suppliers will be called upon to produce the required precursor materials.

The goal with the Gigafactory is to keep reducing the cost of long-range battery packs in parallel with manufacturing at the volumes required to enable Tesla to meet its goal of advancing mass market electric vehicles.

“We have already engaged in various collaborative projects with Tesla toward the popularization of electric vehicles,” said Yoshihiko Yamada, Executive Vice President of Panasonic. “Panasonic's lithium-ion battery cells combine the required features for electric vehicles such as high capacity, durability and cost performance. And I believe that once we are able to manufacture lithium-ion battery cells at the Gigafactory, we will be able to accelerate the expansion of the electric vehicle market.”

The Gigafactory will produce cells, modules and packs for Tesla's electric vehicles and for the stationary storage market. It's expected to employ about 6,500 people by 2020.

Source : Tesla Motors

Photo:Tesla

Just over a month ago, Renault Sport revealed the body lines of its new sports car.

Today, the French company can reveal its name: Renault Sport R.S. 01.

Paddocks, engine oil and burned rubber... Discover the first picture of Renault Sport R.S. 01, caught in its natural environment.

The next important date is August 27 at the Moscow Motor Show, when Renault will us all about this spectacular sports car, which is set to become the next star in the World Series by Renault.

Renault Sport R.S. 01 (Photo: Renault Sport)

A 1957 BMW 507 that once belonged to Elvis Presley is returning home to be fully restored.

From 1955-1959, only 254 copies were made, and most of them were purchased by celebrities including Alain Delon and Ursula Andress. The King drove one during his time as a GI in Germany, and later had it painted red because he supposedly got tired of women writing their phone numbers on the body panels in lipstick.

Photo: BMW

There has been plenty of speculation about what happened to the 507 in the following years. The car is now in the hands of the BMW Museum in Munich, where it will go on display until August 10th. Then it will be fully restored in a long process that could take up to two years.

Elvis' 507 may return to the museum after that, become a rolling exhibit, or perhaps land in some wealthy collector's garage. Who knows?

Source : ca.autoblog.com

Australian Daniel Ricciardo caused a stir this season not only by winning his first Grand Prix in Canada but mostly for being the only driver to have beaten the Mercedes duo.

The ever-smiling Ricciardo was born July 1st, 1989 in Perth, Australia from Italian parents.

He started karting at the age of nine, and in 2005, he entered the Western Australian Formula Ford championship driving a vintage car.

The following year, however, he won a scholarship into the Formula BMW Asian championship. That launched his career.

Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel in 2006! (Photo: BMW)

2006
Third overall in the Formula BMW Asia series for Eurasia Motorsport after two wins, 12 podiums, one pole position and three fastest laps. Fifth in the Formula BMW World series with Fortec Motorsport.

2007
Sixth overall in the Italian Formula Renault 2.0 series, scoring one podium finish.

2008
Formula Renault 2.0 WEC champion with eight wins, 11 podiums, 10 pole positions and seven fastest laps. Runner-up in Formula Renault 2.0 Euro series, with six wins, seven podiums, five pole positions and five fastest laps.

2009
Dominates British Formula 3 championship, taking title with six wins, 12 podiums, six pole positions and four fastest laps. Tests for the Red Bull Formula 1 team.

Daniel Ricciardo, Formula 3 Champion (Photo: WRI2)

2010
Runner-up in Formula Renault 3.5 championship with Tech 1 Racing. Takes four wins, eight podiums, eight pole positions and four fastest laps. Tests for Red Bull Formula 1 team.

2011
As Red Bull reserve, impresses on Fridays for Toro Rosso at first eight rounds. 'Loaned' to HRT and races from Silverstone onward, faring well against the experienced Liuzzi. Continues to compete in Formula Renault 3.5. Secures race seat at Toro Rosso for 2012.

Daniel Ricciardo, HRT (Photo: WRI2)

2012
Ninth in Australia bodes well for rest of year, but campaign stymied as Toro Rosso's STR07 falters. Best run is a trio of point-scoring finishes in Singapore, Japan and Korea where he is able to mix it with faster cars.

2013
Displays growing speed and maturity, outclassing Toro Rosso teammate Jean-Eric Vergne to land 2014 race seat at sister team Red Bull. Makes regular Q3 appearances, with best race results two seventh places in China and Italy.

From GMM

The new era of social media and F1's traditional 'silly season' may not mix well together.

Fernando Alonso turned 33 on Tuesday, and as far as official congratulations go, many spotted McLaren's first.

The Spaniard, undoubtedly frustrated with title-lacking life at Ferrari after five years, might be on the move and Honda is clearly on the hunt for a top driver to spearhead its new works McLaren foray.

"Happy birthday to @alo_oficial," McLaren said on Twitter, adding a photo of Alonso "driving flat-out in his McLaren MP4-22 at Magny-Cours in 2007."

Miguel Sanz, the Spanish correspondent for Marca, commented: "You can't say McLaren and Honda aren't trying or persistent.

"It is the second public nod to Alonso this year and, in this F1 world of millimetres, the gestures are no accident," he added, referring to a McLaren 'tweet' earlier this year showing Alonso smiling with team supremo Ron Dennis.

After the Dennis tweet, a team source played down the significance of the gesture but it is obvious that if Alonso is on the market, he will be bitterly fought over.

Fernando Alonso, Scuderia Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

For the record, Ferrari marked Alonso's birthday with a celebratory video made in conjunction with Sky Italia, highlighting "all the best moments of his time to date with the longest-running team in formula one".

"In the past four and a half years there has been happiness and disappointment and a lot of time spent with special people, special like Fernando, a truly great talent and a real team player," Ferrari said.

Marca quoted Alonso's former manager Adrian Campos as saying: "Fernando is the best thing about Ferrari -- and I would say almost the only thing. He is the most complete driver of recent years, almost comparable to Senna."

But with dominant Mercedes all locked up for now and Red Bull struggling with an underpowered engine, Alonso's best option for now is probably to stay with Ferrari.

"For me, Alonso has justly lost confidence in Ferrari," Marc Surer, a former driver turned commentator, told Speed Week as he mused the 2014 silly-season.

"But he could only move to McLaren-Honda if they can guarantee him a winning car for 2015. I guess a lot less will happen than we think," he surmised.

From press release

If you're looking for some action to pack into the middle of your Civic Holiday Weekend, head for Canada's Toughest 1/3-Mile Paved Oval Saturday August 2. They'll give you all the action you can handle.

The headline attraction for the First of Five Hot August Saturday Nights is the Touring Chase for the Colours pole qualifying event - presented by Lucas Oil Products - with OSCAAR Outlaw Super Late Model and OSCAAR Modifieds.

Also on the bill will be the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Peterborough Hyundai Mini Stock and Parry Spring Service Renegade Truck divisions. To top it all off, the 4Fun and Mini Stock teams will run double features and the evening will include a pre-race corn roast.

His three main event wins have Ryan Kimball sitting at the top of the Earl Ireland Auto Sales Late Model standings. Also scoring a hat-trick when it comes to feature races has Anthony DiBello leading the Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car points, while Jack Dallin, Tyler Junkin and Willow Barberstock share the same honour in the Parry Spring Service Renegade Truck, Peterborough Hyundai Mini Stock and Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun divisions respectively.

Fans and competitors are reminded to double-check the scheduled start times for the Saturday, August 2 Touring Chase for the Colours pole qualifying event.

Pit gates will open at 2pm, with the spectator areas unlocked at 4pm. Racing begins at 6pm.

Looking ahead on the schedule to Saturday, August 9 when the tight, tricky bullring on Mount Pleasant Road, west of the Liftlock City will feature the 100 lap Lucas Oil Sportsman Cup Series event - presented by Attersley Tire.

Action will also include the Battlefield Equipment Rental 4Fun, Peterborough Hyundai Mini Stock, Paul Davis Systems Thunder Car divisions, with the always popular Hurricane Midgets and King of the Hill.

GM says it deletes heavy items such as the rear bumper from certain pickups when it weighs them in order to boost the vehicles' maximum payload ratings.

Lexus has no plans to join the rush of carmakers manufacturing in China because it has to learn to crawl in that market before it runs, a top executive says.

Chrysler Group is recalling 29,500 Fiat 500L cars from the 2014-15 model years to replace knee airbags that may not deploy in the correct position if the driver is not wearing a seatbelt.

Europe was Mitsubishi's most profitable region in the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, the company said today.