Auto News 5

Bad results for local sales, production and exports in the first half reflected Brazil's weak economy, growing inflation and uncertainties about the future.

Mazda has given its Mazda2 subcompact the sharp creases and sportier stance of the brand's new Kodo design language.

Mazda has given its Mazda2 subcompact the sharp creases and sportier stance of the brand's new Kodo design language.

News 18 Jul, 2014

More powerful plug-in hybrid version of V6 diesel to get first showing in Audi A8 e-tron, then rolled across the range

News 18 Jul, 2014

Smart looks to demonstrate the safety of the new ForTwo by crashing it head-on into the flagship Mercedes S-Class

News 18 Jul, 2014

Ford has confirmed performance details for the US-spec Ford Mustang 2015, with the flagship V8 getting 429bhp

Honda hopes that sleek styling and a smart interior will help its new Civic Tourer station wagon boost the automaker's flagging sales in Europe.

Beijing Hyundai and Dongfeng Citroen topped mass-market brands in a J.D. Power survey of Chinese consumers' satisfaction with the car-buying experience. The joint ventures scored significantly higher than other mass-market brands.

PSA will start producing cars in Nigeria this year through a local manufacturing partner. Rival Renault-Nissan began SUV output in Africa's largest economy in April.

Veteran supplier executive Paul Schockmel is the new CEO of Europe's partmakers association, CLEPA. He succeeds Jean-Marc Gales who is now CEO of sports car maker Lotus.

PSA will start producing cars in Nigeria this year through a local manufacturing partner. Rival Renault-Nissan began SUV output in Africa's largest economy in April.

From GMM

After over 40 staff were shown the exit this week, arguably the most nervous drivers in the Hockenheim paddock are wearing green.

Marcus Ericsson is probably safe due to his healthy sponsorship purse, but bringing much less to Caterham's table in 2014 is Japanese Kamui Kobayashi, who was signed by the now-departed Tony Fernandes mainly for his fight and experience.

"If I'm not doing a good job tomorrow, maybe I'll be fired tomorrow," he said in Germany.

The rumours at the newly-sold Caterham could be tying in with rumours at Sauber, another team struggling at the back of the grid this year.

Motorhome Sauber. (Photo: WRi2)

The Swiss team's boss Monisha Kaltenborn refused to categorically back drivers Esteban Gutierrez and Adrian Sutil as she mused Sauber's pointless year so far in Hockenheim.

"In our history, we have never been so bad," she was quoted by German reporters.

"For me, it is not acceptable. I am not satisfied with the performance of the team," Kaltenborn added, when also asked about her happiness with the drivers.

At around the same time, German Sutil's manager Manfred Zimmermann was spotted in Caterham's paddock motor home.

Motorhome Caterham. (Photo: WRi2)

As Sutil's future wavers, has Caterham advisor Colin Kolles spotted a potential stream of additional revenue?

"It depends what they want," said Kobayashi, continuing to speculate on his future.

"I'm more experienced than the other drivers, so I just have to focus on my job. I cannot bring anything money-wise. It's fine to lose out to a driver with money -- this is formula one unfortunately."

Indeed, Caterham team boss Christijan Albers confirmed paddock suspicions that, after many members of staff were made redundant in recent days, the drivers are also not immune.

"As with any business, we are constantly evaluating all our employees, and our drivers are no different," he told F1's official website.

From GMM

Kimi Raikkonen has hit back after critics called on him to be banned for his British grand prix crash.

The Finn has recovered from a bruised ankle, knee and ribs after the 47G crash at Silverstone, in which Felipe Massa was also involved and Max Chilton's head narrowly avoided a flying tyre.

"Why does he come in balls out like that and crash?" F1 legend Niki Lauda had said at Silverstone, referring to the way in which Raikkonen rejoined the circuit after running wide.

Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari after the crash. (Caption: FOM)

Jo Ramirez, the former McLaren team manager, said Raikkonen's driving was "ludicrous".

"He could have seriously hurt himself, or worse, he could have hurt Massa as well," the Mexican told motorline.cc.

"And yet he gets away without any punishment. I thought Derek Warwick was the steward so I wrote to him, but it was Nigel Mansell. But Warwick replied to me 'You're right! Raikkonen should have been punished!'" Jo Rarirez revealed.

"If it would have been Maldonado or Grosjean, they would have sat out Germany, for sure," he charged.

At Hockenheim, however, Raikkonen dismissed his critics, telling the Finnish broadcaster MTV3 that punishments are not necessary "every time a driver goes off the track".

"Of course, everyone can have their opinion," said the Finn, "but usually it's people who have never driven who are the first to say someone should be punished."

From GMM

With Michael Schumacher fighting for recovery in a Swiss clinic, his family has also been fighting on another front.

EFE news agency reports that the publisher Hubert Burda Media, owner of the German news weekly Bunte, has been legally banned by a Munich court from publishing certain photographs of Schumacher's wife Corinna.

The photos of Mrs Schumacher were reportedly taken in Grenoble on January 3, the day the former Mercedes and Ferrari driver turned 45 whilst in a coma just days after his skiing accident.

The news agency said that, at lawyers representing the Schumacher family's instruction, the court found that the photos are private and therefore not eligible for publication.

A spokesman for Hubert Bunte Media said it will consider the ruling but probably appeal on the grounds that the judge did not properly assess its arguments.

EFE said Schumacher lawyers are also taking action against other media outlets in Cologne, Hamburg and Frankfurt.

Here's the thing; you can't really go wrong with a chocolate chip cookie. You know exactly what you're biting into when you pick up that chocolate chip cookie. They're easy to make and even easier to ingest. No matter what, you always know what you're getting with the tried and true chocolate chip cookie. No surprises here.

That's pretty much what it's like to drive and own the RAV4. Perhaps not as flavourful or calorific (thankfully for the latter), but it is essentially the same experience. You know what you're getting, and it's a pretty safe bet you're going to at least feel satisfied with it, if a little bored at the banality of it all. After all, it's just another chocolate chip cookie.


What is a Toyota RAV4?
To be exact, RAV actually stands for Recreational Activity Vehicle, the 4 for its 4WD capabilities. So, Toyota brought the RAV4 to market in the hopes that it would attract young, active families to purchase its vehicle.

Since it's launch in the late-‘90s the RAV4 has, thankfully, seen some heavy aesthetic changes. The latest design, now in its fourth generation, is the best-looking by far, and officially ditches the optional V6 in favour of a sole 4-cylinder mill.

2014 Toyota RAV4 Price & Specs
Available in both FWD and AWD, Toyota offers up five variations of its crossover RAV4. Regardless of trim level and extras, all come with the same engine: a 2.5L 4-cylinder VVT-I that'll push out 173 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque. Opt for the AWD drivetrain and you'll also get Toyota's active torque control system. A 6-speed automatic Super ECT (yes, that stands for Super Electronically Controlled Transmission) controls the power to either the front or all four wheels, respectively.

As for pricing, you could walk away with a base, bare-bones (but still plenty useful and perfect for the get-from-A-to-B commuter who needs extra space) Toyota RAV4 for just $23,870. However, if it's a more “luxurious” and AWD version of the RAV4 you're after, then hop to the front of the line with the AWD Limited equipped with a technology package for $35,345.

Our tester was an AWD XLE trimmed example with navigation system that retails for $31,080.

Driving the 2014 Toyota RAV4
Dress it up however you want, it's still the same cookie deep down. It'll satisfy that initial craving, but will get pretty bland by the end. It's not exotic or enticing other than offering something you fully expect to receive.

So it goes with any time you'll spend behind the wheel of the Toyota RAV4. It's not unsatisfying in any way; in fact it's quite pleasant. It's precisely how you'd expect it to be upon looking at the crossover in the parking lot. Handling is standard, ride quality is all right if a bit rough at times, and throttle response and braking are ideal for city settings. Nothing drastic, nothing over the top and nothing very exotic; it's no peanut brittle.

The 2014 Toyota RAV4 has enough oomph to merge on the highway and for passing maneuvers, and the steering response can seem vague at times, but then it's not meant to be sharp and sport-like.

Inside and Out of the 2014 Toyota RAV4
This is most definitely the chocolate-chunk type cookie, no Chippits here. Toyota pulled out all the stops with the redesign and managed to create a RAV4 that's kind of sexy and still inherently utilitarian. With a beefier version and interpretation of the brand's front end, the RAV4 is much more appealing than its predecessors, that's for sure.

Inside, the Toyota RAV4 has a bit of a taste explosion (imagine that first bite into a recently warmed-up up chocolate chip cookie). The interior space - especially in the upper trim levels - is actually quite impressive for the crossover. With an available 6.1” touchscreen (standard on XLE and Limited and optional on LE), reclining back seats, and dual-zone climate control, Toyota definitely stepped it up with the new RAV4.

Aesthetically, the interior is quite pleasing, too. I've never really been a fan of Toyota/Lexus interiors, but this is one of the better ones, and something I could live with in the long-term.

Comparing the 2014 Toyota RAV4
While the old RAV4 was eons behind the competition, it's not stepped up its game enough to really go head to head (and chocolate chip to chocolate chip) with the likes of the Ford Escape and Kia Sportage.

All Formula 1 have confirmed that they will not run the controversial ‘Fric' suspension system at the German Grand Prix.

The FIA's F1 technical delegate Jo Bauer has confirmed Friday that none of the cars that will take part in this weekend's will be fitted with a Front-and-Rear Interconnected Suspension (FRIC) system.

The news follows a technical directive sent to the teams by the FIA's race director Charlie Whiting following the last race in Great Britain, which called into question the legality of some of the ‘Fric' systems being used this season.

The FIA made it clear that they believed some of the systems being used may break technical regulations regarding moveable aerodynamic devices, raising the possibility of one or more teams being reported to the stewards this weekend.

However, with all of the teams having removed FRIC suspension from their cars, the risk of a team being reported appears to have disappeared.

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG, in Germany. (Photo: WRi2)

For the first time, Toyota is revealing a new vehicle completely online, introducing the 2015 Sienna minivan with a series of three custom videos titled “Action Movie Kid,” “Eh Bee Family,” and “Convos with My 2-Year-Old.”

In order to show how the spirit of the 2015 Sienna inspires real families in their daily lives, the Japanese automaker enlisted parents to spend time in the new Sienna and create their own unexpected adventures.

Safety remains a top priority for families, and the 2015 Toyota Sienna delivers in the form of a class-leading eight airbags, a panoramic backup camera (standard) with virtual guidelines to help navigate the driveway with greater confidence, and as many as four LATCH locations to securely install child seats.

Exterior changes include a revised front grille, while the interior boasts a new and improved dashboard.

There are many more features and amenities on the 2015 Toyota Sienna worth mentioning such as:

• Available LED daytime running lights and headlights.
• An optional 4.2” colour multi-information display can put turn-by-turn directions right in the driver's instrument panel for the best viewing.
• Capacitive switches on the optional 7” touchscreen allow users to swipe items on and off.
• An optional pull-down, conversation mirror called Driver Easy Speak lets the driver check on passengers without turning around.
• Available black leather interior with white contrast stitching.
• Gauges in the instrument panel have a new, modern look.

Source : pressroom.toyota.com

Former DTM driver and current Williams' Development Driver Susie Wolff set the 15th fastest time in the first practice session of the 2014 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.

Wolff, née Stoddart, became this morning the first female driver to take part in an official F1 Grand Prix session since Italian Givanna Amati tried to qualify her Brabham-Judd in 1992.

However, Wolff endured a few electronic woes during her outing. Her Williams FW36 suffered a software glitch early in the session, leaving the car stuck in gear and limping round the circuit.

The problem was quickly resolved and Toto Wolff's wife was able to complete 22 laps of the Hockenheimring en route to 15th place overall.

Susie Wolff, Williams Martini Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Wolff's best time of 1m20.769 was just two tenths of a second slower than Williams' vastly experienced regular race driver Felipe Massa.

Wolff's practice programme consisted of aerodynamic and mechanical testing, along with set-up work, across several runs while she also completed some practice pit stops at the end of the session.

The 31-year-old Scot handed FW36 back to Valtteri Bottas for the remainder of the race weekend with Williams yet to confirm when she would next run in their F1 car.

Susie Wolff, Williams Martini Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Cosworth owner Kevin Kalkhoven told Racer magazine that a final decision in regards to the company's supply of IndyCar engines for next year would be taken soon, probably by August 30.

The American single seater series currently has two engine suppliers: Honda and Chevrolet.

Cosworth has an IndyCar motor ready to go, and according to its owner, the motor could be on the grid in 2015.

"Yes, we are in serious discussions with a number of companies - two in particular - and it doesn't take a huge imagination to think about who might be bringing a new car into the U.S. for the first time in a long time," Cosworth owner Kevin Kalkhoven told Racer magazine, possibly alluding to Alfa Romeo.

"Specifically, the project with one manufacturer is going to final recommendation sometime in the next month. That decision's going to be binary: Yes they will, or no they won't."

However, the magazine points out that one potential stumbling block are aero kits.

In fact, the IndyCar series will introduce the manufacturer-specific body kits next year, and both of the series' current engine manufacturers are at advanced stages with their designs.

For any new manufacturer to become competitive, such as Cosworth, commissioning an engine would only be half of what's needed to be produced by 2015.

For a new manufacturer to be competitive not only requires an engine, but also a body kit, which requires a lot of work, time, and money.

Researchers at the University of Missouri have developed an Android-based app that would help pedestrians wearing headphones detect nearby vehicles and thus minimize the risk of a collision.

How does WiFi-Honk work? It's simple: by using the wireless signal sent by another device that runs the app.

Car drivers would share their GPS location and speed with other devices such as the smartphone of an unsuspecting pedestrian who's busy listening to music. WiFi-Honk will sound an alert through the headphones if a vehicle is approaching at high speed.

Such an app would prove very useful when you consider that the number of collisions involving pedestrians wearing headphones has tripled in the U.S. in recent years.

Source : cnetfrance.fr