Auto News 5

Newly minted Alfa Romeo dealerships in the United States and Canada are about to receive their first cars. Many of the vehicles are already spoken for.

Use this interactive guide to Silicon Valley's auto industry corridor to find out who's here and what they're working on.

Dealerships nationwide are adopting 60 minutes as the gold standard for completing a new-car transaction. They are also learning how tough it is to reach the goal.

Dodge's muddled history explains why it's hard today to say clearly what the brand is all about.

Chrysler Group will extend the warranty for consumers who bought certain 2011-13 vehicles with 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar engines. The left cylinder heads of a small percentage of the engines have failed after excessive wear.

The shortage of engineers and skilled workers is starting to look like a long-term headache instead of a short-term blip.

Long an also-ran in small-car sales, Chevy now outsells Toyota, Honda, Ford and Hyundai in the subcompact market while boasting incremental minicar volume, thanks to the success of the Sonic and Spark.

Dealers' opposition to Tesla Motors' model of factory-owned stores has led states to propose laws defending franchised dealers. Automakers charge that the legal balance in the dealer-automaker relationship now is shifting too far in favor of dealers.

At the beginning of the 1982 Formula 1 season, Canadian Gilles Villeneuve raced an intimidating Ferrari 126 C2, powered by a small, yet very powerful 1.5-litre turbocharged V6 motor.

Harvey Postlethwaite designed the 126 C2 around Ferrari's first aluminum honeycomb chassis.

The car carried some 240 litres of petrol to run a Grand Prix, and the engine produced some 650bhp in qualifying trim and 600 in race trim. It was fitted to a transverse gearbox.

This cool video was shot at Spa-Francorchamps during a meeting of vintage Ferrari F1 cars.

There's something to be said for a vehicle that garners the type of attention normally reserved for hypercars and prototypes on a grey, thundery afternoon in the city. With windows rolled down, blinking against the gentle rain, passersby asked time and time again, “Is that a prototype?” To which I happily replied, “Why, no, actually. You can go to your local BMW dealer right now and buy one.”

Boom. Mind. Blown.

Cruising around in the 2014 BMW i3 I felt like a mild celebrity, and for good reason. This little hatch created such a buzz, such a stir, it was hard not to feed off the public's excitement. And if they only knew half of what this car was all about (not just its futuristic looks), they'd have even more reason to ogle at it.


i Cars: The future really is now
As I sat through BMW's presentation about the i3 and the technology behind it, I was riveted. I'm not going to lie, most manufacturer presentations are a bit of a snooze fest and even if I don't pay attention I know I can find all the information on the nifty little USB keys they hand out with everything on them. However, with the i3 it was different. This car, and the technology behind the i Cars at BMW, is so intriguing, so interesting that I stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the entire time. These things are downright cool.

Born Electric
That's the slogan for BMW's i Cars (the i3 and the i8), and it's perfect. See, BMW didn't just throw an electric motor in a 3 Series or a MINI (well, they have in the past, but this time it was different). The i3 and i8 are brand new vehicles from top to bottom. From the chassis to the body to the exterior design language, the i Cars are a breed all their own. They are the new BMW. And they are hot.

It's not just the exterior and powertrain that are new, the interior is absolutely stunning and essentially 80% brand new for BMW as well. There's the familiar iDrive knob in the centre console, as well as the drive mode buttons, and that's pretty much where the familiarity ends.

From a eucalyptus wood dash to two iPad-like displays that seem to float on nothing, along with two-tone seating in recycled, sustainable materials; the i3 is a feet in engineering and interior design. I wish my own condo looked as swanky as the interior of the i3. Truly.



Appealing to today's way of life
The i Cars are about more than just offering EV driving, it's about way of life. BMW understands that and so upon the purchase of your i3 or i8 you will be given a series of tutorials on how to be a good EV owner. Your car will also be able to help you with a specifically tailored navigation system that will show you just how far you can go on a range, at which point it will point out various public transportation options for you. You can also hook up your i3 to your iPhone (or Android) for preconditioning before you step inside your fancy EV for the day.

BMW even went so far as to design their own charging stations so they are not only practical but aesthetically pleasing to look at and in line with the design language of the i Cars. For $1,000-$1,200, you can have a charging station (engineered in collaboration with Bosch) in your home. Said charging station cuts charge times down dramatically (instead of 15 hours it's possible to do it 2-4 hours).

The EV way of life
Everything that was seemingly wrong with the EV, BMW has not only fixed but made better. What may have simply been a fleetingly intriguing idea to some can now be a reality. The i3 offers an EV driving experience on a level of luxury we've only seen so far in the Tesla Model S, at a price that's on par with the EVs currently out there.

I think the perfect way to illustrate the possible success the i3 (and by association the i8) will have is with this little anecdote: One of the first i3s sold in Canada was to a man who traded in his 2010 M3.

Boom. Mind. Blown.

Despite benefiting from enormous media coverage in Formula 1, it's becoming more and more obvious that Ferrari is having second thoughts about its involvement in auto racing's superlative series. I mean, there are some crystal-clear signs out there.

With a rough start this season, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has been openly criticizing the new technical regulations including, of course, the turbo hybrid power units.

On Sunday, Montezemolo confirmed sending a letter to Bernie Ecclestone and CVC president Donald McKenzie in which he urged all the sport's key players and officials to meet to discuss the current state of Formula 1.

Ferrari's leading man believes F1 needs to regain its luster, because things aren't looking very bright right now.

At the same time, one of its drivers, Fernando Alonso, waved the green flag at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

After the race, Montezemolo publicly lauded the success of the Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 No. 51 in LMGTE Pro Class -something he'd never done before.

Rumours have been floating around for weeks about Ferrari working on an LMP1 class prototype. It must be said that the new turbo hybrid power unit in F1 is almost a perfect fit for endurance racing.

Do you remember this video from the past winter showing a LaFerrari in Fiorano with an odd turbo whistle?



At the time, everyone assumed it was the new F1 engine. What if it was actually a test for an LMP1 car?

By entering the FIA World Endurance Championship, Ferrari would take on other leading automakers such as Audi, Porsche, Toyota, and Nissan.

Time will tell what the Scuderia's true intentions are -- leave Formula 1 for endurance racing, or use that threat to get what it wants from Bernie  Ecclestone and the FIA.

Autonomous or self-driving vehicles are not legally allowed to drive across the entire continent. Right now, only a handful of U.S. states have authorized them, while nearly 20 others are debating the matter. Two states have explicitly made autonomous vehicles illegal.

Mojo Motors and Standford University created the following map to paint a clearer picture:


Source : mojomotors.com

On June 25-26 at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, Google will unveil a new operating system to rival Apple's CarPlay, sources told Automotive News.

Known internally as Google Auto Link (GAL), the system is the first product to emerge from the Open Automotive Alliance, a Google-led consortium that also includes Audi, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, and chipmaker NVIDIA.

Apparently, GAL is not an embedded infotainment system, but rather a “projected” system. In other words, smartphones using Google's Android operating system could be controlled via the car's own controls and display screen.

No word yet on which vehicles will integrate GAL first.

Source : autonews.com

Nissan has officially unveiled its Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo, together with PlayStation. In July, fans of Gran Turismo 6 will be able to download the car just as they did with the Nissan GT-R and Skylines from earlier episodes of the historic video game franchise.

While the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo remains a virtual model, the Japanese automaker said it gives hints as to how a supercar of the future might look.

Given the success of the limited-edition Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, there is a chance that the company decides to make it a regular nameplate within the lineup.

Chevrolet easily sold the 450 copies of the 2014 Camaro Z/28 ($75,000 USD including shipping and gas-guzzler tax). Meanwhile, sales of the 2015 model are projected at 2,500-3,500 units.

With the launch of the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang, such a move by Chevrolet would make a whole lot of sense.

The Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 uses a 505-horsepower 7.0L V8 engine to sprint from 0-60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 274 km/h.

Source : autonews.com

Photo: Chevrolet

From press release

The Pro Modified Racing Association will once again be taking part in one of Canada's largest drag racing events, the MOPAR IHRA Nitro Jam Nationals.

This three-day event, to be held June 20-22 at the Grand Bend Motorplex, Ontario is the 14th annual, and for the past few years the PMRA has dazzled the large crowds with some of the best in Pro Modified drag racing.

Now in its 10th season, the PMRA has raced twice so far this season with a tight points race already in place.

Leading the PMRA Championship Point Award Series at present is three-time PMRA champion Bruce Boland. The Stoney Creek Ontario racer won the opener at Grand Bend and placed second in the second event, held at Martin, Michigan.

Behind Boland is the Grainy Brothers team. Driver Jack and crew chief Sonny are long-time PMRA competitors from North Tonawanda, New York.

Third is another veteran PMRA racer, Jeff Roth from New Dundee, Ontario. Derek Hawker of Corbyville, Ontario is fourth, and Jason Kalso of Clarkston, Michigan rounds out the top five.

Also in the hunt this year are Sam Andreacchi of Toronto Ontario, Paolo Giust of Osgoode Ontario, Rob Atchison of London Ontario, Jason White of Cicero New York, Denis Lachance of Quebec City Quebec, Gary Mater of Petrolia Ontario and Alan Martorino of Cobourg Ontario.

Winning this event in 2013 was PMRA racer Eric Latino of Port Perry, Ontario.

This year's IHRA race at the Grand Bend Motorplex promises to be one of the best, with racing in four nitromethane classes, the return of the Pro Stock class, a large jet car contingent, and a special treat with drag racing icon Don Garlits as the event's Grand Marshal. "Big Daddy" will be on hand to sign autographs and display one of his iconic "Swamp Rat" dragsters.

From GMM

McLaren driver Jenson Button is currently recovering from a wasp sting.

The Briton pulled out of appearing in person on a BBC chat show last Friday after suffering an allergic reaction.

"I've been taken out by a wasp!" the 34-year-old said on Twitter. "I was riding my bike yesterday and got stung between the eyes."

Jenson Button said the sting made him feel "rough, plus I look like an Avatar but obviously not the blue bit!"

Chat show host Graham Norton, sitting with actors Samuel L Jackson and Keira Knightley, phoned Button during the show and asked the F1 driver if he will be well enough to race in Austria this weekend.

"I hope so," Button answered. "That is the crazy thing. I drive around at 220 miles per hour and I get taken out by a wasp."

Pulp Fiction star Jackson, however, said he is not convinced.

"I want to see the face. I am not buying it," he told Button.

From GMM

Mark Webber has tipped his last F1 teammate Sebastian Vettel to eventually return to the top of the sport.

Off the back of his four consecutive titles, German Vettel has struggled in 2014 in the wake of Webber's retirement and the arrival at Red Bull of the younger Australian, impressive Daniel Ricciardo.

Dr Helmut Marko, the world champion team's outspoken director, has admitted to the BBC that amid Vettel's personal struggle earlier this year, he told the 26-year-old to "raise his game".

"Sebastian was complaining about having such a bad car," the Austrian said. "Furthermore, he thinks the way F1 is going is not the right one - the cars should be monsters, not relatively easy to drive.

"With all these problems, maybe he wasn't as committed as he should have been, but that has changed," added Marko.

Dr Helmut Marko and Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing. (Photo: WRi2)

Mark Webber, who had a competitive return to Le Mans at the weekend until his Porsche prototype retired, told motorline.cc that Vettel has also had a "hard time" in 2014 with "many technical problems".

"But I am not surprised about Daniel," he said. "I said before Melbourne that he would be 50:50 with Seb and everyone said I was crazy, but Seb will be there again -- he just needs some time to deal with the car."

Mark Webber said Daniel Ricciardo is clearly a top F1 driver, but whether he is as good as the highly-successful Vettel is a question yet to be answered.

"For Seb, it's difficult at the moment because Mercedes are the absolute favourites," he said.

"But as soon as Seb sees victories again, he will be back. It's the same with Fernando (Alonso). When he sees an opportunity to get the win, he is always there. In the first half of this season, the fact that only Mercedes could win was easier for Daniel to accept," Webber added.

Speaking separately to Fairfax Media, Webber continued: "The last few races have been pretty good to Seb, but he hasn't had the rub of the green. So he will draw from that. He knows his day will come."

From GMM

Forza Rossa is still yet to receive a "formal response" from the FIA regarding its application to enter formula one.

It was reported recently that, on the heels of Nascar team co-owner Gene Haas getting the go-ahead from F1's governing body, the FIA was also set to approve the application made by a Romanian outfit called Forza Rossa.

"Yes, it is true," Bogdan Sonea told the Romanian daily Gandul.

The newspaper said Sonea is the marketing director of Forza Rossa Ferrari, the official dealer of Ferrari road cars within Romania.

"Forza Rossa did submit a dossier and now we expect a formal response from the FIA about our future participation in the world championship," Sonea said.

He confirmed that Colin Kolles, the Romanian and former boss of the HRT and Force India teams, will lead the project, but said Forza Rossa may not be the actual team name.

"Forza Rossa is the name of the applicant," said Sonea, "but the name of the team that will participate in F1 is not yet finalised."

Colin Kolles. (Photo: WRi2)

Many other details are also not yet known, he admitted, including the size of the budget.

There have also been conflicting reports about potential technical partners, with some saying Ferrari is the obvious engine supplier, amid rumours elsewhere of talks with Renault.

It has even been suggested that Dacia, the low-cost Romanian carmaker, could get involved.

"I cannot even mention this," Sonea insisted. "We cannot confirm or deny these rumours."

He did say, however, that reports of links to the Romanian government are untrue, as the project is "100 per cent private".

Worthersee, Austria -- When you've been at something for a long time, you tend to get good at it. Myself, I've been tying my own shoelaces for over 20 years, and let me tell you that I almost never screw up.

Volkswagen's been around since 1937 and has built tens of millions of cars. In that period of time they've learned a thing or two about making them work -- and by work I mean drive, perform and handle. In this department, VW's had plenty of exercise with the Scirocco, Corrado, Jetta GLI and, of course, the GTI. All of these skills have culminated in what I call the ultimate Volkswagen: The Golf R.

The new MK7 Golf R is all of the above, wrapped in some seriously hot and taut sheetmetal. At the very sight of it, my right foot begins to twinge, searching for an eager throttle pedal, my arms and hands reach out for a meaty flat-bottomed steering wheel, and my eyes yearn for the next corner to carve. The Golf R is the super all-season pocket-rocket for the thinking man who wants it all without depleting the retirement fund.


What is a Volkswagen Golf R?
The Golf R is the latest uber-Golf in a run that began with the now legendary Rallye Golf. This MK2 sex-machine was the first mass-produced vdub to combine AWD with a blown (it did that too...) engine and some aesthetic extras.

The MK7 Golf R is the most powerful and efficient of its type from Volkswagen. In 5-door form, it is, without a doubt, the best family-cum-weekend track-car available. The MK7 R is not expected to arrive in Canada before late winter early spring next year as a 2016.

2015 Volkswagen Golf R Price and Specs
The 2015 Volkswagen Golf R has not yet been priced for Canada, however, expect that the base car's sticker to hover around the $40,000 mark.

That kind of coin will deliver a 290+ horsepower turbocharged 2.0L TSI 4-cylinder engine that also produces 280 lb-ft of torque. The EA888 series engine, related to the GTI's, has been worked over and now has a new cylinder head, pistons, and turbocharger to name a few mods.

Transmission choices reside between a 6-speed manual and the DSG of equal gears. The 4MOTION AWD system includes VW's XDS+ that operates like limited-slip differentials, both front and rear. Moreover, the Golf R's ESC can be fully deactivated, something that cannot be done in the GTI.

Driving the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R
Power is everything, especially when it's well under control. Among the many standout features found on the Golf R is the 4MOTION AWD system provided by Haldex. This 5th and latest generation of this permanent AWD setup is what enables this compact hatchback rocket to fully make use of the mill's continuous delivery power.

As with the MK7 GTI, the MK7 Golf R's mojo comes about in one single and swift sustained swell. Max torque flows seamlessly from 1,800 to 5,500 rpm where max hp pops in, maintaining the rush.

As I flew through the Alps, the engine's will was masterfully obeyed by the most excellent DSG transmission. I may sound like a broken record when it comes to this transmission (or Porsche's PDK) but it operates better than any slush-box, and most (if not all) other dual-clutch units. The DSG is furiously rapid from one cog to another and never skips a beat.

So efficient is this ‘box that it'll help shoot the 2015 Golf R to 100 km/h in 5 seconds flat! The manual, also a gem where self-rowers are concerned, requires nearly a full half-second more to hit the ton. I'd stare at my order sheet a long while before I'd likely tick the DSG option box. Blasphemous, I know.

The Golf can be as docile and forgiving as it can be vicious and tenacious. In a mere few degrees of the progressive electric power-assisted steering (2.1 turns lock to lock), the R's nose hunkers down and grips waiting on the driver to mash the throttle for a clean exit after the apex.

The new Volkswagen Golf R features ACC (Adaptive Chassis Control -- yeah, I don't get it either) that offers three driving modes: Comfort, Normal, and Sport. The Sport mode was perfectly suited to the smooth alpine highways where long high-speed sweepers were the norm. The Golf R stays flat at all costs and responds brilliantly to all driver inputs, and this includes the large 4-wheel vented disc brakes.

Inside and Out of the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R
The MK7 Golf is nothing less than dazzling, in a subdued German way. From there, the GTI gets a little sexy thrown its way. Where the Golf R is concerned, it's a full-on visual orgy in, again, the German way. The Golf R is lowered a further 5mm from the 20mm drop to the GTI from the Golf. With the right size wheels, this car squats on its territory.

The 2015 Golf R features distinct front and rear bumpers, side skirts, rear diffuser, and the quad tailpipes. As a whole, this final detail is my only complaint: I would have preferred dual centre-mounted pipes as they have been on previous Rs.

The R's cabin is a step up from the GTI where the sport seats offer thick bolsters and much of the interior trim features “carbon-touch” and piano-black inlays. The illuminated light-blue tachometer and speedometer needles, and bright white surrounding controls are nearly hyper-luxurious for the car but work extremely well with the classy ergonomics and spotless fit and finish.

Comparing the 2015 Volkswagen Golf R
The 2015 Volkswagen Golf R is in an elite territory of highly specialized cars that includes the likes of the Subaru STI and the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO (for a limited time...). Stretching a little further out, it'll find the Mercedes GLA 45 AMG and the Audi S3.

The 2015 Volkswagen Golf R blends the luxurious aspect from the high-end brands and the pure unadulterated driving experience from the “regular” brands. The Golf R is a sublime driving tool that rewards and does not punish.