Auto News 5

News 5 Jun, 2014

Rocksteady Studios reveals new Batmobile for Batman: Arkham Knight video game, equipped with 'Battle Mode' cannon and riot suppressor

At a ride and drive event in Milan, Italy, Matthew Beecham talked with Maarten Maes, Director OE Sales & Programme Management, Tenneco about fitment rates of the company's active suspension technologies, its market share and what the Monroe brand stands for.

Johnson Controls is spending US$154m on a new automotive battery factory in China which will produce 6m units a year.

Meet the Mini Cooper Hardtop 4-door. The company has followed the surprise unveiling of its one-off

Chinese carmaker Qoros expects to sell more than 10 percent of its cars in Europe after it extends sales across the region by 2016, Stefano Villanti, Qoros' head of sales told the Automotive News Europe Congress.

Chinese carmaker Qoros expects to sell more than 10 percent of its cars in Europe after it extends sales across the region by 2016, Stefano Villanti, Qoros' head of sales told the Automotive News Europe Congress.

PSA Peugeot Citroen CEO Carlos Tavares has restated his recovery plan for the company based on a rationalisation of product and a more globally based organisation.

The outlook for the global auto industry is fairly bright, but government interference is clouding the picture in Europe and China, Philippe Houchois, UBS Head of European Automotive Research, told the Automotive News Europe Congress.

The outlook for the global auto industry is fairly bright, but government interference is clouding the picture in Europe and China, Philippe Houchois, UBS Head of European Automotive Research, told the Automotive News Europe Congress.

Opel/Vauxhall design chief Mark Adams told the Automotive News Europe Congress that car designers are facing increasing pressure to meet the demands of tougher EU rules on CO2 and pedestrian protection.

Honda and Mercedes led the way in a tally of brands ranked by new-vehicle buyers for quality and value, a study conducted by ALG found.

From GMM

Bernie Ecclestone was not the only man Gerhard Gribkowsky turned to as he sought to make his millions.

That is the claim that emerged in a Munich court on Wednesday, as embattled F1 chief executive Ecclestone's defence to bribery charges appeared to get another boost.

The latest witness to testify was Werner Schmidt, the former CEO of BayernLB, for whom Gribkowsky managed the public bank's shares in formula one.

Bernie Ecclestone, who argues instead that he was blackmailed, is accused of bribing the already-jailed Gribkowsky to the tune of $44 million to influence the sale of the shares to CVC.

But Kleine Zeitung newspaper reported that, in court on Wednesday, Schmidt told of how Gribkowsky had once asked for a huge multi-million bonus as part of his work on managing the F1 shares sale.

Schmidt said he responded to the request angrily, saying it was "absolutely impossible" to consider giving Gribkowsky a 10 million euro bonus, as others at the bank also "worked day and night at the time".

Kleine Zeitung said Gribkowsky ultimately got nothing extra from Schmidt except his usual half-million euro salary.

Another former BayernLB official also seemed to give the Ecclestone defence another boost when he testified on Wednesday that there were few viable alternatives to selling the F1 shares to CVC.

"It took a long time before we found an interested buyer on the market," said former board member Dieter Burgmer, while ex-CEO Schmidt agreed that the bank was more than pleased with the final price agreed by CVC.

From GMM

Stefano Domenicali has admitted he is contemplating "several very interesting options" for his future.

The 49-year-old had worked for Ferrari for almost half of his life when he was replaced as team boss by Marco Mattiacci earlier this season.

Since then, he has been linked with a prominent role in the unfamiliar world of Italian basketball, and last weekend attended the Mugello round of the two-wheeled F1 equivalent, MotoGP.

Asked by the Spanish sports newspaper Marca what he is doing now, Domenicali answered: "I'm trying to disconnect from the world of F1.

"It was an extraordinary experience and I will always support Ferrari. Always. And Fernando (Alonso).

"Then I will take decisions about my future. I have several very interesting options, but I have no hurry," he revealed.

"I need to think about it and then choose the best option for next year," said Domenicali.

Asked if he sees his future in a competitive field or elsewhere, he answered: "I exclude nothing. Anything is possible. It's still early to say."

Stefano Domenicali et Fernando Alonso, Ferrari 2012. (Photo: WRi2)

Prior to Domenicali's Ferrari exit, it was not known that the Italian was so close to Alonso. The pair were both at the Mugello MotoGP round last weekend.

Fernando Alonso is in the process of setting up a professional cycling team for 2015.

When asked about his relationship with the Spaniard, Domenicali said: "Yes, our relationship is extraordinary."

He played down claims that his affable nature, and particularly his friendships within Ferrari, meant he was not suitable for leadership in a tough world like F1.

"People can say what they want. But I don't think that having good relationships with people means you're good or bad at something," insisted Stefano Domenicali.

We've had our 2015 Mazda CX-5 GT long-term test vehicle for over three months now, and it's already logged 6,000 kilometres. The more we spend time behind the wheel, the more we can validate what initially won us over... or simply got on our nerves.

After compiling the various notes and comments from our test drivers, we made a preliminary list highlighting the most commonly praised and criticized aspects of the CX-5. Here it is, in no particular


The Bad

Despite being named Auto123.com's Compact Utility Vehicle of the Year and finishing second in our most recent Crossover Comparison Test (less than 1% behind the winner), the 2015 Mazda CX-5 GT has room for improvement.

Infotainment system: The CX-5's only major flaw is the infotainment system, which is abominable. Sorry, there's just no other way to describe it. From using navigation to synchronizing your iPhone, everything leads to frustration and distraction.

The Mazda-TomTom partnership leaves a lot to be desired. The GPS manufacturer is typically known for offering user-friendly portable devices, but in this case, either Mazda or TomTom chose to play it safe and make it impossible to change navigation settings when the vehicle is moving... even with someone in the front passenger seat!

Of course, you can always use voice command to give instructions, but each of our attempts ended on the side of the road with the hazards on and the driver manually entering a destination into the navigation system. It's even more frustrating with a passenger next to you, because he or she can't do a damn thing about it, either.

Smartphone integration: About 80% of the time, the Bluetooth connection works like a charm. Three little clicks, and voilà! Your phone and the CX-5 are in sync, and you can make calls or listen to music from your personal library.

A couple of times, however, even though we used the same basic routine, the system failed to recognize our phone, so we no longer had access to it. Deleting and reconnecting didn't solve the problem. And yet, the very next day, it all worked for some reason. Is there some black magic involved? This was really confusing and aggravating...

Clock: Every single one of our test drivers wondered the same thing at one point or another: "Where's the time?" You won't find it atop the centre stack or in the middle of the gauge cluster, where it usually resides, but rather squeezed between the centre air vents and climate controls.

Front passenger seat: While the driver benefits from an 8-way power-adjustable seat, the front passenger can't even adjust the height of his or her seat. Taller individuals can easily brush the headliner if they sit in an upright position. Bummer.



The Good

Let's focus on what really matters, and the things we loved about our 2015 Mazda CX-5 GT.

Fuel economy: For 2015, Natural Resources Canada started using a new 5-cycle testing procedure to determine fuel consumption ratings, in an effort to be more representative of everyday driving. As a result, the CX-5 GT jumps from 6.6L to 7.9L/100km on the highway, and from 8.5L to 9.8L/100km in the city.

That's pretty much what we've achieved so far. After more than 6,000 kilometres (40% on the highway, 60% in the city), our test vehicle averages 9.4L/100km -- not bad at all considering its larger, 184-horsepower engine and all-wheel drive system.

Styling: As the vehicle that introduced the Japanese brand's new "KODO -- Soul of Motion" design language, the Mazda CX-5 is a definite head-turner. All of our test drivers rave about its sporty looks. Judging by the reactions of people we drive by, we're clearly not alone.

SKYACTIV: For 2014, Mazda gave the CX-5 a more powerful 2.5L SKYACTIV engine to back up the standard 2.0L SKYACTIV mill. What a difference! The new unit has more grunt and torque, and generally makes the vehicle that much livelier and more fun to drive. And as you saw above, fuel economy is pretty decent, too.

2015 Mazda CX-5 GT keeps going and going...
With the 7,000km mark fast approaching and the powertrain fully broken in, we are currently busy preparing other updates and videos, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you own a Mazda CX-5, plan to buy one or simply have something to say about it, feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below.

From GMM

Dr Helmut Marko has denied reports he is coaxing the major German carmaker Volkswagen into formula one.

Reports last week quoted the Red Bull director as saying the reigning world champions will take stock at the forthcoming Austrian grand prix and "decide on our future engine partner".

"Volkswagen is already in other racing series, with engines that are similar to formula one technology," he reportedly told Sport Bild magazine.

But while admitting Red Bull has been unhappy with its current supplier Renault in the new V6 era, Marko played down the VW reports.

"That (report) was a complete hoax," the Austrian told Die Welt newspaper.

"Our goal is to work with Renault to make an initial assessment at the grand prix of Austria; to put our data on the table and then either develop a plan to continue in 2015 or find a better way to improve our current situation as quickly as possible.

"That is the reality," Marko explained.

Red Bull RB10. (Photo: WRi2)

Helmut Marko does not, therefore, hide his disappointment with the Renault situation in 2014.

"There are massive problems not only for us but also for other teams with the Renault engine," he said.

But he denied reports Red Bull is prepared even to sue the French car manufacturer for losses accrued while the F1 engine crisis was being solved.

"That's nonsense," said Marko. "We're not suing anyone, especially not Renault. We're only lamenting the shortcomings of the engine.

"We also complain that Renault tackled the deficits that were made dramatically apparent in the pre-season tests too late in our view," he added.

Marko acknowledged that Renault's situation has improved markedly since the winter crisis, but he remains far from satisfied.

"It's not enough," he said. "We need to be capable of winning, and that's exactly the goal that we are aiming for with Renault."

The shampoo isle at your local department store is proof that shoppers just absolutely freaking love selection. Every viscosity, colour, formulation, and scent is represented. You can get shampoo for dandruff, more lustrous hair, and even shampoo that makes you smell like a sports star. It's all evidence that selection is good stuff. It gives shoppers the ability to choose exactly what they like, even if the ultimate “want” satisfied by all of the competing products is largely the same.


What is a 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan R-Line?
Volkswagen doesn't deal in shampoo, but they do deal in compact crossovers, which exist in one of the hottest market segments in Canada. Like that shampoo isle, the compact crossover scene offers a similarly daunting and promise-filled selection of competitors shouting out for your hard-earned cash. Volkswagen's product here is called the Tiguan, a compound name made of the German words for Tiger and Iguana. All models are five-door, 4-cylinder, with 2- or 4-wheel drive.

2014 Volkswagen Tiguan Prices and Specs
The Tiguan starts around $25,000 with front-drive and a 6-speed stick, and an automatic spikes the price to $26,390. With four-wheel drive, Tiguan starts at $28,450. Various trim grades are available for fine-tuning the Tiguan to any needs or tastes, and the tested top-line Highline with R-Line package was priced in the low $40,000s.

Driving the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
For a young couple or small family, Tiguan should be like that proverbial perfect bowl of sheetmetal porridge. It's not too big, not too small, agile not clumsy, and zippy, not lethargic in tight quarters. And because it's not a behemoth, Tiguan drives less like a piece of construction equipment and more like a car.

The athletic VW Group 2.0T engine is the sole offering spooling up 200 horsepower, even more torque, and an award-winning combination of refinement, mileage, output, and character. It's no neck-snapper, but it's considerably gutsier in the mid-range than comparable free-breathing 4-cylinders, while maintaining admirable composure and a pleasing sound.

The available R-Line package available fits a set of sporty wide wheels, a subtle body kit, special badging, fender flares, and some cosmetic tweaks that make the Tiguan something your mom would call “sharp” looking. There's also a sports-tuned suspension calibration that takes a little out of ride comfort and adds back, several times over, to agility and responsiveness. The Volkswagen Tiguan is one of only a few competitors to offer such a sports package.

Equipped thusly, the Tiguan R-Line thinks it's a GTI. The solid, dense, agile, and quick-to-respond feel that characterizes VW's elemental sports-hatch has inspired things here. Minimal steering inputs flit it around twisty roads, and it stays relatively flat in the process. The wide tires dial up the overall grip, and steering feels connected, firmly and precisely, to the wheels. In all, with the R-Line kit, the Tiguan is laid back when driven gently, and mischievous when rushed around.

So, a bit of a sports car, the Tiguan R-Line is. Thankfully it works pretty well as a crossover, too.

For those travelling on rougher terrain, a decent sense of ground clearance and traction should prove appreciable. I took the tester down a badly rutted, slush and mud-covered cottage road on two separate occasions, travelling through some wince-inducing ruts and puddles. While there, the AWD system found traction with ease and virtually always felt like it knew what it was doing. There's minimal wasted wheelspin when the going gets sloppy, and full off-the-line traction is always at the ready.

Other notables? The Dynaudio stereo system is a top-class eardrum smasher, and the bi-xenon headlamps are among the best I've ever used on a late-night drive.

Inside and Out of the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
There's plenty of storage for the driver's things nearby, and I noted no issues with space or room in the front seats. Rear seats fold down to expand on the cargo space when required, too -- a good thing as the shallow cargo hold in back isn't the largest I've seen in a comparable crossover. Space is adequate, though not generous. You'll want to check out something like a Honda CR-V, Dodge Journey or Subaru Outback if a great, big cargo hold is of great, big importance.

Back up front, some of the controls and switches and display readouts are looking their age, though a simple, understated, and elegant formality results from the expert looking stitching on the leather seats, premium materials throughout, and a soft perforated leather steering wheel to go with the metallic trim bits and solid-feeling controls and switches.

The massive panoramic sunroof was a welcomed touch as springtime began emerging. At the flick of a dial, it's front glass panel slides away, virtually turning the Tiguan into a convertible.

Comparing the 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan
As a sportier-than-average compact crossover, the Tiguan R-Line shoppers should consider test-drives of direct competitors like the Subaru Forester XT, Kia Sportage Turbo and Hyundai Santa Fe Sport 2.0T. Without the sport-enhancing R-Line equipment, the Tiguan should prove a worthy and more powerful alternative to machinery like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

From GMM

Restrictive rules have slowed the pace of aerodynamic development in formula one.

Frustrated aerodynamics 'genius' Adrian Newey told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that the era of making giant mid-season strides with innovative ideas appears to be over.

"Look at the upgrades of the first six races," the Briton is quoted as saying. "Much less than last year, and most of it was just cosmetic.

"We are looking at details like the 'monkey seat' because the regulations give us less and less room to move," added Adrian Newey.

The FIA's technical delegate Joe Bauer confirmed: "We have never seen so little crash testing."

Red Bull RB10-Renault. (Photo: WRi2)

Nonetheless, Ferrari is debuting a substantially upgraded 2014 car this weekend in Canada.

Italy's Autosprint magazine said so much has changed that the car could aptly be named the F14-T's 'B' version.

"We can't make predictions," said Fernando Alonso, "because our improvement has to be seen in relation to what our competitors come up with.

"We need to match them and then find a plus," he added ahead of the Canadian grand prix.

From GMM

Marshals have been trained more thoroughly than before ahead of this weekend's Canadian grand prix.

A year ago in Montreal, F1 was mourning its first fatality in over a decade, after track marshal Mark Robinson was crushed by a recovery vehicle as he helped to move Esteban Gutierrez's retired Sauber.

A subsequent investigation showed that the driver of the crane was not properly trained to operate it.

So the Montreal Gazette reports this week that marshals using the cranes have now all been trained, according to the workplace safety board CSST.

The newspaper said the Montreal race promoter Octane, and the automobile club de l'Ile Notre Dame, were fined by the board as a result of the death.

One minute silence in memory of the Montreal marshal Mark Robinson at Silverstone. (Photo: WRi2)

Pros: The 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost is designed, engineered and crafted in every aspect to enhance the driving experience rather than complicate it. As such, it's considered to be the most driver-oriented Rolls-Royce ever. An ultra-powerful engine lies under the beautiful, long hood, yet the supremely luxurious and comfortable Ghost remains whisper-quiet no matter how hard it's pushed. An extended wheelbase model is available, providing 17 centimetres of extra legroom. BMW-sourced underpinnings make things interesting for the driver, too.

Cons: This car is slightly less exclusive than Rolls-Royce's higher-end models, but that doesn't mean it's cheap: The Ghost still carries a gigantic price tag. What's more, fuel economy is awful.

Photo: Rolls-Royce

2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost Price: Contact your local dealer for detailed pricing.

2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost Fuel Economy: The official ratings for the Ghost are 17.3L/100km in the city and 10.5L/100km on the highway. In the real world, though, you can expect to burn quite a bit more than that.

Improvements and Changes: At the 2014 Geneva Auto Show, Rolls-Royce introduced the Ghost Series II -- essentially the same vehicle as the outgoing model, but with a host of minor updates. Styling has been subtly revised, and the sumptuous cabin has been updated with such features as a new infotainment display, rotary controller, and new trim. Let's not forget the new 21'' wheels available.

2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost Powertrain: Its 6.6L twin-turbo V12 engine is capable of producing 563 horsepower, enough to propel the stately Ghost from 0-100 km/h in a mere 4.9 seconds. While this figure is impressive in its own right, what separates the Ghost from other performance luxury cars is the effortless way it delivers a seemingly endless surge of power, with 575 lb-ft of torque available from as low as 1,500 rpm, through an 8-speed automatic gearbox.

Don't miss: The new satellite-aided transmission uses GPS data to scan the road ahead and choose the right gear for the upcoming turns. It's a state-of-the-art technology pioneered by parent company BMW.

Safety: Beyond the full suite of airbags and electronic driving aids, the 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost features head-up display, plus an infrared camera that can detect the body heat of pedestrians and animals up to 300 metres away.

Comparing the 2014 Rolls-Royce Ghost: The Bentley Flying Spur is arguably the Ghost's only direct competitor. The Audi A8 L W12 and Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG are some of the cheaper alternatives.

This fall, the MINI lineup will expand with the addition of the first-ever MINI Cooper 5-Door Hatch.

Rear passengers will enjoy more legroom, while the increased space also provides room for a third seat in the back. The two rear doors make access to the enhanced rear seating easier, as well.

The new model offers an additional 15 millimetres of headroom, plus 30% more cargo room (up to 278 litres).

In Europe, there will be four engines with TwinPower Turbo technology to choose from:

• 3-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 136 horsepower;
• 4-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 192 horsepower;
• 3-cylinder diesel engine rated at 116 horsepower;
• 4-cylinder diesel engine rated at 170 horsepower.

The new MINI Cooper 5-door Hatch will go on sale in the U.K. at £15,900, or roughly $29,100 CAD. The Canadian release date and price have yet to be announced.

Photo: MINI