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Automotive News Europe salutes the winners of the 2014 Rising Stars awards. Every day through June 3 two of the 14 winners will be featured. The Rising Star for Finance is James Sheehan of Benteler Automotive.

Toyota plans to boost pay to directors by 19 percent for the last fiscal year after the company earned record profit.

From press release

The Sportsman and Pro-Stock divisions will have an important evening this coming Sunday as the DIRTcar Series will kick off at Cornwall Motor Speedway, Ontario for both divisions.

A full program is also on the schedule as Jiffy Auto Services will be the main sponsor.

The Sportsman will have a 50-lap event involving the best drivers from the division hauling to Cornwall for the initial event of the DIRTcar Sportsman Series. Invaders such as defending series champion Brad Rouse, Mathieu Desjardins, Martin Pelletier, Jessica Power and several others will compete again a stout field of local runners such as runner up in the 2013 series Joey Ladouceur, Shane Pecore, Corey Wheeler and many others. A great field of cars is expected.

The 2013 DIRTcar Pro-Stock Series champion Dave Bissonnette will try to use his home track to his advantage and get a good start to defend his crown. A 50-lap feature is also on the card as drivers like Rob Yetman, Francois Adam, Alain Brochu, Stephane Lemire will visit the speedway to run against Bissonnette, Roch Aubin, Jocelyn Roy, Stéphane Lebrun and other great local racers.

The very competitive Jiffy Auto Services Modified division will have a 30-lap event as the points race is very tight after 2 races with Stéphane Lafrance and Carey Terrance tied at 90 points in first, Chris Raabe is only 1 point behind the leader as Chris Herbison and Kyle Dingwall are tied at 86 points while Brian McDonald is at 85.

The Luminacorr Semi-Pro class will have a 15-lap event as the Mini-Stock will run a 12-lap event.

Come and see some of the best Sportsman and Pro-Stock drivers as it will only costs 15$ in general admission for the evening, children of 16 years and under is still only 2$. Heat races are scheduled to start at 7pm sharp as time trials are scheduled at 6:30pm.

For more information on the upcoming season at Cornwall, please visit the website at www.cornwallspeedway.com you can add us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cornwallspeedway or on twitter at @cornwalspeedway.

From press release

The 2014 racing season will get underway Saturday afternoon (May 31) at Delaware Speedway, located near Delaware, Ontario.

The event features the Transmission Direct Enduro 100 and Bone Stock Chaos Cars in action at 4:00 pm.

The afternoon will feature the first day of the Saturday price drop, the debut of 12 new High School Challenge Cars, and showcase some of the wildest racing Delaware Speedway has to offer.

Price Drop at Saturday Events
Prices to see Delaware Speedway's Saturday Enduro & Bone Stock Chaos Car programs are going down. Starting this Saturday Adults will now be able to take in the action for just $14. Seniors and students will be $12 and kids age 12 and under will enter free of charge.

Spectator gates for the event will open at 3:00 pm, racing will start at 4:00 pm. Earlier in the day at 11:00 am will be a separate practice event for drivers. Spectators are welcome to enjoy this early practice session free of charge.

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel has denied throwing a tantrum after Sunday's Monaco grand prix.

It was in the glitzy Principality that the reigning quadruple world champion's 2014 hit a new low, with problems not only in qualifying but also the race.

"I heard that I kicked my helmet in the corner and shouted at the team!" the German said at the Red Bull Ring on Tuesday.

"I have no idea where that comes from. I prefer to find constructive solutions. Of course it's not going perfectly at the moment and I was not very happy when I got out of the car, but at the same time the boys were cheering for Daniel (Ricciardo). I have to say he is doing a really good job, which I respect and say 'Chapeau'."

On the other hand, it seems obvious that Vettel has also already said 'Au revoir' to a fifth title in 2014.

"Red Bull can forget about the championship," Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda told Austria's O3 radio.

Helmut Marko and Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull's stand, in Monaco. (Photo: WRi2)

But Sebastian Vettel insists he is not giving up yet.

"As long as everything is still mathematically possible, I keep fighting. We are still having blips but I think we are on the right track generally," he said.

Part of the reason the maths are still working out for Red Bull is because, at the Abu Dhabi finale, double points will controversially be on offer.

"At the beginning we saw it differently," Dr Helmut Marko smiled on Tuesday, "but now we are thrilled by this new rule!"

Meanwhile, Vettel said he sees nothing sinister in the fact that all of the 'bad luck' is concentrated on his car in 2014, rather than Ricciardo's.

"Generally I don't really like the word 'luck'," said Vettel. "There is always a reason when something goes wrong."

And Sebastian Vettel said that every problem is another lesson for the team. Marko insisted Red Bull is not giving up on 2014.

"After the shock of the winter, we have established ourselves as the second strongest team behind Mercedes," Helmut Marko said. "It is not over yet."

Sebastian Vettel agreed: "We are the second force. But it would be wrong to compete with the goal of coming second to Mercedes."

'Smoke', also known as Tony Stewart, spent Memorial Day driving a sprint car, 9 1/2 months after his accident.

NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Tony Stewart was involved in a scary sprint car wreck that broke his right leg last year.

This led to months of rehabilitation that forced him to cut his 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season short before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup began, but we all knew this day was coming.

But yesterday, Stewart is back in a sprint car.

'Smoke' to post some pictures on Twitter of him celebrating Memorial Day inside the very type of vehicle he wrecked last August.

(Photo: Tony Stewart Twitter)

An strange accident occurred Tuesday during a visit of two Mercedes drivers, including Nico Rosberg, to the training camp of the German National Football Team in Italy.

Mercedes was shooting a promotional video with two of its drivers and German football players, Julian Draxler and Benedikt Howedes.

The official Mercedes press release says that while driving on a closed road, DTM driver Pascal Wehrlein injured two people whom he unexpectedly encountered walking on the closed course.

The rumour says that Nico Roberg managed to avoid the two persons but Wehrlein could not avoid the contact.

Mercedes cannot offer any statement concerning the severity of injuries, as both injured parties are currently undergoing medical treatment.

Pascal Wehrlein was uninjured in the accident. Mercedes deeply regret this accident and send wishes of quick recovery to the injured. We will work in full cooperation with the authorities in determining the exact circumstances of the accident.

Moments after the accident, Nico Rosberg wrote on his Twitter account: “I am shocked by the accident. My thoughts are with the two people who were injured and I wish them a fast recovery”.

From press release

The FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA announces that all tickets for grandstand 31, located at the “Pont des Îles” chicane, have now been sold.

With nine days to go before the cars take to the track at circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, grandstands 1 and 34 are also sold out, and seats in other parts of the track are getting rarer every day. As an example, tickets for three days or for Sunday only in the new Popular Grandstand are no longer available.

Reserved seating is still available in grandstand 2 (located at the starting grid and across the track from pit lane), grandstands 11 and 12 at the “Senna curve”, grandstands 15, 21 and 24 at the “Hairpin” and grandstand 33, in front of the “Canada Pavilion” chicane.

Fans can also buy daily tickets for either Friday or Saturday in the Popular grandstand, located right after the exit from the “Hairpin”, as well as general admission tickets on a daily basis or for the three days of the event.

Fans who wish to buy one or more seats or general admission tickets must contact the ticket office at 514-350-0000 or 1‑855-790-1245, every weekday between 9 AM and 8 PM, or order their tickets securely at www.circuitgillesvilleneuve.ca or www.admission.com.

They can also get their tickets in person, at the Île Sainte-Hélène ticket office (next to the Jean-Drapeau metro station), which will be open to the public starting at noon on Monday 2 June. Business hours are posted at the official website of the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA.

From GMM

Red Bull is flirting with a change of engine supplier, according to reports on Wednesday.

Dr Helmut Marko has told Germany's Sport Bild that the reigning world champion team will assess the progress made by current supplier Renault at the time of its home Austrian grand prix at the Red Bull Ring in June.

"We have to decide on our future engine partner then," he said.

What engine in the Red Bull chassis next year? (Photo: WRi2)

A partnership with Mercedes has already been ruled out, and becoming a customer of another arch-rival, Ferrari, must also be seen as highly unlikely.

Honda is returning to F1 as McLaren's works partner next year, with Red Bull magnate Dietrich Mateschitz recently saying he did not want to simply be a "customer" of the Japanese manufacturer.

There might be another way.

Red Bull already has close commercial ties to Volkswagen, the German carmaker giant.

"Volkswagen is already in other racing series, with engines that are similar to formula one technology," said Marko.

From GMM

Former two-time World Champion Mika Hakkinen says Lewis Hamilton's behaviour was "sub-standard" in Monaco.

Hamilton accused his Mercedes teammate of deliberately sabotaging his push for pole position, afterwards refusing to acknowledge his race win.

"I appreciate Nico's patience in this situation," double world champion Hakkinen told Finland's Ilta Sanomat newspaper, when asked about the falling out.

"I do not like the idea of what Lewis did. It was quite sub-standard behaviour," said Hakkinen.

Even now, it is believed Hamilton and Rosberg have not spoken a word since Monaco.

"They are in different places," team boss Toto Wolff is quoted by DPA news agency. "So it's not unusual."

Hamilton indicated after Monaco that he had seen evidence that convinced him that Rosberg had acted deliberately under braking for the Mirabeau corner.

That same evidence did not, however, convince the Monaco stewards, including former F1 driver Derek Warwick.

"I don't want to give him (Hamilton) advice really," Warwick told the Daily Mail. "He has won umpteen races and a world championship.

"But if I were to say anything it would be to man up and concentrate on the next race in Canada."

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG, in the streets of Monaco. (Photo: WRi2)

"Rosberg is the perfect package"
Indeed, Rosberg is showing signs of wanting to move on.

"It was one of the more difficult weekends," he said on a visit to Italy where the German football team is preparing for the world cup.

"But I think after a break we will, as always, talk about it," added Rosberg.

"I make an effort for teamwork and for the atmosphere in the team."

It seems less likely that Hamilton is similarly ready to move on.

Indeed, Gerhard Berger - who hosted the Mercedes bosses and drivers for a dinner on his yacht in Monaco - thinks the duo are set for an "explosion".

"Clearly it's just starting now," he told Austrian Servus TV.

"I think Hamilton must do his homework better. He is currently the fastest man in formula one, but he still focuses too much on trivialities. Rosberg is the perfect package," added Berger.

A clear 'number 1' and 'number 2' situation is easier for a team to manage, but team boss Wolff said he believes one of the secrets of Mercedes' dominance this year is a pair of drivers who spur each other to great heights.

But that doesn't mean he was overjoyed in Monaco.

"I was the bad guy after qualifying," said Wolff. "I told them it is absolutely unacceptable to have to spend the afternoon with the media talking about whether one of them cheated or not. I have other things to do."

He was particularly unhappy about Hamilton's suggestion that he will deal with the situation just as Ayrton Senna did, sparking rumours of a deliberate crash.

"We had our board members in Monaco, our partners -- I will not have our team and our brand made a fool of. I think they (the drivers) understood," said Wolff.

"They can have fun with their toys so long as they don't break them," the Austrian is quoted by Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"It will never come to the level of the Prost-Senna relationship," Wolff promised.

"Clearly there is no hugging, but this is a job, not a holiday. It is wonderful to have two drivers at this level."

As you know, the current fuel consumption ratings are difficult to achieve for most drivers, even with moderate use of the throttle and air conditioning.

Therefore, Natural Resources Canada (NRC) recently announced a new protocol to determine fuel consumption ratings, starting with 2015 model year vehicles. This way, the average driver will have a better idea of much fuel they can expect to burn day in, day out.

Current testing
Fuel consumption ratings are derived from the emissions generated during two laboratory driving cycles: a city test and a highway test.

According to NRC, the city test simulates urban driving in stop-and-go traffic with an average speed of 34 km/h and a top speed of 90 km/h. The test runs for approximately 31 minutes and includes 23 stops. It begins from a cold engine start, which is similar to starting a vehicle after it has been parked overnight during the summer.

The final phase of the test repeats the first eight minutes of the cycle, but with a hot engine start. This simulates restarting a vehicle after it has been warmed up, driven, and then stopped for a short time. Over five minutes of test are spent idling to represent waiting at traffic lights.

Meanwhile, the highway test simulates a mix of open highway and rural driving, with an average speed of 78 km/h and a top speed of 97 km/h. The test runs for approximately 13 minutes and does not include any stops. It begins from a hot engine start.

The fuel consumption values derived from these test cycles are then adjusted upwards by 10% (city) and 15% (highway) to more accurately reflect real-world driving.

New testing
Here, the standard 2-cycle test program is supplemented with three additional tests that account for cold temperature operation, air conditioning usage, and higher speeds with more rapid acceleration and braking. This 5-cycle testing procedure better approximates typical driving conditions and behaviours.

In the cold temperature operation test, the same driving cycle is used as in the standard city test, except that the ambient temperature of the test cell is set to -7°C.

In the air conditioning test, the ambient temperature of the test cell is raised to 35°C. The vehicle's climate control system is then used to lower the internal cabin temperature. Starting with a warm engine, the test averages 35 km/h and reaches a maximum speed of 88 km/h. Five stops are included, with idling occurring 19% of the time.

Finally, the high speed/quick acceleration test averages 78 km/h and reaches a top speed of 129 km/h. Four stops are included, and brisk acceleration maximizes at a rate of 13.6 km/h per second. The engine starts warm, and air conditioning is not used.

What about 2014 and older vehicles?
While the new testing procedure starts with 2015 model year vehicles, NRC has developed an interactive tool for owners of 1995-2014 vehicles who would like to get their adjusted fuel consumption ratings.

Some will feel that the new ratings are too high, while others will find them too optimistic. Keep in mind that these are average ratings with numerous variables.

Here's a comparison:

Class	Make and model	Current ratings City/Highway (L/100km)	Adjusted ratings City/Highway (L/100km)
Sub-compact	Nissan Versa	6.1/4.8	7.2/5.8
Compact	Honda Civic	6.7/5.0	7.9/6.0
Midsize	Ford Fusion (2.0L)	9.2/5.9	10.5/7.1
Full-size	Hyundai Sonata (2.0T)	10.0/6.3	11.4/7.5
Pickup truck	Chevy Silverado (4.3L)	11.9/8.4	13.4/9.9
SUV	Mazda CX-5 (2.5L)	8.3/6.2	9.6/7.4
Minivan	Dodge Grand Caravan	12.2/7.9	13.7/9.4

How to achieve these ratings
There is no miracle solution to significantly improve your fuel economy. However, you can make a number of changes to your driving habits. NRC suggests these five basic fuel-efficient driving techniques:

1. Accelerate gently;
2. Maintain a steady speed;
3. Anticipate traffic;
4. Coast to decelerate (whenever possible)
5. Avoid high speeds

Source: Natural Resources Canada

Also, remember that short trips considerably increase your fuel consumption. So, run your errands one after the other, planning your route to avoid backtracking and rush-hour traffic. The longer trips will enable your engine to warm up to the temperature at which it converts energy most efficiently.

The NRC website is full of detailed tips and information about efficient driving and the new testing procedure -- make sure to check it out. You don't need to become a hypermiling expert or travel at 80 km/h on the highway to achieve the posted fuel consumption ratings; a bunch of small changes to your driving habits can literally go a long way.

What's your take on NRC's adjusted fuel consumption ratings? We're curious to find out!

Source: Natural Resources Canada

Infiniti reportedly wants to develop its own performance lineup to rival BMW's M cars and Mercedes' AMG models. And instead of using IPL (Infiniti Performance Line) or Eau Rouge like in the past, the brand would like to use the Red Bull Racing name.

Andreas Sigl, the leading man behind Infiniti's groundbreaking partnership with the Red Bull Racing F1 team, told AOL Cars: "If you ask me, every Infiniti should have an element of performance in it. It should be throughout the range, and the Eau Rouge Q50 we are developing is an important step towards that.''

The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Concept is a 550-horsepower AWD sedan.

Sigl also hinted at other high-performance models including a variant of the forthcoming Q30.

Source : cars.aol.co.uk

Photo: Infiniti

SAN JOSE CHIAPA, Mexico -- Audi AG officials and the Governor of the state of Puebla Mexico, recently broke ground on a new "Supplier's Park" that is part of Audi's new $1.3 billion USD manufacturing site.

Just a little over a year ago, Audi began construction on their new 400-hectare plant in this small village two and a half hours south east of Mexico City. The facility will produce the Q5 crossover, but roughly only 35% of those produced are intended for our North American market. The remaining 65% -- thanks to the plant's location close to the Port of Vera Cruz, and Mexico's free trade agreements with 40 other countries worldwide -- will be shipped to other fast-growing global markets. This, not wage differences (although wages in Mexico are generally 20% lower than the rest of North America), was the crucial factor in Audi's decision to build in Mexico. More than two-thirds of the Q5's components will be produced in the NAFTA region, with this expected to increase to 90% eventually.

Photo: Lesley Wimbush

Mexican-made Audis equal to those built in Germany
As of this year, there are more Audis produced outside of Germany than in. Audi will train all those suppliers who successfully win tenders to work with the Puebla site to bring them up to Audi standards, using the "Audi Production System" (APS).

Last year, Audi invited 200 suppliers to attend a workshop, seven of whom will move into the supplier's park by the end of this year, which in the first phase of development will be over 24,000 -square metres. An on-site training centre will soon begin operation to ensure that Audis produced here will have exactly the same level of quality as those built in Germany.

The plant follows Audi's "Just In Sequence" (JIS) format, and all companies in the supplier's park will be trained to those specifications. Using the exact standards learned from Audi, the supplier will build components to order, following the sequence of the production line. As a specific trim model moves down the line, a signal is sent to the supplier, who begins assembling the needed part built specifically for that vehicle. In just 144 minutes, the parts are gathered, the component is assembled, passed through quality control, and transported to the production line where it's installed on the intended vehicle. The JIS system relieves the production line of some of the burden of extra work, storage, and responsibility by having made-to-order components available on demand.

Photo: Lesley Wimbush

Audi's arrival met with enthusiasm
The spade-turning ceremony for the new park was attended by Puebla's governor, Rafael Morena Valle Rosas, who declared it the "dawn of a new industrial era for Puebla" requiring the establishment of highways, electrical and water supplies, new hospitals, and police services.

Of the $1.3 billion USD, $800 million will go into structures, $350 million to companies in Mexico, and $230 million will be invested in Puebla.


More than 1,000 jobs will be created in the supplier's park alone, with a possible 20,000 associated jobs in the area.

Fifty-six km north in Puebla, there's a plant owned by parent company Volkswagen AG, but it has the advantage of surrounding city's infrastructure.

The San Jose Chiapa plant is currently Audi's largest project, as it is a ground-up venture. The company is currently building an "Audi Highway" in and out of the facility, canals to handle water supplies, and will be planting over 5,000 trees around the site.
Although there is an existing railway line to the shipping port of Vera Cruz, Audi will build two spurs, one to bring in supplies, and another to transport finished vehicles ready for exportation.

Although the first Q5s will roll off the production line as early as mid-2015, it will be another year before the "product is considered stable enough" to begin export. Initial production will begin with one shift, with two more to be added. The plans allow for expansion and the eventual addition of other platforms.

Photo: Lesley Wimbush

Canadian Robert Wickens hopes to score his first points of the 2014 DTM season this weekend as the series moves to the tight and twisty Hungaroring.

The DTM last raced in 1988 at the 4.381km Hungaroring that consists of seven right-hand turns and seven left-handers.

The race is held over a distance of 41 laps, which equates to 179.621 km. This is, overall, the second shortest race distance of the year after the Nürburgring.

"Budapest is a beautiful and very challenging circuit and I've already achieved a podium there in GP3 in 2010,” said Robert Wickens, driver of the FREE MAN'S WORLD Mercedes AMG C Coupé.

“With its many narrow, twisty turns and very few straights, it's almost like a street circuit that's actually a permanent race track. The driver always has plenty to do on a lap around the Hungaroring, and there are few places where you can relax.”

Robert Wickens, Mercedes AMG C-Coupe DTM. (Photo: WRi2)

Google has started experimenting with new autonomous vehicles that have no steering wheels and no gas or brake pedals. Over the next 24 months, about 100 of them will roam the streets of California.

These new autonomous vehicles have nothing in common with Google's current fleet of modified, self-driving Toyota Prius models, however. They're more like smart fortwo-sized two-seaters with a funny-looking shape.

They will be equipped with advanced sensors and software programs allowing top speeds of 40 km/h and braking when necessary. The package also includes a plastic-like windshield and an extra layer of foam around the bumper for increased safety.

Source: auto.lapresse.ca

From GMM

Ferrari has not given up on wooing Adrian Newey to Maranello.

That is the claim of the authoritative Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, whose correspondent Luigi Perna outlined the latest plan to sign Red Bull's highly-coveted technical boss.

In Monaco, Red Bull rejected the speculation about Newey by insisting the 55-year-old remains committed for "the foreseeable future".

But that may have been before Ferrari's latest audacious offer to the Briton.

Perna said Ferrari is offering Newey unprecedented technical freedom, and also his own road-going supercar project and involvement in a possible Le Mans prototype bid.

Not to mention annual pay of about EUR 20 million.

"If the odds at first were zero, now the odds are 20-30 per cent," read the report. "It all depends on Newey."

Adrian Newey. (Photo: Red Bull)

It has also been claimed that signing Newey might convince Red Bull's quadruple world champion Sebastian Vettel to join him at Maranello.

But German Vettel said on Tuesday: "I feel very good about where I am and have so much to thank my team for.

"You don't just throw in the towel and look for something else after six bad races," he insisted.

Curiously, Vettel was at the wheel of Gerhard Berger's 1988 Ferrari on Tuesday for a promotional event at the forthcoming Austrian grand prix venue.

He got out of the car and said "Incredibile!" -- the Italian version of incredible.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko grinned to reporters: "You can let our friends know quietly in Maranello that Sebastian even drives his Ferraris with us."

One of my very first manual driving experiences was behind the wheel of a 2001 Honda Civic Si. I have fond memories of that vehicle, and I've seen my share of Civics over the years since then. Just like the Beetle, I feel like everyone has a “Civic Story.”. This is one of the bestselling cars in North America, and it has been for quite some time now, and with good reason.

Civics are known for the reliability, their drivabilty and their ideal-for-your-16-year-old's-first-vehicle nature (as pointed out in their recent television ad).

Despite all that, I had a hard time bonding with this latest addition of the Civic.


What is a Honda Civic?
The Civic's been around since the ‘70s, and has a history of multiple engines, design looks (coupe, hatch, 4-door, wagon), transmissions, drivetrains, and the like. Despite all the changes/evolution, one thing has always remained: The Honda Civic was designed to appeal to the masses, but to also offer a bit of fun behind the wheel.

As mentioned above, the Honda Civic was the top-selling car in Canada for 16 years. Since then, the Elantra, Mazda3 and Corolla snuck up on it, however, its staying power is evident.

2014 Honda Civic Touring Price and Specs
With quite a few Civics versions available (10 to be precise), there is a gambit of trims and packages available to truly get the Honda that suits your needs and wants. However, in this particular instance, we'll focus on the Touring sedan. The Honda Civic Sedan starts pricing in the $16k region, while the Touring edition jumps that price to $25,260 without extras.

If you stick to the non-racerboy versions (read: not the Si), then you'll get the same engine across the line; a 1.8L i-VTEC 4-cylinder. Good for 143 horsepower, the Honda Civic Touring features a CVT and the power is sent to the front wheels.

As for the perks of driving a Touring edition 2014 Honda Civic, you'll get all the good stuff like leather seating, 17” wheels, Honda Navigation, and host of other creature comfort bits and bobs.

Driving the 2014 Honda Civic Touring
Here's where the Honda Civic makes up for any and all shortcomings it may have: the drive. There's something about a Honda and how they perform on the road. I'm not talking rip-snorting speed or aggression, I'm talking about an everyday ease of use that comes with piloting a Honda and the new Civic has this in spades.

In all honesty, the CVT in the 2014 Honda Civic Touring is acceptable and even a bit gutsy. Pressing the throttle delivers a nice, linear acceleration and power output from the i-VTEC engine that's typically Honda (read: peppy). Steering can feel a bit light at times and I wish for a bit more feedback, but all in all it wasn't unpleasant to be behind the wheel.

What did drive me mental was the visibility and seating position in the 2014 Honda Civic. From what I gather, I'm right up Honda's consumer target alley in terms of my age, height and gender, so the fact that I couldn't get comfortable behind the wheel really threw me off. I was either too low down, too close or too far. At 5'2” I'm not abnormally little, but when I found the “best” position, the speedo readout was cut off. The seat also offered little to no support, and I was just generally not at home in the Civic.

Inside and Out of the 2014 Honda Civic Touring
The exterior look of the Honda Civic does absolutely nothing for me. While it has seen a steady evolution over the years, taking on a much more mature appearance with each new generation, it's not quite reached that sculpted, fine-tuned look, in my opinion.

Once inside the still-young-at-heart flanks of the Honda Civic Touring, it all kind of goes downhill. At first, the two-tier dash and gauge cluster was kinda kitschy and cool. Now? It's just annoying and a little bit dated. I also find it highly distracting, especially the light bars of colour that are constantly changing on either side of the digital speed read-out. Hondas are often known for their storage/usability/practicality, and while the Civic is both usable and practical, I just can't get over the too-busy centre stack and steering wheel.

I know I always complain there aren't enough buttons, but Honda seems to have gone to the other end of the spectrum on this one.

Comparing the 2014 Honda Civic Touring
That's just what we did when we lined it up alongside the likes of the Hyundai Elantra, Volkswagen Jetta, and Chevrolet Cruze. How did it do? Well, you'll have to check out the comparison to find out the results, but let's just say that the Honda Civic may have the history of its namesake going for it. It's going to have to seriously step up its game in the coming years, or else.

From GMM

Former F1 driver Jean Alesi has urged Peter Sauber to ignore Eddie Jordan's advice.

Earlier, after the struggling Swiss team dropped behind backmarker Marussia in the 2014 constructors' standings, Jordan said 70-year-old Sauber should acknowledge reality and join him in retirement by selling up.

When asked about Sauber's situation, Frenchman Alesi - who drove for the Hinwil outfit in the late 90s and also for Jordan before retiring in 2001 - said: "I don't think Peter Sauber needs advice.

"But I think that for Eddie Jordan, formula one was a business, but for Sauber, above all it is a passion," he told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

"And you don't just quit after more than twenty years. So I think he needs to keep pushing," said Alesi, 49.

The two Sauber C33-Ferrari. (Photo: WRi2)

However, Alesi thinks part of Sauber's problem in 2014 is sitting behind the wheel of the grey cars.

"Each team that has to go with pay-drivers for financial reasons eventually will have serious trouble," he said.

"Peter needs to find the right balance, because in 2013 there were still great results when (Nico) Hulkenberg was driving," added Alesi.

From GMM

Pirelli has answered "we'll see" to the question of staying in formula one beyond its current contract.

After an often tumultuous and controversial opening three-year stay as F1's official supplier, the Italian marque signed on for another stint starting in 2014.

"Formula one is part of our lives to highlight our people and our technologies," president Marco Tronchetti Provera is quoted by Tuttosport.

"It's a continuous, travelling laboratory," he added.

But what about the future? Is Pirelli looking for a long-term stay on the grid?

"We have a contract until 2016," Provera answered. "Then we'll see."

2014 Pirelli tires. (Photo: WRi2)

After the tire-exploding controversies of 2013, Pirelli took a step backwards for the new turbo V6 era.

Now, the tires are being called too hard and slow by the likes of Fernando Alonso, Romain Grosjean and Sergio Perez.

"We have heard the criticisms," said Pirelli's F1 chief Paul Hembery.

"Too aggressive last year, too conservative this year," he shrugged to France's L'Equipe.

But Hembery said Pirelli is constantly thinking about how to improve. One proposal to ease the conservativeness of 2014 might be to combine compounds, he suggested.

"We plan to test different compounds on the back and on the front (of cars)," said the Briton. "This will increase the performance without compromising the stability."

Paul Hembery said a hard compound at the rear would "reduce the sliding caused by the high torque" of the new engines, while a softer front increases the "possibility of returning to two or three stops" to spice up the show.

As the Germans expand their lineups in an effort to fill every possible automotive niche imaginable, two types of vehicles usually enter the fray: cars defining the niche and others that just fill it. The Audi A7 is neither, redefining the whole four-door coupe segment entirely.

I've never been a big fan of Audi. Instead, I've leaned toward offerings from Munich and Stuttgart. But this ... it's not just a car. It's an amazing piece of engineering with something to offer anyone who drives it.

Those looking for efficiency, class, diesel torque, and an unrivaled balance between ride and handling all wrapped up in stylish sheetmetal without looking ostentatious may want to read the following.


What is the Audi A7?
Our tester was the Audi A7 3.0 TDI Quattro Technik. Yes, the name is a bit of a mouthful. Though, when explaining what you drive to friends and coworkers, you could easily just say, “An A7... The diesel one.”

The A7 was born as a four-door coupe niche filler, based on the Audi A6, with a goal of replacing the A6 Avant (read: wagon). The A7 is able to pull off the four-door coupe look while adding the functionality of a hatchback.

Considering the competition (BMW 5-Series GT, Porsche Panamera, Mercedes-Benz CLS), the Audi is easily one of the most handsome of the bunch, all while having the chops to back it up.

2014 Audi A7 Price and Specs
Available with a pair of 3.0L engines -- one gas and the other diesel -- the A7 gives you a choice of horsepower or torque when flipping through the order sheet. The 3.0L V6 TFSI gasoline engine produces 310 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. If you want to burn something a little darker, the 3.0L TDI V6 diesel offers up 240 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. Both engine options are mated to an 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission with available power going to all four-wheels via quattro all-wheel drive.

The A7 is offered in two distinct trim lines -- Progressiv and Technik -- with many à la carte options. The A7 3.0 TFSI Progressiv starts at $70,400 with the 3.0 TDI Technik model stretching up to $78,300 before additional extras. Our tester, equipped with the Bang & Olufsen audio system ($6,500), Vision Package ($4,000), Driver Assistant Package ($2,300), S-Line Sport Package ($2,200), Black Optics Package ($2,200), LED Headlights with High Beam Assist ($1,700), Ventilated Seats ($900), and Audi Active Lane Assist ($600), nudged its way just past $100,000 with the $1,995 destination charge.

Driving the 2014 Audi A7
BMW and Mercedes have always captivated me. The roundel and tri-star, with their iconic designs and illustrious motorsports histories, have always beckoned me to become part of the club. Audi, for the most part, hasn't.

Then I drove this.

The 3.0L TDI V6 in the Audi A7 isn't just smooth for a diesel; it's smooth for a gasoline engine. While horsepower might be on the low side for an executive-style sedan, the 428 lb-ft of torque more than makes up for it as the A7 gently but firmly pushes you into the seatback.

That torque is delivered via one of the best 8-speed automatic transmissions on the market. Crisp, svelte shifts are the norm, even when the car is put in Dynamic mode for a bit of fun. It's a much more refined unit than the ZF-developed 8-speed used by Chrysler and Land Rover.

Unspring weight is attached to the A7 via 5-link front and trapezoidal-link rear suspensions, with the front wheels directed by an electromechanical steering setup with speed-sensitive power assist. Even with large wheels and slivers of rubber for tires, the A7 soaked up bumps with ease, all while retaining a spirited verve in handling dynamics.

Surprisingly, for such a large car, it also returned spot-on fuel economy, clocking in at an average of 8.5L/100km in mostly city driving. I'd say that figure was mostly thanks to standard auto-start/stop functionality with the diesel.

Inside and Out of the 2014 Audi A7
The Audi A7 may not command the same kind of presence as other vehicles, nor would many people call it beautiful or pretty; it doesn't have the lines of a Jaguar E-Type nor one of the other classically gorgeous cars always gracing top 10 lists.

However, you could easily call it handsomely crafted.

Sharp lines, large wheels, a slickly sloping roofline, and those typical Audi headlights make the A7 a knockout. Even with all its technical bits and luxury wonderment, the A7 somehow still looks simple and humble in a crowd of brash, shout-y, ego-machines with their over-styled surfaces.

Inside, it's more of the same, though not nearly as simple. Audi's Vision Package, which includes an infrared camera and night vision display, is integrated well with the instrument panel. As is the trackpad for writing letters with your finger, placed to the left of the automatic shifter. Even the aluminum grilles for the Bang & Olufsen auto system on the front door skins are a nice touch without going overboard. This mountain of technology, along with Audi's MMI system with navigation, is packaged well, easy to use, and switchgear is pleasant to the touch. However, there is a lot of technology, no matter how you package it.

Our tester was trimmed with black and pinstriped Alu/beaufort accents, giving the interior the look of a well-tailored suit.

That's what it felt like, too. The interior was comfortably snug, especially with the 16-way adjustable seats, with a perfect mixture of sport and comfort.

Those looking for a primary vehicle that'll do it all (minus some severe off-roading), the A7 really is the perfect blend of efficiency, performance, style, and class in an inoffensive niche-defining wrapper.

Comparing the 2014 Audi A7
The Audi A7 attempts to compete for executive shuttle service runs with the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, Porsche Panamera, and Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class.