Auto News 5

Seat is hoping to win new customers to its compact Leon range with the arrival of the Sports Tourer, the first wagon variant in the lineup.

The French government doesn't intend to be a silent partner when it takes an expected step to acquire a 14 percent stake in PSA/Peugeot-Citroen.

The Datsun (and later Nissan) 510 is one of the most iconic and historically rich cars to ever come out of Japan. Fitted with a 1.6L carbureted 4-cylinder engine from the factory, the diminutive auto would easily accept a donor heart from many of its siblings, up to 2.0L and sometimes even larger if an owner had the required expertise.

Even today, the 510 enjoys a cult status amongst those who value volume Japanese metal and pristine examples can be found on sale for well over $10,000.

The IDx Freeflow and NISMO lean heavily on the tradition set by its predecessor, itself based on the BMW 1600-2. Both concepts sport a three-box, retro shape without making the cars themselves look traditional or dated. If anything, they are ultra-modern, minimalist homages to the essence of what was once a very fun, sporty, and practical compact.


Not just a couple of retro-themed coupes, Nissan's goal was to reopen the possibility of individuality expressed in an automotive form. The concepts are just examples of what your IDx -- if they choose to let you build one -- could look like.

Much like the smart fortwo and its swappable body panels, the IDx expands on the idea by allowing a customer to define almost every aspect of the car -- headlights, drivetrain, bodywork, and interior -- to create the closest thing to a personal automotive identity possible.

The IDx is the product of Nissan bringing consumers and loyalists into the design process. Nissan calls it co-creation and they specifically targeted members of the “digital generation” for input. The approach highlighted new ideas that may have been ignored in the past, while still showcasing Nissan's heritage.

“I think our heritage is very strong,” explained Nissan design chief, Shiro Nakamura.

“Therefore, if you have a very strong heritage, you can do it. If you don't have a strong heritage, you can not utilize that heritage.”

Underneath it all, the two concepts are identical. However, thanks to different bodywork, headlights, and interiors, the cars couldn't be further apart. Both measure in at 13.5 feet long and 4.3 feet tall. The Freeflow has a width of 5.6 feet while the NISMO is 5.9 feet wide, all thanks to wider fenders wrapped around a much more aggressive wheel and tire package.

Photo: Nathan Leach-Proffer

A wide range of engines could power the IDx concepts should they make their way to production. Nissan states a 1.2L or 1.5L 4-cylinder engine mated to a CVT could be found in basic models, while more sporting iterations could be powered by the same turbocharged 1.6L 4-cylinder engine and manual transmission found in the Nissan JUKE. While talking to Nissan representatives in Detroit, we were told electric propulsion could also be a possibility, meshing well with Carlos Ghosn's vision of an electrified Nissan future.

At the show stand, Nissan had a virtual reality game where a player could build their own IDx by telling the system about their personality, values, and basic choices such as colour. In all, the game allowed for some 300+ different combinations, including convertibles and weekend racers.

Nissan is taking this exercise quite seriously and wants to at least bring one of the concept models to production, if not the customization process touted in the press release. During the press conference, Andy Palmer stated, while standing in front of the IDx examples and Sport Sedan Concept, that two models are in the production pipeline.

These ultra-cool coupes could also spawn an IDx compact SUV exercise in the near future. However, for those of us pining for the heyday of simple, fun motoring in a small package, the IDx Freeflow and NISMO are the ticket.

Photo: Nathan Leach-Proffer

If anything blossoms from Nissan's experiment, expect to hear some noise before this year's Tokyo Auto Show in November.

Sabine Kehm, the official spokesperson for Michael Schumacher, has issued Thursday February 13 a statement about the condition of the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion.

Schumacher is still in intense care in the Grenoble CHU hospital.

The press release reads as this:

"Michael's family would like to again express their sincere thanks for the continuous sympathy coming from all over the world. The good wishes they receive help the family and, we are convinced they also help Michael, who still is in a waking up process.

As often in such situation no day is like the next. The family is thankful for one's understanding that they would not wish to disclose medical details in order to protect Michael's privacy. As assured from the beginning we will continue to communicate any decisive new information on Michael's health state. We are aware that the wake up phase can take a long time.

The family continues to strongly believe in Michael's recovery and place all their trust in the doctors', nurses' and nursing auxiliaries' team. The important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael's heal process progresses in a continuous and controlled way."

Nissan Canada has just revealed that the all-new 2015 Nissan Micra will arrive at dealerships this spring at a base MSRP of just $9,998, meaning that it will sell like hot cakes.

Unavailable in the U.S., the Canadian-exclusive 2015 Nissan Micra comes in three trim levels including S, SV, and SR. Its 1.6L 4-cylinder engine can be mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

Photo: Nissan

Elon Musk's company just got a big publicity boost after the founder of Koenigsegg, who recently purchased a Tesla Model S, declared he prefers it to his BMW M5.

Christian von Koenigsegg claims the lighter Model S accelerates faster and handles better than the renowned German sports sedan.

FYI, Koenigsegg will present the new One:1 supercar at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show.

Source : motorauthority.com

Photo: Tesla

The Kia Provo concept, introduced last year in Geneva, made its North american debut today at the 2014 Toronto Auto Show.

Photo: Kia

This hybrid sport compact car uses a 204-horsepower 1.6L 4-cylinder turbocharged engine on the front axle and a 45-horsepower electric motor driving the rear axle. It also features 19'' wheels and a unique grille treatment with 850 LEDs.

Photo: Kia

The interior of the Kia Provo concept makes extensive use of carbon fibre, Alcantara, and aluminum.

Photo: Kia

The highly anticipated 2015 Volkswagen Golf, which will arrive at dealerships across the country this spring, made its debut at the 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

Starting at $18,995, the 2015 Volkswagen Golf comes standard with an all-new 1.8L 4-cylinder turbo engine that produces 170 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Inside the roomy and comfortable cabin is a 5.8'' touchscreen, Bluetooth, and satellite radio.

The 2015 Volkswagen Golf is available in 3- and 5-door configurations.

Photo: Volkswagen

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest published Thursday the entry list for the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours classic race.

The technical rules have been changed for this year. The cars entered in LM P1 will use 30% less fuel and make a big reduction in their carbon footprint, while maintaining a level of performance equivalent to that of the cars competing in 2013, thus guaranteeing the race the same nail-biting intensity while using different technologies.

Several major car manufacturers will compete. Thus, in addition to Audi and Toyota, Porsche, which was totally won over by this approach, is making its comeback to the Le Mans 24 Hours 14 years after its last outright victory. Nissan has entered its ZEOD in the context of the 56th garage (place on the grid granted to a technically innovative prototype running outside the overall classification) to prepare for its return to LM P1 in 2015.

The new Porsche 919 Hybrid LMP1 (Photo: Porsche AG)

In terms of numbers the reigning title holder Audi holds sway with three of its new R18 e-tron quattros to which two Toyota TS040s and two Porsche 919 Hybrids will provide fierce opposition.

In the LM P1-L category reserved for private teams Rebellion Racing and Lotus have entered a total of three cars.

In LM P2, 2014 will be marked by the return of Ligier, one of the great names in French motor sport, back in top-level racing joining Alpine, which has confirmed its entry. It is the first time that Ligier will return to Le Mans since 1975.

This year two cars developed by Onroak Automotive will be at the start. Another comeback of note is that of Dome, and Sebastien Loeb Racing will finally take on the best endurance has to offer.

In LM GTE Pro the Corvette C7s and Viper GTS-Rs are determined to take their revenge on the European GTs led by the works Porsches, the current title holders, the works Ferraris entered by AF Corse, the Ram Racing 458, plus the three Aston Martin Racing V8 Vantages.

In LM GTE, sixteen cars will be at the start including last year's winner, the IMSA Performance Matmut Porsche.

Among the drivers in the GTE Am category making their debut will be Fabien Barthes, the 2013 French GT Champion, who has made a remarkable reconversion to motor sport. American actor Patrick Dempsey is back for the third time after coming close to victory last year.

Shell also announces its return to top-flight sports prototype and GT competition, signing an agreement with the ACO as Official Fuel Partner to the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

The 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto features the North American premiere of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car, as well as the Canadian debut of the highly anticipated Macan compact CUV.

The Porsche 911 GT3 Cup houses a 3.8L flat-6 engine that produces 460 horsepower, surpassing its predecessor by 10 horsepower. A 6-speed dog-type gearbox developed by Porsche Motorsport, which is operated via steering wheel-mounted shift paddles (for the first time in a Porsche brand trophy race car), transmits power to the rear wheels.

Photo: Porsche

Meanwhile, the 2015 Porsche Macan will excite small CUV buyers at the Toronto Auto Show with two models: S ($54,300) and Turbo ($82,200). The former gets a 340-horsepower, 3.0L twin-turbo V6, and can accelerate to 100 km/h in as low as 5.2 seconds with the Sport Chrono package. The latter drops that time to 4.6 seconds thanks to a 3.6L twin-turbo V6 rated at 400 horsepower.

Photo: Porsche

There's an old saying if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably a duck. In racing it's probably the same.

So what's up with one of NASCAR's all-time greatest crew chiefs?

According to Ray Evernham, Jeff Gordon's three-time NASCAR Cup champion's crew chief, he will not take over the crew position on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 team replacing Steve Letarte who will be leaving at the end of this year.

But Evernham whose own race team was shut down seven years ago maintains close ties to Rick Hendrick his former boss from 1993-1999, where he collaborated for 47 victories and those champions.

That makes him the obvious choice for Earnhardt who hasn't won in over a year and has no Cup level championships.

By the calculus of the garage denizens that makes him the favorite, right? Not so fast. First you have his denial. Okay, people deny things all the time.

Secondly Evernham has been working on a project along with Hendrick for cable television called Americarna seeking out American-metal with the stories behind them. One episode highlighted an original moonshine-running car that became the foundation of cars used in stock car racing leading to the formation of NASCAR.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Photo: NASCAR)

Now there's an article in the Sporting News where Evernham admits he'd be back on the pit box in an advisory role if not a crew chief role.

“I want to be the textbook, and I'm there and ready ... if they turn around and ask a question,” Evernham, considered one of NASCAR's greatest crew chief's said.

Ironically, he's back at Hendrick Motorsports and reporting directly to Marshall Carlson, Hendrick's son-in-law and president of the team. According to the article he has an office at HMS and plans to work there three times a week.

Moreover he's going to sit in important team meetings. And he said being around highly stimulating race team experts would motivate him.

He said he's not going to step in or ruffle the feathers of the other crew chiefs, but maintain a mentor-like presence.

All of these good intentions would be great for a normal person, but in the case of Evernham, who has accomplished so much in his racing career, how long can the siren song of weekly battle withstood?

The final piece of the puzzle is the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.

What if Mr. Hendrick cannot find a suitable crew chief to promote from within or from a another team? What if he goes to Evernham and says, “I need you?”

What then?

I think we may then have a duck.

From GMM

For those trackside, the biggest obvious change since the end of the 2013 season has been F1's new, milder engine note.

For the drivers, however, the major talking point is 'torque'.

The V8 engines of last year, and the radical new generation of ERS-bolstered turbo V6s, are actually producing similar overall power.

But the torque of the 2014 'power unit' is significantly higher.

"When I went out of the garage for the first time, I thought 'Wow!'" Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton is quoted by Germany's Sport Bild.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W05. (Photo: WRi2)

Sauber's Adrian Sutil had an even starker experience.

"When I accelerated out of the corner, I was surprised," said the German, recalling his first moments with the Ferrari V6. "I changed from third to fourth gear, lost the rear and I spun."

Works Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg agrees: "The driveability with the turbo is a little bit of an adventure!"

With strong rumors about the return of Italian drink company Martini in Formula 1 this season with Williams; let's review its involvement in F1 over the past four decades.

Martini's first involvement in Grand Prix racing dates from 1972 when it sponsored the small Italian team Tecno and driver Nanni Galli.

Nanni Galli, Tecno, 1972 (Photo: WRI2)

Martini returned full-time in 1975, sponsoring Bernie Ecclestone's Brabham team.

The initial colour scheme incorporated the Martini colours on a white background on the Cosworth powered Brabham BT44B in 1975.

Carlos Reutemann, Brabham, 1975 (Photo: WRI2)

The Alfa Romeo flat-V12 powered Brabham BT45 and Brabham BT45B were used for the 1976 and 1977 seasons and the Martini colours appeared on a red background.

Carlos Reutemann, Brabham, 1976 (Photo: WRI2)

For the 1979 season, the Martini sponsorship moved to Team Lotus, and appeared on the Lotus 79s and 80s of Mario Andretti and Carlos Reutemann. After an unsuccessful season, Martini withdrew from the sport.

Mario Andretti, Lotus, 1979 (Photo: WRI2)

After a long break, Martini returned to F1 with the Scuderia Ferrari in 2006 with only a small logo on the nosecone.

Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, 2006 (Photo: WRI2)

From GMM

Felipe Massa claims he was the only Ferrari driver in 2013 to work in the new driver simulator at Maranello.

Dropped by Ferrari after an eight-year career wearing red, the Brazilian has moved to Williams over the winter and claims he is completely happy.

"To be honest, I feel that I needed this change, and maybe it's the same for Ferrari," said Massa, speaking to Portuguese-language publications this week in Sao Paulo.

"When time passes and the situation is the same, you end up losing motivation," he admitted.

"I'm very happy," said the 32-year-old, "especially the way I was received by Williams. Since the first day I arrived at the factory, everyone helped me a lot, embracing me 100 per cent and believing in my potential.

"In Williams I am being heard, but that doesn't mean Ferrari didn't hear me. They listened to me very well. Last year I worked on the development of the car, and in the simulator I was practically the only driver, because Alonso wasn't there" Felipe Massa continued.

Felipe Massa (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Ferrari). (Photo: WRi2)

The Brazilian, however, said Ferrari's biggest problem last year was the wind tunnel.

"Many times we saw that it didn't work as it should have," he explained. "At most grands prix we had new parts, but they didn't work on the car. We began with a competitive car and ended with an uncompetitive one, which was the opposite of Red Bull."

McLaren Formula 1 team's sister company, McLaren Applied Technologies (MAT) has been involved in the design and the fabrication of the skeleton sleds used by the British athletes at the Sochi winter Olympic Games.

Two British engineers, Rachel Blackburn and James Roche, have been involved with skeleton for some time, and they decided to join MAT after the Vancouver Olympic Games.

“We saw McLaren as the leader in the UK in terms of delivering technology solutions to Olympic and professional sport. McLaren has played a major role in helping British athletes achieve success in sports such as cycling, canoeing and sailing,” said Roche in an interview.

The two engineers began by having a rigorous scientific look at sled design.

They fitted a range of sensors to various sleds, analysed a lot of data to build an effective computer models and only then did we really get a picture of what was working and what could be improved.

The McLaren designed skeleton sled (Photo: McLaren Group)

“One improvement that we identified was the potential to adapt sleds to suit individual athletes and configure them to suit particular tracks. That has always been our approach in Formula 1, to consider every detail and make even small changes if they make the car better suited to the driver and the circuit. We have been able to bring the same refinement to skeleton bob for the first time,” Roche explained.

“As well as looking at design, we brought some of our F1 manufacturing expertise to help improve how the sleds are produced. In F1, we manufacture a new part for the car roughly every 17 minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That is a lot of parts over a season, and as a result we have become pretty good at making high quality components that don't fail. We have applied that know how working with both the skeleton bob and bobsleigh teams,” Roche said.

James Roche admits he's been down a run on a skeleton sled.

“I find it extremely valuable to understand what the athlete goes through. It is also better than any roller coaster in the world, I recommend it!” he laughed.

From GMM

There is still time for Red Bull to pull out of an early crisis and be competitive in 2014.

That is the claim of Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali, following a disastrous opening test at Jerez for Red Bull and other Renault-powered teams.

"If the nature of the problem is clarified, Red Bull can quickly make up for the lost miles," the Italian told the sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"In two weeks, they could have solved all the problems. One must never underestimate such a strong rival," he predicted.

As for Ferrari's hopes, Domenicali acknowledged that anything other than first place in 2014 after a six-year title drought would be "a tragedy".

Ferrari F14-T. (Photo: WRi2)

"We started in the right way," he revealed. "There were no bad surprises. There are signs that our project is solid, and that gives us cause for hope. But we won't really start to see the balance of power until after the last Bahrain test."

As for Ferrari's drivers, Stefano Domenicali tipped Fernando Alonso to "make the most" of the change of regulations because he is "extremely intelligent."

And, referring to the returning 2007 team champion, he said: "I have found a more mature Kimi (Raikkonen), more closely knit to the team.

"He comes to Maranello almost every week to work with the engineers," revealed Domenicali.

The 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto will feature a brand new exhibit titled ''AutoConnect Showcase'' to promote new autonomous driving technologies.

Nine different automakers will showcase the latest innovations and how they work including GPS, microwaves, radars, lasers, and camera-based systems. In doing so, they will give Toronto Auto Show visitors a preview of driverless technologies and automobiles expected to hit the market by 2020 or earlier.

Photo: General Motors

A highlight of the AutoConnect Showcase is a full-scale Mercedes-Benz S-Class driving simulator allowing people to experience for themselves the car's full range of advanced driver-assistance technologies, including "hands-off" steering.

Photo: Mercedes-Benz

Meanwhile, Ford will be doing live parallel parking demonstrations with the Active Park Assist system available in its C-Max Energi.

Chrysler (UConnect), GM (OnStar with 4G LTE), Infiniti (Predictive Forward Collision Warning), Mazda (i-ACTIVSENSE), MINI (connectivity and driver-assistance features), Subaru (stereo camera-based suite of driver-assistance features), and Toyota (Integrated Safety Management Concept) are the other manufacturers that will present autonomous driving technologies at the 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

Photo: Mazda

Source : AJAC

From GMM

A key figure at Caterham has left the outfit.

Riad Asmat has been with company supremo Tony Fernandes since the beginning of the project, rising to the height of chief executive of the F1 team and most recently the head of Caterham Automotive.

But the outfit announced this week that Asmat is "moving on to seek new challenges".

"My decision to move on has been one of the hardest I have had to make and will have to make in my career, but the time has come for a new direction," Riad Asmat said.

Riad Asmat, Caterham. (Photo: WRi2)

Las Vegas, NV -- If you manufacture and sell luxury cars, there is one segment you must and want to be: the compact luxury car category. This group of cars is the gateway to prestige and likely, for those who buy, a first step in adopting a brand to which loyalty will be strong.

The problem here is that the indomitable BMW 3 Series, unconquerable Mercedes C-Class and resolute Audi A4 all dwell here. To pierce through this holy trinity of German cars takes styling, performance, and the all-important “want” factor.

On the first two fronts, the 2015 Volvo S60 has the competition square in its sights. In fact, it has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it very interesting. Sadly, it's the final element that the Swedes need to work on. This car is every bit as good as the Germans and because it has something to prove, will continue to improve at a strong rate. This car deserves consideration and a test drive.


What is a Volvo S60?
The 2015 Volvo S60 is Geely's automotive acquisition's bread-and-butter car. It comes from a long line of Volvo sedans that have paved the way for countless innovations starting with the Amazon in the mid-‘50s, the 240 and 850.

Known as the S60 since 2001, Volvo's compact car evolved into a one-size-fits-all offering that can be equal parts sporty and posh (not to be confused with the Spice Girls).

2015 Volvo S60 Price and Specs
The 2015 Volvo S60 T5 Drive-E FWD sports a base price of $37,750. This T5 is a 2.0L turbocharged 4-pot good for 240 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque (280 lbs in overboost). $42,850 will get you a 302-horsepower turbocharged 2.0L 4-cyl mill in the T6 that also develops 295 lb-ft of torque.

Both engines are mated to an equally new 8-speed automatic transmission. In time, AWD will be added to the mix and should tack on an extra $2,000 to the above mentioned MSRPs. AWD will be offered later on when the new platform on which all 60, 70, 80, and 90 Volvos will be built, arrives. The XC90 will be first and will break cover later on this year.

The current 2014 S60 T5 runs on a 250-horsepower turbocharged 2.5L 5-cylinder. AWD comes with the T6 and its boosted 300 horsepower 3.0L inline-6. For those looking for a little more juice, including 325 horsepower, they can opt for the R-Design. All utilize a 6-speed autobox.

The 2015 Volvo S60 is Geely's automotive acquisition's bread-and-butter car. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Driving the 2015 Volvo S60
The revised 2015 S60 rides like a Volvo S60 has since it brought sexy back in 2010. There are two very important related differences to keep in mind though.

The first is the new Drive-E series of boosted engines. The T6, as noted, produces 302 hp in an appreciably nonchalant way for a 4-pot. Unlike the T5, the T6's acceleration is noticeable nearly from a standstill as the supercharger clutches in immediately depending and throttle demand. And when it is strong enough, the S60 T6 will rocket to 100km/hr in roughly 5.7 seconds.

The second is the considerable reduction in weight over the front wheels. Steering (electric) has grown livelier and with the option of varying the level of assist, the drive becomes very interesting. Not only do I feel more involved with the car -- although I still remain fairly isolated form what is going on up ahead -- the ride quality seems to have improved.

Weight is the enemy, period. Be it for your back or knees, the less you lug around, the better it is for all. Volvo's never been recognized for fuel economy, but this is about to change. The coming of the Drive-E family of powertrains also brings with it start/stop functionality and various drive modes including an ECO+ variant. This technical wizardry can return potential sub-7L/100km fuel numbers. This is truly impressive.

The revised 2015 S60 rides like a Volvo S60 has since it brought sexy back in 2010. There are two very important related differences to keep in mind though. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Inside and Out of the 2015 Volvo S60
“Designed around you” is what Volvo is going with for its latest catchphrase.

The cabin is familiar Volvo territory, lifted directly from all of the updates performed on the 2014 model year cars. Included in these upgrades are a new instrument cluster and a few other interior upgrades including a 7” sensus HMI screen.

Fit and finish are on par with what one would expect from a luxury brand. Ergonomics are typical Scandinavian-fare, so unusual yet original. Then we have the seats: Supportive and comfortable, they are some of the best in the business.

Overall passenger room is good, perfect in fact for four occupants. The trunk is acceptable for a sedan at 339 litres. If, however, more trunk space is required, Volvo has you covered with the new too-damn-hot-for-its-own-good V60 Sportwagon.

“Designed around you” is what Volvo is going with for its latest catchphrase. The cabin is familiar Volvo territory, lifted directly from all of the updates performed on the 2014 model year cars. (Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre)

Comparing the 2015 Volvo S60
The 2015 Volvo S60 has its work cut out for it as stated earlier in this review. On top of the German crop, the S60 tangos with one of my favourite cars in the segment: the Lexus IS. The Infiniti Q50 also stands in as an option.

During a press conference at the 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto, the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) crowned the new Jeep Cherokee as the 2014 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year.

This came right after the Mazda6 was announced as the 2014 Canadian Car of the Year.

The 2014 Jeep Cherokee beat the 12 category winners picked by AJAC members following their annual TestFest

Source : fr.ajac.ca