Auto News 5

-- Sochi or bust! Is there anything more Russian than driving a Lada Niva to the Winter Olympics? (Flagrant

Mercedes-Benz's long history building dramatic flagship coupes started with the 1952 300 S, considered a and#8220;car for the world's elite.and#8221; The

The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has promised a referendum on Britain's membership of the European Union by 2017 (after the next general election). The Confederation of British Industry has argued that staying in the EU is overwhelmingly favourable for business; a view shared by the PM. Despite this, the issue has divided business leaders and spelled uncertainty for investors in UK-based global industries at a time when economic recovery and growth is crucial. In this interview, Matthew Beecham spoke with Jon Blaze, Head of Recruitment Operations at Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading specialist engineering recruitment consultancy. He gave an insight as to the impact that this change could have on the automotive jobs market.

The Mercedes S-class coupe will offer stiff competition to Maserati and high-end models from premium rivals BMW and Audi.

The redesigned Mercedes-Benz S-class coupe, with its sensuous lines and sporty proportions, is going for the jugular of its pricey rivals.

News 11 Feb, 2014

David Brown Automotive reveals upcoming model based on V8-powered Jaguar XKR

Pictures See all 3 pictures 11 Feb, 2014

Ford has tweaked the EcoSport subcompact SUV for European markets as it hopes the model will help it return its operations in the recession-hit region to profit by 2015.

Continental agreed to buy Veyance Technologies for about $1.9 billion to expand beyond the auto business. Continental expects the purchase to boost profit of its ContiTech unit. U.S.-based Veyance makes industrial hoses and conveyor belts.

The Super Bowl marketing boost continues as Chrysler spots rack up clicks in the week following the game.

A photo posted on the web would tend to prove that the sponsorship deal that would see the logo of Italian drink company, Martini, appear on the Mercedes-powered Williams this season is done.

French motorsport magazine, Auto Hebdo, found that the official F1 clothing and memorabilia site Onpole.com posted a photo of a Williams' team shirt sporting the famous Martini colors in its home page.

However, the photo was (mysteriously) removed soon after Auto Hebdo mentioned about it! Luckily, we had the time to take a screen shot of it.

Screen shot of the Onpole.com home page.

Does that mean that the sponsorship deal is done, and this is the genuine design of the 2014 Williams crew shirts? It's a possibility.

Honestly, it would be quite strange that a commercial web site would have been allowed by the Williams team to post that photo -- unless it was posted by mistake. It looks like it was the case since the picture was (quickly) removed.

A Google Street View vehicle was shown driving at 69 km/h on a 50km/h road while mapping the area of Reykjadalur, Iceland, last fall.

Google probably did not receive a ticket for speeding, but the driver certainly can't deny the offence.

Source : icelandreview.com

Photo: Google Street View

As we stand weeks away from the maiden Grand Prix of the 2014 Formula 1 season to be held on March 16th, Down Under, one must start to wonder how many cars will make it to the finish after 300km of hard racing

The first tests of the new, highly complex turbo-hybrid cars turned out to be problematic for certain teams, and were plainly disastrous for others.

Not only are these Power Units -- as they are called -- lacking in overall reliability, but the energy recovery systems (ERS) still don't quite operate flawlessly.

In Melbourne, the drivers will also have to juggle with fuel consumption data during the actual race. No one will want to run out of fuel near the end of the race!

The F1 Grand Prix with the highest percentage of retirements:
Monaco 1996, 85.7% of the cars retired; that's 18 of the 21 starters.

Olivier Panis, Ligier, Monaco 1996 (Photo: WRI2)

The F1 Grand Prix with the highest number of retirements:
Monaco 1996, again. Just three cars crossed the finish line -- the winner, Olivier Panis (Ligier), followed by David Coulthard (McLaren) and Johnny Herbert (Sauber). Heinz-Harald Frentzen was in the pit lane when the chequered flag was waved.

In Monaco 1982, only five cars crossed the finish line, but not in the right order!

Riccardo Patrese (who turned out to be the surprise winner), Nigel Mansell (4th), Elio de Angelis (5th), Brian Henton (8th), and Marc Surer (9th) made it to the finish of this most difficult race.

From GMM

Mark Webber expects his replacement at Red Bull, countryman Daniel Ricciardo, to put up a competitive defense alongside Sebastian Vettel this year.

By the end of the tense Webber-Vettel pairing, the duo were barely on speaking terms while Vettel was at the top of his game, winning a fourth consecutive championship in dominant style.

Australian Webber, who has switched to Le Mans with Porsche, managed to outqualify Vettel only twice in 2013, but the 37-year-old thinks Ricciardo will put up a stout effort this season.

Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull. (Photo: WRi2)

"He'll go well," Webber told the March issue of Motor Sport magazine. "I think he'll give Seb a real hard time in qualifying -- it'll be 50:50 in the first year, I reckon."

He suggested that the bulk of Vettel's advantage under the former regulations, his superiority in slow corners, was due to Adrian Newey's famous 'blown floor' cars.

"I took a few off Seb last year -- and the blown floor is gone now," said Mark Webber. "I think Daniel will be fine, and it certainly won't hurt him that he's come through the Red Bull system. I just hope he gets better starts than I did!"

From GMM

Former F1 figures Paul di Resta and Anthony Hamilton have settled their legal dispute, following a bitter court battle in London late last year.

Hamilton, the father of the Mercedes driver, had sued his former client for breach of contract.

"I am very sorry that Paul and I fell out to the extent we did, and I am pleased to put this matter to bed," Hamilton was quoted by British newspapers.

Hamilton also said it is a "real shame" Scot di Resta, who has returned to the German touring car series DTM after a three-year stint with Force India, lost his F1 seat.

"This has been a difficult year and I am just pleased to put it behind me and to concentrate on my racing," di Resta commented.

Anthony Hamilton and Paul di Resta. (Photo: WRi2)

From press release

Brighton Speedway launched its thrilling 2014 weekly racing schedule in association with the 8th annual Canadian Motorsports Expo (CME).

Racing will begin every Saturday night at 7:00 pm in 2014, with spectator gates opening at 5:30 pm so fans can grab their favourite spot on the front straightaway before the drop of the green flag.

Weekly stock car action will once again feature five divisions in 2014. The Vanderlaan Building Supplies UMP DIRTcar Pro Late Models return as the track's top division. The OilGARD Anti-Rust Canadian Modifieds, Brighton Automotive Pro Stocks, Bill's Johns Comp 4's, and Quinte Septic Stingers will be regulars at the 1/3-mile clay oval as well.

Monster Energy and Kellogg Canada opening night kicks off on May 3, beginning with the Parade of Champions through downtown Brighton at 3:00 pm. Champions No. 57 Charlie Sandercock, No. 33 Ryan Scott, No. 72 Doug Anderson, No. 43 Tom Vance, and No. 19 Del MacGregor will all drive down the city streets in their respective racecars. Admission to the season opening race is just $2 with the donation of a non-perishable food item to contribute the Brighton Fare Share Food Bank.

The always-popular Workman's OK Tire School Bus races will take place on June 7. The Gord's Water Vantastics will take to the dirt on June 29, July 26, and Aug. 22.

June 29 will see the TUSA Canada East Mod Lites come to town for their only stop in 2014. The Eastern Ontario Vintage Stock Car Club will compete twice at Brighton this year on June 21 and July 26.

The Ultramar CST Labour Day Classic Weekend will once again be one of the track's premier events. The Southern Ontario Sprints will make six visits to Brighton in 2014, including a pair of races on Labour Day weekend. Each of Brighton's regular divisions is on tap throughout the weekend as well. The SOS will make their 2014 debut at Brighton on May 17.

The Danny Reid Memorial and the 4th annual 50-lap McDougall Insurance & Financial $5000-to-win Great Crate Race will run on Sept. 6 and feature the best Pro Late Model drivers in the North East.

The track will close out its racing season once again with the Cool 100 Applefest Shootout Weekend on September 19 & 20. Friday night features the Lucas Oil, Coca-Cola Mr. DIRT Sportsman 25-lap main event and the Vintage Car Series. Saturday's main event will shine the spotlight on the stars of the DIRTcar 358-Modified series in the Imagefactor.ca Mr. DIRT 100-lap feature.

The final event of the year at the speedway will be the Eve of Destruction on Sunday, Sept. 28.

For more information on this year's schedule of events, visit www.brightonspeedway.com or call 1(866) 681-1102.

Reports indicate that Mitsubishi is working on an advanced head-up display system that can predict a driver's needs by factoring in various data such as speed, location, fuel level, and road conditions.

The 17.2'' display will present drivers with the likeliest options for any given situation, based on four main themes: communication (phone), navigation, multimedia, and climate control. If another option is desired, the system can display it in less than 15 seconds, Mitsubishi claims.

This isn't unprecedented, mind you. Back in January, at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Mercedes-Benz introduced a navigation system that can predict a driver's destination with 80% accuracy, anticipate their route, and suggest possible alternatives.

Source : techno-car.fr

From press release

With car counts that fluctuated between the upper teens and lower twenties, the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series treated fans to some exciting side-by-side action during their tenure at Mosport/Canadian Tire Motorsport Park Speedway.

When that venue ceased operation midway through the 2013 campaign, the club travelled to Peterborough Speedway for a one race showdown to determine the championship.

Although he was leading the standings heading into the final event, Dwight Brown punctuated his points position with a daring three-wide pass, in the third turn of the 'A' main's final lap to claim the crown.

It was the second consecutive title for the soft-spoken veteran speedster from Beeton, Ontario - but also signified what many thought could be the end of the line for the popular tour. Despite having a number of drivers ready to run for the next season, OMRS was a series without a home. That's when Bill Pickford, Randy Hollingsworth and Rick Warnes - the three drivers responsible for keeping the drive alive - went to work.

"The first order of business was confirming a point's fund," said the group. "Techtonix Construction Corporation had been an excellent partner over the past years and even though they're now known as TORQUE BUILDERS INC, they've stepped-up to the plate for 2014 to back the series once again."

With sponsorship in place for the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series, powered by TORQUE BUILDERS INC., the next step in the process was finding a place to race. Feedback from the fans and race teams following the 2013 finale opened the door, and after talks with Peterborough Speedway owner/promoter J.P. Josiasse, dates were made available on their schedule.

Within days of that confirmation, conversations with John Casale of Flamboro Speedway (near Hamilton, Ontario) provided OMRS with a second venue for 2014.

In celebration of their exciting off-season announcements, the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series, powered by TORQUE BUILDERS INC. had a presence at the popular Canadian Motorsports Expo in Toronto, with copies of their tentative schedule available for fans at the Flamboro Speedway display.

Series organizers say that drivers, teams and especially fans can look forward to a thrilling season of open wheel racing action, with the Ontario Modifieds Racing Series, powered by TORQUE BUILDERS INC.

"With Flamboro Speedway on the schedule, we could very well see some new drivers and teams join the series," said the group. "When working with both tracks, we also did our best to build a schedule that would avoid any potential conflicts that would prevent our drivers from running at other venues during off weekends."

Additional OMRS information can be found at www.ontariomodifiedsracing.com or at www.facebook.com/OMRS Ontario Modifieds Racing Series powered by TORQUE BUILDERS INC.

TORQUE BUILDERS INC. Ontario Modifieds tentative 2014 schedule*:
Saturday, May 10th: Flamboro Speedway
Saturday, June 7th: Peterborough Speedway
Saturday, July 12th: Peterborough Speedway
Saturday, August 16th: Peterborough Speedway
Saturday, September 6th: Flamboro Speedway
Friday, October 3rd: Flamboro Speedway
Saturday, October 4th: Flamboro Speedway

* Additional dates to be announced

From GMM

Gerard Lopez, the Lotus team owner, has played down suggestions the Enstone squad is still grappling with financial problems.

The team's problems of late last year, when Kimi Raikkonen went unpaid and crucial negotiations with the Quantum group faltered, are well known.

But Lopez said that the decision not to test the new car at Jerez recently is not because Lotus had no money.

"We said that there would be some (technical) trouble and it was actually the case," the Luxembourger, referring to the Red Bull-Renault crisis, told France's Infosport Plus.

"I know we had a lot of criticism, people said we lack the budget but that is wrong because it cost us the same to go (to Jerez) a week later," Lopez insisted.

Lotus gave its new E22 a successful rollout at Jerez on Saturday, a week after the other Renault powered teams, notably world champions Red Bull, faltered so badly.

"We were very well prepared. No problems, no overheating, nothing -- the car ran like clockwork, which was quite surprising when you look at what happened at Jerez the first time. We are ready to go to Bahrain and start running in the first hour.

"Maybe we are better prepared. Maybe our strategy to wait and work at the factory was the better one. We will see in Bahrain. We will not mention the others, or at least not as much as they mention us," said Gerard Lopez.

Pastor Maldonado and Romain Grosjean at Enstone. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

SUVs and CUVs are a fad in constant evolution. Unlike the minivan that is, well, a minivan, the utility vehicles can and do morph into many things from family movers to performance cars.

The BMW X5 is one of the first SUVs to have successfully blended its utility aspect with that of a sport sedan over 15 years ago. Now in its 3rd generation, the X5 continues to be a popular choice for buyers looking for all that a vehicle can offer, namely a real driving experience, luxury and the all-important panache that comes with buying a BMW product.

This latest iteration puts the emphasis on being posh over all-out performance, unless you select the X5 M, of course. Be that as it may, the 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35i remains a solid driver's SUV that is as good to drive, as it is to look at. The competition has caught up though...


What is a BMW X5?
The 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35i is the Bavarian brand's kingpin CUV-SUV, towering above the X3 and X1 below it. First introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model-year, like most newly introduced luxury utility vehicles at the time the X5 took off, and as a sales hero filled BMW's coffers with lots of money.

The 2014 BMW X5 is fresh from a near-complete makeover that has seen the Sport Activity Vehicle grow ever so slightly longer, wider, and taller.

2014 BMW X5 Price and Specs
To call a 2014 X5 xDrive35i your own, you must part with $62,900. This “pedestrian-level” X5 can and will likely be enhanced by numerous packages as demonstrated by my tester. Slathered with the Premium, Technology, ConnectedDrive, and Bang&Olufsen audio system, the total topped at $77,590.

Available versions also include the $64,400 xDrive35d (diesel) and the $76,500 xDrive50i.

The 2014 35i features a TwinPower turbo 3.0L I6 good for 300 horsepower and equal torque. The 35d rolls with a 3.0L I6 turbo diesel (255 horsepower 413 lb-ft of torque). The monster 50i uses a Turbo 4.4L V8 that mashes out 445 horsepower and 479 torques. All wear an 8-speed autobox and run BMW xDrive AWD systems (rear-wheel biased).

First introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model-year, like most newly introduced luxury utility vehicles at the time the X5 took off, and as a sales hero filled BMW's coffers with lots of money. (Photo: BMW)

Driving the 2014 BMW X5
As an SUV/CUV/SAV, the BMW X5 delivers on every front where driving is involved. It all begins under the bonnet. The turbocharged I6, offered in BMW products for over 8 years (in various states), still hovers at or near the top of my favourite 6-cylinder engine list.

The efficiency at which this mill dispenses its energy is what is most surprising. At 2,173 kg, the X5 will still shoot to 100km/hr in just over 6.6 seconds. The inline-6 sound that rushes through the cabin is muscular, as is boost and torque. With no lag and no hesitation from the transmission, the 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35i makes light of passing and accelerating. Imagine, for a moment, what it must be like with the V8...

All good BMWs make use of a suspension calibrated for handling with little or no sacrifice where ride comfort is concerned. In this X5's case, the compromise was on the “little” side. I found uneven road surfaces to upset the big Bimmer's serenity far more than I had anticipated. The rather short amount of wheel travel seemed to be the culprit, at least in part.

By the same token, I could wrap myself around a corner or clip an apex and make fun of a 5-year-old Mustang and a late model Civic... With this taut suspension ties in steering that is the best in the segment. On-centre feel is tight and response to inputs is nearly immediate. Likewise, I have to love the brakes, which react with more ferocity than their size and vocation would indicate.

All of this is laudable, but where the 2014 BMW X5 used to sit taller on it wheels than its competition, it hasn't evolved enough to be the best “truck” with these qualities in 2014, no matter how good it is.

The efficiency at which this mill dispenses its energy is what is most surprising. At 2,173 kg, the X5 will still shoot to 100km/hr in just over 6.6 seconds. (Photo: BMW)

Inside and Out of the BMW X5
Initially, I was left cold by the 2014 X5's new look. When I finally came face-to-face with it, my mind changed. Yet, it changed again when I got to spend an entire week with it.

Like the drive, the Bimmer's physical progress seems timid. Sure, some of its character lines are bolder and crisper than before, but it's not the strapping young buck it once was. The Mercedes M-Class has gone all “dynamic” in the last little while, as has the Porsche Cayenne.

The cabin is also a watered down evolution from the 2nd generation X5, but it somehow works far better. A BMW interior is rich in craftsmanship and materials, and is always luxurious. With enough familiarity, navigating the 2014 BMW X5's multiple menus becomes simple enough. The HMI experience is generally good or on par with the competition.

The new seats are impressively well sorted for support and comfort. Room abounds in both rows, and the truck is spacious enough for most “normal” applications.

A BMW interior is rich in craftsmanship and materials, and is always luxurious. With enough familiarity, navigating the 2014 BMW X5's multiple menus becomes simple enough. (Photo: BMW)

Comparing the 2014 BMW X5
The BMW X5 faces some very intense competition from all of its German brethren. The Mercedes M-Class, the Porsche Cayenne, the Audi Q7, and the Volkswagen Touareg are the ones I'm talking about. From elsewhere, we find the Cadillac SRX and Infiniti QX70, and there are more.

In the X5's price range, choice is the issue. The BMW deserves a test drive, but may not be the one you sign for -- unless the logo means a lot to you. In that case, it's irreplaceable.