Auto News 5

News 7 Jan, 2014

Vauxhall Astra GTC range now includes a new 197bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine

Seat President Juergen Stackmann is bullish on growth in Europe, where the Spanish carmaker does 80 percent of its business.

BMW and Audi both plan to introduce laser headlamps this year, as the new technology is poised to challenge LEDs as the industry's showcase high-tech lighting.

General Motors brands Opel and Vauxhall increased their market share in Europe in 2013, as sales of the new Adam minicar helped counter a declining auto market.

Magna International played key roles in the Mercedes-Benz CLA's interior and exterior. Mercedes credits several Magna supplied components for helping to make the CLA 180 BlueEfficiency edition one of the most aerodynamic cars in its class.

Opel/Vauxhall increased its European market share in 2013 as sales of the new Adam minicar helped counter a declining auto market.

This week's newest auto brand viral videos were a contrast between blue collar and white, work and pleasure.

From GMM

Mercedes will reveal its 2014 car on the opening day of official winter testing late this month.

We reported on Monday that despite requests from other teams to delay the start of the January 28 test, Mercedes is on schedule.

"Nothing is being moved," chairman Niki Lauda told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. "The plans are going ahead for late January."

On Tuesday, a fan of the Brackley based team asked Mercedes' official Twitter account if the new W05 car will be unveiled in a traditional launch event.

"28th January, first day of the Jerez test," Mercedes replied."That's the big day."

Michael Schumacher's wife, Corinna has asked the media to leave the grounds of the CHU Grenoble hospital.

According to the medical staff and Schumacher's spokeswoman, Sabine Kehm, the seven-time Formula 1 World Champion remains in a “stable but critical condition”.

In a press release published Tuesday morning, Corinna said: “Please support us in our common fight with Michael. It is important to me that you leave the doctors and the hospital so that they can work in peace. I ask you to trust their statements and leave the clinic. Please leave our family in peace.”

Meanwhile, the local Dauphine Libere newspaper wrote that the mini video camera that was fixed to Michael Schumacher's helmet has recorded the footage of his skiing accident.

Additionally, another skier also fortuitously recorded Schumacher's fall when filming his girlfriend. Both videos have been seen by the policemen in charge of the investigation.

French prosecutors will stage a press conference in Albertville, France tomorrow at 11am to provide an update into their findings into the incident.

From NASCAR

We catch up on the latest NASCAR Sprint Cup driver and crew chief movements prior to the start of the 2014 season.

• Cole Whitt and Parker Kligerman are the full-time drivers for Swan Racing's two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams in 2014, the organization announced Dec. 3. The team will announce additional details, including car numbers, at a later date.

• Jeff Burton will compete for Michael Waltrip Racing in a select number of races in 2014. He'll drive the No. 66 Toyota.

• Josh Wise will drive the No. 98 for Phil Parsons Racing in 2014. The team will also switch its manufacturer from Ford to Chevrolet. Phil Parsons Racing entered 33 of 36 Sprint Cup Series race last year.

• Bobby Labonte will drive for Phoenix Racing in the Daytona 500 and additional races for a second Phoenix Racing team, whose number will be announced at a later date.

Here are the provisional line-ups:

From press release

For more than 30 years, the philosophy of Leaf Racewear has been ‘to provide the ultimate in protection at affordable prices with superior customer satisfaction and service.'

Remaining true to that goal has allowed Leaf Racewear to grow into a worldwide-recognized company, with their hand-tailored, custom fitted race suits and team outfits found at motorsports venues around the globe.

Leaf Racewear will display its wares at the upcoming Canadian Motorsports Expo Powered by Inside Track Motorsport News. The CME takes place February 7, 8 & 9 in Hall 5 of the International Centre, across from Toronto's Pearson Airport.

“We produce complete, head-to-toe Nomex and Proban race suits for everyone from the world's top professionals to the budget racer,” states Leaf Racewear President Colin Grandy. “And we have the capability of manufacturing suits to meet the requirements of virtually any racing discipline.”

With the ability to appeal to such a broad range of customers, Grandy feels that the upcoming Canadian Motorsports Expo is the perfect venue for Leaf Racewear personnel to reconnect with past clients, as well as meeting with new customers who will be exposed to Leaf's extensive line of suits, gloves, footwear and team and safety gear.

“It's a good time of the year for racers to see what's out there, to see what's new for 2014,” comments Grandy. “It's kind of a handy shortcut for the drivers, too. They can come to the Expo with orders in hand instead of driving to our London (Ontario) shop to get fitted.”

Leaf at PRICanadian racers Andrew Ranger and Isabelle Tremblay proudly wear and promote Leaf Racewear driving suits, but the appeal of the apparel line extends well beyond the boundaries of the NASCAR stock car racing fraternity.

Leaf Racewear suits can also be found on competitors participating in disciplines ranging from entry-level karters, to off-road dirt and Baja stars, to Monster Truck drivers, sports car competitors, boat racers and IndyCar drivers.

New for drag racing
And, just in time for the Canadian Motorsports Expo, Grandy and Leaf Racewear will have something new and special to display to the drag racing crowd.

Explains Grandy, “We've developed a new, lightweight multi-layer drag racing suit that should be of interest to a lot of drivers. The older style suits were bulky and heavy. We believe these new, lightweight suits will be the suits of the future.”

In addition to their new suits geared to drag racers, Leaf Racewear will also be featuring its full line of racing fire suits, gloves, boots, Nomex undergarments and Sublimated team shirts at the CME. Leaf will also feature its line of Canadian-manufactured seatbelts and restraint harnesses.

With the first 2014 pre-season test session just around the corner, let's look at the new set of technical regulations of Formula 1 which include the use of a new power unit built around a 1.6L turbo hybrid V6 engine.

Gone are the 2.4L V8 normally aspired motors. Why? In a nutshell, Formula 1 is going green. Environmentally friendly.

Fuel will be rationed more strictly than ever before and a greater emphasis is being placed on energy recovery. Further efficiency gains will also be produced due to chassis modifications, cutting both downforce and drag.

Engine
The new engines - known as power units - must be 1.6L V6s with a single turbocharger and rev limited to 15,000 rpm. Only five power units will be allowed this season and any use of an additional complete power unit will result in the driver having to start the race from the pit lane. Meanwhile, any changes of individual elements, such as turbo, MGUs or energy store, will result in a 10-place grid penalty.

The Renault V6 power unit. (Photo: Renault Sport F1)

Fuel
Direct fuel injection is now mandatory and mass flow will be controlled according to a formula which does not allow the rate to exceed 100kg/hour. Furthermore, the amount of petrol cars will start races with comes down from around 150kg to just 100kg, meaning an effective increase in efficiency of approximately 33%.

ERS
Previous F1 cars used KERS and this device will remain. However, heat energy will also be recovered from the exhaust turbine (which spins the turbo) this year. The systems are known as Motor Generator Units (MGU-K and MGU-H respectively) and the cumulative effect will roughly be tenfold: whereas KERS in its current guise has given an 80 horsepower boost for 6.7 seconds per lap, ERS will offer 161bhp for 33 seconds. A maximum of 4MJ of energy can be stored each lap.

Gearboxes
8-speed gearboxes will replace the current 7 while ratios will be fixed for the season. Gearboxes must also last for six consecutive races, an increase from five.

The Williams team at work in the garages. (Photo: René Fagnan)

Front wing
The front wing width will be reduced from 1800mm to 1650mm, significantly altering the airflow and reducing downforce.

Nose
The nose, which has been raised to increase downforce, will be lowered from a height of 550mm to 185mm. Also, the 'step' seen for the last couple of seasons will be a thing of the past.

The chassis height will also be lowered and the side-impact structures are now made standard.

Rear wing
No rear-wing main plane while the wing itself will be slightly flatter.

Exhaust
Single exhaust will exit centrally at the rear of the car to minimise aerodynamic side-effects. The idea of moving the exhaust to that position is to prevent their use in creating extra downforce

Weight
Engine size might be reduced but the additional ancillaries will actually push the minimum weight of the car up from 642kg to 690kg.

A shocking new ad from New Zealand aims to alert drivers about the often tragic consequences of speeding and the fact that everyone on the road can make a mistake.

Speed kills, but so do bad decisions behind the wheel. Bear that in mind after watching this video:

Dodge is set to expand its Blacktop lineup, which already includes the Charger, Challenger, Avenger, Journey, and Grand Caravan, with the addition of the 2014 Dodge Dart SXT Blacktop. The car will debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week.

Featuring 18'' wheels and gloss black accents throughout (grille, mirrors, headlights, etc.), the Dart SXT Blacktop also sports dual exhaust and race-style LED taillights.

The sporty interior stands out with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth connectivity, red/black seating surfaces, and red trim on the dashboard.

Available in seven different body colours, the 2014 Dodge Dart SXT Blacktop is motivated by a 2.4L MultiAir2 Tigershark engine that produces 184 horsepower and 174 lb-ft of torque.

Canadian availability has yet to be confirmed.

Photo: Dodge

French robotic auto specialist Induct came to Las Vegas' CES with the world's first intelligent, electric and driverless shuttle. Called Navia, it's already been deployed in France, Switzerland, the U.K., and Singapore, with the U.S. to follow anytime soon.

Offering seating for up to eight and a top speed of 20 km/h, Navia utilizes advanced robotics, laser mapping technology and sensors that detect the vehicle's acceleration and rotation to instantly calculate its position, nearby obstacles, route, and distance travelled in real time, enabling it to carry its passengers quickly, safely, and efficiently. Said passengers can select their destination on a touchscreen offering various stops.

Fully electric, Navia is recharged by induction (using magnetic fields) without the need for cables or human intervention, allowing it to be self-sufficient and run 24 hours a day. It looks like the ideal solution in industrial sites, theme parks, college campuses, complexes and more.

Navia also helps reduce the operational costs of a regular shuttle service with driver (around $200,000 a year in the U.S.) by 40%-60%.

Kia is using the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas to launch the KND-7 concept in North America. This 4-door compact coupe has no B-pillars for easier cabin access, and a 1.6L turbo engine that produces 201 horsepower.

Photo: Kia

The company also revealed its advanced telematics and infotainment innovations, starting with the UVO VR (Voice Recognition) technology. As soon as next year, some 2015 model year Kia vehicles will arrive with an all-new generation of multimedia suite, including the ability to download additional apps such as the iHeart Radio music service.

The following video presents the many possibilities of UVO through a unique game of Monopoly:

From press release

Former Canadian Formula Ford 1600 champion, Louis-Philippe Dumoulin will begin the 2014 season on the prestigious Daytona International Speedway circuit.

“L-P” will take part in the 52nd edition of the Rolex 24 at Daytona this upcoming January 25th and 26th at the wheel of the No. 22 Porsche 911 GT America, GTD class, from the Alex Job Racing/WeatherTech team.

Supported by WeatherTech his major partner in the NASCAR Canadian Tire series the Quebecer has joined his teammates Cooper MacNeil, Leh Keen, and Shane van Gisbergen over the last weekend, Roar Before the 24, for the practice in preparation for the endurance event.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin. (Photo: Bill Kent)

“I'm very happy to once again be part of the Alex Job Racing/WeatherTech team, there is great chemistry between us. The practices have been promising; we've accomplished great lap times. The level of competition is high in the GTD class, my teammates are fast and it's looking very good for the 24”, explains Louis-Philippe Dumoulin.

Louis-Philippe Dumoulin will be part of the Rolex 24 at Daytona for the third time (2008 Porsche GT3 - Sports Car series, and, in 2013, Ford Riley - Daytona Prototype). Furthermore, it's with the Alex Job Racing/WeatherTech team that Louis-Philippe Dumoulin (the only Canadian on the podium) and his teammates had finished in second place in their class during the legendary 12 hours of Sebring.

The Rolex 24 at Daytona is an international endurance event that looks nothing like a regular racing event. The drivers have to adapt to extreme conditions, such as night driving without getting many hours of sleep. Also, following the merge, the best endurance drivers in the world, coming from both series (American Le Man Series and Grand-Am), will compete in the Tudor United SportsCars Championship, heightening the level of competition quite substantially.

Photo: Zachary Miller

“It's even more interesting with a top-of-the-line team such as Alex Job Racing/WeatherTech, which has the potential to win the race. We will fight alongside very good drivers of international fame. I'm very excited to be on the track for the 24 at Daytona for the third time in my career, especially with the support of our partner in NASCAR Canada, WeatherTech, it's just fantastic”, shares the Quebecer with enthusiasm.

Activities for the 52nd edition of the Rolex 24 at Daytona will begin on Wednesday January 22nd, and the start of the 24-hour event will occur at 2:30 pm the following Saturday, January 25th (EST).

CEO of the team, Patrick Louis resigned from his day-to-day role at Lotus.

Previously Chief Operating Officer, the French shouldered Eric Boullier since 2012, including financial matters.

Matthew Carter is promoted new CEO of Lotus. He's a trusted person of the minority shareholder Andrew Ruhan.

Patrick Louis should retain a position on the Lotus team board.

Lotus E21. (Photo: René Fagnan)

Stephane Peterhansel (MINI) won the second day of the Dakar rally, and moves up to first position in provisional overall classification.

Peterhansel, last year's winner of the event, concluded the second day in 3h52''05, ahead of Carlos Sainz's buggy SMG and Giniel de Villiers' Toyota Hilux.

They are followed by the three X-Raid MINI All4s Racing of Juan Roma, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Orlando Terranova.

In provisional classification, Peterhansel now holds the lead, 28 seconds ahead of Sainz and 4m10 ahead of Al Attiyah.

Carlos Sousa, who was the first leader of the race following a win on the opening stage, had to stop on Monday after a turbo failure on his Great Wall Haval.

Stephane Peterhansel, MINI ALL4 Racing. (BMW Sports Communications)

As a result of a plea bargain former NASCAR driver, Jeremy Mayfield was convicted of possession of stolen goods and possession of drug paraphernalia in Catawba County Court on Monday.

As part of the deal Mayfield's 45-day sentence was suspended, and he was instead placed on unsupervised probation for 18 months. He was also ordered to pay $88,124.41 in restitution to victims and $1,100 in fines and other costs, according to a press release from prosecutors.

Mayfield had once raced at the top of the NASCAR Sprint Cup series for Penske Racing and Ray Evernham otorsports.

In a statement, District Attorney James Gaither said the sentence was in part due to the death of one of the state's key witnesses “and the likely result should these cases have been presented to a jury without this witness.”

Mayfield's was suspended from NASCAR in 2009, when he was suspended by NASCAR, he tested, twice, positive for methamphetamine use. He has denied illegal drug use, but after two appeals the suspension was upheld.

Mayfield was charged criminally after a Nov. 1 police raid at his house turned up stolen property.

Authorities say they found heavy machinery stolen from nearby companies and equipment taken from a racing operation.

Mayfield drove in 433 Sprint Cup races over 16 years. He had five victories, his last one coming in August, 2005 at Michigan International Speedway.