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Richard Petty Motorsports driver Aric Almirola was fastest in abbreviated test at the 1.5 mile Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR officials were pleased in the final test of the new “Gen 6” NASCAR stock car.

“It's definitely just another step in the launch of the Generation 6 car,” said Sprint Cup Series director John Darby.  But there's probably more cars here today that I'll term as real race cars with full manufacturer's steel bodies and the correct components, deck lids, hoods, and everything else that goes with it.

“For a lot of the teams, the test is probably more real, real‑life than what some of our previous tests here have been.  Other than that, not a lot has changed.    

“I think from the rules package‑wise and specification for the cars, all of that is pretty much settled down.  We had most of that dialled in from our previous test here in December, so everybody has taken those specifications and going forward with them and just trying to do the best they can now as we get ready to start into the real season.”

And there was another new development. After decades of using steel and aluminum templates to gauge if a stock car was “stock,” the series has adopted a form of a laser measuring device.

“Through the effort of a lot of our officials and some help from our engineers and IT people, we've finally reached that point, and the laser platform is something that we feel really good ‑‑ we're excited about that, as well as a lot of the teams have adapted to it, as well.  It's going to be very accurate. It's going to be very consistent.

“It doesn't change the technical inspection procedure much.  It's just it ‑‑ one unit is replacing probably 15 or 20 mechanical hand‑held gauges that we used to use in the past.    

“We had it here just for the use of the teams.  To your point, there was many cars that came across it, and it's like anything else; if we're off now, it's a few thousandths here or a few thousandths there.  It's numbers that for all practical purposes aren't even worth arguing about.

“That made everybody feel good, as well as our guys who have been working so hard on putting that piece together,” Darby added.

And, as a final look back at last week's test at Daytona, Darby was asked if there were any changes for next month's Speedweek's at Daytona.

“Hell no, I wouldn't change nothing.  I just can't wait to get back there,” he said.

From GMM

Force India has hit back at claims co-owner Vijay Mallya's reported financial problems could sink the Silverstone based team.

Citing sources, the Italiaracing magazine had said former Indian billionaire Mallya's "severe economic difficulties" meant Bernie Ecclestone has "activated a plan to save the team".

The report mentioned the possibility of a return to F1 for Colin Kolles, or even Flavio Briatore.

Late on Friday, Force India hit back at the claims, insisting they are "part of a growing trend of irresponsible online journalism directed at the team".

Spokesman Will Hings added that there is "no truth" to the claims Force India is in crisis, saying the story comes "at a time when news in the formula one world is limited".

Photo: Pirelli

"The team is pushing ahead with the new car build and looking forward to the launch of the 2013 car and new team partnerships," the team statement concluded.

But, after Paul di Resta admitted he is "surprised" news about his 2013 teammate is taking so long, it has also emerged that Force India may launch the new VJM06 early in February before a second race driver is decided.

And Italiaracing, "happily acknowledging the team's position" in the wake of its controversial report, "firmly rejects the accusations of irresponsible journalism", editor Massimo Costa insisted.

"That (accusation) does not reflect the tradition of reliability and accuracy" of the publication, he said.

"We also reaffirm our confidence in the authoritative sources on which we based our report, and of course send our best wishes to the Sahara Force India team for a positive evolution of the story", Costa added.

General Motors of Canada has issued a recall on 65 GMC Savana and Chevrolet Express vans from the 2013 model year due to an ignition key that can be removed from the ignition when it's not in the OFF position.

This could result in unintended vehicle movement and potentially lead to a crash.

GM dealers will therefore replace the ignition lock cylinder.

Source: Transport Canada

Photo: GM

Photo: GM

From GMM

Ferrari is sticking with its novel 'pull-rod' front suspension layout for 2013, technical director Pat Fry has confirmed.

Last year, the Italian team stunned its rivals by reviving a concept not seen in F1 since Minardi raced around at the back of the grid in 2001.

Fernando Alonso ultimately came close to winning last year's title, but it is true Ferrari initially struggled with its F2012, which even when heavily developed was never the most competitive car in the field.

The Ferrari F2012 (Photo: Pirelli)

Asked if the 'pull-rod' project was worth it, Fry told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "It was certainly not our problem.

"You get get a little aerodynamic advantage from it.  We solved the structural problems well."

One of the issues is that the layout makes it hard for the mechanics to work on the front of the car, but Fry said an "evolution" is ready to debut in 2013.

"We will build on it, but it will look different," he revealed.  "I would not be surprised if some others follow suit.

"When we talked about it for the first time, the first reaction was 'This is crazy'.  But if you weigh up all the pros and cons, it's not so stupid," added Fry.

A new study of the global auto industry's patent activity by Thomson Reuters reveals a 182% increase in patents related to alternative power and technologies since 2006.

A total of 14,977 unique inventions have been patented in the last year studied alone (2011). Overall, Toyota led the way during the five-year period with 1,901 patents, followed by Honda (587), Denso, General Motors, and Panasonic (maker of Toyota Prius batteries).

"With stringent new fuel economy standards introduced in the U.S. that require global auto manufacturers to double their average mileage requirements, car companies have gotten very serious about alternative power," said Bob Stembridge, an intellectual property analyst at Thomson Reuters and author of the study. "The aggressive R&D efforts of some of the leading manufacturers suggest that consumer options for alternative power will grow considerably in the coming decade."

Stroke of Madness

Is the Power stroke diesel Bronco the best SUV that Ford never built?

I blame it all on the Icon FJ40. A few years back, my wife and I took a road trip through the Rockies in an achingly gorgeous 1967 Toyota Land Cruiser. That little four-by-four was fresh from an Icon overhaul, which bestowed it with a modern four-cylinder International turbo-diesel and a five-speed manual transmission. Wending across the Continental Divide, a note of turbo whistle overlaying the diesel's growl, fresh mountain breezes wafting through the open-air cockpit, I might've fallen a little bit in love with that thing. Of course, we always want what we can't have, and in the States a convertible, manual-transmission diesel four-by-four is a mythical creature. That Icon FJ carried an appropriately mythical sticker price of $122,000. If I want my own version of the diesel FJ experience, I'll have to get creative.

Photo Gallery: Stroke of Madness - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Stroke of Madness - Automobile Magazine

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Alfa Romeo and Mazda tie the knot. How much would you pay for a Corvette press kit? And Rolls-Royce brings back a ghostly name.

We already know that Europe often gets better cars than we do in the United States, but now Canada is getting in on the action, too. At the press days of the Montreal International Auto Show, the Japanese company introduced the

2013 Subaru BRZ - Snow Shoes

Our Subaru BRZ gets its first taste of snow.

Last month we weren't feeling much love for the Subaru BRZ. There were complaints about virtually every aspect of the car, a fairly common problem in the middle months of a Four Seasons test. This month, as the season's first snow fell in Ann Arbor, some of us were ready to rekindle the old flame.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Subaru BRZ - Four Seasons Update - January 2013 - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Subaru BRZ - Four Seasons Update - January 2013 - Automobile Magazine

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Subaru released pricing for its redesigned 2014 Forester on Friday.

Chrysler Group LLC may have as many as 200,000 nine-speed transmissions available this year that will eventually go in three new models, its CEO said.

A look at Autoweek's top picks at the 2013 Detroit auto show:

Honda said it is recalling 777,000 late-model Pilot and Odyssey vehicles in the United States and Canada due to a problem with the deployment of driver's side airbags.

When we picked up our

News 18 Jan, 2013

New Chinese car firm Qoros will debut the Skoda Octavia-rivalling GQ3 and two concepts at Geneva

Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said the secret to the automaker's current success is a commitment to never again be a victim of the circumstances that led to the company's collapse in 2009.

Now that the camouflage is off the redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, photo-choppers have new fodder for speculating the looks of the C7 convertible.

Global sales of the Nissan Leaf rose 22% last year but that's still about half of what it had targeted.

Production at Ford's factory in Genk, Belgium, remained halted as protests over plans to shutter the plant showed no sign of letup. Ford hasn't shipped a vehicle from Genk since saying Oct. 24 that the plant will shut for good in 2014.

Production at Ford's factory in Genk, Belgium, remained halted as protests over plans to shutter the plant showed no sign of letup. Ford hasn't shipped a vehicle from Genk since saying Oct. 24 that the plant will shut for good in 2014.