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Every year, the government, the media and a number of organizations hammer us with warnings and safety tips to party and drive safely during the holiday season. Despite a significant reduction in casualties since 1970, some drivers still think that they can hit the road after a few drinks without their abilities and judgement being impaired, which endangers their own life and many others.

Forty years ago, there were little alternatives to driving your car at the end of the night. Today, we have designated drivers, taxi cabs, public transit, and various other solutions to arrive home safely after a bit too much partying.


Operation Red Nose
This free and confidential chauffeur service is holding its 29th annual campaign in 2012 under the theme ''Let Rudy Take the Wheel.'' More than 58,000 volunteers in seven Canadian provinces (Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario, and Saskatchewan) are teaming up to provide tens of thousands of safe rides from November 30th to December 31st. If you'd like to volunteer or use a chauffeur, go to www.operationnezrouge.com or Twitter (@ORNose) via a computer or the free mobile app for iPhone and Android. You'll get the phone numbers to call.

Cool Taxi (Quebec only)
Active since 2010, Cool Taxi offers prepaid coupons that users can give to taxi drivers when they get back home. They're especially popular among younger drivers, not to mention parents who want to make a smart gift for their teenagers. Coupons can be purchased from the offices of taxi companies, Couche-Tard convenience stores and Familiprix pharmacies. Find more information at www.cooltaxiquebec.ca.

A designated driver, why not?
You don't need to go on a binge and pass out to have fun during the holidays. One member of the family or one of your friends can stay away from alcoholic beverages for the night to make sure everyone gets a safe ride home. A great way to prevent drunk driving-related accidents!

Good ol' taxi!
If you live in an area without Operation Red Nose or any other chauffeur service, chances are a taxi is still waiting nearby and ready to pick you up to drive you home safely this holiday. The next morning, just ask a friend, relative or colleague to help you return to your car.

Breathalyser FTW
Assessing your level of impairment when you leave a party or a bar is quite tricky. Fortunately, you can use a breathalyser to accurately check your blood alcohol content. Personally, if it's anywhere near the legal limit, I would refrain from taking the wheel. You can purchase a breathalyser from companies such as Alco Prevention (www.alcoprevention.com).

Not drunk, just tired...
So what? Fatigue behind the wheel is another form of impaired driving -- and the third leading cause of road casualties in Quebec after alcohol and speeding. Chauffeur services like Operation Red Nose will gladly pick you up if you consider yourself too tired to drive. The same goes true if you are under medication. Remember that pleading guilty to DWI or DUI charges can lead to major consequences and fees (up to around $7,000 according to CAA-Quebec).

On that note, I wish you all a great holiday season and urge you to be smart and drive safely at all times. See you next year!

From GMM

Norbert Haug fell on his sword due to Mercedes' failure to succeed in its first three years, Niki Lauda has confirmed.

Following last week's shock news, many sensed the new non-executive chairman Lauda's influence when it was announced that Haug is stepping down after 22 years in charge at the German marque.

Ross Brawn and Norbert Haug, Mercedes AMG F1. (Photo: WRi2)

But the great Austrian insists he was as surprised as anyone.

"On Tuesday I was at the board meeting in Stuttgart for the first time in my new role," Lauda revealed to Welt am Sonntag newspaper. "At the end of the meeting, it was an absolute surprise when Haug gave his resignation. I took my cap off to him, because he said essentially he feels responsible for the poor performance this year, and had drawn the appropriate conclusion. To be honest, there are very few managers in top positions who do such things. Personally, I'm very sorry about it. I would love to still have worked with him."

Asked if he tried to convince Haug to stay, Lauda insisted: "No. If a person makes such a decision, you have to respect it."

Norbert Haug with Bruno Spengler in DTM series. (Photo: DTM)

He admitted that Haug's departure leaves a "huge gap" at Mercedes. "Mercedes will now consider how the loss will be dealt with. I don't see anyone at the moment who can take over Norbert's tasks one by one. The situation will have to be evaluated completely."

Asked if he can step in to help fill the void, triple world champion Lauda answered: "No. I am chairman of the board, which has nothing to do with the operation of business."

Hiriko, a tiny electric car jointly developed by a group of Basque entrepreneurs and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will be launched in Berlin next month.

Following a stop at the Geneva Auto Show, it will enter production in the spring and later be put in service in a number of cities. Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Boston and London have already shown some interest.

Mainstream availability is also in the cards, with pricing set at E12,500 plus battery leasing fees.

Hiriko stands a mere 2.5 metres long, or 20 centimetres shorter than a smart fortwo. However, the sliding rear axle allows the car to ''fold'' to just 1.5 metre. That means you could fit three Hirikos into a single regular parking spot!

The wheels can rotate 360 degrees, and each one incorporates its own driving motor. Together, they provide a range of up to 120 kilometres along with a top speed of 60 km/h. Charging the battery takes 15 minutes only.

In addition to the standard Hiriko, expect convertible (Alai) and pickup (Laga) variants to come in the near future.

Source: Lyon Femmes

The 500th Lexus LFA rolled off the assembly line on December 14th and will be delivered to its owner after undergoing inspection and road testing. That means that the planned run of 500 hand-built units is now complete.

The first LFA went into production in December 2010. A race-ready ''LFA Nürburgring Package'' was added in January of this year.

The company has since made it clear that future Lexus vehicles will reflect the technological skills gained during the development and production of the LFA, particularly with regard to carbon fibre reinforced plastic parts.

Photo: Lexus

Ford Motor Company wants the EPA to reconsider fuel economy testing procedures after Consumer Reports suggested that the 2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid and C-Max Hybrid failed to achieve their 47 mpg rating.

''We will continue to talk on behalf of the industry with the EPA to determine if changes are necessary,'' said Joe Hinrichs, chief of operations in North and South America. ''The EPA has made changes over the last couple of decades as technology has changed.''

Both Ford and the EPA agree that hybrids are more sensitive to driving styles and road conditions, which can drop their fuel efficiency by as much as 17 miles per gallon, according to Raj Nair, product development chief at Ford. In fact, he also said that his performance fell by 12 mpg when he drove the C-Max Hybrid the same way he drives his Mustang Shelby Cobra.

The EPA may decide not to modify current testing procedures, but it could update the ratings with a fuel economy range.

Source: Automotive News

According to British magazine Autosport, Robert Kubica would be close to a deal with M-Sport to contest the new European Rally Championship behind the wheel of a modified Ford Fiesta.

After he contested several local rallies in Italy last months, the Pole ran in the Rallye du Var, last round of the French rally championship, driving a Citroen C4. After he easily dominated the event, Kubica finally crashed in the very last stage of the rally following a wrong pace note.

Robert Kubica, who seriously injured his right forearm during a rally crash in Italy bak in 2011, was linked to a future with Citroen, but now it seems he is close to M-Sport that would run for him a Fiesta fitted with a modified gearbox system with the two paddle shifts to be located on the left of the steering wheel.

Ford Fiesta M-Sport. (Photo: WRC)

The new European Rally Championship will be launched in 2013, replacing the Intercontinental Rally Challenge that  ran until this year. The first round will be presented quite early in the year, with the Internationale Jänner Rally to be run in Austria, January 3 to 5.

Aston Martin will hold a number of international celebrations to highlight its centenary. On January 15th, 2013, exactly 100 years after its incorporation, the oldest surviving Aston Martin -- A3 -- and a new Vanquish will join for a photo call at Henniker Mews in Chelsea, the original home of Aston Martin. A commemorative plaque will be unveiled, along with a special centenary logo.

Next summer, from July 15-21, Aston Martin's Gaydon headquarters will host open-house activities, including factory-based events and driving tours. On Saturday, a monster birthday party with a thousand guests will rock the city of London. Then, on Sunday, the 100 most iconic Aston Martin cars of all time will be featured as part of a concours, and up to a thousand Aston Martins will form the largest gathering in the brand's history.

Over the years, Aston Martin has evolved from a local player into an international star, exporting 75% of its production to 146 dealerships in 41 countries around the world.

Photo: Aston Martin

From GMM

Mercedes should not pin its failure to succeed as a formula one works team on departing motor sport president Norbert Haug, according to Hans-Joachim Stuck.

After 22 years in the role, spanning the famous German marque's entire grand prix involvement in the modern era, Haug has resigned.

Niki Lauda, who arrived at Mercedes recently as non-executive chairman, said on Sunday that Haug resigned as a result of the team's failure to succeed since taking over Brawn in 2010.

But Stuck, the president of Germany's motor sport federation, defended Haug by saying: "The failures in formula one are solely attributable to Ross Brawn."

"The car was just not fast enough," he told the Focus newsmagazine in its Monday edition. "He (Haug) was not the one who designed that car. He was the one who, after all those decades, made motor sport acceptable to Mercedes once again."

Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team

Toyota is poised to take back the title of world's biggest automaker for 2012, as Volkswagen fights General Motors for second place heading into the final weeks.

2013 Lexus GS450h

You're aware that you're driving a hybrid, but you're not annoyed by it thanks to strong acceleration and natural brake feel.

We've covered the interior and exterior styling, amenities, and driving character of the new Lexus GS with a conventional powertrain already. Now we have the opportunity to see what the new GS, which we quite admire in standard form, is like with a hybrid powertrain. My takeaway impression is that you're aware that you're driving a hybrid, but you're not annoyed by it. By that I mean, the brake pedal and accelerator inputs are far more natural in feel and response than they've been in previous Toyota and Lexus hybrid models. The steering is a little artificial and could use more feel, but it's accurate. Body control is admirable. Best of all is the powerful off-the-line acceleration: the powertrain sounds throaty and strong and the power delivery is linear, not abrupt. Freeway merging is deeply satisfying. What's more, goose the throttle at 80 mph and you'll be at 100 mph before you can say, "I just bought a Lexus GS450h!"

Photo Gallery: 2013 Lexus GS450h - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Lexus GS450h - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

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Talks between General Motors' and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen on joint vehicle development are on track, while there are no plans at this stage to build cars together, Opel's interim CEO, Thomas Sedran, said.

Talks between General Motors' and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen on joint vehicle development are on track, while there are no plans at this stage to build cars together, Opel's interim CEO, Thomas Sedran, said.

Renault's move into low-cost cars, which has kept the French automaker afloat as mass-market peers drown in European losses, may soon help it sink competitors in other parts of the world.

Offered on eBay from November 22nd to December 4th, the ''Bolt Gold'' Nissan GT-R raised US$187,100 for charity. Along with nine items of Bolt merchandise, including racing helmets, special driving suits and boots, proceeds totalled US$193,191.

All will go to the Usain Bolt Foundation, which creates educational and cultural opportunities for children and young people in Jamaica.

More than 100 people took part in the auction, and the winning bidder for the car was from Australia.

Photo: Nissan

When engineers at Mercedes-Benz tasked with field-testing a new refrigerant watched it ignite in a ball of fire before their eyes, it took a while for the significance of their discovery to sink in.

A coolant known as HFO-1234y has set off a battle within the auto industry amid claims it poses a risk to car passengers.

2013 Lexus GS350 AWD

Although the Lexus GS is all-new for 2013, it continues to exemplify what Lexus has been known for: quiet, luxurious cabins and little sporting intentions.

Although the Lexus GS is all-new for 2013, it continues to exemplify what Lexus has been known for: quiet, luxurious cabins and little sporting intentions. Step into the GS 350 and every surface you lay your hand on is made of a high-quality or soft-touch material. The leather is rich (and covers the seats, doors, and dashboard), the wood looks rare (if a bit too scorched in color), and every button and hinge has a silent and dampened movement. Even the exterior design - which at first seemed audacious with its offensive, spindle-shaped grille - is quite refined, especially in our tester's Riviera red paint job.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Lexus GS350 AWD - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Lexus GS350 AWD - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

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Thirteen years after Tokyo's governor killed Japanese interest in diesel cars by barring many of them from his city, the technology is making a comeback as manufacturers adopt innovations that improve its sooty image.

Daimler's investors have valued the Mercedes-Benz unit at around half that of rival BMW as CEO Dieter Zetsche seeks to reclaim the title of world's biggest luxury carmaker.

Daimler's investors have valued the company's Mercedes-Benz unit at around half that of rival BMW as CEO Dieter Zetsche seeks to reclaim the title of world's biggest luxury carmaker.