Auto News 5

A 1986 BMW 635 CSi customized by pop art pioneer Robert Rauschenberg will be on display at Art Toronto 2012, which takes place from October 26th to 29th at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Presented in Canada for the first time ever, this car is one of the 17 rolling sculptures that make up the BMW Art Car Collection.

Since 1975, artists from around the world have transformed BMW automobiles into artwork representing a moment in time. Rauschenberg was the first to incorporate other artists' imagination by projecting their artwork onto the 635 CSi.

Photo: BMW

First reported by Car & Driver magazine, and later confirmed by an Audi exec to Wired magazine, the Audi R8 e-tron's low demand and high battery cost, as well as the changing priorities of Audi's new head of R&D have doomed the project. As a result, the all-electric supercar won't enter production.

However, Audi will continue to test the R8 e-tron internally to help the development of future electrically driven vehicles.

Introduced at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, the Audi R8 e-tron was supposed to be built within the next four years. It made fans drool by posting a lap time of 8:09 minutes on the Nürburgring circuit in Germany. Too bad we won't see it on the road.

Audi prefers to focus on plug-in hybrids and electric versions of the A1, A3, A4, A6 and Q7 that can charge through a household outlet.

Source: Wired

Photo: Mathieu St-Pierre

Robin Frijns, who clinched the Formula Renault 3.5 series' title in controversial circumstances last weekend may reach a long-term agreement with the Sauber F1 Team.

Frijns collided with title rival Jules Bianchi during the last and decisive round of the FR3.5 series in Barcelona last Sunday. After the contact, Bianchi's car ended up in the gravel trap where he retired, giving Frijns the title.

The Dutchman is scheduled to drive the Ferrari-powered Sauber F1 car for one day at the Young Driver test in Abu Dhabi early next month.

Photo: RobinFrijns.com

British magazine Autosport understands that Frijns is set for a long-term role with Sauber, provided his run in the test proves a success.


Autosport adds that they have been impresed with his performance over the past three years during which the 21-year-old has won the Formula BMW Europe, Formula Renault Eurocup and Formula Renault 3.5 title.

Frijns apparently admitted that his performance in the Abu Dhabi test could be key to the future of his career.

Video game maker Codemasters does a great job producing realistic driving games such as F1 2012 and Grid.

Light-vehicle sales in the United States will rise 11 percent to 1.13 million units in October from a year earlier, J.D. Power and Associates predicted today. October's seasonally adjusted annual selling rate is expected to be 14.

Also in this episode: GM and Peugeot deepen their European alliance, and Volkswagen will

Eternity spent fixing up a

Toyota, rebounding in the United States after four years of falling sales, may report a 20 percent rise in October deliveries on demand for Camry sedans and Prius hybrids, a group vice president said.

Tenneco reported strong quarterly adjusted profits, sending the emission- and ride-control parts maker's share price up more than 14 percent, but it signaled that it will sustain losses in Europe due to slow auto sales there.

Renault lowered its full-year deliveries target after third-quarter sales fell 13 percent, weighed down by Europe's worsening market slump.

As General Motors attempts to take the Cadillac brand global, its ad spending is going digital.

Ford of Europe is emphasising capacity utilisation as one of the prime drivers behind its decision today (25 October) to close its Transit plant at Southampton, UK.

Ford of Europe has hit back at Belgian unions which claimed to have signed a deal with the automaker to keep production at the now-doomed Genk plant.

Joint venture Beijing Hyundai celebrated its 10th anniversary in China with record monthly sales, overtaking Japanese rivals whose sales slumped because of the dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.

Store acquisitions slowed during the third quarter for Group 1 Automotive Inc., but CEO Earl Hesterberg is still working to put deals together.

Texan Charlie Thomas' success as a businessman allowed him to indulge his love of classic cars, and over several decades he built a collection of automobiles that would be the envy of any car guy.

Volvo, the world's second largest truck maker behind Daimler, reported operating profits down to SEK2.9bn (US$433m) from SEK5.8bn a year ago as third-quarter orders fell 25%. The company, which makes trucks under the Volvo, Renault, Mack, Eicher and UD Trucks brands, said it expects no growth in either Europe or the US next year.

Chevrolet said Thursday that its sinister Sonic Dusk will go into production for the 2014 model year. The lightly customized small car we saw at the

First Drive: 2013 Nissan Sentra

A smaller Altima.

Nissan has a way of introducing new vehicles that instantly feel familiar. Earlier this year we drove the 2013 Nissan Altima, which felt like a more polished version of the 2012 Altima. The 2013 Sentra feels more like a baby Altima than an improved 2012 Sentra, which is a good thing.

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Nissan Sentra - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Drive: 2013 Nissan Sentra - Automobile Magazine

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News 25 Oct, 2012

Production of the SEAT Leon has begun in Spain, after a £650m investment