Auto News 5

While several people expected Qatar to acquire the Citroën World Rally Team for next season, it seems now that a new partnership would link the French make to Abu Dhabi.

As we explained in previous articles, several signs seemed to confirm that Qatar would be leaving the World Rally Championship at the end of the season, and the Rallye de France Alsace would be the last WRC event for Nasser Al-Attiyah.

Now it seems that Abu Dhabi would back the two works Citroën DS3s for the full WRC campaign next season.

The first car would be driven by Khalid Al Qassimi, who has contested several WRC events in the past seasons ina Ford Focus WRC ran by the BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team. T

he second car would be driven by Thierry Neuville, who'd be promoted as a works driver of the Citroën Rally Team. Neuville is currently driving for the Citroen Junior team.

Jari-Matti Latvala aboard the Abu Dhabi Focus Ford in 2010. (Photo: WRC)

Sebastien Loeb would stop full time rallying but could contest selected WRC events in roder to help Citroen.

Loeb's currenbt teammate Mikko Hirvonen's future is quite unsure. He may move back to Ford, replacing Jari-Matti Latvala if the Finn joins Volkswagen, or Petter Solberg if the Norwegian joins Hyundai, which is developing an i20 WRC for 2013.

Hirvonen could also join Hyundai himself next year, as the vast experience of the current Citroën driver would be very helpful to the Korean car manufacturer.

The deal linking Citroën and Abu Dhabi -- which would run for the next five years -- could be announced at the Rallye de France Alsace, next round of the WRC.

In an effort to become greener and cleaner, the City of Montreal plans to replace 300 of its 700 vehicles with smaller, more fuel-efficient cars while increasing the use of biodiesel throughout its fleet. A simulator will also be used to help operators develop fuel-saving driving habits.

''By 2015, our administration will have taken several actions to further position Montreal as a leader in sustainable development,'' said Alain DeSousa, Vice-chairman in charge of sustainable development, the environment, parks and green spaces.

Similar to Vancouver, Montreal also plans to acquire 12 electric vehicles and assess their performance and dependability. Next year, a total of 161 hybrid buses and seven ''midibus'' vehicles will hit the streets as well.

The administration predicts that its entire fleet will be electrified by 2025.

Source: Ville de Montréal

From GMM

Former F1 driver Cristiano da Matta has slammed well-known F1 engineer Mike Gascoyne.

In 2003, Gascoyne - who currently heads the technical side at Caterham - joined the now-defunct Toyota outfit, whose driver at the time was Brazilian da Matta.

Before the end of the following season, Cristiano da Matta - who subsequently returned to American open wheel racing and was seriously injured in a 2006 Champ Car crash - was ousted.

Cristiano da Matta, 2002. (Photo: Toyota)

So how did da Matta's F1 career really end?

"I don't know if I can say this," the 39-year-old told Brazil's Totalrace, "but in the end the big problem was Mike Gascoyne. He joined the team earning a lot (of money), but every new thing he did, we just got worse, not better."

History recounts that Toyota ousted da Matta not only for a lack of performance, but because he was verbally critical of the car's technical direction.

Mike Gascoyne, Technical Director of Caterham. (Photo: Caterham F1 Team)

Mike Gascoyne also split with Toyota, early in 2006, reportedly due to technical differences with the former Cologne based team.

"Now comes the gossip," da Matta continued. "In 2005, when I had returned to Indy, I was in Long Beach and I saw a guy wearing a Toyota shirt. I thought, 'What is this guy doing here?' He came to me and said, 'Da Matta-San. I'm here on behalf of Toyota. The things you said in the past were right'. I told him I was happy even if the news had come late, but that I liked the respect that he had for my work."

If you've been following the news on Auto123.com Racing, you've certainly read that ex-Formula 1 driver and Champ Car series champion, Alex Zanardi, participated in the recently held Paralympics in London, England.

Competing in three different hand-cycling events, Zanardi collected a bag of three medals: two gold and one silver.

A reminder here that Zanardi lost both legs in a horrific accident during a Champ Car series race, held on the Lausitzring circuit in Germany.

Suddenly immobilized on the track, Zanardi's F1 vehicle was cut in two by another Alex, the racecar of Alex Tagliani, who smashed into it at about 300 kph.

Photo: London Paralympic Games

The carbon monohull flew into pieces, as did both of Zanardi's legs. Rushed to hospital by helicopter, Zanardi, at that moment had just one litre of blood left in his battered body, and his heart stopped beating repeatedly.

However, Zanardi never felt sorry for his hapless fate. He learned to walk with his prostheses and even returned to racing. Plus, he got completely absorbed in physical training by taking up hand-cycling.

Racing drivers are forces of nature; human beings who are endowed with staunch determination and disproportionate competitive willpower.


If Zanardi chose to qualify and become a star at the Paralympics, it's because he knew he could do it. His incredible physical fitness and his fierce determination did the rest.

Three events, three medals. Hard to beat and deserving of our full respect.

And he's not the only one. What do you say about Niki Lauda who was seriously burned in a terrible F1 accident at Nürburgring in 1976? His precarious state was so touch-and-go that he received the last rites on his hospital bed. But he fought back. And just seven weeks later, Lauda was once again behind the wheel of his Ferrari, competing in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Seven short weeks: that's less than two months...

And there's also the case of Alessandro Nannini. This young Italian was an F1 driver for Benetton when he was badly injured, as were other passengers, in a helicopter accident. Nannini's arm was cut off by a rotor blade.

Doctors miraculously managed to reconnect the arm. Incredibly, Nannini returned to motor racing, too. Although his arm sorely lacked mobility and sensation, Nannini was still able to race in the Italian GT championship.

One final amazing case: that of Robert Kubica who had his right hand partially severed in 2011 in a terrible rally accident when a crash barrier penetrated the footwell of his car. Just recently, after long months of rehab, Kubica was back behind the wheel of his rally car and chalked up a victory in an Italian regional championship event

So, whenever I get a little scratch, I think of the exemplary courage of these drivers. Nothing can stop them.

From GMM

Back on track after his Monza ban, Romain Grosjean has travelled to Singapore with a new coach, according to France's RMC Sport.

The report said Grosjean, who was banned by the FIA following the first corner crash at Spa and in the wake of a string of similar incidents in 2012, is now working with Benoit Campargue.

Fellow Frenchman Campargue, 47, is a former two-time European Judo champion who coaches the current heavyweight Olympic champion Teddy Riner.

According to other media reports, Grosjean met with Campargue and Riner on a visit to the London Olympics.

Grosjean and Campargue have also previously worked together at the Institut National du Sport de l'Expertise et de la Performance (INSEP).

RMC said Grosjean and Campargue arrived in Singapore together on Wednesday night.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus E20. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

Nine time motorcycle world champion Valentino Rossi will run the 5th round of the Blancpain Endurance Series presented this week end at the Nürburgring.

The Italian rider will drive a Kessel Racing's Ferrari F458. In April, Rossi was already at the start of the Blancpain opening round in Monza, where he classified 18th overall, and 8th in Pro Am classification.

Photo: Kessel Racing

Looking at Mitsubishi's current lineup of cars and trucks, one might wonder where the Japanese brand is heading. The Eclipse, Galant and Endeavour have been retired leaving the Lancer, RVR, Outlander and i-MiEV to support the entire North American market.


And their halo car, the Lancer Evolution, which is supposed to represent the pinnacle of the brand's potential, vision and styling direction is now in jeopardy. Can the aura of the mighty Evo convince people to buy an i-MiEV? Hardly.

However, with the introduction of the new Outlander plug-in hybrid, Mitsubishi is clearly heading in an environmentally friendly direction. And that's why the Lancer Evo is in troubled waters, because it's far from being green and doesn't represent the brand's future plans.

But boy, what a stupendously fast track beast!

145 hp per litre
The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution's turbocharged and intercooled 2.0L 4-cylinder engine produces an impressive 291 hp, and an even more impressive 300 lb-ft of torque. The GSR trim gets a 5-speed manual transmission, while the MR gets a double-clutch 6-speed sequential with paddle shifters.

The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo GSR blasts to 100 km/h in 6 seconds, but what's really amazing is the amount of available torque once the car is in motion. Passing power is incredible, and all of a sudden, you'll find yourself repeatedly slowing down and accelerating just for kicks.

You likely won't get a kick out of the 2012 Evo GSR's fuel consumption. Drive it like it begs to be driven and you'll average 15L/100 km. Eco-driving can lower that number to 12L/100km, at which point you'll wonder why you bought an Evo in the first place. You'll basically burn a 55-litre tank of gas in about 400 km, so you'll meet a lot of people at gas stations.

The Evo's turbo 2.0L engine develops 291 hp and 300 lb-ft. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Massive cornering grip
There's very little that can unsettle the 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo's Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) system. Its tenacious grip is great for when you feel like hitting the track. Thanks to a bunch of components such as an Active Centre Differential (ACD), Active Yaw Control (AYC), Active Stability Control (ASC), and a helical limited-slip front differential, S-AWC is a full-time setup.

On slippery surfaces, the system can distribute engine torque up to 50:50 front/rear, and then split between the left and right wheels. There's also a rocker switch with three available traction modes, Tarmac, Gravel and Snow. The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo never seems to lose traction -- ever. Here's a car with an all-wheel drive system as capable in the snow as on a racetrack.

On city streets, however, the ride is pretty rough. Scrubbing off speed is not a problem for the Evo, with Brembo ventilated disc brakes and four-piston calipers up front.

Its tenacious grip is great for when you feel like hitting the track. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Still got the looks
I tested a Lancer Evolution GSR back in 2008, and since then the car has been left virtually unchanged. It's not necessarily a bad thing, depending on how you look at the situation.

The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo has aggressiveness written all over it with its wide-mouth grille, its hood vents, its bulging fenders, its twin exhaust pipes and its rear wing. It all perfectly suits the mainstream Lancer's angry stance. Still, a nip and tuck over the years wouldn't have hurt, if only to make the car look newer than a 2008 model.

The same issue can be seen inside. Apart from a sportier wheel and silver accents, the dashboard also hasn't changed since the Lancer's 2007 redesign, and the overall appearance doesn't feel richer than what you'd find in a base $16K Lancer DE.

The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo does get super-supportive Recaro front seats, which feature heavy back and hip bolstering. Climbing in and out of them is somewhat of a hassle (although, you eventually get used to it), but boy, once you're in you ain't moving an inch even when you're in the middle of an apex.

Mitsubishi preferred weight distribution and structural rigidity over versatility; the rear seatback doesn't fold down, and truck space is reduced to 195 litres due to the relocation of the battery and washer fluid tank. Yes, you must top up the window juice in the trunk. Good luck, and carry a funnel.

The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo has aggressiveness written all over it with its wide-mouth grille and its hood vents. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Not cheap
The 2012 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution's turbo engine and trick AWD system don't come cheap as the GSR starts at $41,998 before taxes, freight and delivery charges. A Handling Package, which adds the MR trim's BBS alloy wheels, Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks, and Brembo two-piece brake rotors, can be had for an extra $3,000.

Competitors include the Subaru Impreza WRX STI, which is a little less expensive ($38,195 base price), slightly more powerful (305 hp) and just as capable. You could also consider the less-hardcore $39,675 Volkswagen Golf R, if they haven't all been sold yet.

The future of the Lancer Evolution is still unclear; rumours mention a new-generation model with a hybrid powertrain which would be interesting and fit better with Mitsubishi's greener philosophy. Right now, the Evo is a stupendously fast machine that's brilliant on a track and a little rough around the edges on the open road. If you're in the market for one, it might be wise to shop sooner rather than later.

From GMM

Carlos Sainz, a Spanish rallying legend, thinks Fernando Alonso could one day be regarded as the greatest driver in formula one history.

The two-time world rally champion defended his countryman, amid suggestions the Ferrari driver is not the friendliest driver on the grid.

"Fernando is much more normal than people think, simply he has a lot of pressure on him at most times," Sainz, 50, told El Confidencial.

"As a driver, there is little doubt that - today - he is the best in the world, and even in the history of formula one he is one of the greatest. It wouldn't surprise me if he is recognised as the best ever once he decides to retire," added Sainz.

Sainz's son, Carlos Sainz Jr, is currently racing through the junior single seater ranks, with Red Bull backing.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, at Monaco. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

McLaren's 2013 car is being designed with Lewis Hamilton in mind, technical director Paddy Lowe has revealed.

Media speculation is rife that the team's 2008 world champion is on the verge of signing with Mercedes for next season.

But McLaren's Lowe on Wednesday sounded confident Hamilton will still be alongside Jenson Button in 2013.

"That's how we're working in terms of the design for next year," he said. "It is our assumption that they are the drivers who we will be fielding next year. We have two fantastic drivers in Lewis and Jenson and we are very keen to keep them."

But he also admitted that whether or not McLaren has to change a driver at relatively short notice is "not a huge issue" in terms of engineering and design.

Paddy Lowe, McLaren. (Photo: WRi2)

Hamilton, meanwhile, has played down suggestions his foul mood after winning last weekend's Italian grand prix was a sign he is set to quit McLaren.

"We buried my aunt that week, so she was constantly on my mind ... it has been a tough time for the family, and (I) just had a lot on my mind," he is quoted by Reuters.

"It was nothing to do with being unhappy. Trust me, I was happy," he added.

The turmoil in Europe's auto industry may present an opportunity for American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings to acquire distressed assets, new CEO David Dauch said in an interview on Wednesday.

Also in this episode: The Aston Martin DB9 gets more power and Land Rover says it can build a car smaller than the Evoque

GM is preparing to bid this week for Ally Financial's auto-lending arms in Europe and Latin America, said three people with knowledge of the matter.

2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4

The reason we wanted to test the 2012 Mini Countryman with an automatic transmission is our Four Seasons Countryman with a manual transmission didn't win a lot of friends.

The reason we wanted to test the 2012 Mini Countryman with an automatic transmission is our Four Seasons Countryman with a manual transmission hasn't won a lot of friends. Not only does the clutch suffer from less-than-ideal engagement point and a lack of feel, but our long-term test vehicle went through a clutch in less than 15,000 miles. How come? The clutch disc is too small to handle the torque of the 1.6-liter engine under boost and the engine doesn't have enough torque off boost to get the Mini off the line quickly. Even if you don't intend to abuse the clutch, it's very difficult to launch the car without slipping the clutch excessively when you're trying to move off from a stop faster than the stereotypical Prius driver.

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 - Editors' Notebook - Automobile Magazine

2012 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

A former Suzuki dealer, eight dealership employees and a former American Suzuki district manager have been indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

GM is aiming for industry-leading customer loyalty rates that could add more than $4 billion in annual revenue, product development and quality executives for the automaker said on Wednesday.

Busman's Holiday

What do real racers do on an off weekend? They go racing-in really bad race cars.

"Pit this lap. Pit this lap," Bill Riley radios to driver Jim Kasprzak as his car slices down off the 31-degree banking and crawls along the pit lane at Daytona International Speedway. "Watch for me. You will stop five pits past the start/finish line."

Photo Gallery: Busman's Holiday - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Busman's Holiday - Automobile Magazine

Busman's Holiday | Digg It | Add to del.icio.us

Shelby American is following up its 950- and 1,100-hp anniversary edition Super Snake models with something a little tamer for 2013.

Ken Lewenza, president of the Canadian Auto Workers, knows how to play the part of the tough union boss.

We've seen galleries galore of Jaguar F-Type testers running around the western United States in camo.

UPDATED: The battle over ownership of one of the 1960