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160km/h... 170km/h... 180km/h.

These kinds of speeds in Canada -- on the open road -- would probably land me in prison (if I got caught). I'd probably lose my licence for a period of time and have whatever media vehicle I was driving, impounded. I'd cry profusely. Then I'd cry more, and I'd likely have to get a "normal" job until they let me drive again! That's not my idea of fun.

Nevertheless, when in Germany those kinds of speeds are business as usual. That's if your vehicle can handle it. Heck, even cars that were falling apart at the seams were vigorously hauling butt down the various roadways with no posted speed limits.

Deciding to take the phrase "when in Rome (aka Germany)" to heart, I did as the Deutsch do and hauled butt along with the rest of the capable motorists.

Photo: Alexandra Straub

It was quite fantastic.

Allowing me to experience the glory of open-road, high-speed driving was the 2013 Audi Q5 luxury crossover. A recent media event took me across the Atlantic to Munich, Germany, where a group of Canadian and international journalists got a taste of Audi's refreshed product, due out in October.

Taking the all-wheel drive vehicle around the various towns and villages in the Bavaria region was wunderbar (German for "wonderful"'). Furthermore, the combination of speed-limitless driving,which were then honed in by speed zones of 30km/h were quite the juxtaposition.

And while straight stretches are fun for a while, the meandering roads through the townships, combined with large churches set to a backdrop of bright blue sky made my drive time even livelier.

During a photo shoot with the Q5, the warm summer air combined with a gentle breeze made me feel a little more energized, especially after enduring a long flight in an air-conditioned plane.

Although I enjoyed piloting the Q5s, I thoroughly enjoyed being a passenger as well. Soaking in the sights of southern Germany through the comfort of the front seat was not a bad way to spend my time. The cuteness and quaintness of the surrounding domiciles added to the local charm that was already present. People watching was also quite entertaining.

However, when in Bavaria there are two things that must be experienced that aren't driving related: schnitzel and Haribo gummy bears. I recommend eating them separately, but do as you please.

Having been a schnitzel lover since I could eat, any opportunity to eat deep-fried, breaded meat cutlets is most welcome. Served with my favourite starch, potatoes, life couldn't get much better.

And on the note of gummy bears, years ago when I lived in northern Germany, I made myself sick by eating copious amounts of Haribo candy. I don't think I touched the sugary goodness for years after that. Nevertheless, I'm back on the candy wagon and I'm right where I left off, and my dentist loves me for it!

Long-time V8 Supercar team Stone Brothers Racing will merge with Erebus Motorsport to run three AMG E Class V8 Supercars in the V8 Supercars Championship from 2013.

The agreement, which has been almost a year in the making since its initial concept in early 2011, is a reality with the newly formed team operating under a Customer Sports Program of AMG.

The announcement was made in Melbourne today by Stone Brothers Racing owner Ross Stone, Erebus Motorsport owner Betty Klimenko, Erebus Motorsport CEO Ryan Maddison and V8 Supercar Chairman Tony Cochrane.

Betty Klimenko and Ross Stone. (Photo: Australian V8 Supercar series)

Erebus Motorsport has been dominant in the Australian GT category with Mercedes-AMG's SLS AMG GT3 racecar.

Stone Brothers Racing this morning announced it will be ending its partnership with Ford after a relationship that began when the team was first formed in 1998 and won three V8 Supercar Championships with Marcos Ambrose and Russell Ingall.

The Erebus Motorsport-SBR alliance was made possible under the Car of the Future program. The new 2013 cars will run 5-litre engines with their own bodywork over the COTF spec chassis.

Office employee during the week, Bianca Martin steps into sportsbike racing mode on the weekend. This is a woman who is truly fascinated by her pastime on the track.

As a volunteer rider for an organization called Trackfever, Bianca watches out for the safety of track participants and makes sure everyone respects safety regulations. Plus, she acts as a guide for those with little experience riding the circuit.

"I used to go motorcycle riding with my dad when I was a kid," says Bianca. "So, it was only a matter of time before I got my licence and bought my own bike."

Photo: Filip Bertrand

Full of determination, she enrolled in a track riding course... just 2 days after obtaining her licence. Bianca has been nuts about sportsbike riding ever since. So much so, that now a full decade later she's ever-present at the track, but has practically given up on regular road riding.

"When Trackfever's founder Céline Gignac, asked me if I wanted to work with her in 2008, I accepted at once because that meant I could help others enjoy my favourite pastime as well."

According to Bianca, the women she meets at the track fall into one of two categories: first, there's the group who appreciate having a woman to assist them because it means they can go at their own pace, without anybody pressuring them. On the other hand there are those women who absolutely want to compete with the guys, to prove they're just as capable of winning as any man. Indeed, Bianca puts herself squarely in this second group.

"I was very proud, and I always wanted to perform and show them that I was at their level," she continues. "At first, I was under a lot of stress and always on edge. But as I got older and more experienced, I eventually realized that the important thing was to have fun, regardless of what others thought."

Bianca's integration into the team went smoothly. The guys working alongside her readily accepted her into the group and everyone gets along well. There's the odd tasteless joke here and there, but that's about it.

Photo: Filip Bertrand

"It's all good-natured fun... nothing nasty about it, and everybody gets a good laugh, me being the first," she points out.

And as for any rider who is nonchalant about safe riding, she quickly puts them in their place. Bianca doesn't think that the fact that she's a woman makes a participant react differently. And that's because if the warning comes from a male colleague the reaction from the participant, whether good or bad, is the same.

Bianca is the only female safety officer at Trackfever. She knows of other women who hold similar positions in other organizations, but as far as she can figure out they are few and far between.

To all those who want to follow Bianca's example, she offers this piece of advice: "You shouldn't be shy about stepping up. If you want to do it, you can do it. Just set aside any negative feelings that might pop up along the way. And don't forget; at the end of line, we're in the sportbike game to have fun -- and plenty of it. "

Alex Zanardi won two gold and one silver medals at the 2012 London paralympic games in a hand bike that has been produced by race car manufacturer Dallara.

Photo: Dallara Automobili

Dallara published a press release to explain the manufacturing process. Interestingly, the hand bike chassis has been created in Varano with the same methods and processes used for developing a race car.

The process of development closely mirrored that of a race car: once both he and his bike were scanned to produce a 3D model, there followed an in-depth study of aerodynamics using advanced CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics), aimed at the development the final form of the bike.

Photo: Dallara Automobili

With this stage completed, structural analysis using FEM methods (Finite Element Methods) are applied, as well as many laboratory tests.

A prototype mannequin was constructed during the development process to help determine the best driving position with the final design and first prototype ready in July, followed by the definitive hand bike.

Alex accomplished only one test of his new Dallara, on August 1st. Then he was off to London where he win three medals.

Photo: Dallara Automobili

Carpooling is an increasingly popular way of commuting. In fact, a number of companies are offering this service to their employees. Commuters in Montreal and Quebec City will also be happy to learn that a new multimodal ride sharing platform is currently being launched. Called Netlift, it's the only one in the world that allows people to link a carpooling route with a public transit route.

How does it work? First, Netlift members request a route through the website or mobile app. A driver agrees to pick them up using the same website or app. Passengers then confirm their departure and later their arrival by clicking on the corresponding button - or they can specify ''transfer'' when they choose to use public transit to extend their commute. Surprisingly, they're the ones suggesting a reasonable charge for the requested trip, with 70% going to the driver and the other 30% to Netlift.

Photo: Netlift

But wait, it gets even more interesting: Multi-time passengers (10+ commutes per month) collect CO2 credits that increase their driver's share from 70% to 85%!

''Both passengers and drivers can positively and significantly reduce CO2 emissions from transportation, one of the leading causes of global warming,'' says Netlift founder and president Marc-Antoine Ducas.

You can do a quick search on Facebook to find out if some of your friends are Netlift members. It's also possible to rate users based on their punctuality, courtesy, reply time and other such criteria. This helps develop a sense of trust and dependability on both sides.

Some of the companies and institutions that are part of Netlift include Montreal University, HEC Montreal, Polytechnique Montreal, Dale Parizeau Morris Mackenzie as well as the Quebec Metro High Tech Park. Others are currently in talks to join Netlift and help attract a total of 600,000 users in the first year including 2,000 regular users. The plan is to double the network within two years.

Netlift	Auto solo	Public Transport	Train (5 AMT zone)
$0,06 to $0,10 per km	$0,10 to $0,45 Per km +parking + toll	$121 per month ($6,00 per day)	$142 per month (TRAM)
$2,75 per ride $5,50 per day	$4,00 $ to $18,00 per day	$7,00 per ride (unitary)	$3,50 per ride $7,00 per day

''Netlift banks on social commuting by offering a dynamic multimodal platform to reduce vacancy on the road, maximize the use of reserved traffic lanes and fight global warming,'' explains Ducas. ''Netlift stands as the most intuitive and user-friendly carpooling app on the market.''

With sustainable mobility becoming more important than ever, here's hoping that this initiative will expand into the rest of Canada and beyond.

Source: Netlift

From GMM

Lewis Hamilton has admitted to a level of confusion surrounding his future in formula one.

The 2008 world champion is a long-time protege of the McLaren team, but he has refused to deny intense media speculation he is considering moving to Mercedes for 2013.

Some insiders believe the 27-year-old is simply trying to push up his retainer and negotiate better contractual terms, while others think he is under pressure from his entertainment manager Simon Fuller to cash in on the association with the global Mercedes brand.

Amidst the saga, Hamilton seemed unhappy and uncomfortable after winning the recent Italian grand prix for McLaren, and he has now told CNN he is also feeling confused.

Team McLaren celebrating Hamilton's win at Monza. (Photo: WRi2)

"I don't know what the future holds, particularly," he said. "There is so much speculation, and even in my mind I'm kind of like 'what's going on, what's going on?' "

"But you know, as I said, just keep the eye on the ball and win the world championship," added Hamilton. "It's very difficult to leave any space to think about anything else. So I have to leave that to people who are working with me."

Lewis Hamilton insists he needs to direct his full focus towards tracking down championship leader Fernando Alonso, who enjoys a 37 point advantage in the drivers' title standings with seven races to go.

"Fernando is a two-time champion, and he's the best there is," said the Briton. "So to catch him and overtake him is a huge, huge tall order, but not impossible."

The Porsche 918 Spyder official brochure has been accidentally leaked and Teamspeed has just posted pictures of it through German Car Scene.

Four matte colours and six metallic colours will be available in addition to two special body paints that will each carry a premium of €50,000 (approx. $63,500). Of course that won't stop the lucky few who have nearly one million dollars to spend on a supercar like this. What's more, Porsche will offer two racing packages including the famous Martini Race.

The 570-horsepower V8 under the hood teams up with a pair of electric motors to boost total output to 770 horsepower - good for 0-100km/h in 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 325 km/h. Yet, the Porsche 918 Spyder achieves a ridiculous 3.0L/100km!

Inside, alcantara and carbon trim pieces exquisitely blend together. There are no armrests, door bins, climate control unit and stereo. As a result, the car is 35 kg lighter at 1,160 kg.



Source: German Car Scene

From GMM

Eric Boullier has admitted it is unlikely Jerome d'Ambrosio will make another appearance on the grand prix asphalt in 2012.

Lotus' Boullier-managed Belgian reserve driver replaced Romain Grosjean at Monza recently, while the team's French regular served his one-race ban.

Jerome d'Ambrosio leading a group at Monza. (Photo: Lotus F1 Team)

D'Ambrosio is the team's official reserve driver, who at the start of the 2012 season was slated to make some Friday morning practice appearances in the black Lotus.

But the E20 was ultimately so impressive that Kimi Raikkonen is now charging for the title, and Grosjean race wins.

It's for that reason that team boss Boullier has sidelined d'Ambrosio for now, even though he insists the 26-year-old performed impressively at Monza.

"Jerome lost KERS at the start of the race and around Monza that is a big, big loss. In lap time it is nearly a second," Boullier is quoted by the Telegraph.

"He did a very nice job. I was very satisfied."

So does that mean the former Virgin driver might be given another chance to drive the 2012 Lotus, perhaps during a Friday morning practice session?

"I don't think it's under consideration," Boullier answered.

"If we can afford to do it, we will do it, but with the championship being so close we want to fight and use any resources or means we can to give us all the chances to do well."

Transport Canada has just published a recall on 120 units of the 2013 Chevrolet Sonic. Some of them may not conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 - Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.

When a turn signal lamp fails to operate, the Body Control Module (BCM) in these vehicles does not detect this condition and won't alert the driver. As a result, the driver's intentions to turn may not be conveyed clearly to other road users, increasing the risk of an accident.

Owners are advised to visit their Chevy dealer to have the BCM and the vehicle's key fobs reprogrammed.

Source: Transports Canada

Photo: General Motors

The 2012 Paris Auto Show (September 29-October 14) will feature the world premiere of the third-generation Kia Rondo. With seating for up to seven, this compact minivan boasts a more modern platform and targets families with an active lifestyle who don't want to compromise between style and practicality.

"The new Rondo builds on the family-friendly versatility and functionality of its predecessor, and features more athletic and visually dynamic design," says Hyoung-Keun Lee, Vice Chairman and CEO of Kia Motors Corporation. "This marks a dramatic shift forward for our MPV contender and brings the model in line with Kia's distinctive current design direction."

The Korean automaker will also use the Paris Auto Show to unveil its all-new pro_cee'd (another world premiere) as well as the 2.0L Optima Hybrid sedan and the upgraded European version of its Sorento SUV.

Photo : Kia

The highly anticipated, completely redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion will arrive at Canadian dealerships later this fall with attractive pricing for the various models, the automaker announced.

Photo: Ford

2013 Ford Fusion MSRP

Fusion S FWD (2.5L iVCT engine)	$22,499
Fusion SE FWD (2.5L iVCT engine)	$24,499
Fusion SE AWD (2.0L EcoBoost engine)	$28,799
Fusion Titanium AWD (2.0L EcoBoost engine)	$33,999
Fusion Hybrid (2.0L I4 Atkinson engine)	$29,999
Destination and Delivery	$1,550

Consommation d'essence

	Transmission	City L/100 km	Highway L/100 km
Fusion FWD 2.5L iVCT	6-Speed Auto	9.2	5.8
Fusion FWD 1.6L - I4 GTDI	6-Speed Man	8.0	5.3
Fusion FWD 1.6L - I4 GTDI	6-Speed Auto	8.7	5.5
Fusion FWD 2.0L - I4 GTDI	6-Speed Auto	9.2	5.9
Fusion AWD 2.0L - I4 GTDI	6-Speed Auto	9.5	6.3
Fusion Hybrid 2.0L - I4	CVT	4.0	4.1

According to some rumours that circulate in Europe, Nasser Al Attiyah would leave the Citroen Racing World Rally Team after the Rallye de France. That would also mean that the investment fund of Qatar, a major sponsor, would also leave the French car manufacturer.

The Qatar World Rally Team, which runs a DS3 WRC for 2011 Dakar winner Al Attiyah was apparently ready to purchase the entire operations of Citroen Racing. But the relationship between the two partners has mysteriously cooled down since.

Al Attiyah would prefer giving priority to the Dakar and to the Middle East Rally Championship instead of the FIA World Rally Championship.

Photo: Qatar World Rally Team

Addtional rumours suggest that Al Attiyah would leave Citroen after the French round, and would be in talks with Ford to purchase a Fiesta WRC to race in the Middle east.

The Qarat investment fund would therefore also leave the WRC and follow his favorite driver in his new projects. Al Attiyah would have two or three Dakar vehicules currently under construction in California.

The withdrawal of such an important sponsor would leave Citroen in a difficult financial position. Addtionally, it seems more and more likely that Sebastien Loeb will put an end to his rally career at the end of the season.

We should know more soon during the international auto show in Paris.

The three 6-member teams entered by Auto123.com in the 48-hour bike marathon for the Make-A-Wish foundation collected nearly $15,000 for the sick children.

For the second year in a row, Auto123.com participated in the three-day event held at the Gilles Villeneuve Formula 1 Circuit in Montreal.

One last lap after 48 hours of efforts! (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Teams made up of six members each took turns around the 4.4km race track -- and each one rode for a minimum of eight hours (day and night) and raised a minimum of at least $600.

Making a sick child's dream come true is to provide not only hope and joy, but also a reason to keep fighting. What kind of dreams are we talking about here? Well, something magical and something that any normal kid wishes for: a long vacation with their family, meeting an idol, doing a photoshoot, swimming with dolphins, etc.

Our three teams collected a grand total of $14,925 this year.

The pit lane of the Gilles Villeneuve circuit looking like Le Mans! (Photo: Philippe Champoux)

Every participant was delighted by the experience... despite the fact that some legs are still in a bit of pain! It's not easy to get up at 3 a.m. to ride a bicycle in the pouring rain as was the case on Friday night, followed by a frigid night the next.

However, despite the pain, the lack of sleep, the difficult conditions, and the general fatigue, the 1,000 bikers from 152 teams never stopped smiling. Man or woman, young or old, athlete or occasional biker, we were all delighted to give our very best for the sick kids and rise a grand total of $1,077,000, smashing the objective set at $1 million!

(Photo: Philippe Champoux)

A big thank you to the members of Auto123.com who took part in the bike marathon (in alphabetical order): Jacques Bérubé, Philippe Champoux, Ghislain D'Amour, Sophie Engels-Fortier, René Fagnan, Frédéric Feudi, Jacqueline Fillion-Robin, Mathieu Germain, Maxime Gibeau, Maud Goudreau, Guillaume Jacques, Peter Kovalcik, Marie-Ève Leroux, Josée Paquet, Martin Paquette, Yan Renaud, Guillaume Serrat and Roxanne Thomas.

China said it has been made a victim of U.S. electoral politics after Washington launched an international trade case alleging that Beijing has been unfairly subsidizing automobile and auto parts exports.

Ford priced the redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion mid-sized sedan starting at $22,495, including shipping.

India's Mahindra and Mahindra today opened a technical center in suburban Detroit, the conglomerate's first in North America.

Also in this episode: The new Lexus LF-CC concept is set to make its first appearance at the

The 2013 Aston Martin DB9 is getting a power boost thanks to parts and pieces from under the hood of the upcoming Vanquish.

Lexus will introduce the LF-CC hybrid coupe concept at the 2012 Paris auto show this month as the luxury marque's product overhaul continues.

Concours d'elegance events offer enthusiasts an opportunity to celebrate classic automotive design and culture, but they are often missing one crucial element: motion.