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Renault-Nissan CEO Carlo Ghosn has set a bold target for Infiniti in Europe: boost sales to 100,000 vehicles by 2016 from 12,500 last year.

Brembo S.p.A.'s brake systems have crossed the Atlantic many times over the past 50 years on some of the world's most exclusive imported sports cars.

First Look: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo

General Motors' sprawling Milford Proving Grounds has seen plenty of bizarre creations in its eight-plus decades of operation, from Firebird turbine concepts to a V-16 Cadillac Escalade.

General Motors' sprawling Milford Proving Grounds has seen plenty of bizarre creations in its eight-plus decades of operation, from Firebird turbine concepts to a V-16 Cadillac Escalade. And now there's this: a compact Buick sedan stuffed with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine and a six-speed manual transmission.

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo - Automobile Magazine

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Ander Villarino set another dominant performance as he clinched his fourth Racecar Touring Series win out of five races in Sprint Race at Spa. Meanwhile, Romain Ianetta claimed his maiden win in Endurance Race.

Villarino, the point standings' leader, clinched pole position, He maintained his lead after the start and pulled away out in front.

The Spanish driver took the victory, leading his main championship rival Romain Thievin, while female driver Carole Perrin took her first podium finish.

Photo: Racecar Touring Series

On Sunday, Villarino was gain on pole position for Endurance Race. But this time the Spaniard was passed by Romain Ianetta, who made a great start from his fourth position on the grid.

Both drivers had a great fight for the lead, but the Frenchman man aged to stay ahead and took his first victory this season. Javier Villa took third place behind them.

Meanwhile, that was a bad day for Romain Thievin, who dropped down the field after a contact on the first lap. The incident allowed Villarino pull away on top of the standings.

It's the claim BMW made today, confirming the 3-cylinder engine would be built exclusively at the Hams Hall factory, in the Birmingham area.

Photo: BMW

"Our Hams Hall engine plant, which last week celebrated production of the three-millionth engine since the plant was opened in February 2001, will make an important contribution to the future success of the new BMW i brand and the company's strategy for achieving sustainable mobility," said BMW's Ian Robertson.

He added the 3-cylinder engine will set new performance standards in terms for fuel-efficiency and low carbon emission vehicles.

The 2+2 seater i8 concept is a contemporary sport car with hybrid technology, which combines petrol and electric power. Total power output is 349 horsepower, 0-100 km/h is reached in 5 seconds, all with 3.0L/100km fuel consumption figures.

No news yet as to how much the car will cost, or when it will go on sale.

Kurt Busch, who was suspended by NASCAR for one race, is keeping his ride with James Finch's Phoenix Racing.

The 2004 Sprint Cup champion was penalized for verbal abuse of a media member while he was already on NASCAR probation. And, in addition to the suspension, his probation was extended until the end of the year.

Finch, who runs a one-car Chevrolet team with Hendrick Motorsport equipment, sounded fed up with his driver last week saying, on SiriusXM Satellite radio, that he would have a “come-to-Jesus,” meeting with his turbulent driver this week.

Apparently after a meeting in South Carolina on Tuesday some oil has been spread on the troubled waters so to speak.

In a statement released on Tuesday Finch said “We have met with Kurt. At the end of the day, we are racers so we're going racing together with Kurt and the No. 51 Phoenix Racing Chevrolet. We know adjustments have to be made but how we fix that is between Kurt and myself. We're going to go to the track, work hard, race hard and work on trying to attract a sponsor -- and we're going to do that together.”

The last time Busch missed a Sprint Cup race happened in 2005 when he was released from the Roush (now Roush Fenway Racing) team two races before the end of the season. Busch had been with Penske Racing from 2006 until last year.

David Reutimann, who usually drives for Tommy Baldwin Racing, filled in for Busch last week at Pocono International Raceway finishing 21rst. Busch now stands 27th in the points as the Sprint Cup series heads for Michigan International Speedway this weekend.

McLaren is now officially present in Canada.

The company's boss, Ron Dennis, was on hand to greet customers and guests. The opening of this new dealership also marks the arrival of the new McLaren MP4-12C.

Photo: McLaren Automotive

"It's exciting to be launching McLaren Toronto, one of our 10 dealerships in North America. McLaren has a long history of racing in Canada, both with Formula 1 and Can-Am," Dennis said.

"To go from the racetrack to the road with our new 12C is a great moment for us, and it is very fitting that we can open McLaren Toronto in this milestone week."

Pfaff Automotive partners was selected to support the McLaren brand in Canada; it is a group specialized in luxury cars that also owns Porsche, Audi and Volkswagen dealerships in the Toronto and London regions of Ontario.

With the 12C, McLaren hopes to redefine the rules in the game of F1-inspired sports car.

What was the world's first electric car? If you are thinking Honda or Toyota, look elsewhere. You have to go back to 1899, the year La Jamais contente (the "never satisfied") was built. The inventor? Belgian Camille Jenatzy.

On April 29, 1899, the 1.5-ton car reached the incredible (for the time) top speed of 105.88 km/h.

Eventually, the petrol-powered car edged the electric car out. Yet today, this "old" technology is "in" once again. Is the electric car going to have its revenge? Maybe. Petrol stocks are alarmingly low.

2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

The advantage when you drive an electric car is that you don't need gasoline, or very little if you are at the wheel of a hybrid. Giving the rising fuel prices, it's a big advantage. So why is it that the LEAF, Nissan's 100% electric car, burns two litres of fuel per 100 kilometres?

The answer is simple.

Does 21.1 kWh/100km sound any more familiar? Probably not.

Which is why carmakers, together with government authorities, have elaborated a new standard unit of measurement, called litre equivalent (Le). It gives consumers a way to compare consumption figures of various electric cars.

According to Natural Resources Canada, a litre of gasoline has the same energy potential as 8.9 kWh. So for an electric car using 19.6 kWh every 100 km, the equivalent in litres of fuel is 19.6 kWh/100 km x 1/8,9 kWh = 2.2 Le/100 km.

"Fuel consumption" for electric cars is as following:

Brand	L/100 km (city)	L/100 km (highway)	L/100 km (combined)
2012 Chevrolet Volt (extended range)	2.5	2.5	2.5
2012 Ford Focus Electric	1.7	2.06	1.8
2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV	1.9	2.4	2.1
2012 Nissan Leaf	2.2	2.6	2.1

For more details on these models, visit www.nrcan.gc.ca

It can therefore be said that for every 100 km, your petrol-powered car will cost you an average of $11.50 (at an average of 10L/100km); an electric car with extended range will cost $2.76 and a fully electric car, $1.24.

Furthermore, the province of Québec is the only in Canada to offer, since January 1st 2012, financial aid to install a home charging station. A little something to consider.

The biggest downside to electric cars remains their short range which, around town, can become a problem. Perhaps it's not the perfect vehicle for suburban residents, but progress in that area is constant. Maybe in a few years, electric cars' average range will have improved, making battery-powered cars a very interesting alternative.

A train which doesn't stop at stations, a house-integrated capsule as a vehicle and a convoy of trucks forming a road train (see SARTRE project)... for now, this all seems to have been taken straight out of a sci-fi movie, but it could all become a reality in 25 years from now.

Alstom, a major player in the transport business, shared a video introducing its vision of things for 2035, when efficiency, economy and environment will all go hand in hand.

From GMM

Sebastian Vettel's appearance on an iconic American talkshow went awry this week when David Letterman started talking about 'DRS'.

Letterman, the Indianapolis-born motor racing fan and Indycar team co-owner, began talking to the 24-year-old German and his 'Late Show' audience about F1's drag-reduction system.

"Complicated stuff," Vettel smirked as he explained the mechanics of the rear-wing overtaking flap.

Letterman then turned the conversation to the 'DRS' zones on the circuit, and the system's activation.

Vettel intervened: "Now you make it really complicated," he grinned. "The people here have no f***ing idea what you're talking about."

Producers not only had to bleep the swear word, Vettel's mouth was also blurred.

Realizing his mistake, the Red Bull driver put his hand over his mouth and smiled: "Sorry."

But he let slip yet again when Letterman asked about New Jersey's 2013 street layout, which Vettel had sampled in an Infiniti road car earlier on Monday.

"It (the layout) looks very quick. You need some big balls I think," he grinned again, gesticulating towards his jeans.

When Vettel began speaking again, Letterman joked: "Just don't do that again, alright? I'm just glad Oprah doesn't have a show..."

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said on ferrarif1.com that Formula 1 teams had to urgently reduce their costs to avoid running into serious problems in the near future.

“The world economic situation and that of Europe in particular, is very serious and the world of Formula 1 cannot ignore the fact,” declared Luca di Montezemolo.

“We cannot lose any more time: we need to tackle urgently and with determination the question of costs. Ferrari is in agreement with the FIA's position that drastic intervention is required,” he said.

“We are absolutely convinced that, as I have always said, the teams and the commercial rights holder must work together with the Federation on this front. This is no longer the moment for getting bogged down in sterile discussions or the meanderings of engineers, usually only concerned in defending the interests of someone or other: the question has to be tackled at the highest level, without further delay,” Montezemolo added.

In a long meeting held Tuesday morning at Maranello, Montezemolo also went over the upcoming events facing the Scuderia in the 2012 championship. “I am not used to dealing with regrets as I prefer to always look forwards,” continued the President.

“In Montreal, I saw a team with a great will to win and that was seen right to the very end, maybe even taking some risks that might have been excessive. To see a Ferrari fighting for the win right to the end is just what I want to see and so do our fans. I am pleased with the progress seen over these past few races, but my thoughts and all the efforts of the Scuderia are already focussed on Valencia and then Silverstone, where we must make further steps forward,” the Italian added.

The Canadian Grand Prix is now over and the F1 Circus has left North America. But later this year, we will see F1 once again stage a race in the United States - in NASCAR country.

If everything goes according to plan.

Formula 1 left the States for some years now. There wasn't much money made with the grand prix, which back then was held on Indianapolis' superspeedway. A clash with the George family, who owned the track, eventually ended the deal.

That's why in November this year, the United States Grand Prix is coming back at Circuit of the Americas, in Austin, Texas.

Then, all of a sudden, we were told our cousins from the south would have not just one, but two grands prix, another one being in the making. That second race will be held on a new track located in New Jersey - with New York city right there in the background.

Still, many people we chatted with during the Montreal weekend seemed skeptical about those two events.

The Circuit of the Americas' official website may claim construction works are progressing well, still, several experts doubt track and facilities will be ready in time.

Plus, just like an excellent colleague of mine pointed it out, the Austin Grand Prix is scheduled on the same weekend as other major sports events - the NASCAR 2012 Sprint series showdown race for one. Where do you think every American motorsports journalists will be? At Austin to see F1, or at Miami-Homestead for NASCAR?

Things are not looking any better as far as spectators are concerned. Many professional and college teams, both in basketball and football, are in action - which decreases the number of potential spectators for Austin.

Did I mention there are no American driver or team in F1?

As far as the New Jersey venue is concerned, we don't know much about it.

We saw some shots of concrete buildings in the works, but that doesn't mean anything. They still have to put the layout down, obtain their permits, finish the infrastructures, figure out the logistics, meet the FIA's and the FOM's scope statement - in other words, a lot of work which involves a lot money.

Let's hope these two projects succeed, but don't book your plane tickets yet... Wait a little longer.

Photo: Circuit of the Americas

From GMM

HRT could finally be on the cusp of speeding off the final row of the formula one grid.

Clearly the slowest team in F1 since its 2010 debut, the Spanish backmarkers' Pedro de la Rosa actually qualified clearly ahead of both Marussia drivers in Canada.

"In Monaco we had a good qualifying and here it was even better," he said.

It was a similar story in the race, although de la Rosa was gutted to have to retire with overheating brakes.

"I am left with a bad taste," he admitted to Antena 3 television, "because this weekend has been our strongest of the season."

Pedro de la Rosa. (Photo: HRT F1 Team)

Marussia's Glock commented on the poor pace of his car in Canada: "We did not have enough time to focus on an aero package for medium downforce," he told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport.

Former Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari, however, thinks Montreal might have signalled a turning point for HRT.

Asked if he thinks the team will consistently perform better from now on, the Spaniard told AS newspaper: "Why not? The work they are doing is admirable. They are growing every weekend and now more competitive than Marussia, so I would like to send them a message of support."

Red Bull partner Infiniti and the promoters of the Grand Prix of America organized on Monday an event to make Sebastian Vettel the first F1 driver to try the new street circuit.

Photo: Red Bull Racing

With the impressive Manhattan skyline as a backdrop, Vettel completed some laps of the urban New Jersey layout at the wheel of an Infiniti road car.

After the driving, Sebastian Vettel said: "The circuit is great. One section is a bit like Montreal with a long fast straight but it's also quite up and down, which is a bit like Spa. New York is such a great city with a great energy. It's will be great to have a Formula One race here - I think there will be some good bars to go to after the race!"

Photo: Red Bull Racing

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone suggested recently that the 2013 race was in doubt.

"I don't know where these rumours are coming from, but this race is going forward," said promoter Leo Hindery on Monday to the Associated Press. "If we had any doubt we wouldn't have brought Sebastian and all these people here today."

Photo: Red Bull Racing

Giving the people what they want is generally a good idea if you want to avoid protests and riots. Thankfully, carmakers seem more open to listening to their customers than some governments are to their taxpayers.


Mazda has a gift that more often than not, provides consumers what they want; even if they did not know they had a hankering for it. Case in point: the Mazda MX-5. No one saw that one coming and for the last 20+ years, I've wanted one.

The very popular Mazda3 is an example of Mazda providing the car buying public with a little bit of everything; it looks good, drives great, and is reasonably economical and affordable.

CX-5
The 2013 Mazda CX-5 is another grand slam touchdown for Mazda. What consumers have been asking for is a compact family mover that's got style and dislikes fuel. Mazda has delivered.

The new CX-5 is cute like a French bulldog all the while avoiding looking like a teenager's first car. By far, Mazda's newest crossover has the best integrated front family smirk-fascia of the entire line-up. What makes the CX-5 appealing are its rising beltline and short front and rear overhangs; it's a modern-day hit!

Between the dual tailpipes and snout, Mazda has managed to fit in a nicely appointed although snug cabin. Presentation is spot on: layout and materials are exactly what today's discerning buyer is searching out. The airy yet busy dashboard is ripe with all the latest must-haves, including push-button start and available rearview camera.

The front seats provide plenty of comfort, but the rear bench is not as accommodating. I carried three slender adult females (wife included) in the rear and they complained about the lack of hip and shoulder room.

That's not all they protested about.

Presentation is spot on: layout and materials are exactly what today's discerning buyer is searching out. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

The thorn
Another fashionable trend has to do with many of these sport-utility crossovers being set up with uselessly stiff suspensions. The Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage are very guilty of this, but the 2013 Mazda CX-5 takes the cake and this is no prize.

My three rear passengers commented repeatedly on the poorly controlled, bouncy ride and how unpleasant the entire experience was. It is true that the vehicle's ride is overdampened and generally uncomfortable the moment the pavement replaces silky smoothness for the odd fissure and imperfection.

The compromise is exactly this: On a proper stretch of highway, the 2013 Mazda CX-5 does wonders for the driver's confidence. It holds true to its course and barely leans into curves. Handling is better than good. Ride comfort, quite the opposite.

The electric steering feels well balanced and responsive, and the brakes provide all the desired stopping power the average user could ever want.

Handling is better than good. Ride comfort, quite the opposite. (Photo: Mazda)

SKYACTIV
This technology is being touted to the world as the "future now." It represents a mix of weight-saving materials and the latest hi-tech wizardry for engines and transmissions The CX-5 and 3 are the first two products from Mazda to sport SKYACTIV-G engines.

The CX-5's only offered mill is a 155-hp 2.0L 4-pot. Although low on power on paper, SKYACTIV reduces weight and friction and increases compression and efficiency, essentially allowing more of the engine's 150 torques and horses to make it the wheels.

The 6-speed automatic transmission features more of the same enhancements. The two together prove to be well matched; however, both are short on refinement, not performance.

The motor springs to life with a rough and initially disturbing grumble. It quickly dissipates never to return until the engine completely cools off once more. The 2013 Mazda CX-5 is a far cry from being quick; however, its presentation slots it in the middle of its segment.

The point that was expected to place the CX-5 in a league of itself was its fuel consumption. I say "was" because I've managed numbers only slightly higher in vehicles with more power and with smoother powertrains, such as the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan. Be that as it may, consuming only 8.5L of fuel per 100 km is impressive.

The CX-5's only offered mill is a 155-hp 2.0L 4-pot. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Hot off the shelf
Despite any misgivings I may have about the CX-5's ride and engine/transmission combo, in certain markets of the country, dealerships are having a hard time holding onto inventory.

With a starting price of $22,995, the vehicle's got the necessary arguments to make it on the shopping list. A similarly equipped Kia Sportage is a grand less and a FWD Honda CR-V LX (only available with a 5-speed autobox) goes for $25,990. Of the three, I can tell you that the Honda is neither my 1st or 2nd choice.

My Sky Blue Mica GT AWD tipped the pricing scale at $32,495 which, once again, makes it a decent deal when compared to the others.

The 2013 Mazda CX-5 is a proper contender in this segment and deserves all the attention it is getting.

My only comment, negative as it may be, is to watch out for the vehicle's reliability. New technologies like SKYACTIV, although many of its features exist elsewhere, can be quirky, especially early on.

Ford Escape

Honda CR-V

Volkswagen Tiguan

The 2013 Dodge Viper GTS-R, set to return to competition later this year in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS), hit the track for the first time.

Marc Goossens put it through its paces at the Carolina Motorsports Park of Kershaw, in South Carolina. Everybody from within the team was very pleased with the way things went.

"Obviously it was a great feeling," Goossens said. "We had a lot of expectations there since we were all so motivated to go ahead and drive it; it did what we expected. It responded in a very positive way; it was a pretty good first test that we had there."



The fact the team had a trouble-free shakedown day is a feat in itself; many things can go wrong as the car runs for the first time, but nothing did.

"If you would have seen that car three days earlier there's no way you'd have believed that thing was going to roll off a trailer in three days to drive around the track," laughed Gary Johnson, Road Racing manager at SRT Motorsports.

Dodge Viper GTS-R. (Photo: ALMS)

Now, they all look into improving the car for its upcoming race debut.

"Over the next couple of months, we'll be at several different racetracks, several different environments to really improve the car's abilities as well as find any weaknesses or issues that could arise that could eventually cost us a poor race result or a poor race finish," further explained Johnson.

This weekend Ford Racing will show off the latest tweaks to its' 2013 Sprint Cup Fusion at Michigan International Speedway.

Ever since a car show-like unveiling of the prototype, in Charlotte in January, engineers and designers have come up with a version which shows even more similarities to the street version which includes new grille work and hood lines.

2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford Fusion

According to the Ford folks “gone is the stickered front grille from the January reveal and in its place are actual grille bars which will adorn the 2013 Cup Fusion, in addition to several other key tweaks to the front end of the car.”

“We had an opportunity to add more personality and detail to the race car,” said Garen Nicoghosian, Ford design manager in charge of the NASCAR project.

“We took advantage of this opportunity and sculpted a more aggressive front end and we added grille bars that are identical in design to the production car. We also added more detail to the fog light housings, and created a more detailed headlight area as well.

“In addition, we also sculpted a more aggressive hood, and were able to achieve a closer look to the production car. Our race car is even closer in design to the production car now, and we are very pleased with the results.”

Final designs will need NASCAR approval before the start of the 2013 season.

Toyota, Honda and General Motors have confirmed they plan to integrate Siri, Apple Inc.'s voice control technology used on the iPhone, into connectivity systems of upcoming vehicles.

First Drive: 2013 Ford Focus ST

We finally sample the spiciest Focus on the global Ford menu.

The spiciest Focus on the menu was prepared by the chefs of the Global Performance Vehicle Group in close cooperation with Ford of Europe's Team RS and the American Special Vehicles Team, SVT. "It's a one-fits-all-markets concept," explains the project leader, Dieter Schwarz. "Design, engine specification, chassis calibration, and tire choice are exactly identical, regardless of whether the car is sold in Beijing, Los Angeles, or London. We are convinced we have found a global setup that fuses performance and comfort with practicality and affordability."

Photo Gallery: 2013 Ford Focus ST First Drive - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Ford Focus ST First Drive - Automobile Magazine

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Allied Systems is back in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Decatur, Ga., vehicle transporter and 18 subsidiaries entered into bankruptcy protection on Sunday after some lenders last month submitted an involuntary Chapter 11 petition against the company.