Auto News 5

Peter Schreyer, the German design chief of South Korea's Kia Motors Corp., normally steers clear of 'Koreanesque' styling in his cars, as a matter of principle.

Meritor Inc., the commercial-truck, trailer, defense and automotive aftermarket supplier, said today it was fined $100,000 earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security for 14 export violations.

The FIA and the World Rally teams have confirmed today, Thursday that the Jordan Rally will be held as scheduled from April 14-16.

Last December, we reported that Hyundai was looking to give a new brand name to its premium models, like the Equus and Genesis, in an effort to directly rival Lexus (Toyota) and Infiniti (Nissan).

Although there is a report that Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 Formula Champion will test on Monday at Gresham Motorsports Park in Georgia, Kyle Busch Motorsports Tundra team officials would not confirm or deny that report.

According to the online forum CommanderBond.net and one of its members, sloppy_joe007, reportedly working for Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, actor Daniel Craig will be driving a Tata Nano in the upcoming Bond film.

Much like Toyota, Honda is slowly but surely getting back on its feet after the massive earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan a few weeks ago. The automaker announced today that beginning Monday, April 11, limited production of finished automobiles will resume at the Sayama and Suzuka plants, exactly one month after they were forced to shut down.

Spring is here, the snow is melting and the birds are singing. If you're itching for a new car or truck, you're not alone. Every year, light vehicle sales increase sharply from February to March, and this year, sales skyrocketed by 60%. Quite a jump.

An unfortunate incident occurred during the 6th edition of the Arctic Route Adventure. The convoy of Porsche Cayennes are making their way from Vancouver, BC to Anchorage, Alaska, including a stop up in Deadhorse which marks the end of the northbound highway.

For 2013, the FIA has called for the usage of new, 1.6-litre, four cylinder turbo engines in Formula 1. Hordes of fans and Bernie Ecclestone are opposed to such as move, saying that F1 must remain the pinnacle of motorsport.

In Canada, each province and territory taxes fuel at the pump to finance sectors in need. The imminent arrival of electric vehicles (EVs) is preoccupying many leaders, as several analysts believe they will replace heat engines in the not-so-distant future. In order to keep up a steady stream of revenue, the government of Alberta is toying with the idea of applying an 8% tax on the purchase of EVs.

To keep the highway death toll to a minimum and enforce the safety code, Transport Canada is currently studying the possibility of the mandatory inclusion of a black box in all vehicles sold in the country from 2016 onwards.

Shayne Wilbur, physics professor at the University of Oskaloosa in Iowa, has published the results of a study that might make consumers think twice about purchasing an electric vehicle. After analyzing the electromagnetic fields produced by the batteries used to power EVs, he concluded that driving an electric vehicle for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes daily can lead to complete infertility in a little over three years.

Taking the top off a Jeep Wrangler is cool, and the workout required to go topless is part of the charm. But this? We haven't seen a convertible truck this offbeat since the Dodge Dakota droptop (we're not making this up).

There are some hidden ''gems'' in today's mine of compact cars. The 2011 Suzuki SX4 Hatchback is one of them. Many drivers don't even know about it, thinking that Suzuki only builds motorcycles and ATVs. It's not their fault: the company's advertising money is largely spent on motorcycles and ATVs - not cars - leaving dealers in a vicious circle that makes it that much harder to promote interesting products like the SX4.

Sebastian Vettel has revealed he is no fan of KERS or F1's planned switch to a four-cylinder engine format in 2013.

2011 GP3 championship drivers had three last days of testing at Silverstone before the beginning of the season in Istanbul in May.

At the 2011 Seoul Motor Show, Hyundai unveiled the Blue2 (read: ''Blue square'') concept vehicle, the Korean automaker's first sedan-style Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) powered by hydrogen, which reflects its ''New Thinking, New Possibilities'' philosophy.

The new moveable rear system is the "most stupid idea" formula one chiefs have ever implemented.

Las Vegas is known for many things; gambling, eternal sun and monumental hotels and shows. Also, and this explains why Vegas is also referred to as "Sin City", there are the girls. The annual SEMA is not only a gathering of gearheads and accessory freaks, there are also many, well, girls. Here is our Top 10 girls from past SEMA shows.