• Fiat chairman says Chrysler IPO would split companies

    September 26, 2013
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    A Fiat board member has expressed concern that Chrysler’s planned Initial Public Offering could split the automakers into two separate companies. Fiat has been planning to fully merge with Chrysler since becoming a shareholder in 2009.


    “If the IPO will take place, there will be two companies, and that’s different than having a single one,” Fiat chairman John Elkann told Bloomberg.

    He added that “there is no doubt” that a Chrysler IPO will alter Fiat’s relationship with the Auburn Hills-based automaker.


    Chrysler’s IPO would give the UAW’s retiree health fund the opportunity to sells its shares in the automaker on the open market. The fund, known as VEBA, holds a 41.5 percent stake in Chrysler. Fiat owns the balance.


    Fiat has spent the last several months negotiating with the UAW over the value of its outstanding shares. Chrysler’s IPO could force Fiat’s hand in paying the UAW’s asking price for its ownership stake.


    If Fiat fails to secure VEBA’s shares before the IPO, the company could lose access to Chrysler’s $12 billion cash reserve. 

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  • Nissan recalling 900,000 vehicles worldwide

    September 26, 2013
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    Nissan is recalling more than 900,000 vehicles worldwide due to an accelerator sensor glitch that could cause an engine stall.


    Nissan announced on Thursday that it is recalling a total of 908,900 vehicles worldwide because of a an accelerator pedal sensor defect. Nissan says the fault can cause the sensor to become unstable, which could result in weak acceleration or possibly an engine stall.

    Nissan says about 764,800 of the vehicles, which range from the 2004-2013 model years, are in Japan. Those vehicles include the Serena, X-Trail, Lafesta and Fuga.


    In the United States, Nissan is recalling 98,300 vehicles, including the Infiniti M.


    Nissan will remedy the problem by installing new accelerator pedals and reprogramming the engine control unit. Nissan spokesman Chris Keeffe told Reuters that the entire procedure should take about 90 minutes.


    Photo by Mark Elias.<![CDATA[
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  • First Drive: 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR [Review]

    September 26, 2013
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    History repeats itself – at least the history written by Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen.


    VW has once again brought a blast from the past back, this time in the form of the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR.

    Don’t remember the 1970s original? Just 3,500 copies of the Gelb-Schwarzer Renner (literally: Yellow Black Racer) gained legendary status among cognoscenti as one of the hottest factory Beetles of all time.


    For 2014, another 3,500 are on their way to dealers worldwide as part of the reborn GSR project, a stepping stone for VW’s R-Line of performance-oriented cars.


    Leaps and bounds

    Back in the day, the original Beetle was only capable of 50 horsepower. Flash forward to 2014, and the reconfigured and newly-toned and sculpted Beetle is now the recipient of VW Group’s 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 210 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. A bigger sibling to the new 1.8T engine found in the 2014 Passat and Jetta, it also powers the standard Beetle Turbo lineup.


    New technologies are found through the reconfiguration of the cylinder head on this front-driver. Utilizing an internal exhaust header, rather than an externally-mounted header set and combining it with coolant chambers manages to chill the exhaust gasses by 160-degrees for a more dense charge when they hit the turbocharger. The end result is more power and efficiency.


    Power gets to the front-driven wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. The entire package is tied together through a MacPherson struts package with lower control arms, coil springs and shocks in front, and a-new-for-2014 multi-link kit with coilovers at the rear that replaces the torsion beam setup from last year. The set is tied together with anti-roll bars at both ends. An electric power-assisted rack and pinion steering system helps the tillerman to point the way.


    Stings like a bee

    Then there’s that color. Bright lemon yellow, it is a direct throwback to the original. Black accents abound, including a flow-over scheme that starts on the hood, helping to hide the darkened moonroof, over a rear decklid spoiler and finally finishing up on the trunk lid.


    Black striping with GSR logos on the side and 19-inch “Tornado” wheels are icing on this R-line based cake.


    The GSR package carries over inside as well, with a leather-wrapped and numbered steering wheel, a special GSR shift knob and embroidered sports seats. Subtle yellow stitching is seen throughout and does its best to remind you this is no run-of-the-mill Bug.


    Go (not flower) power

    As VW continues to attempt to dispel the cutesy image of the (old) New Beetle, the automaker is emphasizing that its latest creation is more like a hot hatch with a retro body.


    We found the inline turbocharged four-cylinder offered great acceleration that showed responsiveness throughout the power band. Chilling the exhaust with coolant allows the use of less fuel without resulting in reduced performance.


    With turbo ducting now an integral part within the cylinder head, the engine enjoys a lower overall weight, as well. VW claims the design allows for more instantaneous response and horsepower versus the older engine.


    Offering a spirited romp through the gears from a standing start, this huffed four-banger turned in an exhilarating performance through the mountain logging roads near the Silverado trail in Napa Valley, California. The gearbox felt like a precision unit found in some of its larger, more expensive German brothers, offering correct shifting without the hunting that seems characteristic of some gearboxes from the Pacific Rim. Very precise. We wish all shifters were this good. Sixth gear felt relaxed even while climbing slight mountain grades.


    We found steering at times a bit on the light side, which we got used to as time in the GSR went on. The new suspension configuration offered flat cornering through most turns including some hairy switchbacks that had us questioning the sanity of some of the region’s highway designers. This is a confidence-inspiring chassis, even if it lacks the hard road feel of a more dedicated sporting car.


    Leftlane’s bottom line

    Volkswagen revisits a respected model from its storied past as an attempt to “butch” up its Beetle range. The 2014 Beetle GSR helps to add a dash of pepper to the R-Line lineup, even if the engine is located at the wrong end of the car (!). But time, and technology continue to move on, and the technology seen in the GSR is definitely top shelf.


    We do miss that asthmatic sounding air-cooled wheeze that used to come from the Beetles of old, though.


    2014 Volkswagen Beetle GSR base price, $30,815.


    Photos by Mark Elias.<![CDATA[
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  • First Drive: 2014 Audi SQ5 [Review]

    September 26, 2013
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    With the introduction of its new SQ5, Audi officially has a compact luxury crossover for everyone – everyone in the market for a compact premium crossover, that is.


    The new-for-2014 SQ5 is Audi’s first proper application of its performance-oriented S treatment to a crossover, and it brings with it the expected boosts in performance, handling and styling.

    In many ways, the SQ5 is a bookend to Audi’s other new Q5 variant, the diesel-powered TDI. One offers commendable fuel economy, while the other, tested here, adds some much-needed personality to a Q5 lineup that now includes a staggering five engine options.


    The S treatment

    Audi aficionados know that S, in Audi speak, means enhanced straight-line and curvy road performance. A stepping stone between Audi’s standard models and the track-honed RS range, the S treatment is available on virtually every Audi car. With the SQ5, the look and the performance have entered a new realm of crossovers.


    But SQ5 means different things to different markets. In Europe, SQ5s are powered by a high-zoot diesel engine. Emissions regulations in the U.S. mean that the Euro-spec SQ5′s engine would require an AdBlue exhaust after treatment, something Audi says it can’t integrate into the existing Q5 architecture. In its place, North American (and Chinese) SQ5s receive a supercharged V6 related to the unit used in the automaker’s S4 sedan. Note to Audi fans: An SQ5 TDI is under consideration for the next generation.


    In the SQ5, a bespoke valved exhaust system and a modest boost increase pump power up to 354 horsepower and 347 lb-ft. of torque, an increase of 82 ponies and 51 torquies, respectively. The SQ5 retains its siblings’ eight-speed automatic gearbox, which has been retuned to deliver faster, more aggressive shifts. Notably, the standard Q5′s start/stop system has been dropped. Fuel economy slides to 16/23 mpg (19 mpg combined) on premium fuel, a drop of 2 mpg; that’s not great, but it’s not bad given the power underfoot.


    Moreover, the SQ5 receives a tightened suspension, 21-inch wheels wrapped in performance rubber and larger front disc brakes. The tightened suspension is said to boast the same spring rates as the 30 mm-lowered Euro model, but our SQ5 retains the standard Q5′s ride height to comply with federal “light truck” regulations. As in other Q5s, Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system apportions 60 percent of the available power to the rear wheels unless slip is detected.


    A few platinum and aluminum trim bits spruce up the SQ5′s front fascia, while a unique rear diffuser wraps around the new exhaust system. The changes are subtle, although buyers will appreciate the SQ5′s standard sports seats wrapped in either leather or Alcantara synthetic suede. Notably, those thrones are an option on the standard Q5.


    SQ5s list from $52,795 including destination ($7,500 more than an equivalent Q5 3.0T) before any options (like navigation and a Bang and Olufsen audio system) are added, which makes them a good bit pricier than their closest rivals – the BMW X3 xDrive35i (with the M Sport package), the Volvo XC60 T6 R-Design and the Lexus RX 350 F-Sport. But the Audi offers considerably more grunt than rivals, making this the first genuinely sport-oriented compact luxury crossover.


    It’s a market that Audi thinks could account for up to 15 percent of all Q5s sold in the U.S.


    Winding byways

    We hit some of America’s best roads through the San Juan mountains and canyonlands in Colorado between Durango and Grand Junction to see just what the SQ5 is all about. Initial impressions suggested that the SQ5 was perhaps a bit tame, but this is the kind of crossover that grows on you.


    For one, we’ve lamented in the past that the Q5, while largely vice-free, was inherently lacking in the kind of personality that endears us to so many cars. Slapping on some extra power and a sportier suspension isn’t always a recipe for success, but there’s more than meets the eye with the SQ5.


    Certainly, the power is impressive. Audi quotes a 5.1-second 0-60 mph sprint, and while we weren’t able to verify that claim, the fact that the SQ5 still offered ample power over 11,500 ft. mountain passes speaks volumes to its performance at sea level.


    Left in standard mode, the ZF-developed gearbox fires off the essentially imperceptible shifts we’ve grown accustomed to (this gearbox is now found in a wide variety of vehicles ranging from Bentleys to Ram pickups). Slip it into sport mode, however, and the SQ5 comes alive. Gloriously firm shifts combined with a melodic intake growl and a throaty exhaust burble to make the skinny pedal positively addictive.


    We found ourselves using the standard steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts to make the most of every apex we encountered on the smooth, winding roads that were largely free of the slow-poke Suburbans from Texas and Grand Caravans from Nebraska typically roaming southwestern Colorado.


    Admittedly, the SQ5′s firmer suspension doesn’t bring with it razor-sharp handling, although the crossover feels highly composed and planted. Lean into corners is more pronounced here than in a sedan – or even a more dedicated hot rod crossover like the BMW X5 M. Additionally, the suspension’s travel remains sufficiently accessible for pockmarked pavement. On the steering front, the electric power unit is direct and pleasantly light at low speeds, but it serves up little in the way of road feel.


    Audi’s Drive Select system, offering four pre-set modes (normal, comfort and dynamic plus a user-customizable preset) for the electric power steering and throttle tuning, is on board. Even in dynamic mode, SQ5′s power steering is a touch light and a smidge lazy, which doesn’t quite impart the track-tuned feel some enthusiasts might demand.


    Then again, those buyers would be better served by something more like an S4 than a crossover. As it is, the SQ5 is grippy rocket ship that should prove confidence-inspiring to those looking for a balance between performance and practicality.


    Leftlane’s bottom line

    Despite its exhaust note, the Audi SQ5 isn’t a rorty hot rod. Instead, it’s a mature performance-oriented all-weather runabout (in need of winter tires if you’re outside of the sunbelt).


    Not dripping with personality, it is nonetheless an appealing swansong to a crossover that has been a positive hit with consumers. SQ5 isn’t inexpensive, but it provides worthwhile thrills over the standard Q5 for those willing to spend.


    2014 Audi SQ5 base price, $52,795.


    Photos by Andrew Ganz

  • Bentley Continental GT3 to make racing debut this December

    September 26, 2013
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    Bentley’s Continental GT3 race car will make its motorsport this December at the 2013 Gulf 12 Hours in Abu Dhabi. The Continental GT3 made its world debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.


    Since its global debut, the Continental GT3 has been undergoing a series of rigorous performance, setup and durability tests at tracks across Europe. Bentley says the Continental GT3 passed all tests with flying colors and is officially ready for its first competition.

    “The car has performed extremely well so far, and has matched or exceeded our simulations in every respect,” said Brian Gush, Bentley’s Director of Motorsport. “With 3,000 km of testing completed already, the team is very pleased with progress and we’re gaining confidence in our package. We’re all looking forward to the Gulf 12 Hours in December and can’t wait to run the car against the competition for the first time in its first test race.”


    Wearing a body similar to that of the road-going Continental GT, the GT3′s 4.0L twin-turbocharged engine is also related to the mill used in the production car. However, the GT3 is rated at 600 horsepower and makes use of a six-speed sequential gearbox.


    Bentley hasn’t campaigned a factory-backed racecar since it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2003.

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