AutoWeek Daily Drive — Friday, November 12, 2010

HOME   |   CAR NEWS   |   CAR REVIEWS   |   RACING   |   AUTOSHOWS   |   SUBSCRIBE   |   MARKETPLACE Friday, November 12, 2010                  General Motors vice chairman Tom Stephens, Team Penske owner Roger Penske and Team Penske driver Helio... IndyCar: Penske leads Chevrolet's return to the series in 2012 Roger Penske is leading Chevrolet's return to Indy-car racing, but Team Penske won't have special or preferred engines from the manufacturer. Izod IndyCar Series officials made that point clear Friday at a news conference at Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum. IndyCar's Tony Cotman said there will be no "works" teams. To prevent that, all engines will be randomly distributed...   Nissan readies a rapid-response task force for U.S. Leaf launch Aiming to stamp out any glitches before they balloon, Nissan Motor Co. is setting up a rapid-reaction task force in the United States to troubleshoot possible customer complaints with its Leaf electric vehicle after its launch next month. The team of technicians, to be headed by about 10 lead...   Sony confirms Gran Turismo 5 release date Nov. 24. Every video gaming gearhead needs to circle that date on their calendars because this is the confirmed release date for Gran Turismo 5. Following numerous delays, the fifth installment of the award-winning franchise will hit stores just in time for the holiday season. The game...   2011 Cadillac Escalade Platinum Hybrid, an AW Drivers Log EDITOR WES RAYNAL: This is a bizarre vehicle in that it has about a $5,000 price premium over a regular Escalade and really, the biggest mpg improvement is in the city, where I averaged about 18 mpg on the weekend. I remember consistent 12s in regular Escalades, so there is some real...   Kias are the least expensive to insure; Audi and Acura, not so much The Kia Sedona tops the list, with the Mazda 5, the Ford Escape and the Hyundai Santa Fe right behind. No, it's not the “top cars least likely to be bought by enthusiasts” list, although it would fit. It's the list of the least expensive cars to insure. The most expensive vehicles ...   Tesla pursues global growth, eyes RAV4 production in California Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk says Japan will be the electric-car maker's No. 2 market after the United States and that Asia will account for a third of its global sales by 2015. Musk also said the initial batch of electric SUVs it agreed to supply to Toyota Motor Corp. will likely be made at the... You May Have Missed...   NHRA: Hagan closes on Funny Car title Matt Hagan is three points closer to wrapping up the NHRA Funny Car championship. On Thursday in Pomona, Calif., at the season finale, Hagan put his DieHard Dodge Charger at the top of the time charts and earned three bonus qualifying points over John Force, who has the Castrol High Mileage Ford...   Formula One: Pirelli continues tire testing at wet Paul Ricard Pirelli, the 2011 Formula One tire supplier, continued to prepare for its Grand Prix racing return by completing two days of wet-weather running at Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France.However, the conditions did not come courtesy of rain but thanks to the circuit’s advanced sprinkler...   NASCAR: Travis Pastrana creates team with Michael Waltrip Racing Cultural icon, action-sports star and X Games champion Travis Pastrana does, in fact, appear headed to NASCAR next year. Michael Waltrip Racing, Gary and Blake Bechtel and Pastrana have announced the formation of Pastrana-Waltrip Racing for the Nationwide Series in 2011. The Toyota-based...   IndyCar: Visit the Indy museum on Friday, meet Arie Luyendyk Visitors to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum will be in for a treat on Friday, Nov. 12, when two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk stops by to greet fans.The retired CART and IndyCar Series driver, who still holds the record for fastest average speed at Indy (185.981...   NASCAR: What you need to know for Phoenix; TV schedule Barring a meltdown of unimaginable proportions, Todd Bodine will lock up his second NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. The youngest of the three racing Bodines--brothers Geoffrey and Brett are no longer active--needs only to start Friday night's... CLICK HERE TO UNSUBSCRIBE from the AutoWeek Daily Drive E-mail or to sign up for other AutoWeek e-mail products. IMPORTANT: Please add AutoWeek.com to your E-mail Address Book to ensure you will continue to receive our newsletters. Please DO NOT reply to this e-mail. You will not receive a reply if you use this e-mail address. Crain Communications, 1155 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207.