Archive for August, 2010

Gold fever

When the BMW X5M was launched AUSmotive said the car had a heart of gold. This was a label based on the strength of the engine found beneath the skin that insidious beast. Well, sadly, now someone from Russia has given the X5M a matching coat. The part gangster, part short film, and, let’s hope, [...]

Audi RS7 rendering

// Posted in Audi

Following the recent launch of Audi’s new A7 Sportback it hasn’t taken long for the Photoshop gurus to create an RS version. Here is an RS7 rendering produced by dacim12 from DeviantArt. It’s all pretty straightforward stuff; take a regular A7 shot, add some well-known RS styling cues, mix it altogether with some elite pchop [...]

More Porsche 918 Spyder driving footage

With the recent appearance of footage showing the Porsche 918 Spyder in action it seems Porsche design boss Michael Mauer was feeling left out. But, as you can see from the pic above, Herr Mauer eventually got his way and found some one on one time with the 918 and some open road. In the [...]

Lancia prepares to enter new Stratosphere

// Posted in Lancia

In the motoring world the words Lancia Stratos ignite many fond memories. Huge rally success etched the model into immortality. Imagine, then, the good will that would accompany an all-new Stratos. The response would be, well, stratospheric. Indeed, this is exactly what we are witnessing now that news has emerged that a one-off Stratos recreation [...]

Fifth Gear on the new Saab 9-5

It’s been almost six months since the Saab 9-5 began production under its new owners Spyker. The car is now on sale and reviewers are stating to file their reports. Can the new 9-5 usher in a new era of stability for Saab? Can the 9-5 shed its humble GM origins? More importantly, and more [...]

Early details for next Porsche 911

// Posted in Porsche

The new 2011 Porsche 911 (991 model code) will be a ground-up transformation over the existing 997 model. It will be up to 50kg lighter, feature all-new suspension geometry and the rear axle will be pushed back by around 75mm. This will offer more interior space, but will also afford a more optimum mounting position [...]

Treedom fighter

If you had the cash to buy yourself a Ferrari 458 Italia I bet you’d be pretty happy with yourself. What, then, if you drove it into a tree the next day? That’s exactly what happened to this poor 458. There are some practical lessons we hope we never have to learn. It looks like [...]

Porsche 918 Spyder: Hear that sound

// Posted in Porsche

US publication Road & Track brings us a first sound bite of the Porsche 918 Spyder. Actually, looking at the screen cap above, you get a great sense of the car’s size and, of course, of its perfectly formed side profile. Its near on perfect! The current 3.4 litre V8 in the prototype doesn’t sound [...]

New info on the Porsche 918 Spyder

In late July word came through that Porsche had signed off on production for the stunning 918 Spyder with hybrid drive. Now a prototype 918 is touring the United States. It is understood the car will be on show in California and Florida only. A series of images apparently taken before the California event have [...]

Top Gear, Season 16 – due to start in early 2011

// Posted in Top Gear

UPDATE 2 January 2011: Season 16 is scheduled to start on 23 January [more…]. – Fans of Top Gear will have to wait until early next year for Series 16 to go to air. The news was published in the above snippet taken from the UK version of Top Gear magazine (September 2010 issue). Traditionally, [...]

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 photo gallery

Good news for wannabe track day heroes, Mercedes-AMG GmbH are now taking orders for their SLS AMG GT3 racer. If you do want to kick sand in the faces of the Audi and Porsche kids you’ll need to cough up €334K plus taxes. That’s around half a million bucks in Aussie dollars. Deliveries are shceduled [...]

Ferrari 458 Challenge testing at Fiorano

// Posted in Ferrari

German publication auto motor und sport have posted up video footage of the Ferrari 458 Challenge undergoing allegedly secret testing at the company’s Fiorano test track. It’s all pretty straightforward really, so watch the clip below and marvel at the clinical efficiency the 458 Challenge displays.

VIDEO: Monster Tajima climbs Pikes Peak

Falken Tyres have been kind enough to post video of Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima’s assault at the 2010 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Tajima was at the wheel of a Suzuki SX4 and the little pocket rocket you see above has a massive 910 horsepower. Tajima made the most of all that power, too, by winning [...]

VIDEO: David Coulthard, the Isle of Man and the SLS AMG

The combination of ex-Formula One driver, revered tarmac and Mercedes’ latest supercar is one well worth savouring. Indeed, Mercedes-Benz made a 3D film about the experience. You can watch the old-skool 2D version featuring David Coulthard after the jump. There’s also a mini making of documentary, too, which is well worth a look. You might [...]

Leaping Webber goes viral

After Mark Webber won the British Grand Prix in July he celebrated on the podium with what now seems to have become his trademark crab-like leap. The crab-leap made a re-appearance at Hungary, too. In true internet stylez a few wags have taken an idea and run with it to create a new e-phenomen. Sourced [...]