Day: 10 March 2011

Mark Webber to drive F1 car across Melbourne’s Bolte Bridge

Post author By Liam
Post date 10 March, 2011
8 Comments on Mark Webber to drive F1 car across Melbourne’s Bolte Bridge

Bolte Bridge

First filed 6 March.

On Saturday 19 March, one week before the Australian Grand Prix, Mark Webber will drive a Red Bull F1 car across Melbourne’s Bolte Bridge.

It will be Webber’s second F1 bridge crossing down under, after he drove across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in his BMW Williams back in 2005 (more after the break).

Details are yet to be officially announced, but the HeraldSun says that will happen sometime in the next week. It’s expected all six lanes on the 490m long Bolte will be closed for the early morning runs. The bridge was designed by Denton Corker Marshall and has dominated the city’s western fringe since it opened in 1999.

Last year Webber participated in a similar event to promote the British Grand Prix when he drove around London’s Parliament Square.

[Source: HeraldSun | Pic: Denton Corker Marshall | Thanks to Wayne for the tip]

UPDATE 10 March: Word has come through via grandprix.com.au that the “Red Bull Run” will take place at 9:45am on Saturday 19 March. After the drive across the Bolte Bridge Webber will greet fans at Docklands’ Waterfront City.

Audi

Looks like Audi is making a more powerful TT RS “Plus”

Post author By Liam
Post date 10 March, 2011
5 Comments on Looks like Audi is making a more powerful TT RS “Plus”

Word via WorldCarFans suggests Audi has a more powerful TT RS in the works, called the TT RS Plus. Currently the 2.5 litre inline five turbo in the regular TT RS produces 250kW (340PS). According to a screen grab from an Audi parts catalogue (see below) the TT RS Plus, still with a 2.5 litre five cylinder engine, will produce 265kW (360PS). Further information reveals the TT RS Plus will start production in May this year.

It’s possible that Audi may also shed some weight from the TT RS Plus, as it did with the R8 GT. We can only hope that speculation proves correct.

Nothing official from Audi just yet, but when we know more we’ll let you know.

[Source: WorldCarFans | Screen grab: qarsi.de]

BMW

BMW USA launches 1M configurator

Post author By Liam
Post date 10 March, 2011
5 Comments on BMW USA launches 1M configurator

Thanks to BMW USA you can now build your own 1 Series M CoupÃ©. For many Australians this may be as close as they get to owning a 1M, as well. Word coming through to AUSmotive suggests the local allocation of the 1M could sell twice over.

Those of you reading this who have secured a 1M, a word of warningâ€”if you use the configurator above, try not to look at the priceâ€”it will hurt. We optioned up our 1M and it came to a feeble US$54,000. You’ll be paying around double that for the same privilege here in Australia.

[Source: BMW USA]

Motor Shows

White is the most popular car colour at Geneva

Post author By Liam
Post date 10 March, 2011

UK website Carbuzz brings us this very cool info graphic, which they claim shows all of the cars on display at the Geneva Motor Show. All 706 of them! Further enhancing the graphic, they have arranged the cars by colour.

With 200 cars in Geneva painted white it is easily the most popular colour on show. That’s almost 30%. Next is silver (133 cars), followed by blue (80), black (77) and on the list goes. Perhaps it’s not surprising that, with only 10 cars, purple is the least popular colour used.

Follow the link below to access the full 6748x7380px graphic.

[Source: Carbuzz]

Formula 1 Lotus Renault

They are Lotus

Group Lotus recently released this video, which can only be taken as the next move in the Lotus v Lotus debacle. From afar, it would seem the potential moral victors, the Tony Fernandes led Team Lotus, will be affected by this promo. The appearance and ongoing support of Clive Chapman, Colin’s son, right at the end will land a heavy blow.

That aside, it’s still an absurd position to see current day F1 drivers who have only ever driven a “Lotus” built by the remnants of a world champion constructor in Renault F1 and powered by Renault engines claiming they are Lotus.