Archive for December, 2011

Last peek at Boxster before official reveal?

// Posted in Porsche

Earlier talk of the new Porsche Boxster says we should be expecting an official reveal next month when the bright lights are shining on Detroit. We’ve already seen what is believed to be an undisguised 2012 model Boxster, which clearly shows the more dramatic side air intakes behind the rear doors. Otherwise those pics were [...]

Daniel Ricciardo Q&A interview

Daniel Ricciardo, the kid with the biggest smile in F1, has answered a few questions following yesterday’s shock announcement that he has secured a full-time drive with Toro Rosso in 2012. You can read the full Q&A interview, released by Toro Rosso, after the break, but we quite liked this answer to the question about [...]

2012 Mercedes-Benz SL finally revealed

After a couple of unofficial false starts Mercedes-Benz has now, finally, revealed its new SL roadster. The SL was first launched in 1952 and this is just the sixth-generation to be developed in that time. While the SL can probably pass as ‘Sporty’, ‘Lightweight’ is still stretching it a bit. The SL500 now tips the [...]

More Mercedes-Benz SL images leaked

More official looking images of the sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz SL have appeared on motoring websites around the globe. Oddly, none have shown up on any of the official Mercedes press portals that we have access to. So we’ve nicked a few from Evo and suggest you follow the source link below for more. While ‘SL’ stands [...]

Ricciardo to drive for Toro Rosso in 2012

In something of a surprise move Daniel Ricciardo will drive for Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2012. Joining the young Aussie will be 21-year-old French rookie Jean-Eric Vergne. The general consensus until this announcement was that Toro Rosso would not be making any changes to their driver lineup. Of course, this decision, made in partnership with [...]

Pole dancer

// Posted in BMW

As most readers will know, we’re big fans of the BMW 1M here at AUSmotive HQ. It’s hard to believe it is now over a year since BMW released official info. So it is with some pleasure we share this unofficial video with you, showing a Valencia Orange 1M prowling the streets of Poland. The [...]

CaterhamF1 logo ends Team Lotus journey

The Team Lotus journey has reached a symbolic end today with the launch of the new CaterhamF1 brand. Speaking in the final Lotus Notes newsletter Tony Fernandes says it’s now time to move on, “With Team Lotus, I would have battled to the end if I felt it was the right thing to do, but [...]

VIDEO: MINI WRC Team 2011 highlights

// Posted in MINI, WRC

MINI and Prodrive returned to the world rally stage with their Countryman WRC this year. In a staged re-introduction to the sport they took part in only six of the 13 events. Dani Sordo still managed to make quite an impact, with a third place finish in Germany and coming within 6.3 seconds of a [...]

VIDEO: 500km/h+ in the blink of an eye

Yesterday we brought you a video showing a Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 where the party piece was its rapid deceleration from 330km/h. Here, we bring you some on board footage filmed in 2009 showing the devastating acceleration of a Top Fuel dragster. The dials you see in frame were added digitally for effect and [...]

Subaru BRZ coming to Australia in May 2012?

// Posted in Subaru

Subaru Australia is set to announce plans to bring the rear-wheel drive BRZ down under, CarAdvice reports. It’s understood a limited number of BRZs will be offered from May next year. That means the six-starred Toybaru may beat the Toyota 86 to the local market. Subaru has traded off its all-wheel drive only offerings for [...]

Bathurst 12 hour now with live TV coverage

Bathurst 12 Hour organisers today announced the 2012 race will have live television coverage for the closing 90 minutes on pay TV channel Speed. The 12 Hour broadcast will start after the live coverage of the World Superbike event at Phillip Island on the same weekend. It’s expected the Bathurst broadcast will start at 4:45pm [...]

Life’s a beach

// Posted in BMW

BMW UK is back with another F10 M5 video. This time they’ve fired up the twin turbo V8 at Pendine Sands in Wales. It’s all in support of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Whatever, it just looks like a heap of fun!

Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari 312B3 on eBay

A vintage F1 car, claimed to be Niki Lauda’s 1974 Ferrari 312B3, has just failed to sell on eBay. The car had a US$1.25m reserve and attracted no bids. According to the listing the car offered for sale by racershop is chassis #15 and was used by Lauda to win the Spanish GP and Dutch [...]

AMG Performance Studio fades from red to blue

Once upon a time this pretty Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’ was a firery red colour. The AMG Performance Studio has produced a time lapse video showing the possibilities available to those with money to burn. If we were lucky enough to do just that we’d like to hope we’d pick a better colour for the [...]

Webber says Austin will be ace (and more)

Mark Webber reckons the revitalised USGP will be a success and has given his seal of approval to the track layout. “I think Austin will be a good addition,” Mark said. “The track looks sensational, they have done a good job with the layout, a lot of undulation and sweeping, quick corners which is always [...]