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Aston Martin Mercedes-Benz Porsche Video

Can anything stop the GT3 winning this test?

Drive 911 GT3 v V12 Vantage S v C63 AMG Black

The Porsche 911 GT3, it’s the it car of every moment. It’s a Porsche, so you know it’ll be well built with the driver in mind more than anything else. It’s a 911, so you know it’s got a heritage other cars only dream of. And it’s a GT3, so you know it’s going to be one of the best 911s of its generation.

Can anything touch it? Chris Harris took an Aston Martin V12 Vantage S and a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series—both highly desirable cars in their own right—for a drive in the countryside to find out.

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Audi Porsche Toyota WEC

Mark Webber is an exceptional man

2014 FIA WEC season trailer

Mark Webber is an exceptional man. It’s true, this video promoting the 2014 FIA WEC season says so. While his F1 mates are starting to get busy, Mark still has a couple of months to go before his new job gets real. We can’t wait!

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Ferrari

Ferrari California T revealed

Ferrari California T

Ferrari has wasted no time in linking its production cars with the new turbo era in Formula 1 by chucking a hair dryer in the California.

It’s the first time we’ve seen a turbocharged production model from Ferrari since the legendary F40. So it’s not a decision the chaps at Modena would have taken lightly.

The merits of such a decision would have been made easier, though, once it was clear they could give the California a shedload more power and a crapload more torque. Where a shed equals 22% (412kW) and a crap amounts to 49% (755Nm).

It’s actually a whole new engine too, where the 2008 model California had a 4.3 litre V8, the model T has a 3.8 litre capacity.

Throw in the improved looks from the restyled bodywork and this new California T should be a much better car than the model its replacing.

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McLaren

McLaren 650S model name announced

McLaren 650S

McLaren inconsistent model naming regime has extended with official word its bringing a new model to the Geneva Motor Show called the 650S. Understood to refer to its peak horsepower the 650S will be a limited model sitting between the 12C and the P1. That still leaves the entry-level P13 in the pipeline too.

Aside from confirming the model name this is what else McLaren had to say:

Designed and developed to offer the enthusiast driver the ultimate in luxury, engagement and excitement, as well as dramatic yet beautiful styling, the McLaren 650S is the result of 50 years of competing, and winning, at the highest levels of motorsport.  It takes learnings from both the 12C as well as the sell-out McLaren P1™ and will be positioned between the two on McLaren Automotive’s supercar grid.

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Honda

Honda Civic Type R wait just got more interesting

Honda Civic Type R Concept

Honda has ensured the long wait for the 2015 Civic Type R has become a bit more interesting with this teaser shot of the concept model they’ll have on show in Geneva next month.

It looks pretty wild and let’s hope not much is lost in the move from concept to production line.

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Audi

Audi S1 & S1 Sportback revealed

Audi S1

Let’s say right off the bat, if this new Audi S1 is a dog to drive we’re going to be pretty pissed off. Because in almost every regard we reckon this shapes as being one of the best hot hatches on the market.

We’ve long been admirers of the A1 styling and with its facelifted details and S1 model-specific body kit this really hits the spot.

Take the quad tailpipes, for example. Often this arrangement just looks a bit too contrived, especially on a hatchback. But on this S1, combined with the reasonably aggressive rear valance, it just seems to work.

Yes, we know that it will probably have over-assisted brakes, that its steering will be a bit loose compared to its rivals and we know Renaultsport will more than likely still be king when it comes to driver involvement. But, go on Audi, prove us wrong. Please!

It is worth noting Audi has revised the front and rear suspension from the A1 donor model. The front-end gets new pivot bearings to help improve turn-in. A more dramatic change has taken place at the rear with the torsion-beam scrapped for a new four-link arrangement.

Factor in that the S1 is available exclusively with a 6-speed manual transmission—really, how good is that from a company who pioneered double-clutch boxes for the road—and the signs for this S1 are good. Very good.

Perhaps the biggest hindrance to the S1’s dynamic success will be its weight. Audi is yet to put an official figure on paper. Suffice to say the A1 1.4 TFSI Sport tips the scales at around 1200kg, add a quattro system to the S1 and it’ll be pushing 1300kg.

We don’t have a lot of technical detail to give you and have listed the key specs below. Fingers crossed this car is as good as it promises to be.

Audi S1 & S1 Sportback

  • Engine: 2.0 TFSI turbocharged four cylinder engine (EA888)
  • Peak power/torque: 170kW/370Nm
  • 0–100km/h: 5.8s (5.9s S1 Sportback)
  • Transmission: 6-speed manual (exclusively)
  • Driven wheels: quattro all-wheel drive

UPDATE: This from Audi Australia: “The Audi S1 Sportback is confirmed for Australia, and will arrive in the third quarter of 2014.”

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Formula 1

Tyres key to possible F1 qualifying changes

Pirelli P Zero F1 tyre

The current rule stating an F1 driver must start the race on the same tyres he qualified could be scrapped with immediate effect at a meeting between the FIA and the teams to be held on 21 February.

Last year, with increasing prevalence, we saw drivers choosing to sit out of the final qualifying session in order to gain free choice of tyres on which to start the race. A smart strategic move, but seeing only a handful of cars bother to set a lap time in a top-10 shootout is not a great spectacle.

According to Autosport some possible outcomes include making a driver use the tyres used to set his Q2 time to start the race. The theory being drivers will want to push to make the final Q3 session 10 rather than risk falling as low as P16 on the starting grid.

Although, from a pure entertainment viewpoint, an alternative approach to allow Pirelli to supply a dedicated qualifying tyre which is used only in Q3 has the most merit. If drivers know they can attack Q3 with impunity as far as tyre strategy for the race goes they are more likely to light up the track in the chase for pole position.

There’s also talk Q3 could be extended from its current 10 minute limit to better allow drivers to post two flying laps with less chance of coming across slower traffic.

For any of these changes to be approved all teams will need to sign-off unanimously, before being presented to the FIA and its World Motor Sport Council for ratification.

In the unlikely event that all teams put the betterment of the sport ahead of any competitive shyness the changes could come into effect before the Australian Grand Prix in mid-March.

[Source: Autosport]

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Audi Video WRC

Paying our respects to the first Audi S1

Audi UR quattro

We acknowledge that some people will be cut up that Audi is bestowing the legendary S1 badge on a pissy four cylinder hatchback. And while we do side with Audi on this one—as one of life’s great philosophers once said, “You can’t stop progress”—we hope these videos of “The S1” absolutely smashing it will appease those who aren’t happy with Audi’s decision.

It’s wishful thinking, of course, but let’s just pretend for a moment that Audi has been crazy enough to ensure the new S1 has the turbo whistle form the old car.

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Audi

Today is Audi S1 day, remember

Audi S1

This looks good!

It’s the Audi S1. See, BMW, someone is not too afraid to bring back a mismatching iconic nameplate. Anyway, official details of the S1 Sportback, emphasis on the Sportback (ie. five-door), will be coming your way later today. Until then here’s a series of leaked images.

Remember, it’s got a 2.0 litre engine, a 6-speed manual gearbox and it’s small and nimble. What’s not to like?

How long until the street version of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC hits showrooms?

[Source: autofilou | Thanks to Tim for the tip]

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Ford Holden News Toyota

Stuff the local industry, just give us cheaper cars!

Port Kembla

The Australian Automobile Association hasn’t wasted any time shedding tears for the demise of Australia’s car making industry. No, they’re starting the call for making our imported cars cheaper.

To be fair the AAA has anointed itself to represent “the interests of all Australian motorists nationally and internationally” and so giving too much thought to the origin of the cars we drive isn’t too high on its agenda. Just make them bloody cheaper!

Firmly in the AAA’s sights are the last few dregs of import tariffs charged on imported vehicles. Unsurprisingly, it is the Australian public’s thirst for imported vehicles—which nobody really wants to mention while crying over the spilt milk left by Ford, Holden and now Toyota as they get set to march their token manufacturing operations off shore—that’s a real nail in the coffin for local assembly lines.

Last year 90% of all new vehicles sold were imported; as the saying goes, money talks and bullshit walks. As a result the AAA says now is the time to lift tariffs.

“With local manufacturing coming to an end it is only fair that tariffs on imported vehicles must also stop,” said Andrew McKellar, AAA Chief Executive. “If tariffs were designed to help protect the local industry then there is no longer any justification to maintain them.”

“The removal of tariffs could save the average new car buyer between one and two thousand dollars on the cost of a vehicle,” Mr McKellar added. “The Government must use the upcoming Federal Budget to announce the end of vehicle import tariffs in order to improve motoring affordability.”

We think the people cheering the loudest over this call to arms will not be the public, but the car dealerships who will, of course, pass on any savings to the buying public. Wink, wink.

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Honda McLaren Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes and McLaren working towards split

McLaren MP4-29

Not everybody is excited about McLaren’s reunification with Honda in 2015. We can’t imagine why, the Marlboro liveried Macs reigned supreme during one of F1’s golden eras and many hope those glory days are near again.

Well, of course, if we worked for Mercedes-Benz we could probably imagine not being overly pleased. Unrequited love is never very satisfying.

Mercedes Executive Director, Toto Wolff, explains things are okay with McLaren now, but says he expects relations will shift as the year goes on.

“In these early days of the season we have a short-term target which is common—in making the power unit reliable and performing,” Wolff told Autosport. “It is welcome that we are all having an exchange and all sharing the same short term target, and this is to make the power unit last and be quick.

“How that is going to pan out during the season, that daily management of the relationship, could change obviously.”

Wolff explains Mercedes is okay with playing happy families now, but it will soon be keen to protect its intellectual property.

“There is still a fair amount of knowledge that you can share on developing the power unit,” he said. “But then there is a fair amount of knowledge that you wouldn’t want to exchange anyway because they are switching to Honda.

“I think certainly them heading off to one of our competitors is not an ideal situation.”

[Source: Autosport]

Categories
Audi

Imagine if the next Audi A4 looked this good

Audi A4 rendering

Master pixel manipulator Theophilus Chin has turned his attention to the Audi Sport Quattro and reimagined into a volume selling A4 saloon.

Wouldn’t it be cool if Audi said, “Hey Theo, that looks great! And we’re going to build it. Here’s a cheque for many thousands of Euros to say thanks. Good job!”

[Source: Theophilus Chin]

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