Month: July 2011

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Christian Horner tries his hand at comedy

2011 Australian Grand Prix

In the build up to this weekend’s German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring we are reminded of the little upset Mark Webber caused at Silverstone when he chose to ignore Christian Horner’s team orders. After chasing Vettel’s tail all year, you’d expect Webber to take any chance to get one over his teammate, don’t you think?

Speaking to the BBC, Mark Webber has revealed Horner has a new show he’d like to take on the comedy circuit after the Red Bull Team Principal “guaranteed me [Webber] if it was the other way round, if Seb was closing on me, he would have shut the race down.”

Apparently, Christian recommends you try the veal; washed down with a refreshing Red Bull, of course.

[Source: BBC | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
MINI Motorsports

MINI All4 Dakar again in 2012

MINI Countryman All4

Earlier this year the MINI Countryman made its Dakar Rally debut. For a first outing the car was doing quite well, too. That’s until it crashed out in rather spectacular fashion during a test run on the rest day.

Team X-raid is following the ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again’ mentality and is readying itself for another assault on Dakar in 2012. They’ve been kind enough to share some footage of their practice sessions in South America, which you can now see after the break.

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Categories
Audi

Audi refreshes A5 model range

Audi A5

Audi has given its A5 model range a mid-cycle update with modest tweaks to exterior styling and improved equipment levels. There’s a gallery of images and Audi’s press release for you after the break. Expect to the see the ‘new’ A5 down under early next year.

Continue reading “Audi refreshes A5 model range”
Categories
Ferrari McLaren

McLaren MP4-12C v Ferrari 458 v Noble M600

Before Evo magazine discovered what they thought needed improving in the McLaren MP4-12C first they had to test it against its competitors. The most obvious rival is the Ferrari 458 Italia. For extra laughs Evo added the Noble M600 as well.

Roger Green took on the track testing duties at the Bedford Autodrome West Circuit. Above you’ll see what he thought of the 12C. After the break you’ll see his views on the Fez and the Noble. Also included is a drag race with all three cars, plus a Porsche 911 Turbo S.

Continue reading “McLaren MP4-12C v Ferrari 458 v Noble M600”
Categories
McLaren

McLaren responds to MP4-12C criticism

McLaren MP4-12C

When McLaren was hyping up the MP4-12C supercar prior to its launch they were telling us it was going to the best car ever, pretty much. Once the finished article found its way into the hands of the world’s leading motoring reviewers things began to stray from McLaren’s script.

Group tests by Car magazine, among others, found the Ferrari 458 Italia was going to prove to be the 12C’s nemesis. That was certainly the view of Fifth Gear duo Jason Plato and Tiff Needell. Although, Jeremy Clarkson disagreed, prompting Plato to share his indifference with the world.

When the hallowed halls of Evo got their hands on the new McLaren supercar they too were left disappointed. In fact, senior writer Harry Metcalfe sent off a wish list of improvements to McLaren Automotive MD Anthony Sheriff.

To his surprise, just eight days later, Sheriff invited Metcalfe to the company’s Surrey headquarters to drive the revised car. After McLaren revised the gear change, steering and induction note Metcalfe declared, “It’s vastly better.”

Sheriff replied with glee, “In F1 there’s no time to mull things over. You look at a situation, you make a decision and you get the solution on the car for the next race. In the car division we reflected the comments made, looked at alternative solutions and had them on the car within a day or two and now they’ll be going into production.

“At McLaren we have the mentality to react very quickly,” he said.

[Source: Evo]

Categories
Formula 1 McLaren

Lewis Hamilton speaks politely about NASCAR

Earlier this year we were thrilled at the opportunity to see a Formula One car drive around Bathurst. Now a similar deal has happened for F1 fans in the US with McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton and NASCAR driver/team owner Tony Stewart swapping rides at Watkins Glen.

The New York State circuit hasn’t hosted an F1 Grand Prix for over 30 years, but it’s one of those rare beasts in America that allows drivers to turn right. Indeed, the track doesn’t have an oval layout within sight.

A shame, then, that while Stewart got a ride in a real racing car all Lewis got in return was a plastic fantastic NASCAR.

There’s also a moderately amusing ad from Mobil 1 after the break.

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Categories
Porsche

991 Porsche 911 shows its backside

991 Porsche 911

Following yesterday’s news on the 2012 Porsche 911 we bring you these two spy shots of the car’s revised rear end. You’ll see the car features some sleek looking LED tail lights. Overall, though, the look is unmistakably 911.

[Pics: jokeforblog]

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Categories
Volkswagen

220hp predicted for Mk7 Golf GTI

Autocar makes it a quinella of Golf Mk7 news with word the next GTI will receive a timely power increase. Currently the Mk6 GTI has 155kW (208hp) provided by its EA888 engine. Predictions suggest Volkswagen’s boffins will fiddle with the same engine for the Mk7 GTI and increase power to around 165kW (220hp).

The current 188kW Golf R uses an older EA113 engine and it’s understood the Mk7 R will carry that engine over in the short term. However, EU6 emissions regulations due in 2014 will see the demise of the engine before a beefed up EA888 is called on for R duties.

[Source: Autocar]

Categories
Volkswagen

Sleeker look expected for VW Golf Mk7

Volkswagen Golf VII rendering

This rendering from Autocar supports their theory the next-gen Volkswagen Golf will sport a sleeker look with a more dramatically raked windscreen.

A wider track, lower roofline and seating position are also changes expected when the Mk7 Golf hits overseas showrooms in 2012. An initial debut is predicted for the Geneva Motor Show in March. Assuming that timeline is accurate then the Golf VII would likely make an Australian debut in early 2013.

It is being reported Volkswagen will introduce different, more sporty, body styling for the 3 door model compared to the volume selling 5 door model. This would be a first in the car’s 37-year history.

We can also expect to see plenty of trickle-down tech into the Golf. Things like active steering, adaptive cruise control and related systems. There’ll be a revised instrument panel and the centre stack will likely be angled towards the driver. An interesting move given the Golf’s broad appeal in left and right hand drive markets.

[Source: Autocar]

Categories
Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes GP mid-season review

2011 Monaco Grand Prix

Mercedes GP has taken a look back at the 2011 Formula One season so far. They’ve tallied up statistics on overtaking that make quite interesting reading.

For example, 623 overtaking moves have been completed so far this year. Of those, 180 have been assisted by the new Drag Reduction System.

The Canadian GP, with 136 passing moves, is the highest number we’ve seen in 2011. Unsurprisingly, Monaco, with just 22 moves is the fewest.

A total of 225 overtaking manoeuvres have been classified as ‘normal’. Of those, slightly more than 55% were made when the lap difference between the tyres on each car was less than five laps. The remaining 45% of moves were made when the lap difference was more than five laps.

The figures are as boring or as fascinating as you choose to interpret them. You can read them all after the break.

Continue reading “Mercedes GP mid-season review”
Categories
Mercedes-Benz

VIDEO: Open to enthusiasts

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

Mercedes-Benz has just released this promo clip for its new SLS AMG Roadster. To be honest, the clip does a pretty good job and, if you ask us, they could have saved Jay Leno’s plane fare. We’d still prefer a Gullwing, though.

Check out the clip below and let us know what you think.

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Categories
BMW

Inside look: How to build a BMW 3 Series

E90Post brings us a great video featuring the creation of a new BMW 3 Series. Starting off with individual body panels through to a short road test. It’s a great way to spend the next four minutes or so.

Follow the links below if you want see how to build a:

[Source: E90Post]