Month: August 2011

Categories
Ferrari Formula 1

John Surtees & Fernando Alonso shoot the breeze

John Surtees and Fernando Alonso

In the build up to this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix we’re sure you’ll enjoy this video with John Surtees and Fernando Alonso sharing their thoughts about the famous Spa-Francorchamps circuit.

Surtees is the only man to win a world championship in Formula One (Ferrari: 1963) and 500cc Grand Prix racing (MV Augusta: 1956, 1958–1960). Alonso, of course, has two F1 championships to his name (Renault: 2005, 2006). He will be elevated into true hero status if he can reach the summit with Ferrari.

Getting a couple of world champions together, plus some on-track action, filming it all; the costs add up. See if you can work out who picked up the tab.

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Categories
Ferrari

OFFICIAL: Ferrari 458 Italia Spider

Ferrari 458 Italia Spider

Ferrari is another to release new info of their latest model following the recent appearance of leaked photos. So, here is the official news on the 458 Italia Spider, plus a handful of pics.

It is simply spectacular! The Spider may even look better than the hardtop. It’s certainly more dramatic and, with the roof off, it makes it easier to get away when your beautiful 458 catches on fire.

The Spider weighs in at 1430kg, some 50kg heavier than the regular 458 Italia. That means you’ll need to allow an extra few tenths of a second to get to 100km/h. But if you put all the electronic gadgets to the right setting you’ll still be launched to the highway limit in around 3.5 seconds, thanks largely to its 4.5 litre V8 spitting out prancing horses at the rate of 425kW.

The Ferrari 458 Spider will arrive in Australia at the end of 2012, when prices and specifications will be announced.

There’s more after the break, including a short video showing off the Spider’s folding metal roof.

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Categories
Porsche

OFFICIAL: 2012 Porsche 911 (991) revealed

2012 Porsche 911 (991)

Following last week’s leaked images Porsche has lifted the veil on its all-new 911. While many wags will joke that nothing has changed, Porsche appears to have done a great job in managing the balance between heritage and progress (see our 991 v 997 comparison for more).

Aside from minor gripes about the wheel design and front LED styling we think the 991 is a great looking 911. The shapes around the rear wheel arch are unmistakably 911 and the side profile leaves nothing to chance.

Porsche generally take a less is more approach to their official material and as a result only basic details and just 13 images have been revealed to date. That’s not much when you consider this is just the third genuinely ‘all-new’ 911 since the original model in 1963 and the 996 in 1998.

Of course, the 991 will make its public debut in Frankfurt Motor Show (15–25 September). But the order book opens before then on 1 September and deliveries will start in early December. We’re not sure how much longer Australian buyers will need to wait, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see new 911s in local dealerships before the end of Q1 2012.

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Categories
Subaru

Subaru ‘BRZ Prologue’ coming to Frankfurt

At the Geneva Motor Show in March this year Subaru showed off its ‘BOXER Sports Car Architecture’ (pictured above). But they didn’t really give much else away. Now, they tell us their new rear-wheel drive sportscar will be called the BRZ and a Version II concept will be revealed at Frankfurt next month.

Oh, if you’re wondering, those letters mean: B for Boxer, R for rear-wheel drive and Z for Zenith, of course.

For those playing at home this is the ‘Toybaru’ platform being developed in conjunction with Toyota, who have called their car the FT-86 and we’ve already seen concepts in Australia (Sydney 2010 and Melbourne 2011).

Production of the BRZ will start in the second half of 2012 and a decision on whether it will be sold in Australia will be made later this year. So, fans of all things Subaru, if you want to see this car down under get in touch with your local dealer now and tell them you want in!

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Categories
Formula 1 Renault

Eddie Jordan says: Heidfeld out, Senna in

Bruno Senna, Lotus Renault GP

Lotus Renault GP will replace F1 veteran Nick Heidfeld with reserve driver Bruno Senna for this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix, according to BBC commentator Eddie Jordan. Although nothing has been confirmed by the team as yet.

Senna made an unspectacular debut in 2010 with the struggling Hispania Racing Team and crossed to LRGP in the off-season. He was hopeful of securing a drive following Robert Kubica’s rally accident, but missed out when the team opted for Heidfeld’s experience. However, Senna’s persistence and patience has paid off, it would seem, as we will once again see a Senna racing in the famous black and gold Lotus livery.

It’s also understood Senna will keep his seat for the rest of the season. That probably means the Hungarian GP was Heidfeld’s last race. He made his debut with the Prost team in 2000 and holds the unenviable record of being the driver with the most points and podium finishes without actually winning a race.

[Source: BBC]

UPDATE 25 August: Lotus Renault GP has confirmed Senna will drive at Spa.

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Categories
Skoda

Skoda Octavia vRS speeds ahead at Bonneville

Skoda Octavia vRS at Bonneville Speed Week

Back in June Skoda UK said their specially-prepared Octavia vRS was going to break the 200mph barrier when they sent it over to race at Bonneville Speed Week. In the hands of evo motoring journalist Richard Meaden, they were true to their word, and then some.

The official speed achieved by the 600hp (450kW) Octavia was 227mph (365km/h). Pretty damn fast for a Czech family car, albeit one that has been heavily modified.

In fact, 227mph means the Skoda Octavia vRS is the fastest 2.0 litre forced induction car ever recorded. Bravo Skoda UK! What a great way to celebrate 10 years of the vRS nameplate.

EVOTV has been documenting Meaden’s Bonneville Speed Week experience. It looks like there’s one more piece to be published, so for now, we’ve added a teaser for you after the break.

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Categories
Porsche

911 watch: Snow business

Porsche has released what we believe will be their last official teaser video of the new 911. That’s right, we have an inkling that the wraps will come off the 991 as soon as tomorrow. Well, after last week’s leaked images, we already know the basics about Stuttgart’s latest iconic sportscar looks. So, c’mon Porsche, go the whole nine yards and tell us all we want to know and more!

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

VIDEO: Texans love donuts

As you know Formula One will be making a return to the United States in 2012 at a new purpose-built racetrack in Austin, Texas. To help promote the event and build the profile of F1 down south David Coulthard took the Red Bull Racing promo car to the city to see what’s cooking.

The crowd were happy to hoot and holler when DC lit up his rear tyres, but will they really embrace a motorsport category that turns right, as well as left?

[Source: Circuit of Americas]

Categories
Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia: Series 4 back on 30 August

Top Gear Australia, Series 4

Word has come through that Top Gear Australia, Series 4, is due to air on Channel 9 from Tuesday next week.

It’s been almost 12 months since we saw the TGA lads in action. Perhaps it has taken that long for Ewen and Shane to patch up their differences, as one reader suggested last November?

We’ll have to wait until 8:30pm on 30 August to find out. Andy Lee will be the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

[Source: TV Tonight | Pic: shanejacobson.com.au | Thanks to Stu for the tip]

Categories
Audi

2012 Audi S3 spied in California

2012 Audi S3 prototype

A couple of weeks after the garden variety 2012 Audi A3 was spied, a cooking S3 prototype has been seen sunning itself in California. Reports suggest the car will still be powered by a 2.0 turbo four. Power is expected to increase from 265hp to 280hp, while torque may remain at 350Nm; a bit too modest perhaps?

The third-gen S3 will be one of the first cars on Volkswagen’s new MQB platform to feature quattro all-wheel drive as well. S tronic and manual transmissions should be available from launch, and possibly in the 3 door S3 for the first time.

From the spy shots it appears as though the S3, and presumably the full A3 range, will have the option of radar controlled cruise control (note the small dome beneath the number plate mount). Other technology to be found will be stop/start and brake energy recuperation.

If the S3 finds its way into European showrooms in 2012 you’d think it would be late in the year. Based on that, our guess is the S3 would be on sale in Australia in the second half of 2013.

[Source: Car]

Categories
Mercedes-Benz

2012 Mercedes Benz SLK 55 AMG

Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG

The usual leak info on the weekend, followed by official confirmation on Monday, reveal cycle has followed the script for the Mercedes-Benz SLK 55 AMG.

It’s the third-generation SLK that’s been fiddled with by AMG and this time it still has a normally aspirated 5.5 litre V8 under its bonnet. Although, it’s now pumping out an impressive 310kW (422hp) of fury; a tasty 45kW increase from the previous model. It will get you to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds thanks to 540Nm of torque and its enthusiastically titled AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic transmission.

However, outright power and speed is not this V8’s party trick. No, according to Mercedes, this is the world’s most fuel efficient V8. With a rated consumption of 8.4l/100km it’s probably hard to argue with that. The M152 engine is closely related to the M157 bi-turbo found in larger AMG models, but uses a host of fuel-saving methods, such as AMG Cylinder Management, start/stop and, of course, no turbocharging to keep its drinking levels down.

The SLK 55 AMG has nice and aggressive styling as well. It’s easily the best looking warmed-over SLK we’ve seen to date.

There’s more detail from Mercedes-Benz after the break.

UPDATE: Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed the SLK 55 AMG will be on local sale early next year.

UPDATE #2: 17 new pics have been added, click to load 2000px super sizing.

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Categories
Citroen WRC

Sebastien Ogier wins Rally Germany

Sebastien Ogier, Citroen DS3 WRC

Sebastien Ogier won Rally Germany on the weekend. It was a sweet victory for the young Frenchman, too, who was not pleased when ordered by team bosses on Saturday morning to stay behind Loeb and not challenge for the race win.

Later in the day Loeb suffered a puncture and Ogier inherited the lead, prompting the younger Sebastien to say, “At least there is some justice in the sport.”

Loeb responded in kind by saying, “Maybe he talks too much sometimes. It’s not his fault I got the puncture. He can say what he wants.”

It is the first time Loeb has been beaten in Germany, ending a run of seven wins since the event entered the WRC in 2002. The win is Citroën’s 78th victory in the WRC and now takes them one ahead of Ford on the all-time list of wins in the sport.

Ogier now has four wins this year, the same number as Loeb, and sits 25pts behind the seven-time world champ. Only disaster will stop Citroën from winning the manufacturers’ championship. Although, showing increased competition is not too far away, Dani Sordo in his MINI WRC finished the rally in third place in just the third start for the new team.

The WRC comes to Australia next month. So if you’re near the NSW north coast, why don’t you check it out.

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