Year: 2011

Categories
Formula 1

Rainer Schlegelmilch: The F1 Photographer

The F1 Photographer

You may never have heard of the name Rainer Schlegelmilch. However, with almost 50 years spent photographing Formula One it’s a fair bet you’ve probably seen his work.

Last year the Proud Camden gallery in London held an exhibition of Rainer’s photos titled The Golden Age of Formula 1. There are some stunning images included, as you’d expect, and the frozen details transport you back to a much simpler time. Here’s a review of the exhibition from The Guardian.

German audiovisual producers Stereoscreen were able to spend some time with Schlegelmilch in his studio. More importantly for us, they were able to document this visit in the form of a five minute short film. Unfortunately the interview is only in German, but the visuals are enough to make this a very worthwhile clip; check it out after the break.

If you like what you see, then spend some time poking around Rainer Schlegelmilch’s official website. If you still want more, why not go to your favourite online bookstore and type “The Golden Age of Formula 1” into the search field. Our copy should be here in a few weeks.

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Categories
Ferrari

Ferrari 599 GTO arrives in Australia

Ferrari 599 GTO

The first of only 10 Ferrari 599 GTO examples to be delivered to Australia and New Zealand has arrived in Sydney. And doesn’t it look just a wee bit special in its matt black paint job. There’s plenty more pics after the break, too.

You can’t help but be swept away in a sweeping curve of desire when you look at this car. In true Ferrari tradition the car is powered by a V12, mounted underneath that long and slender bonnet. You know it will eat up the miles with embarrassing ease as well.

The raw numbers of the latest GTO are huge—500kW (670hp) and 620Nm from the 6.0 litre engine headline proceedings. They are ably supported by a 0–100km/h dash of just 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 335km/h. The 599 GTO is currently the fastest road car to lap the company’s famous Fiorano test track, with the bar lowered to 1 minute 24 seconds.

According to Kevin Wall, General Manager for Ferrari in Australia and New Zealand, “The Ferrari 599 GTO represents the pinnacle of Ferrari road cars in every area.”

Frankly, it’s hard to disagree.

The first person to leave AUSmotive some winning lotto numbers in the comments section below can have the first drive!

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Categories
News

Nowra racetrack revs up local council

Two days ago the South Coast Register reported on possible plans for a new racetrack just outside Nowra. The discussion came about following a push from CAMS to support the development.

Cr Greg Watson reckons it’s a great idea, “This is a major industry that could bring an enormous amount of wealth to the area and jobs. These opportunities only come along every so often.”

Today, though, Cr John Fergusson has sent the idea off into the armco when he claimed, “Eastern Creek continues to be burning a hole in NSW taxpayers’ pockets despite being centrally located in western Sydney, with a huge population base to support it.

“It’s difficult to contemplate that a high-cost, high-maintenance and seldom used facility (in Nowra) would have any economic justification.”

Despite the duelling councillors a committee has been formed to further investigate the idea.

So, with the Marulan Driver Training Centre and Wakefield Park facilities already within a two-hour drive of Sydney, would a Nowra-based circuit really make sense? Has the closure of the iconic Oran Park created a demand for a new facility in NSW? Is Eastern Creek really the white elephant that Cr Fergusson suggests? We’d love to hear your thoughts below.

[Source: South Coast Register | Thanks to Andrew for the tip]

Categories
Pagani

Unofficial Pagani C9 teasers

As the reveal of the new Pagani C9 “Huayra” draws closer a couple of Modena locals have been out and about with their video cameras. The captured footage isn’t great, we have to say, but you certainly see enough to know that the Zonda replacement is going to be a far prettier effort than Pagani’s original supercar.

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Categories
Bugatti

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport photo gallery

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport

Recent reports suggest Bugatti will shelve sportscars for luxury saloons once the Veyron has reached the end of its production cycle. With that in mind, now seems a good time to pay homage to the all-conquering Veyron. So, over the last couple of days AUSmotive has raided the Bugatti press archive and come up with 75 images of the 431km/h Super Sport.

Not content with just pics, there’s a couple of bonus PDF downloads to be had after the break as well. There’s some great detail images included; let’s face it, this is probably as close as many of us will ever get to a Veyron. Enjoy!

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Categories
Audi BMW Ferrari Ford Holden Hyundai Kia Mazda Mitsubishi Subaru Suzuki Toyota VFACTS reports Volkswagen

New vehicle sales report – December 2010

FCAI banner

Congratulations Australia, for just the third time ever we have managed to send over 1 million new vehicles out the door. To be exact, 1,035,574 passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles found new homes in 2010 and that represents an increase of almost 100,000 sales on 2009 figures.

“This is an exceptional outcome and is the second highest result on record and only the third time ever that the market exceeded more than one million sales,” FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar said.

“With continuing strong levels of vehicle affordability there is no reason why the new vehicle market won’t continue to perform better than other areas of the economy.”

Toyota was the highest selling marque in 2010, with 214,718 sales registered. Holden and Ford followed with 132,923 and 95,824 sales respectively.

Holden can claim still bragging rights, though, with the Commodore proving to be Australia’s most popular car for the fifteenth year in a row. Its 45,956 sales placed it ahead of the Toyota Corolla, on 41,632, and the Toyota Hilux, with an impressive 39,896 sales.

Meanwhile, a number of other marques are shouting from the rooftops about their new records set in 2010, including BMW, Hyundai, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki and Volkswagen.

UPDATE 7 January: Audi, Kia and Mitsubishi have released their brag sheets today, too.

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Categories
Volkswagen

New Volkswagen sedan coming to Detroit

VW US NMS teaser

In the last six months Volkswagen has revealed a new Jetta and an all-new Passat. Both are Only the new Jetta is available for sale in the United States. But, that’s not enough for Volkswagen US who have announced, via their website, they’ll be showing off a “New Midsize Sedan” at the NAIAS in Detroit next week. It will replace the outgoing European-sourced Passat, which is considered expensive and hasn’t exactly lit up the sales charts.

This new toy has been designed with the US market in mind. So expect comfy seats and lots of supersized cupholders, then. It will be built at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga facility, although it will be destined for overseas markets as well, and is expected to be sold for several thousand dollars less than the old Passat.

Categories
Porsche

Save the whale tails

Porsche 911 Turbo spy shot

Here’s an interesting spy shot of what is probably a new Porsche 911 Turbo prototype. With its beautiful, albeit overpriced, 911 Sport Classic Porsche has shown it’s willing to draw on the company’s iconic styling cues. So, then, are we going to see a proper return of a “whale tail” with the new 991 Turbo?

It’s a bit hard to tell from the above pic, but that is clearly one serious bit of camouflage being used there. We’ve seen them before, but the side inlet stickers are quite cute, too.

[Source: Autosavant]

Categories
Pagani

Pagani C9 teaser no.2

Pagani C9 teaser #2

Pagani has released its second of five teaser videos on the Deus Venti microsite. The clips are promoting the new Zonda replacement, codenamed C9, which we now believe will be called the Huayra. Unlike the first teaser, this one makes sense.

It’s expected we’ll be seeing three more teasers at weekly intervals culminating in a full reveal of the new car.

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Categories
MINI WRC

MINI WRC team signs Dani Sordo

MINI WRC

Further good news for Prodrive’s MINI WRC program with word coming through overnight that they have signed Spanish ace Dani Sordo.

Speaking about his new contract Sordo said, “There has been a great deal of excitement surrounding MINI’s return to the WRC, so to be part of this new team is a fantastic opportunity for me.”

He will join British driver Kris Meeke who signed on last September. Full details after the break.

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Categories
Pagani

She’s like the wind

Pagani C9 spy shot

Along with a handful of spy shots, Autoblog brings us word that the Pagani Zonda replacement, hitherto known simply as the C9, is likely to be called the Huayra. It’s the name of some South American wind, apparently.

The good news is we should know the name for sure when the C9 is revealed online later this month. We can probably pencil in a raucous V12 engine and we can see that Pagani no longer attends the Shrek school of design. Aside from that it’s pretty much guesswork.

Something we were also left doing after catching up on what is allegedly an official Pagani video teaser of the new model. Check it out after the break and we defy you not to be dumbfounded.

One thing’s for certain, for most readers, sadly, she’s out of our league.

[Source: Autoblog]

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Categories
Motorsports Video WRC

WRC is for boys. Group B was for men.

Group B madness

There’s not really much that can be added in written form about the two videos included here. Both focus on the halcyon days of rallying, the Group B era (1982–86).

The first clip runs for seven minutes and includes some super slo-mo footage perfectly complemented by a dramatic music score. The second is for the real enthusiasts and runs for 11 minutes. It features the sound of the Group B cars in all their high-revving glory. You might want to flick the volume to 11 for that one.

You may remember the video we featured last year “This is rallying”, these two clips have been compiled by the same guy. Nice work, hey!

[via Autoblog | Thanks to Richard for the tip]

Continue reading “WRC is for boys. Group B was for men.”