Year: 2011

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Random wallpapers Top Gear

Top Gear Supercar Showdown wallpapers

Top Gear Supercar Showdown

Top Gear has been in touch with AUSmotive to spread the word about their recent Supercar Showdown. To do that they’ve been kind enough to let us share three 1920x1200px wallpapers from the photo shoot.

The showdown is the stuff of fantasy, really, with 10 cars in all, ranging from a relatively humble Volkswagen Golf GTI right through to the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. Mind, if we could choose, we think we’d take the BMW 1M for daily duties and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 in case we feel a bit naughty.

The location is Stelvio Pass—like we said, it’s the stuff of fantasy—and if you’ve got a lazy £3,718,090 you could buy all those cars and let 6,071bhp of power corrupt you absolutely.

[Source: Top Gear]

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McLaren

McLaren not amused with MP4-12C eBay listing

2011 McLaren MP4-12C

A person named ‘Frank’ has upset the bosses at McLaren after he listed his MP4-12C on eBay the same day he took delivery, Autocar reports. Indeed, it may well have been the very first 12C to be delivered.

The car in question had a £250,000 reserve, some £65,000 over the official asking price. McLaren has an arrangement with its 12C customers that they do not on sell their new wheels for profit. Within eight seconds, it is believed, McLaren saw the listing and quickly started asking questions.

After some stuffing around and, no doubt, a few heated phone calls the Rybrook dealership in Birmingham effectively refunded ‘Frank’ and took the car back.

[Source: Autocar]

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Porsche

Next-gen Porsche Boxster revealed in spy pics

2012 Porsche Boxster

An undisguised 981 Porsche Boxster S has recently been photographed in the United States. Wearing German-style number plates we suspect Porsche was shooting and filming promotional material.

A dramatic side intake, inspired by the Carrera GT, is the first thing you notice about the new Boxster. It helps set the car apart from the 911, although the convertible is clearly from the Porsche family.

Other details from our earlier report in June remain. A 360hp 2.5 litre turbocharged flat-four cylinder is tipped to be introduced in 2015. In the meantime the Boxster will rely on familiar six-cylinder power. A 2.7 litre will offer 265hp, while a 3.4 litre for the S version has 315hp. It’s also expected the new car will be 15kg lighter than the model it replaces.

The new Boxster is due for release in 2012. It’s expected the 981 will be officially launched at the Detroit Motor Show in early January. Follow the link below for more pictures.

[Source: Autoblog | Pics: Brenda Priddy & Co]

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear cast and crew spotted in India filming Christmas special

Richard Hammond and James May with fans in Mumbai

A couple of weeks ago Jeremy Clarkson revealed Top Gear would be filming their 2011 Christmas special in India. And here’s the proof. Above you see Richard Hammond and James May photographed with fans in Mumbai. There’s more pics and discussion via the source link at the end of this article.

Also available after the break is a short video clip of Hammond captured by a member of the public during filming. If you’d like to give yourself a Top Gear surprise for Christmas we suggest you look away now. Otherwise the video and more info can be seen below.

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Formula 1 McLaren

Jenson Button signs long-term deal with McLaren

2011 Hungarian Grand Prix

Jenson Button has secured a new long-term contract with McLaren. The 2009 World Champion, who turns 32 next January, is overjoyed to be staying with the Woking-based outfit.

‪”I’ve won four of the greatest races of my life here, I’m currently lying second in the drivers’ world championship, and I feel that I’m driving better than ever,” Button said.

“I’ve made no secret of my ambition to continue winning races and world championships, and I fully believe this is the place where I can achieve those aims.”

Team Principal, Martin Whitmarsh, has joined the love-in as well stating, “Jenson is a great driver and a great guy.

“In fact, I can safely say that he’s one of the most capable and respected drivers we’ve ever had, and I’m therefore absolutely delighted that he’ll continue to work with us into the future.”

It’s not clear at this stage when the new contract expires, but it would appear to be a three-year deal at least. All going well this will take Jenson beyond his 35th birthday and extend his career to around 270 grands prix.

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Motorsports News

CAMS announces Peter Brock Medal

Peter Brock, A9X Torana

CAMS has just announced a new award called the Peter Brock Medal. It will be awarded for the first time this December to the driver who has demonstrated outstanding ability while also displaying a fair and sportsmanlike attitude.

Craig Lowndes, a member of the five-person selection panel, says “I think a medal in Peter Brock’s honour should recognise his positive contribution to the sport generally, and his help for young drivers trying to make their way in the sport.

“Peter’s legacy is that he had time for everyone… time to help and encourage every driver, time for every fan.”

Others on the official Selection Committee are Peter’s son James, four-time Australian Rally Champion co-driver Coral Taylor, journalist Paul Gover, and Garry Connelly AM (Chairman of the CAMS Honours and Awards Committee).

Nominations are currently open and must be lodged with CAMS by Tuesday 18 October.

[Pic: brock05.com]

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Categories
Opel

3 door Astra GTC being considered for Australia

Vauxhall Astra GTC

Opel revealed the production version of its three-door Astra GTC at Frankfurt last month. Here’s a few pics we’ve raided from the Vauxhall press gallery. Also included are three videos showing the car in a real world context.

Speaking about the launch of the GTC, Opel Australia Managing Director, Bill Mott, said “Astra GTC is a stunning car and highlights the ‘emotional design’ that underpins the Opel brand together with the dynamic driving performance that will come with the state-of-the art chassis and sporty suspension.

“GTC is a totally different concept compared to traditional three-door models. It will launch in Europe before the end of the year with a range of powertrain combinations and we’ll be looking at it closely for the Australian market.”

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Opel

Opel Australia confirms 2012 product range

Opel Astra

Opel Australia will launch their product range next year. Bill Mott, Opel Australia Managing Director, used the recent Frankfurt Motor Show to confirm Australia’s model line-up.

According to Opel over two-thirds of new car sales in Australia are from the small to medium segments. So it’s no surprise that the expected line-up of Insignia, Astra and Corsa has been confirmed.

“We’re able to draw from our European portfolio and offer the right mix of models that will appeal to Australian customers and hit the sweet spot for these segments,” Mr Mott said.

“Opel will offer a great range of body styles, powertrains and specification levels across Corsa, Astra and Insignia from launch which will be a solid foundation for the brand and position us well for long-term success.”

It looks like the key brand message Opel Australia will employ is to drive home the German connection.

Already Bill Mott is on message, “Australia is one of the most competitive automotive markets in the world with a real appetite for European, and particularly, German marques.

“Australians will quickly discover that Opel delivers on the promise of German engineering, but not in a conservative way.”

You’ll also be seeing a lot of these words too, Wir leben Autos. In case you’re wondering that means we live and breathe cars.

More from Opel after the break, including brief outlines of expected engines to be offered from launch and the future product plans beyond 2012.

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Categories
Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo to give 4C new 224kW engine

Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

Alfa Romeo has announced details of a new 1.8 litre four cylinder engine which will be launched in 2013. Suitable for both longitudinal and transverse layouts the engine will have an impressive 224kW (300hp). It’s expected this new powerplant will find its way beneath the gorgeous curves of the 4C sportscar (due in Australia by 2014).

Currently, the 4C Concept is powered by an existing “200hp+” 1750 turbo four and has a published body weight of 850kg.

The new 1.8 litre will feature all aluminum construction and its power will be achieved through the use of a high-efficiency turbocharger. Alfa say the engine will set new benchmarks in performance and economy.

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Porsche

Porsche 991 911 to run until 2025

Porsche 991 911 cabriolet

Last week Car had heaps of Porsche information and one thing to grabbed our attention was the claim the new 991 911 will run for two seven-year model cycles. That will take the basic chassis structure, launched at Frankfurt last month, up until 2025.

With the added support of Volkswagen the pace of model development is increasing at Stuttgart. After the break there’s a summary of what’s in store for the 911 range.

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Categories
Formula 1 News

Manish Pandey talks about Senna DVD release

Senna: The movie

Manish Pandey the film maker behind the Senna documentary has spoken about the extra material included on the DVD release of the film.

Speaking to James Allen he said, “We’ve added in many of the interviews we filmed, we show them as extended talking heads; there is a lot of Alain Prost, Ron Dennis, a lot of the key journalists. What we are able to do is be more forensic about some of the events that took place.

“Another key feature is the whole of Gerry Donaldson’s interview with Ayrton from 1989, when he was quite down, which culminates in his speech about Monaco 1988, which takes in his spirituality, and his philosophy as a driver.”

Senna is due for DVD release in the UK on 10 October. If you’re keen to get your hands on a copy now check eBay where there seem to be plenty of options available.

[Source: JAF1]

Categories
Volkswagen

Golf VII test mule spied in Europe

Golf VII prototype

You’re looking at a prototype of the next-generation Golf VII. It has to be the most heavily camouflaged car we’ve ever seen. That crazy magic eye puzzle pattern really messes with your senses!

In profile view, though, we get a preview of the more heavily raked front windscreen and see that the famous Golf C-pillar will remain. We’ve placed a pic of the current model Golf VI after the break for comparison.

While this pic is new there’s no new speculation on what the new Golf will bring since we last brought you up to date back in June.

[Source: WCF]

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