Year: 2011

Categories
Mercedes-Benz

Fancy a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’?

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

We like to keep a watching eye on the items for sale at the Classic Throttle Shop in Sydney. Today’s news brings word of a genuine classic up for sale—a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing in Fire Red paint with only 23,075 miles on the clock. It’s simply beautiful.

The ad reads in part:

This stunning 300 SL was built in 1955 and was fully restored in America in the early nineties. This was a nut and bolt back to bare chassis with body off restoration and when it was finished it was shown at several national Concourse events where it duly won them hands down.

The car has been in Australia in a large collection for several years now and has had little use other than maintenance and short runs.

We bow down in the presence of such beauty and wish we had the money to buy an icon like this.

Categories
Mercedes-Benz

Jay Leno and the Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster

Jay Leno drives Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster

The recent Jay Leno European tour has already taken in Wolfsburg and Woking and now the Chambray Chin has sung for his supper at the AMG factory near Stuttgart. He was humming with David Coulthard to the tune of the SLS AMG Roadster. Incidentally Jay, Roger Federer was the first. See, he can still beat someone.

The obligatory video, pictures and press release follow after the break. We must admit, helping to build an AMG V8 would be a very cool thing to do.

What we have seen from these recent Jay Leno visits to Volkswagen, McLaren and Mercedes-Benz is how much weight his opinion must carry back in the US. While we’ve been a little bit rude about him in our recent posts we admit we’re just plain jealous at the opportunities he’s been presented with. Half his luck!

Continue reading “Jay Leno and the Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster”
Categories
McLaren

Jay Leno gets McLaren MP4-12C driving lesson

Jay Leno has moved on from Volkswagen and over to England to tell us about taking delivery of his new McLaren MP4-12C. As well as hearing Leno’s life advice for Charlie Sheen we learn that chambray shirts and an endless budget don’t add up to a lot of talent when things get serious on the track.

Categories
BMW Motorsports

BMW unveils M3 DTM Concept Car

BMW M3 DTM Concept Car

With BMW’s return to DTM racing drawing closer by the day it is welcome to see just what form their new M3 DTM racecar will take. In this matte black scheme the car looks fantastic, so just imagine how good it will look in trad BMW colours.

Okay, in truth, the M3 DTM does look a bit stupid; but that’s the norm in DTM these days. There’s more wings and fairings that you can shake a carbon fibre oven at.

In his new role, replacing the evergreen Dr Mario Thiessen, BMW Motorsport boss Jens Marquardt said, “Getting a new racing programme up and running is a bit like doing a jigsaw. New pieces are added almost every day, and we must put them together to create the big picture.

“The BMW M3 DTM Concept Car is an important milestone on our route to the start of the 2012 season. The roll-out of the car was successful, and we are now starting our test programme out on the track.”

More from BMW Motorsport after the break.

Continue reading “BMW unveils M3 DTM Concept Car”
Categories
Formula 1

FIA approves off-throttle diffusers for rest of 2011

2011 European Grand Prix

The blown diffuser/off-throttle exhaust gasses issue has finally been put to bed by the FIA. Unhappy with the trickery and innovation shown by teams in interpreting the sport’s regulations and wanting to put a stop to it—yes, halfway through the season—the FIA has now given teams a clear directive to follow for the rest of 2011.

In short, teams will revert back to the ruling used in Valencia. That means off-throttle blown diffusers can be used whenever the teams see fit. However, they will not be allowed to run a different engine map for qualifying.

For 2012, though, exhaust placement will be moved away from rear diffusers so that any aerodynamic benefit from exhaust gasses will be “incidental”.

An official Q&A from the FIA can be read after the break.

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Categories
Audi

New 450hp Audi S6 Avant coming soon

Audi S6 Avant spied

After seeing the new Audi A6 up close in Melbourne recently, it confirmed our thoughts that the mid-large Audi is now quite a smart looking car. It has a presence the A6 has never enjoyed. With our love for Euro wagons well-known it’s little surprise that news of a new S6 Avant being spotted has piqued our attention.

Expected to be powered by a 450hp (335kW) twin-turbo 4.0 litre V8 engine it’s sure to have plenty of grunt for family expeditions. Add a quattro all-wheel drive system and a new 8-speed auto box and it’ll chew highway miles with blissful ease.

We like it. We like it a lot. We think we will like the new RS6 more, though. But that won’t arrive for a few years yet, so the S6 will be a nice stop-gap until then.

[Source: Autoblog | pic: CarPix]

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Mark Webber expected to re-sign with Red Bull

2011 British GP

Mark Webber’s decision to ignore team instructions in the closing stages of the British Grand Prix last weekend has brought out the inevitable circus of rumours. Mostly, it has been a repeat of 2010; suggestions Kimi would return to F1 with Red Bull and hints Mark would be off to Ferrari being the order of the day.

Thankfully, someone in this faux-drama has kept their head. That someone is none other than Red Bull’s grand poobah Dietrich Mateschitz who told Autosport, “Mark Webber will re-sign with us. This will happen for sure. He is very popular within the team, he feels very comfortable and it is an excellent relationship. He knows this and we know it.”

On the direct matter of Webber’s decision to race to the flag Mateschitz said, “This is no problem for us. Sebastian realised that Fernando Alonso was gone and could not be caught anymore, so he backed down. This let Mark close in. He would be a very bad racer had he not tried to attack and gain a position.”

With any luck Daniel Ricciardo will secure a full-time drive as well and we can look forward to two Aussies in F1 again in 2012.

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

UPDATE: Mark shares his thoughts on team orders and recent discussions with Christian Horner in his new and regular column on the BBC website.

Categories
Porsche

Porsche 928 set for 21st century revival

Porsche 929 design study

Autocar brings word of a possible all-new Porsche 928 model. Based on the Panamera the report says the new front engine coupé could even wear a 929 badge (wonder what Mazda might say about that?).

The 929 design study shown above indicates a typically sleek long bonnet design which, we have to say, has the potential to look very smart indeed (follow the source link for more pics). Such a model would allow Porsche to give über coupés from Aston Martin, Bentley and Ferrari a run for their serious money.

If it goes ahead it looks as though we wouldn’t see the 928/929 in showroom until 2014 or 2015 after the introduction of the second-generation Panamera. To help build the business case for the new model Porsche may consider platform sharing with Volkswagen stablemates Bentley.

A Porsche insider has been quoted by Autocar as saying, “We have ideas to extend the Panamera line-up, including other body derivatives — a shooting brake, for example.”

Now that is very exciting. We’ll be keeping an eye on developments that’s for sure.

[Source: Autocar]

Categories
Honda Motorsports

VIDEO: Casey Stoner going slower than ever

Casey Stoner

A rare step into the world of two wheels for AUSmotive to bring you this highly detailed super slow-mo of Australia’s own Casey Stoner. After the break you’ll see the 2007 MotoGP champ slowed down to 1000 frames per second while he talks us through the adrenalin rush a knee down at wide open throttle in fifth gear gives.

[Source: Asphalt & Rubber]

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Categories
Peugeot

Happy Bastille Day!

Here at AUSmotive we’re big hot hatch fans. For us, the Peugeot 306 holds a special place, not in the least because we lusted after an S16 at a time when our budget couldn’t stretch that far, but also because we rate it as one of the best looking hatchbacks of all time.

Just take the time to admire the next 306 you see on the road. It’s still a great looking car.

So, to help us all celebrate Bastille Day here’s some French we’ve picked up along our motoring journey: Panizzi, Delecour, 306 Maxi!

Continue reading “Happy Bastille Day!”
Categories
Volkswagen

Jay Leno files first new New Beetle “review”

The Chambray Chin has been granted the first opportunity to drive the new Volkswagen Beetle. It’s worth watching for the sights at the Autostadt in Wolfsburg and for his brief test in a 1938 model Beetle, but not so much for the new car.

Calling it a review is probably a little generous. It’s certainly not in depth. But if Volkswagen paid me to go over to Wolfsburg and read out a few pages of text I would probably oblige too. Well, I think that’s probably what happened. What do you reckon?

[Thanks to Dylan for the tip]

Categories
Aston Martin

Nothing now can ever come to any good

The end is nigh

Sir Stirling Moss—acknowledged as the greatest driver never to win a Formula One world championship, a gentleman, a hero—has done the unthinkable. By being associated with that thing above, Moss has allowed himself to be used in the marketing of one of the most cynical automotive exercises known to man.

With apologies to WH Auden:

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
power, beauty and soul have been left alone,
pour away the oil, if only they would,
for nothing now can ever come to any good.

Continue reading “Nothing now can ever come to any good”