Year: 2012

Categories
Formula 1 Renault

Is economy the key to F1 success?

F1 Jerez pre-season testing, February 2012

It’s widely accepted in F1 circles that the Renault engine is lacking power compared to the competition from Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. However, what’s less discussed is the fuel economy of the major players.

Jean François Caubet, Renault’s F1 director, claims efficiency has more than made up for any lack of power.

“The Mercedes engine is about 15hp more power than ours, so too does Ferrari offer more power,” admitted Caubet to AS.

“But, as far as driveability and fuel economy go the Renault engine is out in front as we need less gas.”

According to Caubet that means double world constructors’ champions Red Bull Racing “can start races with 15 or 18 litres less fuel in the tank than their competition—and that makes the difference.”

[Source: PlanetF1 | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
Formula 1

Pirelli gives insight to F1 test at Jerez

F1 pre-season testing, Jerez

Pirelli has kindly gathered a bunch of stats from the recent F1 testing in Jerez that offers a valuable insight into their role as tyre supplier. For the conservationists reading, you might want to look away now.

Over the four days of testing 23 drivers completed almost 15,000 kilometres and used a total of 724 tyres. From Pirelli’s point of view they were eager to learn if their new tyres would better retain their performance for longer periods.

Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery said: “The tyres performed exactly in line with our expectations here in Jerez, and we’ve had a very positive reaction from the drivers and teams so far, who have reported more grip at the rear, fewer ‘marbles’ and a reduced lap time difference between the compounds as well as faster overall performance – which is precisely what we wanted.

“We’re happy with the level of degradation and we had no issues, as was the case for all of last year. But as the temperatures in Jerez were very low and the teams have also concentrated on other areas than tyres, it’s too early to draw any detailed conclusions.”

Pirelli will continue the learning process when testing resumes at Barcelona next week (21–24 February).

[Pics: Pirelli Media]

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Categories
BMW

2013 BMW 3 Series Touring spied

2013 BMW 3 Series Touring prototype

If you like the BMW 3 Series Touring it’s clear you have style and class. Not too flashy, but not cheap and nasty either, it’s the ideal choice for those wanting a bit more space while resisting the scourge of the SUV.

So it’s with a degree of anticipation we bring you this spy shot of the F31 Touring. We love spreading the word of the wagon and the new F30-based 3 Series Touring will go straight to the top of the class.

Follow the link below for more.

[Source: WCF]

Categories
Bathurst 12 Hour News

Bathurst 12 Hour expands live streaming

Audi R8 LMS

Followers of the Bathurst 12 Hour will know its internet coverage has been a strong point. Indeed, as the event builds on its reputation each year, live streaming has been the best and pretty much only way to stay in touch.

This year access to the live stream will be expanded. Details are yet to be announced but race organisers say “several other sources” will host the live stream “broadening the reach of the coverage”.

Remember, the final 90 minutes of the Bathurst 12 Hour are planned to be broadcast live this year on Foxtel’s Speed channel, pending coverage of the World Superbike round at Phillip Island on the same weekend.

AUSmotive will be trackside at Bathurst on 25–26 February, so if you can’t be there, as well as keeping an eye on the live stream, make sure you follow AUSmotive on twitter for all the latest.

[Source: Bathurst 12 Hour | Thanks to Mike for the tip]

Categories
Ford WRC

Jari-Matti Latvala wins 2012 Rally Sweden

Jari-Matti Latvala, Rally Sweden

Jari-Matti Latvala has answered Loeb’s opening win of the year by guiding his Ford Fiesta RS WRC to victory at Rally Sweden on the weekend. It’s the sixth time in a row Ford has won the event.

The 26-year-old Finn took the lead on the opening day and enjoyed strong competition at times from former teammate Mikko Hirvonen in the Citroën DS3 WRC. Despite suffering a puncture on the last day, Latvala was able to secure his win with a margin of 16.6 seconds over Hirvonen. Privateer Mads Ostberg rounded out the top three in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC, a further 22.2 seconds behind Hirvonen.

Sebastien Loeb (Citroën) crashed out of contention early in the event and the same fate befell Dani Sordo (Prodrive/MINI).

Loeb was able to recover and finish the rally in sixth place, which keeps him at the head of the drivers’ championship, seven points ahead of Hirvonen and 10 points clear of Solberg.

The Ford World Rally Team isn’t great at making pics easily available, but they do produce a fine highlights reel, which you can see after the break.

The WRC heads to warmer climes for its next event, Rally Mexico (8–11 March).

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Categories
Audi

Audi finally confirms TT RS Plus

Audi TT RS Plus

Audi has released information on a new TT RS Plus, which follows rumours of the car from March and October last year. As expected power is up by 15kW to a new peak of 265kW. Torque follows suit, up by 15Nm for a new maximum of 465Nm. Enough to propel an S tronic equipped Coupé to 100km/h in just 4.1 seconds (4.3s for 6-speed manual).

Unfortunately, perhaps, earlier suggestions of a weight loss program for the TT RS Plus have not come to fruition. There’s still rear seats and the weight remains at the same 1450kg of the regular TT RS.

The TT RS is available in Coupé and Roadster configurations. Its top speed is still limited, but has been upped from 250km/h to 280km/h. Sure to give you a bad hair day if you try that in the Roadster!

The car looks pretty lairy with its standard 19″ red and black alloys (first seen on the RS3). But we do think Audi has missed an opportunity by only adding a modest power/torque increase. Had the rumoured weight loss proved correct then the TT RS Plus could have an extra edge to dynamics and handling.

UPDATE: This just in: “Audi Australia is currently evaluating the TT RS plus for the Australian market.”

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Categories
Formula 1 Video

VIDEO: Tyrrell P34 tested by Jackie Stewart

Jackie Stewart drives the Tyrrell P34

Last week we saw the emergence of the ‘platypus’ nose in Formula One. A result mainly due to a requirement forcing teams to lower the nose to meet new crash regulations. That messes with the current belief in F1 that a high nose helps contribute to optimum downforce; hence the stepped look we see today.

Of course, the ‘platypus’ is not the first oddball look we’ve seen in F1. There’s been a number over the years and few have been as out there as the six-wheeled Tyrrell P34. The P34 was first introduced in 1976 and ran four 10 inch wheels up front. The theory was the smaller wheels would offer a greater contact patch, increase braking performance and increase downforce.

The P34 and P34B (1977) ran for just two years and showed good promise. The zenith of the six-wheeler came at the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix when Jody Scheckter and Patrick Depailler finished first and second.

It’s believed the reluctance of Goodyear to continue tyre development for the smaller wheels helped contribute to the car losing its competitiveness.

As a treat for F1 fans we have a video below showing triple world champion Sir Jackie Stewart testing the P34. He retired in 1973 so was not long out of the sport. The camera angles are quite interesting too for the mid-70s and in some frames you can see the bulky rigs used to capture the footage.

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Categories
BMW

BMW M6 Coupe & Convertible revealed

BMW M6 Coupe

If you like big loping sports cars you’re going to love the BMW M6, just revealed in Coupé (F13) and Convertible (F12) form. Here at AUSmotive we thought the E63/E64 6 Series was, to put it bluntly, just plain ugly. But this new generation 6er may make us reconsider our opinion.

The image above, shown in Shakir Orange, presents the car in perhaps its best angle. The bodykit is aggressive, but not over the top. The styling is different, but remains cohesive. The carbon fibre reinforced plastic roof on the Coupé has had its centre section chiselled out, or so it looks. It helps to give the styling an extra punch without looking daft.

We’re less keen on the Convertible, pictured below in San Marino Blue. With the roof down it looks like it could have been created especially for Stuart Appleby. Indeed, the side profile, in either Coupé or Convertible, is our lest preferred angle, but we suspect it may look better in real life.

It’s quite interesting to note the headlight design has been inspired more by the F30 3 Series than the F10 M5 on which the M6 is based. And can a BMW fan confirm if this is the first time a model designation (eg. ‘M6’) has appeared inside the famed BMW kidney grille?

Despite being quite heavy buggers the pair can sprint to 100km/h in under 4.5 seconds (Coupé: unladen weight 1850kg, 0–100 4.2s; Convertible 1980kg, 0–100 4.3s). That’s, of course, thanks to the prodigious power offered by the now familiar 4.4 litre twin turbo V8 (412kW/680Nm) which is mated to a slick shifting 7-speed DCT gearbox.

A full suite of press images is available below, along with text you can read right now or in PDF form for those who want the full detail.

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Categories
Caterham F1 in pictures Ferrari Lotus McLaren Red Bull Racing Toro Rosso

Jerez pre-season test in pictures

F1 Jerez pre-season testing, February 2012

Following the F1 pre-season test at Jerez we’ve compiled a gallery of images showing the new 2012 cars on track for the first time. It’s good to see the cars away from press launches and studio lighting so we can get a better feel for how things will look this season.

Because we’ve focused on the latest cars there’s no images from Mercedes GP or HRT, who both ran 2011 spec machines, and Marussia didn’t attend the test at all. For some reason McLaren has not made any photos available from Jerez, so we’ll have to go without for now.

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Categories
Porsche

2013 Porsche Cayman spied enjoying winter

981 Porsche Cayman spied

World Car Fans has some of the best spy shots yet of the next-generation Porsche Cayman. Immediately you notice the Carrera GT-style side scoop featured on the new Boxster is missing, but if you look closer you can just make out what appears to be some camouflage taped to the door.

If we don’t see the Cayman debut at Frankfurt Paris in September we should definitely see it at the LA Auto Show in November.

[Source: WCF]

Categories
Ferrari Formula 1

Alonso quickest on Day 4 at Jerez

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari F2012, Jerez

Fernando Alonso put three pretty ordinary days for Ferrari behind him by setting the fastest time on the final day of testing at Jerez. Although, it’s worth noting the time was set early in the day before a hydraulic problem in the F2012 interrupted his afternoon.

Alonso’s time of 1:18.877 was the second quickest of the 2012 cars across the four days, only behind Romain Grosjean, who yesterday drove the E20 to a best lap of 1:18.419.

F1 rookie Jean-Eric Vergne was next fastest on Day 4 in the STR7 with Sebastian Vettel close behind in the RB8. Vettel’s day started late after Red Bull were forced to overcome some electrical gremlins.

Pre-season testing returns to Barcelona in just under two weeks (21–24 February), where we will see the Mercedes GP W03 for the first time.

2012 F1 pre-season testing – Jerez (Day 4)

  1. Alonso, Ferrari – 1m18.877s (39 laps)
  2. Vergne, Toro Rosso – 1m19.597s +0.720 (80 laps)
  3. Vettel, Red Bull – 1m19.606s +0.729 (50 laps)
  4. Hamilton, McLaren – 1m19.640s +0.763 (86 laps)
  5. Grosjean, Lotus – 1m19.729s +0.852 (95 laps)
  6. Kobayashi, Sauber – 1m19.834s +0.957 (76 laps)
  7. Hulkenberg, Force India – 1m19.977s +1.100 (90 laps)
  8. Senna, Williams – 1m20.132s +1.255 (125 laps)
  9. Trulli, Caterham – 1m22.198s +3.321 (117 laps)

All Timing Unofficial

[Source: Autosport]

Categories
Opel

Opel confirms 3dr Astra GTC for Australia

Vauxhall Astra GTC

Opel Australia has confirmed they will be adding the three door GTC hatch to its range when the Astra launches here towards the end of the year.

Bill Mott, Opel Australia Managing Director, says the GTC is the pinnacle of the Astra line, “Opel designers wanted the Astra GTC to be the ultimate expression of Opel’s design language ‘sculptural artistry meets German precision’ and to embody our passion for the automobile.

“We are excited to be able to present this dynamic car to Australians, as it offers the ideal blend of emotion and functionality, and expect our ‘hot hatch’ to bring a breath of fresh air into the sports compact segment.”

In overseas markets the GTC is available with four engine choices, we can’t see all four making it to Australia. Our guess is Opel Australia will market the car against the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Renault Megane RS 250. Therefore we expect to see the top of the range 1.6 litre turbo with 132kW/230Nm. We may get a diesel-powered GTC too.

The petrol model is a little underpowered compared to the Golf GTI (155kW/280Nm) and Megane RS250 (184kW/340Nm). It will need to be sharply priced to seriously tempt buyers away from established hot hatch benchmarks.

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