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Formula 1 Lotus Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing

2013 Singapore GP: Qualifying report

2013 Singapore Grand Prix

Sebatsian Vettel has once again shown his and Red Bull’s dominance over the rest of the field by claiming pole position for tonight’s Singapore Grand Prix. The three-time world champion played with his contemporaries by choosing to set just one flying lap in final qualifying (1:42.841) and despite some tense final moments it proved enough to give him P1.

Vettel has been quick all weekend and is chasing a third successive win at Marina Bay, so claiming pole was no surprise. However, Mark Webber wasn’t happy to have qualified fourth (1:43.152), behind Nico Rosberg (Mercedes AMG, 1:42.932) and Romain Grosjean (Lotus, 1:43.058).

“I’m a bit disappointed to be fourth,” Webber said, “It’s quite tight and there were some good lap times being set. We’re on the second row, it would have been better to have been on the front row, but it’s a long race tomorrow and we can do something from there. We’ve got a very good race car. It was hard to match Seb in the last sector; he’s always been strong in Turns 20 and 21.”

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes AMG, 1:43.254) will start from the third row, with Felipe Massa (Ferrari, 1:43.890) alongside him. We’re quite sure Fernando Alonso (Ferrari, 1:43.938) won’t be quite as amused as us to see he will start the race behind his teammate, from P7. Although, we’re also quite sure Fernando will finish the race ahead of Massa.

Esetban Guiterrez (Sauber) was the star of Q2, comfortably getting himself into the final qualifying session. But he figured his job was done and he did not set a time in Q3 and will start from P10.

Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso, 1:44.439) once again edged his car into Q3. He’ll start from ninth, three places ahead of teammate Jean-Eric Vergne.

“That was not an easy session and we had to work harder here to get to Q3 than we did in a few other races where we have managed it,” explained Daniel. “I was a bit disappointed not to get a little bit more time out of my lap in Q3, with Jenson a couple of tenths ahead and it would have been nice to get that.

“As for the race, the guys who went out in Q2 might have a little bit of a tyre advantage, so let’s hope that doesn’t have too much influence tomorrow. We will race as hard as we can and hope to stay in the points.”

Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus) was perhaps the surprise of qualifying, missing out on Q3. He’s down in P13 and can put his woes down to a bad back apparently.

The full transcript from the post-quali press conference can be read after the break.

Continue reading “2013 Singapore GP: Qualifying report”
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Saab

Saab lives on (again)

NEVS Saab 9-3

The rebirth of Saab under the ownership of National Electric Vehicle Sweden AB (NEVS) has taken its first material step with word of 9-3 pre-production models rolling off the factory floor.

News of the first NEVS-built 9-3 was kept secret and secret and the only media invited to the internal launch was the SaabsUnited blog.

NEVS is still a few months away from their scheduled launch date of full production 9-3s and is currently checking everything still works in the previously dormant Trollhattan assembly hall. Of course, new components have also been added to the line in order to usher in the 9-3’s new electric drivetrain.

[Source: SaabsUnited | Pic: SaabsUnited]

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Jaguar Random wallpapers

Random wallpaper: 1966 Jaguar XJ13

1966 Jaguar XJ13 prototype

It’s been a long while since we brought you a random wallpaper, an image we offer up for no other reason than the car in question must be shared with you. So when this image of a 1966 Jaguar XJ13 prototype came our way we knew exactly what we had to do.

Those of you who know your Jags will know the XJ13 was never raced and that the prototype in these pictures is the only one ever made. And if you really know your stuff you’ll know the XJ13 was crashed in the early 1970s and sat in storage for a couple of years before it was rebuilt.

We’ve been a little cheeky and copied and pasted a slab of text from the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust, accessible via the Wayback Machine, which details the story of this remarkable looking car.

By chance, if you happen to be reading from England you’ve got a chance to see the XJ13 in action at the 2013 Kop Hill Climb which is on this weekend.

Continue reading “Random wallpaper: 1966 Jaguar XJ13”
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Formula 1 Video

David Coulthard: Make opportunities happen

David Coulthard interviewed by Mario Muth

“If you look at my career, I would say that I had speed but I didn’t have consistency. So, I would say I was good, but not good enough.”

With that quote from David Coulthard documentary maker Mario Muth takes us on a 30 minute journey of honesty and insight into the career of the likeable Scot who won 13 grands prix.

Muth has a wonderful ability to encourage his subjects to speak freely and with only audio from the interviewee it’s almost as if you’re in the room with them.

Continue reading “David Coulthard: Make opportunities happen”
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Safety Issues Video

And there was heaps of bananas

NZ drug driving ad

Driving when you’re stoned, or blazed even, is not a particularly good idea. Sure you might get a few laughs, but deep down you know it’s pretty stupid. As these three Kiwi kids show.

Continue reading “And there was heaps of bananas”
Categories
Alfa Romeo

The good, the bad and the beautiful

Alfa Romeo 4C

The Top Gear website brings us one of the first proper reviews of the highly anticipated Alfa Romeo 4C. After a long gestation period the 4C now has to deliver upon its undeniable good looks. So, how does it fare?

The good: Its unassisted steering is terrific, its Brembo brakes are fabulous, and it has a colossal amount of grip. Turn-in on those relatively skinny 205-section tyres (235 on the rear) is also sensational. Snap the throttle shut abruptly on a high-speed corner and the 4C’s mid-engined configuration means that it’ll oversteer readily… On the endless up- and downhill hairpins of the Aosta valley, where we spent most of our time, it’s mostly well balanced and engagingly neutral, with some understeer to warn the unwary, and generally rides well, too.

The bad: The engine still feels strangely uptight, and simply doesn’t generate the sort of grunt the figures suggest… Throttle response is also frustratingly soggy… The ’box is even more distracting. Quite simply, you have to drive round it to wring the best out of the car rather than working with it.

The beautiful: There are no bad angles on this thing, and several bracingly good ones – head on it looks lower and meaner than the pictures suggest, while the rear three-quarters showcase a typically Italian interplay of curves and sinuously sculpted elements. A chap called Alessandro Maccolini designed the 4C, a name worth keeping an eye on.

Hmm, it’s not what you’d call the most enthusiastic response to a car the whole world wants to love. And we left out the disparaging comments about build quality.

We recommend you take the time to read Jason Barlow’s full review by following the source link below.

[Source: Top Gear]

Categories
Lamborghini

If you want more bling, just buy it!

Ridiculous Lamborghini Aventador 1:8 model carved from solid gold

If you want more bling, just buy it
When you need more bling, you buy it
You won’t hide it
You won’t throw your gold away, ooh

Apologies for the cheap trick there (geddit). Anyway, yes, if you’re looking for a fantastic way to blow a heap of cash you didn’t even know you had here it is! A Lamborghini Aventador carved from a 500kg block of solid gold. Yeah, we know, we’ve been hanging out for one of these for ages.

The model itself hasn’t actually been made yet. Oh no, the manufacturer, RGE Robert Gulpen Engineering, is cooling its heels until the right to have the model made as been sold to the highest bidder. That way you can tackify it even more with your newly (re)confirmed status as a tasteless moron.

It’s planned to go up for auction soon and you’d need not open your mouth unless your first words are, “I’ll start the bidding at $US7.5 million thanks!”

Great, it’s predicted to cost around ten times more than the cost of the real car and it’s only 1:8 scale. Seriously, here’s a great example of just how stuffed this planet is sometimes!

[Source: cnbc.com]

Categories
Formula 1

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of

Red Bull Racing visits New York City

Grand Prix of America promoter Leo Hindery Jr, god bless him, still has dreams of New Jersey hosting a grand prix next year. The 2014 F1 calendar already has 21 races pencilled in and that’s without including the “New York” race.

Hindery Jr said: “Even if it ain’t all it seems, I got a pocket full of dreams, baby, I’m from New York!”

No hang on a minute, he just sung that to himself while he actually said out loud: “We never had any expectation of being on a preliminary schedule.

“But it took on a life of its own because so many of us are aspiring to be on the calendar that haven’t been there before—ourselves, Russia, Mexico, and with Austria also returning. In our particular case we were told not to do anything but stick to the date of the 20th [of June], which we intend to do.”

Attempting to give his comments some credibility, he added: “Bernie told us if we stayed consistent with the rules and applications then he would expect there to be a New Jersey race. Time-wise, we have done everything we have been told to do, and when to do it.

“The calendar decision will be made later this month, and although I can’t guarantee anything, we fully expect to be on it.”

Bernie is such a tease, isn’t he.

“I underestimated the challenges of doing this in the midst of a worldwide financial crisis,” Hindery Jr said, as he continued to dig a deeper hole for himself.

“Were it not for some great partners and some folks in the sport who want us to succeed then it would have been abandoned. I wouldn’t have been able to have pulled it off. But hands down this has been the toughest challenge of my career.”

Pulled it off? Well, that just might be the first thing dear Leo has got right. Because right now, there’s no race there. There, there’s no race!

[Source: Sky Sports | Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

How to make an F1 car: part 1

Red Bull Racing: How to make an F1 car

Ferrari, Lotus, McLaren and Mercedes, you’re all getting your arses served to you on a platter by Adrian Newey and his Red Bull Racing mates. So they’re here to do their bit to equalise the Formula 1 grid by showing you how to make an F1 car. In this case we’re looking at 2013 championship winning RB9 (see what we did there).

They’ll be doing so in a series of four videos, so best you all sit down, pay attention and take some bloody notes!

Continue reading “How to make an F1 car: part 1”
Categories
Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo 4C in detail

Alfa Romeo 4C

Isn’t she beautiful! She, of course, is the stunning 4C sports car and Alfa Romeo has finally come good with official details. It’s all there for you after the break. Pictures, video and press guff.

A carbon fibre tub, bugger all weight, a centrally mounted engine just waiting to rev its tits off. All the ingredients are there. And, yeah, it’s rear-wheel drive as well.

Before you sink your teeth into it all the detail we’ll leave you with the key stats that show this car has the raw appeal to match its sex appeal.

Alfa Romeo 4C key stats

  • Engine: 1750cc, aluminium, 4 cylinders, turbocharged
  • Power: 177kW/240hp @ 6000rpm
  • Torque: 350Nm, 2200–4250rpm
  • Transmission: 6-speed dual clutch Alfa TCT
  • Chassis: Carbon fibre monocoque
  • Suspension: Front, double wishbone; Rear, evolved MacPherson
  • Tyres: Front, 205/45 R17; Rear, 235/40 R18
  • Steering: Rack and pinion
  • Weight: 895kg (unladen)
  • 0-100km/h: 4.5 seconds
  • 100–0km/h: 36 metres
  • Top speed: 258km/h
Continue reading “Alfa Romeo 4C in detail”
Categories
BMW

BMW FAST prototype heralds FWD future

BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer

This, we’re told, is a BMW FAST (Family Activity Sports Tourer) crossover prototype. It’s likely to be one of the first examples of BMW’s front-wheel drive future to be built on the company’s UKL platform, which will provide the basis for the 1 Series GT and the F56 MINI. It could even wear an X1 nameplate.

It’s not expected BMW will offer FWD models beyond its UKL architecture but it will be interesting to see how BMW itself reacts to watering down its proud rear-wheel drive heritage. If these UKL babies sell well, will it lead BMW to consider increasing its FWD offerings?

[Source: World Car Fans | Pic: Automedia]

Categories
Volkswagen

Facelifted VW Polo spied in Death Valley

Volkswagen Polo

The current model 6R Polo has kicked a lot of goals for Volkswagen. It’s won plenty of awards the world over in both convenient city runabout and hot hatch modes. Now, four years into its model cycle it’s time for a refresh.

Based on the image above you can see Volkswagen won’t be making any radical changes to the Polo’s exterior. Word is there might be some more dramatic changes inside the cabin, but there’s no spy shots at this stage to confirm those rumours.

While we don’t have any concrete info on this, and while acknowledging the car above is wearing GT Blue Motion badging, ours eye have pricked up at its squat stance, black wing mirrors and beefy dual-tipped exhaust.

All things that add up to the possibility this could be a four-door version of the Polo R WRC. Perhaps not, we’ll see.

[Source: World Car Fans | Pic: SB-Medien]