Friday, August 31, 2012

Marko: Vettel Must Improve Qualifying Performances

Red Bull?s Dr Helmut Marko believes that Sebastian Vettel must improve his qualifying pace if he is to compete for the title. The German currently occupies third position in the standings, 42 points adrift of Fernando Alonso, with only one win so far, a stark contrast to his domination last year. “The title is still [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/svUhVnkXNg0/marko-vettel-must-improve-qualifying-performances

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All-electric Renault Megane created by Continental

Continental has created an all-electric version of the Renault Megane.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/hsVp_utpD2k/all-electric-renault-megane-created-by-continental

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2007 Maserati GranSport Spyder

2007 Maserati GranSport Spyder
2007 Maserati GranSport Spyder - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
The GranSport Spyder is the convertible version of the GranSport Coupe. Check it out here.

Maserati's L.A. and Detroit auto show stands featured, for the first time in the U.S., the new GranSport Spyder. Not surprisingly, the sporty two-seater is nothing more than a convertible version of the GranSport Coupe. The GranSport designation indicates the fitment of pronounced aerodynamic add-ons, chrome mesh front and rear grille inserts, sexy tailpipes, and multi-spoke nineteen-inch wheels. A 0.4-inch ride height reduction combines with standard Skyhook active suspension to further sharpen the handling of the Spyder. The glorious, Ferrari-sourced 400-hp V-8 is unchanged for GranSport duty, but the Cambiocorsa sequential manual--the only transmission available--has been reprogrammed for 35% faster gear changes.


Photo Gallery: 2007 Maserati GranSport Spyder - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/new_car_previews/2007/0605_2007_maserati_gransport_spyder/index.html

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Will Mercedes offer Schumacher a new contract?

There was a certain inevitability, given the history of Michael Schumacher's career, about the fact that his first podium finish since his comeback involved a degree of controversy.

In Valencia, Schumacher drove the latest in a series of strong races to finally deliver on the potential he has shown with Mercedes more or less since the start of the year.

In the end, the controversy was much ado about nothing - the man who is notorious for pushing the boundaries of acceptability did nothing wrong.

Red Bull's Mark Webber reported to his team that Schumacher had his DRS overtaking aid, which boosts straight-line speed, open as they passed waved yellow caution flags late in the race.

The rules say a driver must slow down significantly for yellow flags; Schumacher did - case closed.

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His third in the European Grand Prix has been a long time coming. It was Schumacher's first podium finish since the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix, when he was driving for Ferrari, but it should arguably have happened already this season, by far his strongest since his comeback at the start of 2010 after three years in retirement.

In 2010 and 2011, Schumacher struggled compared to team-mate Nico Rosberg.

In the first year of his comeback, Schumacher was nowhere near him; by the second half of last year the two were evenly matched in races, but the younger man out-qualified the veteran 15-4 over the whole season.

This season, finally, has been different. On performance, there has been virtually nothing to choose between them in qualifying or races.

Each has scored a pole position - although Schumacher lost his in Monaco to a grid penalty - and only a dreadful reliability record on the seven-time champion's car has stopped him scoring many more points than he has.

While Rosberg has completed every lap, Schumacher has finished only three races and of his five retirements only one has been his fault.

So where might a podium have come based on his performances prior to this one?

Schumacher was running third in Australia when he retired, but he would probably have finished fifth there. His tyre degradation was too severe to challenge Lewis Hamilton's McLaren or hold off the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Webber, who filled the three places behind winner Jenson Button.

Mercedes think Schumacher would have gone on to finish second to a dominant Rosberg in China had he not retired immediately after his pit stop because a front wheel had not been fitted correctly.

But other teams believe the two McLarens would have beaten Schumacher and possibly the Red Bulls, too.

His pole lap in Monaco was particularly impressive and that would almost certainly have been converted into at least a podium finish. But first there was a five-place grid penalty for causing a crash in Spain, and then he retired from the race with a fuel-pressure failure.

When it finally came, the podium finish owed something to the unusual circumstances of the race and a lot to Hamilton being taken out by Williams's Pastor Maldonado. But it would be hard to argue Schumacher didn't deserve it on the balance of the year.

When he announced his comeback, he said he wanted to win another world title. But as soon as it became obvious from early in 2010 that he was going to struggle, he has always maintained that getting back on to the pace would be a long-term matter.

No-one expected it to take as long as it has. But perhaps that is to underestimate how much he lost in his three years away, his age - he is now 43 - and the incredible depth of talent in today's field.

Schumacher is still some way short of the driver he once was, a man who could consistently dance on a limit beyond that of anyone else.

But taking this season on average, there is now virtually nothing to choose on pace between him and Rosberg - the one exception being China, where the younger man had the best part of half a second on his team-mate.

That, though, puts Mercedes in an intensely awkward position and facing a very difficult decision - because Schumacher's contract runs out at the end of this year.

The problem is, good as Rosberg is, few outside Mercedes believe he is a match for the three towering talents of this generation - Fernando Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel.

Yet this is a team with aspirations to win the world title and some would argue they are putting themselves at an automatic disadvantage with their current driver line-up.

So do they offer Schumacher another contract on the basis of his improved performance, continue to benefit from the undoubted marketing benefits of his presence in the team as a driver and hope they can build a car that is better than a Red Bull, a McLaren and a Ferrari? Or do they go for someone else?

They are known to be interested in Hamilton, the only one of the big three who is potentially available to take his place.

But Hamilton may well not be available - he seems more likely to either stick with McLaren or to try to persuade Red Bull they should take him on given the reasonable possibility they could lose Vettel to Ferrari at the end of next year.

Yet how long can Mercedes expect Schumacher - who will be 44 next January - to be able to continue at this level?

In which case, should they gamble on a younger man who may represent the future, someone like the increasingly impressive Paul di Resta, for example, who just happens to be a Mercedes protege?

What would you do?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/06/schumacher_finally_makes_his_r.html

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F1 resumes schedule with Belgian GP

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/30/2302712/f1-resumes-schedule-with-belgian.html

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Thursday, August 30, 2012

2008 Volkswagen Jetta Clean Diesel

2008 Volkswagen Jetta Clean Diesel
2008 Volkswagen Jetta Clean Diesel - New Car, Truck, and SUV Road Tests and Reviews - Automobile Magazine
Coming soon to a VW dealer near you: the quick, clean answer to all of your fuel economy woes.

I'm just clearing customs on my way home from Europe when my cell phone rings. It's Keith Price, our favorite Volkswagen product rep, calling. He's on his way to Ann Arbor in a 2004 Jetta, and he wants me to drive it. A 2004 Jetta? Keith is obviously up to no good, so I immediately agree to meet him.


Photo Gallery: 2008 Volkswagen Jetta Clean Diesel - New Car, Truck, and SUV Road Tests and Reviews - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0708_volkswagen_jetta_clean_diesel/index.html

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Riding duh Rails - Again...

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/m4o87pUctlo/riding-duh-rails-again.html

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Lamborghini Murcielago by EVS Motors


No matter what kind of car someone drives, they always want something that is faster and better. The good ol’ Murcielago was the car to own when it first debuted, but then the Lamborghini Aventador appeared and many forgot about the Murcielago, unless you just so happen to own one. Fear not, Murcielago owners, EVS Motors is here to put some more pep in your step with a new tuning package that reinvents the look of your supercar. It can’t transform it into an Aventador, but customers can still take a step up from the standard model.

This bright yellow Murcielago belongs to a chap in Houston who wanted to make his standard Murcielago look like the more powerful SuperVeloce version. This was achieved with a new front bumper, new side skirts, a new rear bumper with large diffuser, and a new rear wing. This impressive package is completed by a new set of gloss black ADV5.0 Deep Concave wheels, sized 19" up front and 20" at the rear, offered by ADV.1 Wheels. The paint job was done by Royal Collision who did a very nice combination of yellow and black.

Lamborghini Murcielago by EVS Motors originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 30 August 2012 09:00 EST.

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Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/lamborghini/2012-lamborghini-murcielago-by-evs-motors-ar134315.html

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Sports Sedans Supreme: 2007 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT vs 2007 Audi S8 vs 2007 Mercedes-Benz S63

Sports Sedans Supreme: 2007 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT vs 2007 Audi S8 vs 2007 Mercedes-Benz S63
Sports Sedans Supreme: 2007 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT vs 2007 Audi S8 vs 2007 Mercedes-Benz S63 - Latest News, Features, and Road Tests - Automobile Magazine
With an all-new gearbox, can the Maserati Quattroporte knock the Audi S8 and the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG from the top of the high-performance luxury sedan pedestal?

One after the other, the three tenors pull up. The Lamborghini-sourced V-10 of the Audi S8 chants with the fiery intensity of Luciano Pavarotti. The Ferrari-engineered V-8 of the Maserati Quattroporte Automatica intones aural nuances with the spine-tingling depth of Jos Carreras. The big-bore, 6.2-liter eight-cylinder of the brand-new Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG bellows with the vibrant timbre of Plcido Domingo. Their viciously threatening idles only hint at what the next 7000 or so rpm will unleash: sports car performance and turbinelike torque, plenty of brio, and engineering that turns any favorite rural road into your own private Nrburgring.


Photo Gallery: Sports Sedans Supreme: 2007 Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT vs 2007 Audi S8 vs 2007 Mercedes-Benz S63 - Latest News, Features, and Road Tests - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/roadtests/sedans/0703_sports_sedans_supreme_maserati_quattroporte_audi_s8_mercedes_benz_s63/index.html

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Feature Flick: Watch the World?s Largest Gathering of LFAs, Ever

L stands for both Lexus and for LFA. It also stands for Laguna Seca, and the video below shows all three in what has been dubbed the world’s largest gathering of Lexus LFA supercars. The 48-second video below was shot at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, where Lexus staged what it eventually called the [...]

Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/feature-flick-watch-the-worlds-largest-gathering-of-lfas-ever-166389.html

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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

First Look: Fisker Atlantic Prototype

First Look: Fisker Atlantic Prototype
Fisker Atlantic Prototype First Look - 2012 New York Auto Show - Automobile Magazine
A Fisker for the masses

The Fisker Karma is stylish and technologically advanced, but, with a price tag of almost $97,000 (before tax credits), unattainable for most people. The niche automaker hopes to follow up on the Karma's momentum with the Fisker Atlantic, which will carry a more budget-friendly asking price about half of the Karma's MSRP.


Photo Gallery: Fisker Atlantic Prototype First Look - 2012 New York Auto Show - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: Fisker Atlantic Prototype First Look - 2012 New York Auto Show - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/new_york/2012/1203_2012_new_york_fisker_atlantic_prototype_first_look/index.html

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Architects and engineers step forward

Infiniti has sent out a teaser of something that Sebastian Vettel has been getting up to on its behalf. It would be fascinated to know if anyone can tell what it was from the following photos. This is not a quiz, as I do not know the answer, but perhaps someone out there does… The [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/architects-and-engineers-step-forward/

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NASCAR - Nationwide - NRA American Warrior 300 Preview

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/08/28/2298015/nascar-nationwide-nra-american.html

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2007 BMW 328i and 335i Sedans

2007 BMW 328i and 335i Sedans
2007 BMW 328i and 335i Sedans - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine
Yes, you read that right. Only a couple years after their debut, BMW's 325i and 330i four-door sedans are slipping out the door with nary a wave goodbye. Taking their place are the 328i and 335i four-doors-powered by a 220-hp, normally-aspirated 3.0-liter six and a 300-hp, twin-turbocharged six, respectively.

Yes, you read that right. Only a couple years after their debut, BMW's 325i and 330i four-door sedans are slipping out the door with nary a wave goodbye. Taking their place are the 328i and 335i four-doors-powered by a 220-hp, normally-aspirated 3.0-liter six and a 300-hp, twin-turbocharged six, respectively. The 328i engine is essentially a differently-tuned version of the 325i/330i's six-cylinder, while the 335i sedan's engine is identical to the one found in the just-released 335i coupe.


Photo Gallery: 2007 BMW 328i and 335i Sedans - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/future_cars/2007/0609_bmw_328i_335i_sedans/index.html

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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac

2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac - Truck Review & Road Test - Automobile Magazine
Ford has gone a long way in improving its truck/SUV hybrid--the 2007 model shares only a name, packaging concept, and base engine with its predecesor. The Honda Ridgeline has changed the rules of the game since its original introduction.

The first-generation Ford Explorer Sport Trac rode on the bones of the 1991 Explorer (which was itself derived from the 1980s-era Ranger), and while its combination of an SUV cabin and a short pickup bed was intriguing, its meager underpinnings betrayed its appeal. Fortunately, about the only things the all-new 2007 Sport Trac has in common with the old model are its name, its packaging concept, and its base engine. Riding on a stretched version of the new Explorer's frame-its wheelbase is 16.8 inches longer than the Explorer's-the Sport Trac is now five inches longer and two inches wider than its predecessor.


Photo Gallery: 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac - Truck Review & Road Test - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/trucks/0605_2007_ford_explorer_sport_trac/index.html

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Our Predictions For The Rest Of 2012

Here we are, the wait is almost over, and we can nearly hear engines revving on the starting line. We don?t know about you, but the mid-season break has felt like an eternity, but, finally, the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa is within sight. The action will commence with Fernando Alonso 40 points ahead of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/HSJ0LJXcKjo/our-predictions-for-the-rest-of-2012

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Belgium gets a new deal

The Belgian Grand Prix will continue until the end of 2015, after a new deal was signed by the Wallonia provincial government and the Formula One group. Although financial details are never announced in these matters, the Wallonian minister of finance, Jean-Claude Marcourt, said that the cost of the contract had reduced. The Formula One [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/belgium-gets-a-new-deal/

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First Look: 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept

First Look: 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept
First Look: 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept - Automobile Magazine
Honda's tall wagon receives a new look for 2013.

Just because the Honda (Accord) Crosstour abides by a time-tested formula for crossover glory (take one wagon, raise its ride height, and sell it as an alternative to an SUV) doesn't mean it was immediately bound for glory. In 2010, the Crosstour's first full year on the market, Honda sold over 28,000 examples, but that figure dropped by an astounding 37 percent to just over 17,000 vehicles in 2011.


Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Honda Crosstour Concept - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/new_york/2012/1204_2013_honda_crosstour_concept/index.html

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F1 2011 Launch Catch Up ? McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Renault?

Catching up on the launches in one mega post. �Here in you’ll find quick interviews with senior members of the team and photos from the Red Bull, Sauber, Renault Lotus, Toro Rosso, Mercedes and McLaren launches. Apologies for being somewhat late, the whole blog isn’t running at full power until the season starts again. Red [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/02/06/f1-2011-launch-catch-up-mclaren-mercedes-red-bull-sauber-toro-rosso-renault/

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Monday, August 27, 2012

2008 Saturn Vue

2008 Saturn Vue
2008 Saturn Vue - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine
While the Opel Antara--along with the rest of the Opel brand--is not sold in the U.S., this SUV previews the Saturn Vue that we will get some time next year. Check it out in our 2006 Paris show coverage.

Its name may sound like some sort of African veldt-dwelling wild animal ("Watch as the Antara mauls its prey! Don't get too close, kids-it just might bite yer 'ead off!"), but the Opel Antara is nevertheless a significant vehicle. Opel's latest small sport-utility (remember, Opel is owned by GM) shares the platform of the next Saturn Vue. And while the Vue hasn't ever been anything we've lusted over, if past Opel-GM product sharing is any indication, the next Vue, the Antara-based Vue, ought to be pretty good to drive.


Photo Gallery: 2008 Saturn Vue - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2008 Saturn Vue - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/future_cars/2008/0609_saturn_vue/index.html

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Bahar Serves Lotus a Huge Lawsuit

After a healthy drought between Bahar-and-Lotus divorce articles, we have now started a new streak for this dysfunctional divorce. We recently learned that Lotus is auctioning off Bahar’s custom 2002 Lotus Esprit and it may be a fund-raising effort for their upcoming legal battle with its former CEO.

You guessed it. It is now official that Bahar has filed a high-court suit against Lotus for wrongful termination. The suit is reported to be worth ?6.7 million and is against both Lotus and DRB-Hicom, with the former being the first defendant and the latter being the second in the case.

According to a report from DRB-Hicom, it opposed Bahar’s accusations and is prepared to defend them vigorously. In addition, DRB-Hicom has filed a counter-suit against Bahar, likely for misuse of corporate funds, as he was renting a house on Lotus’s dime, which isn’t a big deal, but dumped tons of money on having the rental property refurbished, using Lotus funds, allegedly.

In a statement, DRB-Hicom stated "The exact quantum of costs arising from the claim cannot be determined at this point in time... We will make the requisite announcements when appropriate." That sounds like corporate-ese for ?we are trying to dig up every last penny that Bahar used without permission and add it up to really make him look bad.?

For now, this is all the news we have on this front, but we’ll keep you up to date on this lawsuit as it progresses.

Bahar Serves Lotus a Huge Lawsuit originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 27 August 2012 18:00 EST.

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Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/bahar-serves-lotus-a-huge-lawsuit-ar134215.html

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Michael Schumacher: ?I just ran out of road??

Michael Schumacher crashed in a wet FP2 session for the second time in a row when he went off in Hungary this afternoon. Schumacher slid straight on into the tyre wall after hitting standing water following a heavy shower mid … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/07/27/michael-schumacher-i-just-ran-out-of-road/

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Kubica tries a Ford WRC car

Robert Kubica, who has been out of action for 18 months since his rallying accident in Italy, early last year, spent four days recently at a secret test at a little known circuit in France – at the wheel of a Ford WRC car. The Polish driver tested a Ford Fiesta WRC on the Circuit [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/08/27/kubica-tries-a-ford-wrc-car/

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F1 on holiday, Pirelli "No" to tyre war and Lotus' ?double DRS? at Spa

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/CuP1CHRQ6Y8/f1-on-holiday-pirelli-no-to-tyre-war.html

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Sunday, August 26, 2012

Honda launches Miimo robotic lawn mower to help us cut our lawns


When Honda introduced ASIMO back in 2000 as a humanoid robot, it marked a landmark achievement in technological robotics. Recently, the Japanese automaker launched their follow-up with their first offering to the fast-growing European robotic lawn mower market with the introduction of Honda Miimo, the company’s first commercial robotic product for domestic use.

For all intents and purposes, Honda Miimo is a lawn mower, except that its more than just that. As a robotic lawn mower, Miimo operates what Honda is calling a ’continuous cutting’ system, typically mowing just 2-3mm of grass at a time, several times each week.

Whereas a traditional lawn mower needs to collect cuttings, Miimo creates clippings that are so small that they are dispersed into the lawn root system, which, in turn, breaks down quickly to act as a natural fertilizer, improving the health and quality of the grass that few lawn mowers in its market can replicate. Miimo also delivers excellent environmental benefits, including the fact that it doesn’t produce CO2 and is quieter than most gas models.

Suffice to say, Miimo takes the way robotic lawn mowers do their business in an entirely different light. Once installed, it needs minimal human interaction when it’s doing its job, which means that all of us can enjoy the rest of our day without having to worry about cutting our lawns.

For a company that has been working in the development of robotics since 1986, Honda’s follow up to ASIMO represents the first step towards giving its customers with robotic solutions to their everyday chores, something that would ring music to the ears of a lot of people.

Honda launches Miimo robotic lawn mower to help us cut our lawns originally appeared on topspeed.com on Saturday, 25 August 2012 23:00 EST.

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Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/honda-launches-miimo-robotic-lawn-mower-to-help-us-cut-our-lawns-ar134077.html

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2007 Jaguar XKR Coupe and Convertible

2007 Jaguar XKR Coupe and Convertible
2007 Jaguar XKR Coupe and Convertible - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine
The addition of 120 hp is the primary difference between the XKR and the normally aspirated XK, but it's by no means the only one. Consider also the stiffer suspension, a new rear suspension brace, and larger front brakes. A bespoke, aluminum-trimmed front bumper, body-color hood vents, unique nineteen- or twenty-inch wheels, and quad tailpipes distinguish the XKR's exterior.

The subtle whine of the supercharger and the healthy growl of the exhaust motivate you to keep the transmission one gear lower than necessary. The well-damped suspension perfectly modulated the optional twenty-inch wheels over rough sections of tarmac, and the light but communicative steering points you exactly where you want to go. This is a car that inspires you to stop, tap the paddle shifter down to first, and hit the gas for another intoxicating run through the gears, just to experience the blissful marriage of the engine and the fast-shifting manu-matic. Welcome to the new Jaguar XKR.


Photo Gallery: 2007 Jaguar XKR Coupe and Convertible - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/future_cars/2007/0609_2007_jaguar_xkr/index.html

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Fresh questions over struggling Schumacher

Michael Schumacher's collision with Williams driver Bruno Senna in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix has once again focused awkward attention on the German legend's lacklustre performances for Mercedes.

A senior member of the Mercedes team used the word "mediocre" last weekend when discussing the 43-year-old's driving, and that was before Schumacher clumsily ran into the back of Senna's car in the race.

It was the sort of error you might expect from a beginner, not a man with 91 grand prix victories and seven world titles under his belt.

Coming at Senna from a long way back, Schumacher seemed simply to misjudge the closing speed of the two cars and, caught in two minds about which direction to go, he ran into the back of the Williams.

Schumacher called Senna an "idiot" on the radio as he sat in the gravel trap in the immediate aftermath, and, even after watching replays, he still seemed convinced it was his rival's fault. The stewards disagreed and gave him a five-place grid penalty for the next race in Monaco.

Schumacher's reaction will have surprised no-one in F1 - he has always seemed to lack the ability to accept he can ever be wrong.

In an aspiring young driver, this is a characteristic one might expect. But age is supposed to bring wisdom and, in this aspect at least, it appears not to be the case with Schumacher.

With the passing years comes an inevitable waning of physical abilities, and it is surely now beyond dispute that this has come even to him.

Michael Schumacher collides with Bruno Senna during the Spanish Grand Prix. Photo: Reuters

How long can he go on raging against the dying of the light? More to the point, perhaps, how long can Mercedes accept it?

There is no shame in Schumacher not being the driver he was - one can argue there is honour in him being able to achieve even what he has as he heads into the middle of his fifth decade.

The facts, though, are that he is now no more than a decent F1 driver - and some may argue not even that.

Statistically, this is the worst start to a season in Schumacher's career. But statistics can be misleading - Schumacher actually started the season well. He was the stronger of the two Mercedes drivers in the first two races.

But then came China and Nico Rosberg's qualifying lap, half a second quicker than his team-mate, who was second on the grid.

The gap was explained almost entirely by a stunning middle sector of the lap from Rosberg, which Schumacher, I'm told, justified to himself by Rosberg managing to turn his tyres on better.

That may well have been the reason, but the gap was there nonetheless. As it was again in the race, when that excuse was less justifiable. Schumacher was simply outclassed by his team-mate.

They have been more evenly matched since, but still Schumacher is almost certainly getting no more from the car than a number of other drivers could manage.

The contrast, with what Fernando Alonso is doing in the Ferrari - which is not dissimilar to the sort of thing Schumacher used to achieve in his early years with the team - is stark.

The tragedy of Schumacher's current situation is that it is leading some people to question his earlier achievements of seven world titles; two with Benetton and five with Ferrari between 1994 and 2004.

His criticisms of the Pirelli tyres after Bahrain drew uncomfortable parallels with the bespoke tyres from Bridgestone which Schumacher enjoyed for much of his Ferrari career, a subject that was largely unexplored during his pomp.

Some are beginning to wonder if seven titles really was such an amazing achievement, given the advantages he had at his disposal?

This would be wrong, though. There is no doubt that the Schumacher of the 1990s and early 2000s was an outstanding racing driver, one of the greatest there has ever been.
But that Schumacher belongs to the past.

The current one is out of contract at the end of this season. This, in fact, was the context in which the "mediocre" remark came up.

So what reasons do Mercedes have to keep him on, rather than try for someone else?
Lewis Hamilton, also looking for a new deal in 2013, may well not be available, or interested. Alonso, Sebastian Vettel and Jenson Button are committed to their current teams. Those left are all unproven.

Schumacher may continue to embarrass himself in wheel-to-wheel racing occasionally, but he's close to Rosberg's pace these days - and Mercedes' top management rate their younger driver very highly indeed.

The other reason is less palatable for those who like to consider F1 as the arena in which the very best drivers in the world do battle. It's commercial.

Schumacher's marketing value to Mercedes is huge. After Rosberg's victory in China, vice-president of Mercedes motorsport Norbert Haug delighted in how "fantastic" Schumacher had been in front of 800 guests at the launch of a new road car model in Shanghai the previous night. It had been, Haug said, "the perfect weekend".

Schumacher may no longer be one of the best F1 drivers, but around the world he remains arguably the most famous - and therefore the most valuable to Mercedes off the track. And in Germany, Mercedes' home, he is largely untouchable, voted recently the greatest national sportsman in history.

Ultimately, though, Mercedes are in F1 to win - and it is no secret that, after two disappointing seasons, the pressure on the team at the start of this season was enormous.

It will have been alleviated somewhat by their win in China, but the team have faded after a promising start and currently look no better than they did through much of last year.

In a season as topsy-turvy as this, that could easily change - and, who knows, if everything comes together perhaps Schumacher can win again. After all, who before the weekend would have predicted Pastor Maldonado's victory in Spain?

But, all things being equal, that looks unlikely. For a team with an average car who need to win, is a "mediocre" driver, however famous, good enough?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/05/fresh_questions_over_mediocre.html

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First Look: Infiniti LE Concept

First Look: Infiniti LE Concept
First Look: Infiniti LE Concept - Automobile Magazine
The Nissan Leaf becomes a luxury sedan.

Nissan paved the way for mass-market electric cars with the Leaf hatchback, and now luxury division Infiniti will launch a more powerful and more refined electric sedan based on the Leaf. Shown in concept form at the 2012 New York auto show, the Infiniti LE closely foreshadows a production electric car.


Photo Gallery: First Look: Infiniti LE Concept - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: Infiniti LE Concept - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/new_york/2012/1204_infiniti_le_concept/index.html

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Sebastian Vettel: ?It looks to be quite tight?

Sebastian Vettel was only 15th and eighth in the two sessions in Hungary today, and like many other drivers he didn?t to sample soft tyres because of the rain. While the true picture isn?t clear Vettel did concede that the … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/07/27/sebastian-vettel-it-looks-to-be-quite-tight/

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Saturday, August 25, 2012