auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Deep Dive: The New Audi Q Family
Once Audi’s new Q crossover range strategy is in place, the brand will offer no fewer than seven different Q models. The idea is to tweak the odd-numbered models more toward a SUV DNA by adding more ground clearance, all-season tires, go-anywhere body cladding, bespoke bumpers, and adventure-oriented trim levels. The next Q3, Q5, and [...]
Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/deep-dive-the-new-audi-q-family-180361.html
toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news
F1 Babes: Elisabetta Gregoraci
A multi millionaire and gorgeous model wife seem to go hand in hand (for unknown reasons?) and Favio Briatore had bagged himself a stunner in the shape of Elisabetta Gregoraci. The former Wonderbra pin-up married the ex-Renault boss in 2008 with Fernando Alonso driving the pair?s wedding car. CLICK HERE FOR OUR ELISABETTA GREGORACI GALLERY [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/rB5XwVLyn9Q/f1-babes-elisabetta-gregoraci
acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news
Porsche Panamera Revealed
Porsche has released the first official pictures of its upcoming Panamera four-door GT, ahead of its debut next spring. Mechanical details are scant, but the company did reveal a few basics.
Porsche has released the first official pictures of its upcoming Panamera four-door GT, ahead of its debut next spring (likely at the Geneva motor show). Mechanical details are scant, but the company did reveal a few basics.
Photo Gallery: Porsche Panamera Revealed
Photo Gallery: Porsche Panamera Revealed
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/features/news/0811_2009_porsche_panamera_revealed/index.html
toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
2007 Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon
Alfa could be bringing the 159 Sportwagon to the US. Check it out here.
The attractive Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon is derived from the recently introduced 159 sedan, and the overall length remains the same at 183.5 inches. To give a sense of size, that's roughly the same length as a Saab 9-3 SportCombi or an Acura TSX. The Sportwagon will ride on a control-arm front suspension and a multilink setup at the rear, and its power will come from one of six powerplants, including three gasoline engines that range in output from 160 hp to 260 hp and three turbo-diesels that will produce anywhere from 120 hp to 200 hp. Transmission options include a six-speed manual and a six-speed manu-matic, and 260-hp versions can be had with all-wheel drive.
Photo Gallery: 2007 Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/new_car_previews/2007/0605_2007_alfa_romeo_159_sportwagon/index.html
dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news
2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots
Call it what you want -- Corvette SS, ZR1, or Blue Devil -- but we're finally getting a close look at Chevy's forthcoming supercharged Corvette.
Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you the best pictures yet of the forthcoming Corvette SS. What, you've never heard of the Corvette SS? That's because it's also been called the Corvette Blue Devil. And, more recently, the Corvette ZR-1.
Photo Gallery: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots - Spy Shots and Future Cars - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/future_cars/2009/2009_corvette_ss_zr1_blue_devil_spy_shots/index.html
auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
2007 Nissan Sentra
It's bigger and it's quicker, but it's not quite aspirational.
San Francisco - With gasoline prices again taking residence in the national consciousness and demand for small cars rising, the already-blazing competition in the compact segment is heating up. Fortunately for Nissan, it had already gone back to the drawing board for a complete redesign of its Sentra, a small-car stalwart since it first broke cover in 1982, before the crude oil hit the fan.
Photo Gallery: 2007 Nissan Sentra - New Car, Truck, and SUV Road Tests and Drivens - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0611_2007_nissan_sentra/index.html
auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
1999-2003 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
After three years of production, the Ford SVT Lightning still does not care about you. It does not want to hear you complain about the lack of a rear seat. It will not chip in $10 at the gas pump. It will not tolerate your trepidation behind the wheel whenever rain starts to fall. Like the drill sergeant to the new recruit, when the Lightning tells you hit the gas, you will ask how hard. Thank you sir, may I have another?
After three years of production, the Ford SVT Lightning still does not care about you. It does not want to hear you complain about the lack of a rear seat. It will not chip in $10 at the gas pump. It will not tolerate your trepidation behind the wheel whenever rain starts to fall. Like the drill sergeant to the new recruit, when the Lightning tells you hit the gas, you will ask how hard. Thank you sir, may I have another?
Photo Gallery: 1999-2003 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning - Used Car Review - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/trucks/0305_ford_svt_lightning/index.html
toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news
Monday, October 29, 2012
2007 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG
As self-proclaimed big wigs on the food chain, humans have little fear observing dangerous, wild animals, so long as they're kept in captivity. Mercedes-Benz has taken that philosophy and applied it to its S-Class sedan. AMG's 518-hp, 6.2-liter lion resides under the hood of the new S63 AMG, but it's been tamed by Mercedes' finest zookeepers.
As self-proclaimed big wigs on the food chain, humans have little fear observing dangerous, wild animals, so long as they're kept in captivity. Mercedes-Benz has taken that philosophy and applied it to its S-class sedan. AMG's 518-hp, 6.2-liter lion resides under the hood of the new S63 AMG, but it's been tamed by Mercedes' finest zookeepers. Enthusiasts can look at it, salivate all over it, and even drive it, all without fear of being eaten alive.
Photo Gallery: 2007 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG - New and Future Cars, Trucks, and SUVs - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/future_cars/2007/0609_2007_mercedes_benz_s63_amg/index.html
automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news
2006 BMW 330i Four Seasons Review
Did engine problems damp our enthusiasm for the 2006 Automobile of the Year?
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. The 3.0-liter in-line six in our Four Seasons BMW 330i suffered a major mechanical failure.
Photo Gallery: 2006 BMW 330i Four Seasons Review - New Car, Truck, and SUV Road Tests and Reviews - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0704_2006_bmw_330i_four_seasons/index.html
auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
Raikkonen: Lotus Stay An Easy Decision
Kimi Raikkonen says that staying with lotus for the 2013 season was an easy decision. The 33-year-old has enjoyed a successful return to the sport with the team, currently sitting third in the Drivers? Championship. His consistency has been key so far, with the Finn failing to win a single race but almost always occupying [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/UddQPks7iMk/raikkonen-lotus-stay-an-easy-decision
automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news
The case for a French Grand Prix
The cancellation of the Grand Prix of America in 2013 has opened the way for another race on the F1 calendar, and the Formula One group is now looking at the best option available. There has been much talk of a possible race in Turkey and there is some logic in the idea, but there [...]
Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/the-case-for-a-french-grand-prix/
toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news
2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan
Honda Civic Si: The four-door bores no more.
Honda's roller-skate-sized Civic put the company on the map in America during the first gasoline shock back in 1973, and since then, Honda has been cranking out successive--and usually excellent--iterations of its small car, regardless of where a gallon of unleaded was charting at the moment.
Photo Gallery: 2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan_New Car, Truck, and SUV Roadtests and Drivens_Automobile Magazine
Photo Gallery: 2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan_New Car, Truck, and SUV Roadtests and Drivens_Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/compact/0611_2007_honda_civic_si_sedan/index.html
dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news
Sunday, October 28, 2012
2012 Indian Grand Prix tyre strategies and pit stops | 2012 Indian Grand Prix
2012 Indian Grand Prix tyre strategies and pit stops is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Lewis Hamilton's five-wheel change for McLaren was the fourth-quickest pit stop of the race.
2012 Indian Grand Prix tyre strategies and pit stops is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/f1fanatic/~3/nL0CaAiQbFo/
auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
2013 Toyota Prius Persona Series announced (US)
Toyota has quietly announced plans to offer a Prius Persona Series in the United States. It features an exclusive Black Cherry Pearl exterior and a stylish interior.bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news
Cool, canny Alonso seems to have all the answers
The remarkable story of Fernando Alonso and Ferrari's incredible season continued at the German Grand Prix as the Spaniard became the first man to win three races in 2012 and moved into an imposing lead in the world championship.
Those three victories have all been very different, but equally impressive. And each has demonstrated specific aspects of the formidable army of Alonso's talents.
In Malaysia in the second race of the season, at a time when the Ferrari was not competitive in the dry, he grabbed the opportunity provided by rain to take a most unexpected first win.
In Valencia last month, it was Alonso's opportunism and clinical overtaking abilities that were to the fore.
Other drivers may wonder how to stop Alonso's relentless drive to a third title. Photo: Getty
And in Germany on Sunday his victory was founded on his relentlessness, canniness and virtual imperviousness to pressure.
Ferrari, lest we forget, started the season with a car that was the best part of a second and a half off the pace. Their progress since then has been hugely impressive.
But vastly improved though the car is, it was not, as Alonso himself, his team boss Stefano Domenicali and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel all pointed out after the race on Sunday, the fastest car in Germany.
Vettel's Red Bull - which finished second but was demoted to fifth for passing Jenson Button by going off the track - and the McLaren appeared to have a slight pace advantage over the Ferrari, given their ability to stay within a second of it for lap after lap.
But Alonso cleverly managed his race so he was always just out of reach of them when it mattered.
He pushed hard in the first sector every lap so he was always far enough ahead at the start of the DRS overtaking zone to ensure his pursuers were not quite close enough to try to pass him into the Turn 6 hairpin.
After that, he could afford to back off through the middle sector of the lap, taking the stress out of his tyres, before doing it all over again the next time around.
Managing the delicate Pirelli tyres in this way also meant he could push that bit harder in the laps immediately preceding his two pit stops and ensure he kept his lead through them.
Equally, he showed the presence of mind to realise when Lewis Hamilton unlapped himself on Vettel shortly before the second stops that if he could, unlike the Red Bull driver, keep Hamilton behind, it would give him a crucial advantage at the stop.
It was not quite "67 qualifying laps", as Domenicali described it after the race, but it was certainly a masterful demonstration of control and intelligence.
And there was no arguing with another of the Italian's post-race verdicts. "(Alonso) is at the peak of his personal performance, no doubt about it," Domenicali said.
It was the 30th victory of Alonso's career, and he is now only one behind Nigel Mansell in the all-time winners' list. The way he is driving, he will surely move ahead of the Englishman into fourth place behind Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna before the end of the year.
At the halfway point of the season, Alonso now looks down on his pursuers in the championship from the lofty vantage point of a 34-point advantage.
That is not, as Red Bull team principal Christian Horner correctly pointed out in Germany, "insurmountable" with 10 races still to go and 250 points up for grabs. But catching him when he is driving as well as this will take some doing.
Alonso is clearly enjoying the situation, and is taking opportunities to rub his rivals' noses in it a little.
He is not the only driver to have been wound up by the index-finger salute Vettel employed every time he took one of his 11 wins and 15 pole positions on the way to the title last year.
So it was amusing to see Alonso do the same thing after he had beaten the German to pole position at Vettel's home race on Saturday.
The exchange between Alonso, Button and Vettel as they climbed out of their cars immediately after the race was also illuminating.
After standing on his Ferrari's nose to milk the applause, Alonso turned to Button and said: "You couldn't beat me?" He then pointed to Vettel and said: "He couldn't either."
All part of the game, but a little reminder to both men of what a formidable job Alonso is doing this season.
The race underlined how close the performance is between the top three teams this year.
Red Bull had a shaky start to the season by their standards - although to nowhere near the extent of Ferrari - but have had on balance the fastest car in the dry since the Bahrain Grand Prix back in April.
And while McLaren have had a shaky couple of races in Valencia and Silverstone, they showed potential race-winning pace in Germany following the introduction of a major upgrade.
Despite a car damaged when he suffered an early puncture on debris left from a first-corner shunt ironically involving Alonso's team-mate Felipe Massa, Hamilton was able to run with the leaders before his retirement with gearbox damage.
And Button impressively fought his way up to second place from sixth on the grid, closing a five-second gap on Alonso and Vettel once he was into third place.
This has not been Button's greatest season, as he would be the first to admit.
Germany was the first race at which he has outqualified Hamilton in 2012 and even that may well have been down to the different tyre strategies they ran in qualifying.
Nevertheless, he remains a world-class grand prix driver and Germany proved the folly of those who had written him off after his recent struggles.
And despite Alonso's lead in the championship, the season is finely poised.
Germany was a low-key race for Mark Webber, who was unhappy with his car on the harder of the two tyres but remains second in the championship. And Red Bull's two drivers clearly have the equipment to make life difficult for Alonso.
The McLaren drivers are determined to make something of their season still and Lotus are quick enough to cause the three big teams some serious concern.
Mercedes, meanwhile, have a bit of work to do to turn around their tendency to qualify reasonably well and then go backwards in the race.
"It's going to be a great, great season," said McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh on Sunday. "It already has been a great season."
And the next instalment is already less than seven days away in Hungary next weekend.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/07/cool_canny_alonso_looks_diffic.html
bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news
Saturday, October 27, 2012
2006 BMW 330i Four Seasons Review
Did engine problems damp our enthusiasm for the 2006 Automobile of the Year?
Let's get the bad news out of the way first. The 3.0-liter in-line six in our Four Seasons BMW 330i suffered a major mechanical failure.
Photo Gallery: 2006 BMW 330i Four Seasons Review - New Car, Truck, and SUV Road Tests and Reviews - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0704_2006_bmw_330i_four_seasons/index.html
automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news
First Look: 2013 Ram 1500
The fuel economy wars come to pickups.
Fuel economy is typically a sore subject when it comes to pickup trucks. These beasts of burden have typically been sold based on their towing or payload capacities, with fuel economy hardly entering the discussion. Now that fuel is back in the $4 per gallon range, you can bet truck ads will be prominently displaying fuel economy figures. And Chrysler promises to have the best fuel economy in this segment with the 2013 Ram 1500.
Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Ram 1500 - Automobile Magazine
Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Ram 1500 - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/new_york/1204_2013_ram_1500/index.html
automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news
2007 Nissan Maxima
It's time for a mid-cycle face-lift for Nissan's flagship sedan, but you'll have to look closely at the face of the 2007 Maxima, because Nissan's stylists were awfully stingy with the Botox. The freshened front end has had its nose stretched slightly, and new, sleeker headlamps are surrounded by more wedge-shaped sheetmetal. A bigger rear spoiler for the SE model, more aggressive side sills, and a reshaped rear bumper round out the exterior modifications.
It's time for a mid-cycle face-lift for Nissan's flagship sedan, but you'll have to look closely at the face of the 2007 Maxima, because Nissan's stylists were awfully stingy with the Botox. The freshened front end has had its nose stretched slightly, and new, sleeker headlamps are surrounded by more wedge-shaped sheetmetal. A bigger rear spoiler for the SE model, more aggressive side sills, and a reshaped rear bumper round out the exterior modifications.
Photo Gallery: 2007 Nissan Maxima - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/new_car_previews/2007/0605_2007_nissan_maxima/index.html
auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
Friday, October 26, 2012
Porsche Cayenne Diesel by Kahn Design
Kahn Design is keeping busy releasing a new tuning program every week. So far, they have been focusing on Land Rover models, but this week’s package du jour is for the Porsche Cayenne 3.0 Diesel.
Kahn started by adding a very cool aerodynamic package which includes vented front and rear wide wheel arches with integrated front and rear air dams, a lower boot lid spoiler, and exterior Kahn enamel wing shields. The door handles are finished in matte black, while the brake calipers are finished in liquid gold. They have also opted to put in LED daytime running lights for the front wheel arch vents and privacy tinted glass. The final element of the exterior package is a new set of 22" Kahn RS wheels finished in a color chosen by the customer. There is also a sports lowering module which provides the car with a sportier appearance.
For the interior, the package adds black and carbon quilted and perforated leather with ivory contrast stitching, a black and carbon quilted leather center glovebox, a red and cream colored speedo and rev counter facia, and balck charcoal finish floor mats.
Porsche Cayenne Diesel by Kahn Design originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 26 October 2012 19:00 EST.
Source: http://www.topspeed.com/cars/porsche/2012-porsche-cayenne-diesel-by-kahn-design-ar136977.html
dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news
F1 Babes: Petra Ecclestone
You could be forgiven for thinking that the gorgeous Petra was no relation to F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone, but she is in fact his daughter! Her good looks may (almost definitely) come from her mother, who is a former model. Enough chit-chat, enjoy our Petra Ecclestone gallery. CLICK HERE TO REVEAL OUR PETRA ECCLESTONE GALLERY
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/vQCjoqrvSKs/f1-babes-petra-ecclestone
auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
2007 Porsche Cayman
The new Porsche Cayman (sans the "S") may be the perfect sports car for budget shoppers.
The new Cayman (minus the S) is not the lightest, cheapest, or cutest Porsche, but it may be the smartest one to buy. What the 245-hp, 2.7-liter flat six lacks in low-end vim it more than makes up in 7300-rpm vigor; lighter engine internals and electric throttle response hurl a heavy-footed operator to 60 mph in less than six seconds on the way to 160 mph. The stout coupe body and mid-engine layout are the ideal serving tray for the chassis engineers' most inspired work. And a base price that's barely over $50,000 means that "value" and "Porsche" can share a sentence. Upgrades--such as a six-speed manual, sport seats, eighteen- or nineteen-inch wheels, a navigation system, active dampers, and the Sport Chrono Package--are dear, so don't linger too long over the options list.
Photo Gallery: 2007 Porsche Cayman - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/future_cars/2007/0610_2007_porsche_cayman/index.html
toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news
Volkswagen to end Kombi production after 63 years
At the end of 2013 Volkswagen will stop producing the Kombi (T2 in Brazil) because of new safety regulations that the vehicle cannot meet.auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Andretti to drive Renault F1 car at COTA opening
Mario Andretti will be reunited with the black and gold colours of Lotus when he drives the team?s 2010 Renault R30 at the opening ceremony at COTA this Sunday. The R30, originally raced by Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov, is … Continue reading 
Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/10/18/andretti-to-drive-renault-f1-car-at-cota-opening/
toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news
Kobayashi Reveals Sponsorship Worries
Kamui Kobayashi has revealed that sponsorship must be secured if he is to keep his drive at Sauber for 2013. The Japanese driver is yet to be confirmed by the Swiss team for next season and speculation surrounding various drivers moving to the team is intense. Kobayashi thinks he can keep his seat so long [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/fe9BDpF-9w0/kobayashi-reveals-sponsorship-worries
dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news
2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac
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
automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news
Renault DCross revealed in Sao Paulo - a Dacia Duster-based concept
Renault has presented at the Sao Paulo Motor Show the Brazilian-designed DCross concept based on the Dacia Duster.bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Not bad for the number two driver
There was a moment of levity in the news conference after the British Grand Prix when race-winner Mark Webber was asked if he would continue to fight for the championship or back off and support Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel.
The journalist in question clearly does not know Webber very well. But the men on either side of him - Vettel and the world championship leader Fernando Alonso - certainly do. The two of them broke out into broad, knowing grins at the sheer unlikeliness of the suggestion.
Webber, as befits a man with class out of the cockpit to match his ability in it, treated his inquisitor with a delicacy that some of his rivals might have found more difficult to summon. But, before expanding on his answer, even he couldn’t resist drawing the humour out of the situation.
“Yeah,” he drawled, smothering a smile. “At Hockenheim (the next race), we will let Seb through.” Cue even bigger smiles from Alonso and Vettel, who are well aware he will be doing no such thing.
Mark Webber (left) celebrates winning the British GP with team-mate Sebastian Vettel. Photo: Getty
There is no Formula 1 driver more rooted in the concept of fair but hard competition than Webber – as his battles for equal treatment at Red Bull, which boiled over at Silverstone in the previous two races, attest.
There was no repeat this year of the squabbles that took place in 2010 and 2011, when Red Bull’s apparent preference for Vettel – and the Australian’s absolute refusal to play a supporting role - were laid bare in different ways.
The internal dynamic at Red Bull is very different this year. The team and drivers seem more at peace with their respective positions, and the drivers are fighting it out on the track without the tensions of previous seasons. And Webber is proving every bit a match for the double champion.
Webber out-qualified Vettel in the wet on Saturday, lining up alongside pole position man Alonso on the front row, and then won a straight battle with the Ferrari driver in the sunshine of race day to move within 13 points of the world championship lead.
The internal qualifying score at Red Bull is now five-four in Webber’s favour, and the 35-year-old has two wins to the German’s one. After a difficult season watching Vettel romp to the title in 2011, Webber has bounced back in style this season. A serious title contender he certainly is.
For a long time, the British Grand Prix looked to be Alonso’s to lose. He converted pole position into a lead at the first corner, with the help of a take-no-prisoners sweep across the track to deter the faster-starting Webber, and he led through both rounds of pit stops.
But in the last 14 laps before the chequered flag, Alonso found his Ferrari a much less competitive proposition on the ‘soft’ tyres he had saved to the end of the race because he had not liked them when he tried them in the one dry practice session on Saturday morning.
Webber remorselessly closed him down and, with Alonso defenceless, swept by into the lead with four laps to go.
It would be easy to blame Ferrari for choosing a strategy that in hindsight turned out to lose them the race. Easy but wrong.
It made perfect sense to save the more fragile ‘soft’ tyres to the end of the race, when the track would have more rubber on it and the cars would be carrying less fuel. It just turned out, in hindsight, to be the incorrect choice.
Alonso, Webber and their respective teams have reason to leave Silverstone satisfied.
Ferrari confirmed their recent progress, and theirs is now clearly a seriously fast race car – as evidenced by the fact that Alonso has contended for victory in each of the last five races, as well as team-mate Felipe Massa’s upturn in form. It is a remarkable turnaround after starting the season 1.5 seconds off the pace.
But, as both Alonso and Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali admitted after the race, the car is not quite a match for the Red Bull, which is now clearly the fastest in the field.
Although Red Bull team boss Christian Horner denied it after the race, the championship seems to be distilling down to a straight fight between Alonso and the Red Bull drivers – Vettel is only 16 points behind Webber.
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton is being left behind in fourth place. He is 37 points behind Alonso in the standings after finishing eighth at Silverstone, but more worryingly McLaren have slipped from the pace.
Quite apart from the problems this will cause for them in the championship, it is particularly bad timing for a team whose driver is out of contract at the end of the season.
Hamilton is known to have had conversations with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes. It is not clear how much interest there is in him by any of them but this is not the sort of performance that will encourage him to sign a new contract at McLaren.
The fact that even Bernie Ecclestone – who has never needed an excuse to kick Silverstone – refused to blame them for the horrendous traffic jams of Friday that led to them asking 20,000 fans with tickets not to come on Saturday underlines the reality that the organisers can hardly be blamed for the wettest June on record.
Nevertheless, there were clear examples of organisational problems as well as bad luck, and the track’s contingency plans clearly did not work on Friday, even if Silverstone did subsequently manage to dig themselves out of the hole they found themselves in with some effectiveness. They also showed laudable honesty in admitting there were serious problems.
The situation is more complex than it seems. The size of the fees charged by Ecclestone make it hard for races to make any money out of hosting a grand prix and Silverstone simply does not have the funds to pour money into solving the problem.
But a problem there is, and it could easily recur – as every F1 driver pointed out at the weekend, the British summer is notorious for its poor weather.
Those involved in the post-mortem meetings planned for this coming week will have to be imaginative in trying to coming up with solutions, but solutions, whatever they are, do need to be found.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/07/andrew_benson_1.html
automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news
First Look: 2013 Cadillac SRX
Cadillac's Best-Seller Receives Minor Tweaks
The Cadillac SRX has been a sales hit for Cadillac ever since the front-drive based midsize crossover replaced the rear-drive SRX in 2009. While it has undergone some minor changes in the intervening model years, the 2013 Cadillac SRX marks the first significant updates for the present-gen SRX. And like its Traverse, Enclave, and Terrain cousins, which have all also just been updated, it’s showing off for the first time at the 2012 New York auto show.
Photo Gallery: 2013 Cadillac SRX - First Look - 2012 New York Auto Show - Automobile Magazine
Photo Gallery: 2013 Cadillac SRX - First Look - 2012 New York Auto Show - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/new_york/2012/1104_2013_cadillac_srx_first_look/index.html
automotive news auto news acura news toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news
First Look: Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept
The sports-car company builds a plug-in hybrid station wagon.
By now the Porsche faithful have gotten over the shock of seeing the company build the Cayenne SUV and the Panamera four-door, so we imagine it won't be too difficult for Porsche to sell them on another new body style: a shooting brake. Shown at the Paris Motor Show as the Sport Turismo concept, this car previews a Porsche Panamera shooting brake that should debut within the next few years.
Photo Gallery: Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept - First Look - Automobile Magazine
Photo Gallery: Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept - First Look - Automobile Magazine
toyota news volkswagen news bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
2007 Porsche Cayman
The new Porsche Cayman (sans the "S") may be the perfect sports car for budget shoppers.
The new Cayman (minus the S) is not the lightest, cheapest, or cutest Porsche, but it may be the smartest one to buy. What the 245-hp, 2.7-liter flat six lacks in low-end vim it more than makes up in 7300-rpm vigor; lighter engine internals and electric throttle response hurl a heavy-footed operator to 60 mph in less than six seconds on the way to 160 mph. The stout coupe body and mid-engine layout are the ideal serving tray for the chassis engineers' most inspired work. And a base price that's barely over $50,000 means that "value" and "Porsche" can share a sentence. Upgrades--such as a six-speed manual, sport seats, eighteen- or nineteen-inch wheels, a navigation system, active dampers, and the Sport Chrono Package--are dear, so don't linger too long over the options list.
Photo Gallery: 2007 Porsche Cayman - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/future_cars/2007/0610_2007_porsche_cayman/index.html
bmw news dodge news toyota news automotive news auto news acura news toyota news
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)