Tuesday, January 15, 2013

2007 Kia Optima

2007 Kia Optima
2007 Kia Optima - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
The 2007 Kia Optima is based on Europe's Kia Magentis. Get a first look here.

The 2006 Detroit show marks the North American debut of the new Kia Optima, which will be nearly identical to the European Kia Magentis that was unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show in September 2005. Whereas the previous car was a restyled, bug-eyed version of the Hyundai Sonata, Kia claims that the Optima is significantly different from its Hyundai brother, although powertrains are still shared. Engine choices are include a 185-hp 2.7-liter V-6 and a 161-hp 2.4-liter four.


Photo Gallery: 2007 Kia Optima - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/new_car_previews/2007/0605_2007_kia_optima/index.html

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Earnhardt Jr. starts big wreck at Daytona test

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/11/2599990/earnhardt-jr-starts-big-wreck.html

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Monday, January 14, 2013

Vettel nominated for Sportsman of the Year | F1 Fanatic round-up

Vettel nominated for Sportsman of the Year is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

In the round-up: Laureus nominations for Vettel and Red Bull ? More details on 2014 engines ? 1950s F1 racer Davis dies

Vettel nominated for Sportsman of the Year 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/~3/3ki55hk6WAw/

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2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder

2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
The Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder is hot and fresh for 2007. Read about it in our new cars section.

Toned down from the wild Concept S show car that was seen earlier this year at Geneva, the Gallardo Spyder makes use of a powered top that stows under the engine cover and behind the passenger compartment. In case you invert the car, there is a pop-up roll bar and strengthened A-pillars. While the car was in the body shop, the Lamborghini engineers increased the 5.0-liter V-10's power from 492 to 512 hp. (All 2006 Gallardos receive the power hike.) The six-speed transmission has been recalibrated, along with the suspension and steering. Lamborghini says that the car will accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 195 mph with the roof up. Topless, the car is 4 mph slower. The Gallardo Spyder goes on sale in Europe early next year, priced at about $200,000.


Photo Gallery: 2007 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/new_car_previews/2007/0605_2007_lamborghini_gallardo_spyder/index.html

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Detroit 2013: 2013 BMW 320i Drops 60 Horsepower, Saves $4300 Over 328i

Is there room for a sub-328i model in the 3 Series lineup? BMW apparently thinks so, as it?s introducing the new 2013 320i here in Detroit at the 2013 North American International Auto Show. Mechanically, there?s almost no real difference between this car and a comparable 328i. Power still comes courtesy of the same N20 [...]

Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/2013-detroit-2013-bmw-320i-196439.html

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A token of esteem?

Hasbro, the giant US toy company which owns such celebrated brands as Action Man, Sesame Street, My Little Pony, Tinkertoys and Transformers, is also the world’s largest producer of board games, with such great names as Monopoly, Scrabble, Cluedo and Trivial Pursuit on its books. The company has revenues of $4 billion but has decided [...]

Source: http://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/a-token-of-esteem/

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2012 US GP: Hamilton beats Vettel to win the inaugural race in Austin

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/e6L8O-rZMkM/2012-us-gp-hamilton-beats-vettel-to-win.html

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Sunday, January 13, 2013

Toyota Announces Tuned Yaris, Prius C, And 86 For Tokyo Auto Salon

Toyota announced that it will show several modified cars at the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon, with entries ranging from affordable subcompacts to dedicated sports cars. The first of the modified cars is a three-door Toyota Yaris (known as the Vitz in other markets) that Gazoo Racing has tweaked for race duty. Beneath the short hood, [...]

Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/toyota-announces-tuned-yaris-prius-c-and-86-for-tokyo-auto-salon-196105.html

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Hamilton's tough decision

Since BBC Sport chief analyst Eddie Jordan reported on this website last week that Lewis Hamilton was on the verge of switching to Mercedes from McLaren next year, Formula 1 has been awash with speculation about the 2008 world champion's future.

McLaren did their best at last weekend's Italian Grand Prix to dismiss the story - team boss Martin Whitmarsh even joked: "Any sentence that begins, 'Eddie Jordan understands' is immediately questionable, isn't it?"

But it was noticeable that not only did McLaren not deny the story was true, they said very little to suggest Hamilton was staying with them.

From Whitmarsh, it was: "Lewis and his management have made their position clear to us", "my understanding is we're talking to him" and "I'm pretty convinced we will have a very good, competitive driving line-up next year."

None of which translates as "Hamilton is staying".

From second left - Lewis Hamilton, Martin Whitmarsh, Jenson Button

Hamilton was triumphant at Monza, but how many more races will he win with McLaren? Photo: Getty

As for the doubts cast on the veracity of the story, the source is strong and credible, and the core information - that Hamilton has agreed terms on a contract with Mercedes for next year - is based in fact.

That does not necessarily mean Hamilton will move but it does mean he is thinking about it seriously. And you can make what you will of his downbeat behaviour throughout the Monza weekend - even after he won the race.

In the paddock, the general view was that a move would be a mistake - but it is a much more complicated decision than that.

Firstly, McLaren have undoubtedly been more competitive than Mercedes in the last three years. Between them, Hamilton and team-mate Jenson Button have won 16 races since the start of 2010; Mercedes only one, with Nico Rosberg in China this season.

Over an extended period, McLaren have a winning pedigree beyond that of any other team. Only Ferrari have won more grands prix, and they have been in F1 for 16 years longer.

Hamilton, who has been nurtured by the team since he was 13, says: "I want to win." On pure performance, there's only one choice, right?

In F1, things are rarely that simple.

Yes, McLaren usually have a good car, but until this year it had been a long time since they had unquestionably the best.

It was close with Ferrari in 2007-8, although hindsight would suggest now that the McLaren was probably not quite as good then. In which case, you probably have to go back to 2005 to find the last time McLaren had conclusively the fastest car in F1.

This is known to have irked Hamilton in 2010-11, and played some part in the cocktail of issues that led to his difficult season last year, when his frustration at the car's inability to compete for the title and problems with his family and his girlfriend led to what he admitted was his worst season in the sport.

That all changed this season. The McLaren is again setting the pace. But a series of operational problems in the opening races badly affected Hamilton, costing him 40 points. Add those points to his current total and he would be leading Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, not trailing him by a win and a fourth place.

Hamilton has done well to disguise his disappointment publicly, but it was around this time that his management started approaching McLaren's rivals about job opportunities.

On top of that, McLaren are entering an uncertain period. For the first time next year, they will have to pay for their Mercedes engines - that's in the region of eight million euros they cannot spend on the performance of the car unless they find it from other sources.

Tied in with this is the question of salary. McLaren have made it clear they cannot afford Hamilton at any price. The word is they have offered him a cut in money for next season, on the basis that they cannot afford anything more. This might be offset by other compromises, such as over PR appearances, flights and so on.

Already on about half of what Alonso earns at Ferrari, one can imagine how that has gone down with Hamilton - especially as McLaren's portfolio of sponsors makes it very difficult for a driver to do personal deals elsewhere to top up his earnings. That's because almost anywhere he looks there's a clash with a company that has links with McLaren.

In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.


Meanwhile, Mercedes are by definition a "works" team with factory engines, have the might of an automotive giant behind them. They can pay Hamilton a lot more than his current salary - believed to be about �13m - if they want to. And at Mercedes there is also a lot more freedom for a driver to do personal sponsorship deals.

The funding for Mercedes' F1 team comes entirely from external sponsors - and the budget is reputedly significantly less than enjoyed by Red Bull and Ferrari. But it is underwritten by the parent company so even if there is a sponsorship shortfall it doesn't affect the team.

Performance-wise, the team that is now Mercedes actually won the world title more recently than McLaren, when they were Brawn in 2009. Ironically, the man who won it was Button. His success - and what he interpreted as the team's ambivalence about him staying - led to him moving to McLaren.

Admittedly, Brawn's success in 2009 was tainted by the row over double-diffusers that clouded that season. Once everyone had them, the car was no longer as competitive as it had been.

Mercedes have certainly been under-performing since then, but that can at least partly be explained by the fact that Brawn, facing serious financial problems, slashed their staff by 40% in 2009. As Mercedes, they have been slowly building levels up again.

The pressure on the team to up their game is massive - hence the huge investment in terms of staffing and resources in the last 18 months or so.

And while they are a long way behind McLaren this season, they are on an upward trend, even if it is significantly slower than either the team or the Mercedes board would like.

Equally, few in F1 would disagree that Hamilton is one of the three best drivers in the world, alongside Alonso and Sebastian Vettel. Mercedes don't have any of them.

It's impossible to know how much faster the car would go in their hands than it has done so far in those of Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. Some might argue not at all. But, that's not how Hamilton, who raced and beat Rosberg in their formative years, will look at it.

Add all that up, and the decision doesn't seem so easy after all.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/09/hamiltons_tough_decision.html

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Bernie gets a bite of the Big Apple

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/10/second-us-race-confirmed---and-will-nyc-hog-the-limelight-over-new-jersey.html

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2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan

2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan
2007 Honda Civic Si Sedan_New Car, Truck, and SUV Roadtests and Drivens_Automobile Magazine
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

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2014 Chevrolet Corvette leaked

We're less than 72 hours away from the official unveiling of the 2014 Corvette, but highly-anticipated sports car has been revealed thanks to Automobile Magazine.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/BHXdOZ9peo8/2014-chevrolet-corvette-leaked

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Saturday, January 12, 2013

Triumph Street Triple


Triumph?s Street Triple has been one of the success stories of recent years, topping the sales charts and collecting numerous accolades along the way. Fusing the style and attitude of the Speed Triple with the agility of the Daytona 675, and delivering it all for a very competitive price, the Street Triple wowed the industry when it arrived in 2008 and continues to dominate the middleweight naked sports bike class.

The Street Triple gains a new look for 2012, featuring aggressive new headlights from the bigger Speed Triple and a host of detail changes to keep it ahead of middleweight competition.

Designed alongside the Daytona 675 and sharing the same engine and frame, the Street Triple packs a powerful 105bhp punch at 11,700rpm and delivers a peak 50 lb-ft. of torque. The Street Triple?s 675cc three-cylinder engine has been tuned for incredibly strong low- to mid-range performance and delivers an exhilarating ride that can be enjoyed by riders of all ages and experience.

Triumph Street Triple originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 11 January 2013 23:37 EST.

read more



Source: http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/triumph/2012-triumph-street-triple-ar123291.html

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2008 Cadillac STS

2008 Cadillac STS
2008 Cadillac STS - Latest Car, Truck, and SUV Road Tests and Reviews - Automobile Magazine
The STS gets a healthy mid-cycle update, complete with more bling (in the form of a new grille) and more bite, courtesy of a 302 hp V-6 for the base car.

Cadillac's current-generation STS was the first to use a rear-wheel-drive chassis, which at last put it on equal footing with big-name players such as the Mercedes-Benz E-class, the Lexus GS, and the BMW 5-series. That's very tough competition and, at the midpoint in its season, the STS is getting some fortification.


Photo Gallery: 2008 Cadillac STS - Latest Car, Truck, and SUV Road Tests and Reviews - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0707_2008_cadillac_sts/index.html

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Waltrip secures ride for Daytona 500

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/01/10/2597382/waltrip-secures-ride-for-daytona.html

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FanVision announces F1 exit | 2013 F1 season

FanVision announces F1 exit is an original article from F1 Fanatic. If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.

FanVision will not continue in Formula One in 2013 after failing to agree terms with Formula One Management.

FanVision announces F1 exit 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/~3/6XJe6b8x20Q/

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Friday, January 11, 2013

Competition time! @f1afterparty

Source: http://www.metrof1.com/blogs/metrof1/2011/10/competition-time-f1afterparty.html

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Campaign launched to save Team Lotus


© Save Team Lotus
One side of the Lotus naming dispute has been put forward on a new and in-depth webpage called www.saveteamlotus.com. The basic background is that the Lotus Racing F1 team had its naming rights revoked for next season by Group Lotus and, in order to keep racing under the Lotus name, bought the Team Lotus brand off David Hunt, who had owned it since the original team?s last race in 1994. Group Lotus has now taken Lotus Racing to court to try and stop it using the historic name in Formula One next year. The issue has been a source of constant confusion for many fans and the new webpage offers a breakdown of David Hunt?s and Team Lotus? side of the argument.

Source: http://blogs.espnf1.com/paperroundf1/archives/2010/11/campaign_launched_to_save_team_1.php

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Ferrari Launch Their 2011 Car The F150

Ferrari have become the first team to launch their 2011 Formula One car – named the F150. Thw F150 name comes from the fact it is 150 years since Italian unification, the flag bearer for the nation decided it was important to increase exposure of the major event in the country’s long history. �The cars [...]

Source: http://f1fanatics.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/ferrari-launch-their-2011-car-the-f150/

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INDYCAR: Let?s leave the Playoffs to the Pros

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/7hx76_yMchc/indycar-lets-leave-playoffs-to-pros.html

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Luca di Montezemolo: ?It?s not a case of replacing Bernie??

Luca di Montezemolo has defended Ferrari?s actions regarding the Vettel/Vergne Brazilian GP incident ? and taken the opportunity to tease Bernie Ecclestone. After Bernie responded to the yellow flag saga Montezemolo made reference to Ecclestone?s age ? and Bernie in … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/12/20/luca-di-montezemolo-its-not-a-case-of-replacing-bernie/

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Thursday, January 10, 2013

First Look: 2013 Porsche Cayman

First Look: 2013 Porsche Cayman
First Look: 2013 Porsche Cayman - Automobile Magazine
The Boxster's hardtop twin gets even better.

Porsche follows a fairly predictable cadence for car launches, so when the German company introduced the new Boxster at the Geneva Motor Show in March, we knew that a hardtop twin wouldn't be far behind. Sure enough, the 2013 Porsche Cayman makes its debut at the Los Angeles auto show and goes on sale in the U.S. next spring. Like the updated Boxster, the new Porsche Cayman is more powerful and more efficient than the outgoing version.


Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Porsche Cayman - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2013 Porsche Cayman - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/los_angeles/2012/1211_2013_porsche_cayman/index.html

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Hamilton looks for long-term success at Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton's move to Mercedes is the biggest development in the Formula 1 driver market for three years.

Ahead of the 2010 season, Fernando Alonso moved to Ferrari, world champion Jenson Button switched from world champions Brawn (soon to become Mercedes) to McLaren and Michael Schumacher came out of retirement to replace Button.

Now, the man who most consider to be the fastest driver in the world has taken a huge gamble by switching from McLaren, who have the best car this year and have won five races this season alone, to Mercedes, who have won one race in three years.

To make way for Hamilton, Mercedes have ditched the most successful racing driver of all time.

Schumacher's return at the wheel of a Mercedes 'Silver Arrow' was billed as a dream for all concerned, but with one podium finish in three years the German marque have abandoned the project.


Hamilton leaves a team that has won more races in the last 30 years than anyone else. Photo: Getty

That the announcement was made just five days after the latest in a series of collisions in which Schumacher rammed into the back of another driver after misjudging his closing speed simply rubs salt into the wound.

Hamilton will be replaced at McLaren by one of F1's most promising rising stars - Sauber's Mexican driver Sergio Perez, who has taken three excellent podium finishes this year.

That's quite a shake-up, and it raises any number of fascinating questions, the first and most obvious of which is why Hamilton would leave a team that has won more races in the last 30 years than anyone else - even Ferrari - for one that has won one in the last three.

The explanation for that lies both at his new and current teams.

Mercedes sold the drive to Hamilton on the basis that they were in the best position to deliver him long-term success. In this, there are echoes of Schumacher's move to Ferrari in 1996.

Back then, the Italian team were in the doldrums, having won just one race the previous year. But Schumacher fancied a project, and saw potential. It took time, but by 1997 he was competing for the title, and from 2000 he won five in a row.

The architect of that success was Ross Brawn, then Ferrari's technical director and now Mercedes' team boss. Brawn is one of the most respected figures in F1, and Hamilton is banking on him being able to transform Mercedes in the same way as he did Ferrari.

Undoubtedly, Brawn will have made a convincing case to Hamilton; he is a very persuasive and credible man. It is also worth pointing out that Mercedes - in their former guise of Brawn - have won the world title more recently than McLaren. Button succeeded Hamilton as world champion in 2009.

Mercedes believe that the new regulations for 2014, when both the cars and engines will be significantly changed, will play into their hands.

They are devoting a lot of resources towards that year, and are optimistic they will be in good shape - just as Brawn were, in fact, when the last big rule change happened for 2009.

And Mercedes have a technical team that, on paper, is immensely strong. In Bob Bell, Aldo Costa and Geoff Willis, they have three men who have been technical directors in their own right at other top teams all working under Brawn.

Part of this argument is predicated on the fact that new engine regulations always favour teams run or directly supported by engine manufacturers, on the basis that they are best placed to benefit from developments, and to integrate the car with the engine.

But this is where that argument falls down a little - McLaren may be a mere 'customer' of Mercedes for the first time next year, but they are still going to be using Mercedes engines in 2014, and on the basis of parity of performance.

The love affair with McLaren, who took him on as a 13-year-old karting prodigy, ended some time ago.

Since 2010, Hamilton has been complaining from time to time about the McLaren's lack of aerodynamic downforce compared to the best car of the time.

Through 2009-11, he grew increasingly frustrated at his team's apparent inability to challenge Red Bull. Hamilton is well aware of how good he is, and it hurt to watch Sebastian Vettel win two titles on the trot and not be able to challenge him.

That explains his ill-advised - and dangerously public - approach to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix.

This year, McLaren started the season with the fastest car for the first time since, arguably, 2005. But again they could not get out of their own way.

Pit-stop blunders affected Hamilton's races in Malaysia and China early in the season, and then a terrible mistake in not putting enough fuel in Hamilton's car in qualifying in Spain turned an almost certain win into a battle for minor points.

These errors badly affected his title charge and in early summer his management started approaching other teams.

His favoured choice was almost certainly Red Bull, but they weren't interested. They also approached Ferrari, where Alonso vetoed Hamilton. That left Mercedes.

It is ironic that his decision to move teams has been announced on the back of four races that McLaren have dominated.

Meanwhile, Hamilton's relationship with McLaren Group chairman Ron Dennis, the man who signed him up and who promoted him to the F1 team in 2007, has collapsed.

It was noticeable that after Hamilton's win in Italy earlier this month Dennis stood, arms-folded and stoney-faced, beneath the podium, not applauding once. Nor did Dennis don one of McLaren's 'rocket-red' victory T-shirts, or join in the champagne celebrations with the team once Hamilton had completed his media duties.

In Singapore last weekend, it seemed that McLaren still believed they had a chance of keeping Hamilton; at least that was the impression from talking to the team.

But did Dennis already know in Monza of Hamilton's decision to defect? Was Hamilton's sombre mood after that win a reflection of his wondering whether he had made the right decision?

Was Hamilton's ill-advised decision to post a picture of confidential McLaren telemetry on the social networking site Twitter on the morning of the Belgian Grand Prix, the weekend before Italy, the action of a man who had had enough and didn't care any more because he knew he was leaving?

When was the Mercedes deal actually finally signed?

Was it done before BBC Sport broke the story of it being imminent in the week leading up to the Italian race?

Or was it not inked, finally, until this week, on the basis that only now has the Mercedes board committed to new commercial terms with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone?

In which case, was the gearbox failure that cost Hamilton a certain victory in Singapore, and effectively extinguished his title hopes for good, the straw that broke the camel's back?

In short, was Hamilton's decision based on cold, hard logic, rooted primarily in performance, in making more money, or founded on emotion as much as calculation. Or was it a combination of all those factors?

All these questions will be answered in time. Whatever led to Hamilton's decision, it is fair to say that it is an enormous gamble, one on which the next phase of his career hangs.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson/2012/09/hamilton_looks_for_long-term_s.html

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Raikkonen: I?ve Learnt Nothing

Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen has revealed that he has learnt very little from his time in the team?s simulator. The Finn returned to the sport at the start of 2012 after a period racing in the WRC. Although many of the circuits were new to the 2007 World Champion, he believes that the simulators did [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Formula1Fancast/~3/yKLxFH6PrTA/raikkonen-ive-learnt-nothing

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Kamui Kobayashi: ?I have to admit that it is very sad?

With Romain Grosjean confirmed at Lotus earlier today Kamui Kobayashi has now conceded that he won?t have an F1 race seat for next season ? but he insists that he will return in 2014. The Japanese driver has been ousted … Continue reading

Source: http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/12/17/kamui-kobayashi-i-have-to-admit-that-it-is-very-sad/

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2014 Lexus IS F Sport officially unveiled

Lexus has officially unveiled the 2014 Lexus IS F Sport, ahead of its debut at the North American International Auto Show.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/2RqBxWRPN7o/2014-lexus-is-f-sport-officially-unveiled

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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

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.

Fernando Alonso tops the podium in Hockenheim

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

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CES 2013: Five Minutes On Toyota?s Plans For Autonomous Cars

Toyota’s luxury division, Lexus, joined Audi in showing off an early version of an autonomous car at the Consumer Electronics Show. Yet despite promising tests, Toyota officials caution that it will be many years before self-driving cars become the norm. “Everybody believes that there will be [autonomous vehicles] in the future,” said Toyota’s corporate manager [...]

Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/ces-2013-five-minutes-on-toyotas-plans-for-autonomous-cars-195631.html

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2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited

2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited
2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited - New Car, Truck, and SUV Drivens and Reviews - Automobile Magazine
Subaru is finally offering an STI without the cop-magnet, boy-racer livery. The wing, the gold wheels, and the matching brake calipers are gone, as is the rally blue paint.

Ann Arbor - Subaru is finally offering an STI without the cop-magnet, boy-racer livery. The wing, the gold wheels, and the matching brake calipers are gone, as is the rally blue paint, which is replaced by a more sedate white or gray. A power moonroof, new leather seats, and additional undercarpet soundproofing--all at no charge--make the STI Limited's cabin a bit more hospitable, but you're reminded of the WRX's econocar roots when road noise infiltrates.


Photo Gallery: 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Limited - New Car, Truck, and SUV Drivens and Reviews - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0703_2008_subaru_impreza_wrx_sti_limited/index.html

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Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang Battle for Muscle Car Sales Dominance in 2012

In 2011, the Chevrolet Camaro dominated the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger in sales. While the Camaro stayed on top in 2012. The gap closed considerably between it and the Mustang due to slightly lower bow-tie sales and a noticeable jump for the blue oval pony. The Dodge Challenger remained solidly in third, while combined [...]

Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/chevrolet-camaro-and-ford-mustang-battle-for-muscle-car-sales-dominance-in-2012-194857.html

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2007 Audi RS4

2007 Audi RS4
2007 Audi RS4 - Car Review & Road Test - Automobile Magazine
Among the RS4's key ingredients: A normally aspirated, 8250-rpm, 420-hp V-8 that shares only water and steering pumps with the S4's V-8.

There's no sense in holding out. The truth is so important, it needs to see daylight right here and now: The 2006 RS4 is the purest driver's car from Audi in the past two decades. Although Audis have always been sporty machines, the company's reputation for harder-edged performance dates back to the 1982-86 Coupe Quattro. That car used the first iteration of Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system and housed a 160-hp turbo five-cylinder under its long hood. The flared-fender coupe was underpowered and expensive ($35,000) in U.S. trim, but it was nothing short of iconic. It was astonishingly easy to drive fast in the dry, and its wet-road grip bordered on the sublime. Between 1982 and 1984, Audi Quattros effectively dominated the World Rally Championship. They also single-handedly ended the two-wheel-drive rally-car era.


Photo Gallery: 2007 Audi RS4 - Car Review & Road Test - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0608_2007_audi_rs4/index.html

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Tuesday, January 8, 2013

2014 Cadillac ELR teased in official spy photo

Cadillac has released the second teaser image of the 2014 ELR. It will be a luxurious two-door coupe which is based on the Chevrolet Volt.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/8yXhxXx3W-0/2014-cadillac-elr-teased-in-official-spy-photo

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2013 calendar down to 19 as New York Race postponed to 2014

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/F1InsightAFormula1Blog/~3/jAH1KhpprZM/2013-calendar-down-to-19-as-new-york.html

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2001-2005 GMC Sierra C3

2001-2005 GMC Sierra C3
2001-2005 GMC Sierra C3 - Used Car Review - Automobile Magazine
Ann Arbor - If sport-utilities can dress up as luxury cars (the GMC Yukon Denali, for instance), why can't a pickup truck do the same? Why, indeed, asks GMC, which has outfitted its light-duty Sierra pickup with luxury bits to create the Sierra C3.

Ann Arbor - If sport-utilities can dress up as luxury cars (the GMC Yukon Denali, for instance), why can't a pickup truck do the same? Why, indeed, asks GMC, which has outfitted its light-duty Sierra pickup with luxury bits to create the Sierra C3.


Photo Gallery: 2001-2005 GMC Sierra C3 - Used Car Review - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/trucks/0101_gmc_sierra_c3/index.html

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CES 2013: Chrysler Adds Internet Radio and POI Search to Uconnect

Is the music coming through your Uconnect infotainment system seeming a bit?stale lately? Are you having trouble finding that hole-in-the-wall coffee shop everyone’s talking about? Listen up: Chrysler promises a slew of new apps including a few internet radio streaming services and one search engine. Chrysler’s Uconnect system is one of the better-regarded infotainment systems [...]

Source: http://rumors.automobilemag.com/ces-2013-chrysler-adds-internet-radio-and-poi-search-to-uconnect-195149.html

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Mazda to expand Mexican plant, confirms it will produce three vehicles

Mazda has announced plans to increase the production capacity of their Mexican plant to 230,000 units annually. It will build the Mazda2, Mazda3 and a Toyota-badged vehicle.

Source: http://feeds.worldcarfans.com/~r/worldcarfans/Jxfz/~3/_98Wgq9nF6o/mazda-to-expand-mexican-plant-confirms-it-will-produce

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Monday, January 7, 2013

RETRO: Celebrating ?Il Lione?s triumph - Twenty years later

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nofenders/zbjv/~3/FY2vR8cM_qI/retro-celebrating-il-liones-triumph.html

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2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots

2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots
2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS ZR1 Blue Devil Spy Shots - Spy Shots and Future Cars - Automobile Magazine
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/2009/0709_2009_corvette_ss_zr1_blue_devil_spy_shots/index.html

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2007 Porsche Cayman

2007 Porsche Cayman
2007 Porsche Cayman - 2007 New Cars - Automobile Magazine
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

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1999-2003 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning

1999-2003 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning
1999-2003 Ford SVT F-150 Lightning - Used Car Review - Automobile Magazine
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

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Sunday, January 6, 2013

First Look: 2014 Nissan GT-R

First Look: 2014 Nissan GT-R
First Look: 2014 Nissan GT-R - Automobile Magazine
Tame updates for the untamed performance car.

The one constant in the lifecycle of the Nissan GT-R has been change. Almost every new model year has brought hefty revisions to Japan's all-wheel-drive monster, generally making the GT-R even faster and more powerful than the year before. This year, however, Nissan went easy on the updates and made only a few small suspension and interior changes.


Photo Gallery: First Look: 2014 Nissan GT-R - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: First Look: 2014 Nissan GT-R - Automobile Magazine


Source: http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/los_angeles/2012/1211_2014_nissan_gt_r/index.html

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