Stylish Renault steers in the right direction

Stylish Renault steers in the right direction

1:36pm Friday 31st July 2009

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Renault Laguna Coupe GT 2.0 dCi 180) - THE COMPACT coupe market is almost an all German affair. For some badge-conscious buyers, if it doesn't have a BMW, Audi or Mercedes badge it's not worth looking at.

Those snobs might have to think again if they catch sight of Renault's Laguna Coupe, though. The French firm renowned for its design flair has produced a car oozing with style. And a quick glance at the specification shows that it's not lacking in substance, either.

First things first; there's no shame in comparing the Laguna Coupe to, say, an Aston Martin. From the front, the French car proudly displays an Aston-esque grille and headlamp arrangement. Its squat stance is another plus, while in profile the Laguna is as smooth and sophisticated-looking as something from British supercar maker.

Stop laughing at the back - this is all genuine. With such stiff competition further up the price range from the Germans and a slew of cheaper hot hatches below, the most obvious way to set yourself apart is to design your way out of a corner.

Fortunately there are no corners on the Laguna Coupe, just sweeping curves. The same is true inside, with the car's light and airy cabin a welcome relief from the sombre Germanic opposition. It's all familiar Laguna stuff, which is a good thing as the ergonomics are spot on, the driving position is comfortable and adjustable for large and small occupants. There's even room in the back, albeit adults probably won't want to go too far.

And that's the only real criticism of the car, which is pretty good going. It only takes a moment behind the wheel to realise that the Laguna Coupe is more than just a pretty face.

In reality the front-wheel drive Coupe is something of a dark horse. When you think of a car for the keen driver you automatically think of the more expensive premium opposition. The Laguna won't turn you into a driving God, but does have the ability to entertain. For maximum enjoyment you need to opt for a GT model, though, as these variants come with an innovative four-wheel steer system.

Combine this with one of Renault's excellent diesel engines - preferably the 180bhp 2.0 dCi unit for good balance of performance and economy - and you've got yourself a car that boasts a level of agility previously unheard of in a mainstream model.

Simply put, you can corner harder and faster thanks to the efforts of the Laguna's rear wheels. Less steering effort is required, which does demand that you recalibrate your inputs for the first few miles. On a series of flowing bends it's almost akin to thinking the car through the turns, such is the precision of the steering system. If you're not grinning after the first few corners you're simply not enjoying it.

There's more to the system than being able to fling the car into a bend at speed. On a practical note the steering system reduces the turning circle, making parking and navigating small city streets a breeze. You know you've become spoilt when you step into another car and bemoan the amount of effort required to park it.

Far from being little more than a novelty act, the Laguna Coupe GT's steering system adds a considerable amount of value to the ownership experience. Sure, the regular cars are entertaining and rewarding in their own right, but opting for the GT is a worthwhile investment.

So to is that dCi 180 diesel engine. The six-cylinder unit might be the oil burning flagship but the 180 offers a good balance of performance and money-saving economy. There's no shortage of torque at low speeds and its ability to sit quietly on the motorway shouldn't be underestimated.

Factor in Renault's impressive safety record plus all the airbags and electronic stability aids you could ask for, plus a high level of standard kit - enough to embarrass any German rival - and there's no reason why the Laguna Coupe shouldn't be on your shopping list. It's an attractive proposition from all angles.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Best cars of 2009 so far

As we're now past the halfway point of this wonderful year, we thought it a fitting juncture to take the opportunity to reflect on the finest motors of 2009 so far. Despite the recession, and some high-profile casualties in the motoring industry, manufacturers have continued to unveil one top car after another. Just look at Aston Martin, a company that's given us a whole range of hot motors (and the Cygnet) since the start of ‘09 - including the stunning One-77 supercar (pictured). But does the One-77 rank among the best the motoring industry has had to offer in 2009? Check out our Top 10 – then vote for your favourite...

First up: Nissan 370Z Coupe >>

Burn Notice Recap 3.8 – Friends Like These

Posted by Everyn on July 30th, 2009 - 0 Comments

We hop right into the action this week.  Michael prepares for a mission.  “An operation is more likely to be saved by a fresh set of batteries than a gun.”  Fiona packs the batteries in a camera while Michael loads his gun.  Apparently they’re hedging their bets on the batteries.  Fiona answers the door to find Strickler, “Michael’s Ticket Back In.”  Fiona tries to convince Michael not to go with him, to no avail.

Strickler and Michael park our awesome car of the week:  a slick Aston-Martin.  Strickler promises Michael with “his word” if Michael completes this job, his burn notice will be lifted.  Then we’d have to change the name of this show to “Sam Axe Is Awesome.”  I’m cool with that.  They are currently parked across from a safe house for an American intelligence agency.  There appears to be a robbery in progress, which they will not be stopping.  Instead, they’ll trace the stolen goods to a drop off and take some key pictures as it happens, all the client has requested.  It sounds a little too good to be true to me.

Michael stumbles in on Sam and his conveniently product-placed MGD64 folding laundry.  Sam’s folding laundry drinking the beer, the beer isn’t helping fold.  I just wanted to be clear.  Sam’s been chasing down a license plate for Michael, belonging to one of the thieves.  Sam thinks he’s found the motel where the car’s driver is staying.  The best place to monitor the motel is a bingo parlor and Sam has a great idea for placing one of our lovely characters there, someone who would fit right into a bingo parlor’s clientele.  That someone, it seems, is not too happy with Sam lately.  Madeline’s roof is leaking.  “For some crazy reason she thinks it has to do with the time I blew up the house.”

Madeline’s in for the bingo-surveillance, as long as there’s no shooting.  I’m so excited for the day we can see Sharon Gless with a gun again.  Can there be a little shooting?  Fiona tries to lay a guilt trip on Michael but it’s all too obvious she’s just trying to dissuade him from his continuing quest.  As a welcome interruption, Mike receives a frantic call from Barry and runs off to meet him.

Someone has stolen Barry’s ledger, which lists all of his nefarious contacts and the money he keeps track of for them.  Barry’s been contacted by the thief, who wants $5Million by Thursday or he’ll sell the ledger.  If that happens, Barry’s as good as dead.  Fi and Mike agree to help Barry, and the subtitles confirm it with “The Client”.  The ledger was kept in a private storage space with some cash and some paperwork that belongs to his girlfriend, Amy.  Michael and Fi think Amy’s a plant and her documents were used as a Trojan horse to snuff out his secret location.

Madeline definitely looks the part of a bingo-junky as she dangles a cigarette and a mean set of giant blue earrings.  Michael’s voiceover points out that the spy business is a bit ageist.  “…even wary operatives don’t usually pay attention to kids and people on social security.”  Sam talks through the basics with Madeline and encourages her to keep a low profile.  All she needs to do is keep an eye out for their guy, and call when she sees him.  Madeline can’t be having too bad of a time, she brightens when she gets a BINGO!

Barry waits in the car while Michael and Fiona break into Amy’s house.  Loud music is blaring from the house.  Amy, “Barry’s Special Lady”, wanders out front.  She’s none other than the evil chick from Beethoven’s 2nd, my 2nd favorite St. Bernard movie.  Amy tries to take out Fiona with a golf club, but we all know how that ends.  Fiona finds an explosive placed on Amy’s car, but Amy is unconvinced.  To prove the eminent threat on Amy’s life, Fiona tosses a brick into the car, which sets off the explosive.  While her Range Rover burns, Amy spills her guts about the guy who contacted her.  “He was some kind of foreign.”  Nice.

Sam and Michael use a drill and a coat hanger to orchestrate a nice little break in to the “foreign guy’s” home.  They search the place top to bottom, with no success.  Fiona spots a car arriving, but Sam and Mike don’t have time to clean up their mess.  It’s critical the blackmailer not know they were snooping, or he’ll likely run with the ledger.  Their only option seems to be an unpleasant one.  “We owe him, Sam.”  Sam’s eye roll says it all, as he takes his gun from its holster.  A man and a woman wander into the home, and Michael puts on his best tough guy voice.  The lady freaks out when she sees strange men in her home, but I think she should freak out over the abusive husband she seems to have picked out for herself.  Foreign guy tries to come at Michael, but is quickly taken down.  The wife freaks out the corner, and Sam tries to calm her down, but his gun waving isn’t exactly getting the job done.  Michael sends us to commercial break with this gem:  “Get some pillowcases, we’re gonna need head-bags.”

Michael and Sam talk through the plan with Barry.  They’ve kidnapped foreign guy and lady, which seems to have been their only chance to get information on the location of the ledger.  Sam is excited to get this done so he and Ms. Reynolds can sneak off on their filthy love adventure at a villa.  Michael, though, has other plans for that big open private space and hopes to use it for some interrogation.  Sam may have had similar plans for Ms. Reynolds, but gives in to Michael’s puppy dog eyes. 

Madeline spots the thief and gives Michael a call.  Michael applauds her like a St. Bernard: “Good JOB, Mom!”  Fiona’s in charge of setting up a tail on the thief, while Michael runs to the villa to finish the interrogation.  “I’m sorry we’re using your love nest as a holding cell, Sam.”  Sam and Michael look through their captive’s belongings.  Sam finds a picture of an adorable toddler boy, and volunteers to work on the female captive.  “As you know, I’ve got a way with the ladies.”

Sam, in one of the upstairs rooms with the lady, laughs like an idiot while he reads the paper.  “Oh, that Marmaduke.  He will never learn.”  She gives up a little information, if only to make him stop laughing like that.  Her name is Natalie and she’s a property manager.  It appears she’s not the wife at all, but most likely a victim some how of the blackmailer, who is currently awaiting Micheel in the basement.

Michael’s voiceover recognizes that foreign-guy is likely a “shut-down at conflict” kind of guy, so his best bet is to avoid conflict.  He offers a cigarette and speaks with a very measured tone.  Michael claims he’s working for a “very powerful man” and tries to convince foreign-guy (who claims his name is George Washington, who was also foreign) that Natalie will turn over on him.  G.W. doesn’t seem concerned, since she’s only known him for three days and doesn’t even know his name.  G.W. has even more reason to keep quiet, since he’s set up an insurance policy.  If he doesn’t show up for the sale in three days, his friend will leak the ledger onto the Internet.

While Sam and Michael compare notes on their unsuccessful interrogations, Fiona wanders in.  Sam is having very little luck with the “delicate flower” who bursts into tears every time Sam tries to talk to her.  Fiona’s had more success, though, and has found the arms deal location.  As a reward, she’s now in charge of cry-baby Natalie.  Michael suggests a “softer approach.”  Fiona and I are both incredulous.  “You’re looking to me for softer?  You two really are desperate.” 

Fiona comes in with two cups of tea and the picture of Natalie’s son, Jared.  She quickly gets Natalie’s intel.  Natalie’s been scamming some money on the side by renting empty houses to playboys.  A few days ago, G.W. kidnapped her and used her as his personal real-estate agent as well as his personal play thing.  There was a condo near the airport that Natalie showed him, and Fiona thinks it’s their best bet for the ledger hiding spot. 

Sure enough, Fiona and Michael find a safe in the fireplace of the condo.  The safe doesn’t contain the ledger, but it does contain Natalie’s passport, as well as G.W.’s, who’s real name is Milovan.  They also find another passport for a third gentleman, Bennet Tash, who I’m sure we’ll be tracking down soon.

Sam taunts Milo with their new info.  Milovan is taunting Sam right back though, and gets Sam to come at him.  This may be the angriest we’ve seen Sam, and all over an accusation that Sam was in the Coast Guard rather than the Navy.  Those military guys and their prejudices…  As Sam dives at him, Milo takes Sam’s gun and tries to shoot him, but it wasn’t loaded.  Instead, Sam pulls an actual live gun on Milovan and takes a couple too-close-for-comfort shots at him, putting Milo in his place for now.

Michael used Milo’s passport to get some additional information on him.  It’s no wonder Milovan was able to rile Sam, he’s an interrogation specialist.  Michael tasks Barry with tracking down Bennet Tash via paper trail.  Sam will stay with Milo and try to keep his temper in check.  Michael and Fi will work the B plot for Strickler and set up their location for photographing the sale.

Fi and Sam meet with Strickler and scope out the arms deal location.  Fiona finds Strickler’s abundance of information suspicious.  He knew right when the heist would take place and that the thieves would be selling it quickly to a big buyer.  He’s also letting the heist be carried out rather than stopping it.  She calls him out, but Strickler is unswayed.  Michael tells Strickler than he’ll handle the Fiona situation.  Good luck to you, Michael!

Barry calls Fiona with some intel on Bennet Tash.  Fiona tires to convince Natalie to be brave and share as much information as she can to track down Bennet.  Fiona loans her cell phone to Natalie to call her son, and Natalie points them in the direction of a store front where they can find Bennet.

Sam and Michael quickly find the store, where Bennet is working alone.  They claim “the boss” sent them.  Bennet pulls a Mac-10 from the back room and tries to take them out.  He had instructions to kill any visitor on sight, but isn’t very successful as Michael easily takes him down.  Bennet panics and asks them to just kill him.  He doesn’t know where the ledger is.  “The only one who knows where that ledger is is her.”  The Serbian?  It would appear he’s a fall guy.  “She threatened his kid.”  Well, that over-the-top sobbing act seems to make more sense now.  Sam and Michael speed back to save Fiona.

Natalie turns off Fiona’s phone while she gets a yogurt, and tries to convince Fiona to take the handcuffs off so she can go to the bathroom.  Fiona, thankfully, can’t find the keys.  She walks off to find something to pick them with, while Michael and Sam panic that they can’t reach her on her cell.  This episode has taken an exciting turn!  I don’t even care that it’s late and my butt is numb from sitting on my bed with my laptop!

When we return from commercial, Fiona has indeed picked Natalie’s handcuffs, but they’re sitting there talking calmly.  Michael, in an effort to hide his fear, acts furious and smacks Fiona.  They quickly stash Natalie back in the room and cuff her to the bed.  As soon as the door is closed, Michael sincerely apologizes and explains to Fiona, but she’s shaken and furious.  It’s a really powerful moment, and I feel for both of them.  Michael is just as upset about it as Fiona is, and I don’t see this ending well for anyone.

Sam and Michael put Milo in a bathtub, with Natalie in the room next door, and threaten to kill him if he doesn’t give up the information.  They shoot everywhere but at him, and the sound of the screaming and shooting is enough to convince Natalie that he’s dead.  Fiona runs into Natalie’s room and offers to help her escape.  She breaks the window with a chair and Natalie runs out.  “Spies don’t keep a lot of prisoners.  When you hold someone you only learn what they tell you.  Let them go and you can learn what they do and where they go.”  Sam, Fi, and Michael steal cars to use as tails and use Barry as a fourth man for intel.  Using the different vehicles they easily take turns tailing her.  How did people do cool things like this before cell phones?  Hand signals I guess.  After an awesome “chase” scene that I’m sad you missed, Natalie turns into South Point Park and waits on a park bench. 

A bicyclist rides past Natalie and makes a smooth exchange of keys.  The cyclist opens a beach locker and picks up the ledger.  Michael takes down the cyclist and grabs the ledger while Fiona slugs Natalie in the mouth.  Natalie uses a group of children for cover and escapes.  She did, however, leave behind a car full of money.  The buyers for Barry’s ledger ended up getting shafted for the money, which works out great for everyone.

Barry and Madeline really are adorable together.  She cooked up a cover story for him, and he’s hooked her up with a roof repairman.  Madeline and Michael share a beer and another tender moment.  I’m really glad to see Madeline not be annoying and shrill this season.  I’m starting to actually like her.

Fiona comes to visit Michael in his loft.  She’s dropping out of the Strickler operation.  She puts together the most coherent argument against working with Strickler we’ve heard.  “Working with someone like Strickler, it changes you little by little.”  Fiona is near tears again (every episode this season?) and tells Michael she can’t stay in Miami and watch Michael sell his soul.

Michael sits at his stakeout location and watches the thieves make the transfer of the stolen goods from boat to truck.  He takes the pictures Strickler wanted, and worries about Fiona via voiceover.  Michael turns the photos over to Strickler and tries to get more information on where the stolen goods are going and who the pictures are for.  Strickler doesn’t give him any answers, but does hand over a phone call for Michael.  Diego informs Michael there’s “been some movement” on his burn notice and offers to meet and discuss.  Michael definitely looks like he feels dirty as he contemplates what he’s traded.

Next week:  Fiona gets kidnapped and Michael gets angry.

Copenhagen Historical Grand Prix

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The motor racing purists love the Copenhagen Historical Grand Prix - a throwback event to a bygone era when drivers were death-defying heroes, the conditions were rough and ready, and tyre-changing operatives worked in teams of one. So it’s no wonder that so many of the drivers from the ‘50s and ‘60s return to race, lured by the chance to compete on tracks that are reminiscent of their former glories.

‘It’s fair to say it captures the spirit of that era,’ explains Andrew van de Burgt, the editor of the UK’s most popular motor racing magazine Autosport, who attended the race in 2003. 
 ‘The fantastic surroundings of Copenhagen’s Fælledparken make an ideal setting for a parade of some fine classic racing machines,’ van de Burgt tells The Copenhagen Post.
 ‘From guaranteed crowd-pleasers like Jaguar D- and E-types to rarer formula-racer exotica, the event provides plenty to see for the ardent racing fan and the casual observer alike.’
 In all there are nine different classes of car competing in over 30 races over the course of the two-day event, which enjoyed its inaugural year in 2001. The circuit is 2km long - including Noerre Alle, Oester Alle and Borgmester Jensens Alle - and wide enough to let three or four cars race side-by-side, with only two tight corners. Among the cars taking part are classic models of Bentley, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lotus, Aston Martin and Porsche.

Qualifying starts at 08:30 on Saturday with the pre-1947 class, and the heats begin at 13:15. Possibly the biggest draw of the first day is the ‘Historic 65-class GTS & TC’ (Standard- og GT-biler (TC og GT) op til 1965) class which is expected to include Prince Joaquim - a regular competitor and patron of the event - in his beloved Ford Lotus Cortina. Qualifying for this class is expected to start soon after 10:20 with the first heat at 14:15. Qualifying on Sunday also begins at 08:30 and the first heat of the day starts at 12:45.

Only the cheapest ticket prohibits access to the grandstands (which all have unnumbered seats), and under-14s are allowed to join you in any area that your ticket grants you entry to. Public interest is normally pretty large with 10,000 spectators expected to turn up per day, and the event is supported by 250 volunteers who give up their time, with some working 24-hour shifts to get the track ready.
 The profits from the event are normally given to the Dansk Automobil Sports Union to invest in talent development.

Dogs are not allowed to attend the event but other classic cars are, and are particularly welcome to use the Classic Car Park for free (where Blegdamsvej meets Frederik den V´s vej), providing they meet the organisers’ criteria that the model must have been introduced some time before 1970, and apply online (www.chgp.dk/parking-application---classic-car-park/) beforehand.  The area is under surveillance, but ultimately you park there ‘at your own risk’.

As well as the racing, there will be a number of different displays, giving car enthusiasts an opportunity to indulge in some long and meaningful gazing. And with the UN summit on climate change (COP15) in mind, there will be demonstrations of a new type of  sustainable car (the CO2 E-racer), hybrid engines and sustainable car technologies.

Every type of ticket - there are five (see details), depending on how much wine and food you want to consume - gives you access to the paddock and the chance to soak up the pre-race atmosphere.

So close your eyes, fill your nostrils with the smell of petrol and listen to the hum of the engines, just like the swooning girls dressed in fetching ‘40s wear and dashing drivers in long silk scarves did in years gone bye.

Thunder Asia Mosler Racing Gets Set For Merdeka Millennium ...

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Thunder Asia Mosler Racing Gets Set For Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race

Tim Sugden and Jazeman Jaafar Join Melvin Choo For MMER

Singapore, July 31, 2009 - The Thunder Asia Mosler Racing Team embarks on another challenge, at the 2009 12-hour Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (MMER). The race is scheduled from August 6 to 8, 2009. The Thunder Asia Mosler Racing Team will be participating with their Mosler MT900R race car, after a recent run in the Super GT race at Sepang in June 2009. Further strengthening the team's effort in the MMER will be 2007 Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Champion Tim Sugden and Malaysia's Jazeman Jaafar, sharing the driver's seat with Thunder Asia Racing's own Singaporean race car driver, Melvin Choo. Backed by the Mosler factory, the team's Mosler MT900R will sport a new Aero Package to suit the longer races. Mosler's engineers have used all the information from the team's sessions and previous races to further refine the drive characteristics of the car. Previous Super GT Experience During the Super GT, Melvin Choo and Mosler's works driver Martin Short qualified a respectable 8th out of 19 cars in the GT300 category. The team started off well during the first 4 laps of the race. On the 5th lap, a loss of power steering forced the car down to 5th position. More precious time was lost at the pitstop when the car refused to start due to a fuel pump failure. Despite the difficulties, the drivers pushed on to finish in 13th position in the GT300 race. "Disappointed, but what an experience! We have a very good car and were doing well before the power steering failed. Even then, we were still at the 5th position. It was when the fuel pump failed due to the heat, that we lost 5 laps due to the time spent repairing the car," says Mel of his Super GT race experience. "Gaining valuable experience from the Super GT race, we are more prepared for the coming race and I hope to become the first Singaporen driver to ever win the MMER!" added Choo during the Super GT in June 2009. "We've learnt a lot from our race in the Super GT," said Raja Zaini, team manager, Thunder Asia Racing. "Although we had some issues which drop our placing in the race, it was good to know that we had the pace earlier on, to run as high as second place in the GT300 category." Preparations for the MMER On their preparation for the longer and unforgiving MMER, the team has had encouraging pre-race tests, especially inspired with Choo's pairing with Sugden and Jazeman. "The first was to work on reliability by carrying out a high number of tests and I also wanted to make sure that the team mechanics were fully motivated before MMER. It is also important to complete the line-up with experienced drivers, which is why we have selected Tim Sugden and Jazeman Jaafar whose passion to win is as strong as Mel and everyone in the team," added Zaini. About Tim Sugden Tim Sugden is an accomplished racer with successes in both sprint and endurance races. Prior to winning the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia title in 2007, he was also voted as the Best Porsche Driver in 2005 in the series and continued the series in 2008 where he placed third overall. He had several second place finishes in endurance race such as the GT2 Class of the 2005 FIA GT, 2004 British GT Championship NGT Class and 2002 British GT Championship GTO Class. In 1998 Tim Sugden was the British GT Champion in the GT1 Class. About Jazeman Jaafar The 16-year old Jazeman Jaafar is currently racing in the Formula BMW Europe championship. He started karting at the age of six and was the 2007 Formula BMW Asia. He was the youngest driver to take part in the 2007 MMER competing in a Lotus Exige 300RR with Proton R3 Motorsports. About Melvin Choo Kwok Ming Melvin Choo (car number: 69) is the first Singaporean race driver to achieve a remarkable feat of chalking up 30 race participations in 2008, with a total of 7 victories, 8 podium finishes and 5 pole positions in three different cars, Aston Martin, BMW and Porsche, representing accomplishment through expertise. Becoming the Class B winner in the JPM Integra Championship in Malaysia, jumpstart his racing career in Asia in 2006. In 2007, Melvin took part in some of the most prominent races in Asia; FIA Asia Touring Car Series (FIA ATCS), where he finished second in Division 2 and third overall, FIA Asian Touring Car Cup, where he finished second overall and awarded the fastest front wheel driver and JPM Integra Championships, where he was third overall. 2008 is Melvin's breakthrough year where he successfully raced in four renowned high profile events in motorsports; FIA World Touring Car Championships (WTCC), FIA Asia Touring Car Series (ATCS), Aston Martin Asia Cup (AMAC), and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. It is also the year he placed Singapore on the international map of car racing as the first and only South-East Asian to race at the FIA WTCC well known for its stringent qualifying process, and by achieving the rare task of scoring points in his debut FIA WTCC race in Okayama, Japan. About Thunder Asia Racing Thunder Asia Racing is an experienced racing team with a portfolio of more than 10 years of major race participation and more than 72 racing vehicles built to date. The team has participated in 4 of the highest profile race events in Asia, with 3 of the most prolific racing cars in the world (BMW, Aston Martin, and Porsche). The race drivers' cumulative experience totals more than 100 years between them, and has 32 race wins of 52 races throughout the 10 years of competition. The team has past involvements with factory teams for Honda, Proton, and Lotus. Search engines: Melvin Choo site Keyword terms for page: Melvin Choo, Thunder Asia Racing, BMW 320si E90, FIA World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC), Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24, Aston Martin Asia Cup (AMAC), Porsche 911 GT3 Type 997 Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA), Okayama International Circuit Japan, Guia Street Circuit Macau, Sentul International Circuit Indonesia, Zhuhai International Circuit China, Shanghai International Circuit China, Marina Bay Street Circuit Singapore, F1 Grand Prix GP, etc.

The Planetlemans 1000KM do Algarve preview

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Portimão by Night

The Le Mans 24 Hours are six weeks behind us and that means it is time for the third round of the 2009 Le Mans Series. All the teams will face a new challenge as the series will be racing at the Autódromo Internacional Algarve for the first time ever, in fact it is the first ever visit to Portugal. The race at Portimão will have another unique character; it will be a night race!

Thirty-five cars will be racing on the track that was constructed only last year. The ‘1000Km do Algarve’ will start at 7.15pm and be run over 215 laps, but will finish no later than 1.15am. Even though the temperature won’t be a high at night as it is during the day it is still expected to have some influence on the race proceedings.

Ten LMP1 cars will be out on track this weekend. Earlies this season Team Peugeot Total was expected to join the Portuguese round, but the French manufacturer decided not to travel South. Pescarolo Sport leads the championship after two second place finishes at Barcelona and Spa, where it was beaten by the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. At Portimão the Pescarolo Sport team will only enter the #16 Pescarolo 01, Henri Pescarolo being forced to drop his second car due to a lack of budget. The Boullion-Tinseau car is a top entry though and should be able to finally make that move onto the top step of the podium.

Jan Charouz, Tomas Enge and Stefan Mücke will certainly do whatever they can to prevent a Pescarolo win. The Aston Martin Racing drivers are currently second in the team overall classification. Having won the race in Barcelona the three drivers hope to put their #007 Aston Martin Racing Lola Aston on top of the podium again and by doing that winning both rounds on the Iberian Peninsula. The Portuguese fans could be cheering for Miguel Ramos, who returns to the #009 entry. Primat, Turner and Ramos can only hope luck will turn around at Portimão after a disappointing start of the season.

More cheers are expected for the Team Oreca Matmut AIM team. The #10 Oreca 01 AIM will see Bruno Senna joined by Portuguese ace Tiago Monteiro. With the #10 currently fourth in the overall standings the Oreca squad hopes to score some valuable points after a DNF at Spa and Le Mans. The team’s second car will again be raced by Panis and Lapierre, who hope to bounce back in the LMS after a great result at Le Mans where they finished fifth overall.

The other cars are less likely to battle for the podium spots, although the Signature Plus Courage-Oreca of Ragues and Mailleux was close in Barcelona. Kolles will again be entering its two Audi R10 TDIs with the same lineup as the team ran at Le Mans, including Narain Karthikeyan. Strakka Racing, without Peter Hardman as of this race, and Speedy Racing Team Sebah are the final two cars in the LMP1 class, the former possibly be the dark horse again?

In the LMP2 category twelve cars will take to the track this weekend. So far it has been an open season with no full season team yet clearly on top. Racing Box (#30), Quifel ASM Team and Speedy Racing Team Sebah all have ten points going into this round. All of them have had one top result and one poor(er). Miguel Amaral’s Quifel ASM Team is racing on home soil, so they will be extra motivated to win this one. Biagi, Bobbi and Piccini will also be doing their best to forget the Spa-Francorchamps round where an early exit meant the #30 Racing Box was unable to extend its championship lead. The Italian team hopes for a better result at Portimão and should be one of the favourites to win. But in the #33 Speedy Lola Kane, Pompidou and Leuenberger have exactly the same goal.

OAK Racing’s Ajlani and Lahaye will be going after their first podium finish of the year, while the second Racing Box car (Ceccato, Francioni and Piccini) will also be looking for a podium finish at least.

The other teams in LMP2 are unlikely to challenge for the podium places. The #24 OAK Racing Pescarolo hopes to start this race rather than retiring on the warm-up lap. RML has had problems with their Mazda engine at every race and their first finish of 2009 would be a big achievement. If no finish, expect changes there. Ibanez Racing Service has repaired their car after the Spa accident. At WR / Salini Tristan Gommendy has been replaced by another quick French driver, none other than Bruce Jouanny. G.A.C. Racing Team, Bruichladdich Bruneau will likely be ‘also rans’. For the occiasion Q8 Oils Hache Team brought in two new names to its squad, Grand Prix and Superbike racer Fonsi Nieto and his girlfriend, Europen F3 Open driver Carmen Jordá.

GT1 will be a French affair. Reiter Engineering has withdrawn its Lamborghini Murcielago but Larbre Competition will return with their Saleen S7R for Berville, Dumez and Lémeret. They will be fighting the GT1 championship leader Luc Alphand Aventures. The French team missed last weekend’s Total 24 Hours of Spa but is back in action in Portugal with one C6.R entered for Jullien Jousse, Patrice Goueslard and Yann Clairay.

Eleven GT2 cars will form the final group of cars at the Portimão circuit. The entire top ten of the championship will be in action in Portugal. Virgo Motorsport, the eleventh team to have scored points this year will not be there.

Team Felbermayr Proton is coming to Portugal as GT2 class leader. With its Spa win reinstated the team’s #77 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR is six points ahead of its nearest rival. Works drivers Lieb and Lietz will again be joined by Felbermayr Sr. Lietz has raced here before and even took a win in a Porsche. Lieb is completely new, but this should not be a problem. The sister car #88 will have its regular crew again, with Cruz Martins driving a home race.

Chasing the #77 Porsche are no less than four Ferrari F430 GT2s with top line ups. JMW Motorsport will be bringing its quality line up of Bell and Bruni again. At Team Modena Jaime Melo will once more support Garcia and Mansell while Pierre Ehret, Dominik Farnbacher, Anthony Beltoise, Pierre Kaffer and Allan Simonsen will be racing the two Farnbacher entries.

Behind the Porsche and the four Ferrari’s in the GT2 standings are two cars that are just waiting to take a podium finish at Portimão. Snoras Spyker Squadron showed its capabilities at Le Mans where it took the finish ahead of all the Porsches. Coronel and Janis are more than willing to do even better here in this night race. Meanwhile IMSA Matmut Performance hopes to get rid of the bad luck it had so far. Pilet and Narac have been in a Porsche almost every weekend it seems with races in the GT Open, the Le Mans Series as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Spa.

Drayson Racing’s Vantage could be up for something at Portimão as the team already visitedt the circuit earlier this year for pre-Le Mans testing. The data collected at that test could well mean an advantage over several teams.

JMB Racing and Easyrace complete the GT2 field, with Portuguese driver Cesar Campanico the latest addition to the field as he will be racing the JMB Racing Ferrari alongside John Hartshorne.

Aston Martin Gears-Up For First-Ever Le Mans Series Night Race in ...

As Howard-Chappell noted, this isn't Aston's first time at Algarve. The team held endurance test sessions at the new track back in April in preparation for this year's Le Man Series and is quite familiar with it. Algarve, located in Portimao, Portugal, was completed last year and features a 2.9-mile, 18-turn track that winds its way up and down several small hills that make the track something of a roller coaster-ride for drivers and can be hazardous with its many blind turns. Adding to the element of danger is the fact that the Le Mans Series will be running Algarve at night. The race will start at 7:15 PM local time on Saturday, August 1 and run 215 laps until approximately 1:15 AM. Aston Martin will be fielding both the 007 car, piloted by Jan Charouz, Tomas Enge and Stefan Mucke and the 009 car of Harold Primat, Miguel Ramos and Darren Turner.

Mercedes McLaren SLR: A symphonic super car

Luxury supercars are a rare breed of vehicle, examples of the pinnacles of engineering, innovation, and panache combined into a bloody fast -- and pricey -- package.

Running backs in football are cut from a similar cloth, with lightning quick reflexes, incomparable acceleration, and style, whether it was the technical wizardry of Walter Payton, the tirelessly entertaining Barry Sanders, or the fierce and calculating competitiveness of Emmitt Smith.

I don't know why, then, I am thinking of Franco Harris -- even less why I am using him for an automotive analogy. I barely watch football, the Pittsburgh Steelers were never my favourite team and 245-pound running backs who grind out 100 yards a game 4.1 yards at a time with what can best be described as a lumbering pace are hardly exciting to watch. Yet, every time I mat the throttle of Mercedes' incredible SLR McLaren, there's big Franco, third and goal, charging straight at the line.

I blame the SLR's unique exhaust. Most European supercars -- any Ferrari you care to mention, Porsche's Carrera GT, even the glorious sounding Aston Martin DBS -- sound somewhat effete, all high revs and neat, precise explosions inside pristine combustion chambers. The Mercedes, despite its British and German heritage, is traditionally American by comparison.

Every power pulse -- and you can seemingly count them when accelerating at low revs -- sounds positively concussive, as if each of the supercharged 5.5-litre's eight pistons is determined to spin those huge P295/30ZR19 rear tires all by its self. A Ferrari at full throttle sounds like it's defying the laws of physics; the McLaren sounds as if it wants to pound them into submission.

That aural delight is made all the more apparent in this, the roadster version of Mercedes' superest of cars. With no roof to insulate and its trademark sidepipes poking out just aft of the front wheels, passengers are front row and centre in the concert hall that is the SLR McLaren. Depending on your level of devotion to the combustion of fossil fuels, this can be either Wagner at his finest or Limp Bizkit at their insufferable worst. The one common denominator is that, ensconced in all that red-and-black leather, you will not be ignoring the big thundering herd of horsepower ahead of you.

Of course, if the supercharged V-8 is making big noise, it's also making big horsepower -- 617 of them when the throttle is matted and the revs climb above 6,000. Things start flying by in a big hurry as the SLR pounds its way to 100 kilometres an hour in just 3.8 seconds. Its top speed, given enough headway and a raft of lawyers to fend off the attention of highway police, is a whopping 334 km/h. I can attest to at least the first 300 of those, as that was what the speedometer read when my courage ran out during a test of the coupe version in Spain a few years back.

Despite those jaw-dropping numbers, they actually could have been better.

The SLR's performance limitations -- and, yes, it's absolutely ridiculous to speak of a car that hits 334 km/h as limited -- are its transmission and a some latent lardness compared with some of its competition.

Not only is the SLR's tranny an automatic, but, unlike more modern Mercedes seven-speed slushboxes, it only sports five forward gears. At the time of the SLR's development, it was the only transmission in Benz's stable that could handle the 5.5L's 13 lbs. per square inch of boost and 575 ft-lbs. of torque. No doubt a more modern gearbox would shave a few more ticks off that already stunning acceleration time.

The SLR's weight -- 1,768 kg -- is a tad hefty by sports car standards. What makes this ironic is that, constructed by Formula One legend McLaren, the underlying chassis is the epitome of futuristic and lightweight engineering. The entire chassis and body aft of the firewall is one gigantic but lightweight carbon-fibre tub, while the suspension and engine frames are almost-as-light aluminum extrusions.

According to lore, the problem was that Mercedes added many of its traditional accoutrements and electronic safety devices, raising the SLR's curb weight far above what McLaren originally envisaged.

Though the driver's seat is available in five different sizes, once chosen you will have to live with it for the life of the car. Woe be the L4/L5 lumbars that don't like the seat angle chosen.

The SLR is the rational supercar, if such a beast does exist. Yes, it goes a trillion kilometres an hour and makes the most delicious of vroom noises, but it will also carry two sets of golf bags in its trunk and it's possible to hold a conversation at 100 km/h without shouting one's self hoarse. Try that in your Porsche Carrera GT.

Yas Island's plans for round-the-clock motorsport

�We are looking at some classic [car] events and then we are looking at club events, satisfying the needs of every sector within motorsport. �We would very much like to have a motorcycle event, so we are in discussions over those.�A GP2 race, featuring single-seater cars similar to F1 cars, would bring with it the possibility of seeing future Formula One drivers. Many current F1 drivers graduated through the ranks of GP2, including Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen and Timo Glock. The GP2 Asia subdivision has been running for two years.

As well as the 24-hour Le Mans series, which will be possible on Yas Island thanks to floodlights installed around the track, the FIA GT would provide another endurance race, pitching Aston Martins, Lamborghinis and Maseratis against each other in races lasting between two and 24 hours. Mr Cregan said announcements about the exact events taking place would be made over the coming months, in the run-up to the Grand Prix.

The Yas Island Circuit may also be a venue for go-karting and musical events such as the Womad festival held in the capital earlier this year. Randi Solokoff / The National

�We have to work on them in parallel with the F1, because we have to deliver [them] by 2010,� he added.GP2 races often take place at the F1 circuits on the same weekends as Grands Prix, capitalising on the ready-made fan base.While not as high-profile as the F1 itself, support races often prove highly profitable in their own right. The V8 Australian supercar series, which takes place every October at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), generates US$85million (Dh312m) of income to the kingdom every year.

Martin Whitaker, the chief executive of BIC, which has staged a Grand Prix for the past five years, said the key to the success of a circuit was ensuring it was not used for only one weekend a year. �It is one of the things we have pushed � it is not just about the Grand Prix, but about attracting international events, whether it is V8 or GP2 Asia. We have held events here for every single global motor manufacturer, pretty much.�

Including the Grand Prix, the Yas Island track is expected to be in use on 300 days of the year.Mr Cregan said it would not even be off-limits in the midsummer heat � adding that he had already joked with F1 drivers about the opportunity of travelling to Abu Dhabi to undergo endurance training in the humidity.Apart from the planned events on the 5.55km track, several facilities will be made open to the public, most notably a drag strip that is almost a kilometre in length and a karting circuit that will be used to train young drivers and for corporate events. Both will open soon after the November Grand Prix.

Driving aside, the Yas Marina Circuit is also likely to be opened up for concerts, with each of the five grandstands seating about 10,000 people. Mr Cregan said:�When it would come to using the facility for something like a concert, we would run the facility but then hand it over to experts to run the concert. �We don�t want to get into that, there are people [for whom] that is their speciality.�

He added: �We have to open it up to the people, to make sure they have an opportunity to go out there and enjoy the circuit. �F1 is only one of the events. A very key element is to make sure we serve the community.�One of the biggest plans being considered is a large business park adjacent to the track. If it goes ahead, Abu Dhabi will follow the lead of other F1 circuits in becoming bases for motorsport manufacturers.

Bahrain is home to the BMW Performance Centre and a Hummer driving academy, while Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, has attracted a Ford Rally Academy as well as the Force India F1 team.Aldar, the Yas Island site�s developer, said the business park was one of many options being considered.Mr Cregan, who said there had already been expressions of interest from manufacturers in moving to Yas Island, said: �Our hope will be that it is taken up by teams and manufacturers looking for a development base.

�We will support anybody who comes along and wants to use our facility � it could be Ferrari, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes � by creating a motorsport business park that would give them the opportunity to set up a research and development facility, for example.�With the track lighting, we have the possibility of 24 hours, and the possibility of doing car launches. There are huge possibilities here. �The only restriction on our project is our own imagination. We need to think outside the box.�

rhughes@thenational.ae

Aston Martin geared up for Algarve night race

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© Aston Martin Racing

Following a fourth overall and highest petrol finish at the Le Mans 24 hour race in June, Aston Martin Racing continues with the remainder of the Le Mans Series (LMS) and heads to the new Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal for the first ever LMS night race.

Aston Martin Racing will field two LMP1 cars for the third round of this year’s Le Mans Series. Hoping to secure their third consecutive LMS podium finish, the 007 car of Jan Charouz (CZ), Tomas Enge (CZ) and Stefan Mucke (DE) will be joined by the 009 car of Harold Primat (CH), Miguel Ramos (PT) and Darren Turner (GB).

The Aston Martin LMP1 cars will take the rolling start of the Algarve 1000 kilometres at 19:15 local time on Saturday 1 August. The race will finish at approximately 01:15 on Sunday morning after 215 laps.

The iconic blue and orange Gulf liveried Aston Martins will take to the track on Thursday afternoon at 16:45 and again at 21:30 for two free practice sessions, the second of which is a two hour session after sunset allowing the team and drivers to prepare for Saturday’s night race. The third and final free practice session takes place on Friday at 13:45 prior to a 20 minute qualifying session at 19:40.

Completed in 2008, the 4.65 kilometre/2.89 miles long circuit is one of the most modern in Europe, benefiting from excellent safety and comfort for both drivers and spectators alike. The undulating terrain lends itself to an exciting circuit packed with elevation changes and blind corners that will challenge all of the competitors.

Although the Autodromo Internacional Algarve is new to the Le Mans Series, it is familiar to the team as Aston Martin Racing held an endurance test at the track in April.

Six weeks on from the team’s Le Mans 24 hour endeavour, Aston Martin Racing Team Principal George Howard-Chappell is looking forward to competing at the new Algarve circuit: “I’m hoping that our testing here earlier in the year will be of some benefit and in addition we are happy to be racing again. We need to focus on trying to win the Championship and also on winning races outright, which should be possible now without the factory diesel cars. I am also looking forward to welcoming back our Portuguese driver Miguel Ramos to the squad.”

Led Zeppelin Aston Martin owner Robert Plant in serious car ...

made the theme park close down for promoting excessive speed in cars, reckless driving, driving while intoxicated, and driving under the influence as Mr. Toad got his game face on and whipped around the dark and seedy London areas and stoned countryside?

 

 

ROBERT PLANT OF LED ZEPPELIN INVOLVED IN SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT

The Led Zeppelin Examiner at Examiner.com writes,

According to publications in the United Kingdom like The Sun and The Telegraph, Robert Plant was in a car accident with a drugs counselor in northwest London.

The counselor, one Richard Grant, was driving his Mercedes SL 300 when it collided with Plant’s Audi A8 on the evening of July 2. It is uncertain who was at fault for the smash.

Drug counselor Grant is quoted as saying, "I was unconscious for a little while and then I saw him standing there. I was pretty groggy when I saw him, but later on the officers told me who it was," Grant said.

"I went to hospital for five hours and luckily there were no broken bones, but I was badly bruised on the arm and had whiplash.”

When asked about the accident and the state of the cars, Grant said, "My Merc is smashed up and I'm not in a good way."

Celebrity Auto reported on the story in their 'Cars and Stars' feature section and added the following comments:

If the driver is hurt for real, let's hope he does not sue Plant. Maybe he could sign his cast and wrecked car to turn the automobile into a classic Led Zeppelin memorabilia item he could sell instead of being litigious and hiring ambulance chaser lawyers to help him pull a penny away from the unlucky celeb. More so, we hope that Mr. Plant himself is not injured seriously and is doing well.
 

Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin performs, "Stairway to Heaven" LIVE

 

   Robert Plant's Aston Martin DB5 For Sale? SOLD in UK

ClassicCarsforSale.co.uk recently sold a very special ultra-luxe exotic recently. According to their online exotic and luxury classic car sales website, the dealer offered up the following car for sale to the general public: 

Aston Martin DB5

1965 Body Colour: Dubonnet Rosso

Interior Colour: Tan

Hide Drive: RHD

Transmission: Manual

Mileage: 62273 miles / 100197 km

Further details included the following auto history report:

Not ‘just another’ DB5 but a wonderful example of an original and concourse standard car, with a diverse and interesting ownership history. Owned in the 1960’s by popular singer and folk hero Donovan and thereafter by rock legend Robert Plant, lead singer with Led Zeppelin. Acquired in the late 1980s from [the celebrity owner] Plant, the car was restored to concourse standard and maintained by Aston Martin agents Chapman Spooner. Since restoration the car has seen very little use, mainly to attend national and club concourse events. Freshly serviced and Mot’d, this car is of the highest quality and is one of the best we have ever stocked. Finished in period Dubonnet Rosso with correct period Tan hides.

 

 

HISTORY OF THE ASTON MARTIN DB5: TECH SPECS AND ENGINEERING

The Aston Marting DB4 launched in 1958, taking a dramatic leap forward in the evolution of the car in the post-war evolution.

The touring design of the classically styled body established an instant "new look" for the marquee, one that defined the appearance of the Aston Martin line and keeping the car in good stead with auto review journalists and driving critics until 1970 (at least). 

The company chose to have the car remain with and all-alloy twin-overhead-camshaft six engine, but the old W O Bentley-designed 3-litre unit had been superseded by a new design by Tadek Marek.

Before entering production, the DB4 was proven racing on the track. The David Brown gearbox was a new four-speed all-synchromesh unit, the new 3,670cc engine featured square bore and stroke dimensions of 92x92mm and developed its maximum power of 240bhp at 5,500rpm.

More specs and details about the ultra-luxe exotic car the Aston Martin DB5, released by the auto seller, reveal:

 

 

SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT THE ASTON MARTIN DB5

Classic Cars for sale really did their homework before they attempted to sell this celebrity exotic automobile. In order to properly document the personal history of the car, chassis, and model, they added the following literature to the ownership documents package (helping ensure the car would become a classic collectible auto with an even more appreciable place in "Cars and Stars" celebrity auto owner and pop culture trivia history:

A very unusual and now extremely sought after addition to the Aston Martin DB5 line-up was the 'Shooting Brake' variant, essentially an estate/station wagon version of the DB5. Although not actually available to buy through Aston Martin dealers as the shooting brake was built, and put on sale by, coach-building firm Harold Radford, the shooting brake is considered extremely desirable, despite dubious handling characteristics.

Other variants to the DB5, although this time built by Aston Martin, include the Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Coupe and Aston Martin DB5 convertible. The Vantage model was the range-topper and featured Weber Carburettors and produced 314hp. The DB5 convertible was only sold in small numbers and unusually didn't carry the 'Volante' name, as is usually the case with Aston convertibles.

Probably most famous for being the original and most recognized James Bond car, the DB4 has featured in Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, and the most recent Bond film Casino Royale. In all, 1,021 DB5s were manufactured between July 1963 and September 1965, a total that included 123 convertibles and 12 shooting brakes.

2010 Audi A5 Sportback - First Drive Review

With frameless windows and a fast, sloping roofline, the A5 Sportback is a handsome car, but a new concept it is not—sleek hatchback variants derived from their sedan brethren were common in the 1970s. Audi's own original Avant models, for instance, arrived as fastback hatches in 1977 and remained as such through the third-generation Audi 100/5000 sedans, until they were finally replaced with a conventional boxy wagon style in 1990.

The "Sportback" concept goes back quite a ways inside of Audi Design, too. Initially proposed in the late 1990s—down to the name—by designer Marc Florian (now at GM), it morphed through several iterations over the years before it finally emerged as this car and the upcoming A7.

But before you decide you want one, know that the A5 Sportback won't come to the U.S. Audi thinks the market would be too small, and U.S. crash regulations would have required the roofline above the rear passengers to be about 1.5 inches thicker, so extensive reengineering would have been in order. Audi is planning to produce 40,000–50,000 units annually, most of them for Western Europe.

So Many Engines

On the Continent, a whole range of engines is offered. Audi figures the two 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesels, rated at 143 hp and 170 hp, will be the most popular and account for 40 percent of sales. The 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TFSI gasoline engines, in 180-hp and 211-hp iterations, will account for 25 percent. The remainder will be split between two TDI V-6 turbo-diesels—a 190-hp, 2.7-liter and the ubiquitous 240-hp, 3.0-liter (of Q5, A6, Q7, A8, VW Touareg, and Porsche Cayenne fame)—along with a normally aspirated, 265-hp, 3.2-liter gasoline V-6.

We drove all of them and liked the 211-hp, 2.0-liter four and the 3.0-liter TDI six best. With the turbo-four, the A5 Sportback feels like a huge, premium GTI: 0 to 62 mph takes in the mid-six-second range, and top speed is 150 mph. You hear a low-pitched, sporty note instead of the typical four-banger drone, and response to throttle input is rapid. The 2.0 TFSI works well with both the six-speed manual and the optional seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox. It's a light engine, and the A5 Sportback is a very balanced car thus equipped.

Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon

ESTIMATED PRICE AS TESTED (Germany): $60,033 (base price: $47,912)

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, cast-iron block, aluminum head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 121 cu in, 1984cc Power (SAE net): 211 bhp @ 4300 rpm Torque (SAE net): 258 lb-ft @ 1500 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual, 7-speed dual-clutch automated manual

DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 110.6 in Length: 185.5 in Width: 73.0 in Height: 54.8 in Curb weight (C/D est): 3700 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST): Zero to 62 mph: 6.0 sec Standing ¼-mile: 14.5 sec Top speed (drag limited): 150 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST): EPA city/highway driving: 22/28 mpg

You can't quite say the same about the 3.2-liter V-6. It is more powerful, but offers hardly more torque than the burliest 2.0-liter, and you can't help but notice the extra weight during turn-in. On twisty highways, the 3.2 feels clumsier than the 2.0 TFSI. The sensible choice among gasoline engines is the entry-level 2.0-liter TFSI with 180 hp, but the horsepower deficit compared with the more powerful version dilutes the fun. An even less expensive A5 Sportback is coming later, a 1.8 TFSI with 160 hp. This engine is great in the A3, but we’re not sure we’ll like it as much in the bigger and heavier A5 Sportback.

Pass Diesel, Collect $200 (In Saved Fuel Costs)

If you’re more mileage-minded, you can go directly to the diesel versions. The four-cylinder TDIs are strong enough to move the A5 Sportback smartly, but their noise, vibration, and harshness never let you forget that you have a small oil-burner under the hood. The two V-6 diesels almost sound melodious by comparison. The 2.7-liter is great for effortless, long-distance cruising, and its CVT transmission makes you forget the (well-founded) prejudices you might have harbored about those boxes. But for real authority, go for the 3.0-liter V-6 TDI, which is a lot quicker and can be mated to the quick-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. With 369 lb-ft of torque on tap, it simply leaves the smaller V-6 TDI—and every gasoline-powered model—in its dust.

The chassis nicely blends great handling and coddling comfort, even when equipped with 18-inch wheels. We like the Drive Select chassis-adjustment option that lets you tweak the chassis and steering to be either harder-edged or softer according to your preferences, and we love the Sport differential, which you can get with the top-level gasoline and diesel engines and which helps mitigate any understeer that the heavier engines might produce.

Audi arguably makes the nicest interiors in the industry, and the Sportback cockpit is carried over unchanged from the A5 coupe. As in the A4, rear seating isn’t particularly generous but neither is it uncomfortable. This, after all, is a relatively compact sedan by U.S. standards. The A5 Sportback does offer more trunk space than a conventional sedan, and it's easier to access, but this body style clearly is no alternative to a Volvo V70 (or even an A4 Avant).

Based on the A4, but You Probably Knew That

You likely know that the Audi A5 is based on the A4 (much like the Mercedes E-class coupe is based on the C-class). Indeed, the A5 Sportback is a sedan with the front end (including an identical S-line look) and taillights of the A5 coupe, but the wheelbase of the A4.

What's the point? After all, why have two sedans roughly the same size? The answer is simple: the A5 Sportback is a designer's car. It may sport a hatchback, like the portly BMW 5-series GT, the Porsche Panamera, and the Aston Martin Rapide, but the A5 Sportback also will be compared with some of the more elegant, conventionally trunked sedans, such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Volkswagen CC. These are all cars for which marketing departments invented the nonsensical “four-door coupe” moniker.

Technological highlights include optional LED light strips up front and in the rear, including a third brake light with 24 LEDs. The front fenders are made of aluminum to save weight. If one feels the need to more closely track their carbon footprint, there is a driver information system which shows the energy flow in the car, including the juice sucked up by the air-conditioning unit and the rear window defroster. Give us a boost gauge for the turbo instead.

In Germany, pricing starts at €33,650 ($47,912) for an A5 Sportback with front-wheel drive and a manual gearbox, with most of the range slotting just under respective A5 coupe models and above the A4 sedans. It's fast, cool, and distinctive, and we think it is a good deal. If only they’d found a way to lower the rear seats by an inch and a half—we wouldn’t mind seeing this car in America.

 

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Simply the most stunning car on the planet

Aston Martin One-77.Photograph by: Aston Martin, handout, CNS

It's not often I get as giddy as a schoolgirl -- about an automobile, anyway. Indeed, one of the few downsides of this magnificent job -- if it is possible to claim that living one's lifelong dream can actually have a downside -- is that one does become a little jaded. Ferraris make a little less of a ripple in your karmic car world when you've just got out of an Audi R8 and will soon trade it in for a Corvette Z06.

Nonetheless, when Marek Reichman, Aston Martin's director of design, pulled the silk sheet off his latest creation, the nothing-short-of-orgasmic One-77 -- I couldn't stop from uttering an involuntary "wow." Normally, such a show of enthusiasm--especially involuntary -- would be mondo embarrassing in the company of an august gaggle of harrumphing autojournalists, each determined to remain sanguine about what was surely just another supercar from just another exotic auto-maker promising more otherworldly performance. Such juvenile expostulations are just not done, dear boy.

This time, however, I was not the only one. Everyone from aged Motor Trend major-domos to the exasperatingly fresh-faced editor from the outrageously manic 0-60 magazine reacted with the same weak-kneed gushing normally reserved for, say, Megan Fox, Hollywood's latest polysexual starlet, training her sultry megawatt smile on us less-than-worthy scribes. Of course, the lovely Natalie Neff, covering the event for AutoWeek, probably opted for a slightly different metaphor, but the thought remains the same -- there was candy in the room and the children hadn't eaten in weeks.

Pictures being worth a thousand words, I won't bore you with my description of what you can plainly see -- that the One-77 will almost assuredly be a classic one day, mentioned in the same breath as Ferrari GTOs and the Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage." What you can't grasp from pictures, and where my prose might actually come in handy, is the unrelenting attention to detail that will go into every custom-built One-77. The exhaust system, not just the headers, but everything from the engine block all the way to the chromed tips, is ceramic-coated for longevity and heat retention (more power from the engine, less heat to the body). Similarly, seemingly half the engine bay is coated in gold leaf -- yes, real gold -- ostensibly because the precious metal is an excellent heat reflector, but really because of Reichman's contention that there should not be a single "B-surface" (designer-speak for things you can't see from the outside) on the whole car. And there is so much more -- from the Cosworthblueprinted, 7.3-litre edition of Aston's iconic V12, slyly rated at "more than" 700 horsepower to the absolutely exquisite, Bugatti-like coolant overflow tank, that words simply won't suffice.

But the truly amazing thing about the One-77 is the construction of that achingly beautiful body. Though the One-77's chassis is a formed carbon fibre tub, the bodywork is actually completely hand-made aluminum panels glued to its tub. Aluminum was chosen instead of even more carbon fibre, says Reichman, so small fender benders can more easily be repaired.

But that's not the most impressive part. Gaze more intently upon the One-77 and you'll see that it is comprised of only three body panels (aside from moving parts such as the doors, trunk lid and hood). The roof and lower door sill, for instance, form part of the chassis' carbon fibre tub, while each of those incredibly complex front fenders is just one big piece of hand-pounded "aluminium." (Don't you just love how the Brits make aluminum sound exotic?) Meanwhile, the rear end is even more complex. What is normally two separate quarter panels and a rear fascia is one giant piece of aluminum welded, beaten and wheel-turned into a complex metal sculpture. And, yes, it will be extremely expensive to repair should a One-77 ever get rear-ended.

But the detail that truly captured everyone's attention were the side-view door mirrors. Look closely and it appears they have been extruded, like Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four comics fame, from the door itself. Of course, that's not possible, but when Reichman wanted the mirror stalk to appear to be sucked out the door, Aston Martin's engineers had to come up with the quite ingenious idea of cutting an oval hole in the door, poking the mirror through from the inside, welding it up with the most delicate TIG bead from the outside and then hand-sanding it until the joint is completely indistinguishable. Totally unnecessary, but then one doesn't spend £1,050,000 (yes, nearly $2-million) on the merely pragmatic.

dbooth@nationalpost.com

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Review: 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible

2009 MINI Cooper Convertible - click above for a high res image gallery

In these troubling economic times, the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible could be viewed in a couple of different ways. Loaded up with lots of goodies, it could be seen as an entry point into the world of luxury open-top motoring. Alternatively, when times are tough it could be seen as a way to be more financially responsible without giving up all of the amenities you might have come to expect. Either way, the MINI is designed to put a smile on the face of those who drive one.

If your brand is going to be called MINI, you would certainly expect the products to have diminutive dimensions. BMW's British outpost is dedicated to building cars sized commensurate with the brand's name. This August marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of iconic original and while MINIs today are much larger than the originals, they are still among the smallest cars on the road. The second generation of the modern MINI convertible debuted in January at the Detroit Auto Show and went on sale in the spring. We had the opportunity to spend a week in a trimmed out MINI. Read on to find out if it inspires smiles or frowns.

Gallery: Review: 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible

Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Sure we'd all (well most of us anyway) love to be driving around in an Aston Martin DBS Volante, but sometimes you just can't quite manage a $300,000 price tag. That doesn't mean you can't have enjoy the sunshine in a British car seated on lovely leather. For about one-tenth of the price of the Aston, you can get the MINI Cooper. One of the great things about MINIs is that you can spec them out from mild to wild to suit your tastes. Those with a need for speed, can jump right into the high performance 208 hp John Cooper Works edition. While the JCW is certainly quick, its ride can be a bit hardcore for some customers. At other end of the spectrum is the base Cooper with the Cooper S lying in between.



All three variants get a 1.6-liter four cylinder engine, with the S and JCW getting

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Forza Motorsport 3 Limited Collector's Edition details zoom out

The Forza Motorsport 3 game just keeps getting better and better. Turn 10 unveils more juicer information as the release date of the game draws closer. We had earlier reported that the title includes many eye-catching luxury sports cars and SUVs. The company now reveals that hardcore fans of the game can experience a little something more with the Limited Collector’s Edition.

The Forza Motorsport 3 Limited Collector’s Edition will be sold exclusively at Gamestop located in the US. The latest offering will offer drivers, painters and tuners with VIP Membership status to the coveted Forza community. They will also get special recognition, fame and name in the online Auction House, scoreboards, Storefront as well as on the game’s website.

The lucky fans will be able to get their hands on five most admired cars in the world. These include the Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997), Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and Ferrari 430 Scuderia all from 2007. The other two cars are Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and Aston Martin DBS both from 2009.

Also incorporated into the special edition is an Exclusive Collector’s Car Pack which is tuned, painted and specially selected by the team at Turn 10. These include Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, Acura NSX (Forza Motorsport Cover Car), Aston Martin DB9 (Forza Motorsport 2 European Cover Car), 2008 Dodge Charger Stock Car (with Xbox 360 livery) and Nissan Fairlady (Forza Motorsport 2 Cover Car).

The company also plans to provide the VIPs with a brand new line of exclusive designs and tuning kits. The consumers of the Special Edition pack will also receive a 2GB USB thumbdrive and a Forza Motorsport 3 collector’s keychain. Users can place all their photos, designs and videos of Forza which can then be shared with other fans and friends.

The Forza Community has also announced the winner of the official pre-order care for the title. The lucky fan is Justin Van Dusen II’s custom painted Audi R8 V10. Justin hails from Midland, Michigan USA. He was crowned the winner after 300,000 votes were counted on Xbox Live. The unique winning design will be available to players who place a pre-order of the game as an exclusive download.

Forza Motorsport 3 is due to release on October 27, 2009. The price of the game is however not disclosed.

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Lagonda Project Not On Hold: Aston Martin

A few days ago, we had reported that Aston Martin had indicated that the Lagonda project was on hold and there were rumors that the crossover would never be built. But that doesn’t seem to be the case. According to Australian website The Motor Report, Aston Martin has revealed that the Lagonda project is not on hold.

Marcel Fabris is the sales manager for Australia, New Zealand and South Africa at Aston Martin. Fabris stated, “At present, our position has not changed in relation to Lagonda. The SUV first unveiled at Geneva Motor Show is a concept only and we are still conducting styling reviews and feasibility studies. If the project does proceed, 2012 would be the earliest possible release for the vehicle and re-launch of the brand.”

The executive from Aston Martin indicated that there was a significant interest from potential buyers at the Geneva Motor Show in March this year. The luxury sports utility vehicle segment seems to be quite lucrative for many automakers, even more so for Aston Martin, who are trying to get different types of cars. They even revealed a city concept sometime ago.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 28th, 2009 at 7:02 am and is filed under Misc.

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Classic car clinician

29 JULY 2009 ISSUE

Classic car clinician

Lucy Ratcliffe
lratcliffe@nzdoctor.co.nz

Being chauffeured around the Hawke’s Bay countryside in a 1958 Jaguar XK150 by a dapper gentleman on a fine winter’s afternoon isn’t often the type of assignment a New Zealand Doctor journalist gets.

So, when reporter Lucy Ratcliffe was invited to come for a spin by Hastings GP and entrepreneur Greg Beacham, it was an offer too good to refuse.

As I follow Hastings GP Greg Beacham around an old apple packing house, a hub of activity where Jaguar, Aston Martin and Rolls Royce vehicles are being restored to their former glory, I marvel that he knows exactly where each project is at. Asking each of his skilled craftsmen how the paint job is going, have they managed to get the electrics working, has that particular part arrived yet?

“You have to be totally intimate with everything. It’s my name and my quality...you have to be fanatical,” Dr Beacham says.

It’s clear fanaticism has got Dr Beacham to where he is today – not only a full time solo GP working in a busy practice, but also the managing director of classic car restoration company Beacham Independent Jaguar Specialists.

What started out as a hobby more than 20 years ago while at medical school has grown to meet a niche market demand from royalty to rock stars for classic vehicles with a modern twist.

In just three months, Dr Beacham and his team of 12 can restore Daimler, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin or Bentley vehicles to their post assembly line, original splendour. But what’s more popular than the standard restorations is the addition of modern safety and comfort features such as central locking, power steering, ABS, air bags, electric windows, a modern engine and a nice stereo.

“My philosophy is to give people the classic car without the headache...It makes these cars a pleasure to drive,” he says.

It also makes these cars a pleasure to ride in. Dr Beacham takes me for a spin in a recently restored 1958 Jaguar XK150 with beautiful forest green leather interior, set for export to a German client.

It’s quite a grand experience, but without all the usual components of riding in an old car. The wind noise was minimal and the ride was smooth. Dr Beacham even allows a decent amount of noise from the 2004 Jaguar XK8 supercharged engine into the interior to keep that genuine, 1950s motor car feel. The beauty of using new engines means clients can get their vehicle serviced at regular Jaguar dealerships anywhere in the world without the fuss and bother of finding parts for an engine that’s 50 years old.

These hybrid versions of the original cars, branded the Beacham MK2 V8, the Beacham E Type V8 and the Beacham XK150 V8, have had their mechanicals designed by Dr Beacham. He uses computer-assisted drawing to create templates which are then transferred to a computer-operated lathe to ensure the same quality every time. Dr Beacham confesses he perhaps should have been an engineer.

Having said that, he wouldn’t change what he does or where he does it. He loves medicine and is passionate about being a GP. He’s just as fanatical about his CME as he is about cars – admitting he’s probably quite overqualified for his job. He packs a lot into a day, running a full clinic as well as three visits to the apple packing shed to check on progress with the cars.

With clients all over the world, and just one or two restorations a year being done for Kiwis, it’s a wonder the Beacham enterprise hasn’t moved offshore.

But, Dr Beacham says, there’s no need and he doesn’t want to – he’s been running the business successfully in Hastings for more than 20 years and the brand name is well known and respected overseas.

Being in New Zealand he can keep the operational costs down by not having a flashy showroom, by advertising purely through his own website and doing nearly all the work in house. And nothing quite beats living in the Hawke’s Bay with his practice nurse and practice manager wife Vilma and their nine children.

“Hastings, to me, has the best climate/environment in the world that you could ever ask for...I can drive [from home] to my practice in three minutes, then drive from my practice to my car business in four minutes.”

What’s more, customers often visit New Zealand while their vehicle is being restored which is something Dr Beacham believes has made a small but noticeable impact on the local economy – a German shopping mall developer visited the Hawke’s Bay while one of his cars was being worked on and loved the area so much he asked for Dr Beacham’s assistance in setting up a winery.

The result: a $40 million investment in the Te Awanga area and the Elephant Hill Winery and Estate.

So, what does the doctor drive? What he describes as a “mundane” 2006 Jaguar XK8. He would love to have a restored classic of his own, but he couldn’t afford to take his men off the job – despite the recession, business is booming.

He still keeps a hand in the physical labour to keep things ticking along, dismantling the cars on the weekends and preparing them for restoration.

Looking at the state at which some of the cars come in, rusted and faded away, it’s hard to believe they can be saved. But Dr Beacham insists Jaguars age beautifully, not like Mercedes and BMWs.

And, when you see the stunning finished product, it makes you realise what Dr Beacham and his team are doing really is magic.
      

 

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Aston Martin V8 Vantage

 The 'baby' Aston is strong, fast and remarkably reliable Who hasn’t dreamt of owning an Aston Martin? Launched in 2005 as a new entry-level model for the brand, the V8 Vantage was intended to bring that dream just a little bit closer for some of us. Now, four years on, it’s got even closer still, with early cars available second-hand at almost half the original £80K asking price.Built in an immaculate, purpose-designed factory in Warwickshire – where production continues today – the Vantage combines an extruded alloy and composite body with a superb Jaguar-derived 4.3-litre V8 and either a manual or semi-automatic ‘Sportshift’ six-speed gearbox. The resulting ‘baby’ Aston is strong, fast and remarkably reliable – the latter fact being borne out by the number of car hire companies that lend them out to ‘persons of restricted talent’ with few problems.The V8 Vantage looks as stunning today as it did when it was launched. Understated in a way that other exotics can only dream of, it draws admiring glances from people who would shake their head in disgust at gaudier cars. The standard model’s 380bhp V8 is delightfully revvy, with peak power arriving at 7000rpm, although the lack of mid-range torque does mean extra downshifts are required when pressing on.Slipping into the well sculpted seat you are surrounded by superb design, the dash uncluttered and very elegant. The start-up message – ‘power, beauty, soul’ – is a bit cheesy, and calling the ignition key an ‘Emotion Control Unit’ is just plain silly, but once on the move these things are soon forgotten. The Vantage’s ride is sharp, but not jarring, giving wonderfully precise control that makes the car thrilling to drive on ‘real’ roads yet relaxing on long journeys. It’s a testament to the car’s superb balance of power and handling that so many owners use their Vantage as a daily driver.But it’s very usable as a tourer too. The boot is big enough to take a reasonable amount of luggage for the two occupants, while unlike many other cars in this class it doesn’t pretend to have rear seats; instead there is an honest luggage shelf which is ideal for storing nibbles, a camera and papers for a long journey. It’s probably worth putting a map there too, as the satnav is not so good – derived from the Volvo system, it is probably the weakest aspect of this otherwise near-perfect car.The proof of any performance car’s pedigree is in racing, and the Vantage enjoyed racing success almost straight out of the box: the N24 racer was basically a road-going Vantage with a roll cage. This car inspired the N400 version of 2007, the N standing for Nürburgring, the 400 referring to its 400bhp. To help complete the competition picture it also boasted the firmer Sports Pack suspension and the later, thicker anti-roll bar.Prodrive produced a special variant of the Vantage, too, with four upgrade packages available in any combination. The engine tweak gave an extra 45bhp, taking the total to 425, the suspension mods made the car feel more stable and accurate through corners, and there were options that added new wheels and high-downforce aerodynamics.In 2008 the factory improved the engine further. With detail modifications and a new capacity of 4.7 litres, it brought more mid-range grunt and upped power to 420bhp, while also managing the neat trick of being 13 per cent more economical.

More ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE:

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Driving the 2011 Lexus LF-A

It's been almost 20 years since a Lexus first went on sale in Europe, and yet it has never managed to build a car to consistently rival the best of its European opposition. And that's why the 2011 Lexus LF-A is rumbling here next to us in the pit lane at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in the south of England.

Fresh from its second foray to the Nürburgring 24 Hours, the round-the-clock race on the old Nordschleife, the LF-A is moving toward its official introduction at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Show. It appeared here at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. And now we're going to drive it.

The Long Road to Tokyo
We're in select company, because Akio Toyoda, the new president of the Toyota Motor Company (and grandson of the company's founder) tested the car before the race this year. In fact, the 53-year-old Toyoda has secretly competed at the Nürburgring himself in the past, and his enthusiasm for the LF-A project has helped it navigate through corporate waters since the project first began in 2002 as a response to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

Of course, Europe is a mere sideshow as far as Lexus has been concerned. From the very start, its focus has been on the U.S., and the brand wasn't even introduced into the Japanese market until 2005. But now Lexus is serious about playing the supercar game in Europe.

One of the few real benefits of being a very young marque is that you can do what you like with it without risking die-hard traditionalists getting into a lather about it. When Porsche decided to build a huge and ugly SUV, it was not short of people hopping up and down, bursting with righteous indignation. (We know; we were among them.) But if Lexus decides it wants to build a 500-horsepower supercar to rival the best in Europe, the only thing we'll jump to do is get behind its wheel.

Research and Development
Though the 2011 Lexus LF-A will be a street car, its first public outings have been at the Nürburgring 24 hours in 2008 and 2009, an enterprise meant to "aid research and development." Though various mishaps denied the car the finish line this year, the Lexus people claim that it was 30 seconds a lap faster than the Aston Martin V12 Vantage RS that competed in the same category. And that Aston is bloody fast.

Surprisingly little is known about the LF-A, even though it was first revealed as a concept in 2005. Officially Lexus won't even concede that it will be offered for sale, yet it is universally accepted that it will reach the market next year priced at around $400,000 for the lucky few who secure one (production will be limited to a few hundred). We can only tell you that it's built around a carbon-fiber chassis, carries the 4.8-liter 1LR-GEU V10 rated at around 550 hp, and features a six-speed automated manual transaxle.

Take a Seat
It should be said now that the 2011 Lexus LF-A is not a pretty car, but when it comes to exuding menace, few cars do it better. The engine has been specially created for the LF-A alone, and while it runs innocently enough at idle, it sounds simply savage as the car warms up on the track.

The driving position is ultralow, recalling the 700-hp Dodge Viper GT1 car we drove at the Paul Ricard circuit in France long ago. You can tell this is a race-prepped road car in a number of ways, though. There are several blanked-out buttons on the dash, there's a speedometer in the central display, and the steering wheel adjusts for rake and reach.

But when you fire it up, the engine responds like few that we've ever encountered on a public road. Revs rise and fall so fast that we can't believe this V10 is carrying much of a flywheel, and when we look closer at the tachometer, we realize that today we'll be shifting up at nothing less than 9,000 rpm, higher than any comparable supercar of our acquaintance.

Track Time
For all its take-no-prisoners appearance in pit lane and the ferocity of its acceleration onto the track, it seems that just a little bit of what we might expect of other Lexus cars has been left in the LF-A, for this is a fabulously easy car to drive, even flat-out around a track as unforgiving of error as Goodwood.

The 2011 Lexus LF-A is quite heavy for a racing car (Lexus admits to 3,300 pounds), and you can feel it in the slower corners like Lavant and the chicane. But in the high-speed bends that comprise most of this circuit, the combination of extremely tight body control and superb aerodynamic balance gives you the confidence to work it harder and harder.

How fast will it go around Goodwood? We once lapped a Porsche 911 GT2 road car here that was equipped with a wing, racing-spec suspension and slick-tread racing tires in a very cautious 1:27, and we'd expect the LF-A to lap a substantial number of seconds quicker than that. More important, though, the LF-A is fun, accommodating and predictable where the GT2 was difficult and intimidating. The Lexus LF-A is the sort of car in which you could spend hours whittling away at your lap times while confident it would never misbehave. You would emerge fresh from your stint, already anticipating your next turn at the wheel. In other words, this car drives like the perfect long-distance racer.

Despite the paucity of hard facts surrounding the 2011 Lexus LF-A, the only matter of real importance that has yet to be quantified is how different the road car will be from this race-prepped example. Privately we have been told that the race LF-A is very close to the road car. We hope so. Some 20 years ago Lexus stunned the world with a luxury sedan, and now it has the potential to do the same with a supercar. It is an opportunity that should not be missed.

Portions of this content have appeared in foreign print media and are reproduced with permission.

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Le Mans: Drayson Racing Lit-Up for Night Run on The Algarve Shores

Posted by: MSulka on Sunday, July 26, 2009 - 05:52 PM Indianapolis/Brickyard: NASCAR Sprint Cup Race Results - Johnson, Chevrolet Win!Jimmie Johnson won the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Brickyard 400 for the third time and became the first back-to-back winner of the event.Credit: PaddockTalk/Paul Hurley

Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 Lowe's/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet won the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard, his 43rd victory in 275 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is his third victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2009. This is also his third victory and fourth top-10 finish in eight races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Mark Martin and his No. 5 CARQUEST/Kellogg's Chevrolet started on the Pole, and ran second nearly the entire day as he posted his 10th top-10 finish in 16 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is his 10th top-10 finish in 2009.

In third, Tony Stewart and his No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet posted his seventh top-10 finish in 11 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Greg Biffle gave Ford their best result of the afternoon, he finished fourth. Brian Vickers led the Toyota runners, he finished fifth.

Juan Pablo Montoya led the most laps (116) and was destined for victory until a drive-through penalty on his final stop for speeding put him back in the pack. He finished 11th.

Joey Logano (12th) was the highest finishing rookie.

Tony Stewart leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings by 192 points over Jimmie Johnson as Jeff Gordon slid back to third. Read more... (29890 bytes more)

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Partners Up With Aston Martin

  Home > LifeStyle > Jewelry & Watches> Jaeger-LeCoultre Partners Up With Aston Martin

 

 

 

 

Jaeger-LeCoultre Partners Up With Aston Martin Luxury Watches: The three-year partnership between two leaders in precision and top-tier luxury has just been refreshed. To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Aston Martin's remarkable victory in the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race, Jaeger-LeCoultre has created two limited edition timepieces to celebrate the event. The renowned British carmaker set three LOLA prototype cars to the starting line of the Le Mans Prototypes (LMPI) category while Jaeger-LeCoultre introduced two limited editions of the AMVOX2 Chronograph Racing model; the only chronograph operating without push pieces, thanks to its revolutionary patented vertical-trigger system. The limited edition timepieces feature distinguished carbon fiber chronograph counters evoking several structural elements of the LOLA Aston Martin prototypes, such as the monohull chassis, brake discs and pads capable of withstanding temperatures of over 300 degrees Celsius. The power of the V12 engine powering Aston Martin's LOLA cars, equipped with a six-speed sequential control transverse gearbox, is matched by the 751E chronograph movement in the AMVOX2. This movement sets itself apart from the rest with its innovative lever design that transmits pressure on the watch glass to the movement in order to control the functions of the vertical-trigger chronograph. With the invention of this movement, Jaeger-LeCoultre is revolutionizing the watch-making world. In the absence of traditional push pieces is the ingenious mechanism allowing the wearer to start, stop and reset the chronograph simply by pressing on the watch's sapphire crystal. Inside the case is the ground-breaking vertical-trigger system, utilizing a ball-joint mechanism that allow both the case and bezel to pivot away from the shoulders of the watch, activating a series of levers that transmits the impulses that control the chronograph. By pushing the sapphire at 12 o'clock, the chronograph function is triggered and disengaged, while applying pressure at 6 o'clock will reset it. All Jaeger-LeCoultre timepieces boast the world-renowned qualities of reliability and sturdiness the brand is known for and the AMVOX2 is no exception. Duly certified by the famous 1000 Hours control, all Jaeger-LeCoultre watches are subjected to stringent demands. The rigorous testing and unparalleled design of the timepieces elevates Jaeger-LeCoultre to their esteemed position in the industry. The unmistakable competitive spirit of the brands has given both the LOLA and the AMVOX2 airs of determination while still epitomizing luxury. Just as the brands themselves are exclusive, the designs will be, too. The AMVOX2 will be released in two limited editions of just 100 each; one with a black dial and white luminescent numerals and the other with a white dial and black luminescent numerals. For JustLuxe Kate Prihoda

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2009 Pebble Beach Concours Preview

2009 Pebble Beach RetroAuto poster

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It's just three weeks away--the biggest classic-car weekend in the country. The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance opens to the rich and famous--and the media--on August 12, and TheCarConnection.com and our partners at MotorAuthority are planning a weekend of coverage of the latest luxury cars and exotics we'll see at the annual extravaganza on 17 Mile Drive.

The classic-car weekend in Monterey, of course, is unrivaled for classic-car watchers. From the Concorso Italiano, to the Quail and the Monterey Historics races, the weekend display of vintage machines and equally vintage drivers careering around Laguna Seca and nearby Highway 1 culminates on Sunday, August 16, with the Pebble Beach Concours itself.

Car makers, particularly luxury brands, are relocating to Pebble Beach in surprising numbers this year as they unveil new vehicles aimed at the well-heeled types attending the various classic-car events. Among the new machines vying for classic status at this year's Pebble Beach weekend are:

2010 Jaguar XJ

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2010 Jaguar XJ: We've previewed the new XJ for you; Jaguar shows the aluminum-bodied sedan for the first time in North America during the Pebble Beach weekend.

Bentley Arnage replacement: Bentley's been teasing the media with details of its new ultra-luxury sedan. The covers come off the replacement for the Arnage in Pebble Beach, along with mechanical details and possibly, the new name for the new sedan.

2011 Infiniti M sedan: There's a new big Infiniti sedan coming next year, and the upscale arm of Nissan will almost show it off in Pebble Beach. Almost, because the company plans to reveal the shape of the new M to reporters using a virtual technology that projects the new shape on a clay model. The Infiniti Essence concept that ravished Geneva Motor Show audiences will be on display, too, as a reference point for the new M.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport special edition: TheCarConnection drove the new Grand Sport edition of the Bugatti Veyron last week; this week, we'll be bringing you photo galleries, video clips and our full driving report. At Pebble, Bugatti's expected to show a special version of the 987-hp Grand Sport, which is being offered to the world at a cool $2 million.

2009 Aston Martin DBS Volante

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Aston Martin DBS Volante: It's been available for Aston's clientele for a while; the British sportscar company's offered up a few hours in the Volante for TheCarConnection's pleasure. We'll bring you photo, video and a full write-up.

Fisker Karma: For the first time, non-Fisker employees will be able to see the Karma concept hitting the road under its own power. We'll be there with HD cameras in hand.

Audi: We're driving the new Audi R8 V10 after Pebble Beach; at the Concours weekend, Audi will celebrate 40 years in America with displays of Auto Union cars and other memorabilia.

Porsche: One of the featured marques from this year's Concours, Porsche will have its new Panamera on display along with a broad collection of classics at the Quail event.

For more information, visit the Pebble Beach Concours site, and keep your browsers here at TheCarConnection and at MotorAuthority as we cover the new vehicles and the classics from the Pebble Beach weekend.

2009 Pebble Beach RetroAuto posterEnlarge Photo It's just three weeks away--the biggest classic-car weekend in the country. The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance opens to the rich and famous--and the media--on August 12, and TheCarConnection.com and our partners at MotorAuthority are planning a weekend of coverage of the latest luxury cars and exotics we'll see at the annual extravaganza on 17 Mile Drive. The classic-car weekend in Monterey, of course, is unrivaled for classic-car watchers. From the Concorso Italiano, to the Quail and the Monterey Historics races, the weekend display of vintage machines and equally vintage drivers careering around Laguna Seca and nearby Highway 1 culminates on Sunday, August 16, with the Pebble Beach Concours itself. Car makers, particularly luxury brands, are relocating to Pebble Beach in surprising numbers this year as they unveil new vehicles aimed at the well-heeled types attending the various classic-car events. Among the new machines vying for classic status at this year's Pebble Beach weekend are: 2010 Jaguar XJEnlarge Photo 2010 Jaguar XJ: We've previewed the new XJ for you; Jaguar shows the aluminum-bodied sedan for the first time in North America during the Pebble Beach weekend. Bentley Arnage replacement: Bentley's been teasing the media with details of its new ultra-luxury sedan. The covers come off the replacement for the Arnage in Pebble Beach, along with mechanical details and possibly, the new name for the new sedan. 2011 Infiniti M sedan: There's a new big Infiniti sedan coming next year, and the upscale arm of Nissan will almost show it off in Pebble Beach. Almost, because the company plans to reveal the shape of the new M to reporters using a virtual technology that projects the new shape on a clay model. The Infiniti Essence concept that ravished Geneva Motor Show audiences will be on display, too, as a reference point for the new M. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport special edition: TheCarConnection drove the new Grand Sport edition of the Bugatti Veyron last week; this week, we'll be bringing you photo galleries, video clips and our full driving report. At Pebble, Bugatti's expected to show a special version of the 987-hp Grand Sport, which is being offered to the world at a cool $2 million. 2009 Aston Martin DBS VolanteEnlarge Photo Aston Martin DBS Volante: It's been available for Aston's clientele for a while; the British sportscar company's offered up a few hours in the Volante for TheCarConnection's pleasure. We'll bring you photo, video and a full write-up. Fisker Karma: For the first time, non-Fisker employees will be able to see the Karma concept hitting the road under its own power. We'll be there with HD cameras in hand. Audi: We're driving the new Audi R8 V10 after Pebble Beach; at the Concours weekend, Audi will celebrate 40 years in America with displays of Auto Union cars and other memorabilia. Porsche: One of the featured marques from this year's Concours, Porsche will have its new Panamera on display along with a broad collection of classics at the Quail event. For more information, visit the Pebble Beach Concours site, and keep your browsers here at TheCarConnection and at MotorAuthority as we cover the new vehicles and the classics from the Pebble Beach weekend.

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