Respected photographic agency Sutton Images brings us this five minute YouTube clip reflecting back on the 2011 Formula One season. Think of it as a condensed version of our F1 in pictures series.
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Year: 2011
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Lexus offers Detroit concept preview
Lexus has today given us a sneak peek at the new concept car they will be bringing to the Detroit Auto Show in early January. We’ll have more for you next week, but for now we just have this aggressive front quarter shot to show you.
Riding on 265/35/21 rubber at the front it looks as though the sportscar concept will sit above the company’s LFA supercar. The short statement from Lexus accompanying the supplied image reads:
Lexus will unveil a new concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9, 2012. Designed by Calty, the company’s design studio in Newport Beach, California, the concept showcases the new design direction embraced by Lexus. More information will follow next week.
Alan Jones is passing his time these days as a ‘Lexus Ambassador’. Reminding us of this fact he, or more like Lexus marketing department, has published a checklist of things motorists should keep an eye on as we enter a busy festive season on our roads.
As you would expect, much of the list is common sense. But, as you’ll also be aware, it’s pretty easy to find road users lacking common sense at any time of year, much less when it is busier and more stressful that normal.
Keeping your car in tip top condition is AJ’s top tip. “Vehicle maintenance should be at the top of everyone’s holiday lists but it is easily forgotten, especially when we start getting busy towards Christmas,” Alan said.
“The stuff I see on the roads everyday scares me to be honest, and people really need to think hard about their own safety, as well as the safety of their fellow motorists.”
Use this list (available in full after the break) as a reminder of the basic things we should all do before heading off on a long drive. Make sure you have the right attitude, be mindful of other road users and stay safe.
World Car Fans brings us a decent gallery of 2012 Audi A3 spy shots. As the auto espionage pics trickle in the details revealed by Audi grow. Here we have been given a good preview of the front of the car with headlight and fog light treatments virtually undisguised.
To be honest the next-gen A3 is going to look a lot like the current 8P model. That’s no bad thing in our eyes, of course.
Actually, you only need to refer back to the A3 concept unveiled at Geneva earlier this year to see just how much Audi appears to have given away. Subtle and effective style upgrades are the order of the day for the next A3; traditionally the first model in the Volkswagen group to be released on the new ‘Golf’ platform.
[Source: WCF]
Car magazine brings word, and renderings, of the new Alfa Romeo Giulia predicted for release in 2014. It will replace the 159 and lead Alfa’s charge in the mid-size segment. Based on these com-gen images if it looks as good as this, it will sure create some waves among the Passats and 3 Series of the world.
The Giulia will be built on the Fiat-Chrysler CUSW platform (C segment, US compatible, Wide) which is about to spawn the Dodge Dart.
Alfa hopes the Giulia will help them reach 400,000 global sales in 2014. That’s a sizable 150% increase on current annual figures.
[Source: Car]
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BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé revealed
BMW has released new images and info on the 6 Series Gran Coupé. It’s the latest four seat ‘coupé’ to make the transition from concept to reality. It actually looks better than the proper 6 Series Coupé on which it is based. Well, we think so anyway.
The matt finish Frozen Bronze metallic paint looks great in photos, but we wonder if it may be a bit painful to maintain. We do give a big tick to its engine line up. There’s three units offered, all helping you become more accustomed with BMW’s TwinPower Turbo nomenclature.
Topping the range is the 650i which is a 330kW/650Nm 4.4 litre twin turbo V8. Beneath that sits the 235kW/450Nm 640i featuring a 3.0 litre straight six with a twinscroll turbo. These are joined by the now obligatory diesel offering, in this instance its called the 640d and is powered by a 230kW/630Nm 3.0 litre two-stage turbo.
It’s not clear yet if BMW Australia will offer the car locally, but we reckon they might build a case for it. Firstly, its natural competitor the Audi A7 Sportback is available (click here for a great photo comparison of the two). But, mostly, we reckon they won’t have any trouble finding buyers willing to part with their cash for such a car. It’s sleek, stylish and sure to impress whoever it is sir wants to impress.
More after the break, including pics, video and detailed press material.
You may know a lot of things about the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupé Black Series. For example, you probably know the official word from Mercedes Australia says all 32 models on their way down under have been sold out. You probably know a ball-tearing Estate version is on its way.
Of course, you will definitely know the C63 Black is powered by one of the world’s great engines; in this case a normally aspirated 6.3 litre V8 producing 380 awe-inspiring kilowatts.
But, did you know its AMG coilover sports suspension and the high performance composite brake system offer ‘racetrack level driving pleasure’?
Romain Grosjean will return to the driver’s seat with Lotus Renault GP in 2012. The 25-year-old Frenchman won the GP2 series this year and will join Kimi Raikkonen at the newly branded Lotus team. He’s pretty happy about that too.
“I am thrilled to be one of the team’s race drivers in 2012. There’s a big grin on my face at the prospect of getting behind the wheel of next year’s car, and I feel very privileged to be given this opportunity,” said Grosjean.
“To be racing alongside a former world champion and someone who is hungry and returning to Formula 1 will be a great experience, and I’m sure will help raise my level of performance too. I feel that my successful season in GP2 Series has helped me mature a lot, and I am a much more complete driver than I was last time I was competing in this sport.â€
Grosjean’s boss, Eric Boullier, is also making the right noises, “Romain has shown a lot of maturity in the past twelve months both through his GP2 Series victory and his development as third driver with us. We were impressed when he drove for us in the first practice sessions in Abu Dhabi and Brazil.”
Boullier also made this heartfelt comment about his former drivers, “I would like to thank Vitaly Petrov and Bruno Senna for their contribution to the team’s performance this year and I wish them all the best for the future.â€
More after the break, including a video interview with Grosjean.
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Buy a used Porsche and travel lemon free
The Porsche 911 is the most reliable used buy according to a recent Autobild TÃœV report published in Germany. Data from reports on cars of seven, nine and 11 years of age were collated and Porsche’s 911 proved to have the fewest defects of all the cars tested.
In fact, five of the top 10 cars in the report were Porsche models, including the Boxster and Cayman as well. So, your used Porsche may prove reliable, but don’t expect the running costs to be on par with your average used car.
Back in July Porsche told us they would be returning to Le Mans in 2014 to chase for outright victory. Here, again, they remind us they are the Kings of La Sarthe, with 16 outright wins and ‘countless records.’
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Tough love
Here’s a cracking video that gives us a great look at one of the best Mk1 Golfs in Australia. The car is an Australian built 1975 three door owned by Stuart French. It’s fair to say the mod factor is off the scale compared to AUSmotive’s own 1980 Mk1 Golf GTI, which is in good original condition.
The level of finish and detail in Stuart’s Golf makes it one of the finest examples of a custom project build you will find. Respect to Jonty3000 as well for putting together a fine short film to document this kick arse Mk1.
We rate the Mk1 Golf as the finest looking of the six generations so far; the original and the best!
[Thanks to John for the tip]
Hold on tight everyone Australia should crack 1,000,000 car sales in 2011 after VFACTS figures show 88,654 new vehicles were sold in November. That brings the year to date total to 925,978, which should allow the 1 million mark to be broken for only the fourth time in Australia’s history.
“For the past four months in a row sales have been trending above the same period for 2010. This suggests improving consumer confidence in Australia’s economic prospects,†FCAI chief executive Ian Chalmers said.
Although, it is worth noting the final tally for 2011 will fall short of last year’s total of 1,035,574 sales.
As usual Toyota topped the charts for the month (17,436 sales), followed by Holden (9,761) and Ford (8,103).
For the fourth month in 2011 the Toyota Corolla was Australia’s highest-selling car (3,731). Close behind was the rather more bearable Mazda3 (3,480) and the tradies’ favourite Toyota HiLux (3,332).