Author: Liam

Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear – Series 14 (An ending?)

Top Gear - Series 14

NOTE: This article was originally posted before the last episode of Season 13. We now know that Season 14 is coming, and coming soon. Sunday 15 November to be exact—CLICK HERE for more.

UPDATE 16 November: Click here for a full rundown of what to expect in Series 14 (contains spoilers).

UPDATE 4 August: Okay, so I went off half-cocked on the Stig is dead theory (see below). However, perhaps the death in the family is much larger than that—is Top Gear dead, never to return to our screens again?

The Aston Martin V12 Vantage review, which closed Series 13, contains hidden messages about the show’s future. Well, if you are prepared to go looking for them. Even the soundtrack used in the V12 Vantage film was titled “An ending” (by Brian Eno). Clarkson’s commentary on the Aston centred around the death of the supercar due to, among other things, the financial crisis. Were his comments simply about the car in question, or did they form part of a bigger picture for the show itself?

The Top Gear-is-over-theory does have momentum, as this piece in The Guardian shows. And, as noted earlier, the banter at FinalGear contains plenty of discussion on the topic.

One thing is certain and that is Top Gear, as we know it, will end one day. Is that day sooner than we may have first thought? At this stage I am still prepared to accept the words of “The Mole” on the Top Gear Transmission blog, which states there will be “a little bit of time off for the crew and then we’re straight back into filming for series 14 later in the year.”

I formed an educated guess that Season 14 would be back on UK screens around Sunday 15 November [Ed: Zing!] I guess we will have to wait and see what transpires. Let the speculation continue…

(Oh, a reminder to Australian readers that SBS TV will start the seven episode run of Top Gear, Series 13 on Monday 31 August.)

UPDATE 30 September: Top Gear have recently been filming a segment for Series 14 on the Transfagarasan road in Romania.

Continue reading “Top Gear – Series 14 (An ending?)”
Categories
Top Gear

Top Gear – Jay Leno preview

American talk show host and genuine car nut Jay Leno will be making his Top Gear debut in tomorrow night’s episode of Top Gear (Series 13, Episode 7). This clip features some behind the scenes footage of Leno filming his Star in a reasonably priced car segment.

A full preview of the final episode for the current series can be seen on the Top Gear website. There will be a bit of an Aussie flavour included as well.

[Source: FinalGear]

Categories
BMW

If you tolerate this then your children will be next

You may remember the earlier news that saw the worldwide BMW Z4 ‘art of driving’ television commercial pulled from Australian screens. I stated at the time that, as a sign of protest against this ludicrous decision, AUSmotive will be running the above footage, which is featured in the commercial, on the first day of every month for the rest of the year.

The fact that regulations are in place that deem this ad inappropriate is a sad indictment on the state of the road safety debate in this country. The fact that some members of society are unable separate entertainment from reality is equally disturbing. That they are given a voice is mind boggling.

Clearly, the title of this article is tongue in cheek and is designed to highlight the level of paranoia that exists in wowsers when presented with the notion that driving can be fun.

A reminder, too, that you can watch the ad in full on the BMW Australia website.

Categories
News Nissan

Nissan 200SX car jacked during test drive

Nissan 200SX stolen during test drive

A teenager trying to sell his car got more than he bargained for when it was stolen at gun point during a test drive at around 9 o’clock last night. The incident took place at the intersection of Bent and Yeo Streets, near the seller’s home in Neutral Bay, Sydney.

The dark blue 1997 Nissan 200SX was advertised on carsales.com.au and the two men came to the north-shore home under the pretence of buying the car. Shortly after agreeing to join the men on a test drive the seller was threatened with a gun and forced out of the car. Fortunately, the 19-year-old was not hurt during the ordeal.

Given the car is over 10 years old and not especially desirable in its own right one could speculate that the offenders are hoping to use the car for further crime related activities.

The registration of the stolen Nissan is AT58ZV. Police have asked anyone who sees the car or who may have witnessed last night’s incident to come forward by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A brief description of the alleged thieves can be found on the link below.

[Source: NSW Police Force]

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Categories
Fiat Formula 1 Motor Shows

Kimi Raikkonen at the Rally of Finland

Ferrari Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen is making the most of his summer break by taking part in this weekend’s Rally of Finland. Raikkonen finds himself at the wheel of a Fiat Abarth Punto S2000s prepared by four-time World Rally Champion Tommi Mäkinen.

The footage above shows Raikkonen taking part in the opening Killeri special stage. He and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom were racing head to head against Sveinung Bieltvedt and were over 2 seconds down at the half way point on the spectator-friendly arena course. Watch the clip to see if Kimi was able to reel in the deficit and post a win.

It’s a nice synergy for the Finn that his schedule allows him to take part in his home rally. Speaking to WRC.com Raikkonen was asked if he saw a future in rallying. His reply left the door wide open for a post-F1 future in WRC, “Yes definitely. I am still in F1 and still have one more year contract but everything is open and it is nice to be a part of it here. I am a bit too young to do nothing so I will see. It all depends on which way F1 is going. Nobody is exactly sure how it will be. I am in no hurry.”

[Source: RallyBuzz & WRC.com]

Categories
Porsche Volkswagen

Porsche prepares sale of options

Porsche prepares sale of options

The statement contained below makes almost zero sense to me. Not having a mind that copes well with financial matters, apart from expenditure, probably doesn’t help.

Anyway, this news comes hot on the heels of former CEO Wendelin Wiedeking’s departure, and from what I can tell, it says Porsche is getting ready to sell its options on Volkswagen shares off to a bunch of rich blokes in Qatar. Apparently this will lead to “a substantial book capital loss”.

But it’s okay, because this devaluation is “purely accounting related” and the sale will improve cash flow by more than €1 billion. That’s good.

However, the next paragraph contains the words “up to minus five billion Euro”. Hmm, that’s not so good.

Continue reading “Porsche prepares sale of options”
Categories
Citroen WRC

Citroën confirms WRC entry until 2011

Citroen to continue in WRC for at least two more years

In some good news for the WRC Citroën Racing have announced they will be extending their commitment to the series until at least 2011.

With four manufacturers’ championships and, of course, five drivers’ titles for Sébastien Loeb, I guess the old adage of “when you’re on a good thing, stick to it” applies here.

Citroën say competing in the WRC allows them to showcase “Créative Technologie” philosophy. Director of Citroën Racing, Olivier Quesnel, said, “In the current difficult financial climate, it is important to keep on expressing ourselves through motorsport and through the victories of our teams and cars.

“The FIA World Rally Championship, where the costs remain contained, is an excellent promotional vehicle for the Company. Citroën Racing is delighted by the trust that has been placed in us by Citroën’s board of directors and the PSA Group.”

Quesnel is confident there will be no changes to the team’s driver pairings, “We are currently working with our existing driver line-up to renew their contracts. I am confident that Sébastien Loeb and Dani Sordo will be continuing their adventure with Citroën Racing into the future.”

Categories
Audi

Audi TT RS road tests

Audi TT RS

Audi’s angry sounding TT RS has been prowling European roads for a few weeks now. So, what do the world’s press have to say about the 250kW in-line five cylinder turbo?

Paul Horrell from Top Gear says, “It’s a right little terrier for corners. Just chuck it in and the 4WD sorts things out. OK, so there’s not the delicacy of a Cayman S…”

John Simister from The Independent reckons, “The TT RS, sad to say, seems a backward step in Audi’s development of dynamics, a return to the dull days of speed without thrill or engagement. A Volkswagen Golf GTI, with similar underpinnings, less power and front-wheel drive only, is much more fun. So, crucially, is a Porsche Cayman S.”

While Michael Taylor from Australian website carsales.com.au said “For all of its chassis surety, it always feels like the engine is the star of the show. There’s no turbo lag beyond about 1100rpm and in a straight line, it’s quicker than the Porsche Cayman S (its most obvious rival), BMW’s new Z4 and the new Lotus Evora—and not just to 100km/h, either. The TT-RS will sprint through the 200km/h barrier in 15.9 seconds.”

Okay, so we’re clear that the TT RS has some stiff opposition against the Porsche Cayman S. However, while the three previous scribes all favour the Stuttgart sportscar, television presenter Jason Plato, from Fifth Gear, thinks otherwise.

Categories
BMW Formula 1

BMW-web.tv puts spin on F1 exit

Following yesterday’s news that BMW will be pulling out of Formula One at the end of this season the crew at BMW-web.tv have compiled this short clip. It contains a few sound bites from the press conference where BMW’s withdrawal from the sport was announced.

Will the words “Grand Prix” ever sounds right when spoken with an American accent?

Categories
Ferrari Formula 1

More on Schumacher’s Formula One comeback

Michael Schumacher returns to F1

A new press release from Ferrari has just arrived at AUSmotive HQ. The statement begins below and continues after the jump:

Ferrari has announced that the legendary seven-time World Champion, Michael Schumacher, will return to Formula One to replace injured Felipe Massa, subject to the successful completion of a training programme to get Schumacher back up to race fitness.

Continue reading “More on Schumacher’s Formula One comeback”
Categories
Ferrari Formula 1 News

Schumacher is back!

Michael Schumacher returns to F1

Headlines around the globe are announcing the return of, who many consider to be the world’s greatest ever Formula One racer, Michael Schumacher.

Although, interestingly, there is just a brief statement on the Ferrari website which states rather coyly:

Maranello, 29 July 2009 – “Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro intends to put Michael Schumacher in Felipe Massa’s car until the Brazilian driver will be able to race again. Michael Schumacher said he is ready and, over the next few days, will undertake a specifc training programme at the end of which confermation will be given of his participation in the Championship with effect from the European Grand Prix on the 23rd of August.”

However, it does seem certain that the seven time world champion will return to the F1 starting grid in just a few weeks. Of course, the ban on in-season testing means Schumacher cannot get behind the wheel of Ferrari’s F1 car until Friday practice at the European Grand Prix, to be held in Valencia, 21-23 August. It will be his first start in Formula One since the end of the 2006 season.

In related news Felipe Massa is expected to make a full recovery after his horrifying incident in qualifying at last weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix. Although, it remains unclear if he will be able to return to racing this season. If so, that would leave Schumacher to fill in for seven races.

By their standards, Ferrari’s season to date has been dreadful. But, after Kimi Raikonnen’s strong showing last weekend, where he finished second, it looks as though Ferrari are on the improve. Will we see Schumacher on the winner’s podium again?

[More: BBC, Formula1.com, FoxSports.com.au, TimesOnline | Image: AFP]

Categories
BMW Formula 1 News

BMW to quit F1 at end of 2009

BMW quits F1

Today’s earlier rumour has proven to be correct correct, BMW will exit Formula One at the end of the 2009 Season.

BMW’s full press documents can be read after the jump, however, this quote from Dr Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, sums up the company’s position:

“Of course, this was a difficult decision for us. But it’s a resolute step in view of our company’s strategic realignment. Premium will increasingly be defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead. In line with our Strategy Number ONE, we are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability. Our Formula One campaign is thus less a key promoter for us. Mario Theissen has been in charge of our motor sports program since 1999. We have scored a large number of successes in this period, including some in Formula One racing. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Mario Theissen and his team for this.”

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