Author: Liam

Categories
Ferrari Formula 1

Ferrari joins Toyota in F1 quit threat

Ferrari is threatening to make its withdrawal from Formula 1 permanent. So far in season 2009 the prancing horse has been trialling a quasi departure from F1 by running its cars towards the back of the field. Happy with this lack of progress and wildly unhappy at the planned budget cap due for introduction in 2010 the lads at Maranello look set to join Toyota by taking their bat and ball and going home.

Makes a change from a few weeks ago when Ferrari were talking of giving up on this season and starting plans for their 2010 car.

Of course, the nature of F1 dictates there is still an ocean of water to pass under this bridge before any of these announcements become set in stone. Still, makes for the most exciting F1 season in years, with both the on and off track action reaching similar peaks.

Oh, if you want to take Ferrari’s threat seriously you can read their full statement HERE.

[Source: guardian.co.uk & Telegraph.co.uk]

Categories
Holden

2010 Opel Astra – leaked images

2010 Opel Astra
2010 Opel Astra

The new Opel Astra is scheduled for its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show way off in mid September. Thanks to the wonders of the interweb you can now put back your visit to Germany as images of the 2010 Astra have been leaked.

It would appear unlikely that we’ll see this model here in Australia rebadged as a Holden. Which is a shame on two fronts. Firstly, this new Insignia-inspired design is quite smart and would present an appealing option compared to its current hatch rivals. And, secondly, previous Euro sourced Astras were actually quite good cars. They were certainly a better proposition than the Korean sourced replacements that now adorn Holden showrooms.

For more pics, follow the link below.

[Source: Carscoop]

Categories
Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Australia – Series 2, Episode 1

Top Gear Australia - Series 2, Episode 1

Well, I didn’t mind the return of Top Gear Australia on SBS TV tonight. New host James Morrison was not bad. Actually, for a first up effort he was quite good, even if there is room for improvement.

His opening piece testing the Mitsubishi Evo X was more than reasonable, helped by some very good camera work around Oran Park. Hats off to the production team there.

Thank goodness they got rid of the ‘What were they thinking segment’. That was just plain awful. Pleasantly they didn’t take themselves too seriously about it either.

Steve and James walked us through their test track, which was a nice touch. It certainly gave a better appreciation of the course and did well to highlight the trickier sections that look releatively tame from the couch.

There was a ‘race’ featured in this episode that saw Steve in a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 take on James and Warren on jet ski thingy to see who could get from Melbourne’s CBD to Portsea the quickest. There were some cringey moments in there, but overall I thought it was pretty good. Already you can see the chemistry of the three hosts is working better than it did in Series 1.

‘Skaifey’ was tonight’s guest and I was always a fan of Mark Skaife, especially in his early days, but methinks he took himself a little too seriously in this format. Oh, Warren’s not much better at this interviewing gig than Charlie, so let’s hope he improves with time.

I thought the TV commercial recreation was going to be pretty lame, but it gave me a few laughs and won me over.

When The Stig took the Murci around their test track did anyone else think that footage had been sped up? Or was I just imagining things?

Anyway, the Aussie version of this show is now back on our screens and can be seen for the next seven weeks at 7:30pm every Monday night on SBS. Overall, I thought tonight’s show was better than fair. What did you think?

Continue reading “Top Gear Australia – Series 2, Episode 1”
Categories
Formula 1 Toyota

Will Toyota finally lead the F1 pack?

Jarno Trulli at the 2009 Spanish Grand Prix

The latest rule changes earmarked for Formula One could propel Toyota to the head of the field. But not in the way the Japanese giant might like. Such is the dismay at the proposed £40M budget cap for the 2010 season that Toyota team boss John Howett said if the outlined changes stay as they are Toyota will withdraw from F1.

Howett also claims that Toyota would not be the only team to pull out of F1 should the budget cap proposal come to fruition.

“If nothing changes, we won’t be submitting an entry,” Howett told Reuters at the Spanish Grand Prix. “But I don’t think that is a unique opinion among other competitors.”

The draft budget cap plan will offer teams who abide by the £40M limit greater technical freedoms and advantages that many in the F1 paddock think would be insurmountable for teams operating outside the cap. It’s kind of ironic that a team with an operating budget under £40M could produce a car as much as two seconds a lap quicker than a team with no spending limit. However, that is the belief Patrick Head from Williams holds, as reported on autoblog (link below).

Okay, so why don’t all teams comply with the cap? Well, such is the degree of spending in the sport now that a reduction in budgets would bring countless job losses as teams would need to sack staff in order to comply.

[Source: guardian.co.uk via autoblog | Pic: Toyota-F1.com]

Categories
Formula 1

Mark Webber claims podium finish in Spain

Mark Webber

Mark Webber finished in third place at the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix overnight. This is the Australian’s fourth F1 career podium finish and adds to his second placing at Shanghai last month.

In a race that followed recent Formula One trends not a hell of a lot happened during the race. Indeed, it was Webber’s pass on Alonso after a Safety Car restart that was one of the best highlights from the race.

Jenson Button and Rubens Barichello claimed another great result for BrawnGP, finishing first and second. Button’s fourth win of the year extends his Championship lead to 14 points.

Keep an eye on Formula1.com for comments from the top three drivers to be added soon.

[Picture: Rick Guest via Red Bull Racing]

Categories
Volkswagen

evo reviews new Golf GTI

Volkswagen Golf VI GTI

Respected mag evo recently filed a review on the new Mk6 Golf GTI. Reviewer Henry Catchpole almost didn’t like it, “as I link one fourth-gear left-hander with another fourth-gear right-hander there just aren’t any fireworks making me go ‘ooh’ or ‘ahh’. Then we reach The Corner…”

For their take read the review in full, which also includes some neat stuff about Wolfsburg and the Autostadt as well.

[Source: evo | Thanks to Simon for the tip]

Categories
Volkswagen

Well that sucks

Volkswagen Scirocco

After having hopes raised last month, it seems the Volkswagen Scirocco is not on the cards for Australian customers after all.

Continuing the on again, off again saga is an article on The Motor Report quoting VW Aus marketing boss Karl Gehling, “We like the car but cannot bring it here. We are still looking at it but have no plans to release it in Australia.”

Categories
Aston Martin

Aston Martin One-77 wins design award at Concorso d’Eleganza

Aston Martin One-77

A bit of a catch up story this one, but it’s never a bad idea to feature an Aston Martin article. The One-77 hypercar made its public debut at the Concorso d’Eleganza in Italy last month. And while doing so it won the Concorso d’Eleganza Design Award for Concept Cars and Prototypes. Yay, for Aston then!

If you want a closer look at the One-77 then check out the images after the jump and be sure to click on each pic to load the 2000px super image.

If you’re still hankering for some more One-77 goodness, check out this evo article.

Continue reading “Aston Martin One-77 wins design award at Concorso d’Eleganza”
Categories
MINI

“incredible”

Australian Morris 850 brochure

To help celebrate the 50th birthday of the Mini here is an electronic copy of an Australian Morris 850 brochure from the early 1960s. There are 12 images in all, and if you would like a closer look click on each pic to load a larger version.

Minis were made in Australia from 1961 to 1978. Production took place in Sydney and from 1961 to 1975 the cars were assembled at Zetland. In 1975 manufacturing shifted to Enfield. According to online sources a total of 176,284 Minis were built in Australia, plus an additional 26,142 Mini Mokes.

The brochure is a charming time capsule of its era and proudly boasts some delightful claims, including:

  • A car that handles like a racer with the solidity of a bus!
  • All the POWER you can use!
  • No wonder Morris 850 is the man’s car women are crazy about.

Also included in the brochure are full specifications and a list of numerous awards and media clippings.

Helping to capture the Mini’s Australian past is a 1970 Leyland Mini in the Powerhouse Museum‘s permanent collection.

[Sources: miniauto.com.au & miniman.com.au | Thanks to Tom for the brochure scans]

Continue reading ““incredible””
Categories
MINI

It was 50 years ago today

Mini turns 50

To paraphrase those British pop icons; it was 50 years ago today, Issigonis taught the Mini to play… In other words, today marks the 50th anniversary of the first Mini rolling off the production line at the Cowley assembly hall.

The car featured above is that first car. 602,817 Minis were built at Cowley from 1959 to 1968 after which point production moved to Longbridge.

When BMW relaunched the MINI brand in 2001 it was the Cowley facility, renamed Plant Oxford, that was the site chosen for production. Since the relaunch almost 1.5 million MINIs have rolled out the door.

Dr Jürgen Hedrich, Plant Oxford’s managing director, enthused at the company’s heritage, “Little did anyone know just how popular Sir Alec Issigonis’s car for the people would be—or that half a century later it would be reborn as the MINI and once again be built in Oxford.

“This is a momentous day in the plant and car’s history. Everyone at the plant is proud to be part of both the heritage and the future of this car.”

MINI will be celebrating its 50th birthday with a birthday bash at MINI United to be held at Silverstone in a couple of weeks.

Hip, hip, hooray for Mini then. Stay tuned tomorrow for a special 50th birthday treat for Mini fans from AUSmotive. To satisfy your urge to celebrate Mini’s anniversary further, take a peek at this article on MotoringFile.

Continue reading “It was 50 years ago today”
Categories
Porsche

Bargain hunt

Porsche 914

Truth be told the Porsche 914 is probably a love or hate model. I happen to be one who loves its slightly oddball looks and revel in its equally awkward history.

This example above was recently passed in at a Shannons auction held on Monday. The expected price range was a seemingly reasonable $12,000-18,000. For more pics check out the Shannons website.

The pre-auction press release from Shannons can be read below, which includes a brief history of the 914 and how it came to be.

Continue reading “Bargain hunt”
Categories
Seat

Seat Ibiza Bocanegra

Seat Ibiza Bocanegra

Dramatic swooping lines, 132kW twincharge engine and a lightning quick 7-speed DSG transmission. What’s not to like about this new Bocanegra model, released by Seat at the Barcelona International Motor Show yesterday?

Sure, it may not have the 155kW 2-litre turbo four from the Ibiza FR, but the bodykit changes make the Bocanegra stand out from the crowd.

This new model takes its name from the Bocanegra 1200 Sport, from 1975. It was a breakthrough model for Seat as it was the first car developed from the ground up at the company’s Martorell technical centre.

True to the original, the 2009 Bocanegra (which translates as black mouth), has a blackened nose giving the car an aggressive presence.

Whatever its roots, this car looks fantastic. A shame, then, that we won’t see it in Australia.

More pics and a press statement from Seat UK below.

Continue reading “Seat Ibiza Bocanegra”