Words cannot describe the content of this video. The biggest disappointment is that music doesn’t last the entire clip.
(Thanks to Wes for the tip. I think.)
Author: Liam
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BMW’s new Z4 masterpiece
I’ve thought of some pretty cool things to do in a car, but rear-wheel drive finger painting is not one of them. Lucky, then, that BMW has done just that and shown how much fun it would be with this quick clip revealing the new Z4, now with folding metal roof.
Chris Bangle‘s use of convex and concave shapes and overt angles have often been a bit of a hit and miss affair. The E65 7 Series, perhaps, being the most criticised example of Bangle’s mayhem. His artitstry, however, was rarely questioned with the original Z4. The new model follows a definite evolution from its predecessor, and that’s a wise move from BMW.
There is a second clip below which includes commentary from BMW designers Adrian Van Hooydonk and Anders Warming. Still pictures to be added soon.
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Drive Thru: Audi RS6 Avant
With 426kW on tap from the twin turbo 5.0 litre V10, this is comfortably the most powerful car I have ever driven. My previous personal best, also courtesy of Audi, was the relatively feeble 309kW 4.2 litre V8 found in both the RS4 and the R8.
Last year, I was lucky enough to be thrown the keys to an RS4 for a 24 hour test drive. Despite my eagerness at accepting this offer, I was initially underwhelmed. I expected so much, you see. However, after a day with the car, I was pleased to discover it fulfilled all my preconceptions. That said, it still took time. The R8, too, is another car that doesn’t really push you in the back of the seat once you floor the warp speed pedal. The speed is there, don’t get me wrong, but again, it takes time.
The RS6 doesn’t bother with inconveniences such as time and physics. Plant your right foot and you’ll soon find yourself in a parallel universe. The RS6 clearly has a warp speed pedal that works, and it works with devastating effect. As soon as the rush is over you immediately return to planet earth so you can experience that thrill all over again. The power and the subsequent hit of adrenalin are insanely addictive in this car.
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F1 2008 – Season highlights
Formula One seasons usually have everything. Excitement, high drama, controversy, and tears. Lots of tears. On that front, 2008 delivered one of the most dramatic seasons in recent times. There was pit lane mayhem, wet weather mayhem and post race results mayhem. It was also the first season to see a race held at night under artifical light. And, of course, the last race seemed to fit almost all of these things into one single event.
If Al Gore used to be the next President of the United States, then Felipe Massa used to be Formula One’s next World Champion. A title he held, provisionally, for less than one minute. That was all the time Lewis Hamilton needed to claim the extra point he needed to secure his first F1 title. It truly was an amazing climax to an amazing season.
This clip does a pretty good job of capturing the action, the drama and, ultimately, that final lap euphoria.
UPDATE 16 December: Looks like Bernie pulled the plug on this compilation.
UPDATE 19 December: Thanks to Matt for the YouTube find (while it lasts).
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Unstoppable
I hope you enjoy this short clip from BMW-web.tv. No techobable or overtly gushing PR blurb, just a nifty video using GPS to communicate.
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The sound of mental
Ever wondered what a 5.0 litre V10 twin turbo with 426kW sounds like? Wonder no more.
This is the Audi RS6. The sound is sublime, the power is simply staggering.
(Thank you to Audi Centre Canberra for providing the hardware, the audio was recorded on an Apple 3G iPhone using the SpeakEasy application.)
The 2008 Race of Champions is being held at Wembley Stadium this weekend. To help get you in the mood, here is a clip of last year’s final, featuring Germany’s Michael Schumacher (you may have heard of him) and Sweden’s Mattias Ekström. Finally something that Schumacher didn’t win!
For more info on the 2008 happenings, check out the official Race of Champions website. If you’re not familiar with the concept, the event takes a bunch of the world’s best drivers/riders from across the major motorspot disciplines and pits them against each other in equal machinery.
This event will also be Lewis Hamilton’s first public official McLaren appearance since winning the F1 world title. To celebrate he’ll be giving his F1 car a few beans around the track, as well as racing Olympic cycling Gold medallist Chris Hoy.
Canberra’s own Mark Webber was scheduled to take part in this event, but when the Queanbeyan driver broke his leg, he had to withdraw.
Motorsport categories are a great way to sharpen the skills of all who take part. Drivers, team management and mechanics are all put under the microscope during the intense competition of door-to-door racing. A relatively new racing category such as the MINI CHALLENGE is always going to provide new opportunities to those eager to learn. Two apprentices from Trivett Classic MINI Garage in Sydney were recently granted a chance to join the Bargwanna Motorsport pit for last weekend’s final round, held at Oran Park.
According to Jason Bargwanna his team’s two new charges Russell Hueffel and Anthony Wilcockson took to being a part of a professional race team like ducks to water, “We set them a few interesting tasks throughout the weekend and they handled them well,” he said.
“Nothing was too much trouble and they fitted in seamlessly with our team. It was a great weekend for them to experience motorsport for the first time. It’s not normal that someone is on a winning team in their first experience! This is something that we’re keen to continue next year with Trivett Classic MINI Garage and expand upon throughout the entire MINI Challenge season.”
This rather entertaining video smacks of being a Candid Camera type stunt, but it is supposedly fair dinkum. Watch as the driver of a Daewoo Winstorm (Holden Captiva) takes matters in to her own hands after having her vehicle unwillingly attached to a tow truck.
Source: CarAdvice
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Isle of “Oh Man!”
Fancy fanging about some local streets in a high-powered go kart? Looks like fun, doesn’t it!
Source: Axis of Oversteer via Jalopnik
Regular AUSmotive readers will know the Scirocco holds a place high on our wish list of cars to bring to Australia. This desire was heightened further by the recent release of the Scirocco Studie R at the Bologna Motor Show.
Based on the class-winning Scirocco GT24 from the Nürburgring 24 hour race earlier this year, the Studie R has a few tweaks over the standard Scirocco that are good, and a few that are, well, not so good. To be fair, the not so good is limited mainly to the carbon fibre dash inserts. The rear valance is not as successful as one might hope for either, but these sins can be forgiven on learning that the car has a 198kW 2-litre turbo engine, some seriously cool race-style leather seats, race-inspired coilover suspension and four-pot brakes up front.
The splashes of colour pay homage to the Italian flag and the location of this world premiere.
The Studie R just looks the duck’s guts (that’s good, by the way, very good). It’s been said before about the Scirocco on this website, and I dare say it will be said again—Volkswagen Australia, please bring the Scirocco to Australia!
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BMW M3 Sedan launches down under
The BMW M3 Sedan was recently launched to the Australian market at Phillip Island. I guess the AUSmotive invitation must have accidentally been sent to CarAdvice. That tends to happen a lot. C’est la vie. Here’s the pics all the same.
BMW M3 Range
- BMW M3 Sedan: $145,000
- BMW M3 Coupé: $162,901
- BMW M3 Convertible: $176,142
More info can be read HERE and the release from the launch is shown below.