Categories
MINI WRC

BMW ready to cancel Prodrive’s WRC contract?

Dani Sordo, MINI WRC, 2012 Rallye Monte Carlo

It’s one week until Rally Sweden and Autosport brings word that the BMW Group is expected to terminate its contract with Prodrive later today. This news brings the future of the MINI WRC program into question.

A BMW Group source has allegedly revealed, “There was a chance this might have happened last year, but in the end it was decided to wait until after Monte Carlo. The decision has now been taken at board level and will be communicated in due course.”

When contacted by Autosport, Richard Taylor from Prodrive claimed, “That’s news to me. There’s no question of that, no question at all. The team is on its way to Sweden for the pre-event test as we speak. MINI remains committed to the programme and to supporting customers.

“We all want to see the MINI John Cooper Works WRC out there on the stages and that’s what we will see with Prodrive running the cars on Rally Sweden next week.”

You’ll recall Kris Meeke is currently on the sidelines after the team didn’t have the funding to keep him on a full-time basis. His seat is being sold to teh highest bidder on a race-by-race basis.

The unease of the BMW–Prodrive relationship is now becoming clearer and it’s understood finances have been central to those difficulties almost since the relationship began.

It’s believed BMW is now deciding if it should hand over the running of the team to another firm, with an Italian group supposedly in the frame, or quit the WRC altogether.

[Source: Autosport]

Categories
Kia Video

Super Bowl XLVI ad: The one with Adriana Lima

Super Bowl XLVI ad - Kia and Adriana Lima

Kia has taken a leaf from the Jeremy Clarkson book of advertising for its Big Game Day Super Bowl XVLI television commercial. There’s loud music, Motley Crüe no less, explosions and, of course, Adriana Lima. Making sure they got bang for buck with the supermodel they have also upload a five hour video showcasing Lima’s flag waving prowess. No, we’re not kidding!

Oh yeah, the ad is for the Kia Optima. Almost forgot that bit.

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Categories
Motorsports Toyota

Toyota confirms entry into 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship

Toyota TS030 Hybrid LMP1

Toyota confirmed overnight that it will be entering two TS030 Hybrids into the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship. One car, wearing the number 7, will be driven by Alex Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre and Kazui Nakajima. The drivers for the second car will be announced shortly.

Yoshiaki Kinoshita, team president, said: “The circumstances for the championship changed suddenly in recent weeks and Toyota Racing considers it important to work together with the FIA and ACO to establish a successful future for endurance racing. We have done everything we can to show our support and we look forward to an exciting season, including the opportunity to race two cars at Le Mans.”

The TS030 Hybrid will make its competition debut at the Six Hours of Spa Francorchamps on 5 May, which is the second of eight races on the 2012 WEC calendar. Toyota will attend all remaining seven races, including, of course, Le Mans (16–17 June).

Categories
MINI

MINI adopt-a-storm stunt goes wrong

MINI Roadster

MINI are masters of marketing, they’ve come up with some of the best and riskiest ad campaigns in the 10+ years since BMW relaunched the brand. However, their latest stunt, to name a cold weather front ‘Cooper’, has gone horribly wrong following more than 100 deaths as a result of the storm.

The majority of the deaths have taken place in Ukraine and Poland where temperatures have been as low as -33°C. It’s been reported almost 1000 people in Ukraine have been hospitalised with hypothermia and frostbite.

BMW, through its ad agency Sassenbach, registered to sponsor a cold weather front through the German Institute of Meteorology for the modest fee of €299. Although, the process does not allow advertisers to nominate when or which storm they can name.

A statement has been issued by BMW saying it deeply regrets the weather front has claimed so many lives. They have also apologised for the stunt.

As part of the campaign BMW has also registered to name a low pressure front ‘Minnie’ and it’s unsure if they will continue with those plans.

Germany’s Adopt a Vortex program has been running for 10 years and all revenues help fund weather monitoring at Berlin’s Free University.

[Source: BBC]

 

Categories
Porsche Video

VIDEO: Porsche salutes the 911

Porsche 911 - the salute

You may have noticed we’re suckers for a Porsche 911 video here at AUSmotive. With this clip Porsche tugs at the heartstrings by taking us back to where it all began, before bringing us back to the present day with the 991 911.

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Categories
Ferrari Formula 1

Ferrari cancels 2012 F1 car launch

Maranello, February 2012

Ferrari was all set for a big reveal of its 2012 F1 car at Maranello today. But, as the pic above shows, heavy snow has made things a bit tricky. As such the red team has cancelled their launch event.

However, the good news is pics and info of the new car will still be available later today. We’ll bring you 2000px super image goodness as soon as we can.

[Source: Ferrari | Thanks to Wes for the pic]

Categories
Audi Seat Skoda Volkswagen

Volkswagen introduces versatile MQB platform

Volkswagen MQB platform

Over the next few years, and especially in the short–medium term, you’re going to be reading a lot about Volkswagen’s MQB platform, otherwise known as the Modular Transverse Matrix. MQB will be used in the small-medium segments across the Audi, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen brands.

In the context of VW it will be used to for forthcoming Polo, Beetle, Golf, Scirocco, Jetta, Tiguan, Touran, Sharan, Passat and Volkswagen CC models. The Golf VII will be the first model from Wolfsburg to use MQB architecture.

Volkswagen is getting very excited about this new platform which affords it a multitude of engine and wheelbase configurations. In conjunction with MQB comes a modular engine system which brings with it a uniform mounting process, regardless of engine type or capacity. It’s the flexibility in wheelbase dimension that helps make this possible (see diagram above).

Vehicles built using the MQB will also bring with the some pretty tricky technologies. Things like nav and entertainment systems with touchscreens featuring proximity sensors and a look and feel as though they have come direct from Cupertino. There’ll also be a multicollision braking system designed to reduce the impact of secondary impacts.

Also of note is the fact that MQB models will be at least 40kg lighter than their predecessors. In the case of the Golf GTI it could be up to 100kg lighter. We’ll have more news on the Golf GTI shortly.

If you’re a bit of an engineering nerd we reckon you’ll be getting right into the adaptability of the MQB and expect you’ll want more than the handful of paragraphs from Volkswagen below. So we’ve got this more detailed PDF (210kb) for you which should satisfy you for a while.

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Categories
Lotus Proton

Proton denies Lotus sale rumours

Lotus Elise

Following the Malaysian Government’s move to offload its stake in Proton to DRB-Hicom the car maker is denying the inevitable rumours that it wants to sell iconic sports car maker Lotus.

Proton has released an official statement, which reads in part: “We are aware of the many concerns of the different parties related to Proton—especially our business partners, with regards to the current plans and future direction of the Group and all its subsidiaries, including its UK-based Lotus Group International Limited (LGIL).

“Our new incoming owner is in discussions with the current management of Proton to get a clear understanding and assessment of the Group’s current business plans, before any strategic future plans can be mapped out, including the plans for our Lotus subsidiary.”

You may recall Lotus grabbed the headlines at the 2010 Paris Motor Show with audacious plans to effectively relaunch the brand with five all-new models: Elan, Elise, Elite, Esprit and Eterne. Lotus said all models, except the Eterne, would be in production by 2015, with the Elan and Esprit due for release next year.

Despite their recent ownership changes Proton say their transformation plan is on schedule: “Our focus remains the same for all our current business plans and this includes Lotus’ commitment in realising its current five-year business transformation plan, of which we are happy to report, is right on track,” the official statement continued.

“As such, business is as usual for us and all our subsidiaries and we thank them for their professionalism and patience during this time.”

Sales in the UK, Lotus’ largest market, dropped by 41% last year and tallied a meagre 329 sales. That drop in cash flow and persistent annual losses must weigh heavily on Proton’s upper management.

[Source: Car]

Categories
Video Volkswagen

Super Bowl XLVI ad: Dog chases Beetle

Super Bowl XLVI Volkswagen

Last year Volkswagen hit the jackpot with its Super Bowl ad featuring a junior Darth Vader. To date the YouTube clip has had over 49.5 million views. This year the German giant strikes back with an overweight dog and a Beetle.

We can’t see this ad having the same cut through and its only the closing stages of the clip that hit the spot for us. Actually, the ‘Bark Side’ preview, released a few days ago, is probably better than the final ad. You can see both clips below.

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Categories
Formula 1 McLaren

McLaren MP4-27 v MP4-26

McLaren MP4-27 v MP4-26

Just like the title says, here is a comparison of the new McLaren MP4-27 and its predecessor the MP4-26. Side on profile and overhead images have been compared, with the 2012 car appearing first.

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Categories
Formula 1 McLaren

McLaren unveils 2012 F1 car

McLaren MP4-27

The official launch of the 2012 McLaren MP4-27 Formula One car has just taken place at the team’s headquarters in Woking, Surrey. The car you see here has been described as an evolution on last year’s MP4-26.

Technical Director, Paddy Lowe, says the team had fairly straightforward goals: “Our main objectives for the 2012 season were to optimise downforce despite the changes to the blown floor, and to improve our understanding and utilisation of the Pirelli tyres, which were new to us last year.”

Director of Engineering, Tim Goss, added: “Although you can’t see it, there’s a lot on this car that’s changed. However, this year has seen more of an evolutionary set of rules, so there’s less of the unpredictability that comes from balancing resources between seasons during a time of greater regulatory change.

“I think the most obvious change is the loss of the U-shaped sidepod, which we pioneered on last year’s car. We reverted to a more conventional sidepod shape for this season because the U-shape was less suited to the new exhaust geometry restrictions. For 2012, the exhaust tailpipes now have to exit along the U-channel – so that particular feature was no longer really viable due to the new geometry restrictions.”

Speaking earlier today Martin Whitmarsh claimed the car on display at the launch will more than likely be quite different to the car that lines up at Albert Park next month, as data from pre-season testing helps continue to develop the car.

“We have no room to be complacent – what you see today only scratches the surface of what we’re planning to deliver to the track both from an engineering and operational point of view throughout 2012,” added Whitmarsh.

“I’m pleased and confident that we’ve left no stone unturned in our quest for performance. Now, our focus invariably turns to the track as we evaluate MP4-27 ahead of the start of the 2012 season in Melbourne on March 18. These will be a fascinating three weeks.”

After the break you can see more images and comprehensive written coverage with quotes from Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Martin Whitmarsh. Rudimentary technical specs are also available as is a full Q&A interview with Paddy Lowe and Tim Goss.

Continue reading “McLaren unveils 2012 F1 car”
Categories
McLaren

McLaren MP4-12C Spider rendered

McLaren MP4-12C roadster rendering

TeamSpeed brings us some nice renderings of the McLaren MP4-12C Spider. It’s believed the model will be badged as the MP4-12S. Supposedly the car will feature a retractable carbon fibre roof that folds back into the space between the seats and the engine bay.

A flatter rear deck complemented by two roadster-style tunnels will house a clear engine panel, leaving the bespoke 3.8 litre V8 twin turbo engine on constant display.

Based on these renderings the 12S looks pretty damn good with its roof up or down. It’s expect McLaren will release official pics and info before the year is out.

[Source: TeamSpeed]

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