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BMW

BMW F80 M3 still more than 12 months away

BMW F80 M3 prototype

According to an interview with BMW North America’s M Manager, Matt Russell, the next-gen M3 will not debut until next year. That’s because production of the current E92/E93 Coupé and Convertible will remain active for all of 2012. That makes it virtually impossible for the F80/F82 M3 Sedan and Coupé to be released for sale before mid-late 2013.

Russell also seemed to pour cold water over previous reports suggesting BMW would introduce an all-wheel drive F10 M5. “Some people have a concern that we’re going to run into traction problems as horsepower number continues to go up and up. But this car just did a 3.7 second 0-60mph for Car and Driver on dusty Spanish roads so clearly it doesn’t have much of a traction problem,” said Russell.

“I think once we get the car tested stateside, it’ll go even faster. So we’re running out of reasons to do AWD. We’re in no rush to put AWD on M cars.”

Other topics covered include discussion on the US allocation of the 1M, the introduction of an M6 and also a very brief comment on the introduction of diesel-powered M product going on sale in the US. Follow the source link to read the full interview.

[Source: Bimmerpost]

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GM

GM rises from bankruptcy to number 1

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

General Motors has returned to the top of the worldwide automotive sales charts, the Detroit Free Press reports. Quite a turnaround for a giant that was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as recently as June 2009.

In 2011 GM sold 9.03 million vehicles globally compared to the Volkswagen Group which sold 8.16 million. Toyota is yet to release its official tally, but late last year said it was on track for around 7.9 million sales worldwide.

GM’s growth was in part on the back of Chevrolet which achieved sales of almost 1.8 million vehicles in the US alone.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

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Accessories & Tech GM

Are we nearly there yet?

GM windows of opportunity

Augmented reality is a term you may already be familiar with, BMW has placed it an automotive context with the Vision ConnectedDrive. Human Machine Interface seems to be the new buzzwords. Toyota gave their NS4 concept plenty of HMI sparkles. And now GM is getting in on the act with the Windows of Opportunity project—a system designed to give rear seat passengers a greater connection to the outside world using their window as a touchscreen interface. Imagine what this could do to overcome the boredom of long holiday road trips!

As this stage Windows of Opportunity is little more than an ideas generation project with the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design. But check out the video after the break and see what you think. Will stuff like this ever become reality and if it does would it be a good thing? We think it’s pretty cool.

[Source: WCF]

Continue reading “Are we nearly there yet?”
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Lexus

VIDEO: Lexus LFA Roadster makes brief debut

Lexus LF-A Roadster

The Tokyo Auto Salon has already brought us the Toyota Prius GT300, and now it’s given us the Lexus LFA Roadster. The topless V10 is seen here in a brief video and, like the racing Prius, there’s no official press material immediately available. Indeed, there’s some suggestion this LFA Roadster may actually be a private conversion and not an official Lexus vehicle.

So, instead of marketing waffle, you’ll just have to make do with the shrieking goodness of 10 angry cylinders.

Regardless of its authenticity, we think the LFA Roadster actually looks okay. What do you reckon?

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Categories
McLaren Video

VIDEO: Fancy a ride in a McLaren F1 GTR?

Chris Harris gets a passenger ride in a McLaren F1 GTR

In Chris Harris’ latest video he is reporting from the passenger seat of a very desirable and very rare McLaren F1 GTR. We’re not entirely sure why he didn’t mention the owner’s name, especially as we get a clear look at the owner’s face and is easy enough to track down online.

Anyway, that matters not, we do think a ride in a 600hp/1100kg machine would be a lot of fun, even if we might need to reach for the chunder bag along the way. Yeah, you’re probably right, driving it would be much better!

Continue reading “VIDEO: Fancy a ride in a McLaren F1 GTR?”
Categories
Motorsports Peugeot

Peugeot withdraws from Le Mans program

Peugeot 908 HDi - 24 Hours of Le Mans 2009

Overnight Peugeot dropped a bombshell when they announced their immediate withdrawal from sports car racing. Most notably that brings an abrupt end to their Le Mans program.

The Peugeot 908s often played second fiddle to Audi, but they did reign supreme in 2009 when they finished first and second at Le Mans. Australian David Brabham was at the wheel of the winning car that year, joined by Marc Gene and Alexander Wurz. In 2010 the 908s were quicker than the Audi R15s and the French team looked set to defend its title. One by one, though, the 908s retired from the race with mechanical issues.

Peugeot are also the current title holders of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, successfully defending their 2010 crown.

The current economic climate has forced their hand, Peugeot says, as well as a need to reapportion funds to a number of new product launches in 2012.

It’s a loss for sports car racing and with less than six months to go until the 2012 Le Mans 24 hour race it pretty much hands Audi another victory. Race organisers, the ACO, are not overly happy but insist the grid at Le Mans will be well filled.

ACO club president, Jean-Claude Plassart, said: “It is a big disappointment for the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship​​, which begins in the year 2012. A competition created at the request of manufacturers in general and in particular Peugeot. No doubt the hundreds of thousands of fans who flock to the 24 Hours of Le Mans each year and millions of viewers who follow will regret the absence of the Peugeot ‘lions’ “.

Peugeot’s official statement can be read below.

[Thanks to Mick for the tip]

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Categories
MINI

MINI finalises pricing for Roadster & Coupé

MINI Roadster

MINI Australia today finalised the list pricing for its Coupé and Roadster ‘twins’ that will be in local showrooms towards the end of next month.

Offered in only Cooper S and John Cooper Works models at launch the 135kW Roadster Cooper S is priced from $45,100, while the 155kW JCW starts at $55,100.

Pricing for the Coupé Cooper S was announced last year and starts at $42,900. And while JCW pricing for the Coupé wasn’t released at the time we can form an educated guess that it will be around $51,900. [The Coupé JCW will start from $52,600, as confirmed today with MINI Australia.]

Basic specifications for the Coupé and Roadster have also been announced. In Cooper S trim you’ll get things the active rear spoiler, xenon headlights, Dynamic Stability Control, Park Distance Control, climate control and Bluetooth for no extra cost.

The extra cash for the JCW spec gets you a 155kW engine, JCW aero body kit, sports suspension, 17″ Challenge alloys and a Harmon Kardon stereo.

Continue reading “MINI finalises pricing for Roadster & Coupé”
Categories
Green Machines Holden

Honda CR-Z wins 2011 Wheels COTY

Honda CR-Z, 2011 Wheels COTY winner

Honda’s frugal and slightly oddball CR-Z has won the 2011 Wheels Car of the Year award. It’s the world’s first hybrid to be offered with a 6-speed manual transmission. Even though it’s powered by a modest 91kW/174Nm 1.5 litre i-VTEC engine with Integrated Motor Assist the Wheels judges applaud the CR-Z’s ability to put a smile on the face of its driver.

Wheels Editor, Bill Thomas, said: “The CR-Z takes the idea of the car in a direction we think it should go. It’s innovative, trendsetting, efficient and fun to drive.

“We think the spirit of Honda shines through. Cars don’t have to be ‘supercars’ to be fun. It’s the CR-Z’s balance of abilities—the combination of price, performance and fun.”

While long time staffer and COTY judge John Carey stated: “Expertly engineered, impressively efficient and with strong safety credentials, the Honda CR-Z is also a genuine joy to drive… Endowed with the kind of handling and steering that invites involvement, the Honda puts a smile on the face of any driver who accepts the invitation.”

The CR-Z beat a field of 28 models, consisting of over 60 cars in total when different model variations were added to the mix. It’s the sixth time Honda has won the award and follows the company’s most recent success with the Accord Euro in 2008.

Continue reading “Honda CR-Z wins 2011 Wheels COTY”
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Citroen Ford MINI Skoda WRC

WRC teams shake it down before full Monte

MINI WRC

The Monte Carlo Rally, fondly referred to as ‘The Monte’, is resuming its rightful and traditional position as the first WRC event of the year. Yesterday the top WRC teams were out in Valence giving their machines a final shakedown before taking on the full rally.

You can read previews from Citroën, Ford, MINI and Volkswagen at their official websites. Volkswagen? Yes, even though the Polo WRC won’t make its debut until next year the team’s lead driver Sebastien Ogier will be competing in 2012 for stablemates Skoda in the SWRC category.

We anticipate this season with renewed interest thanks to the introduction of MINI as a major player. Although, thanks to what appears to be a fractured relationship between MINI and Prodrive, it’s perhaps not as major as we would all like it to be. We believe the budget issues facing the MINI WRC team are due to BMW redirecting part of the team’s funding towards their return to DTM racing.

Hopefully Prodrive can secure enough sponsorship to put Kris Meeke back in his seat, and with Volkswagen to follow next year, it will be great to see up to four teams competing for outright honours in 2013.

Video of the shakedown in Valence can be seen after the break.

Continue reading “WRC teams shake it down before full Monte”
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Volkswagen

Golf VII preparing for rendezvous in Paris

Volkswagen Golf VII prototype

The latest tip on the new Golf VII says it will premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September. This spy shot of a three-door GTI prototype, captured last year, shows the Golf will continue its well proven evolutionary path. It will be a bit longer and a bit wider, as is the norm with new models these days, but it will still look like a Golf.

The Mk7 Golf will ride on the Volkswagen Group’s new MQB platform and will represent a much greater step in development than we saw from Golf V to Golf VI. The new model architecture will underpin several models; one of the first will be the new Audi A3.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via WCF]

Categories
Formula 1

Bruno Senna to drive for Williams in 2012

Bruno Senna

Bruno Senna will fill the vacant Williams F1 seat after he signed a new deal with the team today.

The news means the 19 year F1 career of Rubens Barrichello has come to a rather untidy end. With 11 victories to his name and a respected career it’s fair to assume Barrichello deserved a better farewell than this, especially when you consider his final race was his home Grand Prix in Brazil.

Barrichello has just used his twitter account to confirm the news: “I won’t be driving the Williams car this year. I wish my friend @BSenna all the best…the future is wide open,” he said.

Confirming the announcement Senna said in an WilliamsF1 statement, Bruno commented, “I feel very privileged that Williams has selected me as one of their race drivers. The team has a great heritage and I hope I can help write a good chapter in their history.

“It will be very interesting to drive for a team that my uncle has driven for, particularly as quite a few of the people here actually worked with Ayrton. Hopefully we can bring back some memories and create some great new ones too.”

Full details after the break, including a Q&A interview with Bruno.

[Thanks to Wes & Ryan for the tips]

Continue reading “Bruno Senna to drive for Williams in 2012”
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Green Machines Motorsports Toyota

Toyota Prius GT300 on show in Tokyo

Toyota Prius GT300

We got wind of a racing Prius late last year and the Prius GT300 is now on display, in full racing livery, at the Tokyo Auto Salon.

At this stage there’s no official text or detail from Toyota that we can see, but the large hybrid text on the side of the car indicates the Prius will indeed remain true to its eco roots. Panasonic, makers of the batteries used in the Prius road car, also feature prominently in the car’s livery.

Porsche has already made a successful racing debut with its own 911 GT3 R Hybrid, so it’s no real surprise to see Toyota follow suit. On that basis it makes sense for Toyota to use the Prius name to make its hybrid racing debut.

The Prius GT300 will race in the Japanese Super GT series where, as its name suggests, power in its category is capped at 300hp. The Toyota will race against the new Subaru BRZ among others when the series kicks off in March.

[Source: Autoguide]

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