Categories
Formula 1 Motorsports News

Stencil art adds street cred to motorsport icons

Xander Walker's Street Spirit stencil art

Street cred comes to the world of motorsport in the guise of stencil art from artist Xander Walker and his Street spirit series. Featured above is Nigel Mansell’s 1992 Williams FW14. Also in Walker’s portfolio are a couple of Ayrton Senna’s F1 cars, along with some classic GT racers and more.

The works are limited, very well priced and for sale now via Etsy. We’ve got a couple on the way and are hoping Walker might create another Williams work for us, the FW07 that Alan Jones piloted to the 1980 world championship.

[via Autoblog]

UPDATE: A video from the artist has been added below.

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Categories
Ferrari

Ferrari FF launch comes and goes without fanfare

Ferrari FF launch

Earlier this week the launch of the Ferrari FF promised much. It took place in the wee hours of Thursday morning (AEDT) and we expected to awake to a new raft of images from the Ferrari press machine. Alas, we got to see Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa in a suit and a few FF models on a stage.

There was a brief statement from Ferrari declaring the event a “great success” but not much else. I guess they’re saving the best for Geneva.

If you’ve got an hour to spare you can watch a replay of the launch over at the Ferrari website. It’s worth a look, but a word of warning, the audio of the live English translation might drive you barmy. In fact, save yourself the bother and make do with a few minutes of YouTube goodness after the break. Who knew the FF would be this season’s must have accessory in the alps!

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Categories
Lamborghini

Lambo leaks continue with new Aventador pics

Lamborghini Aventador

The leaked material on the Lamborghini Aventador continues with new shots of its interior as well as photos taken at the part-built Lambo stand from the halls of the Geneva Motor Show.

We can see that Lamborghini has taken the art of origami car manufacture to a new level. Thankfully, only Lambo can get away with madness like this. The Aventador is aggressive, frightening and stylish all at the same time. When you start thinking of its 700hp 6.5 litre V12 and the F1-inspired suspension you start to get, well, a wee bit excited at just how ballistic this car could be.

For what it’s worth we’ll have official details from Lamborghini once they’ve been released. Although, there’s not much left to tell, really.

[Source: Autogespot & GTspirit]

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Categories
News

Celebrate the launch of AUSmotive 2.0

2010 Brazilian Grand Prix

Today we have taken the wraps off AUSmotive 2.0. If you fear change, you can relax, because we’ve taken AUSmotive 1.0 and smoothed out its rough edges. The new site is cleaner, better organised and has also been optimised for iPhones, iPads and other mobile devices.

AUSmotive 2.0 owes a huge debt of gratitude to Derek Mack, a regular reader of the site, who has ensured the transition looks as good as it operates.

The new site has been tested on numerous browsers and devices, but as most know it’s only in the true test, full operation, that all the bugs are exposed. So, if you notice anything that doesn’t look quite right then please let us know in the comments section below, or by using our new contact form.

Of course, if you like the site even more than you did before then why not tell all your mates about it. AUSmotive is the place for your daily automotive fix and you can stay in touch with the site via Facebook and twitter as well; there’s no excuse for missing the latest we have to offer!

Categories
Alfa Romeo

Is this the new Alfa Romeo 4C GTA?

The caption to this pic translates as “4C, the dream Alfa.” Even with a dodgy fold in the middle of the pic, the Geneva-bound 4C GTA concept car looks the business. As far as we can tell this image was first posted to the AlfaMitoClub.it forum yesterday.

The 4C GTA is based on the ball-tearing KTM X-bow and is expected to be powered by a 250hp turbo charged four cylinder engine. With a miserly 800kg kerb weight the rear-engine, rear wheel drive 4C GTA is sure to excite, and possibly create, a whole new generation of Alfa Romeo fans.

Even the expected price of the 4C GTA is relatively exciting, with the UK market expecting a £40K price tag. Roughly the same price as an entry level Porsche Boxster. Dream Alfa indeed.

[Thanks to Craig for the tip]

UPDATE 1 March: Alfa has released official info on the 4C at Geneva. Read more…

Categories
Drive Thru MINI

Drive Thru: MINI Countryman Cooper S

MINI Countryman Cooper S

The new MINI Countryman; some strident MINI fans cannot warm to it. And they may never warm to it. Others are willing to embrace MINI’s move into four-door territory. Here at AUSmotive we’ve kept an open mind and, in photos at least, we reckon if MINI has to go forward by upsizing its range then the Countryman is a pretty good first up effort.

Now that the Countryman has arrived in Australia we can really begin to form a solid opinion. So, after seeing the car for the first time today, and enjoying a brief test drive, we’re leaning towards loving the love-or-hate four-door MINI. It’s not a full on love affair yet, but we’ve seen enough to warrant a second date.

We were granted time in a Countryman Cooper S fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission. Thanks to its 70kg weight saving over the All4 model, this is the fastest route to 100km/h in the Countryman range, with a claimed time of 7.6 seconds. The all-wheel drive version takes a further 0.3 seconds.

In truth, the Countryman Cooper S doesn’t feel that rapid. It’s not slow by any means and the 135kW 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, lifted from the regular Cooper S hardtop, is still refreshingly responsive, especially in lower gears. It’s economical, too, with a combined fuel consumption figure of 6.6l/100km.

We didn’t have enough time in the car to experience all of the Countryman’s handling characteristics in detail. However, we did learn that it is actually quite odd, at first, to be sitting so high in a MINI. Despite that, the Countryman still maintains a degree of the fun and lightness offered by its little brother. The laws of physics dictate the 1310kg Countryman Cooper S, with its 149mm ground clearance, will never match the now iconic 1140kg Cooper S for pure driving thrills. But, really, that’s not part of the Countryman’s brief.

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Categories
McLaren

VIDEO: Chris Harris on the McLaren MP4-12C

Chris Harris has just filed this new video review of the McLaren MP4-12C. He gave us a teaser a couple of weeks ago after driving the car in Portugal at its official launch. But now he’s driven the car in the UK on familiar roads and, importantly, on a familiar, albeit very wet, track.

Those lucky enough to buy a 12C look like they will be getting something very special indeed.

Categories
Audi

A really quick review of the Audi A7 Sportback

The 90 second verdict vids provided by Autocar are generally pretty good value. Here’s one on the Audi A7 Sportback, which, is quite a smart looking 4-door “coupé” thingy.

Thisreviewisquitegoodtoojustdon’texpectthereviewertohavetimetotakeabreath.

The model tested is a 3.0 TFSI quattro and it gets a respectable 4 stars. Shouldn’t be too long until we start to see these in Australia.

Categories
Safety Issues Volkswagen

Volkswagen Amarok 4motion earns 5 star ANCAP rating

Volkswagen Amarok

The 4motion versions of the new dual-cab Volkswagen Amarok have been awarded a 5 star safety rating by local authority ANCAP. Scoring 32.99 points from a maximum total of 37 the Amarok is the first ute in its class to earn a 5 star rating.

You can read the short press statement from Volkswagen Australia after the break. Or, for more detail, read the full report which is available on the ANCAP website.

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Categories
Audi

Will the new Quattro be the best handling Audi ever?

Hilton Holloway from Autocar reckons the new Audi Quattro has the potential to be the best handling Audi ever. At least that was his conclusion after he scored an unexpected drive in a prototype version recently.

It’s been a few months since we last had an update on the 21st century Audi Quattro. Last time out a couple of the Euro mags spent some time behind the converted concept car. The signs were pretty positive, too.

The car driven by Holloway looks like any old A5 coupé, but under the bonnet is that famous inline five cylinder engine. Still very much a work in progress, the 400hp test mule tips the scales at around 1400kg, some 100kg over the supposed target weight. Although, Audi is yet to give the car the green light. Many will also be pleased to learn the development car is fitted with a traditional 6-speed manual.

Here’s what Holloway thought, after his brief test drive around a closed circuit, “This prototype is fast, fluid and extremely well-balanced. The performance, as you might expect, is vivid. The car did not betray the fact it has a longitudinal engine hanging out ahead of the front wheels, instead it felt utterly neutral and utterly unstickable. It is also glorious light, agile and enthusiastic.”

Impressive. So, does he reckon Audi will build it? He seems certain, “As soon as the Audi board members try this prototype, the Quattro concept will be heading for the showroom.”

[Source: Autocar]

Categories
Formula 1 Renault

Lotus Renault GP talks about moveable rear wings

LRGP R31

The adjustable rear wing is one of the hot topics for the 2011 Formula One season. We’ve seen a couple of videos of the wing in action, thanks to Sauber and Red Bull Racing. Now, Lotus Renault GP talk us through some of the finer points.

James Allison, LRGP Technical Director, explains the theory behind the movable rear wings, “If you allow the rear wing to reduce its angle, you lose drag, rather like an f-duct system last year. So if two cars are racing each other, the car that has adjusted its rear wing angle will be able to go faster down a straight than the car that hasn’t.”

Allison adds, “All the drivers will be free to reduce their rear wing angle during free practice and qualifying as often as they like, but in a race there will be restrictions on its use.

“The regulations will only allow it to be used when a chasing car is within one second of the car ahead. So if a driver can get within this threshold time, his car will be granted permission to use the moveable wing on one designated straight during the lap. Furthermore, the teams and the FIA have tried to design a system that only gives just enough assistance to a trailing car to make an overtaking manÅ“uvre just possible. Nobody wants to have a system that makes overtaking a formality.”

It will be really interesting to see how this new aspect of F1 works this year. Follow the source link below for more detail.

[Source: Lotus Renault GP | Pic: LRGP/LAT]

Categories
Lamborghini

Lamborghini Aventador makes encore appearance

Lamborghini Aventador leak

More Lamborghini Aventador shots have surfaced thanks to the magazine industry. This time the pics have been sent in to Jalopnik, and you can access slightly larger pics via Facebook.

Following this week’s earlier leak these new images have raised the bar and, really, we only need to see what the inside looks like to really ruin Lamborghini’s party. With one week to go before Geneva kicks off, who will get there first; the motoring media or Lamborghini?

[Source: Jalopnik]

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