This interesting looking sketch has been spotted on the Porsche Consulting website. It’s probably nothing, or it could be the a return of a new two-door front engine 928-inspired model. Rumours have suggested a two-door variation of the Panamera are in the pipeline for Porsche. Whether this sketch is a sneak preview of that model or just a nice looking graphic to stick on the front page of a website is anyone’s guess.
[Source: Autoblog via The German Car Blog]
Earlier in the month Chris Alajajian and Paul Stokell jetted over to Madrid to represent Australia in the Spanish MINI Challenge. The racing took place at the Jarama circuit and there was a three race format; two sprint races on the Saturday and a 50 minute race on Sunday. The results were encouraging, but ultimately disappointing.
Current Australian MINI Challenge series leader Chris Alajajian managed an impressive fourth place in the first race. In the second race Stokell qualified sixth and despite a good start his car suffered minor damage, including a punctured tyre, after being hit from behind. Time in the pits replacing the tyre was costly and he lost a lap on the leaders and finished in 19th place.
The guys had shown they had the pace to mix it with the front runners, so maybe the Sunday race, which included a compulsory driver change, would bring better luck. Sadly this wasn’t the case.
Stokell started the race from 11th on the grid and was making good progress until he was t-boned by a “kamikaze” move from one of the younger competitors in the field. Worse was to come when Stokell received a black flag costing Team Australia valuable time. Things didn’t improve when the team’s scheduled driver change had to be delayed due a Safety Car period. This left Alajajian with just a few laps of racing and in the end Team Australia came home in 11th place.
Regardless of the misfortune during the racing Ted Toleman, MINI Challenge Australia Category Manager, felt the experience was a positive one and hopes there is more overseas action to come, “Despite mixed results both Paul and Chris did a fantastic job representing Australia in the Spanish version of MINI Challenge racing.
“The assistance and help given to our drivers by MINI Challenge Spain personnel was superb and we thank them for supporting the guys on this great opportunity. The experience gained by both drivers in the left-hand-drive R56 and on a world renowned racetrack is truly invaluable and I look forward to further events overseas.”
MINI Challenge Australia action returns at the Townsville 400 on 9–11 July.
We first heard of the spiciest Seat Leon, the Cupra R, before last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s pretty much a Spanish Golf with a bunch of chillies stuffed down its trousers. Those chillies are rated at 195kW and ensure the driver will have to keep their wits about them; all that power is put to the road through the front wheels.
Essentially the car uses the same drivetrain found in the Volkswagen Scirocco R and employs a trick electronic diff (XDS) to try and hose down that firecracker of an engine. Apparently the results are “effective yet unobtrusive”.
The Leon Cupra R has just been launched in the UK and their press team have been kind enough to send out a few pics and a brief introductory video. You can see all that for yourself right after the break.
The Volkswagen Amarok will make its Australian debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney this October. However, while the Amarok is scheduled for local sales in 2010 Volkswagen Australia spokesman Karl Gehling remains coy about the pick-up’s launch date, “Until we lock in production dates, we can’t say when it will go on sale.”
It is likely the Australian release of the Amarok will follow other markets which means an initial engine line up comprising a pair of 2.0 litre turbo diesels. The entry level tune will offer 90kW/340Nm, while the higher spec model will provide 120kW/400Nm.
[Source: GoAuto]
Vodafone UK’s latest video promotion sees McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton build a Formula One car. Obvious pranks and comments are made; it’s still a bit of a giggle and shows, despite the common belief, the team at McLaren actually have a sense of humour.
Check the clip after the jump.
The makers of GT5 have finally announced a release date for their new gaming epic. North American buyers can get their hands on GT5 from 2 November 2010. Dates for other markets are yet to be announced.
It’s been almost six years since the release of GT4 so the new version is not only eagerly awaited, but well overdue. The Gran Turismo name fell from the top of most people’s must-have games list a long time ago. Will GT5 restore the title’s credibility?
After the break is a two minute teaser – featuring The Stig on the Top Gear test track – that gives us an idea of what to expect.
For the 2010 production cycle Nissan have introduced a number of updates to its hero GT-R model. A bunch of interior equipment has been refreshed, including the satellite navigation system. But, really, who cares about that. What about performance, have they made Godzilla any faster?
Nissan’s engineers have increased the flow of the catalytic converter, fiddled about with the suspension and nicked the cooling ducts from the rear diffuser of the Spec-V model. They have also improved cooling for the hard-working transmission.
“The Nissan GT-R continues to appeal to perfection-seeking motoring enthusiasts in Australia,” said Dan Thompson, CEO of Nissan Australia, “And the arrival of the finessed 2010-11 model GT-R makes this amazing motor car even more desirable. It truly is a modern classic.”
There’s no power or torque increases, but there has been a rise in the GT-R’s asking price. List pricing now starts at $158,800 for the base model, while the Premium model, which includes two-tone leather a flash stereo and 20″ wheels, is now priced from $162,800. So far 260 GT-Rs have been sold in Australia and these modest price increases of 1.9% are unlikely to hurt sales at all.
More from Nissan after the break.
Love them or hate them luxo SUVs are here to stay. Locally, their increasing sales continue to give our market a boost. BMW now brings us news that their X5 model has surpassed one million sales.
To be different, BMW refers to the X5 as an SAV – Sports Activity Vehicle. It’s taken 11 years for the X5 to reach the seven-figure sales mark and with its horrible X6 and somewhat quirky GT siblings joining the line up the SUV/SAV phenomenon shows no signs of abating.
I’ll give the X5 one thing, though, they’re bloody good to drive.
You may recall Audi hired the services of Justin Timberlake as a brand ambassador to help promote its new A1 premium hatch. Well, it would now appear Audi thinks they’ve found the next Jason Bourne.
After watching this six-part series, though, it would seem Matt Damon’s honour remains in tact. For Timberlake, not so much. Indeed, if I were a casting agent it’d be a case of “don’t call me, I’ll call you”.
All six clips of The next big thing can be seen after the jump. They’re around 3 1/2 minutes in length on average, so it’s not too taxing to check them out in one sitting.
So what about the A1, it’s supposed to be the star of the show, right? It looks good enough on camera, and the stunts are performed with competence. In the end, though, you don’t come away from watching these short films thinking the bar has been raised in any way. It’s clichéd popcorn for the masses. I give it two and half stars. What did you think Margaret?
Hyundai recently launched a couple of new TVCs that rip off Top Gear. Disturbingly called “Top Deer” the ads centre around the show’s familiar air hangar set and, of course, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.
The ads have been very well executed, there’s no denying that. But is the actual premise of the ads just a wee bit twee? Similarly, are the Top Gear presenters now so well stereotyped that a deer, a hamster and a tortoise are all that’s needed to fulfill their roles?
There’s two ads ready for view after the break. Have a look and see what you think. Remember, season 15 of Top Gear starts in the UK on 27 June.
[via TopGear.com]
Volkswagen’s all new Jetta model was launched at a live event in New York’s Times Square this morning. Following yesterday’s leaked photos there were no real surprises revealed.
The Jetta draws heavily on styling cues from the New Compact Coupé, first shown in January this year. With a better and closer look at the production model we can see the front and rear grille treatments are less aggressive than the show car. As a result the look is more restrained, or, judging by some of yesterday’s comments, a little bit boring.
Sure, the chrome detailing in the grille is a little busy. Also, the main headlight cluster is not quite as special as the show car. (Perhaps that look is being saved for xenon equipped models featuring LED daytime running lights?) But I wouldn’t call the design of the new Jetta boring. Safe, perhaps.
Overall, though, the Jetta is largely faithful to the concept model and its sharp crease lines and pleasing side profile present the market with a new model that is just that. A new Volkswagen. Indeed, the press release available below states, “the new Jetta will no longer be sharing any body components with the Golf, rather it will be a vehicle type that is just as independent as a CC or a Tiguan.”
One disappointment does lie in the new Jetta’s steering wheel. It’s a three spoke design, familiar to the Volkswagen range, but just one of the upper spokes houses steering wheel controls. Higher spec models may well have controls on both sides, but the result on the images released today looks unfinished and cheap. A slight dampener on an otherwise smart looking car.
Volkswagen Australia have confirmed the new Jetta will be on sale in Australia in 2011. As to a specific date – our educated guess would suggest local availability around 12 months from now.
There’s another 10 photos available below, along with the full European press release detailing engine choices on offer at initial launch. At the end of the article a selection of new Jetta and New Compact Coupé pics are placed side by side for comparative purposes.
The 2010 Canadian Formula One Grand Prix saw a second consecutive one-two victory for the McLaren team. Lewis Hamilton started from pole and, despite a margin of just over two seconds from second placed Jenson Button, he won the race in reasonable comfort in the end. That doesn’t tell the whole story, though.
After qualifying on the soft “option” tyres it was expected Hamilton would come under pressure from the two Red Bull Racing cars, with both Webber and Vettel on the harder, more durable “prime” tyres. As it was Webber was penalised five grid places after having a gearbox change following qualifying.
But the real story of the race was the rate at which the tyres wore across the board. The prime tyres wore out quickly, as expected. However, the prime tyres also wore much quicker than predicted which meant most teams made two pitstops for a second set of prime tyres.
With no mechanical failures or accident carnage at the head of the field it was a reasonably close and exciting race. In the end, Hamilton won the day ahead of teammate Jenson Button and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton now leads the drivers standings on 109 points. Button is in second (106pts) and after relinquishing his title lead Mark Webber is close behind in third place (103pts). McLaren maintain their lead in the constructors race with 215 points ahead of Red Bull (193pts) and Ferrari (161pts).
Over 60 photos from Montreal are all yours after the jump and simply click on the pics you like to load a 2000px super image.