Tag: 2010

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Targa Tasmania

Targa Tasmania 2010 update – Days 1 & 2

Tony Quinn, Nissan GTR

Tasmanian based Jason White in his Lamborghini Gallardo continues to hold the outright lead in Targa Tasmania 2010 at the completion of day two. However, it was defending champ Tony Quinn in his Nissan GTR who set the early pace this morning, posting the quickest time through the awesome Sideling stage.

Quinn is currently in fourth place, 54 seconds behind White. But the surprise packages have to be in second and third placings. Steve Glenney, 2008 winner, is second, 31 seconds behind the leader, in his one-off Mazda RX8 SP. Actually, Mazda are doing a good job of covering their three cars in the event, so make sure you take a peek at the Mazda Motorsport Australia website for more info.

In third place, 42 seconds behind White, is Ray Vandersee at the wheel of the extreme looking Skelta G Force. You have to respect the man who builds the car out there racing the car and doing very well.

News clips from the first two days of competition can be seen below and you can keep up to date with all the latest results, including live updates, at the Targa Tasmania results website.

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MINI Challenge

2010 MINI Challenge – Round 3 Preview

Chris Alajajian, current series leader, 2010 MINI Challenge

This weekend’s MINI Challenge round at Queensland Raceway includes a few firsts for the series. The most obvious is the debut of the John Cooper Works MINI Challenge racecars on the Ipswich circuit. In addition the usual three race program will be replaced with a four race card, including two races on Saturday and two races on Sunday.

MINI Challenge Category Manager Ted Toleman is looking forward to the weekend, “It is great to see a four-race format for the first time in our series. We have seen some incredibly close racing over the last two events and now the fans in Queensland will be treated to even more of this exciting racing. We have competitors as young as 16-years-old in the series and for the young guys there is nothing better than experience and track-time to help them progress positively through their careers.”

Another first this weekend will be the appearance of Sarah Harley, who will be the first female to race in the MINI Challenge for 2010. She will be joined by a number of V8 Supercar drivers, including Warren Luff, Luke Youlden and Dean Canto.

Steven Bradbury returns to the MINI Challenge grid at the wheel of the Pizza Capers Ãœber-star car and he hopes this experience will allow him to further his motorsport ambitions, “I love driving race cars and I’m counting down the days until I hit the track at QR. The experience I gained last year in the MINI, and having driven at QR before, will hopefully enable me to be quite competitive. I have longer term aspirations in motorsport and driving the UberStar Car is an opportunity that might help me realise those aspirations.”

With 16 cars to line up this weekend the action is sure to be fast paced and full of thrills. Can Chris Alajajian continue his early season speed, or will defending champion Paul Stokell start a charge up the points table?

A few press releases from MINI can be found after the jump and if you can’t get to Queensland Raceway this weekend make sure you book some time on the couch the following weekend for the Channel 7 highlights package scheduled for 8 May.

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MINI Challenge

2010 MINI Challenge – Round 2, Melbourne

MINI Challenge, Melbourne

This MINI Challenge wrap of Round 2, held during the Australian Grand Prix weekend at Albert Park, has been a little delayed because I was waiting for the television highlights. However, due to a few reasons it looks like the highlights package won’t be going to air, which is a great shame for the series.

On to the racing, then, and Chris Alajajian was able to build on his Round 1 success by placing on the podium in all three races. He has now established a 46 point lead over Sean Carter and Peter McNiven, both on 218 points.

Alajajian was happy to claim a win in the final race and is enjoying the racing so far in 2010, “We finished all three races on the podium this weekend and it was great to be able to end the weekend with a race and round win.

“Two round wins in a row is really making things look good for my championship hopes, he said. “There was some really close racing once again and I can’t wait to see what round three will bring.”

Round 3 of the Australian MINI Challenge takes place this coming weekend at Queensland Raceway (television highlights are scheduled for broadcast on 8 May).

More images from Melbourne and the series table can be see after the jump.

[Pics: Spherix]

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Targa Tasmania

Targa Tasmania 2010

Targa Tasmania 2010

Targa Tasmania 2010 kicked off in earnest today with the first leg of the event taking place. Wet and wild conditions greeted the field and while most crews did manage to make it back to Launceston safely, some crews are already out of the rally. Fortunately there aren’t any reports of serious injury, despite some very ordinary looking cars.

A quick shout out to all the drivers, navigators, support crews still competing, as well as the event officials. Here’s hoping they enjoy a safe and successful Targa for 2010.

Live updates from the rally are available from the Targa Tasmania results website. It’s not the most sophisticated set up, but based on today’s effort it seems to work quite well. You can also see some news footage of yesterday’s Prologue at Georgetown after the jump.

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Green Machines Porsche

If Porsche builds it, they will buy it

Porsche 918 Spyder

The wonderful looking Porsche 918 Spyder which debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March is one step closer to reality according to a report published by Bloomberg.

Speaking last week at Auto China in Beijing, Wolfgang Duerheimer, Porsche development boss, said, “I’m confident that we will soon reach the threshold of 1,000. We need 1,000 seriously interested people to make a sound business case.”

Porsche say they already have 900 expressions of interest so I guess this one is done and dusted. Lock in the 918 Spyder for series production and look for it a Porsche dealer near you in the next year or so.

All that’s left to be answered is how green is a car that offers up a maximum of 730bhp, but only has a full zero emissions range of 25km? To be fair, the hybrid powered 918 can achieve a fuel consumption rating of 3l/100km when tested against latest Euro standards. And CO2 emissions from the same test are as low as 70g/km. Yeah, go on, I’d have one too.

Although, perhaps a bigger question remains; will a variation of the 918’s 3.4 litre V8 ever find its way into a 911 chassis? Nah, that’d never happen, would it?

[Source: Bloomberg.com]

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BMW Motor Shows

Auto China: BMW Gran Coupé

BMW Gran Coupe

At the Auto China show in Beijing BMW had what they called a Design Night. An insight into the company’s design culture they said. To celebrate the event BMW were kind enough to go to the trouble of bringing along a new design concept. They have called it the Gran Coupé.

Four-door “coupés” are the new black it seems and this latest effort from BMW does look quite nice, it must be said. From some angles there is a lot of 3 Series coupé inspiration, as well. Mostly due to BMW’s well loved Hofmeister kink.

Not much detail is given in the press release below, but you can get some extra information thanks to the video published to YouTube by Autocar. All yours after the jump.

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Motorsports Porsche

Injury forces Walter Röhrl out of Nürburgring 24 hour

Walter Rohrl

Last last year it was announced that German motorsport legend Walter Röhrl would be making his return to the Nürburgring 24 hour race after a 17 year absence. However, a back injury has forced the 63-year-old to withdraw from the event.

Simon Patrick will replace Röhrl in the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. He will share driving duties with Chris Harris (EVO magazine), Roland Asch and Horst von Saurma.

A preliminary entry list for the 2010 Nürburgring 24 hour race, including a highlighted list of Australian and New Zealand entrants, can be seen at AUSringers.com.

[Source: Sport1.de | Thanks to Obi for the tip]

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Skoda Targa Tasmania

Skoda Octavia RS-P ready for Targa Tasmania

Skoda Octavia RS-P

Skoda Australia’s wicked one-off creation, the Octavia RS-P, is all set to make its tarmac rally debut at Targa Tasmania which kicks off next week.

The recipe is pretty simple, take one standard Octavia RS, turn up the boost of the 2.0 litre turbo, fiddle about with the intake and exhaust. This will see you increase power from 147kW to around 190kW. Then throw on some adjustable suspension, a few strut braces, some uprated brakes and fit semi-slick tyres to great looking 18″ alloys and you’ve just cooked yourself one very cool, and surprisingly rapid, Euro estate. Five stars!

At the wheel of the Octavia RS-P will be Mike Sinclair, Editor-in-chief of carsales.com.au, with Justin Hunt guiding the way in the nav seat. Further detail, and extra pics are available after the jump.

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Motor Shows Volkswagen

Auto China: 2010 Volkswagen Phaeton

Volkswagen Phaeton

Volkswagen have just released images of their newly revised Phaeton luxury saloon ahead of its official debut at Auto China in Beijing. With its restyled exterior, most notably the front end, this updated Phaeton couldn’t possibly offend buyers. But, does it have the excitement to lure customers away from the more established brands?

Well, whatever the answer to that question is it cannot take away from some of the trick technology inside the car. For example, an optional front facing camera can be used to read road signs which can then be repeated to the driver through an in-dash screen between the rev counter and speedometer. Internet-based Google functionality is available with the Phaeton’s in-car navigation system, offering users easy access to route planning and points of interest.

More conventional electronic aids include Dynamic Light Assist, ACC (automatic distance regulation), Front Assist and Side Assist (lane change assistance). The standard bi-xenon headlights also feature adaptive cornering capability.

The solid VW badge on the front grille not only has a new 3D like look, it also houses the sensors for the automatic distance regulation. LED technology features in the main headlight cluster, as well as M shaped rear taillights.

The revised Phaeton goes on sale in European markets in the latter half of this year and will feature four engine choices. Entry level spec is a petrol powered V6 offering 206kW. A V6 TDI can also be had, with 176kW. While those looking for more power can opt between a 246kW V8 or a 331kW W12.

Seating can be optioned in either four or five seat configurations and a long wheel base offering an extra 120mm of legroom will also be available.

More pics and detail can be viewed after the jump.

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Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break Concept

Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break Concept

Euro wagons are cool, it’s the AUSmotive edict, and this snazzy new Shooting Break Concept from Mercedes is no exception. Inspired by the F 800 SRV, SLS ‘Gullwing’ and the 2008 ConceptFASCINATION the “four-door Coupé CLS” is set to make its public debut at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show.

Under the bonnet is a next-generation 3.5 litre V6 which pumps out 225kW (306bhp) and 370Nm of torque. There’s full LED headlights, as is the style these days and there’s even a special storage compartment in the back for your golf balls. Brilliant!

Mercedes reckon what you see here paves the way for their future design language, which means we should be seeing some very sharp looking Benzes in showrooms near you in the not too distant future.

Plenty of pics and a brief video can be seen after the jump.

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Ferrari Formula 1 McLaren Mercedes-Benz Red Bull Racing

2010 Chinese Grand Prix in pictures

2010 Chinese GP

Rain in Shanghai ensured qualifying form was tipped upside down at yesterday’s 2010 Chinese Grand Prix. Jenson Button furthered his reputation as a rain master by winning his second wet race of the year. Teammate Lewis Hamilton was close behind as they crossed the line. MercedesGP driver Nico Rosberg continued his dominance over Michael Schumahcer to finish on the podium for the second race in succession.

Red Bull Racing have had a driver start from pole position every race this year. Unfortunately for them it hasn’t led to a race win for the pole man. Shanghai was no different, with both Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso getting past Sebastien Vettel off the line. Although, Alonso did jump the start and was forced to pit for a stop-go penalty. It was strategy and tyre choice, though, that undid Red Bull’s qualifying supremacy. Both drivers finished well below expectations—Vettel unable to follow his Malaysian GP victory with a podium and he finished in sixth, Webber further behind in eighth.

Four races in to the 2010 Formula One season and what do we make of Michael Schumacher’s comeback? It’s not gone to script, has it. Rosberg is to be commended for leading the way for MercedesGP so far in 2010. And while Schumacher has shown moments of raw pace, he is yet to string together the consistency required to see him challenging for a podium finish. Rosberg out qualified Schumi here in China, which means, for the first time, Schumacher has been out qualified by his teammate for four races in succession.

Quotes from drivers and team principals are now available on Formula1.com. You can also enjoy a total of 50 images from the Chinese GP here on AUSmotive, check them out below.

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Alfa Romeo Ferrari Fiat Lamborghini Lancia

Auto Italia 2010

Auto Italia, Canberra, April 2010

It was a perfect autumn day in Canberra today. Ideal weather for the annual Auto Italia car show, then. Every year Italian car owners and enthusiasts gather in the nation’s capital to show off their shining metal and this year the lawns adjacent to the National Library of Australia provided the ideal setting.

Of course, cars are much more than shiny metal, and the perfect example of this are marques like Alfa Romeo, de Tomaso, Fiat, Ferrari, Lancia, Lamborghini and Maserati. All were represented at Auto Italia 2010 today. Indeed, this year the featured marque for the Italian show was Alfa Romeo in honour of Alfa’s 100th anniversary. Alfa owners obliged by showcasing some truly beautiful cars, some incredibly rare, all incredibly cherished.

You can catch a glimpse of today’s show by checking out the photos after the jump. More info on Auto Italia in Canberra can be found at their official website.

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