World Sports

Inside Soccer: England's World Cup rule not so rare

2009-09-23T04:56:00.000-07:00

England Manager Fabio Capello’s recent announcement declaring that wives and girlfriends of the team’s players will be allowed time with their mates only after the days of games at the 2010 World Cup may at first review seemed a bit out of the ordinary.
But sequestering male athletes from personal comforts and temptations at a FIFA World Cup is not unprecedented.

At the 1990 World Cup in Italy, the host team’s manager Azeglio Vicini asked his players to refrain from sex. The players, however, were permitted to watch videos as one source of entertainment. It was unclear if Vicini restricted the video genre as well.

Brazilian players at the tournament reacted with surprise to Italy’s sex ban. Renato, a reserve striker, said that the ban would result in tension and possible fights during training. Midfielder Mauro Galvao said it’s worse if players would “go out and get drunk.”

At the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Swiss coach Roy Hodgson denied a media report that he had banned sex by his players at the tournament. He clarified that his intent was for wives and girlfriends to stay in separate hotels from the players.

The legendary Pele offered his worldly perspective on the matter. “Sex is not the problem, it’s the warm up that is,” he said, referring to the partying that often precludes sex.

Costa Rica imposed a sex ban on its players during qualifying games for the 1998 World Cup against the United States and Mexico in March 1997. Costa Rica tied Mexico and beat the United States but Costa Rica failed to qualify for the finals in France while Mexico and the U.S. advanced. Perhaps Costa Rica should have extended the ban through all of qualifying.

Two of the top teams in the world made headlines at the 2002 World Cup for their off field restrictions. Brazil manager Luis Scolari’s ban on sex during the tournament did not prevent his team from winning the championship. Italy, however, lost in the round of 16. Perhaps the fact the players’ wives and girlfriends were banned from the players’ hotel proved too traumatic.

A BBC report claimed one wife of an Italian player snuck into the hotel while posing as a television journalist. The report claimed coach Giovanni Trapattoni responded to the clandestine attempt with humor. “If you’re here as a reporter, get out now. If you’re here as his wife, here’s his room number.”

American players have endured isolation, but not—as we could tell—with intended restrictions on intimacy with their loved ones.

At the 1998 World Cup in France, U.S. head coach Steve Sampson placed the team in a 12th-century chateau in Beaujolais wine country a good distance away from social and game activity.

Former MLS executive and player Alexi Lalas was a member of that team and remembers being able to meet with family and friends at dinners or on off days. “When it came to the World Cup playing was all I wanted to think about,” Lalas, an ESPN soccer commentator, said by phone. “There was time for celebration and time for being with family and friends. And I didn’t want anything to get in the way of that. I recognize and respect being at a World Cup and what success could mean."

John Harkes, a former U.S. team captain and a member of World Cup teams in 1990 and 1994, understood the isolated atmosphere head coach Bob Gansler set up for the team at a camp in Italy in 1990.

“We were a young group, our average age was about 24,” said Harkes. “Gansler felt we didn’t need any distractions. It was our first World Cup in 40 years.”

Harkes recalls security officers carrying guns escorted him to meet his then girlfriend and now wife CindI for a 15-minute visit on the edge of the camp’s grounds. “From Bob’s perspective, it was maybe a smart thing to do, but at the same time exposing us to a World Cup, the life and flavor of it, could have helped. We felt kind of out of it like we weren’t performing in a World Cup.”

Both Lalas and Harkes feel Capello’s rule should help England at the 2010 World Cup. “Capello recognizes he has something special on his hands,” said Lalas. “He wants to make sure he molds it as well as he can.”

“There’s a certain balance to everything,” said Harkes. “There’s a disadvantage if you’re completely separated from your family. You’re a grown man. If there’s a balance so you can share some of the experience with them, that’s okay.”

With the move, Capello hopes to maintain England’s mojo after they cruised through World Cup qualifying and earlier this month secured a spot in the finals.

“I don’t think what Capello is doing is a big deal,” said Harkes.

World Cup, Jr. - The U-20 World Cup, considered the debutante ball for youth players around the world looking to showcase their assets to the top clubs in the world, begins play Thursday in Egypt.

Some players who propped themselves up well in past tournaments on the way to becoming global impact players include Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, the 2005 top player and top scorer who helped Argentina win the title; American forward Eddie Johnson of Fulham, who won the top scorer award in 2003 as the U.S. advanced to a quarterfinal loss to Argentina; and current Argentina manager and 1986 World Cup champion Diego Maradona, who won the top player award as his country won the 1979 title.

Since the tournament began biennial play in 1977, South American teams have won 10 of the 16 gatherings, with Argentina claiming six and Brazil four. The Americans first qualified for the tournament in 1981 and fashioned its best finish with fourth place in 1989. The U.S. has won their group at the last three tournaments, but advanced no further than the quarterfinals.

The Americans open up against Germany on Sept. 26 and finish group play with games against Cameroon and South Korea. Players to watch for on the American team include midfielders Mikkel Diskerud and Bryan Arguez and goalkeeper Brian Park.

Diskerud, a dual citizen with Norway, has been a part of two U.S. training camps and brings international flair to the team. He made his Norwegian Premier League debut in 2008 with Stabaek and played in a Champions League qualifier with the club in July.

Arguez and Park are the only two members of the team who played in the 2007 U-20 World Cup for the U.S. Arguez plays for German club Hertha Berlin and replaced the injured Sam Garza on the roster on Sept. 9. Park suits up for UCLA.

Hernandez beats Hanescu at Romania Open

2009-09-23T04:50:00.000-07:00

Oscar Hernandez knocked out top-seeded local hope Victor Hanescu 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 in the first round of the Romanian Open on Tuesday.

The unseeded Spaniard broke three times and dropped serve twice at BNR Arenas as Hanescu lost in the opening round for the second straight year. He was beaten by Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina in 2008.

Another unseeded Spaniard, Santiago Ventura, beat fourth-seeded Russian Igor Andreev 6-4 6-1.

"I played well and I feel excellent on the court," Ventura said. "Andreev is a good player and it's hard to beat him."

Second-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro also advanced, defeating Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-4 6-3

Henin to make comeback at Aussie Open

2009-09-23T04:46:00.000-07:00

Justine Henin plans to launch her comeback to grand slam tennis in Australia in January, with both Melbourne and Sydney officials salivating at the prospect of the former world No.1's return.

The Belgian right-hander retired in May 2008 but 16 months later the 57kg pocket rocket says she's determined to add to her seven grand slam titles.

A four-time winner of the French Open, Henin has also claimed the US Open title twice and the Australian Open in 2004, but adding the elusive Wimbledon championship to complete her own personal grand slam is a key motivation.

After a couple of exhibition events in Belgium and Dubai, Sydney International officials hope to have Henin on their books for the tournament starting on January 11, a week before Melbourne's Australian Open.

Henin is a three-time winner of the Sydney event and the most recent of her 41 career titles came in Sydney in 2008.

"I was delighted to hear of Justine's plans to return to professional tennis," Sydney International tournament director Craig Watson said in a statement on Wednesday.

"She has always been a popular visitor ... and as a three-time champion of the event, we would love to have her back in 2010.

"I have already commenced discussions with her team about getting her here in January and I am hopeful she will be keen to begin her Australian Open campaign in Sydney."

Australian Open officials are also keen to cash in on the popular Belgian's re-emergence after a series of injuries threatened to prematurely end her career.

"Any time you can welcome a past champion on a comeback trail it's an opportunity you would never want to miss," Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said.

"We would love Justine to be a part of the Australian Open again. It would be great to have her involved in tennis again."

Confirming her intention to return in January, Henin said: "The fire within burns again.

"I hope this is the beginning of a new adventure," said Henin, 27.

"Adrenaline is part of my life, my existence. It is in my character."

Henin, who famously fell out with Kim Clijsters in 2003 after the pair played an ill-tempered Acura Classic final in Carlsbad, California, admits she may have been inspired by her fellow Belgian.

"Subconsciously, it might have had an impact," Henin said.

"But it certainly was not the most important reason."

In that 2003 match, third-seeded Henin lost the first set to second-seeded Clijsters.

Henin then took a five-minute injury break to have a blister on her foot re-taped, before surging to win in three sets.

Clijsters implied that Henin had used the injury time-out as a cynical gamesmanship ploy, to regather her thoughts and energy.

"It's not the first time that it's happened," Clijsters said.

"She's probably done it in every match I've played against her.

Those are moments that you know she is not feeling at her best. She has to try to do different things.

The 167cm Henin, who has shown remarkable determination to keep pace with her taller and stronger opponents, will be trying her hardest to win gold at the 2012 Olympics as a 30-year-old.

"I want to keep going at least until then," the Athens 2004 gold medallist said of the London Games.

Troubled in 2004 by a mystery virus and three years later by her divorce from tennis coach Pierre-Yves Hardenne and a serious car accident involving her eldest brother, Henin has had a series of off-court hurdles.

Henin, who has dropped the hyphen following her divorce, has also suffered a strained relationship with her father and lost her mother to cancer when she was only 12.

Formula One - 2009 calendar

2009-09-23T04:30:00.001-07:00

Formula One sees motorsport's elite, like Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen and Australia's own Mark Webber battle it out at speeds in excess of 300 kilometres per hour.

This year a number of changes to the Sporting and Technical Regulations implemented by the FIA are expected to produce tighter lap times and more overtaking. The new conditions promise to produce one of the most unpredictable and exciting seasons spectators have seen in recent years.

2009 Calendar
Date Event Track
Rd 1, March 27-29 Australian Grand Prix Melbourne
Rd 2, April 3-5 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix Kuala Lumpur
Rd 3, April 17-19 Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai
Rd 4, April 24-26 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix Sakhir
Rd 5, May 8-10 Premio De Espana Telefonica Catalunya
Rd 6, May 21-24 Grand Prix De Monaco 2009 Monte Carlo
Rd 7, Jun 5-7 ING Turkish Grand Prix Istanbul
Rd 8, Jun 19-21 Santander British Grand Prix Silverstone
Rd 9, Jul 10-12 Grosser Preis Santander Von Deutschland Nurburgring
Rd 10, July 24-26 ING Magyar Nagydij Budapest
Rd 11, Aug 21-23 Telefonica Grand Prix Of Europe Valencia
Rd 12, Aug 28-30 ING Belgian Grand Prix Spa- Francorchamps
Rd 13, Sep 11-13 Gran Premio Santander D'Italia Monza
Rd 14, Sep 25-27 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix Singapore
Rd 15, Oct 2-4 Fuji Television Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka
Rd 16, Oct 16-18 Grande Premio Do Brasil Sao Paulo
Rd 17, Oct 30-Nov 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina Circuit

2010 Formula One season calendar

2009-09-23T04:28:00.000-07:00

The 19-race schedule for the 2010 Formula One championship which gets under way in Bahrain on March 14:

March 14, Bahrain Grand Prix
March 28, Australian Grand Prix
April 4, Malaysian Grand Prix
April 18, Chinese Grand Prix
May 9, Spanish Grand Prix
May 23, Monaco Grand Prix
May 30, Turkish Grand Prix
June 13, Canadian Grand Prix *
June 27, European Grand Prix at Valencia, Spain
July 11, British Grand Prix
July 25, German Grand Prix
August 1, Hungarian Grand Prix
August 29, Belgian Grand Prix
September 12, Italian Grand Prix
September 26, Singapore Grand Prix
October 3, Japanese Grand Prix
October 17, South Korean Grand Prix
October 31, Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
November 14, Brazilian Grand Prix

* Subject to the completion of contract negotiations with Formula One Management. If these are not completed then the Turkish Grand Prix will be moved to June 6

Eels have more strike power: Benji

2009-09-23T04:26:00.001-07:00

The Parramatta juggernaut has been given the seal of approval from the king of NRL finals momentum -- Benji Marshall.

Marshall famously side-stepped and flick-passed the Wests Tigers to a fairytale premiership in 2005 as the club rode a wave of 12 wins from their last 14 games that season.

The Tigers won eight straight before losing their last two regular season matches and then put on four straight finals victories, culminating in a 30-16 grand final win over North Queensland.

In an eerily similar scenario, the 2009 Eels won seven of their last eight, slipping up against St George Illawarra in round 26, and have won their first two finals matches, over the Dragons and Gold Coast.

That run, after they started the season losing five of their first seven, leaves Parramatta just two wins away from a first premiership since 1986.

"Momentum is important and maybe the week off (for the Bulldogs) might hurt some teams, but it just seems like it's meant to be for Parra, just how it felt in `05 for us," Marshall told reporters on Wednesday.

"It feels like one of those fairytales and that it's meant to be for blokes like (Nathan) Hindmarsh and (Nathan) Cayless."

The Eels' next task will be Friday night's preliminary final against western Sydney rivals the Bulldogs at a near capacity ANZ Stadium.

A win would mean them playing either Melbourne or Brisbane in the decider on October 4.

"Parra have been the form team of the last 10 weeks and with the form Jarryd Hayne is in and to have (Krisnan) Inu back maybe and (Daniel) Mortimer, I can't see them being beaten," Marshall said.

"It's hard to say when it comes to finals footy, the Bulldogs might step up another gear, but my opinion is Parra have more strike power and play a more exciting game."

Injured Eels five-eighth Mortimer (hip) was expected to have a light run on Wednesday but was not to train with the team.

Inu is expected to return on Friday from a hamstring injury.

Parramatta's training session was given the go-ahead after Sydney's massive morning dust storm cleared on Wednesday afternoon.

Renault scandal hangs over Singapore GP

2009-09-23T04:22:00.000-07:00

Formula One will be desperate to put the damaging Renault race-fixing scandal behind it this weekend, but it will not be easy with the sport returning to the scene of the crime in Singapore.

By a quirk of fate, the 14th race of the season takes place in the city-state just days after Renault was slapped with a suspended two-year ban by the International Automobile Federation.

It was here at Formula One's inaugural night race last year that team principal Flavio Briatore and chief engineer Pat Symonds ordered Nelson Piquet junior to deliberately crash to help teammate Fernando Alonso win.

Briatore and Symonds have been thrown out of the sport and Piquet's reputation is in ruins, but Alonso was cleared of any wrongdoing and will be back on the grid at the Marina Bay street circuit.

Last year, Alonso began in 15th position, but after the Spaniard made an early pit stop to refuel, Piquet crashed into a wall, prompting the deployment of the safety car.

As Alonso's rivals then gradually disappeared into the pits to refuel, he catapulted himself into the lead and went on to win his first race in a year.

Another Renault victory on Sunday is not likely with the team struggling to match frontrunners Brawn GP and Red Bull.

With just four Grand Prix left, Brawn's Jenson Button knows he needs a podium finish with teammate Rubens Barrichello closing the gap at the top of the world championship standings to 14 points after his win in Monza.

The Briton, winner of six of the seven opening races of the season, remains on top with 80 points, but the Brazilian now has 66 points.

Whatever happens, the pair look certain to deliver the constructors championship to their eponymous team-chief Ross Brawn in the outfit's first season.

"The Marina Bay street circuit is pretty challenging and although it has a stop-start layout which isn't usually my favourite type of circuit, I still enjoyed driving it last year," said Button.

"I spent some time at the factory last week driving the circuit on our simulator which helps with the track layout, gears and downforce levels so we are well prepared and looking forward to getting the weekend underway."

Barrichello's victory at the Italian Grand Prix this month was his 11th in a 284-race career and he is fired-up for more of the same here.

"I've had a great time over the last month with two victories so we've got some good momentum behind us going into the final four races of the season," said the 37-year-old.

"I can't wait to get back in the car and get on with the challenge."

After finishing Monza in eighth, Red Bull's Sebastien Vettel saw his world title ambitions take a huge hit.

The German is now 26 points adrift of Button and knows nothing short of victory here will be enough.

"We are looking forward to Singapore as the target will clearly be to win, as it is the target at all remaining races," he said.

"It's true the gap is quite big and it will be very difficult to catch up, but be sure we will try."

Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton is out of the title race after crashing on the final lap in Italy and failing to finish.

But the crowd favourite, who finished third in Singapore last year, is promising an aggressive drive.

"I remember my race in Singapore last year was all about damage limitation -- I was driving with one eye on the world championship and wasn't going to take too many risks," he said.

"I was happy to finish on the podium. This year, it's very different. I know I'm out of the title hunt and I want to attack these last four races, pushing for as many victories as I can."

After becoming the first ever night race, Singapore will nudge the boundaries a little further this time round when the drivers race from day-to-night during practice.

Friday's first practice session is scheduled from 6:00-7:30 pm (1000-1130 GMT) meaning they will start in daylight and end after dark, although the lighting system will be on throughout.

Bombers star Lloyd retires from AFL

2009-09-23T04:13:00.000-07:00

If Matthew Lloyd is to be remembered at least in part for the controversial 270th and last game of his stellar AFL career, then Essendon would like the record to be set straight.

Departing Bombers chief executive Peter Jackson insisted that Lloyd deserved credit, rather than criticism, for his heavy hit in round 22 on Hawthorn midfielder Brad Sewell.

It earned the Bombers skipper a four-match suspension - and inspired them to victory and a berth in the finals for the first time in five years.

"That incident that led to his suspension was never intended to be what it was, but it was a statement of impact by the captain of this club and singlehandedly I think it turned that game," Jackson said on Wednesday at a packed media conference to announce Lloyd's retirement.

"Neither Matthew or I would be condoning the outcome of the incident (where Sewell was knocked out).

"But the decision to make a statement and say to this football club, which was trailing by four goals at the time, this wasn't good enough and turn the game around so we could play a game of finals and earn the respect back of the football world was huge."

It was a far cry from the furious reaction at the time of Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson and utility Campbell Brown.

But Lloyd revealed on Wednesday he spoke shortly after the match with Luke Hodge, one of Hawthorn's toughest players.

"He said `I've been brought up that whatever happens on the field, you shake hands and you get on with it, you look forward to the next time you play your footy' and I've always been the same," said the 31-year-old Lloyd.

"I've copped plenty of hits in my time and I've given a few out and that's the way footy should be."

There had been speculation that coach Matthew Knights had been less than keen for Lloyd to push on for one more year - and that if he did so it would be up the ground, rather than in his preferred position of full-forward.

But Lloyd was at pains to say the decision to retire was one he was happy with.

"I got offered a fantastic contract, I got told what my role would be next year but I decided I don't have the hunger to play any more and it's as simple as that," he said.

"You don't go into a pre-season and you don't spend the next 12 months of your life if you're not 100 per cent committed or you're fatigued from the mental or physical side, as I am.

"So it was quite an easy decision for me in the end.

"It's a happy time for me, it's not a sad time."

Even so, Lloyd teared up at the media conference as the father of two paid tribute to the support of his family throughout a 15-year AFL career.

Father John Lloyd played 29 games for Carlton in the mid 1960s, while brothers Brad and Simon both work in the football industry.

Lloyd's many playing honours include three Coleman medals and five All Australian jumpers, while his tally of 926 goals places him seventh on the all-time VFL/AFL list.

But his proudest moments were playing in the 2000 premiership team and succeeding three other all-time club greats, Mark Thompson, Gary O'Donnell and James Hird, as Essendon captain three years ago.

Despite being linked with a possible move to Collingwood in recent weeks, Lloyd said he always intended to retire as a one-club player, adding neither he nor his management had ever spoken to another club.

And he did not duck the tough questions during a long media conference, admitting that accusations he had dived for free kicks earlier in his career was valid.

"There was a stage where I got caught playing for free kicks," he said.

"And I feel like in the last five or six years I identified that, when Matthew (Knights) came to the club the losing of the feet was something we identified.

"I think it's a stigma that's stuck with me from a period where I probably did stage for a few free kicks and I accept that.

"But understand that I was also hard at the footy."

Most of Lloyd teammates attended Wednesday's announcement, including recently-retired fellow key forward Scott Lucas, whose career at Windy Hill paralleled that of the skipper.

A good friendship and a really good understanding, was Lucas's summation of their successful double act.

"In my time on football, he was as good as anyone I played with or against."

Lloyd plans to do more media work in retirement and step up his role with the AFL Academy.

Sri Lanka triumph over South Africans

2009-09-23T04:01:00.000-07:00

Sri Lanka hero Tillakaratne Dilshan says switching from the middle to top order has helped develop him into a fearsome run machine.

He scored 106 to set his country up for a surprise 55-run victory over hosts South Africa at SuperSport Park on Tuesday in the opening match of the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.

Sri Lanka amassed 8-319 on a run-friendly pitch and spinner Ajantha Mendis snatched three key wickets as South Africa slumped to 7-206 before rain halted play with 74 balls left and the Duckworth-Lewis system came into play.

"I have been in good form for the past 12 months and believe moving from the middle order to the top has helped me a lot," revealed Dilshan after receiving the man-of-the-match award.

"As an opener I feel I have more chances to build an innings and Kumar (captain Sangakkara) and I have developed a wonderful partnership in which we know how to assist each other."

It was the third ODI century by the 2009 ICC Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year nominee and his career-best 137 came this year against Pakistan in Karachi.

Dilshan struck 16 fours and one six in a near-flawless knock before being caught at the boundary by Albie Morkel off the bowling of right-arm speedster Dale Steyn.

Sangakkara hailed the contributions of Dilshan and Ajantha Mendis, who overshadowed more famous fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan by taking the wickets of skipper Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy.

"Tilla and Ajantha were outstanding but this victory is history now and we must capitalise on it otherwise it will be worthless," warned the skipper.

"The big challenge with Ajantha was when to bring him on and against who."

Smith said the Proteas - joint pre-tournament favourites with defending champions Australia for the $US2 million ($A2.29 million) first prize - had to improve quickly or face a humiliating early exit.

South Africa meet bogey team New Zealand at the same venue on Thursday and another loss would virtually spell the end of their chances to reach the semi-finals.

"Although it was our first outing we have no excuses. We need to improve quickly and hopefully do a lot better. It is a question of executing the basics properly."

The World's Fastest Cars

2009-09-17T08:21:00.001-07:00

Jacqueline Mitchell
Gas prices are up. The economy is down. For some, neither matters--all they want is to be able to drive faster than anyone else on the road, whatever the cost.

And the cars that can deliver that promise are built solely for speed. They're not the kinds of cars that are particularly good for anything else, such as dropping off the kids at school (unless they're running exceptionally late that day) or picking up a carton of milk on the way home from work.

These cars reach obscene speeds in mere seconds, the same amount of time that normal cars need just to warm up. Just ask Tom duPont, publisher of duPont Registry, a gallery of fine automobiles.

"A Bugatti test driver took a $100 bill and plastered it on the dashboard," recalls duPont, who was invited to strap into the passenger seat for a demonstration drive. "He told me I could have it if I could grab it once we took off."

The French-made Bugatti Veyron races from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and effortlessly cruises to a top speed of 253 mph. Most probably can't imagine what that feels like, but duPont learned firsthand.

"The car accelerates so fast that you can't touch [the $100 bill]," he said. "You can't move your hands.”

Even if duPont had managed to defy the laws of physics and become $100 richer, that wouldn't have afforded him a Bugatti Veyron or any of the other nine vehicles that made our list of the fastest cars in the world. DuPont cautions that superfast cars "aren't for the faint of heart financially or physically." The Veyron is the most expensive ultra-fast car on our list, with a price tag starting at $1.5 million.

But the Veyron is not the fastest car on the road, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. In March 2007 it tested the American-made SSC (Shelby Super Cars) Ultimate Aero and crowned it the Fastest Production Car in the world.

The $654,400 twin-turbocharged car boasts a top speed of 257 mph and goes from 0 to 60 in 2.78 seconds. Snagging this title marked a first for a U.S. auto manufacturer since the Ford GT40 claimed the Guinness record in 1967 with a top speed of 167 mph.

Rounding out the top five fastest cars are the $695,000 Swedish-made Koenigsegg CCX, top speed 250 mph; $595,450 American-made Saleen S7 Twin Turbo, top speed 248 mph; and the $700,000 British-made Bristol Fighter T, top speed 225 mph.

There are only a handful of these vehicles available in the world. Bugatti has said it will build a total of only 300 Veyrons since the model was introduced in 2005; Bristol custom-builds 20 Fighters each year.

Buyers who want these cars are placing their orders two years in advance, says Bassam Al-Farraj, founder and publisher of Rich Guy magazine. People who just can't wait that long will pay a premium, he says.

He adds, "I've seen people pay a million for the Ferrari Enzo," which is no longer in production but has a base manufacturer's suggested retail price of $670,000.

All of the cars on our list are street legal. So if you really do want to use one of them to cruise around town (or test the limits of how late in the morning you can leave for work), that's up to you. When researching which cars truly go fastest--with the automakers themselves , we excluded cars that are built and equipped for the sole purpose of racing on a track. We also excluded vehicles that are no longer in production.

If the wait is a bit too much to bear for one of the aforementioned cars and you are on a slightly tighter budget, you could check the second half of our fastest-cars list---some no less expensive, or more available. But you might get lucky.

They're the $741,000 Italian-made Pagani Zonda F, top speed 215 mph; $325,560 Netherlands-made Spyker C8 Double 12 S, top speed 215 mph; the $430,000 Italian-made Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, top speed 213 mph; $497,750 U.K.-made McLaren Mercedes SLR, top speed 206 mph; and the U.S.-made Silva GT3, which clocks in at 205 mph and sells for $75,000.

Would you ever purchase one of these cars, or are they just nice to look at? Add your thoughts in the Reader Comments section below.

Despite the high prices and lack of local roads on which one can actually drive these cars at their maximum speeds, demand for these luxury treats is heating up, says DuPont. Wealthy buyers in new markets like China are searching for expensive rewards for their newfound riches.

"Only the top 2% of the economic pyramid of the world are buying these cars," says duPont. "It is a reward for achieving personal success in life. There is new wealth emerging in developing countries, and they want the same luxury rewards."

And if any of those people happen to take you for a test drive, they may, with luck, put a $100 bill on the dashboard. Good luck grabbing it, but you're probably best off just enjoying the ride.

All New Opel Corsa in Depth

2009-09-09T10:05:00.000-07:00

After its spectacular world premiere in London, the fourth generation of the popular Opel Corsa now takes to the road. With the newcomer, Opel remains true to its role as a trendsetter. Based on the successful example of the Astra and Astra GTC, the distinctively different coupé-like three-door and family-friendly five-door Corsa models are tailor-made for different types of customers. Since 1982, over 9.4 million units of the predecessor models have been sold in Europe. The new Corsa will again be produced in Zaragoza (Spain) and Eisenach (Germany). Both the three- and five-door versions will be available at dealerships in October 2006 and are expected to again reach top sales figures.
The new Corsa has everything it needs to get there: exciting design with sporty, athletic contours, a newly-developed chassis for safe and agile cornering, a new high-quality interior with plenty of space and feel-good ambiance, as well as high-tech features new to this class such as a heated steering wheel and curve light. The integrated carrier system “Flex-Fix” makes its world premiere on a production car, and the Corsa Sport newly-developed high-tech variable progressive power steering is new in the segment.

Its response is already very direct during straight-ahead driving and increases up to a steering-wheel angle of 90 degrees, which is reminiscent of a sports car's steering precision. The feedback curve enables the response ratio to increase again at greater steering-wheel angles, reducing the effort needed for maneuvering.

A Stunning Design to Fall in Love With

The three-door Corsa’s body is stretched tautly over its technology like a muscle shirt on a bodybuilder, with athletic contours, muscular shoulders and a coupé-like roof line. This look is emphasized by the side-window graphics reminiscent of the Astra GTC, forming a large, stretched arch from the A-pillar to the rear. Pronounced fenders over the rear wheels highlight the Corsa’s powerful, sporty stance. The three-door Corsa only shares the five-door’s front fenders, bumper, headlamps, hood and A-pillar.

In the family-friendly five-door model, the long roof line and generous window surfaces indicate additional headroom and visibility for the rear passengers. The side window line resembles that of the five-door Astra, but has a different C-pillar transition to the rear window that gives it its completely unique look.

While both body versions have the same length and height (3999 / 1488 mm), there is a small difference in their width (3-door: 1713 mm, 5-door: 1737 mm). Thanks to the long wheelbase (2511 mm) and wide track (front / rear: 1485 / 1478 mm), both Corsa versions have distinctively sporty proportions. The up to 17-inch wheels are placed at the body corners leaving a very short rear overhang. The designers successfully created a well-proportioned car while maintaining a compact base area. This is enhanced by the front overhang, which has a remarkably short appearance despite elaborate measures for pedestrian protection.

The stylish interior design with high-quality materials and clever new features creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. Turn buttons for climate control, radio and lighting are backlit. Piano-lacquer finish used in selected equipment variants on the center console with a matching finish on the steering wheel spokes and air-conditioning vent rings is of a much higher quality than normal in this class. Numerous large and small storage compartments offer plenty of space for stowing all kinds of items.

Distinctive cars for different buyers

Opel aims to return to the top of the small car segment, which is the second largest in Europe with over 20 percent of all passenger car sales. Customers can already look forward to highest-quality equipment lines that also convey driving fun with colors and exclusive finishes.

For instance, the Edition equipment: The fresh colors of the seat upholstery and door panels harmonize perfectly with the instrument panel’s colored surface in subtle grey, exciting red or elegant blue. Be it the entry-level Corsa, Edition, Sport or Cosmo, the Corsa range has the perfect combination for every taste and budget. The newcomer can be further individualized thanks to special equipment packages, innovative options and many features that customers can choose from according to their tastes and preferences.

Exclusive sportiness

The Corsa Sport holds a special position in the model range. For maximum agility, it boasts exclusive power steering with variable-progressive feedback curve for the first time. The sports chassis is lowered by 18 mm at the front and 15 mm at the rear, while the closer gear ratios add an extra burst of acceleration. In addition, the Corsa Sport interior features high-quality elements including a matte-chrome console and perforated
leather-trimmed steering wheel. Its exterior boasts details such as dark-tinted headlamps, 16-inch alloy wheels with 195/55 R 16 tires, and a chrome sports exhaust pipe.

Individual settings saved on car key
Be it modern or classical: whatever their musical tastes, the new Opel Corsa can easily memorize each driver’s favorite radio station. And that’s just one example of how the newcomer can be personalized. Up to five different drivers can save their individual settings for the infotainment system, electronic climate control, and on-board electronics and activate them via the car key. New comfort options also ensure that Corsa passengers feel right at home.

These include a power panorama sunroof that also lets in plenty of light when it is closed, and for the colder months a heated steering wheel - new in this class - as well as optional Quickheat, which warms the interior air stream via electric heating elements after a cold start until engine water circulation can warm the passenger compartment.

Opel again leads the way in flexible innovations

The Corsa is an all-rounder, be it for leisure, sport or family use, and is always a star performer. Thanks to its clever innovations, it can adapt to and meet the transport and comfort needs of its owners far better than most other vehicles. One of these innovations is the novel flexible integrated rear carrier system “Flex-Fix”. It stows away almost invisibly into the rear bumper, can easily be pulled out as needed and carry up to two bicycles. In typical Opel style – like the Zafira’s “Flex7” multivariable seating system – the integrated carrier system “Flex-Fix” also provides full on-board functionality, eliminating the need for cumbersome assembly, dismantling or storage of parts.

Other practical features include the height-adjustable “DualFloor” and luggage compartment cover which can be easily stowed away. The stable cargo floor can be set in two height positions, allowing horizontal partitioning of the luggage compartment as well as a flat load floor to the front seat backs when the rear seat backs are folded forward and load floor is in the higher position. The higher position also facilitates loading and unloading. Storage volume up to the luggage compartment cover, which can be stored vertically behind the rear seats, is 285 liters, and 300 liters to the top of the rear seat back. If the 60:40-split rear seat back is folded down, storage volume increases to 700 liters and to a considerable 1100 liters if the car is loaded to the roof. The rear seat backs can also be inclined by 7.5 degrees, which provides exactly the few centimeters of space that are often missing to fit in a bulky piece of luggage, such as a folded-up stroller.

Low consumption gasoline engines, powerful and efficient diesel units

At its market launch, the Corsa is available with three gasoline and two common-rail turbo-diesel engines, which all feature ECOTEC four-valve technology. They cover an output range of 60 to 90 hp. Soon after the start of sales, a new 125 hp, 1.7 CDTI with diesel particulate filter as standard will follow as the interim top-of-the-line unit. At 2300 rpm, this engine produces 280 Nm of torque, giving the Corsa impressive propulsion power.

Low fuel consumption is also a trademark of modern Opel diesels. The new Corsa with the 90 hp, 1.3 CDTI engine needs only 4.6 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (MVEG mix test cycle). Modern technology such as the TWINPORT system also ensures higher fuel efficiency in gasoline engines. The 1.2-liter, 80 hp Corsa with Easytronic needs only 5.8 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (MVEG-mix test cycle).

In addition to the five and six-speed transmissions (combined with the two more powerful diesel engines), and the automated Easytronic manual gearbox (option for the 1.2-liter gasoline unit), the Corsa 1.4 is also available with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Newly-developed chassis for dynamics with high reserves

Excellent driving dynamics, outstanding handling – it is that easy to describe the goal Opel/GM engineers set when designing the fourth-generation Corsa. Thanks to a completely new architecture, they were able to create the best conditions for this right from the start. In addition to the stiffer body, the Corsa features a new short front subframe, allowing for optimum chassis geometry, and a torsion-beam rear axle with three roll-rate levels. Depending on the engine, these provide an ideal alignment to the different front axle loads.

The newest generation of ABS and ESP systems boasts additional functions. The Corsa’s standard ABS system features electronic brake force distribution, Cornering Brake Control (CBC) and Straight-Line Stability control (SLS). The ESP system, which brakes up to four wheels individually when required, was tuned so that it firstly gives complete control to the driver, even at very high cornering speeds, and only progressively applies when there is danger of losing safe control of the car.

The engineers also focused on enhancing the steering system for the new Corsa, giving it a considerably stiffer steering column with height and reach-adjustable steering wheel and higher performance, speed-dependent Electric Power Steering (EPS). The power assistance was increased to 40 to 55 Nm (depending on the engine) to further reduce the steering effort necessary for example when parking. All Corsas with engines from 1.3 liters feature steering with variable feedback curve. The Corsa Sport also offers a segment first: newly-developed steering with variable progressive feedback curve. At 13:1, the system already delivers a direct response during straight-ahead driving. As the steering-wheel angle increases, steering becomes even more direct - 12:1 at 90 degrees - creating a sports car feeling. Variable progression ensures that the response ratio again increases at greater steering angles to enable easy maneuvering and parking.

SAFETEC, the comprehensive safety system

Opel has an integral approach to safety. All active and passive safety systems that contribute to reducing dangers when driving are categorized under one heading: SAFETEC. This includes assisting the driver with innovative features such as Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL), avoiding accidents thanks to advanced chassis and highly-developed support functions such as ABS and ESP, reducing the effects of an accident with extensive restraint systems, and protecting other road-users with features such as adaptive brake lights.

In the event of an accident, Corsa passengers are protected by optimized crash zones and restraint systems specifically adjusted for these zones, including two two-stage front airbags, side airbags for driver and front passenger, and – from Edition – head curtain airbags which deploy like curtains to cover the entire length of the interior. The front passenger airbag can easily be deactivated by a button on the instrument panel.

Not just the occupants, but also pedestrians are protected by a range of up-to-date safety measures. Features include a special low-density foam material in front of the bumper crossmember to lessen the intensity of lower-body impact, and a stiffening of the bumper’s lower section spreads out the load over a larger area, thus limiting force to the knees. The material of the hood, which was especially designed for efficient energy absorption, reduces the severity of head impacts, and the generous space between the hood and the engine provides adequate deformation distance. The fenders’ slotted fittings also deform on impact.

A first in the Corsa class, optional curve and cornering light is a real benefit for active safety. The Corsa’s AFL system is combined with halogen light to keep the price as moderate as possible while retaining all functions. The dynamic curve light reacts to the steering angle and speed of the car, turning the high or low beam headlamps up to 15 degrees outward and eight degrees inward. At speeds below 40 km/h, static cornering light is activated. Depending on turn signal and steering wheel position, the headlamps illuminate intersections and garage driveways.

Other lighting innovations in the Corsa include automatic lighting control and adaptive brake lights, a system which warns following drivers by blinking all three brake lights five times per second in case of ABS braking. If airbags or belt tensioners are activated, the hazard warning lights are automatically switched on.

Source: Opel

New Edition of the Audi Magazine

2009-09-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

Audi is blazing new trails in corporate publishing: the first issue of the new Audi Magazine appeared on November 14. The Ingolstadt-based company is engaging top-flight teams for both the illustrations and the copy in the new publication. The new Audi Magazine will focus closely on the brand – while relying on high visual and journalistic quality. “Our goals are ambitious: we want to keep setting the standard in the auto industry with our customer magazine”, said Lothar Korn, Head of Marketing Communications at AUDI AG. Anyone leafing through the new Audi magazine will be caught up in it: by the dynamic photo series, where the product metamorphoses into portraits in bold collages. By elaborate styling and design productions, in which the automobile is viewed through an artistic lens. The accompanying stories are just as captivating, written by renowned journalists.
Graphically and journalistically the magazine will compare favorably with the leading lifestyle titles”, Korn continues. But consistency with the brand image will remain a key factor: “Products, design, our involvement in sport – Audi provides our editorial team with a wealth of exciting topics. So the Audi Magazine can afford to focus very closely on the brand.

The Audi Magazine is enlivened by cross-media networking with Audi tv, the brand-specific TV website. Stories about the German Touring Car Masters (DTM) for instance are complemented here by exclusive live reporting.

The worldwide circulation of the Audi Magazine totals 9 million copies, published up to four times annually in 34 languages. The magazine is subscribed to by Audi customers in 70 countries; Audi fans can also buy the magazine at newsstands.

Source: Audi

Golf 6 photos leaked

2009-09-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

Photos of the all-new sixth generation VW Golf have leaked out just a few days prior to its official media release. Set to make its public debut in Paris this October, the hugely important Golf VI represents VW's best selling model as well as one of the best selling models in the world.

The New Mercedes-Benz CLC

2009-09-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a stand-alone model series in the guise of the new CLC, the compelling entry-level model in the Mercedes-Benz coupé family. The Sports Coupé's design, technology and equipment meet the discerning requirements of young drivers looking for an athletic car that gives an involving drive, while at the same time delivering the hallmark Mercedes quality standards in terms of safety, comfort, environmental compatibility and functionality.

Compared with the previous Sports Coupé, the Mercedes engineers have newly developed or enhanced over 1100 components. Engineering highlights of the CLC include a new direct-steer system for even more agile cornering, state-of-the-art infotainment systems featuring a colour display, Europe-wide DVD or hard-disc navigation and media interface, Parktronic as standard on all modelsas well as an uprated four-cylinder engine that now develops 184 hp and improved fuel consumption compared with the outgoing model.

The compact body dimensions and the muscular lines emphasise the sporty appearance of the new CLC. The Mercedes designers have completely redesigned the front and rear so that the Sports Coupé embodies the contemporary Mercedes design idiom with its distinctive coupé radiator grille featuring a large Mercedes star in the centre, and the new projection-beam headlamps. The S-Class, the luxury CL-Class Coupé and the C-Class provided the stylistic models. The redesigned large tailgate conceals a variable boot with up to 1100 litres of luggage capacity. The new tail lights, the long row of LEDs which make up the third brake light unit and the rear bumper subdivide the rear and emphasise its width.

The interior of the new Mercedes-Benz CLC is akin to a contemporary tailor-made suit -- custom-fit and comfortable. Sports seats with better lateral support than ever, a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, automatic climate control and brushed aluminium trim elements form part of the standard specification. A choice of seat covers in black, alpaca grey and a particularly stylish combination of black and red are available to give the interior its individual colour scheme. The CLC also benefits from having ISOFIX fixtures and Child Seat Recognition as standard.

The CLC Sport comes with new direct-steer system and 18-inch wheels as standard

Mercedes-Benz has put together a Sport model for drivers looking for extra sporting flair. It includes exclusive engineering innovations and equipment extras such as 18-inch light-alloy wheels, wide-base tyres, headlamps with black inner surrounds, sports suspension with lowered body, leather sports steering wheel and dark brushed aluminium trim elements. Another special feature which the CLC inherits from its racing car counterparts is the instrument cluster with red needles for the speedometer and rev counter. Once the engine is switched on, these needles spin once around the dial before returning to their start positions.

The standard specification for the Sport includes a new direct-steer system, which further enhances the agile driving experience of the CLC while adding an important boost to safety. This new feature is based on the speed-sensitive power steering and also offers a variable rack ratio which changes as a function of the steering angle so that the driver only has to turn the wheel slightly when cornering; the Sports Coupé therefore responds far more spontaneously to steering commands and offers even sportier handling. As a result, the direct-steer system also improves handling safety in critical situations -- for instance when taking sudden evasive action -- as the field tests conducted by the Mercedes engineers demonstrate.

Engines: improved fuel consumption

Mercedes-Benz offers four four-cylinder and two six-cylinder engines with power outputs ranging from 122 hp to 272 hp for the new CLC. The 184 hp powerplant in the CLC 200 KOMPRESSOR now develops an extra 20 hp while now returning 36.2 mpg – the equivalent of up to 2.8 mpg more than before. The CLC 200 CDI returns a consumption of 48.7 mpg which is improved by 2.4 mpg over the outgoing model. The CDI models boast operating ranges of over 600 miles on a full tank of fuel (62 litres).

The six-speed manual transmission comes as standard with all engine variants. Mercedes-Benz can also supply a five-speed automatic transmission for the four‑cylinder units, and the 7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission for the C 230 (7G-TRONIC is standard on the C 350). Sport models also come with gearshift paddles on the steering wheel that the driver can use to select the gears of the automatic transmission manually and make optimum use of the engines’ high power reserves when the driving situation calls for it.

Infotainment: state-of-the-art technology for navigation and musical enjoyment on wheels

The Mercedes engineers have developed a new generation of infotainment units for the CLC, bringing luxury-class cutting-edge technology to the Sports Coupé as of September 2008. Three units are available, offering a superb combination of colour display, twin tuner, speed-sensitive volume control and Bluetooth mobile phone interface. An iPod, USB stick or other external audio devices can now also be connected to the infotainment system. A new universal media interface (optional extra) links these devices to the on-board electronics and the Sports Coupé's control system, allowing the iPod tracks to be displayed in the instrument cluster and on the colour screen in the centre console. Tracks can then be selected conveniently using the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel.

The new Audio 50 and COMAND units come with a Europe-wide DVD or hard-disc navigation system. The LINGUATRONIC voice-operated control system, which Mercedes-Benz has upgraded with a new whole-word recognition capability, is fitted as standard if the integrated six-disc DVD changer is specified. LINGUATRONIC enables the driver to conveniently operate the telephone, audio and navigation system.

Success story: Sports Coupé with extensive conquest potential

The new CLC is the successor to a successful Mercedes model that boasts some 320,000 drivers around the world to its name since 2001, 45,255 of which were in the UK. The majority of these were new Mercedes customers. Its high conquest rate of some 70 per cent made the Sports Coupé one of the most successful models in the Mercedes strategic product initiative. With the help of a compelling two-door model, the Stuttgart-based car maker has managed to fire customers' imagination over the long term. Over 40 per cent of buyers opted for a larger Mercedes model after the Sports Coupé and are currently driving an E-Class, CLK or an SLK.

Thanks to its sophisticated design, high-quality equipment and appointments, and enhanced technology, the new Mercedes-Benz CLC offers even more conquest potential than its predecessor. The public will get the chance to take a close look at the Sports Coupé for the first time at dealerships in June 2008.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

Introducing the Spyker C8 Spyder: The Automotive Equivalent of the Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove

2009-09-09T04:34:00.000-07:00

Powered by 400hp of growling V8 engine this super-lightweight all-aluminum two seat sports car roars to 60mph in less than five seconds and hurtles beyond 180mph, all the while surrounding the occupants in one of the most daring and exotic interiors available on any production car.

Leather from the finest supplier in the motor industry; dashboard instruments uniquely crafted by the master watch-maker Chronoswiss; exposed gear linkage and racing pedal box hewn from solid aluminum billet; the feeling of openness that comes from no windscreen header rail; cruising Fifth Avenue with the roof down.

This is motoring for true individuals.

Source: Spyker Cars N.V.

New Renault Laguna, quality down to the finest details

2009-09-09T04:19:00.000-07:00

As of today, New Laguna reveals some of the elements reflecting the work carried out in terms of perceived quality, with particular attention paid to the quality of materials used and the standard of fit and finish in the cabin.
Elegant lines and performance levels place New Laguna fairly and squarely in the full-size category.

Everything about New Laguna has been designed for genuine driving pleasure, offering outstanding ride quality along with best-in-class active and passive safety features.

In tune with the exceptional level of traveling comfort offered, New Laguna’s interior design creates an atmosphere of calm and serenity for all occupants aboard.

New Laguna will be fully revealed on June 4, 2007. In the meantime, everyone interested can as of now sign up for an on-line discovery program where the secrets of the new Laguna’s development will gradually be revealed. This website can be accessed directly at the address: www.worldsports9.blogspot.com

Source: Renault

Mazda to Produce All-New Mazda2 for the Chinese Market

2009-09-09T04:08:00.000-07:00

Motor (China) Co. Ltd., Mazda Motor Corporation’s management affiliate for the Chinese market, has announced that Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. (CFMA) will produce the all-new Mazda2 at its plant in Nanjing, China. The announcement was made at a pre-show media event Mazda held on April 19, 2007, in advance of the Shanghai International Motor Show. The Nanjing plant is a joint venture with Mazda’s partners in China, the Ford Motor Company and the Changan Automobile Group.
The all-new Mazda2 is the first of Mazda’s new generation of products to evolve to the next stage. Its world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show at the beginning of March 2007 met with great acclaim. Mazda has specifically developed the Mazda2 model that will be produced at the Nanjing plant to suit the tastes of the Chinese market.

The Nanjing vehicle manufacturing plant will have an annual capacity of 160,000 units and will be based on Mazda’s production system. The plant will feature cutting-edge eco-friendliness, efficiency, and an employee-friendly working environment. Manufacturing equipment for stamping, body assembly, painting and final assembly lines has already been installed, and verification trials have begun in line with plans to commence production at the plant by the end of 2007. Adjacent to the vehicle plant, Changan Ford Mazda Engine Co., Ltd., is under the final phase of construction and will commence production soon.

Mazda’s director and senior managing executive officer in charge of China Business, Kiyoshi Ozaki commented at the media event held April 19: “Through the construction of the Nanjing manufacturing and engine plants, Mazda and our partners will not only be able to achieve business growth, but we also expect the plants will contribute to the development of the local community and the Chinese economy.”

Mazda will maintain its pursuit of harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety performance, and always strive to be a brand that provides an exhilarating driving experience. In order to achieve our mid-term target of production and sales of 300,000 units in China in 2010, we will continue to offer Zoom-Zoom products to our customers in China.

Source: Mazda

Rolls-Royce builds 3,000th Phantom

2009-09-09T04:05:00.000-07:00

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has produced the 3,000th Phantom since the launch of the company in January 2003. It was commissioned by a UK customer through Rolls-Royce Motor Cars of London and has been delivered today. The car’s new owner collected the Diamond Black Phantom from the showroom in Berkeley Square. Mrs Tchenguiz-Imerman, a London based socialite, said that she was delighted with her new car as she accepted the keys from Rolls-Royce Chairman and Chief Executive, Ian Robertson.
Mr Robertson said, “Our home market has always been very special to us. It remains one of the most important for the company and our London dealer in particular has been consistently ranked as one of the top three in the world since we launched the Phantom in 2003. It is fitting that they have sold such a significant car.”

He continued, “An advantage of operating in the rarefied atmosphere of the super luxury segment means that I regularly meet our customers. It has been a pleasure to hand over this car today to someone who is so enthusiastic about the Phantom.”

The order for the 3,000th Phantom built at Goodwood was placed with Stephen Foulds, the Sales Manager for the Rolls-Royce Berkeley Square dealership. To date, Stephen has sold more than 130 Phantoms, making him the most successful Rolls-Royce salesman in the world. He puts his success down to an exceptional product and an excellent location. However, a passion for and deep knowledge of the brand play a significant part in Stephen’s achievement.

Mrs Tchenguiz-Imerman’s Phantom features Black Ash veneer with silver inlay, black leather trim with contrasting stitching and two 12-inch DVD screens in the rear. A discreet plaque in the glovebox acknowledges the car’s special status.

Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

And That Happened: Tuesday's scores and highlights

2009-09-09T03:34:00.001-07:00

Rangers 11, Indians 9; Rangers 10, Indians 5: Lots of runs, Marlon Byrd went 4 for 4 in the day game, blah, blah, blah, but I wanna talk about something else. As I mentioned before, I'm re-reading Nice Guys Finish Last. I'm being really pokey about it, putting it down, reading other stuff, forgetting it for a week and going back again. It just lends itself to that, ya know? Anyway, a few days ago I read a passage I hadn't thought anything of the first time I read it -- probably because I was a kid -- but that I can't shake. In it, Durocher is lamenting the decline of the playing manager, which is how he began his career. The book was published in 1975, the year Frank Robinson became the Indians' manager. Take it away, Leo:

I get a kick out of reading how difficult it is going to be for Frank Robinson to manage the Cleveland Indians and also serve as their designated hitter. Since when has swinging a bat every half hour or so become so taxing on the brain? My bet is that Frank's very presence in the lineup will give the club a shot in the arm. The Cleveland situation was made for Frank Robinson, and Frank Robinson was made for them. A good baseball city, hungry for a winner. A city which has become predominantly black . . . I always said that when it came to naming the first colored manager, Rule #1 would still apply. It was going to be the man who was in the right place at the right time.

A man of his time, I guess, but no less disturbing to see it written like that. Far more disturbing, however, was how Leo used the Robinson bit to note how he thought that Maury Wills would have become the first black manager: "Maury has everything it takes to make a good one," Durocher writes. Of course, Wills went on to become perhaps the worst manager in the history of baseball with the Mariners a few years later. There's no point to this other than to say that times and people change, it's September, and at some point you really have to quit caring about Indians-Rangers games in which no one decides to pitch.

Red Sox 10, Orioles 0: Clay Buchholz seems to be figuring this Major League stuff out (7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER). Two homers for Pedroia. Papi hit a homer too. If he hits one more, he sets the DH record. The next seven games are at home, however, so we're not likely to see fans holding up asterisk signs for this momentous record. The asterisks would not be for the PED thing, though, because no one really cares about that. They'd be in protest of his status as a full time DH which is an affront to good and true baseball the world over. OK, nowhere in the world but the NL and the Central League, but if everyone else jumped off a bridge would you do it too? Well, would you?!

Cubs 9, Pirates 4: The AP game story referred to the Pirates as "hapless." I think hap-quotient is a lazy post-hoc rationalization for a team's performance. There have been plenty of teams that have won a lot of games with very little hap, and vice-versa. The 1988 Braves? Tons of hap. Lost 106 games. The 1970 Orioles, on the other hand, were a great team, but were almost totally hap-free. You can look it up.

Blue Jays 6, Twins 3: Jon Rauch was tagged with a blown save despite entering the game in the sixth inning. If I were him I'd protest that one, because there was no way he was going to finish that game. Charging a guy with a blown save in a game where he'd never otherwise sniff a save is like charging a guy with robbery when he never got anywhere near the safe.

Phillies 5, Nationals 3: You're not going to believe this, but Brad Lidge almost blew this one in the ninth. Single, ground out, HBP, WP, walk, yanked. The yanking probably came less because he was about to blow the game than it was because the walk was issued to Christian Guzman, who doesn't exactly feature the base on balls in his arsenal. Raul Ibanez hit his 29th and 30th homers, joining Howard, Utley and Werth with 30+ homers. Back in the 80s Donruss would have made a baseball card with all four of them holding bats out over the words "heavy lumber" or something. Do they still do stuff like that? Is Donruss even around anymore? If not, are my Diamond King puzzles worth anything? How about my Ron Darling "rated rookie"? Why am I going on like Andy Rooney?

Marlins 4, Mets 2: Carlos Beltran returns and goes 1 for 4. It seems like he was lost eight years ago, but it was only June. I had forgotten how great a season he was having too (.335/.423/.527). One can only wonder how 2009 could have gone for this team if they had even a scintilla of luck this year.

Time for change: Phillies can't rely on Lidge

2009-09-09T03:32:00.000-07:00

Before Tuesday's game against the Nationals, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel spoke glowingly of his embattled closer Brad Lidge, saying "I want him to realize how much confidence we have in him."

Lidge repaid his manager by going out and vomiting all over that confidence, allowing a walk, a single, and a hit batter before Manuel went to Ryan Madson to finish off the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.

Now the Phillies' closer situation is shrouded in confusion and frustration. Here's what Lidge had to say: "If there's a save situation tomorrow, (Manuel) said he was going to bring me in."

And here's what the manager said: "I'm not saying that he'll close tomorrow, the next day or whatever, but I look at him as a closer."

So what now for the Phillies?

One thing is for sure, they can't rely on Lidge come playoff time. The man who was perfect in 2008 has reverted to the pitcher who was run out of Houston, only worse. Much, much worse.
Lidge is 0-7 with a 7.11 ERA, and has converted saves in only 28 of his 38 opportunities. In 50 2/3 innings this season, he has allowed 60 hits and a whopping 32 walks.

Phillies fans are beating the drum for a change, and they're absolutely right. This is simply too good a team to let one struggling player sink the ship. The offense produces the second most runs in the NL and the starting rotation is solid and deep, with plenty of playoff experience.

Luckily, they have options. Madson would be one possibility. Another would be Brett Myers, who has tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief - including 1 1/3 on Tuesday -- since returning from the disabled list. Even better, he has had extended success in closing, saving 21 games and striking out 83 in 68 2/3 innings in 2007.

Myers, Madson ..... whatever. It's time for a change. The sooner, the better.

********

Daily Dose: Back scratches Lincecum

2009-09-09T03:30:00.001-07:00

Tim Lincecum was a last-minute scratch from his Tuesday night start with back pain, so the Giants called up top prospect Madison Bumgarner from Double-A to take his place versus the Padres. Bumgarner was a teenager until last month, but the former first-round pick was 9-1 with a 1.93 ERA at Double-A and handled himself pretty well against the NL's lowest-scoring team, allowing two runs over 5.1 innings.

Bumgarner's numbers as a pro as insanely good, with a 27-5 record and 1.65 ERA, but his 69/30 K/BB ratio in 107 innings at Double-A suggest that he's not quite ready to dominate. He's without question one of the top pitching prospects in baseball and the Giants obviously believed that he was ready for the challenge Tuesday night, but don't count on the young southpaw being a fantasy asset until at least mid-2010.

While the Giants unveil their next stud starter and pray that Lincecum's injury proves minor, here are some other notes from around baseball .....

Over-the-hill veterans like Seattle

2009-09-09T03:29:00.001-07:00

First, Ken Griffey Jr. said he was interested in playing another season, perhaps in Seattle. Now, according to Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, Mike Sweeney is singing the same song.

"We'll see what happens this winter. I probably won't know if I'll get the opportunity to play for another five months or so. But if I do and it can be in a place where we could all make it work, then I'd love to play another season.''

According to the report, Sweeney was interested in Seattle or Anaheim, though the Angels seem like an unlikely fit.

So it might come down to Seattle, which is apparently a place all the over-the-hill-but-respected veterans want to be. What's next? Jay Buhner coming out of retirement for another season? Mark Langston lobbying for a role in the bullpen?

It just goes to show you they're having fun in Seattle after quickly turning a 101-loss team into a fairly competitive ballclub. In fairness, Sweeney and Griffey have received plenty of credit for their positive veteran presence in the clubhouse, but it takes more than chemistry to win games.

As general manager Jack Zduriencik continues to remake the roster Bill Bavasi left him, he'll have to weigh the worth of having respected guys like Griffey and Sweeney around vs. having guys who can actually still play.

He might get some mileage out of having one of the two around, but use up two roster spots? Not gonna happen. Personally, I'd stick with the guy who can get away with tickling Ichiro (scroll down), but that's just me.

Make a husband out of A-Rod?

2009-09-09T03:26:00.000-07:00

Unless Kate Hudson has taken on a new career as a house sitter (actually, that was her mom), it looks like she's putting some relationship heat on Yankees star Alex Rodriguez .

From MSNBC.com's "The Scoop":

Kate Hudson will make a husband out of New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez yet. The latest update from the land of the clingy involves Hudson's tendency to stay at A-Rod's place -- even when he's traveling with the team.

Make a husband out of A-Rod? Ummm, that already happened. Her name was Cynthia. And we all know how that ended up.

Anyway, if Hudson thinks that moving into A-Rod's pad will make him suddenly become faithful and go ring shopping, she doesn't know much about ballplayers. Guess she never read Ball Four.

********

If you Twitter, and aim to be Almost Famous, feel free to follow me at @Bharks.

Notes from Tuesday's moves and callups

2009-09-09T03:24:00.001-07:00

-- The White Sox brought up both Tyler Flowers and Josh Fields to help fill the void left by Jim Thome's departure. Fields' return was never in doubt, but he may not see as much playing time as expected if the White Sox want to see if Flowers is ready to hit in the majors. Flowers, a product of the Javier Vazquez deal with the Braves, batted .302/.445/.548 in 248 at-bats with Double-A Birmingham and .286/.364/.438 in 105 at-bats following a move up to Triple-A Charlotte. His defense behind the plate is subpar, so it's possible that he'll end up being a long-term first baseman or DH. The White Sox, though, intend to continue developing him as a catcher.

-- The Marlins didn't wait until the end of the minor league season to bring back Cameron Maybin, their Opening Day center fielder. He hit .319/.399/.463 in 298 at-bats for Triple-A New Orleans, and it's likely that he would have returned more than a month ago if the penny-pinching Marlins weren't trying to keep him from eventually becoming a super-two player. The Marlins figure to start him against every left-hander and at least the occasional right-hander. He seemed in line for more playing time before Jeremy Hermida bounced back and hit .312/.413/.442 during August.

-- To open up a 40-man roster spot, the Rangers designated Thomas Diamond for assignment. Diamond, the 10th overall pick in the 2004 draft, was shaping up as a fine prospect before blowing out his elbow in the spring of 2007. He missed the season following Tommy John surgery and hadn't returned to form in two years since. This season, he had a 4.20 ERA and a 58/44 K/BB in 55 2/3 innings as a reliever between Double- and Triple-A.

-- As Aaron wrote earlier, both Sean Rodriguez and Kevin Mulvey were included in trades Monday. I just wanted to bring it up again as an illustration of the point I made last week when the Yankees temporarily blocked Boston's move of Chris Carter to the Mets by claiming the outfielder on waivers.

There were seven AL teams that could have interfered with Rodriguez going to the Rays. There were 13 AL teams and five NL teams that could have blocked the move of Mulvey to the Diamondbacks. Not one of them did, even though those two players wouldn't have gotten past any teams had they been on irrevocable waivers.

What we're watching: Hudson returns against Marlins

2009-09-09T03:23:00.001-07:00

-- Fresh off a sweep of the Rockies to move into a tie for the wild card lead, the Giants will begin a three-game series in Philadelphia tonight. The opener will feature dueling left-handers in Jonathan Sanchez and Cole Hamels. Sanchez, who pitched poorly enough in the first half to be bounced from the rotation for a time, has gone 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA since his return to starting games. That stretch includes a no-hitter against the Padres and a win over the Phillies. Hamels is winless in his last five starts, though he did shut out the Pirates for eight innings last time out. He's 7-8 with a 4.52 ERA.

-- The assignment facing Minnesota's Jeff Manship in his first major league start would seem to have just gotten a whole lot easier. Now he'll face a demoralized White Sox team that just saw Jim Thome and his 897 OPS against right-handers given away last night. Manship, a Notre Dame product with a decent fastball and a plus curve, is getting a shot in the rotation after allowing four runs over seven innings in five relief appearances. It's left-handed power hitters that figure to provide him with the most problems, and the White Sox no longer have any of them.

Game of the Night

Atlanta vs. Florida - One day later than originally expected, Tim Hudson will make his return from Tommy John surgery tonight against the Marlins. The 34-year-old went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his four Triple-A starts, though it's worth noting that International League hitters did bat .320 against him. The Marlins will counter with a rehabbing right-hander of their own in Anibal Sanchez. It will be his third start since returning from his latest round of shoulder woes. He beat the Braves by allowing one run and two hits over six innings in his return from the DL on Aug. 21, but he struggled last week against the Mets, giving up four runs -- two earned -- and eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Restoring the rosters: No. 8 - Boston

2009-09-09T03:21:00.000-07:00

This is part of a series of articles examining what every team's roster would look like if given only the players it originally signed. I'm compiling the rosters, ranking them and presenting them in a countdown from Nos. 30 to 1.

No. 30 - Cincinnati
No. 29 - Kansas City
No. 28 - San Diego
No. 27 - Milwaukee
No. 26 - Baltimore
No. 25 - Chicago (AL)
No. 24 - Chicago (NL)
No. 23 - Pittsburgh
No. 22 - Detroit
No. 21 - Tampa Bay
No. 20 - New York (NL)
No. 19 - Houston
No. 18 - Oakland
No. 17 - St. Louis
No. 16 - Florida
No. 15 - San Francisco
No. 14 - Texas
No. 13 - Cleveland
No. 12 - Minnesota
No. 11 - Arizona
No. 10 - Los Angeles (AL)
No. 9 - Toronto

The Red Sox miss Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling and Trot Nixon, who would have proven pretty useful even in the twilights of their careers, but a first-rate infield and bullpen gets them the eighth spot here.

Rotation
Jon Lester
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Justin Duchscherer
Clay Buchholz
Justin Masterson

Bullpen
Jonathan Papelbon
Frank Francisco
Hideki Okajima
Daniel Bard
Manny Delcarmen
Rafael Betancourt
Ron Mahay

It's difficult to rate the rotation when Matsuzaka has been a bust this year and Duchscherer has missed the entire season. In 2008, both were among the AL's top pitchers. The Red Sox do have depth behind them in the form of veterans Anibal Sanchez, Carl Pavano and Jeff Suppan and prospects Michael Bowden and Junichi Tazawa.

The bullpen, though, is undeniably a strength. The career batting-average againsts for the top three relievers are .200, .222 and .213. Delcarmen and Betancourt are also under .240. I went with Mahay for the last spot over the aforementioned starters and Cla Meredith. He hasn't pitched well this year, but he's typically been a pretty reliable left-hander.

Interestingly, both Betancourt and Mahay were originally signed as position players by the Red Sox. Betancourt spent three years as an infielder in the system, while Mahay was an outfielder for five years.

Lineup
CF Jacoby Ellsbury
2B Dustin Pedroia
SS Hanley Ramirez
1B Kevin Youkilis
3B Freddy Sanchez
LF David Murphy
DH Nomar Garciaparra
RF Brandon Moss
C Kelly Shoppach

Bench
INF Jed Lowrie
INF David Eckstein
OF Matt Murton
C Dusty Brown

The Pedroia-Hanley-Youkilis combination in the middle of the order would be a site to behold, but the Red Sox scored fewer points for their outfield than any other team ranked this high and the DH spot was another major problem. Garciaparra was really the only option, and perhaps there's still a chance he could post an 800 OPS if he's not constantly getting hurt playing the infield. Moss gets the nod in right for now, since he is a quality defensive outfielder. Murton would still play over him against lefties. By next year, Josh Reddick could prove to be the better player.

Summary
While Dan Duquette doesn't deserve the shunning he's received since being ousted as Boston's general manager, his strengths didn't lie in developing talent. What intriguing players the Red Sox did produce then usually made their marks elsewhere. The farm system has bounced back in a big way under Theo Epstein, and it's currently churning out legitimate players about as frequently as any in baseball. What makes it even more impressive is that the team hasn't had a pick in the top half of the first round since 1998 (Adam Everett, 12th).

Rodriguez, Mulvey are players to be named later

2009-09-09T03:20:00.001-07:00

Lots of "players to be named later" have been swapped recently and this afternoon two of them have actually been ... well, named later.

* Sean Rodriguez joins Matt Sweeney and Alex Torres as the third prospect heading from the Angels to the Rays for Scott Kazmir. Rodriguez has split time between second base and shortstop in the minors while hitting .301/.398/.626 with 50 homers in 170 games at Triple-A.

Those numbers are inflated by a hitter-friendly environment and at 24 years old Rodriguez doesn't project as a star, but he's an MLB-ready infielder with good power and represents a nice pickup for Tampa Bay. He seemed destined to never get a great opportunity with the Angels, so the deal works out well for Rodriguez too.

* Kevin Mulvey was part of the big trade that sent Johan Santana from the Twins to the Mets, but now he's headed to the Diamondbacks as the PTBNL for reliever Jon Rauch. Mulvey's stock has dropped since the Santana deal, but at worst he's an MLB-ready fifth starter and was one of the Twins' top dozen prospects coming into the season.

Philip Humber has been dropped from the 40-man roster twice without being claimed off waivers and Mulvey is in Arizona, so Minnesota's return for Santana basically now boils down to Carlos Gomez, Deolis Guerra, and 1.25 seasons of Rauch. Not quite the haul Twins fans had in mind when all the juicy rumors were swirling two offseasons ago.

Penny wanted out of the American League

2009-09-09T03:19:00.001-07:00

Joe Christensen of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that the Twins decided against claiming Brad Penny off waivers after they learned that he wanted to go back to the National League.

Instead of the Twins assuming Penny's remaining contract and taking the Red Sox off the hook for about $1.2 million, he was released after clearing waivers and signed what basically amounts to a one-month, $75,000 deal with the Giants.

Minnesota reached out to Penny through Mike Redmond and Carl Pavano, who previously played with him in Florida, and received indications from both the 31-year-old right-hander and his agent that he'd rather avoid another American League team.

Penny spent the first nine years of his career in the NL, going 94-75 with a 4.06 ERA before posting a 5.61 ERA in 24 starts with the Red Sox. On one hand players dictating waiver claims and roster decisions isn't such a great thing. On the other hand it's tough to blame Penny for wanting to flee back to the NL after seeing John Smoltz do the same with (so far) lots of success.

Santana, Perez have 'successful' surgeries

2009-09-09T03:18:00.001-07:00

Johan Santana and Oliver Perez each went under the knife this morning, with Santana having bone chips removed from his left elbow and Perez having scar tissue removed from his right knee.

Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek did the honors for both pitchers and afterward the team announced that the surgeries were successful. Obviously. In the long history of professional sports, has a team ever come out immediately after a surgery and said, "Wow, that went horribly"?

Anyway, barring setbacks--which incidentally could be the title of the Mets' season video---both Santana and Perez are expected to be fully healthy for spring training. Santana has four years and $95.5 million remaining on his contract, while Perez is still owed $12 million per season for 2010 and 2011.

First batch of September call-ups includes Giambi

2009-09-09T03:17:00.001-07:00

Teams will be calling up players throughout the day as rosters expand to 40 spots, so keep an eye on Rotoworld's player news page for all the latest transactions.

Along with the Brewers bringing back J.J. Hardy once his service time was sufficiently suppressed, here are some of the other noteworthy early moves:

* As expected, Jason Giambi has joined the Rockies' bench after signing a minor-league contract last week. He went 8-for-18 with two homers in a brief stay at Triple-A and will fill the same pinch-hitting role that the Dodgers have in store for Jim Thome.

* Tim Hudson was activated from the 60-day disabled list and will make his season debut tonight against the Marlins, facing big-league hitters for the first time since undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery 12 months ago.

* Brandon Wood is back with the Angels and will no doubt take his usual seat on the bench after hitting .293/.353/.557 with 22 homers in 99 games at Triple-A. He'll be joined by homerless wonder Reggie Willits and catcher Bobby Wilson, who reportedly might end up as the player to be named later in the Scott Kazmir trade.

* Speaking Kazmir, his old rotation spot in Tampa Bay now belongs to Andy Sonnanstine, who's back with the Rays after a two-month demotion to Triple-A. Sonnanstine had a 6.61 ERA in 15 starts with the Rays and then posted a 4.40 ERA in nine starts at Durham, so things could get ugly tonight against the Red Sox.

* Acquired from the Orioles for a PTBNL or cash last week, Joey Gathright will be the Red Sox's pinch-runner and defensive replacement down the stretch. Gathright isn't much of a hitter with a career .262/.327/.303 line, but he's one of the fastest players in baseball, has tons of range in the outfield, and will prove to be a major asset if the Red Sox ever need someone to jump over a car.

Ayala's bad pitching, big mouth is strange combo

2009-09-09T03:16:00.001-07:00

Earlier this season Luis Ayala talked his way out of Minnesota by walking into manager Ron Gardenhire's office and complaining about his role, suggesting that he should be the Twins' eighth-inning setup man despite sporting a 4.18 ERA and .306 opponents' batting average in 32.1 innings spent primarily in middle relief.

Here's what Gardenhire said at the time:

When you walk into my office and tell me you don't like your role, and he talked about his contract for next year, you lose me right there. I don't deal with that. We're talking about winning now. That's why he's out the door and another guy's in there to pitch. And it's not because he's a bad guy. His theories are a little different.

After being released by the Twins he eventually signed a minor-league deal with the Marlins, who called Ayala up a couple times and let him go 0-3 with an 11.74 ERA in 10 appearances before designating him for assignment yesterday.

And naturally Ayala is now unhappy with how the Marlins treated him:

It was terrible what they did. I don't know why they called me up if they were going to do this. I think it's a lack of respect. I know it's a business, but for me, it's something they've handled poorly.

In fairness to Ayala, he's more or less an expert on handling things poorly. Since the beginning of last season he's been paid approximately $4 million to go 3-15 with a 5.68 ERA in 115.2 innings, and when not alienating his employers with his performance he's burned bridges with his mouth. Or as Gardenhire put it: "His theories are a little different."

Saltalamacchia '50-50' for season-ending surgery

2009-09-09T03:15:00.001-07:00

Jarrod Saltalamacchia revealed yesterday that he's "50-50" to undergo season-ending surgery after leaving a minor-league rehab game over the weekend with reoccurring numbness in his right arm.

Saltalamacchia has been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which is described as "a rare condition" that involves a rib pressing against a nerve in his shoulder and causing the pain in his arm that landed him on the disabled list in mid-August.

"I'm not giving up," Saltalamacchia said. I tried 15 days and it didn't get better. It got better but not to the point where I can play nine innings."

Prior to the injury he hit just .236/.293/.375 with an ugly 96/22 K/BB ratio in 83 games, and the former top prospect's lack of development is a big part of why the Rangers' once-impressive catching depth has gone from strength to weakness this season.

Ivan Rodriguez and Taylor Teagarden have split time behind the plate since Saltalamacchia landed on the shelf, but he's still just 24 years old and if healthy will definitely have a chance to reclaim the starting job next spring. However, the success rate for thoracic outlet syndrome surgery is said to be only 50-80 percent.

The Yankees to price playoff tickets in a relatively reasonable manner

2009-09-09T03:13:00.001-07:00

The team that hasn't passed up an opportunity to gouge its fans all year passes up an opportunity to gouge its fans:
The Yankees today announced 2009 postseason ticket pricing for potential games at Yankee Stadium in the American League Division Series, American League Championship Series and World Series. Prices for the vast majority of postseason tickets are less than those that were charged by the Yankees for equivalent seating in the 2007 postseason at the original Yankee Stadium . . .
. . . Regular season ticket prices for full-season ticket licensees (non-Suites) will be replicated for the 2009 American League Division Series (i.e., a Main Level ticket that costs a full-season ticket licensee $60 in the 2009 regular season will cost the same licensee $60 for the ALDS), however, full-season ticket licensees (non-Suites) of $325 Field Level seats may purchase their seats for the ALDS at the lower price of $275 each.

In light of this I can only assume that beer will be $125 a cup and "personal urinal licenses" will be sold at $50 a pop to make up for lost revenue.

The Twins have the dough to sign Mauer. They should do it ASAP.

2009-09-09T03:12:00.001-07:00

Twins' president David St. Peter is telling the Pioneer Press that, yes, the money is there:

Joe Mauer, the Twins all-star, Gold Glove winner and batting champion, can become a free agent after next season. Negotiations will begin after this season.

Will the Twins be able to afford Mauer?

"Yeah, we can afford him," team President Dave St. Peter said.

Is Mauer eager to get a new deal done?

"I haven't even thought about it," Mauer said. "I've got enough on my plate right now trying to win a ballgame."

That last quote is the most interesting in that it strongly suggests that Mauer, like a lot of players, is not going to want to be negotiating during the 2010 season. What that means is that, for all practical purposes, the Twins need to extend Mauer this offseason and no later lest (a) distrating and morale-killing trade rumors start flying next summer; or (b) Mauer has the oppotunuty to solicit offers from others next fall.

The smart money still has Mauer staying in his hometown, but if it gets to be spring training and nothing is done, the odds will begin to drop. The Twins don't need the hassle, the bad P.R. or the spectre of the Red Sox or someone driving up the price. They need to get a long term deal done for Mauer this winter.

Brandon Phillips has an enemies list

2009-09-09T03:10:00.001-07:00

Brandon Phillips was hit on his wrist during a game against the Nats on August 15th, and claims he has a hairline fracture. Like any normal human being, Phillips has written the perpetrator's name down in permanent marker and has vowed revenge:

"J.D. Martin," Phillips said. "You can look at my hat and his name is in there. I write names in my hat and remember who I need to get .... Not fighting or nothing, but getting back at that dude. You give some hard look at 'em, let 'em know, let 'em see your name.

Pfft. If he was really serious he'd tattoo Martin's name on his knuckles or on his back like DeNiro in "Cape Fear." Or Sideshow Bob in "Cape Feare."

Actually, if he was really serious, he'd be able to remember the names on his enemies list without having to write them all down. Assuming, at least, that he only has a small number of enemies. Which may not be a safe assumption.

Detroit continues to desecrate the corpse of Tiger Stadium

2009-09-09T03:08:00.001-07:00

Mel Gibson's death scene in "Braveheart" didn't last this long:

Old Glory still flies in Tiger Stadium's center field, surrounded by foothills of concrete and twisted steel, shards of scrunched up plastic.

The half-gutted carcass of an elevator shaft looms high over the rubble, bearing witness to incomplete destruction, bureaucratic folly, bad timing and the near-total failure of love to fix any of it.

All work stopped weeks ago, without public explanation, amid territorial negotiations between state and city officials over the final tear-down.

The demolition, the article notes, is into its 14th month. It didn't take that long to build the original structure in 1911-12. What an absolute disgrace.

"thanks to reader YankeeFan Len for the link. Here's hoping the same thing doesn't happen to his team's old stadium"

Furcal family forced to evacuate

2009-09-09T03:07:00.001-07:00

I have no idea how ballplayers function when stuff happens with their families while they're on the road:

While in Denver on Thursday, Rafael Furcal got an alarming call from his wife. Authorities had issued a mandatory evacuation of their Flintridge neighborhood as the raging Station Fire approached, and she didn't know what to do.

"I tell my wife, 'You know what, get clothes for the kids and take the car and get out of there,'" Furcal said. "Life is more important than anything."

Furcal's house was spared and everyone was alright. Torre didn't start Furcal against the Diamondbacks last night, in part to give him a mental break.

Jerry Hairston takes the blame for Pettitte losing his perfecto

2009-09-09T03:05:00.000-07:00

If a guy makes an error that costs his pitcher a perfect game, and the very next hitter laces a single into the outfield, my sense of it is that you can't really dwell on the error, because, hey, the no-no and perfecto would have been gone a minute later anyway. Then again, I don't have to fill column inches in New York:

The ground ball didn't appear to take any sort of bad hop, no matter what the Yankee players were saying afterward. In truth it was the type that Jerry Hairston could field without a bobble 100 times out of 100 under ordinary circumstances.

So maybe the importance of the moment got to him. Then again, Hairston had saved the perfect game only an inning earlier with a barehand play on a slow roller. In any case, when he missed Adam Jones' grounder with two outs in the seventh inning, Hairston perhaps changed the course of history, and Andy Pettitte's karma as well.

There's some sort of third order story like this coming out of every Yankees' game. We pay attention to the sensationalism surrounding A-Rod and all of that, but I think that this is the kind of scrutiny --- 800 words devoted to someone's relatively meaningless error -- that people are really talking about when they talk about the pressure of New York.

This one story? No big deal. 160 of them? Man, that has to get old.

And That Happened: Monday's scores and highlights

2009-09-09T03:03:00.001-07:00

Reds 4, Pirates 3; Reds 6, Pirates 3: Darnell McDonald scored on a wild pitch by Jesse Chavez with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to win the first game of the doubleheader. There was no one there. Like, 2000 people. Which is a crime considering how nice a day it was in Ohio yesterday. Sure, it was just a makeup game and sure it was the Pirates, but if there aren't at least a couple thousand more office drones, college students, and other assorted knuckleheads that can make it to a walkable ballpark on a glorious afternoon then our civilization is circling the damn drain.

Diamondbacks 5, Dodgers 3: It had to be kind of hard to play this game while this is looming beyond left field. Arizona managed, however, getting two runs off of James McDonald in the 10th. The Dodgers finish August with a record of 14-15, but hey, they've got reinforcements now. You excited Jim Thome? "I just want to be honest with you. I'd love to come. I want to help you guys any way I can. But playing first base is not something I'm going to be able to do -- maybe in an emergency situation, perhaps." Fear the Dodgers.

Braves 5, Marlins 2: Life comes at you fast. Josh Johnson didn't give up a hit until Matt Diaz singled in the 6th, but he wouldn't survive the seventh inning following a couple of hits from Chipper Jones and Yunel Escobar followed by an Omar Infante triple and a David Ross RBI single.

Blue Jays 18, Rangers 10: Toronto led this game 11-0 at one point but thought it wasn't sporting to embarrass their host in their very home and thus allowed them to make a go of it, watching the lead shrink down to a single run before scoring seven in the ninth. Adam Lind had eight (8) (VIII) RBI in this game. I'm assuming Nolan Ryan had people killed after it was over.

Yankees 5, Orioles 1: Without looking, I'm going to assume that this was Andy Pettitte's best start of the year (8 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 8K) [time passes] OK, I looked, and yes it was his best start of the year. In fact, if you go by game score, it was Pettitte's best start since June 30, 2002, when he threw a three-hit shutout against the Mets.

Rays 11, Tigers 7: If the best trade deadline pickup was Cliff Lee or Adam LaRoche, then the worst is no doubt Jarrod Washburn (5.2 IP, 9 H, 8 ER). Harkins says it best: "Tigers fans must feel like they got hoodwinked."

Twins 4, White Sox 1: The White Sox: sinking like whale fall. Not only did Joe Mauer hit a homer, but he stole a base. What's more, as he slid into second, he caught the errant throw after it deflected off of Jayson Nix's glove. Mauer doesn't always drink beer, when he does, he prefers Dos Equis.

Astros 5, Cubs 3: Carlos Lee was 2-4 with a homer and 4 RBI. Rich Harden, who had a busy day of not being traded and everything, gave up five runs on five hits and walked six in five innings.

Angels 10, Mariners 0: Two homers for Vlad, who went 3 for 4 with 4 RBI. Joe Saunders and Trevor Bell allow only three hits which, after what happened to against Zack Greinke on Sunday, was a veritable breakout performance by the M's bats.

Padres 3, Nationals 1: Livan Hernandez does what he was hired to do: pitch a bunch of innings, save the bullpen, and still lose so as not to mess up the whole Bryce Harper thing. OK, maybe that's not the real intention -- Hernandez actually pitched well last night --- but it's a nice little byproduct of his Livanness, no?

Athletics 8, Royals 5: Oakland trailed 4-0 after two innings, but scored five runs in the third and then added three more in the sixth. One of those runs came after when Luke Hochevar allowed Rajai Davis to advance to third while Hochevar was wiping his brow, mistakenly believing that play was dead. Oops.

Arms race in NL West: Dodgers add Thome, Garland; Rockies get Contreras

2009-09-09T00:48:00.000-07:00

The Brad Penny pickup set off a chain reaction in the NL West, as the two remaining contenders also picked up pieces before the Monday night deadline to have new acquisitions qualify for postseason play.

The Dodgers landed a potential Hall of Famer in Jim Thome, but right-hander Jon Garland may well prove to be the bigger pickup. That's because even if the Dodgers were willing to sacrifice defense at first base, Thome just isn't much more than an emergency option in the field at this point of his career. He'll be used strictly off the bench for his fourth major league team, at least until the World Series. He's hit .206/.354/.365 in 63 at-bats as a pinch-hitter in his career. Over the last two years, he's 1-for-15.

Garland is the second addition to the Dodger rotation in as many weeks, joining Vicente Padilla. He struggled in his first two months in the NL, but he's amassed a 3.56 ERA in 16 starts since the beginning of June. Also encouraging is his 50/15 K/BB ratio in 78 1/3 innings over the last two months. He figures to replace Charlie Haeger for now, putting him in the rotation alongside Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw and Randy Wolf. If Hiroki Kuroda can return in a week or two as hoped, then Padilla would likely head to the pen.

The Rockies also wanted Garland, but settled for Jose Contreras, who was 5-13 with a 5.42 ERA in 114 2/3 innings for the White Sox. Surprisingly, they're sending back a decent prospect in Brandon Hynick, who was thought to be a possibility to take over as their new fifth starter. Hynick has a below average fastball, but his splitter is a nice pitch and he displays very good command. He might take over the fifth spot in the White Sox rotation. Contreras will try to help replace the injured Aaron Cook in Colorado. He seems to be on his last legs. but the league switch might do him some good.

Along with acquiring Hynick, the White Sox picked up infielder Justin Fuller for Thome. A 2006 11th-round pick, Fuller has hit .254/.340/.418 in 177 at-bats for high-A Inland Empire this year. He has a quality glove and he bats left-handed, so if he starts to show some offensive ability, he'll get looks as a utilityman. He's a long shot, though. With Thome gone, they'll likely give Josh Fields significant time at DH in September. It could be his last chance with the club.

Daily Dose: Hardy back in Milwaukee

2009-09-09T00:40:00.000-07:00

J.J. Hardy is headed back to Milwaukee now that rosters have expanded, but three weeks spent at Triple-A is just enough time to delay his free agency by another year. Rather than being arbitration eligible for the final time next season Hardy is under the Brewers' control through 2011, which should come in handy when trying to trade him this offseason.

Alcides Escobar has started 13 of 17 games at shortstop following Hardy's demotion, but general manager Doug Melvin indicated that the two players will split the position down the stretch. Hardy hit just .246/.279/.415 in 17 games at Triple-A, but it makes sense for the Brewers to give him some action in the hopes that he can build up a bit of additional trade value. Still, expect Escobar to be the primary starter.

While the Brewers slickly gain an extra year of Hardy's services, here are some other notes from around baseball .....

* Much like John Smoltz did a couple weeks ago, Brad Penny signed with a National League team Monday immediately after clearing waivers and being released by the Red Sox. He joins the Giants on what is essentially a one-month, $100,000 deal to replace Joe Martinez as the fifth starter and clearly hopes to follow further in Smoltz's footsteps by turning his awful season around in the weaker league.

Penny went 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA and 89/42 K/BB ratio over 131.2 innings in Boston, including 0-4 with a 9.11 ERA in his final five starts. His fastball has still clocked in at an average of 94.0 miles per hour this season, but it's been one of the least-effective heaters in baseball against AL batters. Don't expect a dramatic turnaround, but he's certainly capable of having some value in NL-only leagues down the stretch.

* As expected, the Diamondbacks placed Chad Qualls on the disabled list Monday after the closer suffered a gruesome-looking dislocated kneecap on the final play of Tuesday night's game. Qualls will miss the remainder of this season and his status for the beginning of next season could be in some doubt. No official fill-in has been named, but rookie Juan Gutierrez is the obvious choice followed by Clay Zavada.

* Kyle Blanks' strong rookie season came to a halt Monday when he was diagnosed with a partially torn plantar fascia in his right foot. Blanks blasted 10 homers and 19 total extra-base hits in just 148 at-bats, joining Adrian Gonzalez this year and Milton Bradley in 2007 as the only hitters to produce an Isolated Power above .250 calling Petco Park home. The ballpark limits his upside, but expect 25-plus homers in 2010.

AL Quick Hits: Ichiro Suzuki (calf) was held out of the lineup again Monday, but did take batting practice and shag fly balls before the game ... Jarrod Saltalamacchia (hand) could be headed for surgery after being removed a rehab game Monday at Double-A ... Jarrod Washburn was rocked for eight runs Monday, giving him a 6.81 ERA in six starts with the Tigers ... Tim Wakefield (back) received a cortisone shot Monday and will be evaluated further later this week ... Adrian Beltre is expected to rejoin the lineup Tuesday just three weeks after injuring his testicle ... Carlos Guillen went 4-for-5 with two homers, four RBIs, and three runs Monday ... On the disabled list with complications from past back surgeries, Joe Crede denied reports that he's considering retirement ... Jeremy Bonderman is due to come off the DL when rosters expand Tuesday, but is not a rotation option ... Is there something higher than MVP? Joe Mauer homered, singled, stole a base, and scored twice in a 4-1 win Tuesday.

NL Quick Hits: Rich Harden struggled Monday after the Twins failed to trade for him, giving up five runs on five hits and six walks in five innings ... Lou Piniella said that Geovany Soto will begin to lose playing time to Koyie Hill because of his season-long struggles ... Tim Lincecum's next start has been pushed back one day after he threw a season-high 127 pitches in eight shutout innings Friday ... Carlos Beltran (knee) is scheduled to begin a rehab stint Wednesday at Single-A ... Johnny Cueto threw five innings of one-run ball in his return from the disabled list Monday after going 0-6 with a 10.63 ERA in his previous eight starts ... Jordan Schafer had season-ending wrist surgery Monday, but should be ready for spring training ... Nick Johnson (hamstring) is set to start a rehab assignment Tuesday at Single-A ... Daniel McCutchen hurled a Quality Start in his debut Monday despite serving up a leadoff homer .... Brandon Phillips revealed Tuesday that he's been playing with a fractured wrist for two weeks.

Never leave your ring on the sink

2009-09-09T00:19:00.001-07:00

Have you seen this ring? It would be hard to miss.

Police are investigating the disappearance of a 2008 World Series championship ring, which a member of the Philadelphia Phillies organization has lost.

The ring, which is worth $15,000 and contains more than 100 diamonds, is not considered stolen at this point, just missing.

The owner is a member of the Phillies marketing department. He says he realized the 2008 world title ring was missing after he used a bathroom at Citizens Bank Park on Monday, when the Phillies were off.

The guess here is this guy broke a major commandment regarding rings: Never take them off and leave them on a bathroom sink. In fact, don't take it off in the bathroom anyway. Actually, if it's this expensive, never take it off .... ever.

So let's turn it over to Phillies fans: Which would you rather lose, a $15,000 World Series ring, or your wedding ring? Which would you be in more trouble for losing?

Ludvigson wins silver tumbling medal at World Cup in Poland

2009-09-08T23:47:00.001-07:00

ZIELONA GORA, Poland, Sept. 5, 2009 – The USA’s Kalon Ludvigson of Pocatello, Idaho, won the men’s tumbling silver medal at the World Cup in Zielona Gora, Poland. This is Ludvigson’s second World Cup silver in two weeks.

In men’s synchronized trampoline, the duo of Steven Gluckstein of Atlantic Highlands, N.J., and Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif., finished just off the awards podium in fourth place. Earlier in the session, Gluckstein was eighth in men’s trampoline. In women’s synchronized trampoline, Alaina Williams of Huntsville, Ala., and Nani Vercruyssen of Honolulu placed seventh in the finals.

Ludvigson finished behind Evgeniy Zinukov of Russia, 75.20 to 73.90. The other World Cup champions are: Chunlong Lu, China, men’s trampoline; Masaki Ito and Shunsuke Nagasaki, Japan, men’s synchronized trampoline; and Julia Domchevska and Olena Movchan, Ukraine, women’s synchronized trampoline. The information on women’s trampoline and tumbling were not available at this time.

The World Cup format featured a preliminary round, with the top eight gymnasts advancing to the finals (a maximum of two individuals or one pair per country may advance in final).

Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup
Zielona Gora, Poland
Final results

Trampoline

Men1. Chunlong Lu, China, 42.40
2. Xiao Tu, China, 41.90
3. Ito Masaki, Japan, 41.70
U.S. finish
8. Steven Gluckstein, USA/Atlantic Highlands, N.J., 39.80

Synchronized trampoline

Men1. Masaki Ito and Shunsuke Nagasaki, Japan, 51.60
2. Daniel Praest and Peter Jensen, Denmark, 50.20
3. Ben Wilden and Blake Gaudry, Australia, 50.00
U.S. finish
4. Steven Gluckstein, Atlantic Highlands, N.J., and Logan Dooley of Lake Forest, Calif./USA, 49.80

Women
1. Julia Domchevska and Olena Movchan, Ukraine, 45.90
2. Ann Ivanova and Galina Goncharenko, Russia, 45.60
3. Ekaterina Khilko and Anna Savkina, Uzbekistan, 45.10
U.S. finish
7. Alaina Williams, Huntsville, Ala., and Nani Vercruyssen, Honolulu/USA, 17.90

Tumbling

Men
1. Evgeniy Zinukov, Russia, 75.20
2. Kalon Ludvigson, USA/Pocatello, Idaho, 73.90
3. Viktor Kyfarenko, Ukraine, 72.90

Leipheimer set for return at Tour of Missouri

2009-09-08T03:14:00.001-07:00

ST. LOUIS --- Levi Leipheimer is back in the saddle and set to compete in the Tour of Missouri, less than two months after breaking his right wrist in the Tour de France.

No way he wanted be done racing this early.

“It’s not 100 percent, but it’s good enough to be here,” Leipheimer said Sunday, a day before the start of the weeklong stage race with a 75-mile circuit in downtown St. Louis. “My main goal is to sort of get back in shape so I didn’t have to finish my season in the middle of July, so next year I wasn’t coming from such an out-of-shape state.”

The 35-year-old Leipheimer blames himself for the accident not far from the finish of the 13th stage of the Tour de France, saying he paid for the “stupid mistake” of not keeping his eyes on the road at all times.

“I had my head down for a second, looked up, and there the corner was,” Leipheimer said. “I wasn’t set up properly and was coming into it way too fast, way too much on the inside.

“I just ran out of room, basically, and crashed.”

While on the mend, Leipheimer prepared to jump ship from the world’s top-ranked Astana team along with Lance Armstrong, signing a two-year deal last week with Team RadioShack starting Jan. 1. He plans on using this week’s race as a barometer for whether he’ll compete in the time trial at the world championships in Switzerland later this month.

Leipheimer, who finished fourth in the 2007 Tour de France, doesn’t want to make the trip if he’s not ready for the podium.

“I’ve been fourth there a couple times and I don’t want to go there and get fourth again,” Leipheimer said. “So I want to be sure I feel strong enough and have a chance of at least getting a medal.”

He’ll be tested in the third Tour of Missouri, which winds its way across the state with the finish in Kansas City next Sunday. Two dozen racers from this year’s Tour de France and seven of the world’s top pro teams, up from one in the first year and three in 2008, have entered.

Sprint specialist Mark Cavendish of Great Britain and Team Columbia won six stages in this year’s Tour de France. The team also features George Hincapie, a 14-year Tour de France veteran and the 2007 Tour of Missouri winner, and three-time time trial world champion Michael Rogers of Australia.

Team Garmin-Slipstream is led by defending champion Christian Vande Velde, who finished fourth in the Tour de France last year.

Like Leipheimer, Jens Voigt of Germany is a Tour de France crash survivor after a spectacular face plant on a downhill during the 16th stage that knocked him unconscious.

“It looked more impressive than it really was,” Voigt said. “I’ve only been back in training for a short amount of time, so we’ll see how it goes.

“Maybe I’ll be in the breakaway, or maybe I’ll be in front of the broom wagon.”

Last year’s race attracted 434,000 spectators and the state estimated a return of just under $30 million in economic impact for its $1.5 million investment in 2008. The race is considered one of the world’s top five cycling events outside Europe.

“The Tour of Missouri has exceeded our fondest hopes,” said Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, who played a lead role in bringing the event to the state. “It has been a magnet for state tourism. Missourians get this event.”

A magnet for riders, too. Cavendish won three stages last year and pushed his team to make a return engagement.

I really liked the race last year, I really like coming to America,” Cavendish said. “Obviously, when you’re winning it makes it a little bit more special.

Leipheimer set for return at Tour of Missouri

2009-09-08T03:14:00.000-07:00

Valverde moves into overall lead at Vuelta

2009-09-08T02:59:00.000-07:00

XORRET DE CATI, Spain --- Spaniard Gustavo Cesar Veloso took a solo win in Stage 9 of the Tour of Spain on Monday, and his compatriot Alejandro Valverde moved into the overall lead.

Caisse D'Epargne rider Valverde, banned from competing in Italy for two years, finished third in the mountainous leg from Alcoy to Xorret de Cati to overtake overnight leader Cadel Evans in the overall standings.

Valverde upped the pace on a short but painfully steep five-kilometer climb close to the finish, shattering the main bunch.

Despite not catching Cesar Veloso or second-placed Marco Marzano of Italy, a time bonus for third place on the 188.8-kilometer stage propelled Valverde to the top of the overall standings.

Australian Evans lies seven seconds back, while Dutchman Robert Gesink is in third, 36 seconds off the pace.

"More than the stage win, I was fighting to get a time bonus which would give me the lead," Valverde told reporters.

"Tomorrow (Tuesday) the race goes into Murcia, my home region, and I very much wanted to be wearing the leader's jersey for that occasion.

"So I forced the pace as best I could on the climb and I managed to take the lead. But Evans will be a difficult rider to beat."

KEEPING CALM

The world's top-ranked rider in 2008, Valverde was banned from racing in Italy for two years by Italy's Olympic Committee (CONI) in May this year.

CONI said blood samples Valverde gave at a doping control when last year's Tour de France entered Italy for a stage matched DNA from code-named bags of blood discovered in Spain's Operacion Puerto doping investigation, launched in 2006.

Valverde could not take part in the 2009 Tour de France because part of an Alpine stage passed through Italy.

The Spaniard has repeatedly said he is innocent and has launched an appeal before the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS).

Stage winner Cesar Veloso said keeping calm on the final climb had been the key to his victory.

"I only just made it into the break of the day, I was the second last rider to do so," he told reporters.

Then on the climb, when one of the other guys (Estonian) Rein Taaramae attacked, I kept going steady and finally overtook him for the win. The Tour of Spain finishes in Madrid on Sept. 20.

Cavendish sprints to opening stage win at Missouri

2009-09-08T02:36:00.000-07:00

ST. LOUIS --- Mark Cavendish of Great Britain, a cycling sprint specialist, was in unfamiliar territory on Saturday when he presented the game ball before the Missouri-Illinois football game.

“It took me three hours to understand what was actually going on,” Cavendish said.

The opening stage of the Tour of Missouri was more like it. The 24-year-old Cavendish, who won six stages of the Tour de France in July, prevailed in a sprint finish of the 75-mile circuit race, beating J.J. Haedo of Saxo Bank and Thor Hushovd of Cervelo Test to the line with a time of 2 hours, 43 minutes and 56 seconds over a flat course.

Defending champion Christian Vande Velde was part of a pileup that involved more than a dozen riders near the finish and was the last of 118 to finish. Vande Velde was taken to a hospital with a wrist injury.

“We try to take control of the finish, we try to take control of the race,” Cavendish said. “It was like a carrot on a string at the finish line.”

Cavendish has 24 stage wins this year, and finished first in at least one stage of every event since March of 2008. Hushovd, who won the green jersey in the Tour de France as the best sprinter, broke a wheel after hitting a manhole cover depression about a half-mile to go.

“Everybody goes through some time in their career when they’re pretty much unbeatable,” Haedo said. “It’s not going to last forever. At least that’s what we hope.”

Cavendish makes a habit of getting to the end with plenty left, taking three stages of the Tour of Missouri last year, because of the strength of his team. The Columbia lineup features Michael Rogers, a three-time world time trial champion, and George Hincapie, a veteran of 14 Tour de Frances and coming off his third USA pro cycling road race title.

“I don’t feel any pressure at all, it’s what I enjoy doing,” Cavendish said. “For sure, when I lose then it’s hard. If the guys ride like they rode all day and I don’t win, that’s hard to deal with.”

The only difficulty with this victory was splitting the spoils. A sponsor presented a $12,500 Harley Davidson motorcycle to the stage one winner.

“We like to celebrate our successes together and that includes the rewards you get,” Cavendish said. “It’ll get split fairly.”

The team’s about to get splintered a bit, with the 36-year-old Hincapie signing a two-year contract with BMC. Hincapie said this has been one of his “most memorable” years in cycling, given the success he’s helped Cavendish achieve in the Milan-San Remo race and Tour de France.

Those wins “are right up there with anything I’ve done my whole career,” Hincapie said. “So really right now, I prefer to focus on that. Once next season rolls around I’ll be focusing on new challenges.”

Cavendish already misses him, referring to Hincapie as the “granddaddy of the team” while crediting the veteran for helping him succeed in cycling.

To be perfectly honest, I get really emotional about it, Cavendish said. “He’s like a big brother to me. We’ve worked so well the last few years and he’s such a big, big part of the team.”

Moises Aldape Chavez of Team Type 1, who was part of a three-man breakaway that lasted most the race and the last member to get reeled in before the final 7.5-mile circuit, was named most aggressive rider after the first day. The second stage of the seven-day event is a 112-mile road race from Ste. Genevieve to Cape Girardeau.

Kahne pulls away to second win of year

2009-09-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

Victory helps driver move from 11th to 6th in Chase standings

HAMPTON, Ga. - Kasey Kahne was clinging to his spot in the race for the Chase. He can breathe a little easier now.

Kahne greatly improved his hopes of making the season-ending Chase for the Championship with a victory Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, pulling away from Kevin Harvick after a fortunate yellow flag late in the race.

Kahne leaped five spots in the Sprint Cup standings — from a tenuous 11th to more comfortable sixth — by winning under the lights in the first Labor Day weekend race in Atlanta history.

Not that he’s ready to count himself in just yet. The 12-driver playoff field will be finalized Saturday night at Richmond, and those are the only ones who’ll have a shot at the Cup over the final 10 races.

So far, just four drivers have clinched a spot in the Chase. The next 10 spots are separated by a mere 122 points.

“It’s going to be intense,” Kahne said. “From fifth to 14th is going to be really intense at Richmond next week.”

Kevin Harvick, who won the Nationwide race Saturday night, was in position for a weekend double until teammate Clint Bowyer spun with 15 laps to go, bringing out the final caution of the night. Kahne got Harvick on the restart and pulled away to an easy 1.766-second win.

Harvick knew he was in trouble as soon as the yellow flag came out. So did his crew chief, Gil Martin, who swung his arms in disgust when he saw Bowyer’s car sliding through the grass in the trioval.

“We had a great car tonight,” Harvick said. “I knew we were in trouble there at the end because it took our car 15 or 20 laps to get going.”

He held on for second, matching his best performance in a disappointing season. Juan Pablo Montoya finished third and solidified his odds of making the Chase for the first time.

“We did it right at the end,” said Kahne, who picked up his second win of the year and 11th of his career. “We had an unbelievable car throughout the race. I think Kevin was the best on the long runs. We did it at the end.”

Denny Hamlin became the fourth driver to clinch a spot in the Chase with a sixth-place showing. Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson were already in.

Kahne is feeling a lot better about his chances, too.

“I knew Harvick and Montoya were going to be really tough there at the end,” Kahne said. “We just got them. We had a really good car for about 10 laps.”

There was no change among the top 12, though there was some shuffling in their order. Stewart still leads, followed by Gordon, Johnson, Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Kahne, Kurt Busch, Montoya, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth. Brian Vickers will go to Richmond 20 points behind Kenseth, with Kyle Busch 37 points out of a return to the Chase.

Montoya, the former IndyCar champion and Formula One driver, is hoping to make it for the first time in his three-year NASCAR career. As soon as he climbed from his car, he searched out a computer to see where he was in the standings heading to Richmond.

“It just makes life easier,” Montoya said. “In the position we are in right now, it’s just about going there — we have a great car for there — just be smart and get a top 10.”

Harvick has no chance of winning a championship. He’s 23rd in the points and has spent more time this season answering questions about his future with Richard Childress Racing.

“That’s a long way from where we’ve been,” said Harvick, whose other runner-up finish this season came way back in February at the season-opening Daytona 500.

The first scheduled night race at Atlanta and the new date was a big hit with the fans. At least 100,000 turned out on a comfortably warm night after years of declining attendance at the 1.54-mile track.

Johnson came into this race saying he’s never felt better heading into a Chase. He was probably feeling a little different after a miserable performance under the lights — 22 laps behind in 36th place.

Johnson was running second when he lost control of his No. 48 car coming out of turn two. He managed to control his slide, avoid the inside wall and get back to the pits for another set of tires, but the mishap knocked him all the way back to 19th. He was on the verge of getting back into the top 10 when a broken axle during a pit stop forced him back to the garage for repairs. With all chances of winning gone, he had to go back to the garage one more time to fix a balky gear box.

Edwards hobbled out to his car on crutches after breaking his right foot playing frisbee a few days earlier. His pedal foot didn’t give him any problem, but his night was ruined by a hole in his radiator. He had to go to the garage for lengthy repairs and wound up just behind Johnson in 37th.

Edwards won this race a year ago, one of nine victories on his way to a second-place finish in the season standings. He has yet to win this year but maybe that’s for the best — there’s no way he can do his customary victory celebration, a backflip off his No. 99 car with his ailing foot.

Kurt Busch, who won the spring race in Atlanta with a dominating run, didn’t come close to matching that performance. He struggled with an ill-handling car most of the night before finally slamming the wall coming out of turn four on lap 244 of 325. His night was done and he ended up 38th.

The crash also took out local favorite Reed Sorenson.

“We had a loose race car, and it kept getting loose,” Kurt Busch said. “We just couldn’t get a handle on it. I got sideways and Reed hit us. I’m sure he had no place to go. It was a real hard hit. That’s a bummer.”

At least he still has a spot in the Chase. Younger brother Kyle was hoping to get back in the mix with a strong run, but finishing 13th actually knocked him back one spot. Now, the pressure will really be on heading to Richmond — quite a change from a year ago when he was the leader going to the playoff.

Pole-sitter Martin Truex ran strong early on, leading three times for a race-high 68 laps. He was nowhere to be found at the end, struggling home in 26th.

U.S. Open a stage for young American talents

2009-09-07T09:02:00.000-07:00

Deep tournament runs by Oudin and Isner bode well for U.S. tennis

OPINION.

By Tracy Austin
NBCSports.com contributor
updated 11:08 p.m. ET Sept. 6, 2009

Tracy Austin

Credit the boisterous pro-American crowd, the hard courts or just the experience gained throughout the long tennis season, but one thing is certain: players from the United States have enjoyed a wave of success at the U.S. Open this year.

While just six Americans (four men and two women) made it to the third round in New York in 2008, this year six American men and four women advanced that far in the tournament. And while the veteran U.S. players — Serena and Venus Williams, Andy Roddick and James Blake — were all part of that group, this year’s Open also proved to be a great showcase for less established American talent.

Perhaps the biggest star to emerge is 17-year-old Melanie Oudin. Although she first burst onto the scene by upsetting Jelena Jankovic at Wimbledon this summer, it is in front of the New York fans that the Georgia teen has blossomed with stunning wins over No. 4 Elena Dementieva and No. 29 Maria Sharapova.

In both of those matches, there were many times where Oudin could have folded beneath the pressure of the situation and the talent of her opponent. Against Sharapova in the third round, Oudin couldn't convert on a number of decisive points in the second set. She never showed any negativity, however. Aided by some less than stellar serving by Sharapova, Oudin collected herself and ultimately evened the match at one set each.

Many other players, including those with much more experience than Oudin, wouldn't have been able to sustain that mental toughness. Even players currently in the top 10 often struggle with nerves and pressure.

The fact that Oudin is so successful in that regard bodes well for her continued success. Her on-court skills can continue to be refined, but mental tenacity is something that most champions have innately.

What Oudin lacks in size (she’s generously listed as 5-foot-6), she makes up for in speed and perseverance. While a powerful serve and good forehand are generally regarded as some of the most potent weapons a player can possess, Oudin shows it is possible to excel by running down virtually every return and forcing her opponent to hit more shots. She doesn't produce as much firepower as other women on Tour, but the way she handled some of the blasts from Sharapova shows that she can neutralize the power game.

Video

Ooos for tennis' Oudin
Sept. 6: Msnbc's Alex Witt speaks with 17-year-old tennis sensation Melanie Oudin.

msnbc tv
Oudin is now the third-ranked American on the WTA Tour behind Serena and Venus Williams and gives the United States another player who really can do some damage in big tournaments. Just four to six weeks ago she was focused on trying to get into the U.S. Open and worrying about whether she might need tournament wildcard entries. Now look how far she’s come. As she gains experience, Oudin should become an even stronger competitor.

Cars of the Future - What Can We Expect?

2009-09-07T03:54:00.001-07:00

Fast forward to the next thirty years and you can let your imagination run wild, thinking about cars of the future. For one thing, the future car will be equipped with a lot of features and gadgets and probably be totally crash proof. There will definitely be some unusual designs and styles, in tune with all the innovative concepts.
One major trend that is likely to continue long into the future is fuel-efficient hybrid cars that use both a petrol engine and an electric engine. There are cars that are beginning to use fuel cells to run, and these emit water, not CO2.

Features We Can Look Forward To In Cars of the Future

One thing is guaranteed – cars of the future will definitely appeal to the technology freak, or the geek, or both!

Computer controlled cars seem to be on the cards, but how practical they will turn out to be remains to be seen. GPS or global positioning systems will become a standard feature in cars. An advanced version can help track cars, particularly stolen cars.
We might see keyless entry systems for cars of the future. No more fumbling around for keys or misplacing them. We can expect to see every car fitted out with an appropriately sized and positioned video display screen and surround sound systems. Space saving MP4 technology will allow you to store more media in your car.

We can expect better sound systems, multiple headphone sockets and more radio stations to listen to simultaneously. Cars will have Internet capability, connectivity, and work along with the GPS system to tell you the best route to take, taking into account traffic jams.

More safety features will be added. Airbags will be used more. Maybe we will see reusable airbags. There will be sensors to let you know in advance how to avoid an accident. Present day cars like the Audi, Cadillac, Honda, Citroen, etc. already have sensors. While the Audi’s sensors monitor wet road conditions, Cadillac has optional infrared night vision.

We can expect a range of innovative environmentally friendly materials to be used both on the body of the car and the upholstery. We are already seeing carbon fiber bodies in expensive cars like the Pagani Zonda, Mercedes Benz and Saleen – this will become more common in streetcars.
As for fuel, we are already hearing about the hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid technology, and in Japan they are talking about running cars on Sake, the national drink of Japan (fermented rice wine).

Back From The Future: So Which Cars Can We Expect To See In The Next Five Years?

Honda

The new Honda Accord is expected to debut in showrooms by the end of 2007 or by early 2008. This car will be more efficient and powerful. As a top-selling car in the US, the new Honda Accord looks good with large wheels and is a large car. The range has a new Accord Coupe. The engine will be an improved version of the 3.5-liter V6. This car is likely to be offered as a diesel option as well as with a hybrid option.

Mercedes-Benz

Next comes the Mercedes Benz’ new SLR McLaren Roadster. Whizzing at 207 mph with the cloth convertible top lowered is something else. The Roadster will be in the market by fall 2007, sporting a 617 hp 5.5 liter AMG V8 engine.

Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster

The cloth top goes up and down in about 10 seconds flat and you have a choice of three colors. The body is carbon fiber with an arrow shaped nose with lateral louvers, side pipes behind the front wheels, gull wing doors, and airbrake in the trunk lid. The diffuser is in the rear bumper. Mercedes-Benz also has a C-class vehicle slated for release in 2008.

Ford

Ford’s Fiesta subcompact is expected in the US in 2009 with an earlier launch in Europe in 2008. The US model will be the same as the Europe model, with a trapezoidal grille below the license plate instead of the rectangular three bar chrome grille. The focus is on a strong but lightweight car that is crash safe with fuel efficiency. The engine is a 1.6-liter engine.

2008 Ford Fiesta

BMW

BMW offers its 7 series in 2009, built with smaller wraparound headlamps and some distinctive new sheet metal changes. The Chevrolet Malibu will be out in 2008 as a four-door version with three engine choices, including a hybrid version. This mid sized car is sleekly designed with a good engine.
The BMW 1 series – new four door sedans will be in the showrooms in late 2008.

Porsche

The Porsche Panamera may provide competition for the BMW M5 and the Mercedes CLS63 AMG with a redesigned engine that goes quietly under the car’s roof.

Other cars you can look forward to seeing are the Alfa Romeo BC – a good-looking coupe style with a 450 hp engine and a carbon fiber body. The Audi A5 and the Volkswagen Passat R36 are also lined up for release in a few months. We will also be seeing the Toyota Prius Gen 3, Ford models, Chevy Volt concept, etc.

Chrysler Group Celebrates 20 Years of Modern Concept Vehicles

2009-09-07T03:46:00.000-07:00

“Concept to reality” has become a term that epitomizes the Chrysler Group design philosophy, and many observers are hoping that it will apply to the company’s concept vehicles for 2007. Chrysler Group’s latest concept vehicles clearly demonstrate a design tradition that has become a key strength of the company: an ability to design the coolest-of-cool concepts, which are as relevant as they are innovative.
This approach started with the Frankfurt Motor Show reveal of the Lamborghini-engined, cab forward-styled, four-door Chrysler Portofino concept sedan in 1987. Almost 20 years and more than 100 concepts later, this continuous development has helped Chrysler Group reinvent and maintain its reputation as a car company driven by design and engineering.

Concept vehicles have two major roles for the Chrysler Group: they showcase to management, the media and the public the potential future design direction for Chrysler Group cars and trucks, and they help to attract the best young designers in the world into its design studios.

Chrysler Group’s concept vehicle program allows designers to test new colors, features, vehicle size and segments. Concepts can also be showcases for new design cues, which often find their way into production on future vehicles – even if the entire concept vehicle does not.

Importantly, the designs that are revealed to acclaim and accolade at auto shows around the world each year are not just built to look good. That is where the company’s design-to-reality tradition really kicks in.

Not only does Chrysler Group produce concept vehicles that can actually be driven – especially by journalists for feedback and publicity purposes – but many ultimately become production vehicles within a few years of their first reveal. The latest example is the Dodge Challenger. First revealed as a concept at the 2006 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, it was announced that the Challenger will go into production in 2008.

According to Trevor Creed, Senior Vice President – Product Design Office, Chrysler Group, We’ve always said at Chrysler that we don’t just produce concepts for fun. We have proved year after year that our concepts are innovative and relevant.

Our track record shows that many Chrysler Group concepts, and several of the design features showcased on our concept vehicles, have gone into production, he added. “While we can’t say yet if any of our 2007 concepts will eventually be seen in our showrooms, they clearly hint at exciting and innovative future design directions that could find their way into our company’s products.”

2007 Concept Vehicles

This year’s group of concept vehicles includes one for each of the Chrysler Group’s brands. Combining refinement, function and style, the Chrysler Nassau concept explores a new expression of the Chrysler brand. First shown at the 2007 NAIAS, the four-door, four-passenger Nassau luxury coupe is a more emotional and artistic articulation of what it means to be a Chrysler.

The Jeep® Trailhawk, which also had its premiere at the 2007 NAIAS, merges the spectrum of the Jeep brand by combining the core off-road features of the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with the refined sophistication of an all-new on-road, open-air concept vehicle, providing a unique and fresh expression for Jeep.

The Dodge Demon is a compact, nimble “roadster with an attitude” – a perfect balance of classic sports car proportion and simplicity blended with modern design and performance. The vehicle is designed to be an affordable Dodge sports car that merges brand cues of bold design and powerful performance with an open-air “fun-to-drive” attitude. This concept had its debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show.

Twenty Years of Modern Concept Vehicles

The Chrysler Group has a long history of innovation in design and engineering, going back even as far as the first 1924 Chrysler sedan. In the modern era, since 1988, the company has created more than 100 concept vehicles in a variety of shapes, sizes, configurations and materials.

1988
Chrysler Portofino
Plymouth Slingshot

1989
Chrysler Millennium
Dodge Dakota Sport V-8
Dodge Intrepid
Dodge Viper RT/10
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Jeep Z5 Concept 1
Plymouth Speedster
Plymouth Voyager III

1990
Dodge Daytona RT
Dodge LRT
Eagle Optima
Jeep Freedom

1991
Chrysler 300M
Dodge Neon
Jeep Wagoneer 2000

1992
Chrysler Cirrus
Dodge Epic

1993
Chrysler Patriot
Chrysler Thunderbolt
Jeep Ecco
Plymouth Prowler

1994
Chrysler Pacifica
Dodge Aviat
Dodge Ram VTS
Dodge Venom
Dodge Viper GTS Coupe
Eagle Vision Aerie
Plymouth Expresso

1995
Chrysler Atlantic
Eagle Jazz
Plymouth Back Pack

1996
Chrysler Composite Concept Vehicle
Chrysler LHX
Dodge Intrepid ESX

1997
Chrysler Phaeton
Dodge Concept
Dodge Sidewinder
Dodge T-Rex
Jeep Cherokee Casablanca
Jeep Dakar
Jeep Icon
Jeep Wrangler Tabasco
Jeep Wrangler Ultimate Rescue
Plymouth Pronto

1998
Chrysler Chronos
Dodge Big Red Truck
Dodge Intrepid ESX2
Jeep Jeepster
Plymouth Pronto Cruiser
Plymouth Pronto Spyder

1999
Chrysler Citadel
Dodge Charger R/T
Dodge Power Wagon
Jeep Commander
Jeep Journey

2000
Chrysler 300 Hemi® C
Chrysler GT Cruiser
Chrysler Java
Chrysler Panel Cruiser
Dodge ESX3
Dodge MAXX cab
Dodge Neon SRT
Dodge Viper GTS/R
Jeep Varsity
Plymouth Howler

2001
Chrysler Crossfire
Dodge Powerbox
Dodge Super8 Hemi
Jeep Willys

2002
Chrysler California Cruiser
Chrysler Pacifica
Dodge M80
Dodge Razor
Jeep Compass
Jeep Willys

2003
Chrysler Airflite
Chrysler 300C
Dodge Avenger
Dodge Durango
Dodge Kahuna
Dodge Magnum
Dodge Tomahawk
Jeep Treo

2004
Chrysler ME Four-Twelve
Dodge Sling Shot
Jeep Rescue

2005
Chrysler Akino
Chrysler Firepower
Dodge Caliber
Dodge Nitro
Jeep Compass
Jeep Gladiator
Jeep Hurricane
Jeep Patriot

2006
Chrysler Imperial
Dodge Avenger
Dodge Challenger
Dodge Hornet

2007
Chrysler Nassau
Dodge Demon
Jeep Trailhawk

Source: Chrysler

ING Renault F1 Team star Heikki Kovalainen opens first ever F1 Second Life experience

2009-09-07T03:26:00.000-07:00

ING Renault F1 Team driver Heikki Kovalainen officially launched the ING Renault Team's presence in Second Life® today, becoming the first F1 Team to have fully interactive Second Life presence. The launch was marked by the first ever live 'virtual' Formula 1 press conference held entirely 'in world' in Second Life, with media and fans in attendance.
After completing his first Second Life® experience, Heikki Kovalainen said: “It’s been fascinating to take part in the press conference today, and to discover the virtual world of Second Life®. As an F1 driver, I am used to speaking to the press a lot, and even to big real-life media conferences, but this was something completely different!

“Obviously, the Second Life® project is all about finding a new way to meet the fans, and to give them access to the Formula 1 experience. This seems like a great way to do it, allowing people from all across the world to come together in one place, to discuss their passion for our sport. It is really in line with everything else that the ING Renault F1 Team does to try and take our sport out to the people: events like the city demonstration Roadshow I will be taking part in next weekend in Warsaw, for example.

”I will be really interested to see how the community develops on the team’s island, and I am sure I will be making more visits to Second Life in the future!”

The Finn completed a 15-minute Q&A session with Second Life journalists and fans, before taking part in the first official go-kart race on the island’s circuit – which, naturally, he won comfortably!

The island will open to the public on Friday, 25 May as the ING Renault F1 Team community on Second Life® begins to grow.

Source: Renault

Porsche Presents Space Concept of the New Panamera

2009-09-07T01:48:00.000-07:00

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is for the first time presenting the innovative interior concept of the company’s fourth model series. Right from the start upon the introduction of the Panamera beginning in Germany on 12 September 2009, the Panamera will be available in its top versions with a V8 power unit and luxurious features.
Boasting a centre console leading back all the way from the dashboard to the rear seats, Porsche’s four-door Gran Turismo offers a new feeling of space and driving quality on all four seats. The interior provides optimum ergonomic conditions for the driver and, in addition, accentuates the personal privacy of each passenger on four single seats tailored to each occupant. The low seating position and the sporting, low-slung steering wheel ensure that direct feeling for the road so typical of Porsche.

Apart from these classic values, the Panamera offers the customer numerous options and possibilities to customise the interior individually to his or her personal choice, smooth and natural leather available in a total of 13 colour and material combinations including four bi-colour options teaming up wherever required with seven optional interior trim finish styles including exclusive materials such as Carbon and Olive Nature open-pore wood.

Four-zone automatic air conditioning is available as an option, providing individual adjustment of temperature, blower intensity and air distribution on each seat.

The driver and passengers in the new Panamera are protected by driver and front passenger airbags, curtain airbags as well as – on the front seats – side and knee airbags all ensuring maximum safety as standard features in the event of an accident. Side airbags are furthermore available at the rear as an optional feature.

The comfort seats featured as standard at the front of the Panamera S and 4S are extra-sporting in style and adjust electrically in eight different directions for excellent travel comfort at all times. At the rear two single seats with a folding centre armrest ensure generous legroom and headroom also for tall passengers.

The Panamera Turbo combines electrical seat adjustment with a Comfort Memory Package offering not only extension of the seat bottom, but also lumbar supports and electrical steering column adjustment. Further alternatives such as adaptive sports seats or comfort seats at the rear electrically adjustable to a wide range of different positions are likewise available as an option.

The new Panamera is the first Porsche to offer the most supreme standard of high-end audio quality, the High-End Surround Sound System from the Berlin audio specialist Burmester, one of the most renowned high-end audio companies in the world. Never before has such a large, acoustically effective surface of membranes been included in the concept from the start and subsequently implemented in the actual production vehicle. More than 2,400 square centimetres of sound membranes offer an experience in sound very similar to that of a live concert. In all, 16 loudspeakers masterminded by 16 amplifier channels with more than 1,000 W overall output provide a unique sound rounded off by an active subwoofer together with a 300 W Class D amplifier.

The superior everyday driving qualities of the Panamera are borne out clearly also by the luggage compartment and loading concept: After opening the rear lid, the driver and passengers are able to conveniently stow four suitcases behind the rear seats – putting them into the luggage compartment in an upright position for easy access thanks to the height available.

Luggage compartment capacity in the Panamera S and 4S is 445 litres or 15.6 cu ft, luggage compartment capacity in the Panamera Turbo is 432 litres or 15.1 cu ft – and with the rear seat backrests tilted down, luggage capacity increases to an ample 1,250 litres or 43.8 cu ft.

The Panamera is initially entering the market with V8 power units only, featuring either rear or all-wheel drive. Right from the start, the entry-level Panamera S is powered by a 4.8-litre V8 developing maximum output of 400 bhp (294 kW). Power is transmitted to the rear wheels as an option by Porsche’s seven-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) or double-clutch gearbox.

Acceleration to 100 km/h comes in 5.4 seconds, top speed is 283 km/h or 176 mph. Combined fuel consumption to the EU5 standard, in turn, is 10.8 ltr/100 km, equal to 26.2 mpg imp, and the CO2 emission rating is 253 g/km.

In conjunction with PDK transmission and including both 19 per cent VAT and specific national equipment, the Panamera S retails in Germany at a price of Euro 98,085.50.

Fitted with its six-speed manual gearbox as standard, the Panamera S retails at a price of Euro 94,575, again including 19 per cent VAT and all national homologation features.

The dynamic Panamera 4S features a 4.8-litre V8 developing 400 bhp (294 kW) maximum output, with engine power conveyed to all four wheels via Porsche’s seven-speed PDK Doppelkupplungsgetriebe. In this case acceleration to 100 km/h comes in 5.0 seconds, top speed is 282 km/h or 175 mph. Fuel consumption to the EU5 standard is 11.1 ltr/100 km, equal to 25.4 mpg imp, CO2 emissions are 260 g/km. The retail price including 19 per cent VAT and national specifications is Euro 102,251.

Ranking right at the top, the Panamera Turbo features a 4.8-litre V8 biturbo developing maximum output of 500 bhp (368 kW), with power transmitted again by Porsche’s seven-gear Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK). In this case this all-wheel-drive model accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 303 km/h or 188 mph. Fuel consumption in the EU combined cycle is 12.2 ltr/100 km, equal to 23.2 mpg imp, CO2 emissions are 286 g/km. The retail price of the Panamera Turbo, finally, including 19 per cent VAT and national specifications, is Euro 135,154.

All models come with Direct Fuel Injection, low-friction drive systems and lightweight bodyshells. And at the same time all models in the range fitted with Porsche PDK Doppelkupplungsgetriebe feature Porsche’s new Auto Start Stop function automatically switching off the engine when coming to a standstill and with the driver pressing down the brake pedal – for example at the traffic lights or in traffic congestion.

Source: Porsche

Tesla to be Profitable by Mid Year

2009-09-07T01:23:00.001-07:00

Although extraordinarily difficult to close, the $40M financing round completed in December was twice the amount Tesla needed to reach profitability. Moving forward two months later, we remain on track with our cost reductions and production ramp, so it appears highly likely that Tesla will meet the goal promised to those investors of becoming profitable by mid year.
The main reason for this confidence is that Tesla is already in the fortunate position of being sold out until early November, something few automakers can claim, and will soon be sold out of all 2009 production. While we have had some cancellations due to buyers experiencing personal financial difficulties, new orders continue to flow in every week from the United States and Europe. We have now produced over 200 Roadsters for customers and there are more than 1,000 customers still awaiting delivery.

Due to our order backlog, it seems that owning a Roadster can be a good investment. Last September, as the financial and real estate markets began crashing, a Roadster was sold at the Sonoma Paradiso in California wine country for $160,000, well above the current list price of $109,000. Many Roadster owners who have taken delivery of their cars have already decided to purchase a second Roadster or Roadster Sport because they like the first one so much.

The continued strong demand is driven by the fact that the Tesla Roadster has no direct competitors in the marketplace. It is faster than almost any sports car on the market (our Roadster beat a Porsche GT3 on the Top Gear test track) and yet uses less energy and has a smaller carbon footprint than a Toyota Prius, even if you assume the worst possible case where all electricity comes from coal.

I expect sales demand to strengthen further as this awareness grows. After all, what’s the point of driving another exotic sports car when it is slower than a Tesla and damages the environment? Already, the Tesla Roadster is the car of choice among the technology, business and Hollywood A lists – this year’s Academy Awards will be a lineup of Teslas – and we have never had to give a discount to anyone.

Many customers also appreciate the fact that profit from their purchase goes towards helping Tesla develop more affordable, mass market electric cars. The same cannot be said for those who buy gas-guzzling sports cars from other automakers.

And owners aren’t the only ones impressed with the Roadster. Road & Track was the first auto enthusiast magazine to perform third-party, instrumented testing on the Roadster; they were “pleased to see its extravagant claims confirmed.” The Washington Post’s Warren Brown gushed, “Wheeeeeee! If this is the future of the automobile, I want it.” Dan Neil of the Los Angeles Times had perhaps the most colorful description we’ve ever seen to describe the Roadster’s scorching acceleration: “God has grabbed me by the jockstrap and fired me off his thumb, rubber band-style. Wow.” And we’ve also had a torrent of positive reviews in Europe, where deliveries begin this summer – including a Le Monde story with our favorite headline: “Le chic électrique.”

Source: Tesla

Caparo T1 2009 launch at Salon Privé

2009-09-07T01:16:00.000-07:00

Caparo T1, the fastest performance super car available, is set to make its debut at Salon Privé on 12th February 2009 at London’s Hurlingham Club. The prestigious event will also be used to announce the T1’s 2009 programme.
True to form this year’s Salon Privé, the UK’s ultimate Super Car and Lifestyle Event, will once again attract a number of high profile guests with its promise of getting up, close and personal with the most exotic modern and vintage super cars in the world. Held in the luxurious and exclusive environment of the Hurlingham Club, the show is regarded by many as London’s favourite motoring party because of its mixture of fashion, style, luxury and automotive haute couture.

Caparo T1, the two-seater performance car that recently took the racing world by storm, will occupy centre stage during the event and is expected to attract a high level of interest. Alongside the car’s distinctive profile, information will also be available on its five new levels of specifications; stating from the most cost effective race track option, to its Race Extreme version, boasting the T1’s most powerful engine, a upgraded electronics package, fully carbon brakes and the latest light weight magnesium wheels.

The Caparo team will shortly be unveiling the brand new partnership with one of the most reputed prestigious car dealerships in the country. The agreement will see Caparo concentrating on the continued development of the T1 and associated technologies with the continued evolution of the car’s driving experience and pushing further its track and on-the-road performance. The chosen Caparo partner is going to take control of the super car’s sales, marketing and after sales service.

Source: Caparo

Vauxhall: The Wheels of Britain

2009-09-07T01:08:00.000-07:00

With almost five million post-war passenger cars produced, mainly for the domestic market, Vauxhall can lay claim to have been ‘The Wheels of Britain’ for more than sixty years now.
And fresh from its recent UK dealer launch, the Insignia – with its raft of innovative features in this sector, such as Adaptive 4x4, Intelligent AFL and FlexRide – can trace its lineage to a host of other D-sector Vauxhalls that British drivers have taken to heart over the years.

Inspired by a 1959 press shot with Vauxhall’s model line-up posing on the virgin concrete of a yet to be opened M1 (attached), the main image was taken on the High Speed Bowl at GM’s Millbrook test facility in Bedfordshire.

With Vauxhall’s D-sector stars flanking the Insignia in a V-formation, the 1959 PA Velox (to right of Insignia) is the oldest and has perhaps the most radical styling of all. With its lavish chrome-plated grille, tail fins and wrap-round windscreen, the PA became a benchmark for ride quality and style in the market. You could also spec it in pink!

Fins had had their day by the Sixties, though the Victor F-Type’s styling and turn of speed were still a breath of fresh air in a market that had grown used to dowdy looking and under-performing rivals in the 1.5-litre engine class. Vauxhall built nearly 400,000 F-Types, many of which contributed to Britain’s export drive.

Victors continued to spearhead Vauxhall’s mid-size strategy through the Sixties, with the evergreen FC (’64-’67) and the ’67-’72 FD, with its ‘Coke-bottle styling’, new overhead cam engine and standard front disc brakes on the 2.0-litre version. More than 400,000 FCs and FDs rolled off the Luton production line.

Vauxhall was now riding a colossal wave of success. In the eight years since its opening, the Ellesmere Port plant had produced one million Vivas, and Vauxhall’s mid-size range was now rejuvenated with the launch of the new FE Victor. But a revolution was on the horizon… and it was Cavalier-shaped.

Between 1975 and 1995, Vauxhall produced over 1.9 million Cavaliers, mainly at its Luton factory. The Cavalier Mk 1’s quality instantly became a class benchmark, and with three engine choices and four body styles available it appealed to a broader audience than ever before.

While a quarter-of-a-million Cavalier Mk 1s were produced up to 1981, the Cavalier Mk 2 with its front-wheel drive platform and the addition of an estate model (from 1983) was an even bigger success. Vauxhall estimated that it would sell 50,000 cars a year, but after only nine months’ production, 70,000 cars had found UK homes. From 1998, the Mk 3 rounded off Cavalier production, while spawning a 4x4 model (technology now employed by the Insignia) and the stylish Calibra, with its class-leading Cd figure of 0.26.

Replacing the Cavalier in 1995 was the Vectra, which in its three guises has sold to almost 550,000 UK buyers. And with 15,000 Insignia orders already on its books, it looks like Vauxhall has yet another success story on its hands.

Source: Vauxhall

Prepare the beach balls: Cloutier will try out for Red Wings

2009-09-05T17:38:00.000-07:00

The news that 33-year-old Dan Cloutier(notes) will be attending Detroit Red Wings training camp on a tryout is glorious for two reasons: As an opportunity to resurrect the Cloutier/beach ball Photoshop, one of the single greatest hockey memes since the invention of the Internet ...

... and also to witness the reaction from Wings fans as one of the most maligned players in recent NHL history -- how many others players had their own disaster preparedness kit? -- will potentially wear the Winged Wheel this season. From Babcock's Death Stare:

Personally, I don't think I've ever made fun of a goalie more than Dan Cloutier, as our friend at Dan Cloutier for Vezina will probably attest to after I post this. It's not that I hate the guy per say, I'm sure at one point I did, but he does suck. I always felt he was the weakest link on some average to strong Canuck teams. During the glory days of the Naslund/Bertuzzi tandem, Cloutier held them back with his soft goals, poor mental game, and well below average goaltending ability.

But from a managing standpoint I absolutely hate it.

(Kyle from Death Stare also has a great conspiracy theory: "That the NHL might have sent out a memo telling teams to invite a player to camp as a joke." See: Jason Allison in Toronto, Manny Legace(notes) in Atlanta and Kyle McLaren(notes) with the Rangers.)

The Chief from Abel To Yzerman has much more on this in a post that has the word "vomit" in the headline. It's been an odd summer for Wings fans after their team fell short in its Stanley Cup defense: Seeing Marian Hossa(notes) jump to the Blackhawks, watching some key supporting players leave, stomaching the signing of Todd Bertuzzi, questioning the signing of Jason Williams and then having Dan Cloutier bring his beach ball to camp.

But Cloutier isn't making this team unless Jimmy Howard(notes) implodes; and even then, it can only make Chris Osgood(notes) play better to know that Dan Cloutier is the alternative, right?

In Jersey, they have a saying: "In Lou We Trust." As long as it's the brilliant Ken Holland making these decisions in Detroit, you put your faith in them as being the right ones. For example: Maybe, in bringing Cloutier to camp, he's just looking for an enforcer.

Game Point: McEnroe and Connors make return to U.S. Open

2009-09-05T17:35:00.001-07:00

Game Point is Busted Racquet's daily roundup of the facts, figures and links from the 2009 U.S. Open.

Is it too cliché to say that you cannot be serious?

A quarter-century after their last match at the U.S. Open, former rivals John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors were back on the court together in New York City for an impromptu hitting session at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Even better, they played using the old school wooden racquets.

It was an unexpected treat for the few fans who were able to witness just the second hitting session for the one-time bad boys in the last few years.

The usual crowd of about 200 fans that gathers near the exit of the practice courts, looking for players and autographs, started buzzing when it became clear there was something more than routine going on out there.

Indeed, this was a rare treat. McEnroe said it was only the second time they had hit in the last several years. They were only hitting - no big competition going on here - but it was still a treat to hear McEnroe grunt when he uncoiled for that big serve, then see Connors scoot inside the line to return it with his patented two-handed backhand.

On ESPN later that day, McEnroe spoke of how much he enjoyed rallying with his old rival:

"Jimmy just hits the ball so clean it's unbelievable. It stirs some nice memories --- mostly good, but there's a couple ones that roughed me up a bit."

The two played against each other four times (all semifinals) at the U.S. Open. Connors won the first meeting in 1978 and McEnroe took the next three in 1979, 1980 and 1984. The winner went on to take the title in each of those years.

Game Day Live Blog: Week One kickoff is go

2009-09-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

I'm as interested today in solving a few select mysteries as I am in the big blockbuster affairs: Will Syracuse and Washington be appreciably better with their new coaches? Is Greg Paulus a functional Division I quarterback after four years wasting time in random gyms? Is Notre Dame's blue chip-laden offense finally ready for its close-up? Is Greg McElroy a competent coordinator for the burgeoning Alabama death machine? Today, some answers.

What: Game day live blog. All games in play and all comments welcome.
When: First kick at noon Eastern; chat kicks roughly simultaneously. The blog will run throughout the day, through at least the primetime tilts; midnight oil for the really late kicks is a game time decision.
Who: You and all your rowdy friends. Come loud and proud.
How: Hit "Watch Now," enter comments into the available box and do your part to accelerate the slow, agonizing death of conventional journalism.
Why: Because dropping strategic bombs filled with snark and satire on earnest adolescents never gets old. Football!!

2009-09-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

One-touchdown favorite Minnesota trailed Syracuse with less than a minute to play in the fourth quarter. Three-touchdown favorite Ohio State allowed three second half touchdown drives to Navy and faced a two-point conversion from the Midshipmen to tie with a little over two minutes to play. Iowa, such a colossal favorite over I-AA Northern Iowa that there wasn't even a line, trailed most of the game and faced a game-winning UNI field goal attempt with seconds to play. During the timeout between the Navy's touchdown to make the score 29-27 and the two-point attempt to tie, there was a strong possibility all three Big Ten favorites would lose.

Instead, they go 3-0: Minnesota embarked on one of its only sustained drives of the game to tie and then kick the game-winner in overtime after a gift interception from 'Cuse QB Greg Paulus; Ohio State picked off Navy's inscrutable two-point pass and took it back for two of its own; and Iowa blocked not one, but two Northern Iowa field goals to win. Combined margin of victory: Eight points. Avoiding humiliating defeats that would fuel the torches of your conference's seemingly endless parade of critics? Priceless.

And in fact, the Big Ten hasn't lost yet this season: With Indiana's late escape against Eastern Kentucky on Thursday night and predictable romps by Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State and Northwestern over opening day cupcakes, the conference is 8-0 with Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin still to come. I guess that means it's shaping up as a banner weekend.

Why must Greg Paulus hurt the ones who love him?

2009-09-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Minnesota 23, Syracuse 20. After all the indignities and standing misery of the Greg Robinson era, I'm not sure even longtime Orange fans thought it was possible for their football team to inflict an entirely new kind of pain on them. Know ye the cruelties of optimism, Syracuse.

On one hand, the vast majority of the day felt like a triumph. It would have been really easy for 'Cuse to revert to habit and do what everyone watching did when the first snap of the game sailed over Greg Paulus' head, bounced into the arms of a Gopher defender and wound up in the end zone two plays later for a 7-0 Minnesota lead: Hang its head, text they're friends "Here we go again" and start counting the losses on the rest of the schedule. Even Robinson's rock-bottom outfits rarely found themselves down before the shot clock ran out, and morale could have sunk even lower when the Gophers went up 14-3 a couple minutes later.

Instead, they ran off 20 straight points before the end of the first half and forced Minnesota into five punts and three turnovers going into the fourth quarter. For some context, Syracuse never averaged 20 points for a season under Robinson, and almost never held opposing offenses two entire quarters without a touchdown. At halftime, the Carrier Dome was legitimately rocking; even well into the fourth quarter, they looked destined to go over .500 for the first time since starting 3-2 in September 2006 -- right up until prodigal quarterback Greg Paulus decided to stick a whole new variety of dagger in their balloon.

As near as he was to walking out of the Carrier Dome the conquering hero, Paulus was playing with fire all afternoon: He regularly scrambled around and reversed field in the backfield like he was still in high school, threw across his body on the run and should have had at least three ill-timed passes picked off in regulation. It shouldn't have been a surprise, then, that all three caught up with him on the defining, devastating play of the afternoon, the wildly ill-advised overtime pass into a pack of Gophers in the end zone that effectively ended the game -- from there, Minnesota's game-winning kick was a mere formality.

Eventually, 'Cuse fans will probably feel okay about this game, maybe better than Minnesota fans who had to wonder where their offense disappeared to for two-and-a-half quarters --- the Orange may have been outgained by almost 100 yards for the game, but the first step in emerging from the depths is losing close instead of losing big. It's safe to say Marrone made good on his promise to make the team more competitive right away. Paulus played fairly well for a guy who hasn't worn a helmet or pads in a game in almost five years. But I still wouldn't want to be him after sending that whole beleaguered building through a trap door at the last possible moment.

Notre Dame's offensive outburst is no surprise. Michigan's was.

2009-09-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

Michigan 31, Western Michigan 7, Notre Dame 35, Nevada 0. It wasn't hard to see Notre Dame's offense coming: ND's offense is stacked with blue chips in their second or third year in the system at every position, and one of the most veteran offensive lines in the country; every indication on paper was that these Irish would evolve into something very similar to the consistently productive, star-laden lineup in Charlie Weis' first two seasons. I even predicted the Irish would score on their first possession, and so they did, and on their second, and on their third -- five of their first six drives went for touchdowns, covering 67, 72, 79, 80 and 99 yards.

For Michigan ... well, for Michigan, there were no indications of anything -- even with every member of a bad offensive line and almost every skill player en tow, an alleged quarterback shuffle between two true freshmen and a nonviable junior paperweight shrouded the entire operation in mystery. Intangibly, there was the quasi-scandal of the past week and the lingering sting of two straight opening-day home upsets.

So no fans tonight are breathing sweeter sighs of relief than Michigan's, and no coach improved his position in one day as much as Rich Rodriguez. The freshmen couldn't have played their roles more effectively: Tate Forcier threw three touchdown passes in the first half -- two of them relatively long throws to Junior Hemingway -- with no interceptions , and Denard Robinson did his "Next Pat White" thing with a 43-yard touchdown run. Michigan had touchdown drives of 52, 38, 68 and 80, all in the first half, for 31 points. Last year's Wolverines only scored 31 points in an entire game once, in a loss to Purdue, and that was with a punt return for touchdown.

The caveats in both cases are the suspect defenses from Nevada and Western Michigan, especially the latter, which came in with 10 new starters. But there are no negatives for programs that needed the kind of big, convincing wins they used to consider as routine, or where the hype for next week's game in Ann Arbor is concerned: The Irish scraped their projected ceiling coming in, and Michigan busted a hole in theirs. And speaking of ceilings and roofs, he expectations for next week's winner will be through them both.

Your Flop of the Day (so far): Illinois is not turning a corner

2009-09-05T17:13:00.000-07:00

Missouri 37, Illinois 9. There were three keys to Illinois reversing last year's tailspin and returning to the '07 form that took them to the Rose Bowl: a) Winning the turnover margin; b) Finding a consistent running threat to complement Juice Williams; and c) Finding a way to keep Arrelious Benn involved in the offense at all times.

So 0-for-3 then: The Illini finished –2 in giveaways, the leading rusher finished with 39 yards on a long of 11 and Benn left the game with an ankle injury. For good measure, starters Jason Ford and Jarred Fayson limped off the field, as well; at least Fayson returned, but he couldn't keep the Illini from sinking to their lowest point total in 18 games. Ron Zook's new record through four years and one game: 18-31. Juice is 15-19 as a starting quarterback.

To Missouri: Your superfreak freshman quarterback was everything his recruiting stars said he would be, with no appreciable drop-off from Chase Daniel, Jeremy Maclin et al; I might have guessed both by the end of the year, but not right out of the gate, against what was supposed to be a quality team. Maybe Missouri quarterback really has become a glamour position that makes a star of everyone who steps into it; we'll find out when Blaine Gabbert comes across a stiffer defense that Illinois' (Oklahoma State made a pretty good case in that department), but the preseason assumptions about the Tigers' standing in the Big 12 North are pretty much null and void already.

Audi TT RS to debut at the Geneva Auto Show

2009-09-05T11:24:00.000-07:00

Audi is once again producing a five-cylinder powerhouse: the Audi TT RS will be unveiled to the world at the Geneva Auto Show. Its turbocharged 2.5-litre engine produces well above 300PS. It also delivers explosive acceleration, driving delight, and unrivalled sound.

A legend is reborn. After all powerful five-cylinder gasoline engines have a long legacy at Audi. And the turbocharged direct-fuel-injection engine in the TT RS is the new torchbearer of this dynamic tradition. It enables the TT RS to perform extraordinary feats. For example, it needs nowhere near five seconds to reach 62mph; overtaking is child’s play; and 155mph is the limited top speed only on paper.

The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system, a sophisticated chassis, and stupendous brakes keep a tight rein on the power. All in all, the compact TT RS – with its lightweight and largely aluminium body constructed as per the Audi Space Frame principle – is a driving machine to be reckoned with.

Additional information will be available during the Audi Press Conference at the Geneva Auto Show on March 3, 2009 (Hall 1, Booth 1060).

Source: Audi

Rinspeed presents the iChange, car that alters its shape

2009-09-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Swiss auto powerhouse Rinspeed presents the ‘iChange,’ the world’s first car whose body adapts to the number of passengers on board.
For Rinspeed boss Rinderknecht the vehicle is more than just a clever concept car. “The „iChange“ is a symbol for the fundamental changes the auto industry undergoes worldwide. And it is clear that only those companies will survive that have innovative answers for the demands of a new automotive era.” The visionary Rinderknecht is convinced that the days of gas-guzzling behemoths are coming to an end: “The „iChange“ is a signal for the coming global changes to individual mobility. We need to be ready to meet these challenges with new ideas.”

In seconds a streamlined one-seater sports car transforms into a comfortable car with ample room for three. The trick: At the push of a button the rear end of the teardrop-shaped car magically pops up. “We have designed and built an extremely flexible vehicle. In it we have brought the themes of versatility and continually changing energy demands to their logical conclusions.” The result is a streamlined, lightweight zero-emission car with dramatically reduced energy consumption.

The basic idea behind the ‘iChange:’: The energy demand of a vehicle depends mostly on its weight, the type of engine it uses, and its aerodynamic properties. The engineering-services company Esoro that traditionally builds Rinspeed concept cars has built an extremely lightweight car weighing in at only 1’050 kilograms. To power the car, the Swiss specialists chose an electric motor. The idea of the pop-up rear end was conceived to account for the sizeable effect aerodynamics play in fuel consumption.

While other cars always have to ferry around their puffed-up exteriors that can accommodate up to seven passengers even if they’re just transporting a single soul, the „iChange“ features an adaptive body. The sole driver is conveyed in a teardrop-shaped car that offers optimal aerodynamic properties and thus minimized energy consumption. If more than one person need to be transported the expanding rear provides room for two passengers. As a result of the increased weight and no longer optimal aerodynamics the energy consumption increases - but only for the time passengers are actually on board.

The energy for the electric motor comes from lithium-ion batteries that are available in two different stack configurations for short- and long-distance driving. The electric motor of the „iChange“ produces 150kW, capable of propelling the car to a top speed of 220 km/h. The sprint from rest to 100 km/h takes just slightly over four seconds. This impressive performance is made possible with the help of a six-speed pre-selector gearbox from the Subaru WRX car. The central research department of Siemens AG (Corporate Technology, CT) supplied the integration technology for engine/generator, electronics and battery connection interface. Siemens has long been one of the world leaders for energy systems and eco technology with pioneering concepts for electric drive systems. Its products cover the entire electric value-added chain from generation to distribution to consumption. The gearbox and drivetrain are lubricated with eco-friendly lubricants from Motorex. Custom-made lightweight 17” and 18” forged wheels with aerodynamic shrouds are supplied by light-alloy wheel specialists AEZ. Pirelli P Zero tires in size 215/40-17 in front and size 245/40-18 in back provide optimal grip. The front lights derive from the Opel Insignia, the rear lamps come from the Opel Astra Twin Top.

An initial walk-around reveals that the concept car has no doors. The entire electrically powered roof section of the car measuring just 1.03 meters in height tilts forward to allow passengers to board. Also gone are such mundane things as a key. Its role is filled by an Apple iPhone, which also controls the most important vehicle functions. The „iChange“ is drastically different than ordinary cars in every detail: At the heart of the concept car lies the groundbreaking next-generation Harman/Kardon infotainment system. The system uses an innovative Intel processor technology that guarantees minimized power consumption. The same is true for the Harman/Kardon high-efficiency audio system. This revolutionary technology meets highest demands on sound quality, weighs much less than ordinary systems and at the same time uses only a fraction of energy. This opens the door to a new dimension of energy efficiency. The route guidance of the navigation system is also especially eco-friendly: The system calculates the most energy-saving route and displays the directions in realistic 3D view. When it comes to the subject of heating systems, the "iChange" is as versatile as its car body. Because the electric motor produces too little waste heat, the concept vehicle depends on a high-performance auxiliary heater. The Esslingen-based Eberspächer Group – one of the world's leading manufacturers of vehicle heating systems - designed two tailor-made ecological heating systems especially for this project: an electric heater as well as an ethanol 85 heater. This optimally accentuates the advantages of the two technologies: The entirely emission free electric PTC heater proves itself at short distances. Over long distances, the battery-independent alternative fuel-powered heater ensures a significantly longer operating range of the vehicle. As a result, even the heater of the "iChange" variably adjusts to the respective requirements.

The pure wool used in the interior was further refined into high-tech wool by Schoeller using state-of-the-art processes. The wool is spun and died in accordance with the highest eco standards. It provides an extremely extravagant ambiance in the ‘iChange,’ looks stunning and is delicate to the touch. The competence partner Strähle + Hess transformed this natural product into a striking interior. Its surface character and materiality combine to create a symbiosis of shell, firmness and frothy air. Unconventional techniques create unusual surfaces. The seams of the seats are reversed and the removable seats cushions are adorned with the prototype’s name. Xmobil provided further customization services. While textiles can be found in the „iChange“ in their original form in other areas, they are newly interpreted on seats and cargo floor using various refinement techniques such as braiding and gathering and a combination of both. Leather strips alternate with technical textiles. The seat cushions are interchangeable, braided felt alternates with technical textiles formed into three-dimensional shapes. This transfers the adaptive concept of the „iChange“ to the interior as well. The diamond-coated anti-slip floor is supplied by abrasives specialist KGS.

The Swiss Federal Ministry for Energy (Bundesamt für Energie) supports the „iChange“ project as a groundbreaking research and development project. Solar panels on the top and sides of the roof provide electricity to the fan to keep temperatures in the „iChange“ comfortably low on hot summer days. The large Sharp solar panels also provide additional eco-friendly charging of the batteries.

With the „ iChange“ Rinderknecht, a passionate C. F. Bucherer watch wearer, and his partners once more want to provide food for thought for the automotive industry. The Swiss car visionary: “If we want to maintain our individual mobility in the future we have to rethink the car in its entirety, without taboos. Most of all, we have to take its ecological aspects into consideration.” And in the end everyone has to personally answer the same question: Am I ready and willing to change myself, do and can ‘I change?

Source: Rinspeed

Alfa Mito DNAis in your jeans

2009-09-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Conceived to celebrate the unique genealogy passed from the breathtaking Alfa 8C Competizione supercar to the head-turning Alfa MiTo, the Italian sporting car manufacturer, Alfa Romeo, paired up with TV’s fashion expert, Louise Roe, to challenge two up-and-coming fashion designers to create a line of women’s jeans that would be as cool and desirable as the Alfa MiTo and, and at the same time, raise money for charity.

The result is a one-off series of limited edition skinny fit jeans – available via www.mitojeans.co.uk - that echo the genealogy concept by deconstructing first generation jeans to create new, high fashion jeans complete with a high quality leather waistband and Alfa Romeo red stitching.

London-based fashion designers Bjork and McElligott, who have already created outfits for a number of celebrities, also introduced other distinct and attractive styling touches including embroidered rear pockets – one featuring the serpent from Alfa Romeo’s iconic badge on the right plus their own logo on the left pocket – to create recognisable and distinct jeans.

Significantly most Alfa MiTos feature a DNA button that alters the responsiveness of the accelerator, brakes and traction to suit different driving conditions – Dynamic, Normal and All Weather.

Sophie McElligott said: “The DNA button gave us an extra framework to operate within. The Alfa MiTo’s parentage from the Alfa 8C and the concept that DNA is in your genes made the project’s beneficiary an easy choice.”

The designers chose the charity Jeans for Genes to profit from the sale of the high class jeans and found two boutique retail outlets in London through the charity’s patron, Donna Ida.

Priced at £75 a pair the designer jeans are expected to raise vital funds for Jeans for Genes.

Source: Alfa Romeo

New Volvo C70 to be launched in Frankfurt

2009-09-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

At its launch in early 2006, the Volvo C70 broke new ground as the world's first four seater convertible with a retractable hard top. More than three years on, the new Volvo C70 coupe/convertible is set to break new ground with a refreshed design to give the car a new look, roof up or down. The new C70 retains the three-piece retractable roof, spacious seating for four adults and class-leading convertible safety standards as the outgoing model.
"We have carefully redesigned the front and rear of the car so they harmonise more with the larger Volvo models. We have also increased the exclusiveness of the interior materials and trim details to enhance the feeling of luxury," explains Fedde Talsma, Exterior Chief Designer of Volvo Cars.

New front view
The front of the new C70 takes inspiration from the S60 Concept that was unveiled in early 2009, thereby making the C70 more closely aligned with the design language of the larger cars in the Volvo range.

The refresh extends beyond plastic components as the front wings have been redesigned to give the nose a more distinct wedge-shape. There are new headlamps which now have a more pronounced upward orientation, whilst more detail has been added around the fog lamps and the lower grille.

From the front, the bonnet and grille form an open, inviting "V" shape, whilst the enlarged iron mark and the new, larger air intakes reinforce a strong on-the-road stance.

To offer even more road presence a dramatic Flamenco Red Pearl colour has been introduced.

New rear design
The rear of the car continues the front's new bold design. High-tech LED lamps, as found on the XC60, are the most noticeable addition to the rear and the entire lamp unit is now clearly integrated with the oval that frames the new C70's rear panel.

Into the car
The interior has also been given a refresh to create a more comfortable and luxury feel. The instrument panel has been redesigned to give it a wider, sleeker look with improved finish. The surface of the panel has a new texture that enhances the quality feel.

To further enhance comfort levels, the seats have been upholstered in a new, softer hide offering all occupants a greater level of comfort.

Engine range
Advanced engine and exhaust filtration means Volvo's engines combine high performance with low environmental impact. The Volvo C70 is available with the following petrol and diesel engines. The preliminary fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures apply to models with a manual gearbox running in the combined driving cycle.

The new Volvo C70 in detail
The Volvo C70 transforms smoothly from a coupe into an open convertible in just 30 seconds. At the press of a button, the three-part steel roof folds quickly and silently away, disappearing neatly into the boot.

It has also been engineered as one of the safest convertibles on the market with regard to both preventative and protective safety. The car has an advanced body structure and several solutions that are unique to convertible cars and the lack of a fixed roof has been compensated by structural reinforcements.

Protection in roll-over accidents
The Volvo C70 features sturdy metal roll bars that extend up behind the rear seat passengers to create added protective space should the car roll over. These bars, which are part of Volvo's Rollover Protection System – ROPS – are activated by a gyro-sensor. Since the Volvo C70 has a glass rear window, the bars force through the glass if the roof is in place and so have been fitted with small hardened metal spikes that break the glass to guarantee protection.

Door-mounted inflatable curtain
One important part of the side-impact and rollover protection is the inflatable curtain, IC, which is installed in the doors as there is no roof rail to fit it to. The curtain has an extra-stiff design so the curtain can remain upright and help protect the head effectively even if the window is open. The curtain also deflates slowly, helping to provide added protection should the car roll over.

Side-impact airbags and safety belt pre-tensioners for all seats
In addition to the inflatable curtains on either side, the front seat occupants also have side-impact airbags. The size of these bags is dimensioned to protect both the chest and hips. The IC interacts with the belt pre-tensioners to offer the best possible protection for front seat occupants in the event of an accident. All four seats come with safety belt pre-tensioners.

Further pricing and specification details
Full details, including prices and specification, of the new Volvo C70, will be released closer to the on-sale date. First C70s are expected to be in showrooms and delivered to customers in early 2010.

Bozic wins final sprint to take Stage 6 at Vuelta

2009-09-05T10:15:00.000-07:00

XATIVA, Spain -- Slovenian Borut Bozic landed the best stage victory of his career by winning the 176.8-kilometer sixth leg of the Vuelta a Espana on Friday.

The Vacansoleil rider crossed the finish line well clear of American Tyler Farrar and former Vuelta winner Daniele Bennati of Italy.

The sprinters are dominating the overall standings with German Andre Greipel in first place, six seconds ahead of Belgian Tom Boonen and nine seconds in front of Bennati in third.

"This is a major breakthrough," Bozic told reporters. "The key to winning was being well positioned behind Farrar and Boonen and then accelerating away 250 meters from the line.

"Nobody expected me to start my move so far from the finish, and I was able to take the biggest victory of my career."

The 29-year-old Bozic said cycling in Slovenia was a minority sport, which made it tough to carve out his career path.

"I've only ever raced in smaller teams and that means you have to fight harder and win more in order to succeed," he said.

"Today's result though should make a few people sit up and take notice."

Saturday's 30-kilometer time trial in Valencia is likely to see the race favorites strengthen their positions.

"It's not very long and it's pretty flat, so there won't be big differences," said Spain's Alejandro Valverde.

"Afterwards we won't know who'll win overall, but it's the first indication who the real contenders are and who's just come along for the ride.

"Of the favorites, I'm expecting [Australian] Cadel Evans and [Italian] Ivan Basso to do the best, it's their kind of time trial," added Valverde.

The Vuelta finishes on Sept. 20 in Madrid.

Italy, Australia on fire at mountain bike worlds

2009-09-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

The 2009 UCI mountain bike world championships got underway yesterday in Canberra, Australia, marking its first return since 1996 when the resort town of Cairns hosted the event.

With huge crowds on hand, the championships opened with the team relay. The relay consists of four national team members in the men's, women's, under-23 men and a junior man. Team Italy captured the gold medal in a fiercely fought race over Canada, while France, long a mountain bike power, was third. The U.S. squad finished 12th.

Day two of the championships saw the first day of individual racing, and it started off with the junior women's event. First place went to the French rider Pauline Prevot, with Switzerland's Michelle Hediger in second. South Africa's Candice Neethling continued her family's tradition of excellence in the dirt with a third in the three-lap race. Many were not at all surprised about Prevot's win as she was second in the road worlds. The top U.S. rider was Jill Behlen in 16th, while Essence Barton was 18th.

Junior men's racing also was contested when the superb riding of Italian Gerhard Kerschbaumer, who also took part in Italy's win in the relay race, won the gold. Switzerland, which has produced many of the world's top mountain bikers since the early days of the sport, grabbed the silver medal 15 seconds behind. The top North American in the race was Canada's Mitch Bailey.

Women's U-23 racing was also held. The already-European champion Aleksandra Dawidowicz won with a time of 1:24.32. Sweden's Alexandra Engen was second while Julie Bresset won the bronze. The top-ranked U.S. rider was Chloe Forsman in 15th place.

In the U-23 men's race, the field felt the sting of powerful World Cup rider Burry Stander of South Africa, a nation that has embraced mountain biking in a big way. Alexis Vullermoz of France was second and Thomas Litcher (SUI) was in third.

In the men's and women's four cross event, a pair of Aussie riders claimed golds. Jared Graves, who took part in the debut BMX event at the Beijing Olympics, won for the men while OZ gravity rider Caroline Buchanan took the women's crown, all to a huge standing ovation. A pair of U.S. women placed silver and bronze with Jill Kintner and Melissa Buhl going a fine 2-3 for the Yanks.

Downhill training was also held prior to tommorow's downhill championships. The Aussies, who boast one of the best downhill teams in the world, saw great, fast training times from Mick Hannah, and the former UCI world champion, Sam Hill. Among other favorites for men will be the UK's Steve Peat and South Africa's Greg Minnar. In women's training the UK's Tracey Moseley had the fastest qualification time, while Canada's Claire Buchar was second in training. Canada will host the next UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in Mont Ste. Anne, QUE.

Still to come: the downhill and cross-country races.

Cancellara wins time trial, regains gold at Vuelta

2009-09-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Time-trial specialist Fabian Cancellara of Saxo Bank won the seventh stage race against the clock at the Vuelta a Espana on Saturday.

Cancellara, who rode to victory at the Olympic time trial in Beijing last summer, completed the 30-kilometer course around Valencia in 36:41. Garmin's David Millar was second, and Team Columbia's Bert Grabsch, the reigning world time-trial champ, came in third.

The victory pushed Cancellara back to the top of the overall standings, where he spent the first four days of the race after taking the opening time-trial stage in Assen, Netherlands. Yesterday's overall leader Andre Greipel of Columbia tumbled down the standings after placing 67th on the day, 2:37 behind Cancellara. He sits 27th overall.

The three-week Vuelta moves into the mountains on Sunday with the 204-kilometer eighth stage from Alzira to Alto de Aitana.

American playing for El Salvador in Cup qualifier

2009-09-05T01:34:00.000-07:00

PROVO, Utah (AP) --- El Salvador midfielder Arturo Alvarez will know his opponents well in Saturday's World Cup qualifier against the United States.

Many of them were teammates with Alvarez on U.S. national youth teams. Born and raised in Houston, Alvarez is an American who switched his soccer citizenship when El Salvador-his parents' native country-invited him to join the national team.

Although he had played on under-20 U.S. national teams, an invitation to the U.S. senior team did not appear to be coming anytime soon. The 24-year-old decided to take advantage of FIFA's softened restrictions on players switching from one country to another.

"It was an opportunity that came up. I saw it as a good one," said Alvarez, who plays for the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer and is away from the club for Saturday and another qualifier next Wednesday against Costa Rica in San Salvador.

Coach Carlos de los Cobos added Alvarez to the roster, hoping to continue El Salvador's quick turnaround from foundering only a few years ago to still having a slim chance this late in qualifying. Los Cuscatlecos last played in the World Cup in 1982.

The Salvadorans have been practicing this week at BYU, about 30 miles south of where the game will be played Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Alvarez said he grew up following El Salvador soccer because his father was still a big fan after moving to the United States. He said once he got the invitation to join the El Salvador national team, it was an easy decision: He was becoming part of his father's favorite team and getting a chance at top-level international competition.

The only drawback is he will be playing as a visitor in his home country on Saturday night.

"I've played against those guys many a times. I've played with them as well, but obviously now times have changed," Alvarez said. "I'm part of the El Salvador team. Hopefully we can go in and get a good result against the U.S."

Several former teammates will be in the U.S. lineup on Saturday.

U.S. star Landon Donovan remembered when Alvarez first reached the MLS as a rookie with the Earthquakes in 2003.

"He always had a lot of potential. I think he's done a really good job of becoming a real professional now. He's done very well," Donovan said. "I'm excited for him, but I won't be wishing him too much luck on Saturday."

Alvarez was not with the team when the United States and El Salvador played in March, when the Americans rallied from a 2-0 deficit and salvaged a 2-2 tie.

Alvarez made his debut for El Salvador last month in a 1-0 loss to Trinidad and Tobago. After years of playing in international youth games, he was on a club that was trying to reach the World Cup next summer in South Africa.

"It was an amazing feeling. It was my first qualifying game ever. It was great," Alvarez said. "I was a little nervous at first, but once I got in there I realized it was just another soccer game."

El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago are tied for last in the North and Central American and the Caribbean group, both with a record of 1-3-2 for five points. The top three teams in the group qualify and the fourth-place team will have a chance to make it in a playoff against the No. 5 team from South America.

It's still possible for El Salvador, but time is quickly running out to make a move in the standings. After the Americans and next week against Costa Rica, El Salvador closes out qualifying next month against Mexico and Honduras.

Inside Soccer: Hungary, Gabon chase World Cup spots

2009-09-05T01:29:00.001-07:00

Qualifying matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup resume in full force this weekend following a summer's slowdown of activity to allow most players to focus on preseason club training and competitions.

A number of intriguing matchups will take place through Sept. 9 as qualifying for the tournament enters its final critical months.

Here's a review of key games through Wednesday:

UEFA - Of the 46 matches scheduled for European teams, the most intriguing take place in Group 1. Hungary, a once dominant soccer nation that finished runner-up in 1938 and 1954, has not competed in a World Cup since 1986. The team holds the record for most goals scored in a FIFA World Cup final (27) in 1954 during its peak years.

Hungary sits in second place in Group 1, three points behind leader Denmark and four points ahead of Portugal and Sweden, the two teams they will play before next Wednesday.

Third place Portugal sits in a precarious position with only nine points and with three of its four remaining games against Denmark and Hungary (twice). Portugal's fate could clearly be defined by this time next week. Two losses would eliminate them from any chance of qualifying for the finals and would mean one of the world's top players, Christiano Ronaldo, would miss the tournament.

In Group 2, Greece and Switzerland are tied atop the table with 13 points, but Greece is ahead on goal differential. The two will play Saturday in Switzerland. Greece, the 2004 European Championship winners, has not played in the World Cup finals since 1994.

Group 6 leader England could clinch a spot in the World Cup finals with a win Wednesday over Croatia, which trail in second place by eight points with both teams still to play three games. England has not lost in 2010 qualifying.

In Group 7, leader Serbia will host France Wednesday and will try to expand its five point lead over the 2006 finals runner-up. A loss would force France, the 1998 champion and 2006 runner-up, to win its remaining three games to have a chance to win the group.

CONMEBOL -- South American teams will play 10 games by Wednesday, with the most attention focused on Argentina vs. Brazil on Saturday.

Argentina sits in fourth place with four games remaining. Two wins, including over qualifying leader Brazil, should guarantee them no lower than their current position and the last automatic qualifying spot for the finals. But Argentina must also face second place Paraguay away on Wednesday.

Since Argentine legend Diego Maradona took over as head coach in November, Argentina has two wins and two losses in 2010 qualifying, including 6-1 to second to last place Bolivia.

To inspire passion in his players, Maradona has moved the match against Brazil from Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, the normal site for home World Cup matches, to Central Stadium in Rosario, the home town of the team's most dynamic player, Lionel Messi.

Unlike in Monumental Stadium, Rosario's fans sit up against to the pitch, increasing the environment's intensity.

Second-place Chile is the surprise of South American qualifying and with two of its four remaining games against lower half teams Colombia and Venezuela, the team should reach its first finals since 1998. They will travel to play Brazil on Wednesday.

CONCACAF -- The United States stands the best chance of the top three teams in the region of helping themselves in the two games all teams will play through Sept. 9. The Americans host fifth place El Salvador Saturday and travel to last place Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday.

The Americans have never lost to El Salvador in World Cup qualifying and that should not change on Saturday. The U.S. beat Trinidad and Tobago 3-0 in a final round qualifier in January at home. At least one win is critical; two wins would provide a comfort zone for its last two qualifiers against first place Costa Rica and second place Honduras.

Mexico, a point behind the United States in fourth place, will play away at Costa Rica on Saturday and then will host Honduras Wednesday. The Mexicans need to win one of those games to have a chance for an automatic qualifying spot (top three).

CAF - Halfway through the final qualifying round for African nations, two situations offer some surprise. Gabon, which has never advanced to a World Cup final, leads Group A by two points and Algeria, which last appeared in the World Cup finals in 1986, leads Group C by three points.

Gabon's lead is a bit misleading. They've played only twice and have yet to face traditional powerhouse Cameroon. The two will face each other Saturday and Wednesday (one game was rescheduled from June following the death of Gabon president Omar Bongo). Cameroon has played in five of the last six World Cup finals and faces likely elimination with a loss in one of the two games.

Ghana sports a five point lead in first place in Group D and a win over last place Sudan on Sunday would create a likely advancement to the finals.

AFC - Four teams from Asia - Australia, Japan, North Korea and South Korea - have already qualified for the World Cup finals, but another Asian team can still advance to the finals in South Africa. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia both finished in third place in their groups and the two teams will play each other starting Saturday in Bahrain. The second game will be played Sept. 9 in Saudi Arabia. The winner will play Oceania winner New Zealand later this year to fill one slot in the finals.

Johnson's U.S. role diminished - The U.S.'s preliminary roster for its World Cup qualifier Saturday against El Salvador will again exclude 25-year-old forward Eddie Johnson, once considered a young National Team star with much promise. Are Johnson’s chances of making the 2010 World Cup team fading?

Johnson last dressed for the Americans in a World Cup qualifier against Trinidad and Tobago in April but did not play. He was on the roster for two semifinal round World Cup qualifiers last September, but played only 23 minutes in a 3-0 win over Trinidad. Johnson started in matches against Poland, England, Spain and Argentina from March through June 2008 and last scored for the U.S. in a 4-1 loss to Argentina in June 2007.

The U.S. matches Saturday and Wednesday will likely determine the team's 2010 World Cup fate, so it behooves head coach Bob Bradley to roster his most reliable forwards. Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies earned Bradley’s confidence with strong performances at the Confederations Cup in June; Conor Casey of the Rapids leads MLS in scoring this season with 11 goals; Brian Ching has scored seven goals for Houston this year and scored a goal for the Americans in July against Honduras in the Gold Cup. Robbie Findley of Real Salt Lake has 10 goals this season, but boasts just one cap and will not likely dress for the game.

Johnson is back with Fulham in the English Premier League after playing on loan last season with Cardiff City. He’s played in one of three Fulham games this season and along with Donovan is the only other pure striker candidate who has played in a World Cup (two games in 2006) for the U.S.

Bradley is likely waiting to see what kind of season Johnson puts together in Fulham before bringing him back to the Natoinal Team, which probably would not happen until next year. If the Americans qualify for 2010 after its next two games by Wednesday, Johnson would be wise to focus on his time with Fulham rather than suit up for two remaining U.S. qualifying games that have little relative significance.

Land Rover celebrates its 60th Anniversary at 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed

2009-09-03T03:27:00.000-07:00

Land Rover will be celebrating its 60th anniversary as the featured marque at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 11-13. Land Rover, in conjunction with Gerry Juddah, will create an eye-catching automotive sculpture in front of Goodwood House which will uniquely showcase the vehicles' supreme breadth of capability.
The impressive structure will incorporate an original 1948 Land Rover, a selection of vehicles from the Company's model range, finished with the acclaimed LRX concept cross-coupe – a bold evolution of Land Rover design that signals the brand's shift into new areas of the market.

"Land Rover represents our British-inspired Festival theme perfectly with a true pioneering spirit and an enviable global reputation," said Lord March. "This year's Central Feature will celebrate a significant landmark anniversary for one of the world’s most revered car marques, and will be one of the biggest and most memorable displays to date."

Land Rover will also showcase the special edition Defender SVX, launched to mark the anniversary. The SVX – the most stylish and feature-packed version that Land Rover has ever produced – still bears a strong visual resemblance to its 1948 predecessor, but inside the SVX models boast satellite navigation, Recaro seats and iPod compatibility.

The Terrapod and mini-terrapod will also be available for those who want to test out the off-road capability of Land Rover's key products, and proceeds will go to the British Red Cross.

Source: Land Rover

A Rolls-Royce Welcome for Goodwood Barn Owls

2009-09-03T03:25:00.001-07:00

A custom-made owl box was unveiled yesterday in the 42 acre grounds of the Rolls-Royce plant at Goodwood. It has been installed as part of the company’s commitment to encourage biodiversity within its grounds. The box, designed and crafted by staff at West Dean College, Chichester features an owl mascot.
The Barn Owl, now a specially protected species, has declined in numbers by more than two thirds in the last 100 years, which is attributed to the intensification of agriculture and the loss of rough grassy areas around fields. In Sussex the numbers have dropped in recent years to around 100 breeding pairs.
Dr Barrie Watson, President of the Sussex Ornithological Society, who advised Rolls-Royce on the best location for the new owl box said, “More environmentally friendly farming practices will provide more habitats for owls to hunt over. So it is important to provide secure nest sites for them, like the owl box at Rolls-Royce. I am delighted to see the company take this step.”

Anna Rabone, environment consultant at Rolls-Royce said, “The emphasis at Goodwood is on operating a technologically advanced facility, producing cars to the highest quality, yet making a positive contribution to the biodiversity of the natural landscape. The lake and the landscaping, including our eight acre living roof, where non-chemical techniques are used to control pests, are proving a haven for numerous bird species and other wildlife.”

Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Lamborghini makes its official debut at 2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed

2009-09-03T03:23:00.001-07:00

Lamborghini will attend Goodwood Festival of Speed for the first time this year as an official partner. Represented by its four authorised UK dealers, Lamborghini’s display will include the newly launched lightweight V10 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, as well as the V12 Murciélago LP640 Coupé and Roadster, and V10 Gallardo Coupé and Spyder models.
Two cars will be included in Goodwood’s supercar class ‘going up the hill’: the Gallardo Superleggera will make its dynamic public debut at Goodwood, piloted by one of Lamborghini’s driving academy instructors Max Venturi. The Murciélago LP640 Coupé will be driven by young British driver Mike Conway, sponsored at Goodwood by Lloyds TSB Private Banking.

Lamborghini will also be retailing its range of official ArtiMarca merchandise from a boutique within its display.

“We recognise Goodwood as one of the most important, and enjoyable, events worldwide at which it’s possible to see such an extraordinary range of current and historic sports and race cars,” commented Automobili Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann. “We’re delighted to provide an opportunity for Goodwood visitors to experience our brand at first hand, and to display our range that includes more models than ever before in Lamborghini’s history.”

Lamborghini has four official dealerships in the UK, in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Source: Lamborghini UK

2007 Lamborghini Reventón unveiled at IAA Frankfurt

2009-09-03T03:16:00.001-07:00

Lamborghini has unveiled the Lamborghini Reventón at Frankfurt Motor Show. With a price tag of €1 million euros plus taxes, all of the 20 cars to be produced are pre sold to customers worldwide, with one car coming to a customer in the UK. The car will be delivered to an unnamed customer of Lamborghini Birmingham, the official Lamborghini dealership located in Fort Dunlop, Birmingham.
Lamborghini Reventón

Clearly a Lamborghini, but nothing quite like it. A super car without equals: the Lamborghini Reventón is a road vehicle with an extreme specification and, at the same time, a limited edition masterpiece – a coherent style, angular with sharp lines, inspired by the very latest aeronautics.

With just 20 produced, each 1 Million Euro (without taxes) Lamborghini Reventón is a symbol of extreme exclusivity, yet still offering the extraordinary performance that makes the Reventón so unrivalled: under the completely autonomous design, the Reventón possesses the entire technical and dynamic competence of the twelve cylinder Lamborghini.

Lamborghini prides itself on being the extraordinary manufacturer of extreme super sports cars without compromise. Sensuality and provocation characterise every Lamborghini, with an aggressively innovative style. “However, the Reventón is the most extreme of all, a true automotive superlative. Our designers at the Lamborghini Style Centre took the technical base of the Murciélago LP640 and compressed and intensified its DNA, its genetic code,” affirms Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

Born in Sant’Agata Bolognese

The Lamborghini Reventón has been entirely designed in Sant’Agata Bolognese, the original birthplace of the Lamborghini and the native home of every super car born under the sign of the bull. The design drawn up in Lamborghini’s Centro Stile (Style Centre) is fine-tuned in close collaboration with the Lamborghini Research and Development Department. Thus, the Reventón is not only “haute couture” but it also stands out for its elevated dynamism whilst being entirely suitable for every day use.

The Lamborghini Reventón is not destined to remain a one-off. A total of 20 Lamborghini friends and collectors will be able to own this extraordinary car and, naturally, enjoy the incomparable pleasure of driving it.

The name Reventón has been chosen according to Lamborghini tradition. Reventón was a fighting bull, owned by the Don Rodriguez family. It is included in the list of the most famous bulls ever and is known for killing the famed bullfighter Felix Guzman in 1943.

Inspired by the fastest airplanes

The present day Lamborghini models are distinguished by the clear language of their shape. The coherent proportions of the Murciélago and Gallardo highlight their power and dynamism. Sharp edges, precise lines and clean surfaces: these are ingredients of a style reduced to the essential. Each element is created exactly according to its function; ornaments and decorations are totally foreign to a Lamborghini.

With the Reventón the Centro Stile designers have coherently developed this philosophy, inspired by another sphere where speed and dynamism reign absolute: modern aeronautics, responsible for the fastest and most agile airplanes in the world. This has created an extremely precise, technically striking style with a new vitality: interrupted lines and contorted surfaces create a fascinating play of light, giving the car incredible movement.

Made of carbon fibre and precision

Although it is based on the extraordinarily successful Murciélago LP640, the exterior design of the Reventón is completely new. Just like the base model, the exterior is made of CFC, a composite carbon fibre material, which is as stable as it is light. The exterior components are glued and fixed to the body comprised of CFC and steel.

The front is characterised by the acute angle of the central ‘arrow’ and by the powerful forward-facing air intakes. Although they do not supply air directly to the turbine like an airplane, bearing in mind the 650 hp, an abundant volume of air is necessary to cool the carbon brake disks and the six cylinder callipers.

Characterised by coherent functions

Naturally, both doors on the Reventón open upwards – since the legendary Countach this has also been a symbol of the V12 Lamborghini product line. With their asymmetric configuration, the large air intakes below the doors provide an example of the extreme coherence with which a Lamborghini fulfils its function: on the driver's side it is large to increase the flow of oil to the radiator. On the passenger’s side of the vehicle, the air intake is flat because in this case, it only has to ensure the flow below the floor. The aerodynamically optimised flat floor structure terminates at the rear with a diffuser featuring an accentuated shape. This guarantees excellent road grip and stability even at 340 km per hour.

In spite of the extreme and innovative language of its shape, the Reventón not only maintains all the strong features of the Murciélago LP640, but also offers further amelioration in terms of aerodynamics, the important engine cooling system, the air intake system and brakes. The airflow and the section of the variable geometry air intakes of the engine and the rear spoiler (also adjustable) have been modified.
Owners of the 20 examples will be able to test the performance of his or her Lamborghini in person.

Perfected to the ultimate detail

The engine hood made of glass laminate with open ventilation slits offers a glimpse of the beating heart of the twelve cylinders of the super car. The glass also features the marked arrow angle that characterises the design from the front to the rear spoiler. The Lamborghini designers’ love for detail is beautifully illustrated by the fuel tank lid: a small mechanical work of art, achieved by milling a solid aluminium block.

The combination lights transform the incisiveness of the design into light: the front features the most modern light-emitting diodes alongside Bi-Xenon headlights. Seven LEDs ensure continuous daylight while there are a further nine diodes for the indicator and hazard lights. Another technical innovation is found in the rear light LEDs. Because of the high temperature in the rear low part of the car, special heatproof LEDs are used for the indicator and hazard lights, stoplights and rear lights with a triple arrow optical effect.

A new body colour

Naturally, such a refined language of shape also demands an extraordinary colour. For the 20 examples of the Reventón, the designers from Sant’Agata Bolognese have created a totally new hue: Reventón, a mid opaque green/grey without the usual shine. However, thanks to the metallic particles, in the daylight this colour tone features surprising depth.

Opaque and brilliant colours for the wheel rims

This play of opaque and lustre is also featured on the wheel rims, especially created for the Reventón. Opaque carbon fins are screwed onto the black aluminium spokes, not only creating a visual effect with the precision of a surgeon’s scalpel, but a turbine effect also ensures optimum cooling for the powerful ceramic brake disks.

TFT display similar to an airplane

The same innovative force applied to the exterior design characterises the cockpit of the Reventón. Designed and created using Alcantara, carbon, aluminium and leather that comply with the top quality standards, the interior is inspired by the next generation cockpits: just like in modern airplanes, the instruments comprise three TFT liquid crystal displays with innovative display modes. At the touch of a button, the driver can choose from two vehicle information display modes. The instruments are housed in a structure milled from a solid aluminium block, protected by a carbon fibre casing.

The G-Force-Meter is also completely new: this display shows the dynamic drive forces, longitudinal acceleration during acceleration and braking, as well as transversal acceleration around bends. These forces are represented by the movement of an indicator on a graduated 3D grid depending on the direction and intensity of the acceleration. A similar instrument can be found in the airplanes. Formula One teams also use a similar device to analyse dynamic forces.

Customisable instruments

The instrument on the left of the speedometer associates the number of revolutions in the form of a luminous column with the display of the selected gear. Finally, every Reventón is equipped with a robotised e.gear controlled by two small levers under the steering wheel.

By simply pressing a button, the driver can switch to the second, quasi-analogical display, where the classic circular instruments, speedometer and engine speed indicator are configured in an equally innovative way and transformed into luminous pilot lamps with varying colours. The G-Force-Meter naturally remains at the centre in this display mode.

Electronic system developed entirely by Lamborghini

All this is possible thanks to the fact that the entire electronic platform of the Reventón, together with all the control devices, has been autonomously developed by the Lamborghini experts.

The same process for integrating the electronic displays in the car was applied to the Lamborghini Engineering Department.

From the conception of the very first radical ideas, the entire Reventón has been developed in Sant’Agata Bolognese thanks to tight teams of remarkably creative experts. An extremely refined and efficient process was employed: CAD design and development, creation of the prototype in the Prototype Department, all carried out under the constant supervision of the Research and Development Department’s technicians and testers.

Atelier of creativity and high efficiency

Inaugurated in 2004, the Centro Stile is dedicated to design and characterised by a high degree of efficiency: an “atelier” of creators, designers and prototype constructors, who encapsulate the Lamborghini culture and spirit by using their remarkable skills to create aesthetic innovation.

The Centro Stile is located in a 2,900 square two-storey building. The large pavilion houses two test floors and related production and analysis equipment, while other rooms are set aside for the most advanced computerised workstations for designers and a style-model construction workshop. The Centro Stile is also closely linked to the nearby Engineering Department: the direct line between the Lamborghini development departments guarantees that ideas rapidly become reality.

Creativity and production under the same roof

The Lamborghini Reventón is a practical illustration of the streamlined functionality and efficiency characterising the Centro Stile: it took less than a year to progress from the first ideas to the finished car. The complete design process from the first sketches on paper, to three dimensional computer models with 1:10 or 1:4 scale, right up to the real size prototype is organised around streamlined, fast, efficient work groups. Thanks to the Centro Stile, for the first time in its history, Lamborghini is now able to create its own style philosophy in-house without having to rely on any external collaboration.

The 20 units will be manufactured in Sant’Agata, using a production process characterised by artisan perfection and rigorous quality standards.

A masterpiece with tested technology

The technology found in the Murciélago LP640 has not been modified. The engine in the LP640 forwards is the classic twelve-cylinder engine with 6.5 litre displacement. Only for this car, Lamborghini guarantees, an astounding 650 HP (478 kW) at 8,000 revolutions per minute (rpm). The huge torque, equal to maximum 660 Nm, ensures a powerful switch from any number of revolutions: even the slightest pressure on the accelerator is spontaneously transformed into thrust. The robotised e.gear changes gear faster than even the most expert driver. In addition, the permanent Viscous Traction four-wheel drive system ensures that every force is constantly translated into movement.

As in the original Murciélago LP640, the Reventón accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.4 seconds, with a maximum speed over 340 km/h.

Born to become a legend

Since its foundation, Lamborghini has been a creator of trends in the world of sports cars and has always manufactured cars with an absolutely unmistakable character. Models such as the Miura or Countach, for example, were veritable forerunners and rapidly acquired the status of timeless classic cars. From the moment they are launched, every new Lamborghini promises to become a legend, destined to become a sought-after and precious possession.

With the Lamborghini Reventón, Lamborghini has done it again; it has created an unequalled super car; the perfect synthesis between the exclusivity and appeal of a limited edition design masterpiece, and the dynamism and driveability of a standard sports car. Thus, the Lamborghini legend is further enhanced by another, stylish future classic.

Performance data

Top speed 340 km/h (211.3 mph)
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) 3.4 s (before: 3.8 s)

Source: Lamborghini UK

Automobili Lamborghini announces record sales figures

2009-09-03T03:13:00.000-07:00

Automobili Lamborghini SpA has announced record sales figures for 2007, building and selling 2,406 cars worldwide: a 15% increase over the 2,087 cars delivered in 2006. A particularly strong sales increase of nearly 40% was recorded in the UK, with deliveries of 211 vehicles. North America, Lamborghini’s largest market, accounted for more than 1000 cars. Lamborghini’s home market of Italy saw a growth of 38% with 134 units sold, whilst total European sales accounted for 959 units, with a growth of more than 22% over the previous year.
“2007 was an exceptional year. This success is the direct result of increased brand awareness and brand image, as well as the increase in our dealer network and overall product strategy,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini SpA.

Since the beginning of 2005, Automobili Lamborghini has strategically increased its global reach from 65 to 107 dealers worldwide. In the UK, there are now four authorised Lamborghini dealers, in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.

“The Lamborghini brand continues to grow exponentially in the UK, with sports and prestige buyers increasingly attracted to the marque for a number of reasons,” commented Dominic Lancaster, general manager of Lamborghini London. “Lamborghini is very much an exclusive, luxury brand and, as such, continues its success even in light of other domestic economic pressures that may affect consumer spending generally. Lamborghini’s exclusivity appeals to a wide range of individuals, from successful entrepreneurs, professionals, successful individuals in the City, as well as purist sports car drivers who are attracted by the extraordinary Lamborghini performance.”

The Lamborghini range is comprised of five models: the V12 Murciélago LP640 Coupe; the Murciélago LP640 Roadster; the V10 Gallardo Coupe; the convertible Gallardo Spyder; and the lightweight Gallardo Superleggera launched in Spring 2007.

“A certain proportion of Lamborghini customers have been particularly drawn to the marque with the launch in 2007 of the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera,” said Lamborghini Birmingham’s sales manager Martin Andrews. “This is a particularly extreme, lightweight Lamborghini, providing specific appeal to those who want not only the best performing road car in its class, but outstanding performance if they also drive on track. We have seen an increasing number of discerning drivers choose the Superleggera not only as their first choice of road car, but as the ultimate car for the circuit too.”

“The expansion of the dealer network has undoubtedly contributed to increased sales in Britain. We have increased the Lamborghini car parc in Scotland by more than 400% in the last year,” confirmed Lamborghini Edinburgh’s general manager Richard Stewart. “The expanded dealer network has provided the growing number of drivers attracted to models such as the Superleggera, as well as the acclaimed Gallardo Spyder and, of course, the V12 models, with increased accessibility to the marque.”

Lamborghini launched the Gallardo Superleggera at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, with a limited worldwide production of 400 cars. Weighing 100kg less than the ‘standard’ coupe, the Superleggera goes from 0-62 mph in 3.8 seconds, with a top speed of 196 mph. With permanent four-wheel drive, e-gear (paddle shift) as standard and a host of other options including tubular frame and harness for the most extreme drivers, the car is acclaimed by road and track users alike. The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera accounted for approximately 14% of Lamborghini models sold in the UK during 2007.

Lamborghini’s latest product announcement was the extreme-designed Lamborghini Reventón, shown for the first time at the autumn 2007 Frankfurt Show. Priced at €1million euros plus tax, all of the 20 cars to be made were pre-sold, even ahead of their official unveiling. One car will come to a customer in the UK.

Source: Lamborghini

Lamborghini makes another appearance in latest Batman

2009-09-03T03:10:00.000-07:00

When he isn’t protecting Gotham City from various villains, as his alter ego Batman in his Batmobile, billionaire Bruce Wayne’s vehicle of choice is one of Lamborghini’s most extreme super sports car ever built, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640.
The Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Coupe is not Bruce Wayne’s first Lamborghini. The association with the marque began in 2005 when Propaganda Global Entertainment Marketing, Lamborghini’s worldwide entertainment marketing firm, brokered the deal for the Lamborghini Murciélago Roadster to make its onscreen debut in "Batman Begins."

The Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Coupe appearing in “The Dark Knight” is powered by a 640 horsepower 12cylinder engine and is capable of more than 211 mph.

“The Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 is the natural choice for Bruce Wayne’s other car,” stated Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “Lamborghini is proud to be associated with one of the greatest movie franchises in history, especially costarring with the Batmobile.”

Source: Lamborghini

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 wins CAR Magazine’s performance car of the year

2009-09-03T03:07:00.000-07:00

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 has been named the ultimate Performance Car of The Year 2008 in CAR magazine’s annual test.
In the November issue of CAR, on sale now, the judges put the competitors through their paces on both road and track. The Gallardo LP 560-4 beat contenders in its supercar group including the Porsche 911 GT2, Aston Martin DBS and Mercedes-Benz CLK Black. It then went on to win the overall competition against finalists from seven other categories, including challengers such as the Nissan GT-R, Mitsubishi Evo 360 and MINI John Cooper Works.

“The CAR test is unique among such awards in that it focuses more on emotion than science. The magazine bases its decision on the way cars stir the soul rather than simply how fast they are or how well they handle. All the finalists are good performers but only one outshone the others to deliver on everything it promises,“ said CAR editor Phil McNamara.

“The Gallardo LP 560-4 is a special car to see, to drive and, we bet, to own and that’s why it’s our Performance Car of The Year,” was CAR magazine’s final judgement.“

The Gallardo LP 560-4 was unveiled earlier this year as Lamborghini’s replacement for its original Gallardo, of which approximately 7100 models have been delivered since its first launch in 2003.

CAR magazine is one of Britain’s most authoritative and entertaining monthly automotive magazines, as well as Britain’s first.

Source: Lamborghini

Blancpain announces its union with Lamborghini

2009-09-03T02:55:00.000-07:00

For the first time in history, Blancpain and Lamborghini, creators of exceptional models and inspirers of mechanical passions, are uniting their expertise to give rise to the world’s first ever Lamborghini automobile championship, the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo.

Blancpain, the world’s oldest watch brand, is delighted to announce its union with the iconic luxury carmaker, Lamborghini. This alliance is distinguished by the twin themes of speed and mechanical prestige. Presided over by the respective President and CEOs of Blancpain and Lamborghini, Messrs Marc A. Hayek and Stephan Winkelmann, the partnership was sealed in a ceremony that took place on October 25th 2008 at the last DTM Grand Prix of the season on the Hockenheim race track in Germany.

This union celebrates the technical performances and exclusive aesthetics of two manufacturers at the peak of their art combining tradition and innovation. The Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo is a dream come true for motor sports enthusiasts, setting the stage for the very latest gleaming Gallardo LP560-4 speed machines to compete in the world’s fastest and most demanding mono-brand championship.

From Mai 2009 onwards, 30 high-powered cars carrying the Blancpain-Lamborghini colours will compete on Europe’s finest racing tracks. With 570 HP, 540 N/m and peak speeds of over 300 km/h, driving such a vehicle is more than a race against the clock: it is an outright challenge to time itself! And when Lamborghini sets out to push the boundaries of speed, it naturally teams up with a watch brand characterised by a time-honoured pioneering spirit and peerless mechanical expertise. An intensely dynamic union that is gearing up to roar out of the starting blocks!

Source: Blancpain

Lamborghini establishes new branch in China

2009-09-03T02:53:00.001-07:00

As part of the strategy to further expand its global business activities, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. will found a branch in China. Following a recent decision by the Board of Management, the Italian luxury sportscar manufacturer will establish Automobili Lamborghini China in the country´s capital city Beijing and will start operations at the beginning of 2009. Lamborghini´s rise to become one of the most successful and profitable super sportscar manufacturers is the result of a clear dual strategy. First, the creation of an incomparable new, broad and attractive product portfolio. Second and equally important, the ongoing expansion of brand representation to ensure substantial presence in all major markets of the world.
The President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., Stephan Winkelmann, points out the strategic rationale of the move: “China has the strongest dynamics of change to undoubtedly become the leading economy in the world. As one of the symbols of European luxury tradition, our products and our brand promise are irrevocably moving into the focus of a growing number of people. The development of wealth and the developing ‘savoir-vivre’ in China makes it one of the pivotal markets for Lamborghini’s future growth. The decision to establish a branch in China illustrates our dedication to opening the potential of this market for Lamborghini. Our new regional office will ensure the presence of the brand and further the prosperity of the corporation on a global scale.”

In 2008 Automobili Lamborghini expects a growth of car sales in China by 186% ( 28 cars in 2007 toward 80 in 2008). The market for luxury products is characterized by stable and solid growth and by a wide presence in practically all major economic metropolis throughout the country. At the time being, Automobili Lamborghini has three dealers located in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, one in Hong Kong, and another two will be shortly be opened in Chengdu and Qingdao. More are to be established.

Lamborghini is focused on establishing a roughly equal split of worldwide sales between the three major continental regions: Northern America, Europe and Asia.

Stephan Winkelmann has appointed Eginardo Bertoli as Country Manager of Automobili Lamborghini China. Mr Bertoli will report directly to Enrico Maffeo, Director of Sales and Customer Service worldwide, who is based at the Lamborghini headquarters in Italy. Mr. Bertoli has a strong background in the automotive industry, having worked for a range of international companies such as Fiat Powertrain Technologies, Kongsberg Automotive and Interpump Group S.p.A.

Mr Bertoli’s career has included senior positions in Italy, the USA as well as China. During his three years’ assignment for Iveco Motors in Shanghai he gained substantial experience of the Chinese market.

Zhang Xiaodong will be head of customer service China. He will manage all aftersales operations including warranty. parts and service, and will report to Eginardo Bertoli.

Source: Lamborghini

Lamborghini Reventon number 20 arrives in the UK

2009-09-03T02:47:00.000-07:00

Lamborghini delivered the last of its 20, one million euro plus taxes, Reventón cars this week, to a British customer of the official Midlands dealer, Lamborghini Birmingham.
"Our client was understandably delighted," said Lamborghini Birmingham sales manager Dominic Mulvey, who accompanied his client to Lamborghini’s Sant’Agata-based factory near Bologna. “Lamborghini’s President and CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, personally presented the Reventón to its new owner who then drove off in his new car.”

The UK-bound V12 Reventón, number 20 of 20 with a minimum 650 hp and a top speed in excess of 211 mph , is the last of the Reventón cars, all of which were sold prior to its public reveal in September 2007. It is the only Reventón being delivered to the UK. The buyer, who wishes to remain nameless, is committed to driving his car rather than simply garaging it however, so the last Reventón may well be seen throughout the country at Lamborghini, motorsport and social events.

Source: Lamborghini

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder

2009-09-03T02:42:00.001-07:00

With the new Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder, Lamborghini has created a driving experience like absolutely no other – fascinating design, breathtaking performance and extreme handling characteristics come together with all the sensual intensity and open-air pleasure that only a soft top super sports car can deliver.

An even more powerful engine, permanent all-wheel drive and an all new chassis mean that the Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder offers yet another significant increase in performance against its predecessor. With its innovative design, the new LP 560-4 Spyder takes the unique Lamborghini styling ethic to the next level; the Spyder displays this powerful and elegant design language with even greater distinctiveness, making it all the more unmistakable.

The Gallardo LP 560-4 has been on the market since early 2008, as the successor to the most successful Lamborghini of all time – since 2003, more than 8,500 models bearing the Gallardo name have left the production facility in Sant’Agata Bolognese. “The LP 560-4 is the next step in a huge success story,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “With the Spyder, we are now unveiling a car that is, quite simply, a new dimension in the latest Gallardo range. It is an entirely new model, whilst building on the substantial technical and design attributes of the Gallardo LP560-4 production strategy. The new Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder is a simply breathtaking automobile – and utterly unparalleled in its commitment to extreme motoring.”

In its new generation, the Gallardo Spyder represents more than ever before automotive passion in its purest form. As in the Coupé, its enormous power is delivered by the new 5.2 litre V10 with an output of 560 hp (412 kW) at 8,000 rpm. The increase in 40 hp (29 kW) over its predecessor, as well as the 44 pound (20 kilogram) reduction in vehicle weight, improves the power-to-weight ratio to 6.10 pounds (2.77 kg) per hp, thus improving performance even further.

The LP 560-4 Spyder takes only 4.0 seconds to sprint from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h), reaching 124 mph (0 to 200 km/h) in only 13.1 seconds and going on to a top speed of 201 mph (324 km/h). The new driveline, featuring the “Iniezione Diretta Stratificata” direct fuel injection system also makes for impressive efficiency. Despite the considerable increase in performance, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by a staggering 18 percent.

Engineers at the Ufficio Tecnico Lamborghini, Sant’Agata-based Technical Department, have also improved traction, handling and stability at high speeds. The redesigned four-wheel drive transmission, the new suspension, the improved stiffness of the Spyder bodyshell and the optimised aerodynamics all contribute to the overall improvements in the vehicle, as do the reduced weight and decreased friction throughout the components.

Thus the Gallardo LP 560-4 Spyder presents itself as a razor-sharp super sports car with the precision reactions of a high-performance athlete. The car is also surprisingly suited to long-distance driving and, despite its extreme performance capabilities, is easy to control whilst maintaining utmost stability. Above all, the impressive Lamborghini technology takes on a new, intense edge in the Spyder, with the glorious feel of the open air rushing by.

Source: Lamborghini

Original Lamborghini Miura Turin Salon Chassis found!

2009-09-03T02:33:00.000-07:00

43 years after its Turin Show debut the one-and-only 1965 Turin Salon Lamborghini Miura chassis, designed by chassis genius Gian Paolo Dallara, and the raging bull company's first-ever transverse mid-mounted V12 engine (0293) has been acquired by Los Angeles based collectors.
The iconic show chassis had been stored for the past 30 years in Cyprus by that country's original Lamborghini concessionaire, Marios Kritikos. While visiting the Lamborghini factory in 1977, Mr. Kritikos took a fancy to the historic show unit. After successfully negotiating a future home for it, he arrived at the factory with his Range Rover and trailer, loaded it and drove away. That was in April of 1978. The original invoice for the chassis survives, together with unpublished period photographs of the chassis being built in 1965, on display at the December, 1965 Turin Salon, and at the Lamborghini factory in July, 1966. Mr. Kritikos documented his collection of the car on April 7th, 1978.

The 1965 Turin Salon Miura represents the very first mid-engined supercar theme for all marques, and is rightly considered to be the Holy Grail from which all road going supercars descend. Its re-emergence represents the most important Lamborghini discovery to date.

Thirty years later, in December of 2008 representing both parties and facilitating the transaction were Miura specialists Joe Sackey (Joe Sackey Classics: www.joesackey.com) and Gary Bobileff (Bobileff Motorcar Company: www.bobileff.com). Only one month after its discovery it has been imported to the US and now resides in the restoration facility of world-renowned Gary Bobileff, where it will undergo a complete refurbishment to bring it to its former show glory.

The last time the general public saw this automotive icon was 43 years ago on display at the Turin Salon. It will make its USA debut in the summer of 2009. Details to be announced.

Veloce Publishing Ltd will publish "The Lamborghini Miura Bible" by Joe Sackey in January 2009.

Source: Veloce Publishing

Lamborghini selects lightweight Zircotec coating for Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce

2009-09-03T01:16:00.000-07:00

Automobili Lamborghini has selected automotive coating specialist Zircotec to supply a high performance thermal barrier for the lightweight Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce.
The ceramic based thermal coating is applied to the exhaust system and reduces the need for heat shields while allowing heat sensitive lightweight materials to be used in close proximity to the exhaust pipe. Zircotec’s Thermohold technology also protects other heat sensitive components from damage.

“Lamborghini previously used Zircotec for its Reventón where a durable solution to protect the composite bodywork and components around the exhaust was required,” says Zircotec’s sales and marketing director Peter Whyman. “This time the coating helped contribute to an overall weight saving of 100kg over the normal Murciélago, with 33kg of the reduction coming from the new powertrain and exhaust system.”

“Zircotec helped us in achieving the attention to detail in weight reduction on this programme,” explains Luca Meschiari, head of exhausts at Lamborghini. “Their coating helps save weight yet is also durable, and meets our requirements in terms of performance and quality more than other solutions we have seen.”

Zircotec’s Thermohold based ceramic coatings offer OEMs a robust, easily packaged solution that can dramatically inhibit the transfer of heat from exhausts and catalysts, retaining the heat inside the system to protect surrounding components.

The coating is plasma-sprayed, in effect welding it to the base material, making it more resilient during heat cycling, abrasion and life testing. The whole process eradicates the need for heatshields and wraps that add weight and complexity. Learning from their experience in F1, Zircotec can ‘tune’ the coating’s thickness to cope with ‘hot spots’, applying the optimum amount to minimise weight (as low as 0.03g/cm² for some applications).

“The Murciélago SV is a growing testament that Zircotec’s coatings help weight reduction, reduce complexity and keep the car cool,” concludes Whyman.

Source: Lamborghini.

The big smile opens in London

2009-09-02T08:06:00.000-07:00

A giant 5:1 scale model of the new Fiat 500C has just arrived in central London and opened its ‘doors’ to the public last week (Friday 28 August), as part of a fun-filled Fiat event called The Big Smile.

Situated at Parklife on London’s Oxford Street, The Big Smile will be entertaining visitors up to 8.00pm everyday until Wednesday next week, featuring roaming entertainers, free-to-enter competitions, stilt walkers and snack stalls – not to mention the chance to win the loan of a real

24 carat gold painted Aston Martin goes on auction

2009-09-01T12:02:00.001-07:00

Race Retro’s celebration of three golden at anniversaries at this year’s show, held 13-15 March at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, have taken a surprising turn as auction house H&H will have a 24 carat gold painted Aston Martin on offer.
The 1995 Aston Martin DB7 was painted in 24 carat gold, platinum and palladium leaf as ordered by the Italian Prince Rupoli who owned the car. This extravagant paint job is rumoured to have cost around £150,000 and is complimented by seven diamonds that encrust the bonnet. H&H Auctions will have the car available for viewing on the Friday of Race Retro before the car goes on auction on the Saturday and expect the golden marquee to be sold for between £45,000 and £55,000.

As the chosen marquee for this year’s event, the organisers are paying tribute to the 50th anniversary of its 1959 World Sports Car Championship win. Aston’s on display include the DBR1 and the amazing DBR9 LMGT1 representing the class wins at Le Man 2008 as well as the V8GT Rally car which will be in action on the Live Rally Stage with rally legend Rauno Aaltonen and three times British Rally Champion Mark Higgins at the wheel on Saturday and Sunday.

The other anniversaries being celebrated are fifty years of success on the World Motorsport stage for the Mini with the winning Morris Mini Cooper from the 1967 Monte Carlo Rally along with the victorious driver Rauno Aaltonen and the Morris Mini Cooper 997cc, the ex works car used by Rauno, Timo Makinen and driven by Paddy Hopkirk in 1963 Monte Carlo Rally will also appear along with the Mini Clubman four wheel drive.

For those who prefer two wheeled racers, there will be a tribute to 50 years of the Triumph Bonneville and racing Triumphs with an amazing display including the spectacular ‘Texas Cee-Gar’ streamliner as well as other racing Bonnevilles and racing Triumph models. Celebrity drivers and riders joining Rauno and Mark include Paddy Hopkirk, Russell Brookes, Mick Grant, Steve Parrish, Guy Martin, Rosemary Smith, Barry Whizzo Williams and Tony Mason.

Aston Martin Reveals Spectacular One-77 Technical Showcase

2009-09-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Aston Martin will present a One-77 technical showcase at the Geneva Auto Salon on 3 March 2009. Chassis no.1 will be on display as an exposé throughout the show detailing the quintessence of Aston Martin engineering and design expertise.
The One-77 is Aston Martin’s definitive sports car, one that epitomises everything Aston Martin from technology, the hand-craftsmanship of the hand rolled aluminium panels to the attention to detail. A culmination of all the marque’s know-how, the One-77 delivers effortless beauty guaranteed to stir the senses with performance potential eclipsing any previous Aston Martin.

With the performance and durability phase of the One-77’s intensive development programme soon to commence, the 79th Geneva Auto Salon provides the perfect stage on which to reveal the remarkable engineering, advanced technology and exotic materials that lie beneath the One-77’s extraordinary exterior.

For Aston Martin’s Chief Executive, Dr Ulrich Bez, revealing the One-77’s secrets is a proud moment: “Right from the very beginning of the project the vision for One-77 was very simple: It had to combine high-technology with hand-built craftsmanship, and demonstrate the unique capabilities and passion of our designers, engineers and technical partners.

“Quite simply it had to be the ultimate expression of Aston Martin. As you can now see, we have achieved that goal in magnificent style.”

Chris Porritt, One-77 Programme Manager continued: “We wanted to create something that wows you as much when you see what’s under the skin as the exterior styling itself. We started by identifying the most technologically exciting front-engined, rear-wheel drive cars in the world: those from the DTM race series. We then applied the principles and technology that feature heavily in their design and translated it to a road car application.”

Consequently the One-77’s structural core is a lightweight and immensely rigid carbon fibre monocoque. Conceived and designed at Aston Martin’s Gaydon HQ, the monocoque, or ‘tub’, has been built in partnership with Multimatic (MTC). As world leaders in carbon composite technology, advanced vehicle analysis and dynamic simulation, MTC brings unrivalled specialist capabilities to the exacting challenge of the One-77 programme.

Employing the classic formula of double wishbones at each corner, the One-77 features inboard suspension front and rear, with pushrods employed to transfer vertical suspension movements to the horizontally mounted spring/damper units. A practice taken directly from racing car design, the main advantages of inboard suspension are a reduction in unsprung weight and the ability to package the suspension components more effectively.

The dampers are fully adjustable and feature advanced Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) technology; a world-first for a road car application. These special valves are state-of-the-art even at the highest levels of motorsport, and use high-precision machined components to enable the shock-absorbing characteristics of the damper to be changed without having to remove them from the car, as is the norm.

Underlining the truly bespoke nature of the One-77, once delivered to its owner, the car’s suspension characteristics will be precisely set-up by Aston Martin engineers to suit their exact requirements, from settings suitable for the ultimate long-distance GT, to a machine capable of conquering the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

While functionality and efficiency are paramount in the design and construction of the One-77, so too is aesthetic beauty. To this end every single component has been crafted from the finest materials with absolute attention to detail. From the mesmerising weave of the glossy carbon fibre tub and the abstract, sculptural beauty of the dry sump’s oil reservoir, to the unerring precision of the billet machined aluminium suspension mounts, the One-77’s rolling chassis is an automotive masterpiece.

Of course the irony is that the vast majority of these exquisite components will be hidden from view in the finished car, yet each and every piece is a work of art in its own right. It’s this extraordinary workmanship and money-no-object commitment to quality that makes the One-77 unique.

Naturally, such a spectacular chassis demands – and gets – an equally exceptional drivetrain. It comes in the form of an immensely potent 7.3-litre, naturally aspirated V12 engine. Thanks to the adoption of a dry-sump oil system the engine is mounted 100mm lower than in any previous V12-engined Aston Martin road car, which helps keep the One-77’s centre-of-gravity as low as possible. To further aid agility and endow the One-77 with progressive handling and stable, predictable on-limit behaviour, the engine is also mounted 257mm aft relative to the front wheel centreline. In so doing the front-mid-engined layout shared by all of Aston Martin’s current road car range has been taken to a new level.

The One-77’s magnificent power unit is an extreme evolution of the 6.0-litre V12 engines fitted to the DBS, DB9 and new V12 Vantage models. Like the collaboration with MTC for the build of the chassis, Aston Martin has chosen a world-leading partner with which to develop the motor: legendary engine builders, Cosworth. It has proved to be the perfect collaboration, as Chris Porritt explains.

“Our brief to the engine team was for them to take the 6.0-litre V12 as far as it could go, both in terms of output and weight reduction. The targets were a power output of no less than 700bhp with a 10 per cent reduction in engine mass. Incredibly, the Aston Martin and Cosworth engineers achieved a mass reduction of some 25 per cent, and although we’ve yet to complete the final engine calibration work, I’m confident we’ll see in excess of 700bhp. It’s an awesome accomplishment, but one that’s typical of the One-77 project, for it has consistently brought out the very best in everyone involved.”

Wearing Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres (255/35 ZR20 front, 335/30 ZR20 rear) developed specifically for the One-77, all 700+bhp is transmitted to the road through the rear wheels via a new six-speed gearbox. Controlled via column-mounted paddles behind the steering wheel, this robotised sequential manual is a new generation of Aston Martin’s familiar transmission. Though it is made specifically for the One-77 and features specially strengthened internals to cope with the tremendous power and torque, the lessons learned in its development will ultimately find their way into the company’s series production models.

It’s a mark of the inherent capabilities of Aston Martin’s acclaimed lightweight Carbon Ceramic Matrix brake technology that it has been used as the basis for the One-77’s braking system. The internals of the callipers have been re-engineered to transmit less heat from the brake pads into the brake fluid, while the discs themselves have been developed to ensure the maximum possible contact area between the face of the disc and the brake pads for improved stopping power. Due to the One-77’s increased performance, special attention has also been paid to brake cooling, as the brakes have less time to cool between bursts of acceleration.

With a projected weight of 1,500kg the One-77 will occupy the very highest echelons of road car performance. Top speed is confidently predicted to be in excess of 200mph, with a 0-60mph time in approximately 3.5sec. Perhaps more importantly, thanks to the purity of a front-engined, rear-drive layout, the responsiveness and immense tractability of a naturally aspirated V12 and the low mass, high-rigidity properties of a carbon fibre chassis, the One-77 promises a driving experience of unrivalled intensity and excitement while representing the world’s most desirable automotive art form.

Source: Aston Martin

New Lexus IS 250C revealed

2009-09-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

The new Lexus IS 250C, which will go on sale this summer, combines the sharp styling of the IS saloon range with open-top engineering ingenuity. The result is top-down driving pleasure with uncompromised dynamic performance.
True to Lexus’s legendary quality and attention detail, the new IS 250C has been engineered to achieve excellent aerodynamics, torsional rigidity, NVH levels and safety performance in both coupe and convertible configurations.

The lightweight roof structure can be opened or closed in just 20 seconds, the fastest time for any three-part folding roof system on the market. And thanks to the compact packaging of the folding mechanism, it takes up minimal space in the boot, giving the car class-leading load space, generous rear seat access and spacious rear passenger accommodation.

The IS 250C shares its 204bhp (208 DIN hp) 2.5-litre V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission with the IS 250 saloon. It is styled to minimise wind turbulence when driving with the roof stowed, while extensive revisions to the body structure and suspension provide a high level of torsional rigidity. This ensures ride comfort and, when the car is in coupe guise, class-leading NVH performance. Where safety is concerned, Lexus has engineered and equipped the car to achieve a top five-star rating in independent Euro NCAP crash testing.

The IS 250C is the third model in the IS Range, joining the petrol and diesel IS saloons and the ultra-high performance IS-F.

Exterior Design
The IS 250C builds on the L-finesse design characteristics of the IS saloon, with elegant proportions, sweeping lines and contrasting convex and concave surfacing. In spite of its close relationship to the saloon, it only shares a handful of common body elements: bonnet, headlamps, door handles and door mirrors. All other body panels have been redesigned to harmonise with the convertible’s folding roof.

The front overhang has been increased by 15mm to improve aerodynamic efficiency when driving with the top down. There is also a new fog lamp design, integrated in the deep front air dam. In profile the IS 250C is characterised by muscular coachwork below a pronounced, rising beltline that kicks up towards the rear. The steeply raked windscreen flows seamlessly in the aerodynamic arc of the roofline, while the crisp C-pillar is integrated into the folding roof structure.

In coupe guise, the cabin tapers towards the rear, giving a fluid transition from the roofline through the C-pillar to the luggage compartment.

At the rear there are new combination light clusters with distinctive linear LED illumination, and a high-mounted LED stop light built into the upper lip of the boot lid.

With the hard top stowed the IS 250C’s elegant profile is punctuated only by the roll-over hoops behind the rear headrests. None of the roof mechanism elements remain in view or project above the car’s waistline, reinforcing the sweep of the beltline; the entire roof system is concealed beneath the boot surface and the flush-fitting rear parcel shelf.

Interior Design and Comfort
The IS 250C shares the saloon’s high levels of interior luxury and practical innovation, with a number of bespoke technical revisions to ensure the on-board comfort and entertainment systems work effectively when driving in convertible mode.

The low profile front sports seats are heated and ventilated and have a new arched frame with an integral seatbelt guide. Extra comfort for top-down driving is provided by additional heating pads at shoulder height, increased heater capacity and greater ventilation airflow.

The two full-size rear seats are set 30mm further inboard than those of the IS saloon to optimise headroom and are separated by a centre console with integrated cupholders. Ample legroom is provided thanks to the more slender profile of the front seats and a class-leading 542mm between the rear H-point to the front seatback.

Access to the rear seats is made easier by an increase of 300mm in the length of the front doors, compared to the saloon. The front seats have a one-touch walk-in button which automatically folds and slides the seat forwards.

Generous luggage space has been achieved by lengthening the rear overhang by 50mm and exceptionally compact packaging of the folding roof structure. With the hard top in place capacity is 583 litres; with the roof down it is 235 litres. The IS 250C is the only car in its class to be able to accommodate a nine-inch golf bag with the hard top stowed and the luggage cover in place.

The instrument panel and surrounding interior components are the same as on the IS saloon. However, the instrument binnacle has been extensively revised to ensure visibility in open-top driving. The dial colour has been changed, LED contrast increased and the transmissivity of the glass reduced from 30 to 20 per cent. The shape of the needles has been changed and the dials themselves gain metal-tone bezels, and the central multi-display screen adds a hard-top operation status indicator. The scrupulous attention to detail extends to the rear view mirror, which has a shorter, strengthened mount to minimise shake.

The climate control system has been configured for top-down motoring with the addition of a speed sensitive control that automatically increases air flow in roof-down mode, further increasing the flow according to vehicle speed.

The LCD touch screen controls for the audio and navigation systems have been improved with a redesigned set-up screen and extra tabs for the audio functions. Both the standard eight-speaker 246W premium sound system and the 12-speaker 365W Mark Levinson Surround System gain equaliser tuning to provide consistent audio quality whether the roof is up or down, automatically adapting to the loss of bass when the roof is stowed.

Both systems provide USB and audio jack plug connectivity for full control of personal music players such as iPods. Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity is also provided, with an audio/video streaming function. Using the hard disk drive (HDD) in the Lexus Navigation system, the audio unit includes a sound library facility, which uses Compact Disc Data Base technology to transfer music files up to a 10GB capacity.

The new Lexus Navigation System has a 40GB HDD capacity, making it one of the fastest and most accurate systems on the market. It covers the whole of Europe and recognises the traffic information infrastructure of each country. The voice recognition function has been upgraded, with four additional languages. The new menu can be operated in 14 languages, including Cyrillic characters.

Three-part Folding Roof
The IS 250C’s folding roof structure is made entirely of lightweight aluminium and has the fastest opening and closing time of any three-part roof at 20 seconds.

Developed with the benefit of the quality and attention to detail Lexus gained with its SC convertible, the folding hard top uses 15 motors and 35 sensors to achieve an unparalleled level of smooth, seamless and silent operation.

The entire headlining is trimmed in fabric for quality and acoustic comfort. Attention to detail on the seals also improves acoustic performance and ensures the roof is watertight against rain, car washes and even high-pressure cleaning jets.

The ultra-quiet operating mechanism is activated by a button on the dashboard. It has a unique “roof brake” component, which slows the closing action as the hard top approaches the top edge of the windscreen. Unlike other systems where the weight of the roof causes the closing speed to increase just before the point of closure, the IS 250C’s hard top descends smoothly into place.

Because the folding operation extends the upper boot lip 250mm beyond the rear bumper, the system incorporates a clearance sonar safety system, integrated in the rear bumper. If the system detects any obstacles between 350 and 450mm from the rear bumper, it will remain operational, but will alert the driver with a proximity warning. If an obstacle is located within 350mm, the system automatically becomes inoperable, and a warning is given to the driver. All driver warnings from the clearance sonar and the operational status of the hard-top appear on the multi-display screen in the instrument binnacle.

Aerodynamics and Wind Stream Management
The IS 250C has been designed to combine the lowest possible drag coefficient with minimal wind turbulence affecting the open cabin. Thanks to the steeply raked windscreen, ultra-smooth cabin profile and aerodynamically efficient duck-tail rear styling with an ‘airkick’ effect in the rear lamp clusters, the coupe-convertible has a drag coefficient of 0.29, which compares favourably with the 0.27 Cd rating for the IS saloon.

Lexus engineers focused their attention on reducing wind turbulence and generating the most comfortable airflow characteristics for occupants when the roof is lowered. The angle of the windscreen and the highly detailed design of its top edge make a major contribution to the exceptionally low wind

turbulence those on board experience around the face, shoulders and thighs, even without the optional rear seat wind deflector in place.

A comprehensive array of underbody covers, combined with new under-bracing to give maximum torsional rigidity, is central to the IS 250C’s aerodynamic performance. The covers include a front spoiler, an engine undercover with aerodynamic steps to promote a Venturi effect, a transmission undercover, front and rear wheel spats, full floor and fuel tank covers, a rear suspension cover and a rear floor diffuser with vertical fin and airfoil.

The Venturi effect at the front of the car, the flat middle section and the rear diffuser effect ensure a smooth and fast airflow beneath the car, reducing lift and aerodynamic drag, significantly improving high speed vehicle stability.

High Rigidity, High Strength Bodyshell
The IS 250C features numerous structural changes to provide collision strength, roll-over protection and torsional rigidity, minimising cowl shake and improving chassis controllability.

Torsional rigidity is increased through extensive underfloor bracing, including front and rear V-shaped torque box braces, a front underfloor trapezoidal brace and a rear suspension brace.

Front, upper and floor level crossmembers have been incorporated and gussets joining the upper part of the B-pillar to the upper rear crossmember contain body deformation in the event of a side impact. There is also a sub-latch mounted on the trailing edge of the door impact beam, which transmits side impact energy to the lower B-pillar.

The A-pillar is made from ultra-high tensile sheet steel. The lower part of the A-pillar has a combined centre plate and boot plate structure and the lower section of the B-pillar has a plate added to suppress any surface buckling due to the height difference between the upper surface of the rocker panel and the strengthened rear floor crossmember. The rocker panel itself has a larger cross-section, 55mm taller and 29mm wider than that of the saloon, giving better torsional and flexural rigidity and collision strength.

Ride and Handling
The IS 250C uses the proven front double wishbone and rear multi-link suspension design of the IS saloon, giving sporting, agile driving. However, significant chassis revisions have been made to give greater ride comfort appropriate for a convertible and ensure consistent dynamic performance in both coupe and convertible guise.

To achieve the best ride comfort, the front suspension coil springs and dampers have been fine tuned, the torsional stiffness of the suspension bushing has been reduced, and the shape of the front anti-roll bar has been adjusted. The Electronic Power Steering benefits from a bespoke gear ratio for maximum vehicle controllability and stability.

Revisions to the rear suspension include tuning of the springs and dampers for improved ride comfort, high capacity rubber mounts for reduced vibration, and reductions in the torsional rigidity of the bushes. This further improves ride comfort through smooth suspension movement with minimal alignment change. The rear toe-control arm has been redesigned, a performance ring has been added to the suspension tower, and the upper support has been lowered by 38.5mm to increase rigidity, increase luggage space in the boot and improve linear yaw response.

Noise, Vibration and Harshness
The chassis and bodyshell revisions, together with extensive temperature, vibration and shaking tests, have been implemented to ensure that in coupe configuration the IS 250C demonstrates class-leading NVH characteristics.

Comprehensive underfloor bracing and the use of high tensile strength sheet steel cross-bracing promote high body structure rigidity to eliminate body and cowl shake. Fine-tuning of the front and rear suspension and revisions to the mountings reduce vibration at idle and minimise both noise transmission and vibration from the road surface. And the effective deployment of sound insulation, in particular in the rear partition, further minimises booming, road and engine noise.

Acoustic windscreen glass and optimised roof, door and window panel seals give the IS 250C class-leading low wind noise levels.

Safety
The IS 250C has been designed to achieve a maximum five-star rating in both Euro and US NCAP crash testing, offering world-class safety in both coupe and convertible configuration.

Following the example of the IS saloon range, the IS 250C benefits from the highest content of active and passive safety technology in the segment, including Lexus’s Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDIM). This incorporates Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) specifically tuned for an open-body car and to ensure shorter stopping distances on split-friction road surfaces; a revised Pre-Crash Safety (PCS) system; and the world’s first twin-chamber passenger front airbag.

In open-top driving safety performance is further improved with a new, larger design side airbag that provides head protection in the event of a side impact. The bodyshell has also been equipped with extra energy absorbing side impact pads for front and rear seat occupants.

Source: Lexus

Giugiaro supercar revives a classic British nameplate

2009-09-01T11:49:00.001-07:00

It seems almost every brand from the automotive industry’s past is ripe for revival – no matter how long ago cars bearing the brand last rolled off the production line.
The latest candidate is Frazer-Nash, a British sports and racing car maker whose roots date back to the 1920s – but which last made a car in the late 1950s. The company doing the reviving is none other than Italdesign-Giugiaro, and the new Frazer-Nash is a radical hybrid electric car, the fastest of its type in the world.

Why Frazer-Nash? The company has never disappeared, and indeed, a successor firm to the original automaker is playing a major role in the project. Frazer-Nash Research is now part of the Kamkorp group and specialises in developing electric drivetrains for hybrid cars and mass transit systems.

The new Frazer-Nash Namir supercar – the name is Arabic for Tiger – is designed to showcase the company’s technology – it’s not at the moment intended to signal the relaunch of the nameplate. The car has been styled by Fabrizio Giugiaro, and built at the company’s Turin design and engineering centre. It has a carbon-fibre monocoque chassis with honeycomb panels that encloses the rear suspension and weighs of just 110kg.

Unveiling the car, Fabrizio Giugiaro said he had based the distinctive styling around the Frazer-Nash diamond logo, while the interior is intended to be a modern take on British luxury. “It was a pleasure to work with a name that has made automobile history,” he said.

The really interesting part of the car is Frazer-Nash’s own contribution – the hybrid powertrain, which combines an 814cc endothermic rotary engine with four electric motors with an equivalent output of 370hp. This gives startling performance of 0-100kmh in 3.5sec and 0-200kmh in 10.4 sec, plus a 300kmh (187mph) top speed. But being a hybrid, the car can travel for 39km on a litre of fuel, emitting less than 60g/km of CO2.

The rotary engine runs on petrol and acts as a generator that charges the lithium polymer power cells, and a 50-litre fuel tank capacity gives a total autonomy of almost 2,000km. “It was an interesting and profitable collaboration that resulted in a unique vehicle with very exciting performance levels in terms of speed and pick-up, above all in terms of low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions,” said Fabrizio Giugiaro.

Top model Jodie takes first eco test drive

2009-09-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

Supermodel Jodie Kidd became the first person in the UK to take a Fiat ‘eco’ test drive in a new initiative designed to highlight the benefits of environmentally-friendly motoring.
Six foot two inch tall Jodie used a new Fiat 500 city car to take her eco:test at the start of the new programme, which is being piloted through 10 Fiat dealerships in the Greater London area. If successful, it could be rolled out across the UK.

Under the initiative, every customer who visits a participating Fiat dealer will be offered the chance to take an eco test drive. It’s similar to a standard test drive of a new car, but it also measures drivers’ performance in terms of the environment.

“The Fiat 500 is a lovely car,” said Jodie Kidd. “And eco:Drive technology is absolutely right for the moment. People should be thinking more about their driving and the environment – it’s a great idea.”

The test uses eco:Drive, Fiat’s unique technology employing the widely acclaimed Blue&Me entertainment and communications system. Plugging a USB key into the Blue& Me port allows eco:Drive to record information about your driving style. Inserting the USB into a computer then shows how you performed and how you can become a more efficient driver.

The system analyses driving techniques and awards marks out of 100, providing a score on an eco:Index. This shows how efficiently you have driven based on acceleration, deceleration, gear changes, and speed. Step-by-step tutorials then help you improve the score, showing you how to perfect your driving.

Test drives are, for some, questionable from an environmental perspective, yet everyone wants to test a car before they buy to make sure they like it, said Elena Bernardelli, marketing director Fiat Group Automobiles UK. “Our test drive allows them to test the car, ascertains how they drive in environmental terms and gives them tips on improving, regardless of whether they buy from us or not.”

Meanwhile, the Fiat Bravo is now eco:Drive enabled, giving the stylish family hatchback the same capability as the 500 and Grande Punto. During 2009 the system will be extended to all Fiat models which feature Blue&Me.

Porsche to debut the Cayenne Diesel and 911 GT3 in Germany

2009-09-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, will debut its Cayenne Diesel, the second generation of the 911 GT3, as well as the new Boxster and Cayman models, for the first time in Germany at the 19th AMI Auto Show, which will be held between March 28 and April 5.
“Since the opening of our Leipzig plant in August 2002 Porsche and the Leipzig region have been closely affiliated. Therefore it is a given that Porsche will once again be represented at the AMI, emphasizes Bernhard Maier, Chairman of the Executive Board at Porsche Deutschland GmbH. “Our commitment in Leipzig shows the high value that Porsche places on the German market,” further explains Maier.

For the Cayenne Diesel its debut at the AMI means a true “home game” because it will be built in the Porsche plant only a few miles away. A particular treat for sports car fans is that Porsche will unveil the new 911 GT3 for the first time in Germany during Press Day on March 27. With 435 HP (320 kW) and a top speed of 312 km/h, it is stronger and faster than its predecessor and will be available at dealerships starting in May. Porsche cars will be on show in Hall 5 and can be viewed daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Source: Porsche

Fast start for Soul with first award

2009-09-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

It’s fun, it’s distinctive and if you don’t ‘get it’, you’re too old’ said Steve Chalmers, editor of Fast Car magazine, about the new Soul Burner when it was chosen as ‘Best New Model’ for 2009 in the annual Fast Car magazine Awards.
First shown as a concept at the Detroit motor show in 2006, Soul emerged as a trio of concepts at Geneva in March 2008 and finally in full production-ready guise at Paris in September 2008 before going on sale in the UK at the start of March this year.

Readers of Fast Car, one of the biggest selling tuning and styling lifestyle titles in the UK, define trends and help to set the style for the modified car culture.

Steve Chalmers added; ‘Kia has taken a concept car, kept the best attributes and put it on the road. We couldn’t believe that Kia had followed through from an awesome concept to production with the 18-inch wheels, dragon decal and distinctive red detailing. We’re looking forward to seeing more Kia motors in the pages of Fast Car in the future.’

The UK model range has taken it’s inspiration from the Geneva trio, adopting a five model line-up – entry level Soul 1, volume model Soul 2 and the ‘Soul Originals’, made up of three unique characters. The Soul Samba, Shaker and Burner take on individual styles and looks. Samba, only available in Tornado Red, features 18-inch five spoke alloy wheels, privacy glass and an eight-speaker stereo system with sub-woofer and separate amplifier.

Shaker wears Vanilla Shake paintwork, houses a vivid houndstooth interior and clever reversing camera with a display in the rear view mirror whilst Burner takes it to the extreme – black paintwork, black wheels, bright red front grille and matching red wing mirrors. The whole car is emblazoned with a silhouette of a dragon in contrasting dark grey.

Paul Philpott, Managing Director, Kia Motors UK Ltd., said ‘Fast Car knows what it’s readers like and there’s no hiding from their straight talking opinions. Kia may not have been the first choice brand for the Fast Car treatment in the past, but this award shows that Kia is moving in the right direction, offering new and unique products appealing to much a wider audience’.

Kia Soul is available from all Kia dealers now with prices starting at under £10,500.

Source: Kia