Lorenzo worried by tyre degradation

Jorge Lorenzo said his Yamaha suffered from tyre degradation in practice for MotoGP's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Lorenzo leads the championship after passing Honda's Casey Stoner for the lead in the latter stages of this season's opening round in Qatar, but he has concerns in Spain after he and team-mate Ben Spies suffered from tyre problems in the mixed conditions of practice

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/lorenzo-worried-by-tyre-degradation

Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith

Tommy Baldwin Racing NASCAR Nationwide Series Advance: Richmond International Raceway

Ryan Blaney - Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCARRace: Virginia 529 College Savings 250 NASCAR Nationwide Series: 7 of 33 Track: Richmond International Raceway Track Length: .75 miles Date: April 27, 2012 Ryan Blaney will make his NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) debut this weekend in the Tommy Baldwin Racing (TBR) No. 36...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/nationwide/04/26/tommy-baldwin-racing-nascar-nationwide-series-advance-richmond-international-raceway/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tommy-baldwin-racing-nascar-nationwide-series-advance-richmond-international-raceway

Bruce Halford Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton

Power stretches winning streak

Will Power took his third IndyCar Series win in succession with his victory in a chaotic race around the streets of Sao Paulo. The Penske driver started from pole and looked in control for most of the afternoon, although he was forced to survive a number of restarts due to a string of accidents behind him.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/power-stretches-winning-streak

Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner

2012 NNS Virginia 529 College Savings 250 Final Practice Session Speeds

2012 NNS Ricky Stenhouse Cockpit - Photo Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images for NASCARIn the only practice session being held for tonight’s NNS Virginia 529 College Savings 250 race at Richmond International Raceway, it was the defending series champion, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., with a lap speed of 122.990 mph, showing the quickest way around the 0.75 mile...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/nationwide/04/27/2012-nns-virginia-529-college-savings-250-final-practice-session-speeds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2012-nns-virginia-529-college-savings-250-final-practice-session-speeds

Jesús Iglesias Taki Inoue Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine

Fiat Viaggio: A Re-Re-Gifted Dodge Dart for China [Beijing Auto Show]

The journey that Alfa Romeo’s Giulietta compact has taken from sporty, Euro-only Italian hatchback to global sedan staple reads like a biblical epic. At first, there was only the Alfa Giulietta. Chrysler then swoopeth down and taketh the Giulietta, stretching it and widening it into the 2013 Dodge Dart. Now, Chrysler giveth the Dart-ifed Giulietta [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/Hvphr_hKKG4/2013-fiat-viaggio-auto-shows

Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan Al Keller

Salazar: WRC harder than Dakar

Former Formula 1 racer Eliseo Salazar has admitted Rally Argentina is proving tougher than he expected, with the 57-year-old describing Friday's opening day as harder than a day on Dakar. Salazar, who is driving a Mini John Cooper Works WRC this week, has competed on the Dakar twice, but the 120-mile opening day of Rally Argentina was a tall order for the World Rally Car rookie. "In Dakar, OK, you do five or six hours and then you go relax and go in the hotel," said Salazar

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/world-rally-championship-news/wrc/salazar-wrc-harder-than-dakar

Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler

Menu leads Slovakia practice two

Chevrolet's Alain Menu topped the timesheets in World Touring Car free practice two at the Slovakia Ring. The Swiss racer, who is chasing a 24-point deficit to team-mate Yvan Muller in the drivers' standings, recorded a fastest time of 2m13.837s. Reigning world champion Muller finished 0.477 seconds behind Menu in second position

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/touring-cars/wtcc/menu-leads-slovakia-practice-two

Juan Jover Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan Ukyo Katayama

Five Questions Before... the Capital City 400

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/five-questions-before-capital-city-400.html

Billy Garrett Jo Gartner Tony Gaze Geki

Power stretches winning streak

Will Power took his third IndyCar Series win in succession with his victory in a chaotic race around the streets of Sao Paulo. The Penske driver started from pole and looked in control for most of the afternoon, although he was forced to survive a number of restarts due to a string of accidents behind him.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/power-stretches-winning-streak

Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte

Hamilton fastest in Malaysian GP practice (PA SportsTicker)

By CHRIS LINES AP Auto Racing Writer

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/hamilton-fastest-in-malaysian-gp-practice-pa-sportsticker.html

Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard Bobby Grim

Toyota Yundong Shuangqing Concept: What’s Happening, Hybrid Hot Stuff? [Beijing Auto Show]

Toyota brought three concepts to the Beijing auto show, but only one—the Yundong Shuangqing hybrid—can claim to be inspired by clouds. (Details on Toyota’s two additional Beijing auto show debutantes can be found here). (more…)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/yfBqhjHKM3Q/toyota-yundong-shuangqing-concept-news

Brian Gubby André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra

DENNY HAMLIN SHORT TRACK SHOWDOWN AT RICHMOND – TONY STEWART WINS

RESULTS 1. (4) Tony Stewart, Columbus, Ind., Chevrolet, 75 laps, 68.274 mph. 2. (1) Greg Edwards, Poquoson, Va., Ford, 75. 3. (2) Brandon Butler, Sutherland, Va., Chevrolet, 75. 4. (6) Jeff Burton, South Boston, Va., Chevrolet, 75. 5. (10) Joey Logano, Middletown, Conn., Toyota, 75. 6. (13) Ben Rhodes, Louisville, Ky., Ford, 75. 7. (3) [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/27/denny-hamlin-short-track-showdown-at-richmond-tony-stewart-wins-results-finish-order/

Yves Giraud Cabantous Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock Helm Glöckler

Video: Watch a vintage Lamborghini Cheetah SUV promo

Filed under: Concept Cars, Truck, Videos, Lamborghini, Military, Off-Road

Lamborghini was in the off-road business before the cult classic LM002, cooperating with MTI on a military vehicle concept dubbed Cheetah in the mid-seventies that it hoped to sell to the U.S. armed forces. The 4,500-pound, fiberglass-bodied troop carrier used a 5.9-liter, 180-horsepower Chrysler engine mounted in back. Hardly Cheetah-like, the vehicle delivered lackluster performance and didn't handle well.

Even worse, it was a badly translated copy of a vehicle already made by another firm, which landed MTI and Lamborghini in court when the Cheetah was revealed at the 1977 Geneva Motor Show. The U.S. military tested the sole prototype and totaled it.

Perhaps this is the worst part: the Cheetah was such an expensive failure for Lamborghini that it was one of the reasons the company was unable to follow through on its commitment to BMW for the M1 project.

And with that history lesson digested, you'll get even more wry satisfaction from the narrator's dialogue in the Cheetah promo video, which you'll find just below.

Continue reading Watch a vintage Lamborghini Cheetah SUV promo

Watch a vintage Lamborghini Cheetah SUV promo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/28/watch-a-vintage-lamborghini-cheetah-suv-promo/

David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch

Report: 40% of McLaren MP4-12Cs bound for the U.S.

Niche automakers face a difficult decision: lay out the mountain of cash it takes to have their exotic rides certified for American roads, or save the money and miss out on one of the largest markets. McLaren Automotive had the new MP4-12C homologated for the United States, and now they're thankful that they did.

According to Motor Trend, a whopping 40 percent of the 1000 orders for the MP4-12C that McLaren has taken so far have been placed by customers in the US, through its extensive dealer network here.

It was a surprise most of all for Antony Sheriff, the American who serves as McLaren Automotive's managing director. From his experiences as a racing fan on this side of the Atlantic, he felt that McLaren lacked the brand recognition that names like Ferrari and Lamborghini enjoy in a market that's had an on-again, off-again relationship with Formula One.

With the MP4-12C already off to an auspicious start, the focus at McLaren's high-tech facility in Woking, England, has turned to expanding the lineup. The successor to the legendary McLaren F1 is in the works, and the rumormill suggests that both a convertible version of the MP4-12C and a stripped-down, hardcore variant in the mold of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia and Porsche 911 GT3 RS are also being developed. As for those shooting-brake rumors, we haven't been holding our breath, and wouldn't suggest you do, either.

40% of McLaren MP4-12Cs bound for the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/28/40-of-mclaren-mp4-12cs-bound-for-the-u-s/

Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman Hans Herrmann

Hirvonen keeps Loeb’s lead in check

Sebastien Loeb continues to lead Rally Argentina after the first day two loop, but his Citroen team-mate Mikko Hirvonen is not letting him get away. When Loeb charged from fourth to first in short order on Friday afternoon, it looked like he was set to pull clear and stretch his unbeaten Argentina run. Hirvonen had other ideas, and although Loeb was 3.8 seconds quicker on Saturday's first stage, fastest times on the next two meant the gap came back down to 2.1s.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/world-rally-championship-news/wrc/hirvonen-keeps-loebs-lead-in-check

Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet

Ron Hornaday - Heart and Soul of a Champion

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/ron-hornaday-heart-and-soul-of-champion.html

Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

Ryan Blaney surprises in Nationwide debut

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/28/2031225/ryan-blaney-surprises-in-nationwide.html

Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin

Mike Conway signs with AJ Foyt Racing for the 2012 Indy Car season

AJ Foyt Racing Mike Conway London, UK - Tuesday 20th December 2011 Long Beach Grand Prix winner Mike Conway has signed with AJ Foyt Racing to drive the No. 14 ABC Supply Honda in the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series....

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/mike_conway_signs_with_aj.php

Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr

Audi A6L e-tron Concept Debuts, Features Plug-In Hybrid Powertrain [Beijing Auto Show]

The Audi A6L e-tron concept is the latest addition to the company’s growing family of e-tron concept cars and production models. Although we may never get the A6L here in the U.S., we may get an A6 e-tron. Keep Reading: Audi A6L E-tron Concept – Auto Shows

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/O1gpyYp9I0U/audi-a6l-e-tron-concept-auto-shows

Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover Oswald Karch

5 Questions After ... STP 400

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/5-questions-after-stp-400.html

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard

Fontana Tough to Watch but NASCAR Drivers Love to Race: Fan Opinion (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

NASCAR Sprint Cup returns to the West Coast to race the two-mile Auto Club Speedway in Fontana March 25. Fontana is a double-edged sword for NASCAR. The track is a favorite for drivers because it is smooth, wide and racy but for fans it is a long, drawn out race that usually ends...

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/fontana-tough-to-watch-but-nascar-drivers-love-to-race-fan-opinion-yahoo-contributor-network.html

Tom Jones Juan Jover Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan

Marquez secures home Moto2 pole

Qatar Moto2 race-winner Marc Marquez maintained his strong start to the season by securing pole position at Jerez. The Spaniard broke clear of a group of six riders, all of whom had been trading fastest times, with a 1m43.355s just under 20 minutes from the session's end. It was always likely that would be bettered, and so it proved as Marquez twice went faster, shaving more than three tenths off his benchmark.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/marquez-secures-home-moto2-pole

Piercarlo Ghinzani Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson Gimax

Pommer leads second F2 practice

Markus Pommer setting the fastest lap of the weekend so far as the track dried and drivers switched to slicks for the second Formula 2 practice session at Portimao in Portugal.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/pommer-leads-second-f2-practice

James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III

Fast Facts: Mark Martin

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/fast-facts-mark-martin.html

Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa

Casey Weston to Perform Bojangles’ Southern 500 National Anthem

Casey Weston - Publicity PhotoNashville-based recording artist and former finalist on TV’s popular “The Voice” to attend her first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway DARLINGTON, S.C. (April 27, 2012) – Casey Weston, Nashville-based recording artist and former finalist on the popular TV show, “The Voice,” will perform the National Anthem for the...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/27/casey-weston-to-perform-bojangles-southern-500-national-anthem/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=casey-weston-to-perform-bojangles-southern-500-national-anthem

Ignazio Giunti Timo Glock Helm Glöckler Paco Godia

Kurt Busch gives brother a win

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/27/2030001/kurt-busch-gives-brother-a-win.html

Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton

Official: ABT introduces 240-HP tuned VW Beetle

Filed under: Aftermarket, Hatchback, Volkswagen, Specialty

Maybe you want a Volkswagen Beetle that does more than merely get noticed. Maybe you want a Beetle that... provokes. If so, you need to give German tuner ABT Sportsline a call.

Tweaks are made to the 2.0-liter turbo that add 40 horsepower. A front spoiler, wheels anywhere from 18 to 20 inches, and oval tailipes boost the aggression. Headlight covers make it look mean, and the "carbon-look deco set" with red trim makes it unforgettable.

The result is the Beetle Limousine 5CO, and if you're a configurating kind of guy, then ABT will let you toy around with the options. Otherwise there's a press release if you scroll below and a high-res gallery above.

Continue reading ABT introduces 240-HP tuned VW Beetle

ABT introduces 240-HP tuned VW Beetle originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/28/abt-introduces-240-hp-tuned-vw-beetle/

Joe James John James Jean Pierre Jarier Max Jean

Pedrosa denies Rossi in Jerez practice

Dani Pedrosa denied Valentino Rossi the top spot in a wet second MotoGP practice session at Jerez.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/pedrosa-denies-rossi-in-jerez-practice

Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover

Free Parking: The Agony and the Lunacy

A reader passes on this notice, one of many distributed on Park Slope windshields. We present it without further comment.

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/04/27/free-parking-the-agony-and-the-lunacy/

Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle

Yamaha and PETRONAS Conclude MotoGP Partnership

Yamaha Racing Sunday, 01 Jan 2012 As 2011 draws to a close it marks the end of a successful partnership between Yamaha's Factory MotoGP Team and PETRONAS....

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/yamaha_and_petronas_concl.php

Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

2012 NSCS Capital City 400 Pre-Race Q&A with Toyota Motorsports Driver, Martin Truex, Jr.

2012 NSCS Martin Truex Jr., and Team Owner Michael Waltrip - Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCARMARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 56 NAPA Brakes Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing How meaningful will it be when you get your next victory? “I like the way you say it, ‘When I get the next victory,’ but yeah...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/27/2012-nscs-capital-city-400-pre-race-qa-with-toyota-motorsports-driver-martin-truex-jr/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2012-nscs-capital-city-400-pre-race-qa-with-toyota-motorsports-driver-martin-truex-jr

Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González

Tony Stewart wins the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/tony-stewart-wins-denny-hamlin-short.html

Olivier Gendebien Marc Gené Elmer George Bob Gerard

In The Hunt with RCR: Kansas

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/in-hunt-with-rcr-kansas.html

Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya

Phil Juhring Wins Season 1 2012 NiCBS Championship

The final week of the season saw the iRacing.com Class B Series travel to Richmond International Raceway, to run the final races of the season under the lights. Phil Juhring (New Jersey) came into Richmond as the point’s leader and planned to leave as the champion. The final week of the season saw 566 drivers attempt at least one race while 191 drivers attempted one lap in qualifying. The last SoF race of the season took place at the usual time and had an SoF of 4374. The race had 25 drivers and paid 279 points to win. Jason Karlavige (Pennsylvania) once again dominated the race. Karlavige started on pole and lead 106 laps on his way to a 1 second victory over Brad Mahar (New England). “The last two [...]

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/nascar-news/phil-juhring-wins-season-1-2012-nicbs-championship

Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison

Spies says his season starts at Jerez

Ben Spies says his 2012 MotoGP campaign starts at Jerez after a disastrous opening weekend in Qatar.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/spies-says-his-season-starts-at-jerez

Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton

Newman/Haas withdraws Indianapolis 500 entry

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/27/2029767/newmanhaas-withdraws-indianapolis.html

Jacky Ickx Yuji Ide Jesús Iglesias Taki Inoue

Feds Reject Loan Application for Cuomo’s Transit-less Tappan Zee Bridge

In a major rebuke to the Cuomo administration’s plans for a transit-less Tappan Zee Bridge, the federal government rejected New York State’s application for a low-interest federal loan yesterday. The loan, which would have been made under the popular TIFIA program, was an important component of Cuomo’s plans to finance the new Tappan Zee.
The longer [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/04/26/feds-reject-loan-application-for-cuomos-transit-less-tappan-zee-bridge/

Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards

Video: Audi releases first Truth in 24 II trailer

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Audi

Three years ago, Audi released the documentary Truth in 24 highlighting its three-car effort at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite the Four Ring's success at the race in the last decade, they were undoubtedly the underdogs to the much faster Peugeot teams that year, making for a Hollywood-like ending when Audi managed to take home the victory with teamwork and a little help from the weather.

The first film was such a success that Audi announced earlier this year that they would release Truth in 24 II, once again featuring their three-car team battling Peugeot at the world's most famous endurance race. We're fully expecting the film to be packed with drama, as last year's 24 Hours of Le Mans was one of the most action-packed and closest races of all time. Two bad crashes ended the race for two of the Audi teams, leaving a single R18 TDI to battle the Peugeots.

Sadly, with Peugeot having pulled out of the sport quite suddenly in January, it will also be the last such battle at Le Mans for the foreseeable future - all the more reason to watch the documentary when it comes out in a few weeks. For now we just have the trailer, which you can watch by scrolling below.

Continue reading Audi releases first Truth in 24 II trailer

Audi releases first Truth in 24 II trailer originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/27/audi-releases-first-truth-in-24-ii-trailer/

Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert

Dissected: Lotus-Based Infiniti Emerg-E Sports-Car Concept

One could barely walk through a major international auto show in the last couple of  years without tripping over a hybrid or electric sports-car concept. On its Geneva show stand this year, Infiniti unveiled a flagship mid-engined sports car that’s also a plug-in hybrid. While the car, called Emerg-E, is just a concept for now, [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/l-5BaDxiQ4A/dissected-lotus-based-infiniti-emerg-e-sports-car-concept-feature

Brian Gubby André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra Roberto Guerrero

Stoner unsure about arm pump

Casey Stoner said that the wet conditions in MotoGP's first and second practice sessions at Jerez prevented him from assessing the arm pump problems he suffered in Qatar. Stoner was leading in Qatar when he developed an arm pump issue that allowed Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo and his Honda team-mate Dani Pedroza through to claim first and second. The Honda rider has been treated since the Losail race using similar methods to those used in 2010 when he had the same issue at Silverstone.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/stoner-unsure-about-arm-pump

Ukyo Katayama Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan

Lamborghini’s Latest Trademark Application: “Huracán”

Just months after filing trademarks for Urus (the eventual name for its SUV concept) and Deimos (still unassigned), Lamborghini has added Huracán to its portfolio of pending applications. Huracán, as you can probably guess, is Spanish for “hurricane.” Not only does English essentially borrow the word intact from Spanish, but the Spanish people adopted it [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/o4fw5nfyO8M/

Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch

Kristoffersson completes double win

Johan Kristoffersson survived a late-race reliability scare to clean-sweep the second round of the 2012 International Superstars Series at Imola. The rookie of the year contender backed up his race one win by taking the second victory of his short career in race two, although he came dangerously close to not making it to the flag. Having started eighth (the top eight from race one having been reversed for the start of the second race), Kristoffersson carved his way through the field in the first 15 minutes of the race, eventually taking over the lead with six minutes to go.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/kristoffersson-completes-double-win

Naoki Hattori Paul Hawkins Mike Hawthorn Boy Hayje

VW Jetta Gets New Trim Level Soon, 1.8-Liter Turbo Four Next Year

Volkswagen will continue to roll out upgrades to the Jetta on the fly, rather than hold any updates for a single big face lift. Later this year, we expect a high-end trim level, and some time in the second half of next year the replacement engine for the Jetta’s 2.5-liter inline-five should arrive. A top-of-the-line SEL [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/5Rfnm7EzORM/

Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler

This Week in Auto Racing April 27 - 29

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/26/2026881/this-week-in-auto-racing-april.html

Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel

Raikkonen: Lotus learned tyre lessons

Kimi Raikkonen says Lotus is ready to apply the valuable lessons it learned at the Chinese Grand Prix - where he tumbled down the order in the closing stages because of tyre degradation. The Finn had been running in second place towards the end phase of the Shanghai race, but his two-stop strategy backfired when he could not hold off the cars behind him

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/raikkonen-lotus-learned-tyre-lessons

Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett Jo Gartner

Stoner sure Qatar issues will be solved

Casey Stoner is confident that he and Honda can overcome the chatter and arm pump issues which blighted his defence of his MotoGP crown in the 2012 season opener in Qatar. The Australian led most of the race, only to develop an arm pump problem which slowed his pace and allowed both Yamaha's Jorge Lorenzo and his team-mate Dani Pedrosa to slip past into first and second

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/stoner-sure-qatar-issues-will-be-solved

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard

Travis Pastrana, No. 99 Boost Mobile Toyota Camry Richmond International Raceway Preview

RAB Racing with Brack Maggard LogoTRAVIS PASTRANA No. 99 BOOST MOBLIE TOYOTA NASCAR K&N EAST SERIES AND NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES Richmond International Raceway Preview CORNELIUS, N.C. – When Travis Pastrana makes his much anticipated NASCAR Nationwide Series debut Friday night at Richmond International Raceway, he’ll have one goal in mind – finish on the lead...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/nationwide/04/25/travis-pastrana-no-99-boost-mobile-toyota-camry-richmond-international-raceway-preview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=travis-pastrana-no-99-boost-mobile-toyota-camry-richmond-international-raceway-preview

Phil Hill Peter Hirt David Hobbs Gary Hocking

AMA SBK: The Sniper And The Knife Fighter

Josh Hayes and Blake Young have completely different styles and yet are perfectly matched. But what direction is this showdown headed?

Source: http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/ama-sbk-the-sniper-and-the-knife-fighter/

Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte

Exim Porsche fends off BMW for win

Matt Halliday and Mike Parisy claimed a narrow victory for the Exim Bank Team China Porsche squad in the main event at the FIA GT1 World Championship at Zolder. Parisy held off a strong challenge from the Vita4One BMW driven by Yelmer Buurman at the end of the wet-dry championship race

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/exim-porsche-fends-off-bmw-for-win

Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy

Photos: 2012 Ford Focus Electric Richmond NASCAR Pace Car

PHOTO CREDIT: NASCARMEDIA (USED WITH PERMISSION)

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/25/photos-2012-ford-focus-electric-richmond-nascar-pace-car/

Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards

Ferrari: Improvements now essential

Ferrari must 'step up a gear' from the next race in Spain if it is to turn itself into a genuine contender for the Formula 1 world championship this year.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/ferrari-improvements-now-essential

Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis

GLOBAL iPRINT NAMED OFFICIAL SPONSOR OF NHRA

NHRA GLENDORA, Calif. Jan. 4, 2012 Global iPrint, a premier printing and distribution company, has signed a three-year agreement to become the "Official Print Sponsor" of NHRA....

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/global_iprint_named_offic.php

Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte

Video: Fifth Avenue Frogger uses real NYC traffic in classic video game action

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

The classic video game Frogger is 30 years old, and some fans of the game think it deserves a place in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's The Art of Video Games exhibition. Frogger's age means that the public may have forgotten about the road-crossing amphibian, so Tyler DeAngelo, Renee Lee, and Ranjit Bhatnagar have pulled gameplay into the 21st century with a more immersive experience by tracking traffic along Manhattan's Fifth Avenue and using that data to generate the vehicles Frogger must dodge.

Passersby can try their luck avoiding the many taxicabs at the arcade cabinet the creators have parked on the sidewalk as a way to increase awareness of Frogger and boost their campaign to get the game into the Smithsonian. Rest assured, when real-life traffic makes the game all but impossible to play, there's a "classic" mode that still allows players to completely escape reality, just like the good old days. Check out the video by scrolling down, and if you like what you see, you can lend your support here.

Continue reading Fifth Avenue Frogger uses real NYC traffic in classic video game action

Fifth Avenue Frogger uses real NYC traffic in classic video game action originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/25/fifth-avenue-frogger-uses-real-nyc-traffic-in-classic-video-game/

Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard

Toyota NASCAR Tidbits – April 23 – 30, 2012

Toyota Motorsports LogoKING OF KANSAS: Camry driver Denny Hamlin won Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) at Kansas Speedway, marking the first Cup win by a Camry on the 1.5.-mile track. He took the lead after passing his Toyota teammate Martin Truex Jr. with 31 laps remaining. Hamlin led twice during the 267-lap Kansas race...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/25/toyota-nascar-tidbits-april-23-30-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=toyota-nascar-tidbits-april-23-30-2012

Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi

BIKES: New Motorcycle Tour To Explore Three Worlds In One Week

Ecuador Freedom Bike Rental Offers Andes, Amazon, & Pacific Coast Tour.

Source: http://motorcycling.speedtv.com/article/bikes-new-motorcycle-tour-to-explore-three-worlds-in-one-week/

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott

2013 Nissan Sylphy: The Global Edition of Our Next Sentra [Beijing Auto Show]

Nissan unveiled its Chinese-market Sylphy at the Beijing auto show. Normally, we don’t pay much attention to Chinese-market cars, but this Sylphy is our first look at Nissan’s new compact sedan, meaning it’s pretty much the Sentra we’re scheduled to get this summer. Keep Reading: 2013 Nissan Sylphy Previews Next Nissan Sentra – Auto Shows

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/Kt5RvAxhcJo/2013-nissan-sylphy-previews-next-nissan-sentra-news

Peter Hirt David Hobbs Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann

The Auto Industry Wants Your Thanks

Feeling warmer and fuzzier about the auto industry bailout? With the help of the Obama reelection campaign, the industry is convincing more Americans that the $80 billion they forked over to save it were dollars well spent.
Image: PRLOG
In the latest Pew poll, the public responded more positively toward the bailout than ever before, with 56 [...]

Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/04/23/the-auto-industry-wants-your-thanks/#more-124404

David Hobbs Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland

Kurt Busch to run Nationwide race in Iowa

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/25/2024821/kurt-busch-to-run-nationwide-race.html

Tony Gaze Geki Olivier Gendebien Marc Gené

In the Rearview Mirror: NASCAR's closest finishes

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/in-rearview-mirror-nascars-closest.html

Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi Naoki Hattori Paul Hawkins

Hamilton takes pole position for F1 Malaysian GP (PA SportsTicker)

By CHRIS LINES AP Auto Racing Writer

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/hamilton-takes-pole-position-for-f1-malaysian-gp-pa-sportsticker.html

Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith

2013 Audi Q5 Photos and Info: Supercharged Six and a Light Refresh

The addition of a supercharged V-6 engine is the most significant change to Audi’s Q5 crossover, which is getting an otherwise subtle update for the 2013 model year. Final U.S.-market specifications and powertrains haven’t been announced, but below, we run down the global changes and highlight the ones we expect to see here. (more…)

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/QQGZpG-qa90/2013-audi-q5-photos-and-info-news

Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard

Nasr given five-place grid penalty

Felipe Nasr has been given a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's GP2 sprint race in Bahrain as a punishment for a collision with Johnny Cecotto Jr in the opening race. Reigning British Formula 3 champion Nasr (DAMS) and Addax driver Cecotto were part of the large group of cars embroiled in a spectacular battle for the podium positions when they came together at half-distance

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/nasr-given-five-place-grid-penalty

Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan Al Keller

NASCAR Royal Purple 300 Schedule for March 24, 2012 (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

The NASCAR Royal Purple 300 race is scheduled for Mar. 24, 2012, at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Qualifications will be at 1:30 p.m. EST with the actual race planned for 5 p.m. EST on Mar. 24. In 2011, Kyle Busch won the Royal Purple 300 while Carl Edwards was the pole...

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/nascar-royal-purple-300-schedule-for-march-24-2012-yahoo-contributor-network.html

Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt

How to Build a (Potentially) Winning LeMons Racer

The appeal of the 24 Hours of LeMons, the world’s best beater-endurance series, lies in its simplicity: Buy a $500 car and go racing. It’s not quite that easy or cheap—even though there is a spending limit on the car, there’s none on safety gear—and it’s amazing how many stupid modification mistakes you’ll witness in [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/00LYW7PO-M8/how-to-build-a-potentially-winning-lemons-racer-feature

Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire

Nasr given five-place grid penalty

Felipe Nasr has been given a five-place grid penalty for Sunday's GP2 sprint race in Bahrain as a punishment for a collision with Johnny Cecotto Jr in the opening race. Reigning British Formula 3 champion Nasr (DAMS) and Addax driver Cecotto were part of the large group of cars embroiled in a spectacular battle for the podium positions when they came together at half-distance

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/nasr-given-five-place-grid-penalty

José Froilán González Oscar González Aldo Gordini Horace Gould

5 Questions After ... STP 400

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/5-questions-after-stp-400.html

Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr Sterling Burton Marlin

2012 Kansas NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Starting Lineup – Allmendinger pole sitter

1 22 AJ Allmendinger AAA Dodge 30.683 175.993 2 29 Kevin Harvick Rheem Chevrolet 30.726 175.747 3 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota 30.730 175.724 4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 30.740 175.667 5 55 Mark Martin Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 30.772 175.484 6 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 30.779 [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/21/2012-kansas-nascar-sprint-cup-series-starting-lineup-allmendinger-pole-sitter-stp-400/

Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

Roewe 950: China Builds a Better (Looking) Buick [Beijing Auto Show]

Among the 2012 Beijing auto show’s debutantes is a large new sedan called the 950, offered up by China’s homegrown Roewe brand. It has lovely proportions, a big back seat, a strong front end with bold headlamps that sort of look like—hey, wait a minute—that’s a Buick LaCrosse! After a little digging in the concrete [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/Crn3S8XhggA/

Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan

Bahrain: Holding race the right decision

Bahrain Grand Prix's boss says the running of this year's race is proof that they did the right thing in pushing for the event to happen. After huge debate over the fate of the Formula 1 race, amid intense focus on human rights and safety issues, the Bahrain GP took place without drama as Sebastian Vettel delivered his first victory of the season.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/bahrain-holding-race-the-right-decision

Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler

Video: NJ police in trouble after allegedly giving 100-mph escort to supercar club including NFL's Jacobs

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

The facts are still coming in, but what is known is that on March 30 an armada of exotics, said to number from 25 to 30, was escorted by two New Jersey state troopers with their lights flashing down the Garden State Parkway at triple-digit speeds to Atlantic City. On top of that, all of the civilian cars had their license plates taped over. Among the drivers was supercar fan and NFL player Brandon Jacobs, recently of the New York Giants but now with the San Francisco Forty-Niners. According to NJ.com, Jacobs "told Rides Magazine in October that he often cruises with the Driving Force Club," a car club out of New York, but it isn't clear that this was a club outing.

One more established fact: someone has a lot of splainin' to do. Authorities began receiving complaints that very day, with one beginning, "I had the great pleasure today of nearly being killed by, not one, but two, Lamborghinis traveling in excess of 110 mph in a (New Jersey State Police) escorted 'caravan'...". Others wrote in to say that the cars were weaving across all three lanes and that an elderly driver was so shocked she almost ran off the road. One motorist even labeled it "Death Race 2012."

An NBC New York report indicates that Jacobs called a sergeant in the NJ force that he's friends with and requested the escort. That sergeant and another officer have been put on leave without pay, the station commander has been transferred while his role is investigated. And speaking of investigations, they're coming from everywhere, with even the state Attorney General looking into the matter. At least everyone involved can use history as a guide: police did the same thing on the same road with a different supercar group two years ago. Check out an NJ Today video on the story by scrolling below.

Continue reading NJ police in trouble after allegedly giving 100-mph escort to supercar club including NFL's Jacobs

NJ police in trouble after allegedly giving 100-mph escort to supercar club including NFL's Jacobs originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/24/nj-police-in-trouble-after-allegedly-giving-100-mph-escort-to-su/

Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gálvez

24 Hours of LeMons Detroit: The Winners

Yesterday, the Bucksnort Racing BMW 325 kept turning fast laps and avoiding black-flag-triggering screwups while most of the competition broke their cars. While the Bucksnorts had a big lead starting Sunday’s race session, we’ve learned from experience that a last-hour thrown rod or rash of on-track misbehavior can— and often does— derail what looks like [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/9gn0yGgskYM/

Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan Al Keller Joe Kelly

Aston Martin Dragon (!) 88 Limited Editions [Beijing Auto Show]

Just like many other automakers displaying at the Beijing auto show, Aston Martin has released a celebratory Year of the Dragon package called the Dragon 88 Limited Edition. This special version will be available for the DBS, Virage, and V8 Vantage S. Despite being adorned with dragons that are synonymous with power and strength in [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/5XIML70JmQw/

Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley

Official: Volkswagen is living Lavida loca in Beijing

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, China, Volkswagen, Beijing Motor Show

Volkswagen has taken the occasion of the Beijing Motor Show as opportunity to debut its latest sedan. Called the Lavida, it's the second-generation of a model produced in China specifically for the Chinese market.

Can't figure out what you're looking at? Call it a Chinese version of the Jetta, with which it shares its platform. Shanghai Volkswagen - the joint venture under which the Lavida is produced - had sold 700,000 units of the first-generation model from its introduction in 2008 through January 2012. The company surely hopes the new Lavida will sell even more. Read all about it in the press release below.

Continue reading Volkswagen is living Lavida loca in Beijing

Volkswagen is living Lavida loca in Beijing originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/24/volkswagen-is-living-lavida-loca-in-beijing/

Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

Dieter Gass to reinforce Audi Sport

AUDI Motorsport Ingolstadt, December 19, 2011 - New position: Head of Racing Commitments - Engineer is returning to Audi family - Experience from eleven years in Formula One Audi is tackling the 2012 motor sport season with an extended leadership...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/dieter_gass_to_reinforce.php

Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone

Carella's 2011 World Title Turns a New Page in F1 H2O Series!

F1 H2O / F1 Powerboat News ABU DHABI - January 2, 2012 Italian Alex Carella of the Qatar Team used both his driving skills and youthful exuberance to overtake his wily veteran teammate Jay Price of the USA with a...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/carellas_2011_world_title.php

Z Line Designs Toyota Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota

Sakhir chief baffled by press coverage

Bahrain circuit boss Zayed Alzayani says he did not understand why there was such a media frenzy surrounding the grand prix last weekend. The political situation in Bahrain was under intense scrutiny in the media long before Formula 1 personnel and journalists arrived in the kingdom, and that intensity kicked up a notch when reporters started arriving for the grand prix

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/sakhir-chief-baffled-by-press-coverage

Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman

Sakhir chief baffled by press coverage

Bahrain circuit boss Zayed Alzayani says he did not understand why there was such a media frenzy surrounding the grand prix last weekend. The political situation in Bahrain was under intense scrutiny in the media long before Formula 1 personnel and journalists arrived in the kingdom, and that intensity kicked up a notch when reporters started arriving for the grand prix

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/sakhir-chief-baffled-by-press-coverage

Carl Michael Edwards III William Clyde Elliott Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV

Exim Porsche fends off BMW for win

Matt Halliday and Mike Parisy claimed a narrow victory for the Exim Bank Team China Porsche squad in the main event at the FIA GT1 World Championship at Zolder. Parisy held off a strong challenge from the Vita4One BMW driven by Yelmer Buurman at the end of the wet-dry championship race

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/exim-porsche-fends-off-bmw-for-win

Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy

Carella's 2011 World Title Turns a New Page in F1 H2O Series!

F1 H2O / F1 Powerboat News ABU DHABI - January 2, 2012 Italian Alex Carella of the Qatar Team used both his driving skills and youthful exuberance to overtake his wily veteran teammate Jay Price of the USA with a...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/carellas_2011_world_title.php

Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli

Handling Goes Away on GameStop Toyota and Joey Logano Settles for 15th in Texas

No. 20 GameStop Toyota Camry (Joey Logano) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCARBox Score Info: RACE: O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 TRACK: Texas Motor Speedway DRIVER: Joey Logano CAR: No. 20 GameStop / LEGO® Batman™ 2: DC Super Heroes Toyota START: 12th FINISH: 15th LAPS: 200 / 200 (running) LAPS LED: 0...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/nationwide/04/14/handling-goes-away-on-gamestop-toyota-and-joey-logano-settles-for-15th-in-texas/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=handling-goes-away-on-gamestop-toyota-and-joey-logano-settles-for-15th-in-texas

Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani

Bahrain Sunday quotes: Caterham

Vitaly Petrov - 16th: "That was a really interesting race, particularly at the start when there was a lot of overtaking and it was good to be right in the middle of the early battles. We made some very good pitstops, quicker than in China and good enough to help me stay out ahead of Ricciardo who I had a good battle with for quite a lot of the race.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/bahrain-sunday-quotes-caterham

Jo Gartner Tony Gaze Geki Olivier Gendebien

Nine Racing To Feature Three Cars At Chili Bowl Midget Nationals

Nine Racing Inc. Brownsburg, Indiana January 4, 2012 Nine Racing, Inc. is pleased to announce the signing of three excellent drivers for the 26th annual Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire midget event that will take place...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2012/01/nine_racing_to_feature_th.php

Jimmie Kenneth Johnson Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki

2013 Mini John Cooper Works Coupe GP II Spied: A Harder-Core for the Helmeted Mini

What It Is: A Mini John Cooper Works Coupe that’s been given the GP treatment, caught wearing very little camouflage. It’s already been confirmed that the high-performance Mini JCW GP II hatchback model is coming to the U.S. by the end of the year—we’ve even spotted one out testing—but this is the first time we’ve [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/48M_CR-lzuw/2013-mini-john-cooper-works-coupe-gp-ii-spy-photos-news

Miguel Ángel Guerra Roberto Guerrero Maurício Gugelmin Dan Gurney

Official: Cadillac expanding XTS production to China

Filed under: Sedan, China, Plants/Manufacturing, Cadillac, GM, Beijing Motor Show, Luxury

Cadillac's new XTS isn't just headed to China, it will be built there. The forthcoming full-size luxury cruiser had already been earmarked for production in General Motors' Oshawa, Ontario Assembly Plant, but the automaker has just announced in Beijing that it will also be built in China with its joint venture partner Shanghai General Motors.

Cadillac is still a relatively small player in China's premium segment, with just 68 dealers and 30,000 sales last year. However, it's growing quickly, with March sales up more than 35 percent year-over-year to 2,745 units. Better still, General Motors says Cadillac's average buying age is very young - just 35 - and it expects to have 120 dealers online by the end of this year to meet growing demand.

The idea of local XTS production strikes us as a smart one, as China is enjoying a swell in demand for luxury cars, and it has always maintained a strong demand for vehicles with large rear seats. Cadillac already has a solid track record building in the communist nation, as it first began assembling the China-only SLS Executive Sedan - essentially an extended wheelbase STS - back in 2006.

Continue reading Cadillac expanding XTS production to China

Cadillac expanding XTS production to China originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/23/cadillac-expanding-xts-production-to-china/

Jean Pierre Jarier Max Jean Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson

2012 Kansas NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Starting Lineup – Allmendinger pole sitter

1 22 AJ Allmendinger AAA Dodge 30.683 175.993 2 29 Kevin Harvick Rheem Chevrolet 30.726 175.747 3 20 Joey Logano The Home Depot Toyota 30.730 175.724 4 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 30.740 175.667 5 55 Mark Martin Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 30.772 175.484 6 56 Martin Truex Jr. NAPA Auto Parts Toyota 30.779 [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/21/2012-kansas-nascar-sprint-cup-series-starting-lineup-allmendinger-pole-sitter-stp-400/

Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González

Eyes on the Street: Small Touches Make for Safer Windsor Terrace Crossing

New paint and flexible posts made this traffic island at Prospect Park Southwest into a place pedestrians might actually stop mid-crossing.
An enthused Windsor Terrace resident sends this photo of an upgraded intersection at the corner of Prospect Park Southwest, Terrace Place, and Windsor Place. Over the last week, DOT has touched up what was once [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/04/19/eyes-on-the-street-small-touches-make-for-safer-windsor-terrace-crossing/

James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III

Valsecchi cruises to Bahrain GP2 win

Davide Valsecchi produced a sublime performance to take a commanding win in the GP2 feature race in Bahrain.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/valsecchi-cruises-to-bahrain-gp2-win

François Hesnault Hans Heyer Damon Hill

Lotus: Raikkonen pace was expected

Kimi Raikkonen's performance in the Bahrain Grand Prix is exactly what Lotus was expecting of the Finn this year, according to team owner Gerard Lopez. Although some questioned the wisdom of the Enstone-based team luring Raikkonen back to F1 after two years away from the sport, Lopez insists that he never had doubts the former world champion would deliver. "I remember not being happy about the interview where people kept on coming back to saying it's a gamble," Lopez told AUTOSPORT.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/lotus-raikkonen-pace-was-expected

Peter Gethin Piercarlo Ghinzani Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson

Valsecchi takes Bahrain feature pole

Davide Valsecchi will start from pole position in Saturday's GP2 Series feature race in Bahrain after setting the fastest time in qualifying around the Sakhir circuit. The majority of frontrunners went straight out on the softer medium 'option' tyre, to make use of the Formula 1 rubber from the preceding free practice session. This worked a treat for Valsecchi, whose DAMS car first lapped in 1m41.327s and then, after a cool-down lap, dropped the pole time even further to 1m41.200s, which no one could beat

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/valsecchi-takes-bahrain-feature-pole

Eddie Keizan Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy

Cities With the Most Highway Miles: a “Who’s Who” of Decay

This is fascinating. Using data from the FHWA, the esteemed Patrick Kennedy at Network blog Walkable Dallas Fort Worth has cobbled together a list of the American cities with the highest number of estimated highway lane miles per capita.
See if you notice any similarities (this is per 1,000 people):

1. Kansas City – 1.262
2. St Louis [...]

Source: http://streetsblog.net/2012/04/20/cities-with-the-most-highway-miles-a-whos-who-of-decay/

Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi

Official: Vilner adds wood paneling to Land Rover Defender

Filed under: Aftermarket, SUV, Land Rover, Luxury, Off-Road

Bulgarian tuner Vilner has some kind of Luxo-Ray that fires munitions packed with at least two tons of quilted leather and Alcantara, then aims it at just about everything as soon as it can be reloaded. The latest target is the Land Rover Defender Wood, making this the second time in a year that the Defender has come into Vilner's sights.

Last time they only hit it with one barrel and left the floorboards and cargo area covered in black carpeting. This time they unloaded both barrels, so in addtion to black-and-brown Nappa leather and Alcantara wrapping everything from the sport seats to the third brake light, Vilner's added leather arm rests, wood paneling underfoot and a new treatment for its 600-watt "Ground Zero" sound system that all but eliminates usable cargo space.

Oh, and the whole thing is soundproofed. So that no one can hear you scream at your passengers to remove their dark-soled shoes and not eat, drink or touch anything.

Continue reading Vilner adds wood paneling to Land Rover Defender

Vilner adds wood paneling to Land Rover Defender originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/22/vilner-adds-wood-paneling-to-land-rover-defender/

Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick