UPCOMING EVENTS

Spa Classic 2013
May 24-25
SPA, Belgium
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History is always worth remembering and with past events like the Spa-Francorchamps 24 Hours, the Belgian circuit of Spa is one place worth revisiting at every opportunity. An opportunity that is available this year is the 3rd. Spa-Classic, now positioned as The Belgian classic car event.

Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance 2013
Beverly Hills, California
June 16, 2013

The Rodeo Drive Concours d'Elegance along with "Flexjet" has themed this year's 2013 car event as "The Jet Age"..

In the late 50' and early 60's everyone was talking about the future and how different our lives were soon going to be. We were somewhat new to television and there were shows called the "Jetsons' and "My Favorite Martian". There was speculation that we would be driving around in 'Hover Cars' and cars that we could drive out of the garage and fly off to work. Great things were waiting for us just around the corner. Enter Here

24 HEURES DU MANS 2013
Circuit des - 24 Heures, Le Mans, France
22-23 - June 2013
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The 2013 Le Mans 24 Hours will be their 90th anniversary. As the 90th year of the greatest endurance race in the world starts the event will be celebrated throughout the whole year by numerous events, starting with the election of the most prestigious cars in the event's history for which the ACO is putting up prizes.

First Annual Golden Gate to Hollywood Rally
San Francisco, California
July 12-14, 2013
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First Annual Golden Gate to Hollywood Rally, a 100|OCT event

The GG2H Rally 2013 is open to exotic cars (old and new), late model muscle cars and late model performance cars.

It takes place from Friday to Sunday July 12-14, 2013.

Cars leave every 30 seconds, and need to go through checkpoints along the route. There will be different awards: The most fun personality to the best-looking car/livery. Overall victory will be time-based. See gg2hrally.com

Silverstone Classic Silverstone Circuit
Northamptonshire UK
July 26-28 2013
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Scheduled for July 26-28 are twenty-four races covering eight decades of Motorsport history. In addition are celebrations for the 100 years of Aston Martin, 50 years of the Porsche 911, 50 years of Lamborghini and 60 years of the Chevrolet Corvette. AND 1000 exotic, rare, and valuable race cars competing on track.

The races will cover Formula 1, Grand Prix and Single Seater Cars of all ages and race groups; Sports Cars up to 1974; GT Cars up to 2000; and Touring Cars, again up to 2000. If it has wheels and goes fast, Silverstone Classic should have it available for all to see.

Salon Privé and Chubb Insurance Concours d'Elégance 2013
Syon Park, London
4th September 2013

Salon Privé and Chubb Insurance Concours d'Elégance 2013 to be the biggest and best yet

Featured are: Celebrating 100 years of Aston Martin; The iconic Porsche 911 at fifty years; 50 years of legendary Lamborghinis; Wind in your hair; The beauty of Streamlining; 'Little Saloons': the birth of the Berlinetta; Graceful pre-war motoring; Post-war competition greats; The art of design: Pininfarina; Sporting motorcycles.

In the Streamlining Class will be the Riley 105 Transformable Coupé 1949. This unique and very special Riley from Swiss coachbuilder, Walter Koeng, originally purchased from Riley in Coventry as a running chassis in 1948. Koeng proceeded to build his ultimate dream car from the chassis up. The art deco influenced shape and aerodynamic form, with its sweeping lines and sensual curves, make the Riley a true one off, only to be seen at Salon Privé in September. Source: Salon Privé

LATEST EVENTS

Vintage Sports Car Club
Hill Climb
Wiscombe Park Devon 2013
May 12 2013
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The Vintage Sports Car Club's (VSCC) visit the Wiscombe Park's beautiful grounds.

You can see how the sport started. Before circuit racing, and with the rich gentlemen wanting to test their cars speed, the country estates with there narrow winding drive ways seemed a perfect place to find out how fast they could go. With no room to over-take, a timed run is perfect and far more gentlemanly.

Sonoma Historic Motorsports Festival 2013 Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma, California
May 18-19 2013
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The Festival will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Chevrolet Corvette. Corvette conjures up the image of burning rubber and high horsepower. Corvettes from several decades will take to the track in racing competition.

Close to 400 historic racecars will compete on Sonoma Raceway's excellent road course. The track spans 12 turns and 2.52-miles of undulating, twisting terrain. There are a variety of viewing positions around the track over the 160 feet of elevation changes from which to view the races with varying perspective.

American Le Mans Series Monterey
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Monterey, California
May 9-10,11, 2013
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The Le Mans DeltaWing Racing Car will race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the American Le Mans Monterey race weekend May 9-11.2013

This will be the 3rd race for this car. The first was at the French 24hr. Le Mans in 2012 and Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in this last October, finishing in 5th place.

Going for a class win in P1, the DeltaWing has some improvements. The car now has an Élan 1.9L, 4-cylinder turbo engine, new tire partner, Bridgestone and is piloted by drivers Andy Meyrick (Cheshire, England) and Olivier Pla (Toulouse, France).

The DeltaWing is a radical design, which has the 2 front wheels set on a very short axel spacing and using lightweight advantage over horsepower, The sharp turns and uphill bits of the Laguna Seca track will provide the designers with one more set of challenges.

At the Corkscrew, race day is all about hard driving, 4 hours worth!

The battle between the Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, Aston Martin, BMW and Audi will play out again on the Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca, California this May 11, 2013. Porsche had the dominance with its forever-strong 911, but Ferrari has been at work and is taking front positions. Can Porsche hold on or will the Corvette rein?

WEC 6Hr Spa-Francorchamps 2013
May 4
SPA, Belgium
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Stuttgart. Qualifying for the six hour race of Spa-Francorchamps, round two of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) for sports cars on the circuit in the Ardennes,

Porsche works pilots Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Pilet (France) placed their Porsche 911 RSR on the sixth grid spot in the GTE-Pro class. Saturday's race, have them sharing the number 91 car with Timo Bernhard (Germany).

The other works drivers in Car 92 Marc Lieb (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France) sit one position behind them. The third driver in the 470 hp # 92 GT racer is Richard Lietz (Austria). Porsche AG Team Manthey fields both Porsche 911 RSR.

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS. The Timeless classic race track with circuit names like; LaSource; Bus Stop; Eau Rouge; Les Combes, will take on 6 Hours of Le Mans Prototypes and Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance cars passing and re-passing for a do-not-miss-show.

Le Mans Prototypes are either open or closed cockpit cars with no production minimum required. Generally produced specially for the 24 Hours du Mans

Le Mans Grand Touring Endurance The "Le Mans" Grand Touring Endurance car is a car having an aptitude for sport with 2 doors, 2 or 2+2 seats, opened or closed, which can be used perfectly legally on the open road and available for sale

California Mille
San Francisco, California
April 29 - May 2 2013
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A "Tribute to Martin Swig" the founder of this motoring event. Attented by drivers from far reaches around the world the Mille will run scenic backroads of Northern California. 70 driver teams will once again drive vintage, pre 1957, cars about 1,000 miles over 4 days. The event relives, although under current US safety standards, Italy's famed Mille Miglia (thousand mile) open road race.

Ferrari Challenge
Sonoma Raceway
Sonoma, California
April 26-28, 2013
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What is better than a sea of Ferraris? How about a sea of Ferraris, a racetrack with no speed limits, specialized Ferrari trained race mechanics' to make certain the cars run their best and 2 days to see everything and wander freely about the cars.

This is the Ferrari 458 Challenge/Ferrari Racing days at Sonoma Raceway just north of San Francisco, California.

FIA GT Series Zolder 2013
Circuit Terlaemen
Heusden-Zolder, Belgium
April 20-21 2013
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FIA GT Series runs the latest and fastest sportcars available. based on street or road cars, the FIA GT cars are from the likes of the McLaren MP4-12C GT3, Audi R8 LMS, BMW Z4, with Ferrari, Aston Martin, Mercedes -Benz, and many others, hot on the track

Circuit Zolder, or Circuit Terlaemen, is in Heusden-Zolder, is an undulating 4.011km (2.492 mile) Belgian circuit with a rich history in world motorsport.

Built in 1963, the site of Formula One Belgian Grand Prix for 10 races in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1980 Belgian motorcycle Grand Prix.

Essen Techno Classica 2013

April 10-14 2013
Messe Essen, Germany
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The show will include, with performance of the industry and highlights of dealer's offering, highlights of the classic world show, presented in the Palais de l'Automobile.

Porsche Classic will take this opportunity to present four 911 models to illustrate the broad scope of the 911's history. Included rare fully restored 356 B T5 GS Carrera GT model.

Sajam automobila 2013
Belgrade Motor Show
Belgrade, Serbia
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51st Belgrade Car Show after a year off. had a good turnout. Mercedes- Benz made the best impression with the bright yellow SLS AMG Black Series model.

New York International Auto Show 2013

29 March - 07 April 2013
New York City, N.Y.
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Started in 1900, the New York International Automobile Show was the first automotive exhibition in North America. The show has run for over 100 years through depression, war, oil crisis, recession, boom-time and growth.

A goal of the show is to offer every make and model vehicle sold in the U.S. under one roof. This allows one to see everything the auto industry has to offer. From hybrid and fuel-sipping economy cars to million dollar supercars.

Thruxton Easter Revival 2013
Thruxton Race Circuit in Hampshire UK
March 30-31, 2013
Over the Easter weekend, Thruxton race circuit in Hampshire UK, held the inaugural Thruxton Easter Revival. It`s always special to be at the first of any event, it would be almost a badge of honour to say that you were at the first Goodwood Festival of Speed, or in this case the first race that was held at Thruxton.

The highlight or focus of the event would be the return of the F2 cars, thanks to HSCC,
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Antwerp Classic Salon 2013
One thing I love about these 'smaller' shows is the presence of what I would call 'sleeper' cars, the quiet little white 911 sitting there without her air inlet grills looking for all the world as an innocent little car needing final touches on her restoration? meanwhile she is a rip-snorting giant killing 'R' version of the 911 short-wheelbase chasis, this is the car that launched an entire sub-culture in California... search on R-Gruppe in google and you will find a passionate bunch of car modies who are to this day attempting to wring just a little more speed, handling, performance and simple pleasure out of a platform that is 50 years young, and here is the real deal...
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Amelia Island Concours 2013 The 18th Amelia Island Concours held at the Ritz Carlton Resort, Florida, with an estimated crowd on the final day in excess of 25,000.

It's been a long time since I have seen so many 99/100 point cars in one location, while the variety extended from the turn of the last century through to today and even tomorrow with the Concept Exhibits! If you like Brass Cars you would not be disappointed with the Amelia display.
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Retro Classics 2013 The 13th Stuttgart-based Retro Classics motor trade fair with1308 exhibitors and around 3000 vehicles on display. Exhibitors came from Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands.
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The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Germany is an open and friendly experience. A must see for anyone interested in German cars. The newly designed building would be a worthwhile visit in itself. The best part of the displays is the ease of viewing. There are tours also available. Include the gift shop and food services, a full days visit may not be enough to allow one to savior all that is available.
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British Cars Long Gone
Armstrong Siddeley, Alard, Alvis

By Geoff Wheatley

Over the years we have lost so many wonderful cars that graced our streets and highways. Cars that simply said drive me, and buy me!

As there are far too many throughout the world to remember and mourn their passing, so let me concentrate on two or three that I recall when I lived in the UK.

First on my list is the graceful ALVIS produced from 1920 through to 1967.
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Austin and Morris; Some History

By Geoff Wheatley

There is little doubt that Morris and Austin were real competitors as far as the British Motor industry was concerned. Morris had built his name and fame on the mass market Family car and Austin had soon followed in his foot steps. Like Ford they were products of their time who saw an opportunity and went for it. The only difference between these three men who commanded almost a third of the world's car production in 1925 was how they saw their potential market.

In 1923 Austin got lucky in his quest for a "Peoples Car", his words not Adolph Hitler's who is often credited with this title in respect to the development of the VW Beetle.
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MG - Morris and Morris Garage

By Geoff Wheatley

Most people who own a MG will know that the MG badge on the front of their car represents "Morris Garage" however how many of such owners are aware what "Morris Garage" was and why it existed. Billy Morris who started the Morris motor company in a garden shed in the rear of his parents home, was, by any standards a shrewd business man who saw the development of the motor vehicle as a mass market product, not simply a toy for the rich and famous. He left school at the age of twelve and was apprenticed to a bicycle repair shop in Oxford, England. Bicycles were the most popular means of independent transport at that time, both in Europe and America. They were as popular as the computer is in today's world.
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1993 Ferrari Testarosa 512 TR

By Michael Rockich

I wanted to learn more about this intriguing car. Corroboration of facts generally helps the case. It was at this time, and very fortuitously for my Ferrari learning curve, while attending the Ferrari Challenge at the Sonoma Raceway I met one John Dilena who actually owned a Testarossa. When I saw his sleek red 512 TR was first in line from the Ferrari car corral to take laps on track, and had a camera mounted on the car's roof to record exploits, I thought "who better to speak with"? From my conversations with John I became a believer that the Ferrari Testarosa is one serious machine.
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BMW Plant Tour Greenville South Carolina 2013

By Geoff Wheatley

The professional tour guide advised everyone that no cell phones etc., were permitted inside the plant as they could affect the workings of the Robots. (More on that later). Each visitor was given a headset and a pair of safety glasses that were to be worn at all times. We were divided into two groups and set off to walk approximately one mile and see one of the most modern assembly plants in the world. Greenville makes all of the BMW SUV vehicles which are sold in Europe, Asia, South America, India etc..
The real wonder of the total assembly process is the way that Robots have taken over most of the work. These machines, if that the right word to describe them, can fit a complete windscreen in fifteen seconds.
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Arnolt-MG

By Geoff Wheatley

The creation of the ARNOLT MG is interesting if only because the MG Company in Abingdon had little to do with either the design or the marketing of this vehicle. An Italian coachbuilder by the name of Nuccio Bertone teamed up with a young Italian designer in 1951 with the idea of creating a special vehicle for the 1952 Turin Motor Show, one of the top European motor events at the time.
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Corvette & Porsche 911

By Geoff Wheatley

This year, 2013, we have fifty years of the Porsche 911 and you can also add Sixty years of the Corvette. Not many cars survive that time span and still come out as being both desirable and classic. In the case of the Corvette it was not generally accepted as a real sports car until the first V 8 Engine was installed in 1955...Fuel injection in 1957 in company with a four speed box. (Strange that any company promoting a sports car should have stayed with three gears for so long!)
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Diesel Cars in America

By Geoff Wheatley

I have never quite understood the reluctance on the part of the American driving community to accept diesel engines. Sure I know the truck industry embraces these power units but not the private vehicle owner. On a recent visit to my family in England I rented a German mid size Ford with a diesel engine.

Fuel economy is not the first thing one considers in these circumstances however I decided to see what MPH I might achieve with my diesel engine. Over a period of ten days traveling 1600 miles either on crowded roads, equally crowded towns and/or six lane motorways with flowing traffic cruising at 80 mph I recorded 48 miles to the gallon.

On top of that you would never know that there was a diesel motor under the hood in fact if the hire company had not posted a large notice on the dashboard informing me and any other driver that diesel was the required fuel I may well have stopped and filled up with gasoline with somewhat distress results.
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THE NUTS AND BOLTS of BRITISH CARS

As you are reading this item I think it's safe to assume that you have owned a semi vintage British Car. Semi vintage being anything that rolled out of the British Motor Industry between 1945 and 1970. (Please Note my term not any official designation!) I am also sure that at some time you have skinned your knuckles using a spanner, a sorry wrench that looked like it should fit the bolt or nut but did not!

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Goodwood & The Revival

By Geoff Wheatley

In 1948 a new race track was opened in War Weary Britain named Goodwood. It was the first designed track in the post war world and drew a lot of attention from both sides of the Atlantic. Most of the world's top drivers raced at Goodwood in company with unique and certainly fast, post war cars. However by 1966 other modern race tracks had been established that attracted the latest design in both drivers and vehicles.

Later some truly brilliant and obviously keen car buff's suggested that Goodwood should be reopened as an exhibition of the glorious past and that events should be staged utilizing the post war history of Britain's contribution to auto racing. The name Goodwood Revival was suggested and accepted the theme being simple, to turn back the clock.
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The new Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster:

The new Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster claimed by Lamborghini as the most exciting series production Lamborghini ever built, can be recognized by the unique profile of its upper area, which extends along new geometric lines from the removable roof to the engine hood.

The two-piece roof is carbon fiber engineered with technologies such as RTM and Forged Composite®. Each component is extremely light, weighing less than 6 kg, but guarantee maximum stiffness. These two parts are removable, lightweight, easy to handle, and simple to attach. They are stored in the front luggage compartment.

The rear pillar supports the removable roof and is part of an automatic protection system for passengers.

The engine hood on the Roadster has a "spinal column" with two pairs of hexagonal windows connected at the sides to cool the engine, drain off rain water and allow the beauty of the V12 power unit to be seen.

The Aventador LP700-4 Roadster accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3 seconds flat and has a maximum speed of some 350 km/h.

The drive train featuring a centrally located, 6.5 liter aspirated V12 generating 700 hp, an ISR 7-speed gearbox and push-rod suspension make the new Aventador Roadster a unique super sports car with no direct competition. The V12 is equipped with a cylinder deactivation system for when the engine is not working at full capacity and an instant Stop & Start system which includes high-performance capacitors known as supercaps to awaken the engine. This is an absolute first in the super sports car segment.
Image Credit: Automobili Lamborghini

Photos of Brussels Auto Museum 2010

Of course the Parc is home to Brussels auto museum which in addition to its regular cars is hosting a rather special winter exhibit, the Bugatti 100 year centennial celebrating the history of this rather storied race and luxury brand. The full story is available here; By Patrick Wheeler 2012

John Z DeLorean

By Geoff Wheatley

John Z DeLorean was by any standard a man who left his mark on the Motor Industry.

A one time V.P of General Motors, obtained by working his way through the ranks of the American Motor Industry. However, he is seldom remembered for his time with G.M. but for a remarkable car that he conceived and produced, simply called the DeLorean DMC-12.

The rear mounted engine was a unit developed by a multi-venture between Volvo, Renault and Peugeot. The engine was an all alloy design and had been successfully tested for the then new US emission regulations.

DeLorean did get his way with the body being made of brushed stainless steel panels bolted to the fiberglass frame of the car.

What happened to DeLorean?
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Concours Judging!

As I have been a Concours Judge for a number of years may I offer the prospective from the other side of the check board!

There are simple things that some exhibitors simply do not appreciate. Example: Do not fit modern aircraft style branded fuel hose to a pre war car it may stop the leak but will lose you points.

If it's an acceptable modification by that I mean something that was available during production there should be no trouble,....

Remember that to be a judge you have to have an extensive knowledge of the cars you are evaluating ... (and) None of us get paid.
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Car Radiator Mascots

By Geoff Wheatley

Some people go to car events and take lots of pictures of the cars on display others seem less interested in the actual cars but contort themselves up and down, or side to side in order to take a picture of a car mascot. Apart from the famous Rolls Royce lady and of course the leaping Jaguar, I have never taken that much notice of whatever was stuck on the top of the radiator until a few months ago when by chance I picked up a second hand, well worn book on the history of car mascots written about fifty years ago when such things could still be found on certain new cars. It all began around the turn of the last century when some owners of motor cars placed a lucky mascot in the radiator filling cap.
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The Chevy II And Nova

By Rick Feibusch

The Chevy II, introduced in late 1961, was one of the last compacts to be released after the great American compact rush of the late '50s and early '60s. The switch to compacts had been a reaction to a major financial crisis.....
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Geoff Wheatley & the MGA Oil Pan

By Geoff Wheatley

Last spring I managed to hit a rock on a South Carolina dirt road in my MGA. (We have more than our fair share of both rocks and dirt roads!) No serious damage was done apart from a dent in the oil pan almost dead center and some paint off the front swing arms.

Over the next few weeks I noticed that the oil pressure took a little more time to register on the gauge... so why did the oil gauge on the TD and TF work instantly while the MGA, for reasons unknown suddenly developed some sort of slow reaction to the oil pressure?
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The MG, Models: SA, VA, WA
1935-1938

By Geoff Wheatley

If I say MG to the vast majority of people they usually think of a small open top sports car that most people wanted when they were young. However, there are some rather special vehicles that came out of the Abingdon factory that only share a fraction of the MG story and today are often forgotten.

A unique range of luxury cars were produced that completely changed the image of MG if only for a brief period of motor history.
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The Power of Advertising.

I often look at the advertising pages of various Classic Car Magazines. OK its being a masochist especially when the car you have always dreamed of turns up at the same time as the next mortgage payment and/or the winter heating bill!.

The use of various standard phrases to describe a car makes for an interesting evaluation of the power of advertising. Example: "Very Rare Example of the Marque". Which really means nobody liked the car when it was new, either. Another favorite is: "Older Restoration". This means that you would never know the car had ever been restored.

How about; "Needs Engine Work" which is another way of saying that the power unit has been frozen for at least ten years and three previous owners gave up on the project. "Uses No Oil", could mean that the oil seldom stays in the block for very long to check or, the famous "Rough But Restorable", which usually translates to the fact that the car is too bad to lie about. If you get excited when the copy reads, "One Owner", remember it could also mean that the owner has never been able to sell the thing! "No Time To Complete The Restoration", can relate to the fact that the seller has never been able to find the necessary parts. "Needs Interior Work", usually identifies the fact that the seats are missing or worse still are still there but unrecognizable. Other favorite terms are; "Low Mileage". (Third time around). "Multiple Coats Of Fresh Paint". (To cover the rust). "Clean Exterior". (It sat in the rain yesterday). "Prize Winner". ( Hard luck trophy three times in a row) "Stored 25 Years" (Under a tree in the back garden). "Easy Restoration". ( Parts will come off in your hands).

If the words "Good Investment" convinces you to buy it might be that, (The car simply can't depreciate any more).

Good hunting and if you find that gem in the barn after thirty years of hibernation remember despite what it may look like at one time it did go, but someone eventually gave up on the car!
Geoff Wheatley

Scottish Malts Trials

By Geoff Wheatley

The "Historic Endurance Rallying Organization", based in Worcester. England, have organized a six day "Scottish Malts Reliability Trial"

For the past six years "HERO" The "Historic Endurance Rallying Organization", based in Worcester. England, have organized a six day "Scottish Malts Reliability Trial" starting in the fair city of Edinburgh with the final leg to Scone Palace, once famous as the home of Scottish kings. Like many others I had been aware of this annual event since it was first staged in 1998 and often told myself that one day I would scrape up the Four Thousand pounds, (approx $6,500 US) to enter. In December a few years ago that "One Day" arrived as I sat looking at the winter snow falling over my back garden in New York State. The classic cars were in deep freeze in my garage. Obviously, I could not ship one of them over to the UK in time for the Trials, so who, in the UK would lend me a car to be a competitor?
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Škoda

Back in the mid sixties when I lived in the UK several East European Cars were offered to the British public like the LADA from Russia, the Wartburg from East Germany also the Škoda from the Czech Republic. To be honest none were a threat to any British vehicles despite the problems that certain UK manufactures experienced.

The attraction of these imports was simply price as each car was subsidized by its respective government in order to obtain Western Currency. To my knowledge none of these cars were ever offered in the U.S. so the American driver was denied the pleasure of owning these Communist delights that often spent more time in the garage than on the road. I recently visited Prague and noticed that there were several versions of the Škoda available. Furthermore they were modern in design following in the footsteps of the attractive European styling.
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Lost Circuit Reims
Circtuie Reims de Geuze

Out near Reims is a hilly region that grows a mildly legendary vine that becomes and even more legendary wine.

Just outside of town, at a spot the young man at the hotel said "why go there, you will just be disappointed, it is just ruins, you drive by and it is gone.

The circuite de Reims, of Circtuie do Geuze, was an exceedingly fast track in its day. Today there is talk of attempting to revive the track.

Porsche Type 918

A Mid-engine Porsche 960 Racecar?

Race teams driving Porsche 911 GT cars with their classic rear-engine layout have struggled right from the start of the 2012 race year. Great improvements were made to the 911 GT layout over the winter 2011-2012 off season, but the other teams did their development work also. The biggest challenge seems to have come from the mid-engine Ferrari 458 Italia.

Porsche is developing a mid-engine 918 plug-in hybrid with a 4.6 litre V8 engine, puting out 580 horsepower (430 kW), and with two electric motors delivering an additional 243 horsepower (181 kW) alongside the 911 GT2 racer.

Now there is talk about a Type 960 racer to fit in between the 911 GT2 and the 918 Spyder that, I would assume, be aimed at taking over the new challengers on the track. This 960 is rumored to be coming with a twin-turbo V8 engine putting out over 600 HP, and from the photos floating around the 960 could be based on the 918 platform.

As a fan of the Porsche 911, and I personally feel the last real 911 ended with the last air cooled 911, Type 993 back in 1998, it will be great for Porsche to bring out a new race car based on a mid-engine layout. Think 550 Spyder, 904, 908, 917, and 956, just to name a few.

All Car Central's Volvo S60 K-PAX Test Drive
Volvo Marin, Corte Madera, California
April 2013
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Earlier All Car Central was invited by our friend Paige Casamento of "Volvo Marin" in Corte Madera, California to drive the 2013 Volvo C30 GT with a K-PAX Racing, 'Racing Edition Package'. At that time we were told the front wheel drive only C30 was being replace by the all wheel drive Volvo S60 in the K-PAX 'Racing Edition Package's". The AWD was said to be the ideal set up, as the power from the increased engine out-put was a bit too much for just the front wheels to handle properly.

This time Page set us up with the all wheel drive Volvo K-Pax S60 T6. The K-PAX 'Racing Edition Package's" are optional upgrades added to any Volvo of choice and the S60 we were testing was a very nice starting point.

All Car Central's Volvo C30 K-PAX Test Drive
Volvo Marin, Corte Madera, California
April 2013
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I had my choice of cars on the lot. "How about something exciting I suggested". "How about that?" asked the Sales manager, pointing to a smallish white 2 door hatch back setting in the middle of the showroom floor. "This is a C30 with a K-PAX Racing, 'Racing Edition Package' installed."

The K-PAX Racing, C30 is not your Uncles Volvo. Nor is it a car for the beginning driver.

All Car Central's 2013 Jaguar XK Test Drive
Marin Luxury Cars, Corte Madera, California
March 2013
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The XK moves easily and quietly through the back streets and allows good visibility and with the rear camera and parking guidelines showing on the screen makes it a nice urban car. The ample rear area will allow passengers but best for short distance or for easily reached storage. The large rear trunk or boot will solve any cargo needs. I would say this is a fantastic car for touring with 2 people. Roomy, powerful, and great looking. More...

All Car Central's comparison test 2013
Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry.
November 2012
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Modern cars have all the fit, finish, performance, safety and reliability established and solidly engineered into them so the buyers choice mostly comes down to, personality of the car matching the personality of the buyer. More...

ALL CAR NEWS

5.9 Porsche AG:
The new 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo is ready with 90 percent redeveloped components, like rear axle steering and the new Porsche Active Aerodynamics (PAA).

5.6 Donington Park, UK:

Christian Devereux
Motor sports and racing has always been a dangerous thing and maybe that is why so many of us are drawn to it. But sadness overcomes all when one of our friends falls victim to racings many dangers.

Masters Historic Racing confirms that an accident during the Masters Pre-66 Touring Car race at Donington Park May 5, competitor Christian Devereux had succumbed to his injuries.

Masters Historic Racing is a European organizer of historic racing events in the UK, Spain, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.

5.5 NASCAR Talladega Superspeedway: Talladega, Ala.
David Ragan and Front Row Motorsports team mate David Gilliland both driving Fords finished First and Second in a rain delayed wreck plagued race that ran into darkness.

David Gilliland gave Ragan a push from behind to propel his teammate into the lead at the finish line and then followed him into the record books. The dramatic finish came after a restart from a multi-car crash that had cars flying upside down and landing on other cars. The tightly bunched drivers discovered in the last laps, that the new cars are not capable of running over 190 mph through the turns with 4 and 5 cars side by side.

5.3 Formula 1:
Some interesting numbers. With work on 2014 F1 cars in play and the changeover to a smaller engine the magazine Autoweek shared some numbers. A new F1 car costs about $2.6M in materials. The new 1.6L V6 turbocharged engine can reach 18,000 RPMs; produce about 800 HP but at a cost of 8 MPG. The car is full of computer sensors and wirelessly transmits about 1.5B samples of data to the team's garage, which is then fed into a supercomputer for analysis.

4.30 Monterey, California:
The 2013 Concorso Italiano this August 16th 2013, in Monterey, California, for its Classic Ferrari Display will feature the 246 GTS Dino and older models. This display has been the site of great gatherings of many special Ferrari models, one large collection of GTO's come to mind

4.7 Martinsville, VA:
NASCAR Martinsville Speedway 2013.
Jimmie Johnson driving one of the fastest cars on the track maintained the lead most of the race and held off last lap challenges from Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon.

Rookie Danica Patrick started the race in the last row do to an engine change but worked her way into a very respectable 12 place finish that ended with a drag-race to the line in her first time at the challenging Martinsville track. Danica also did a pass on her team owner, Tony Stewart in the later laps.

Kurt Bush lost his brakes near the end and wisely put the car into the wall to bring it to a safe stop, but setting off a spectacular fire in the engine compartment.

Top 5: 1- Jimmie Johnson; 2- Clint Bowyer; 3- Jeff Gordon; 4- Kasey Kahne; 5- Kyle Busch.

3.29 Goodwood, UK:
The 2013 Festival of Speed is looking at the 'best' of the first 20 years of this world class motor sport and car culture event. Looking back at the events, special happenings, great cars and famous drivers that have been on its field and track over the 20 years since 1993, will surely create a memorable weekend.

Top works F1 teams are already on-board, including McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, Mercedes, Lotus, Caterham and Marussia.

McLaren Racing, will showoff a number of championship-winning cars from Formula One, Can-Am, Indy and Le Mans in marking its first 50 Years.

3.26 Monterey, California:
Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca:

More than 500 Historic Race Cars have been accepted for Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion scheduled to take place this August 16 through 18 at Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.

The Chevrolet Corvette is the featured marque and the Chevrolet Motor Division will be on site to celebrate the marque's 60th anniversary and 50th anniversary of the Corvette Grand Sport. Out of the Corvettes that have been accepted, 58 are authentic and race-proven Corvettes including three Corvette Grand Sports. There were only five Grand Sports ever constructed under the watch of Zora Arkus-Duntov, the "father of the Corvette."

There also will be a heritage display of significant Corvettes presented by Chevrolet. These extremely rare Corvette racecars will be showcased to represent every era, right up to the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray.

The range of the cars on track runs from a 1911 National 40 to a more modern-day 1992 Mazda RX-7 92P. Oh yes. All the big Marques in racing will be there.

3.21 Stuttgart:
Daimler AG:

Lightweight construction is seen as an integral component of Daimler's strategy on the road to sustainable mobility. Reducing all of Mercedes-Benz vehicles by approximately 10 percent is one of the company's development goals. As part of the process, researchers from the fields of business and science will be working in the ARENA2036 Research Campus project at the University of Stuttgart on topics related to "flexible production and function-integrated lightweight construction" or "The right material in the right place".

With the goal being the car of the future, target year 2036, and the 150th anniversary of the invention of the automobile, experts in ARENA2036 (Active Research Environment for the Next Generation of Automobiles), carry out fundamental research into lightweight construction technologies and production car models.

The ARENA2036 Research Campus is among the winners of the "Research Campus - public/private partnership for innovations" competition organized by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

3.1 PORSCHE:
Connor de Phillippi a 19 year old young race car driver from San Clemente, California, has been picked to fill one of the two positions on the "Porsche Juniors" for the 2013 Carrera Cup Deutschland racing season.

Connor de Phillippi achieved successes in karting and various Formula race series, and now will contest the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland in 2013. Porsche will supply the 2 rookie drivers with the bulk of their financial costs and provide coaching on and off the track.

Porsche Head of Racing, Hartmut Kristen commented that "Our current Porsche works drivers have shown that the Carrera Cup is an excellent platform for a professional international career" in competitive driving. The Porsche Juniors will make the choice of the teams that they race with. Alex Riberas Bou was the second driver picked by Porsche.

2.25 PORSCHE:
The Porsche 911

Porsche will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 911 all around the world, including the USA, China, Continental Europe and Australia.

The Porsche Museum in Stuttgart will also be marking '50 years of the Porsche 911' with a special exhibition featuring the history and development of the car.

2.25 Goodwood, UK:
2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed; Festival of Speed's 20th anniversary year.

In recognizing that the Porsche 911 has played a key role in helping to put the Festival of Speed on the map over the last 20 years Goodwood will celebrate the 911's 50th anniversary.

From 1963 over 820,000 Porsche 911s have been built, and examples of each of its seven generations will be present at the 2013 Festival of Speed. The 911 always been at home on the race track all over the world, with two thirds of the 30,000 race victories achieved by Porsche to date being won by the 911.

A number of significant 911s, along with other important competition Porsches, are secluded to be running at the Festival, including examples of the 356, 908, 917 and 962.

The 4th annual "Moving Motor Show 2013" will return with 20 new car manufacturers displaying their latest models in high-speed action on the celebrated hillclimb, several being shown for the very first time.

2.23 Daytona Beach, Florida:
Crash in final laps at NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway injured fans in stands. No early word if this will effect the 500 mile race on Sunday.

Danica Patrick lays down a hot lap of 196.434 mph and becomes the first woman to gain the Pole Position in the Daytona 500. Danica is running as a rookie.

The second place, outside of the pole position on the front row, is Jeff Gordon who ran a lap of 196.292 in another Chevrolet.

Danica's team owner Tony Stewart, who went out first, posted only a 195.925 lap.

4.25 Nissan building Mercedes-Benz engines in the USA:

Nissan will build Mercedes-Benz 4 cylinder gasoline engines in Nissan's North American, Decherd, Tennessee engine plant. The agreement is for 250,00 engines per year starting in 2014. One half of the production run will go into the Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedans from the USA based Mercedes-Benz, Alabama plant. If that is not enough to keep track of, the other half of the Nissan USA built Mercedes-Benz engines will find their way into Nissan's Infinity entry-level compact, said to be based on the Etherea concept car.

So if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it is therefore a German-Japanese-USA car. Right! But which one? Or does it matter any more.

2.4 Pebble Beach, California :
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is releasing its starting lineup of the 2013 event.

To quote the news release, "field of cars for this elite competition" (covers) "coachbuilt Lincolns exhibiting the continental flair of Edsel Ford to the classic confections of the Parisian firm Vanvooren to the charging mounts from Ferruccio Lamborghini"

Also in the field will be: Lincolns; Simplex, among the rarest of early twentieth century marques; Vanvooren, Carrosserie Vanvooren was licensed to build Weymann fabric-bodied cars, but soon developed its own elegant and refined French designs; Lamborghini, celebrating its 50th anniversary; Aston Martin, celebrating its 100th anniversary; Porsche 911, celebrating its 50th anniversary; and custom-bodied BMW 507s

1.17 Stuttgart/New Delhi:
Business squabble turns into Criminal Charges:

Precision Cars in New Delhi, India who was importing and selling Porsche cars in that country was cut out of the Porsche import business when Porsche made Volkswagen Group Sales India the sole importer of Porsche cars.

According to Stuttgart, The "Trial Court and the Honourable High Court of Rajasthan at Jaipur have upheld Porsche's termination of the importer agreement (with Precision Cars) and a subsequent appeal by the former importer (Precision Cars) to the Honourable Supreme Court of India was also dismissed."

In what could be described as a move of frustration, An Indian court has issued an arrest warrant for Porsche's CEC Matthias Müller and 8 other Porsche executives, which included a letter to Interpol from India's Central Bureau of Investigation, asking for aid in the case; as reported in the New York Times.

Stuttgart's response: "The allegations in the criminal proceeding in which the Court in Jaipur/India has issued the bailable warrants are in the view of Porsche baseless and without any material substance. This case is based on a purely civil dispute brought to court by the former importer of Porsche AG following the ordinary termination of its importer contract by Porsche in 2011".

" Porsche has the highest regards for the Indian judiciary and is going to - represented by its local lawyers and is taking steps to have the warrants and criminal proceedings quashed within the applicable periods. Porsche's lawyers are confident to be able to demonstrate that the complaint is completely frivolous.".

1.11 Las Vegas Nevada:
The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Nevada covers all the new electronic things in development that the people of the world needs, think they need or are being told that they need them.

Google is developing a self-driving car which is far-off from being allowed on the roadways by itself, but some of its technology is getting closer to being available on the showroom floors. Self parking is one feature that has been available for a few years now on several models.

This years 2013 show brought out a Lexus LS that has 2 color cameras, front and side radar, a blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, a "lane keeping" assistant and a collision-avoidance system. The car also has a Lidar laser on the roof that can detect objects 230 feet away in a complete 360 degrees area. In addition there are Gyroscopes, accelerometers and a GPS to guide you safely out of the Kmart parking lot.

Toyota has not yet released this automotive/personal safety driving aid yet. However Mercedes-Benz does have several improved safety driving aids install on several of their models which are on the showroom floor now.

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12.12 Stuttgart:
Porsche Going for Over-All Win at Le Mans 24 Hours / World Endurance Championship:

After Porsche having competed in the LMP2 class, and watching Audi finishing in the first overall place, with their more powerful LMP1 cars, the challenge has been met. Porsche has just announced that they will field a LMP1 sports prototype to be run by Weissach-based works team in the 2013 season.

11.28 Stuttgart,GE/Atlanta, US:
Porsche Cars North America, Inc.:
(PCNA), importer and distributor of Porsche cars, celebrated a landmark groundbreaking of its 26.4-acre site for its new headquarters, at One Porsche Drive, adjacent to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

One Porsche Drive is expected to grow to 400 employees, and add 100 jobs for the state of Georgia.

As an industry first, the Porsche headquarters campus will feature a Customer Experience Center including a 1.6-mile test track and handling road course to showcase the capabilities of Porsche's industry-leading vehicles. One Porsche Drive will house corporate offices, a Technical Service and Training Center, a Conference Center and a Museum.

Of Note: This is taking place as Suzuki USA filed for bankruptcy and is withdrawing from the US.

10.22 Monaco:
Top Marques Monaco:
2013 dates are set for 18-21st of April. The 2013 Top Marques Monaco will be its 10th year of displaying many industry firsts and world premieres at the most unique and exclusive supercar show in the world.

H.S.H. Prince Albert II, the distinguished patron of Top Marques Monaco supports safety enhancements and developments into advanced green technology research for the automotive industry.

With the 10 year anniversary of the event coinciding with the celebrations as 007 turns 50, and as Top Marques is inextricably linked to the iconic James Bond with his fearless, antics in fast cars, loaded with futuristic gadgets; Top Marques Monaco fits the story line with their annual display of cars that one can not find anywhere else

Porsche Panamera Platinum Edition 2013
Photo Courtesy of Porsche AG

10.18 Stuttgart:
Porsche Panamera:
The Panamera Platinum Edition will be offered by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart starting this November.

The offering will be an elegant special edition combing design elements, special paint and interior combinations.

8.2 Stuttgart:
Porsche Extends its Promotion of Driving Talent
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG is adding a new element to its support of the next generation of racing drivers. Along with long-term training and support of Porsche Junior drivers, beginning in 2013 one exceptionally talented driver will be selected from the Porsche one-make race series worldwide to participate in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, a support event to Formula 1. Porsche support will cover a majority of the season budget.

The Porsche Carrera Cups in Asia, Australia, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and Scandinavia will each nominate one candidate up to 26 years of age who has successfully completed at least one season in its series. Porsche can also select exceptionally talented drivers from the rest of their one-make race series. This autumn, in a driver comparison, candidates will compete with one another on the race track under identical conditions. Besides turning in fast lap times, they must also demonstrate their technical understanding and analytical skills in finding a proper setup for the 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

With this added element, Porsche is extending one of the most comprehensive and universal promotion programs for new driver talent in the automotive industry. Even on the club motorsport level, new talent can be recommended for higher tasks and advance to GT3 Cup Challenges or Porsche Carrera Cups across the globe, where they can learn everything they need to know for a career as a racing professional. Via the next level, the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup, a number of drivers have already advanced to international GT and sports prototype racing. Some of them represent Porsche as factory drivers in certain key motorsport series.
Sorce: Stuttgart. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG

7.19 Crewe & Le Mans:
Derek Bell And Bentley Inspired By 'Mission Motorsport' Team At Le Mans Classic
Derek Bell MBE a five time Le Mans winner and Bentley's brand ambassador returned to the French race circuit with a 4.5 litre Bentley Blower for the Le Mans Classic in a unique motorsport challenge.

In partnership with the cars, owner Martin Overington, Bell's Le Mans Classic challenge was supported by a 3-man pit crew from Mission Motorsport - a UK charity that rehabilitates seriously injured military personnel by actively involving them in a wide range of competitive motor racing challenges.

Former Royal Marine Commando Tony Compson, with Gary Dunning and James Gillborn was Bell's Mission Motorsport support team. All three men have suffered serious, life-changing injuries on active service but that did not stop the team from delivering fastest possible pit stops or working through the night to allow the Bentley Blower to race on Saturday.

Martin Overington commented: "It was privilege to work with Tony, Gary and James. They were a huge asset throughout our campaign at Le Mans and Derek and I always felt we were in safe hands with the best possible chance of being competitive."

The Infiniti Luxury Crossover Range:
Will it Make you Cross Over?

Image Credit: Infiniti 2012

There's nothing not to love about crossover cars - combining all the best parts of a road automobile, a hatchback and a SUV, they bring grace, power and practicality together into one attractive package. Luxury automaker Infiniti have made their crossover range one of their primary products, ensuring that their crossover range has been improved upon with every passing year. So why should you considering crossing over to a crossover and what has Infiniti's range got to offer above the rest?

If you have a growing family, a standard automobile might not afford the space you need for your expanding brood. As crossovers bring together the storage and seating space of a hatchback and a SUV, there's plenty of room for the 2.5 children family and then some! The 2013 Infiniti JX35 seats three rows with a cargo space of 15.8 cubic feet and more cup holders than any family could ever need.

For those who'd prefer to hit the dirt than the road, crossovers offer ample opportunity. Their robust, SUV underpinnings allow them to take to off-road easily and their torque makes them excellent towing vehicles. The Infiniti FX50 is ideal for sailors, with enough power to tow up to 3500 pounds - or a small boat!

Fuel economy is a big concern for many people and crossovers excel in this area too. Smaller than a SUV, crossover vehicles offer the size and power of SUVs at a fraction of the gas price and because they provide a smoother, easier drive than a SUV you are likely to drive smarter, again providing more fuel economy. The smooth drive offered by the Infiniti FX35 is the winner in this category.

For those who want a vehicle that offers more than your standard road car or SUV, the crossover is the ideal choice.

7.2 Nuremberg, Germany:
Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland, race 9 in Nuremberg, June 1 - July 30 2012.

René Rast extends points' lead with clear win.

René Rast (winner): "That was a perfect race and a perfect weekend. But the track conditions today were really tough. I spun during the formation lap and had a bad start. Now I'm very happy to travel to the Nurburgring as points' leader."

Result race 9
1. René Rast (D), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, 32:10.158 minutes
2. Kévin Estre (F), Hermes Attempto Racing, + 17.820 seconds
3. Norbert Siedler (A), Konrad Motorsport, + 30.973
4. Jaap van Lagen (NL), FE Racing by Land-Motorsport, + 30.986
5. Philipp Frommenwiler (CH), Attempto Racing, + 43.026
6. Sean Edwards (GB), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 44.049
7. David Jahn (D), Attempto Racing, + 45.173 8. Klaus Bachler (A), Team Deutsche Post by tolimit, + 46.300
9. Felipe Fernandez Laser (D), Farnbacher ESET Racing, + 48.809
10. Michael Christensen (DK), Konrad Motorsport, + 1 lap

BMW Reveals Key Additions to the M Series:

Following on the heels of the M135i, which is due for release in September, BMW has announced some additions to its first premium hatchback series.

Buyers will be able to select from a range of engine options for the three-door 1 Series, including 2.0-litre turbocharged diesels, with a variety of power outputs and CO2 emissions starting from a low 99g/km.

Although the M125i is the division's first petrol offering powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre engine, the additional diesel models make up the three-door versions of the five-door M series cars already on sale.

Trims include the Sport Line and Urban Line trim, with optional extras that form part of the M Sport styling package. Budget conscious buyers can consider the 114i ES option, which is equipped with a 1.6-litre petrol engine and emits just 129g/km of CO2.

A highlight of the range is the sporty M125i that does 0 to 62mph in 6.4 seconds, and is set to rival Volkswagen giants like the Golf GTI.

The M135i and 120d will also be equipped with the xDrive system that's already in the larger X5 and X6s; however, it's the first time the M Series has benefitted from BMW's four-wheel-drive system.

6.14 Saab Automobile. Sweden:

Swedish, Chinese and Japanese investors banded together to resurrect the once highly desired Saab automobile line. The group created the new company "National Electric Vehicle Sweden", to purchase the Saab assets and build electric vehicles. The business outline calls for mating Swedish design, and manufacturing, Japanese Ev technology and Chinese presence.

The Mercedes-Benz von Krieger 540 K Special Roadster
Image copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company.
Photo by Peter Harholdt.

6.13 Monterey, California, USA:
Bought in 1936 by an aristocratic Prussian family von Krieger the Mercedes-Benz was named the von Krieger 540 K Special Roadster.

Many supercharged Mercedes-Benz during the battles in Europe, were stolen or lost, but the von Krieger's Special Roadster remained an important possession of the family and survived hidden away. Thus protected from War, the Car connected the Family.

The elegant Baroness Gisela von Krieger, once named one of the ten most fashionable women in the world and widely recognized for her elegant style took this Mercedes-Benz as her personal vehicle and kept it to her death.

The car will be auctioned off by Gooding & Company's 2012 Pebble Beach Auctions on Saturday and Sunday, August 18 & 19 at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. The full story is available here

6.1 Bridgestone:
Bridgestone announces a commitment to a waste free tire industry.

Bridgestone recently launched the 'One Team, One Planet Spent Tire Program', designed to eventually have every tire Bridgestone Americas sells in the US, one used tire will be recycled for a valuable purpose.

This includes all Firestone Complete Auto Care, Tires Plus®, Wheel Works and ExpertTire® locations.

5.31 Self Driving Cars:
The Sarter project has joined with Google to develop self driving cars. 7 European countries have joined to produce "Road Trains" that will work safely on public roads.

The test run on a 124 mile drive over highways in Spain consisted of 4 vehicles, linked together wirelessly, following a lead truck driven by a professional driver. All 'following' vehicles matched the lead vehicle's acceleration, braking and turning. Linda Wahlstrom of Volvo Car was project manager.

5.23 Anaheim, California USA:
Fisker Automotive Ranks No.2 in Dutch Luxury Vehicle Sales.
The Fisker Karma Sedan, first made available in December 2011, has announced that it out-sold the BMW 7-series, Mercedes S-class and Audi A8 in the highly competitive Dutch market, for the January-April period.

This may mark the first time that an ultra-low emission hybrid car has outsold combustion engine rivals.

3.25 Sacramento, CA:
Good news for current and prospective electric car owners.
NRG Energy, in a $120-million settlement with the State of California, has agreed to build 200 public fee-based fast-charging stations and install wiring for 10,000 plug-in units at 1,000 locations in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area and the California San Joaquin Valley. Due to the conditions of the legal settlement, the insulation and electrical up-grades will be at no cost to the California taxpayers.

2.21 Maybach:
There are reports out that the Maybach. line of cars will be discontinued at the end of 2012.

11.8 Stuttgart:
Porsche is making claims to returning to Le Mans in 2014 with a LMP (P1) car to go head to head with Audi.

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