Most racetracks are constructed so well that they last for decades after use has discontinued and unless they are made into housing developments, they will often stand the test of time and the Autódromo de Sitges-Terramar is no exception to that rule.
Constructed way back in 1922 after just 300 days of work, the Terramar circuit was only used for 3 years before it was abandoned and has never been used since, until now. Professional racing drivers Carlos Sainz and Miguel Molina recently took a Red Bull-sponsored Audi R8 LMS racer to the 60 degree banked circuit to put on what can only be described as a true work of art.
In addition to the eight minute long video accompanying the article, a selection of incredible pictures were also shot during the occasion. Despite the track being broken, bruised, and battered, it would have been an incredible experience for the two-time WRC champion and DTM racers.
In a recent interview, Ludwig Willisch, CEO of BMW’s North American sales subsidiary, offered a few more details regarding the company’s plans to expand its M line-up. He said that the American market is pressing BMW corporate headquarters in Munich to add an M variant to its new BMW 7-Series, even though BMW has said that the M7 will never happen. Now, this negative response to the production of the M7 may be changing, especially with Willisch’s counterpart in China also asking for the same thing. "I think we will get it," the BMW North America CEO said, but his lips were sealed tight after that, skipping out on offering any further details such as a launch date prediction.
Our hopes of seeing yet another M model gracing the BMW showfloor are high, but Willisch also reiterated that not all BMW models would get an M version. For example, he said that an M variant will never happen for models like the X1 or the X3. Instead, models like this will get a range of accessories through its new M Performance line. These options will improve the models’ general look, but won’t add significant performance upgrades.
Just a few weeks ago, it seemed all but inevitable that Saab would be saved by a massive takeover bid from Chinese mega-company, Youngman but unfortunately, the company recently confirmed that it has pulled out of its multi-billion dollar bid to purchase the flailing brand. However, if the latest reports are to be believed, Saab may not be dead just quite yet.
Little known Swedish firm, National Electric Vehicle Sweden is said to be behind the latest bid to purchase Saab’s remaining assets for an undisclosed amount. But if previous speculation about GM shooting down Youngman’s billion dollar bid for Saab is true, then we can only imagine how much this new deal must be worth.
If NEVS really has struck a deal to purchase Saab, then it’s likely the firm has ambitious plans to turn Saab into an electric automobile producer, to help inject some life into the brand. What’s very interesting about this latest bid is that NEVS is actually owned by none other than Karl-Erling Trogen, the man once behind the operations at Volvo Trucks.
Although all of this sounds very promising, we have serious doubts that NEVS bid will be accepted if previous, unsuccessful attempted acquisitions are anything to go by.
Rarely is something both the slowest and the hardest at the same time, but that all goes out the window when you’re talking about the Grand Prix at Monaco. For the majority of the F1 season, the drivers get to open up their cars a good bit. At Monaco, those chances to go wide open are limited to about three, as there are only a three extended straightaways on the track.
Besides those three straights, drivers get to deal with a plethora of intense twists and blind turns that require great care to negotiate correctly. These tight turns all amount to Monaco being the lowest average speed course on the F1 circuit, and arguably the hardest one on the circuit.
Well, the 70th running of this ultra-technical road course is due to start on May 27, 2012 and we’re going to provide a quick preview of what’s to come.
Click past the jump to read all about the Grand Prix at Monaco
A few days ago, there was a pretty cool picture gallery released featuring the Ferrari 599XX Evo at the opening round to the European Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli at Monza. Today, Youtube user Shmee150 is offering up an equally cool video shot at the same event.
The stars of his video are a series of 599XX, 599XX Evo, and FXX models presented at the event. It shows behind the scenes shots and shots in and around the paddock before the cars headed out and blasted away. These are coupled with numerous clips of flybys, epic downshifts, the glowing brakes, and plenty of eye candy!
Their next stop was at California’s Laguna Seca circuit, a few miles from the attractions of Monterey, which hosted the third Ferrari Racing Days of the season on May 20, 2012.
Every form of motorsport carries risk but generally speaking, this risk is only relevant to the actual racers and their pit teams as spectators are usually shielded from danger with high fences and strong tire walls.
However, rallying does not offer the level of safety which NASCAR and Formula One do, as onlookers can get within inches of speeding race cars and as a result, rallying is unquestionably one of the most dangerous motorsports in the world, if not the most dangerous.
Rallying is so dangerous in fact that the Group B rally series was cancelled predominantly because of the risk to onlookers. Unfortunately however, modern day rallying involves almost all of the same risks and it is that exact risk to spectators’ lives which recently killed two fans and injured 17 more, when a French rally car lost control during a race before careening into the group of spectators.
No names of those injured or killed have been released, but one of the casualties was reportedly a race marshal, while numerous children were also injured in this tragic accident. The event took place near Toulon, along France’s Mediterranean coast and is said to have been caused due to driver error, where they reportedly made a mistake at an intersection and plowed into the crowd rather than taking a sharp right turn.
Dominique Demeyer, another driver taking part in the event who witnessed the crash said, "The car took off straight ahead. It crashed into a first row of spectators before peeling off and mowing down other people who were further off."
Despite the obvious carnage caused by the event, it’s currently unconfirmed as to whether the driver will face any criminal charges - possibly on count of manslaughter – as he managed to walk away with just minor injuries.
Any true automotive enthusiast knows the name "Vallelunga," but for those that don’t, it is a challenging road circuit designed by Italian racing legend Piero Taruffi. It is located 20 miles outside of Rome and was the site of many thrilling races in the 1960s and 1970s, featuring all of the legendary Italian marques. Knowing that, it is no surprise that Autodromo has released a chronograph that carries this name.
The new Vallelunga is a beautifully minimalist watch inspired by racing tachometers used in many Italian Prototype and Grand Prix racing cars of late 1960s and early 1970s. It is powered by a robust Swiss Made Ronda Quartz 5020.B movement. It features a stopwatch, 30 minute counter, and big date calendar window. It will be offered in Black over Black or White over Stainless and will be priced at $550.
The last time we saw or heard from IFR Automotive was back in 2008 when they introduced the Aspid sports car at the 2009 London Auto Show. If you recall, the Aspid was presented as a 700 kg/1543 lbs sports car that was designed like a futuristic Morgan and packed a walloping 400 horsepower, good enough to produce a 0-60 mph time of just 2.8 seconds.
That was four years ago.
This year, the Spanish automaker is returning with a new version of the Aspid sports car, one that has come with a new teaser and a rather intriguing tag of "Keep watching your mirrors, a new Aspid is coming."
Details are scarce at this point, but we do expect the car to look like a bigger version of the 2008 Aspid to go with a more powerful and technologically advanced engine than the 2-liter engine its predecessor came with.
More details are sure to follow when they become available.
Collaborative efforts aren’t anything new in the car world. Companies have been borrowing bits and pieces from each other for years, but lately it seems as though full blown projects are being split between companies to develop almost identical vehicles. Take Subaru and Toyota, for example. They joined forces to develop the new GT 86/BRZ sports car that carry identical parts with different maker flares. Now Fiat and Mazda are jumping on board the team builder wagon to produce a new small roadster based on Mazda’s next-generation MX-5 rear-wheel-drive architecture.
The two companies will have to develop two differentiated, distinctly styled roadsters and each variant will be powered by specific proprietary engines unique to each brand. Both models will be built at Mazda’s Hiroshima, Japan, plant with production for Alfa Romeo envisaged starting in 2015.
"Establishing technology and product development alliances is one of Mazda’s corporate objectives and this announcement with Fiat is an important first step in that direction. It is especially exciting to be collaborating with such a prestigious marque as Alfa Romeo on a new roadster based on the next-generation MX-5, which is such an iconic vehicle for Mazda and recognized as the best-selling roadster of all time." said Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda’s Representative Director and Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.
"This agreement clearly demonstrates our commitment to Alfa Romeo and the determination to grow it into a truly global brand. By partnering with Mazda, we will be co-operating with the recognized leader in compact rear-drive vehicle architectures in order to deliver an exciting and stylish roadster in the Alfa Romeo tradition. We are appreciative of this collaboration with Mazda and look forward to maintaining a fruitful and continuous relationship." said Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.
As most already know, this past weekend, the Laguna Seca circuit was home to the Ferrari Racing Days, a great event that gives owners involved in the XX and F1 program the opportunity to show off what they’re working with. The Laguna Seca Raceway is one of the most challenging circuits in the world, so any achievement should be considered newsworthy, but Ferrari took the cake at their won event by setting a new, albeit unofficial, record.
Ferrari has just announced that during their Racing Days, Marc Gene set a new lap record at the wheel of the F2003 GA Formula 1 car. During a free practice session, Gene completed a time of 1.05.78, beating out the previous record set by Sebastien Bourdais on March 10, 2007 in a Panoz DP01 Champ Car (1.05.88) and Ricardo Zonta’s time of 1.06.30, set in a Toyota TF106 F1 car on August 20, 2006.
This is still an unofficial record for now, but we’re sure Ferrari will take care of that soon enough.
