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Official: David Coulthard will leave F1 at season's end Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, UK 
Click above for a stunning high-res gallery of D.C.'s 2008 highlights.
The end of an era. That's what we called it when rumors began intensifying just a couple of days ago that David Coulthard might retire from Formula One racing. Those rumors were confirmed today - at the Silverstone track, one day before the start of his home race - when the elder statesman of grand prix racing announced his retirement.
To get an idea of just how long Coulthard has been racing, remember that his first race was to fill the late Ayrton Senna's seat at Williams after the famed Brazilian's fatal crash 14 years ago. Since that fateful start, Coulthard has competed in 236 grands prix to date, winning 13 of them, taking pole position 12 times and setting the fastest lap 18 times. DC spent nine seasons with McLaren, and was instrumental in brokering the purchase of the defunct Jaguar team from Ford by Red Bull, with whom he has raced for the past few seasons, scoring the team's first point and first podium. This weekend's British Grand Prix will be David's last home race, having won the event twice in his career.
So what's next for the flying Scotsman? For starters, he will remain as a consultant to Red Bull Racing, pitching in for development driving, much like his contemporaries Schumacher and Hakkinen still do for Ferrari and McLaren respectively. Despite earlier assertions, however, Coulthard says he will remain open-minded about racing in other leagues, and we could very well see him back in the race seat for the Race of Champions at London's Wembley Stadium in December, however it remains to be seen if Coulthard will try his hand at Le Mans, DTM or some other form of motor racing or rallying. Meanwhile, the vacation of his seat at Red Bull leaves the door open for Sebastian Vettel's promotion from the Toro Rosso B-squad, so sit tight for that announcement. In the meantime we wish David all the best of luck for the remainder of his last season and for life after F1. Follow the jump to read David Coulthard's official statement.
[Source: Formula 1]
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Let the leakage begin: Ford Focus RS concept Filed under: Euro, Hatchbacks, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows 
Click either image for a high-res gallery of the Ford Focus RS.
We've been teased twice and now we finally get our first unmasked glimpse of the Ford Focus RS concept, due to debut at the London Motor Show next month. Images of the gaudy green hatch have begun to surface on a few sites across the pond, and the aggressive body work and racy interior mean that Ford's hottest hatch has to be packing some serious kit underhood. It is.
The Focus RS will be equipped with a tweaked version of the turbocharged Duratec 2.5-liter inline-five found in the ST, and will send between 280 and 300 hp, along with 300+ lb.-ft. of torque, through the front wheels via a six-speed gearbox equipped with a Quaife limited-slip differential. With that kind of power, the RS should be able to make the run to 60 in less than six seconds - assuming you don't torque-steer yourself into a tree in the process.
 The dynamic body kit, complete with gaping maw, flared fenders, side sills, rear diffuser and wing, and unfortunate fender vents, compliments the lowered ride height, 19-inch, 15-spoke wheels and upgraded brakes. Inside, color-matched, two-tone Recaro thrones join an RS-specific instrument cluster and smaller diameter steering wheel.
More information should be released in the run-up to the show. As always, watch this space.
[Source: Autoblog Spanish - Translated] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Toyota: The solution to high gas prices? Drive less! Filed under: Etc., Toyota 
Automakers understand that the buying public is struggling with high gas prices, and the entire industry is working on new technologies to ease our financial burden. Unfortunately, new fuel efficient products are going to take a while to develop on a large scale, so for now we're just going to have to grin and bear it. That is unless you want to follow the wisdom of Toyota, which has dug deep into its core of corporate genius to give the car-driving public this little tidbit of advice: drive less. Wow, the solution was right under our noses the whole time, and we just didn't figure it out. You know there is a problem with gas prices when automakers start telling you to buy a bicycle.
Head over to Autoblog Green to read up on some very real ways that you can save on fuel, and check out the site's fancy new diggs while you're at it.
[Source: Autoblog Green] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
British Motor Show Preview: Opel Insignia to debut in hatch and sedan forms Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Hatchbacks, GM, Misc. Auto Shows, Opel, Vauxhall 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Insignia.
GM's European branch is planning a big debut later this month at the British Motor Show in London for one of its most important mainstream models. The new Insignia is replacing the venerable Vectra and brings with it a whole new design language. We got our first preview of the new look on last years GTC and Flextreme concepts. In London, Opel will be displaying hatchback and sedan variants of the Epsilon II-based Insignia, with the sharp edged look of the Vectra replaced with smoother flowing lines and scooped out side panels. European drivers will have seven engines to choose from including four gas and three diesel models, all with six speed gearboxes. The four- and six-cylinder gas engines range from 115 hp to 260 hp, while the 2.0L diesel fours get 110-160 hp variants. The Insignia will also be available with a version of the Haldex torque vectoring all wheel drive system used on the Saab Turbo-X. GM plans to announce pricing for the new model on July 22 in London with sales later this fall, and don't be surprised if the Insignia makes the trip across the Atlantic and receives a Saturn badge in the process. The Opel press release is after the jump.
[Source: General Motors]
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Next BMW iDrive to take cues from Audi's MMI Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, I.C.E., BMW  We've already gotten a sneak peak of what the 2009 BMW 7-series will look like on the outside ahead of its official launch, but the interior - and iDrive in particular - is still veiled in a cloak of secrecy. However, Bimmerfile has supposedly gotten the inside dope on the new multi-function brushed aluminum mole.
According to Bimmerfile, the new iDrive interface will take a cue from one of our favorite in-dash control units - Audi's MMI - with a new interface that has a similar list design and selection system. The screen resolution is higher, which makes the maps and text "more visually appealing" and the submenus are reportedly "more like bookmarks," which should facilitate an easier flow of information.
The new display will also allow show maps in full screen, rather than the split screen in the previous version of iDrive, and radio and CD functions are now available in two separate menus. When playing a CD, the current song will be displayed in a "frame" at the top of the screen, with the list of tracks shown below it.
The major revision, aside from a new phonebook contact list that allows for multiple numbers, is the date, time and radio station bar migrating from the iDrive screen into a central mounted display nestled between the two gauges on the dash. This is one feature that Audi's MMI has had for a few years and is a very welcome addition to the new iDrive. We'll hopefully have official information about the new system in a few days.
[Source: Bimmerfile] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Rumormill: Ford reviving Mustang SVO with 300 hp Ecoboost four Filed under: Coupes, Green, Ford, Rumormill 
The original Fox body Mustang SVO was an odd-looking chap with an impressive 205 hp turbo four cylinder and more amenities than the standard pony car. While the light little 'Stang had a decent following, it was expensive and somewhat unreliable in comparison to the cheaper V8 model. The demise of the SVO was cheap gas, which is likely two words we'll never use again when discussing the price of petrol.
The crew over at Garage419 have gotten a tip that the stratospheric climb in fuel prices may spawn another SVO Mustang, but this one could pack 300 ponies. The engine of choice could be the tried and true 2.3-liter four banger with the Ecoboost treatment, and weight could drop by 500 pounds by dropping the massive 4.6L V8 and using higher strength steel. The resulting turbo Mustang would blow away its naturally aspirated V8 brother on the track, while giving back at the pump to the tune of a 20-30 percent fuel economy improvement.
Lets see, a 30 mpg Mustang that weighs less and goes faster than its throaty V8 sibling. This sounds like an absolute no-brainer for the Blue Oval, and something that we wouldn't mind having in the Autoblog Garage for a very long time.
[Source: Garage 419] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Spy Shots: McLaren SLR Speedster (w/VIDEO) Filed under: Spy Photos, Videos, Supercars, Mercedes-Benz, Special/Limited Editions 
Click above for more pics of the Mclaren SLR Speedster.
Following yesterday's revelation that Mercedes and McLaren were preparing to launch a special lightweight version of their SLR supercar, a batch of spy shots plus a spy video have surfaced, giving us a sneak peek at the limited-edition roadster prior to its anticipated unveiling by McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton towards the end of the month.
The images - which appear to have been released by the manufacturer itself - confirm our previous report that the roofless supercar will have little in the way of protection from the elements, with an F1-sized wind deflector screen as the only thing between the driver and the wind rushing by at breakneck speeds. Inspired by the original '50's-era 300 SLR, the new speedster will be faster than any previous SLR and be built in a small serial of 75 examples.
Click on the thumbnail images below to view more, and follow the jump for the spy video.
[Source: PistonHeads, eMercedesBenz]Continue reading Spy Shots: McLaren SLR Speedster (w/VIDEO) Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Safety concerns cause NHRA to limit races to 1,000 feet Filed under: Motorsports, Safety 
The NHRA has acted very quickly in an effort to improve the safety of its Top Fuel and Funny Car races. Due to the tragic death recently of '94 and '95 Top Fuel champion Scott Kalitta, the drag strip for these two fastest classes will be shortened from the traditional 1,320 feet to 1,000 feet. Race officials and team managers believe that this compromise will continue to make for an entertaining race as the cars will still be hitting speeds of around 300 mph. This is an interim change as the sanctioning body investigates the crash and its causes, and will stay in effect until more definite changes can be made. The first race which will incorporate the new shorter track length will take place on July 11-13 at the Mopar Mile High Nationals in Denver, Colorado.
[Source: NHRA via AutoWeek] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Leaked: 2009 BMW 7 Series photos hit the web Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, BMW 
Click above image for a gallery of the new 7
There's a crack in the dam somewhere at BMW, and what certainly appear to be official press shots of the new 2009 7 Series are now making the rounds. This leads us to believe that we should see an official release from the automaker sometime over the weekend (if the way the 1 Series leaks played out is any indication). Obviously, all we have to go on are the photos, so lets talk about what we can see. The new car's lines and overall appearance are remarkably conservative compared to the Bangleized E65/E66 cars we were presented in 2001. The 2006 facelift those cars underwent cured many of those visual ills, and this latest car mainstreams things even further.
Up front, the wide double-kidney grille is flanked by angel-eye lamps that have an "eyebrow" built into their assembly. Move to the rear, and you'll find a pair of somewhat bulbous-looking (in pictures, at least) taillamps that are likely to generate a good amount of for/against chatter. Integrated, parallelogram-shaped exhaust tips poke through the rear bumper of the gold long-wheelbase car, while the darker, diesel-powered standard-length machine has a traditional double-tipped outlet on the driver's side.
The interior sports a new iDrive controller with buttons mounted around it now, and the iDrive onscreen interface itself is new, too. The multifunction steering wheel now has 3 spokes instead of four, and one shot clearly shows BMW's new in-car Internet service onscreen. Finally, the rear-seat entertainment system gets screens on each front seatback instead of the single, low-mount center screen available in the current 7. We're sure there's plenty more to talk about as well. For now, the comment floor is yours, and we expect to be talking about the official details in the coming days. Thanks to all the tipsters!
[Source: 7Post] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
You know, for the kids: Cars to appear at British motor show Filed under: Misc. Auto Shows, Toys 
Click above for the Cars at BIMS in high-res British kids are at least as into cars as American kids, and probably liked the Pixar movie just as much. But Route 66 is far away from old Blimey, as is the Cars-dedicated theme park which Disney is making at its California Adventure location. British parents will soon be able to pacify their octane-snorting Olivers when the British International Motor Show opens its doors in London, where a full Cars attraction will make its UK debut.
The highlight of the attraction will be a display of life-size Cars cast members, based on actual automobiles. Lightning McQueen will be there (based on a '78 Trans Am), along with Sally Carrera ('02 911) and Mack the Truck ('85 Mack Super-Liner), but British lads might relate best to Mater the buck-toothed tow-truck (based on a Chevy dually pick-up). Kids can also try out the special gaming pods and get their faces painted - though we doubt Ramone (voiced by Cheech) will be there to turn out the his custom schemes.
[Source: BIMS] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Grease Me Up: Lube sweepstakes giving away a '57 T-Bird Filed under: Time Warp, Contests 
Spend a couple of minutes surfing the net and you'll find all sorts of contests giving away all sorts of prizes. The best of them - ahem, like the Autoblog Relaunch Celebration Sweepstakes we ran a year back - give away a new car. But how about an old car? We mean, like a classic... a classic among classics, even, like the 1957 Ford Thunderbird.
That's exactly what Blaster chemicals - makers of a variety of lubricants and rust inhibitors - is giving away to mark its 50th anniversary. Residents of the lower 48 can enter the sweepstakes online until the end of July. The grand prize consists of the T-Bird and a trip for two to Cleveland - home of Rock & Roll and our own John Neff - to pick it up at the awards ceremony. They're also giving away five classic pedal cars, five leather jackets and Blaster-branded apparel. Follow the jump to enter.
[Source: Blaster Corporation via All Cars, All the Time] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Montezemolo: Scuderia Ferrari not funded by Fiat Filed under: Motorsports, Earnings/Financials, Ferrari, FIAT 
Many of the biggest teams in Formula One extract enormous budgets from the automakers that own them: BMW, Renault, Toyota, Honda, even Mercedes-Benz, which is part owner of McLaren. Not Ferrari, though. The team, part of the Maranello-based sportscar maker, is owned by the Fiat auto group. However, Fiat does not contribute even one centesimo (er... euro-cent) to the team's budget.
This according to Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. And he should know, being both president of Ferrari and chairman of Fiat (in the mid-'70s, Montezemolo directly headed up the Scuderia before being promoted up the Fiat ladder). The marquis insists that the entirety of the Ferrari F1 team's budget is generated from within Ferrari, through the sales of its road cars (all of which go for six digits) and the team's sponsors, to say nothing of the company's considerable merchandising efforts.
[Source: The Daily Telegraph via F1-Live, Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
AutoblogGreen for 07.03.08 Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green 
click image to visit AutoblogGreen
Day One of the new AutoblogGreen was a big success. If you've been staying away from ABG because you can't find the functionality of Autoblog over there, we've addressed your concerns. We're still AB's little eco-conscious brother, we're just growing up a bit.
Oh, and you should probably check out this picture of a Chinese S.W.A.T. team. Quite funny.
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Autoblog Night Watch: Novitec Ferrari 575 vs. EDO Lambo Gallardo Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Euro, Videos, Supercars, Lamborghini, Ferrari 
Click above to view the video.
We've said it before, but it warrants repeating: it takes a special kind of crazy to take an epic supercar like a Ferrari or a Lamborghini and tune it like you would a Mustang or even a Porsche. Fortunately, Novitec and EDO are just such a breed of crazy. We've brought you news of the former's modified Ferrari 430 Scuderias and 599 GTBs and the latter's Lamborghini Superleggera, Maserati MC12 and Audi R8 (to name just a few), but never side by side. For that, you may follow the jump and thank those zany Germans for pitting a Novitec Rosso-modified Ferrari 575M Maranello against an EDO Competition-tuned Lamborghini Gallardo. You'll need four and a half minutes to spare, but not fluency in German... "vroom" is international.
[Source: YouTube via Autoblog.nl] Continue reading Autoblog Night Watch: Novitec Ferrari 575 vs. EDO Lambo Gallardo Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Track Test: 2008 Roush 427R Trak Pak Mustang Filed under: Tuners, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Ford, ROUSH 
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Roush 437R Trak Pak Mustang.
We've driven our fair share of Mustangs, but it's a rare occasion that we get to drive one at the track. That's part of the reason why we made the seven hour trek from Southern California to Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, CA, to get behind the wheel of Roush's new 427R Trak Pak Mustang. What's so special about the Trak Pak? For starters, it's got a supercharged V8 packing 435 horsepower and an abundance of race-ready items like an adjustable suspension, carbon fiber wing, and 14-inch brakes that all make it ideal for the weekend warrior who wants his vehicle to handle the daily grind and track-day floggings. With only 100 being built, this may be one of the few opportunities to see one in the sheetmetal, let alone to drive it on the track. While inclement weather the night before threatened to ruin the trip, we were blessed with a rain-free day, allowing us to explore the limits of the Trak Pak'd 427R. Follow the jump to read our impressions.
All photos Copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc. Continue reading Track Test: 2008 Roush 427R Trak Pak Mustang Permalink | Email this | Comments
Schumacher confirmed to return for 2008 Race of Champions Filed under: Motorsports, Euro, UK  The Race of Champions is scheduled to return to its new home at London's Wembley Stadium on December 14th. For those unfamiliar, the annual event pits a host of the best racing drivers in the world against each other on carefully-calibrated equal terms. The event is split between the solo competition and the nations' cup, the latter in which countries send their two best drivers to claim the honors for their homeland.
Last year's event saw DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom defeat Schumacher in the final rounds, after the two (pictured at right) made minced meat out of the rest of the field in a variety of vehicles including the Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24, Ford Focus RS WRC, Fiat Grande Punto S2000 Abarth, an Opel/Vauxhall-based Solution F touring car and a purpose-built sprint car. This year retired seven-time F1 champion Michael Schumacher is set to return, teaming up with rookie driver Sebastian Vettel again for Team Germany. So far only Schumacher and Vettel have confirmed their participation for 2008 - last year Travis Pastrana valiantly held down the fort for Team USA on his own - but more are sure to join as the date approaches. Stay tuned.
[Source: Auto Express] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Spy Shots: 650 hp Noble M600 Filed under: Spy Photos, Supercars  Noble is hard at work testing its first car since company founder Lee Noble retired, and considering the high esteem past models have enjoyed, the new boss, Peter Boutwood, has some big shoes to fill. So how does Boutwood and Noble plan to deliver the fun? More power, naturally.
While past Nobles made do with a 3.0-liter Ford Duratec V6 engine, albeit turbocharged within an inch of its life, Noble's upcoming M600 visits another member of the Ford parts bin: Volvo. In fact, Volvo's V8 engine, which powers up market versions of the XC90 SUV and the S80 sedan, was originally used in the last Ford Taurus SHO, though it's been revised and enlarged for its latest duty.
The Yamaha-designed mill is again turbocharged by Noble and produces a stunning 650 horsepower in its new guise. Spy photographers have caught the new sportscar out testing its prodigious limits of an expected 200 mph top speed and genuine supercar acceleration of naught to sixty in around three seconds.
[Source: Autocar] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
VIDEO: Chrysler blind spot detection and rear cross path detection Filed under: Minivans/MPVs, Tech, Chrysler, LLC. 
One of the more useful bits of technology we encountered at the Chrysler What's New for 2009 event last week was "Rear Cross Path Detection," a byproduct of the new blind spot monitoring system on 2009 minivans that employs two radar sensors mounted on the corners of the rear bumper. Blind spot monitoring has become increasingly common on luxury vehicles in recent years, but Chrysler is claiming that the 2009 Caravan and Town & Country are the first minivans to be equipped with the technology.
If you've found yourself in a parking space flanked by two mondo SUVs, you've found it difficult, if not damn near impossible, to back out safely, and all too often drivers trolling parking lots are too busy looking for an empty slot to pay attention to cars backing out. When in reverse, the cross path detection uses the radar sensors to look to the sides for oncoming vehicles. If someone is in your path of travel the system audibly warns you of impending disaster. Check out the videos after the jump to see how both systems work.
[Source: Chrysler]Continue reading VIDEO: Chrysler blind spot detection and rear cross path detection Permalink | Email this | Comments
Rendered Speculation: Fiat Topolino by Paolo Martin Filed under: Economy, Euro, FIAT, Rendered Speculation 
We see a lot of rendered speculation on upcoming models, but they're seldom penned by renowned designers. However as Fiat prepares to revive the classic Topolino, Italian magazine Ruoteclassiche commissioned designer Paolo Martin - former of Bertone, Pininfarina and Ghia - to render his interpretation of how the tiny retro runabout could (or should) look.
Martin says he strove to "maintain the original spirit" of the Topolino, "with similar proportions, protruding front end and fenders, a nearly-identical grille, circular headlamps, short rear overhang and spare tire covered and integrated in the rear tailgate." The Topolino will be built at Fiat's newly-acquired Zastava plant in Serbia as a budget city-car, positioned below the 500, and despite Panda/500 underpinnings could get a rear-engine layout for the 0.9-liter two cylinder engine with DSG and start-stop technology.
[Source: Car Body Design] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Sale of locking gas caps triples in 2008 Filed under: Etc.  With the increasing value of gas and the multiple accounts of motorists having their fuel stolen, it's no surprise that people are finding ways to protect themselves from suffering the same fate. Stant, who sells locking caps through stores like NAPA and PepBoys, is benefiting from the high gas prices and says that their sales have tripled so far this year. They can be purchased for around $20, which is significantly less than a full tank of gas. While a locking gas cap won't protect you against someone drilling into your gas tank, it will probably discourage the average thief from stealing the liquid gold from your car.
[Source: CNN Money] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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