Monday, April 30, 2012

Report: Bentley aims to sell 3K SUVs annually... including plug-in hybrid version

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Bentley EXP 9 F - front three-quarter view

If you want a top-of-the-line SUV with serious performance capabilities, look no further than the Volkswagen Group. Its Porsche unit has had tremendous success with the Cayenne, a vehicle that has doubled its sales all on its own - and that's not even accounting for the Volkswagen Touareg or Audi Q7 that share some of its underpinnings. Keen to capitalize on that success, the German auto giant is overseeing the application of the same formula to two of its other divisions: Lamborghini, which just unveiled its new Urus concept, and Bentley, which is working on an SUV of its own.

The British marque has been showcasing the EXP 9 F concept to preview what it has in store. It only hinted at powertrain possibilities upon its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, but at the Beijing Motor Show, it got ever so slightly more specific. Like the Continental range, the production version of the Bentley sport-ute would pack a 600-horsepower, 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12, but offer the (relatively) more sensible 500hp, 4.0L twin-turbo V8 as well. The bigger news, however, is the V6 plug-in hybrid option which Bentley is planning for its SUV, enabling it to travel up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) on electric-only mode, while rocketing to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than five seconds.

Bentley projects the variety of powertrain options will help it sell 3,000 units of the vehicle once it enters production in 2015 - the same figures sister-company Lamborghini is projecting for the Urus. To put that into context, consider that Bentley sold just over 7,000 vehicles (from its current Continental and Mulsanne lines) around the world last year. That's still a far cry from the number of Cayennes that Porsche churns out - it delivered nearly 13,000 of them in the United States alone last year - but then the EXP 9 F is expected to carry a price tag north of $200,000 (double the price of even the most expensive Cayenne Turbo) while sharing common components to make its first entrance into SUV market a lucrative one for the Flying B brand.

Scope out the fresh high-resolution images we've added to the gallery above for another look at the EXP 9 F (which is still expected to look different by the time it comes to production), and scroll down for the press release containing powertrain information.

Continue reading Bentley aims to sell 3K SUVs annually... including plug-in hybrid version

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/30/bentley-aims-to-sell-3k-suvs-annually-including-plug-in-hybri/

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

Mike Neff gives John Force Racing 6th straight win

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/29/2033046/mike-neff-gives-john-force-racing.html

Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis Hans Klenk

Lorenzo beats Pedrosa to Jerez pole

Jorge Lorenzo edged fellow Spaniard Dani Pedrosa in an extremely tight battle for MotoGP pole position at Jerez.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/lorenzo-beats-pedrosa-to-jerez-pole

Tony Gaze Geki Olivier Gendebien Marc Gené

Win caps Kyle Busch's big weekend

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/29/2032695/win-caps-kyle-buschs-big-weekend.html

Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards

Acura NSX Concept Gets Painted Proper Sports-Car Red [Beijing Auto Show]

When it debuted in January at the Detroit auto show, the Acura NSX concept wore techy silver paint, and that didn’t change when the car made an appearance in Geneva wearing Honda logos. At the Beijing show, the car reverted to its luxury-brand badge—and showed up in a racy shade of red. A sports car usually [...]

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

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

Audi: Tyre strategy boosted Ekstrom

Mattias Ekstrom's decision to save his tyres at a crucial stage of DTM qualifying was instrumental in the Swede taking pole position at Hockenheim, according to head of Audi Sport Wolfgang Ullrich. Ekstrom completed only two laps on new rubber during Q3 in his Abt Sportsline-run Audi A5, whereas the other nine drivers in the session did at least three tours. As a result, his Hankooks were fresher in Q4 than those of Jamie Green, Dirk Werner or Edoardo Mortara; DTM rules stating that drivers may not change tyres between the final two sections of qualifying

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/miscellaneous/dtm/audi-tyre-strategy-boosted-ekstrom

Mika Häkkinen Bruce Halford Jim Hall Duncan Hamilton

Study: Low-Income Neighborhoods Much More Likely to Have Dangerous Roads

Who suffers most from bad road design? Not surprisingly, the answer is poor people, according to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health.
Poor people are much more likely to live near wide, high-traffic streets and are thus much more likely to be injured by a car, according to a new study. Photo: [...]

Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/04/24/study-low-income-neighborhoods-much-more-likely-to-have-dangerous-roads/

Tony Gaze Geki Olivier Gendebien Marc Gené

Spengler puts BMW on top in practice

Bruno Spengler gave the DTM establishment a shock by setting the pace in the final free practice session at Hockenheim on Saturday morning for BMW.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/miscellaneous/dtm/spengler-puts-bmw-on-top-in-practice

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

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Angelelli, Taylor win Grand Prix of Miami

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/29/2032938/angelelli-taylor-win-grand-prix.html

Cuth Harrison Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi

Keselowski Ninth at Richmond, Climbs Two Spots in Standings

2012 NASCAR Brad Keselowski portrait - Photo Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesRICHMOND, Va. (Saturday, April 28, 2012) – To the casual observer, Brad Keselowski’s ninth-place finish in the Capital City 400 Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway might not raise an eyebrow.  But the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger and crew chief...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/29/keselowski-ninth-at-richmond-climbs-two-spots-in-standings/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=keselowski-ninth-at-richmond-climbs-two-spots-in-standings

Olivier Gendebien Marc Gené Elmer George Bob Gerard

Q and A with Auto GP boss Enzo Coloni

Following Auto GP's announcement last week that the championship will feature a new car in 2013, series boss Enzo Coloni spoke to AUTOSPORT about its future direction.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/q-and-a-with-auto-gp-boss-enzo-coloni

Yuji Ide Jesús Iglesias Taki Inoue Innes Ireland

NASCAR to be featured on BBC America's Top Gear with Richard Hammond

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/nascar-to-be-featured-on-bbc-americas.html

Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi

Loeb closes in on Argentina victory

Sebastien Loeb remains on course for the 70th win of his World Rally Championship career after making it safely through the series' longest stage on Sunday morning in Argentina. With Citroen having asked Loeb and second-placed team-mate Mikko Hirvonen to hold position on Saturday, there were no upsets on the 65.74-kilometre Matadero-Ambul stage that kicked off the final day. Despite the team instruction, Hirvonen inadvertently closed to within 0.2 seconds of taking the lead from Loeb on the following Mina Clavero/Giulio Cesare stage, before backing off again and letting his team-mate re-establish a 1.3s cushion on El Condor/Copina, the final stage before midday service.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/world-rally-championship-news/wrc/loeb-closes-in-on-argentina-victory

Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

Hight qualifies 6th in NHRA Spring Nationals

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/27/2029930/hight-opens-bid-for-5th-straight.html

Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert

Spengler puts BMW on top in practice

Bruno Spengler gave the DTM establishment a shock by setting the pace in the final free practice session at Hockenheim on Saturday morning for BMW.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/miscellaneous/dtm/spengler-puts-bmw-on-top-in-practice

Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick

NSCS Pole Report: Mark Martin wins pole at Richmond

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/nscs-pole-report-mark-martin-wins-pole.html

Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Look Out, Toyota Prius V! Honda Concept S Previews Future Hybrid People Mover [Beijing Auto Show]

Honda brought two obliquely named concepts to the 2012 Beijing auto show; the first is the Concept C sedan and the second is this Concept S tall hatchback. Like the Concept C, the S previews a new production model—in this case, a hybrid people mover. However, while the Concept C’s production offshoot will stay in [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/xeVia8AvcPY/honda-concept-s-auto-shows

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

Honda wins IndyCar turbo battle

IndyCar has rejected Chevrolet's protest against Honda's turbocharger upgrade.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/honda-wins-indycar-turbo-battle

Billy Garrett Jo Gartner Tony Gaze Geki

Crutchlow frustrated with wet pace

Cal Crutchlow says he needs to improve his pace in the damp at Jerez after struggling in changeable conditions in the second MotoGP practice session and posting only the ninth fastest time of the session. The Tech 3 Yamaha rider had made a strong start to the season in Qatar with a maiden front row start and fourth place in the race, but struggled with rear tyre grip as MotoGP moved to Europe. Crutchlow and team-mate Andrea Dovizioso both elected not to run in first practice as the track was too dry for wet tyres but not dry enough for slicks.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/crutchlow-frustrated-with-wet-pace

Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen

Honda Concept C: An Acura Look-Alike for China [Beijing Auto Show]

Like many other automakers, Honda has upped its focus on the Chinese car market, and now the company has created a China-centric show car called the Concept C. The Concept C previews a new sedan that will be built and sold in China next year, and debuted at the 2012 Beijing auto show alongside the [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/c6XWqVM-THQ/honda-concept-c-auto-shows

Tom Jones Juan Jover Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan

Chilton encouraged by Arena progress

Team Aon's Tom Chilton says he remains optimistic about the potential of his Arena Motorsport Ford Focus despite a troubled start to the fourth round of the WTCC at the Slovakia Ring. The Briton expressed his optimism over extensive suspension revisions to his Arena Motorsport Ford Focus, and said he had also been buoyed by team-mate James Nash's competitive showing in third place.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/touring-cars/wtcc/chilton-encouraged-by-arena-progress

Rupert Keegan Eddie Keizan Al Keller Joe Kelly

Front Row Report: STP 400

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/front-row-report-stp-400.html

Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich

In the Rearview Mirror: NASCAR's closest finishes

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

Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis

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

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

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

David Hobbs Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland

Friday, April 27, 2012

Castroneves praises Barfield's job so far

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/26/2027545/castroneves-praises-barfields.html

Virgil Ernest Irvan III Kenny Dale Irwin Jr Dale Arnold Jarrett Jimmie Kenneth Johnson

Silva leads as top names skip practice

Ivan Silva was the unlikely pacesetter in MotoGP's first Jerez practice session, as adverse conditions meant all the typical frontrunners opted not to set a time. In truth there was next to no value to be had from the morning, which was neither fully wet nor fully dry

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/silva-leads-as-top-names-skip-practice

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

Front Row Report: STP 400

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/front-row-report-stp-400.html

Taki Inoue Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin

Loeb charges to front in Argentina

Sebastien Loeb claimed the lead of Rally Argentina by winning stage five - despite leaving service just two stages earlier over half a minute away from first place. Three spins on Friday morning's two stages had left Loeb down in fourth place, behind Petter Solberg, Mikko Hirvonen and Dani Sordo. One key factor in Loeb's surge was a disaster for Solberg, who broke a steering arm on his Ford near the end of stage four, while holding a 20-second lead.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/world-rally-championship-news/wrc/loeb-charges-to-front-in-argentina

Leo Kinnunen Danny Kladis Hans Klenk Peter de Klerk

Mungin Tops Tour Mods Mountain

While James Poleske will go down in the books as finishing off 2012 Season One with the most points in the final two weeks of the NASCAR iRacing.com Tour Modified Series (NiTMS) season, it will be Giovanni Mungin who will have his name etched on the championship trophy. Mungin was officially crowned the champion after the 12-week online racing season ended Saturday night, which is the fourth in the row for the Wide Open Racing team. Poleske was the one who put the most points up on the board in Week Eleven and Twelve competition at the New Hampshire Motor and Thompson International Speedway’s, respectively. The big race on the “Magic Mile” of New Hampshire Motor Speedway took place on April 12th in which Poleske led 11 of the 75 [...]

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/nascar-news/mungin-tops-tour-mods-mountain

Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr

Denny Hamlin Visits Darlington to Support Upcoming Bojangles’ Southern 500

Hamlin works behind the counter at a Darlington Bojangles’ restaurant in support of the upcoming NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 12. - Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Harrelson PhotographyNASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver works behind the counter serving fans Bojangles’ Famous Chicken & Biscuits  DARLINGTON, S.C. (April 25, 2012) –...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/25/denny-hamlin-visits-darlington-to-support-upcoming-bojangles-southern-500/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=denny-hamlin-visits-darlington-to-support-upcoming-bojangles-southern-500

Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean Olivier Grouillard Brian Gubby

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

By CHRIS LINES AP Auto Racing Writer

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

Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick

Michael Annett, No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang Richmond International Raceway Preview

No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang (Michael Annett) - Photo Credit: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images for NASCARMichael Annett• No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang - Annett has six career starts in the Nationwide Series at Richmond - Annett enters RIR in fifth-place in the Nationwide Series driver point standings - Annett’s best...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/nationwide/04/25/michael-annett-no-43-pilot-flying-j-ford-mustang-richmond-international-raceway-preview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=michael-annett-no-43-pilot-flying-j-ford-mustang-richmond-international-raceway-preview

Geki Olivier Gendebien Marc Gené Elmer George

Thursday, April 26, 2012

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

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

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

Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin

Reduced penalties leave Jimmie Johnson confused (Yahoo! Sports)

Wire Service, Distributed By The Sports Xchange FONTANA, Calif. -- In the aftermath of Hendrick Motorsports successful appeal of penalties imposed on the No. 48 team for a Daytona rules infraction, Jimmie Johnson made a bold assertion Friday at Auto Club Speedway.

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/reduced-penalties-leave-jimmie-johnson-confused-yahoo-sports.html

Jason Leffler David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

Dollar General to sponsor Newgarden in Indy 500

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/24/2021819/dollar-general-to-sponsor-newgarden.html

Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett

Ron Hornaday - Heart and Soul of a Champion

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

Mike Hawthorn Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld

Five Ex-Secretaries Map Out a Communications Strategy For Transportation

Former Transportation Secretaries Mary Peters, James Burnley, Rodney Slater, Samuel Skinner, and Norman Mineta participated in the conference that produced a report and communications strategy. Photo from Miller Center.
If 80 percent of the American people agree that federal infrastructure investment will create jobs, and two-thirds say better infrastructure is important, why is the call for [...]

Source: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2012/04/24/five-ex-secretaries-map-out-a-communications-strategy-for-transportation/#more-124484

Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday Dodge Carl Edwards Copart Ford

Brawn urges F1 to reflect on Bahrain call

Ross Brawn has urged Formula 1 to make time for quiet reflection about the decision to go ahead with the Bahrain Grand Prix, on the back of the troubles experienced this weekend.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/brawn-urges-f1-to-reflect-on-bahrain-call

Piercarlo Ghinzani Bruno Giacomelli Dick Gibson Gimax

Barrichello expecting more difficulties in Brazil

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/25/2024452/barrichello-expecting-more-difficulties.html

Travis Wade Kvapil Robert Allen Labonte Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie

Force India silent on TV exposure claims

Force India has refused to comment on claims that its television exposure during qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix was deliberately kept to a minimum because of the team's decision to skip Friday afternoon's second free practice session. The Silverstone-based team's screen time during qualifying appeared to be very limited in Q1 and Q2 despite Paul di Resta qualifying in the top 10 in what one team member described to AUTOSPORT as "payback" for the refusal to run. Di Resta did not attempt a lap in Q3, but did complete an in- and an out-lap

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/force-india-silent-on-tv-exposure-claims

Divina Galica Nanni Galli Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Infiniti’s Long-Wheelbase M: Another Extension for China [Beijing Auto Show]

China loves it some long-wheelbase versions of existing cars. So it’s only fitting that the 2012 Beijing auto show played host to several new or revised LWB rides, including the stretched BMW 3-series, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase, and the Audi A6L e-tron. Now Infiniti is in the game, having debuted this extended M. The [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/ymSh_Uz8TIo/

Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt

RAB Racing Reinstates John Wes Townley: NASCAR Fan Reaction (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

On March 23, RAB Racing announced that driver John Wes Townley has been reinstated and will be able to compete at the Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250 on March 31. Townley was officially placed on probation by NASCAR on March 22 because of a previous DUI arrest.

Source: http://www.nascarracinglive.com/nascar/rab-racing-reinstates-john-wes-townley-nascar-fan-reaction-yahoo-contributor-network.html

Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski

Look Out, Toyota Prius V! Honda Concept S Previews Future Hybrid People Mover [Beijing Auto Show]

Honda brought two obliquely named concepts to the 2012 Beijing auto show; the first is the Concept C sedan and the second is this Concept S tall hatchback. Like the Concept C, the S previews a new production model—in this case, a hybrid people mover. However, while the Concept C’s production offshoot will stay in [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/xeVia8AvcPY/honda-concept-s-auto-shows

Casey James Mears Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman

BUESCHER POWERS TO FIRST TRUCK SERIES VICTORY AT KANSAS

Buescher powers to first Truck series victory By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service April 21. 2012 KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Simply put, it was James Buescher’s day. Buescher pulled away in the closing laps for a convincing 5.320-second victory over Timothy Peters, who passed Brad Keselowski for the runner-up spot with three laps left in [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/21/james-buescher-powers-to-first-truck-series-victory-at-kansas/

Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

Johnson settles for 3rd

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/22/2017908/johnson-settles-for-3rd.html

Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Alonso: Sixth will be Ferrari’s limit

Fernando Alonso says he is aiming to finish in the top six in Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix following a tough qualifying. The Ferrari driver, who admitted ahead of the weekend that he was expecting Bahrain to be the most difficult race for his team, will start from ninth position after not posting a tine in the final qualifying segment.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/alonso-sixth-will-be-ferraris-limit

Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi Naoki Hattori

Twenty Years Later, Horrific Washington Square Park Crash Still Resonates

Twenty years ago today, as throngs of New Yorkers were sunning themselves in Washington Square Park on the first warm day of spring, a 1987 Oldsmobile zoomed down Washington Place, gunned through the stop sign at Greene Street, plowed across the sidewalk at Washington Square East and smashed into the park. When the car finally [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/04/23/twenty-years-later-horrific-washington-square-park-crash-still-resonates/

Jason Leffler David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

Valsecchi cruises to Bahrain GP2 win

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

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

Olivier Gendebien Marc Gené Elmer George Bob Gerard

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Jeff Burton, 2012 NSCS Capital City 400 Pre-Race Notes & Quotes

Jeff Burton (L), driver of the #31 BB&T Chevrolet, and Drew Blickensderfer, crew chief of the #31 BB&T Chevrolet, look on during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 30, 2012 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)Jeff Burton No. 31 BB&T Chevrolet Event...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/24/jeff-burton-2012-nscs-capital-city-400-pre-race-notes-quotes/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=jeff-burton-2012-nscs-capital-city-400-pre-race-notes-quotes

Max Jean Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson

5-hour ENERGY announces sponsorship extension with MWR and Clint Bowyer

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/5-hour-energy-announces-sponsorship.html

Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines

Richard Childress Racing, 2012 NSCS Capital City 400 Race Preview

Richard Childress Racing (RCR)Race: Capital City 400 Presented by Virginia is for Lovers Date: April 28, 2012 Location: Richmond International Raceway Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race Notes: RCR in the NSCS … In 2,189 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, Richard Childress Racing has amassed 100 wins, 430 top-five finishes,...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/24/richard-childress-racing-2012-nscs-capital-city-400-race-preview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=richard-childress-racing-2012-nscs-capital-city-400-race-preview

Helm Glöckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals

MARTIN TRUEX DOMINATES, DENNY HAMLIN WINS KANSAS

April 22, 2012 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service KANSAS CITY, Kan. — It was Denny Hamlin’s day in the sun. Taking advantage of changing conditions Sunday at Kansas Speedway, Denny Hamlin held off Martin Truex Jr. over the final 30 laps to win the STP 400, his second victory of the season, his first [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/22/martin-truex-dominates-denny-hamlin-wins-kansas/

Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith

Ferrari HY-KERS Hybrid Setup for Rear-Engine V12s: Expect It in the Enzo Successor [Beijing Auto Show]

You’re looking at the mid/rear-engine V-12 application of Ferrari’s HY-KERS hybrid system. The reason you care is because a version of this powertrain will put out at least 900 hp in the next Ferrari super-dupercar, the successor to the Enzo. The Italian brand announced some details about the system at the Beijing auto show. This [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/QV43BRIIf9M/

Jo Gartner Tony Gaze Geki Olivier Gendebien

Vettel secures Bahrain GP pole

Sebastian Vettel returned Red Bull to pole position as the world champion rediscovered his qualifying form and took the top spot on the grid for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Red Bull briefly looked set for a front row sweep until points leader Lewis Hamilton got between Vettel and Webber. Despite its practice pace, Shanghai winner Mercedes had a disappointing session

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/vettel-secures-bahrain-gp-pole

Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr

2013 Ferrari California First Drive: More Power, Less Weight, New Handling Package

After a morning spent driving the revised-for-2013 Ferrari California in and around Maranello, we’re sitting in a cramped storage/conference room in a nondescript building near the company’s fabled factory gate. Test driver Raffaele De Simone wants to know what we think of the two cars sitting outside. Our take: There’s a noticeable difference between the [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/D4QhPjmZqRg/2013-ferrari-california-first-drive-review

Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen Mike Harris Cuth Harrison

This is the Lambo SUV: Urus Concept Breaks Cover Prior to Debut [Beijing Auto Show]

Photos of Lamborghini’s much-anticipated Urus SUV concept have leaked out ahead of its official unveil at the Beijing auto show. Once the Urus reaches production a few years from now, it will ride on a platform shared with the next-generation VW Touareg, Audi Q7, and Porsche Cayenne, as well as the production version of Bentley’s [...]

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

Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean

Monday, April 23, 2012

MWR Weekly Wrap-Up: Oh so close to a win

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/mwr-weekly-wrap-up-oh-so-close-to-win.html

Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty

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

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

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

Georges Grignard Bobby Grim Romain Grosjean Olivier Grouillard

MORE THAN 1000 FANS CELEBRATE MATT HAGAN'S 2011 FUNNY CAR CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS HOMETOWN

MATT HAGAN 2011 FUNNY CAR CHAMPION CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (Dec. 19, 2011) More than 1000 fans and friends celebrated Matt Hagan's 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship at the special event hosted by Shelor Motor Mile in...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/more_than_1000_fans_celeb.php

Clint Bowyer Zaxby s Chevrolet Brad Keselowski Ruby Tuesday Dodge

Ocean hopes Lancaster can return

Ocean Racing Technology boss Tiago Monteiro is hopeful that Jon Lancaster can return to the team's GP2 line-up, despite the fact that the Briton has had to miss this weekend's Bahrain round. Brendon Hartley has been drafted into Ocean's ranks for this weekend to replace Lancaster, who is working on putting a deal together for the rest of the season

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/formula-cars/gp2/ocean-hopes-lancaster-can-return

Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota Parker Kligerman Trevor Bayne

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

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

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

Brian Gubby André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra Roberto Guerrero

Johnson settles for 3rd

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/22/2017908/johnson-settles-for-3rd.html

Aldo Gordini Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried

Points Leader Greg Biffle, Matt Puccia A Perfect Match

Not only did Greg Biffle win his first race since 2010, crew chief Matt Puccia won his first race…period. Just about every time Biffle opens his mouth to talk about his white-hot start, he credits Puccia. The praise makes sense. Their careers have taken similar paths. Like Biffle, Puccia has worked his way up. Biffle [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/20/points-leader-greg-biffle-matt-puccia-a-perfect-match/

Danny Kladis Hans Klenk Peter de Klerk Christian Klien

Rosberg escapes penalty in Bahrain

Nico Rosberg has escaped any sanction for the on-track moments during the Bahrain Grand Prix when he appeared to push Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso off the track. The stewards of the meeting met with the drivers and their team representatives after the race to look into the details of the clash that took place as Hamilton exited the pits on lap 11 and tried to retake a position

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/rosberg-escapes-penalty-in-bahrain

Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings

Sunday, April 22, 2012

2013 Ford Escape EcoBoost First Drive: My, What a Big Focus You Are

Last year, the Ford Escape outsold both the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4. In its final full year of production, Ford sold more than 250,000 examples of its small crossover, a feat made all the more remarkable—fleet sales and incentives notwithstanding—by the fact that all those Escapes are essentially the same vehicle that Ford [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/gkvY6ERWBc4/2013-ford-escape-ecoboost-first-drive-review

Dan Gurney Hubert Hahne Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen

Pirelli responds to Schumacher criticism

Pirelli says it is surprised at accusations from Michael Schumacher that the current generation of tyres are not allowing drivers to push their cars to the limit. On the back of a frustrating afternoon in Bahrain, where Schumacher could not make the progress through the field that he had hoped for, the seven-time champion hit out at the way drivers are being forced to look after their tyres. "The main thing I feel unhappy about is that everyone has to drive well below a driver's, and in particular, the car limits to maintain the tyres," he told BBC Radio 5

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/pirelli-responds-to-schumacher-criticism

Terrence Lee Labonte Randy Joseph Lajoie Kevin Paul Lepage William Ashton Lewis Jr

President Honors Chase Drivers

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/president-honors-chase-drivers.html

Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert Al Herman

Vettel still expecting very tight season

Sebastian Vettel does not believe that his victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix makes a change in the balance of power in the 2012 Formula 1 title fight, as the reigning world champion thinks the season will continue to be very unpredictable. Red Bull had trailed McLaren and often also Mercedes in the opening three rounds, with Vettel unable to secure a pole or victory prior to Bahrain.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/vettel-still-expecting-very-tight-season

Eddie Irvine Chris Irwin Jean Pierre Jabouille Jimmy Jackson

Vettel holds off Raikkonen to win

Sebastian Vettel delivered his first victory of the 2012 Formula 1 season in the Bahrain Grand Prix, and moved into the championship lead in the process - but only after resisting a stern challenge from the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen. On a day when Lotus delivered everything it had promised in the opening races, Raikkonen and team-mate Romain Grosjean hacked through the field to complete the podium behind the winning Red Bull. Mark Webber took fourth in the second Red Bull, while pitstop problems consigned front row starter and erstwhile championship leader Lewis Hamilton's McLaren to eighth

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/vettel-holds-off-raikkonen-to-win

Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

Eyes on the Street: NYPD Gives Manhattan Cyclists Unsafe Instructions

An NYPD variable message sign on First Avenue tells cyclists to stay in the bike lane even as they approach a mixing zone, where they should be shifting to the right instead of hugging the curb. Image via @eveostay
The NYPD appears to be taking bicycle safety into its own hands, offering faulty safety tips to [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/04/18/eyes-on-the-street-nypd-gives-manhattan-cyclists-unsafe-instructions/

Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota Parker Kligerman

2012 NSCS STP 400 Pre-Race Q&A with Toyota Motorsports Driver, Mark Martin

2012 Mark Martin portrait - Photo Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesMARK MARTIN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing How is your outlook for this weekend in Kansas? “I’m excited to be at Kansas, especially after last week. We had such a great weekend in Texas and I am having a lot of...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/20/2012-nscs-stp-400-pre-race-qa-with-toyota-motorsports-driver-mark-martin/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2012-nscs-stp-400-pre-race-qa-with-toyota-motorsports-driver-mark-martin

Dan Gurney Hubert Hahne Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen

2015 McLaren F1 Replacement Spy Photos: One of the Most Epic Supercars of All Time is Reborn

Why It Matters: McLaren’s first F1 was the car in the ’90s that every kid had a poster of, so any car developed to succeed it is noteworthy, to say the least. The new car will give McLaren a second, more lust-worthy model; the MP4-12C is a hugely competent, yet reserved take on the exotica [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/WY-viK_xoyI/2015-mclaren-f1-replacement-spy-photos-news

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

Saturday, April 21, 2012

RAB Racing, MWR create Nationwide alliance

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/rab-racing-mwr-create-nationwide.html

Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover

Report: Alfa-Romeo gets 4C trademarked in the U.S.

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Alfa Romeos were meant to be on sale here after summer, but we all know that's not happening. Nevertheless, lentamente, Alfa Romeo's return to the U.S. progresses. According to a story in Automotive News, Fiat was earlier this month granted the U.S. trademark for "Alfa Romeo 4C" for the car and ancillaries. We can at least take that as certain; Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne's statement that the 4C will go on sale at the end of 2013 we'll take with a bit more caution.

Maserati is organizing production of the 4C in Italy, and the €45,000 ($59,310 U.S.) coupe is projected to go on sale in Europe early next year. Only 2,500 will be made per annum, and here they'll give Alfa a much needed halo car to entice less spendy buyers into showrooms and into giving other Alfa models - and the brand itself - a chance.

We know the 4C will eventually be joined by the Dodge-Dart based Giulia sedan and a crossover or two. As for when, well, you can circle late 2013 on your calendar. In pencil.

Alfa-Romeo gets 4C trademarked in the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/20/alfa-romeo-gets-4c-trademarked-in-the-u-s/

Mark Anthony Martin Jeremy Allan Mayfield James Christopher McMurray Casey James Mears

Dodge Prices 2013 Dart Sedan From $16,790; Top-Spec R/T Model From $23,290

Dodge has announced pricing for the 2013 Dart sedan and revealed more details about each of the five available trim levels. The Dart starts at $16,790 in base SE spec, $18,790 for the SXT, and prices rise in increments of $1000 for the next-level-up Rallye and Limited. Buyers waiting for the sporty R/T model will [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/WCKL5f5PR6A/

Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch

Rosberg expects tougher time in Bahrain

Nico Rosberg believes Mercedes may have a tougher time trying to repeat in Bahrain the kind of performance it put on in China. The German driver secured his maiden pole position and his first race win in Formula 1 in Shanghai, as his car proved to be the class of the field.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/rosberg-expects-tougher-time-in-bahrain

Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes

Toro Rosso not giving up on updates

Daniel Ricciardo says Toro Rosso is not giving up on the updates introduced in the Chinese Grand Prix despite conceding they did not perform as expected.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/toro-rosso-not-giving-up-on-updates

Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi Naoki Hattori

Schumacher enjoying tight F1 field

Michael Schumacher says he is enjoying the competitiveness of the 2012 Formula 1 field, despite the fact that it means the top teams can fall further down the order if they have a bad weekend.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/schumacher-enjoying-tight-f1-field

Boy Hayje Willi Heeks Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich

Alzheimer’s Association in Honor of Dan Wheldon and First Descents Selected for Jimmie Johnson Foundation Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope

Jimmie Johnson FoundationKANSAS CITY, Kan. (April 20, 2012) – Alzheimer’s Association and First Descents are the next two charities selected for the 2012 Jimmie Johnson Foundation Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope, which Johnson will wear in the June 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Each organization will receive a...more»

Source: http://www.catchfence.com/2012/sprintcup/04/20/alzheimers-association-in-honor-of-dan-wheldon-and-first-descents-selected-for-jimmie-johnson-foundation-blue-bunny-helmet-of-hope/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=alzheimers-association-in-honor-of-dan-wheldon-and-first-descents-selected-for-jimmie-johnson-foundation-blue-bunny-helmet-of-hope

Jason Leffler David Carl Allison Gregory Jack Biffle David Lee Blaney

Newgarden says contact caused Turn 1 crash

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/19/2011566/newgarden-says-contact-caused.html

Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida

Friday, April 20, 2012

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

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

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

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

Inwood Cyclist Injured at Broadway and Riverside Last Evening

Photo: Kimberly Kinchen
A cyclist was struck and injured by a driver at the intersection of Riverside and Broadway at Dyckman Street, in Inwood, Wednesday evening. The victim, a male in his 40s, was transported to Presbyterian Hospital in the Bronx, according to FDNY (the spokesperson was presumably referring to the Allen Pavilion on Broadway at [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/04/19/inwood-cyclist-injured-at-broadway-and-riverside-last-evening/

Tom Jones Juan Jover Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan

FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’S POINT ACES BRING HEART TO THE HEARTLAND IN KANSAS

FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s point aces bring heart to the heartland in Kansas by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com For fans that have never had a ride or driven a stock car at 170 mph or so, the experience is way faster than it looks on a racetrack or on TV. Add 42 other cars to any track [...]

Source: http://thefinallap.com/2012/04/18/fyi-wirz-nascars-point-aces-bring-heart-to-the-heartland-in-kansas/

Dan Gurney Hubert Hahne Mike Hailwood Mika Häkkinen

Heading Into Earth Day, NASCAR Releases ‘White Paper’ On Green

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/04/heading-into-earth-day-nascar-releases.html

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

MORE THAN 1000 FANS CELEBRATE MATT HAGAN'S 2011 FUNNY CAR CHAMPIONSHIP IN HIS HOMETOWN

MATT HAGAN 2011 FUNNY CAR CHAMPION CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (Dec. 19, 2011) More than 1000 fans and friends celebrated Matt Hagan's 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship at the special event hosted by Shelor Motor Mile in...

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/more_than_1000_fans_celeb.php

Brian Hart Gene Hartley Masahiro Hasemi Naoki Hattori

Precious Cargo: A Day at Nanny Driving School

At upstate New York’s Monticello Motor Club, “domestic” usually refers to the Cadillac-supplied CTS-Vs—the mega-Caddy is the official car of the track. But today, area nannies and housekeepers are getting domestic help rather than giving it at a new driving school designed to safeguard their employers’  young en route to private school and cello lessons. [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/8BWor4YCFgE/precious-cargo-a-day-at-nanny-driving-school-feature

André Guelfi Miguel Ángel Guerra Roberto Guerrero Maurício Gugelmin

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

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

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

Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González Aldo Gordini

Nissan Working on a Plug-In Hybrid, But Still Iffy on Diesel in U.S.

The CEO of Nissan, Carlos Ghosn, thinks he’s seen the future—and it’s filled with electric cars, some with range-extending gasoline engines. Before we arrive at Ghosn’s utopian era, Nissan will offer more transitional products: A new Altima hybrid is in the pipes, as is plug-in hybrid tech in general. “Plug-in hybrid technology is a promising [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/TC1r_RZUOWU/

Jimmy Jackson Joe James John James Jean Pierre Jarier

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Rumormill: McLaren working on MP4-12C shooting brake?

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McLaren MP4-12C - dead-on rear view with airbrake deployed

Anything Ferrari can do, McLaren can do better. At least that's what the boys in Woking seem to believe. After all, McLaren has trounced Ferrari around the Formula One circuit for the past several years now. But while the British team has followed its Italian rival from grand prix racing into building supercars with the McLaren F1, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and (most recently) the MP4-12C, one thing Ferrari does that McLaren doesn't is grand tourers. And with the advent of the FF, shooting brakes.

That could all change, however, if the latest rumors are to be believed. (Which is something which, in this case, we wouldn't take for granted.) According to the rumormongers over at Auto Express, McLaren is preparing a shooting brake based of the MP4-12C (pictured above, flashing its air brake). Now given that the 12C is a mid-engined supercar and not a front-engined GT like the Ferrari Four, we'd say that makes about as much sense as Renault reaching back into its showcar history to build the Espace F1.

The rumors further state that the McLaren shooting brake (fancy-talk for a two-door wagon) would go downmarket to rival the Porsche 911 - which is something we've been expecting McLaren to pursue sometime after the MP4 roadster and the upmarket successor to the original F1 supercar. But something's a little amiss here, so for the time being, we'll take this particular report with a grain of salt that would dwarf Lot's wife. Then again, we did run into McLaren design director Frank Stephenson checking out the Fisker Surf in Paris last year...

McLaren working on MP4-12C shooting brake? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/04/19/mclaren-working-on-mp4-12c-shooting-brake/

Kasey Kenneth Kahne Matthew Roy Kenseth Alan Dennis Kulwicki Travis Wade Kvapil

LeMons Good/Bad Idea of the Week: Billions of Penalty Laps!

One of the main duties of the 24 Hours of LeMons Supreme Court is to inspect the cars and determine which ones appear to have blown past the $500 spending limit. This process is known as the “BS Inspection,” for obvious reasons, and the judges take many factors into account when determining the level of [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/BS_xg7q8qv8/

Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett Jo Gartner

Mayfield indicted again

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/04/18/2009329/jeremy-mayfield-indicted-by-iredell.html

Nick Heidfeld Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton