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Ready or not, here comes Alfa Romeo—the brand is returning to the U.S. market this year with a single model, this 4C sports car, the production version of which finally has been revealed. Combining winning attributes like a mid-engine chassis layout, rear-wheel drive, ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber construction, and looks that border on sexual, the 4C is properly exotic and oh-so Italian. Whether this is a successful recipe for a car being charged with reintroducing an automaker with a finicky reputation to American consumers remains to be seen, but enthusiasts should be excited. Because while the 4C likely won’t be everyman affordable, Alfa’s more-pedestrian-yet-still-sporty models soon will follow. READ MORE ››

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/m1Pbuw6F8OQ/2014-alfa-romeo-4c-photos-and-info-news

Christian Klien Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg

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Filed under: Crossover, Jeep, Design/Style

2014 Jeep Cherokee - on the road, front three-quarter view

Following the forced-hand introduction of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, there has definitely been a mix of responses revolving around everything from its design to the return of the legendary nameplate. As evidence of this, just check out the 1,000+ comments in our article last week and some of the many opinions that were voiced. Following this not-too-warm reception, Ward's Auto had a chance to talk to Chrysler designer chief - and SRT president - Ralph Gilles, who shed a little more light on the styling direction of the new Cherokee.

Rather than looking to previous models for inspiration, Gilles says that the Cherokee has been designed to be more contemporary, with Mark Allen, head of Jeep design, adding that a main goal was to make sure the design still looks modern five years from now. Interestingly, Gilles does point out that one of the design elements incorporated on the new Cherokee that pays homage to past Jeeps is the sharply downward angle for the leading edge of the beltline, which he notes is meant to mimic the look of the old YJ and TJ Wrangler models fitted with half doors. Of course, the squared-off wheel openings - a signature Jeep cue - are still used.

This is probably a design that will need to be seen on the street in actual daylight to properly assess, but in the meantime, we'll bring you full images and impressions when the Cherokee debuts at next month's New York Auto Show.

Gilles defends 2014 Jeep Cherokee design as "very contemporary" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/gilles-defends-2014-jeep-cherokee-design-as-very-contemporary/

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

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Fiat is doing an admirable job positioning its tiny 500—and its Abarth derivatives—as a serious competitor to BMW’s Mini. Underscoring this approach, the “Abarth Fuoriserie” program of bespoke models is placed outside of and well above of the regular lineup. There is the “New Heritage” line, which draws inspiration from sports and race cars of the past, and the “New Wave” line, designed to resemble contemporary supercars.

All Fuoriserie models are equipped with a turbocharged 1.4-liter four, enhanced to deliver a prodigious 177 horsepower. These angry midgets will be a huge surprise to a lot of bigger and more-powerful vehicles on the road, although their loud exhaust delivers unmistakable advance notice. The Fouriserie models are custom-built to the specific wishes of the customers, and it is possible to order a unique, one-of-a-kind vehicle. The program is available for the regular two-door model, or the convertible.

Representing “New Heritage,” Abarth will show the 695 Record and the 695 Scorpione; “New Wave” will be exemplified by the 695 Hype and the 695 Black Diamond. The 695 Record is painted in matte gray, with a hand-painted, checkered red-and-gray roof; the wheels are gray as well, with a red stripe. The interior is fitted with gray leather seats which feature read suede-look inserts and stitching.

The similarly themed 695 Scorpione is painted in black metallic, with matte-gray elements on the hood and roof; a striping pattern stretches from front to rear down the center of the vehicle. Inside, the Scorpione is styled similar to the Record, but the inserts are light gray instead of red.

The “New Wave” models are also full of character. The Black Diamond is finished in two tones—matte black on the lower parts of the body, matte gray above the beltline. The mirror caps are glossy, and the interior is executed in a classic, cream-colored leather.

Most unusual of the four is the 695 Hype, painted matte gray below and matte olive above the beltline. While the three other concepts feature red brake calipers, this model is fitted with yellow ones, which mirror the yellow stripe that accentuates the beltline. Inside, it features gray leather and olive suede, with yellow embroidery.

Below these ultra-posh Fuoriserie models, Fiat/Abarth is showing the 695 Turismo and Competizione, powered by a 158-horsepower 1.4-liter four. And there are a number of performance enhancements now available for the entry-level Abarth 500 Custom. There is no word yet on a U.S.-market launch of these tempting performance goodies. But knowing that custom-personalized cars are a European specialty, we doubt they will be offered over here.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/GC_IXyJu5tQ/

Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith José Froilán González Oscar González

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Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

During January's Detroit Auto Show, we managed a longer than expected wandering tag-team interview with C7 Corvette chief engineering exec Tadge Juechter (pictured above), and LT1 engine boss Jordan Lee (pictured below). They are, quite honestly, two of the very nicest bigshot lads to ever walk the engineering corridors of an American manufacturer. Both are enthralled by what they're doing for a day job. So are we.

We've followed the pre-sale anticipation for the Chevrolet C7 Corvette Stingray like an Oreck vacuum yanking every speck of dirt from a well-trampled carpet. Everything is reportable and contains a grain of further knowledge about this dramatically important and cheered-for car, as it continues to be pressured into representing all that is superior about the American dream. The Corvette wears one heavy cloak.

So, most of what was talked about has been expertly reported already right here on Autoblog. But, looking through our notes again, both Jeuchter and Lee added facts to the buzzing mix.

Continue reading More Corvette Stingray Factoids: Vanishing panel gaps and 26-mpg LT1

More Corvette Stingray Factoids: Vanishing panel gaps and 26-mpg LT1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/more-corvette-stingray-factoids-vanishing-panel-gaps-and-26-mpg/

Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy

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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM, Earnings/Financials, Luxury

Edmunds has worked up a piece that tries to figure out just how much the global Chevrolet Corvette economy is worth, a spitballed guesstimate putting the number at more than $2.5 billion with the proviso that the number is probably low. It starts by taking Corvette's new car sales of 14,132 units last year, which would equate to $714,725,900 (including destination) assuming every car sold was a base coupe with no options. In the final tally, a little extra padding gets that number up to $750,000,000.

But that's not all. Consider this: Many of the almost 1.4 million Corvettes produced over the model's history are still on the road. There are new parts being produced and aftermarket companies like Mid-America Motorworks deaing business, that single Illinois company doing more than $40 million a year in sales. There are the Corvette events large and small, restorers who do nothing but Corvettes, salvage yards that deal only in used Corvette parts and the Corvette magazines where owners find all this stuff.

And then there are the Corvette-themed tchotchkes, every single one of which provides a tiny contribution to the huge licensing royalties that General Motors collects every year. The article admits there's no way to come to an accurate number, but it just goes to show how valuable one specific model can be to a company.

Why the Corvette is Chevrolet's billion-dollar baby originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/28/why-the-corvette-is-chevrolets-billion-dollar-baby/

Jeffrey Michael Gordon Charles Robert Hamilton IV Charles Robert Hamilton V Kevin Michael Harvick Virgil Ernest Irvan III

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2014 McLaren P1

McLaren’s piece-by-piece introduction of the 2014 P1 supercar continues, and the latest morsels of info to be released are the car’s impressive performance estimates. Previously, the British sports-car maker revealed the P1′s staggering output figures and details of its hybrid powertrain, so naturally the next stuff to come out should be what those output figures translate to in terms of straight-line speed.

2014 McLaren P1

Turns out, McLaren thinks the 903-hp P1 can warp its occupants’ faces to the tune of a sub-three-second 0–62-mph time. According to the brand, the P1′s acceleration hardly will taper off after 62 mph—124 mph apparently arrives in “under seven seconds” and 186 mph is attained in “no more than 17 seconds.” The supercar has an electronically limited 218-mph top speed. All of this speed and acceleration is handled by bespoke Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires designed specifically for the P1.

2014 McLaren P1

Besides teasing us with the P1′s sure to be insane dynamic capabilities, McLaren also revealed how much it plans to charge U.S. customers for the pleasure of owning its newest and best creation. Deep-pocketed buyers will need to shell out $1.15 million, but they had better hurry—McLaren also revealed it will build just 375 P1s for global consumption. Look for final details on the P1 to trickle out before or at the 2013 Geneva auto show.

2014 McLaren P1

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/dLUtn5Mrb4M/

Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven

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Source: http://thefinallap.com/2013/02/24/photos-2013-nascars-daytona-500-at-daytona-international-speedway/

François Hesnault Hans Heyer Damon Hill Graham Hill Phil Hill

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Kia Tight Space

Award-winning ad man-cum-auto journalist Don Klein knows a good (or bad) car commercial when he sees one; the Ad Section is his space to tell you what he thinks of the latest spots. The ad’s rating is depicted via the shift pattern at the bottom, but everyone has an opinion when it comes to advertising, so hit Backfires below and tell us what you think, too.

Ads that simulate real-life situations are called “slice of life” commercials. We’re supposed to look at them and say, “Yeah I can relate to that,” or “That could be me they’re talking about.” They vary from vignettes that use exaggerated humor (like almost every breakfast-cereal commercial that depicts a family sitting around the kitchen table cracking jokes about cholesterol), to heartwarming masterpieces that evoke real tears, even though you know the situations are staged (like almost every Hallmark greeting card commercial). This spot for the new 2014 Kia Sorento falls somewhere in between. It won’t make you laugh or cry, but there’s a good chance it’ll make you smile because you really can identify with it.

We open on a family in a parking garage, looking for a spot for their Sorento. They finally come across one, but it’s awfully narrow. Dad wants to give it a try, but his wife makes it clear that he shouldn’t even think about it. And then comes the moment when most of us married guys start nodding our heads, because, boy, have we been there. Yes, the space is narrow, but I can do it! I just know I can! The daughters’ silent glance lets us know this isn’t the first time their parents have come to an impasse like this, and it probably doesn’t always end pretty. But this time Dad is a man with a plan. After all, their Sorento has the optional power folding mirrors that he’s been dying to use. Get out of the car so I can fold those puppies back and ease on in. Everyone humors him—and it works. Until he tries to open his door. Defeated? Not our boy. I’ll, um, just scurry out through the back. A little on-the-spot improvisation? Oh yeah. But his Kevin James–esque swagger and the way he tosses away his “Like a glove” line almost make us think maybe it actually was part of his plan, although he knows it wasn’t. The message? The 2014 Kia Sorento has power mirrors and a remote liftgate like more expensive SUVs, and, more important, it’s perfect for families like yours.

4th Gear Recognizing I’m being completely subjective, I’ve got to say I like this commercial. One reason is because I think the actors look like a real family, not four mismatched souls from central casting. The little nuances are totally believable, too, like the older girl’s “Did he really pull it off?” expression and the way the younger girl clings to her mother while Daddy tries his questionable maneuver. Credit that to great directing. The wardrobe is realistic, as well; no major fashion statements here, just real people wearing real clothes. And although this is one of those rare commercials that communicate its message even with the sound muted, there’s no question that Bobby Day’s “Beep Beep Beep” makes a worthy contribution. The lyrics are relevant to the action and the upbeat, clearly dated arrangement (it was recorded in the 1950s) imparts a feeling of innocent-seeming times, when Father supposedly knew best.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/5WRZVkU_X6Q/

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

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Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/02/27/2712008/jgr-eager-to-get-to-phoenix-after.html

Kamui Kobayashi Helmuth Koinigg Heikki Kovalainen Kevin Harvick Armour Vienna Sausage Kroger Chevrolet

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It’s been three years since Jeep dramatically updated its Grand Cherokee, delivering a refined flagship with style and substance constructed on a chassis shared in large part with the Mercedes-Benz M-class. Jeep would be the first to admit that, in the past, it would slide out a new model and then ignore it for five years. No longer. The iconic brand has reloaded the Grand Cherokee for 2014 with a new engine, transmission, and other features. READ MORE ››

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/83TdrePhIIg/2014-jeep-grand-cherokee-v-6-v-8-first-drive-review

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

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Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati, Sepang MotoGP testing, February 2013 Andrea Dovizioso believes Ducati’s deficit to the MotoGP frontrunners has been brought back to ‘acceptable’ levels following improvements at the second Sepang winter test.

All four Ducatis lagged behind Honda and Yamaha at the opening test, prompting Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden to call for major changes.

On a rain-hit opening to the second test however Dovizioso said he could already feel the impact of improvements. He finished just over 1.2 seconds down on pacesetter Dani Pedrosa.

“I’m pretty satisfied with today. My feeling with the bike has improved, and now I know it better than I did two weeks ago here at Sepang,” Dovizioso said.

“We tried something with the fuel tank and also the weight distribution, [and] the bike improved.

“This is important: to feel something different in a good way, to improve the feeling.

“The lap time is not too bad for the first time; not fast like everybody else but the gap is smaller than the last test.

Nicky Hayden, Ducati, Sepang MotoGP testing, February 2013 “I used just one set of tyres, so all things considered, the gap to the top is acceptable.”

Nicky Hayden, who finished three tenths of a second down the road from Dovizioso, was also convinced that Ducati had made progress.

“Ducati brought a couple of things to try, mainly some changes to weight distribution, which helped make the bike a little nimbler on change of direction,” he added.

“Also, I’m able to brake better with the same amount of pressure on the lever.

“We know the gap to the front is still too big, but we’re slowly making progress, and hopefully we can reduce it further over the next two days.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/dovizioso-reassured-by-ducati-gains

Jeffrey Tyler Burton Richard Allen Craven Kerry Dale Earnhardt Ralph Dale Earnhardt Sr Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr

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Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/02/27/2711684/lowes-to-continue-sponsorship.html

Naoki Hattori Paul Hawkins Mike Hawthorn Boy Hayje Willi Heeks

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

In-bus footage of Broward County bus driver eating and driving - video screencap

Most bus drivers and municipal bus trips are utterly innocuous - you don't remember either of them because nothing happens to make them worth doing so. That wasn't the case with Ursula Wilson's ride with "patty-eating bus driver" Herton Reid in Florida's Broward County.

Not only was Reid eating a Jamaican beef patty - eating while driving a bus is against the rules - he was said to be actively trying to prevent a car in another lane from getting in front of him. When Reid had to slam on the brakes, Wilson, who was standing near the front of the bus, couldn't hold on to the handle, so she fell to the floor, banging her head on the fare box. Reid then proved his disregard for passengers was no fluke when he kept on driving and lunching.

Eventually medical help was called, but it apparently wasn't able to keep Wilson from spending $200,000 for treatment like having discs in her spine fused together. As it turns out, Reid has a troubled history with the city bus service - for instance, he broke five rules of conduct while on a supervised re-training drive with city instructors because of previous instances of bad driving, and he still wasn't fired. Since the injury, he has retired, but before going, he left Broward County - and its taxpayers - with a $100,000 bill to settle Wilson's lawsuit.

The whole story is recapped in detail in the video below (warning: Autoplay).

Continue reading This "patty-eating bus driver" cost Florida's Broward county $100,000

This "patty-eating bus driver" cost Florida's Broward county $100,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/27/this-patty-eating-bus-driver-cost-floridas-broward-county-10/

Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith Georges Grignard

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Adam Carroll will join McLaren’s factory GT line-up for the 2013 season.

The 30-year-old from Northern Ireland joins Alexander Sims, Rob Bell and Alvaro Parente in the works McLaren ranks.

Carroll made his sportscar debut with a partial Blancpain Endurance Series and GT1 World Championship programme last year, impressing McLaren GT chief Andrew Kirkaldy.

“I am really pleased that we can add someone with Adam’s calibre to our factory driver programme,” said Kirkaldy.

“He showed great promise last year in the races he took part in, and he has adapted well to GT racing after a very strong career in single-seaters.”

Carroll took Ireland to the 2008/09 A1GP title and was a long-time GP2 frontrunner.

He also made two IndyCar starts with AFS/Andretti in 2010 and tested for the BAR/Honda Formula 1 team in the mid-2000s.

McLaren has yet to determine which of its GT programmes Carroll will be allocated to.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/carroll-gets-mclaren-gt-role

Helm Glöckler Paco Godia Carel Godin de Beaufort Christian Goethals Paul Goldsmith

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Justin Douglas (1) leads a group of racers through Turns One and Two.

Richmond International Raceway plays host to Week Three of the NASCAR iRacing.com Class C Series (open setup), which is a favorite track among many sim racers within the iRacing.com service. The track is one of the fastest short tracks in the country which allows for drivers to get the best of both worlds when it comes to racing–the sense of speed as well as the beating and banging that short track racing generally provides. A total of 635 racers attempted at least one race during the week, but the fastest sim racer in Texas brought home the checkered flag in the week’s high Strength of Field and earned the most championship points as a result.

Ryan Luza took the checkered flag first in the 3803 Strength of Field by 1.010 seconds over Tyler D Hudson (Mid-South) after leading 80 of the race’s 100 laps. Joshua Laughton (California) brought his Wheelmen Inc/Hoosier Tire Silverado home in the third position after also starting from third. Jason Karlavige (Pennsylvania) continued the trend of starting where you qualified as he finished in the fourth position after starting in that same spot. Brian Viola (Mid-South) rounds out the top five, finishing 9.613 seconds back after starting from the seventh position.

With the victory in the week’s high Strength of Field event, Luza earned 237 championship points. Hudson made six starts during the week which included five wins and six top five finishes and allowed him to earn 228 points for the week. 2012 Season Four champion Kenny Humpe (Ohio) made 15 starts during the week, finishing in the top five in each of the races, and winning an incredible 14 times, amassing 207 points in the process. Laughton’s third place effort in the week’s high SoF event earned him 205 points, which slotted him into the fourth position overall for Week Three and Brenden Koehler (Pennsylvania) completes the top five.

A group of racers battle down the frontstretch.

Luza continued his hot streak into qualifying as he put down the fastest lap of the week over Humpe (20.283 vs 20.317 seconds). Hudson ended the week in the third position with a time of 20.341, which proved to be very beneficial to his success during the week. Laughton’s time of 20.360 was good enough to place him in the fourth position and filling the remaining of the top five was Johnny Housley (Mid-South).

After three weeks of online racing, Humpe now leads Alex Scribner (Texas) by 30 points in the season standings. Nick Neben’s season is off to a good start as he sits in the third positon, just 36 points behind teammate Humpe for the top spot. Carl Taylor (Mid-South) and Viola complete the remainder of the top five.

Next week, the sim racers will head to Daytona International Speedway for 2.5 miles of superspeedway action. Check back next week for a full recap of the action that is the NASCAR iRacing.com Class C Series (open setup).

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/iracing-news/luza-raids-richmond

Hans Heyer Damon Hill Graham Hill Phil Hill Peter Hirt

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Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes Lewis Hamilton went fastest for Mercedes on a rain-hit final day of winter testing at Barcelona.

The Briton had capitalised on a break between showers in the morning session to go top, and his position was assured as the rain returned to further disrupt the afternoon.

On top of the inclement weather teams also had to navigate a series of red flags as a total of eight stoppages punctuated the day.

Hamilton himself caused the penultimate red when he stopped between Turns 6 and 7 with little more than 20 minutes to go.

The day was then brought to a premature halt as Jules Bianchi, taking over from Adrian Sutil at Force India, also stopped out on track just before the first turn.

The sodden afternoon meant there was no change in the morning order.

Jenson Button therefore ended the final day second ahead of Jean-Eric Vergne, Bianchi and Esteban Gutierrez.

Sauber’s rookie was one of the busiest drivers in the afternoon, although he too caused a red when he slid off and into the gravel at Turn 4 early on.

He resumed quickly and eventually clocked up 96 laps, making him the day’s busiest man.

Giedo van der Garde put Caterham ahead of Ferrari as he edged out Felipe Massa by just over one tenth of a second.

Mark Webber, Max Chilton and Romain Grosjean meanwhile rounded out the top 10.

Williams men Valtteri Bottas and Pastor Maldonado – who shared the morning and afternoon respectively – managed a combined 36 laps without setting a time.

Bottas put in the lion’s share on a morning he dedicated to pitstop practice, while Maldonado put in 13 laps in the wet afternoon.

The third and final winter test of 2013 will take place at Barcelona next week, running from February 28 to March 3.

TODAY’S TIMES

Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m23.282s 52
2. Jenson Button McLaren 1m23.633s +0.351 70
3. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1m24.071s +0.789 80
4. Jules Bianchi Force India 1m25.732s +2.450 96
5. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1m26.239s +1.957 61
6. Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1m27.429s +4.147 50
7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m27.563s +4.281 80
8. Mark Webber Red Bull 1m27.616s +4.334 64
9. Max Chilton Marussia 1m29.902s +6.620 51
10. Romain Grosjean Lotus 1m34.800s +11.518 41
11. Valtteri Bottas Williams no time 23
12. Pastor Maldonado Williams no time 13

AUTOSPORT special testing coverage:

Gallery Testing blog Technical blog Live commentary Trackside analysis

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/hamilton-stays-on-top-as-test-ends

Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett

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Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Videos

That's no ordinary New York City yellow taxi in the image above; it's a police cruiser for the New York City Police Department dressed up like an NYC yellow taxi. Captured in a short video on a Manhattan street corner, it is escorting an NYPD van behind it.

They don't just use Crown Vics, either: NYC The Blog has video from two years ago of a motorist being pulled over by a Nissan Altima taxi. The blog also lets you know how to tell an undercover police cab from a proper taxi by comparing the license plate number to the medallion number on the cab's roof - not that it would do you any good in your rearview mirror, though.

When the post was written two and a half years ago it was said that there were only eight such taxis prowling the naked city, and that their plates all began with "T800." That's not the case with the taxi in the video below, so we wouldn't be surprised if the number has grown and now there are even more people in more places keeping an eye on you.

Continue reading Check out this sneaky NYPD cop car disguised as a yellow cab

Check out this sneaky NYPD cop car disguised as a yellow cab originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/26/check-out-this-sneaky-nypd-cop-car-disguised-as-a-yellow-cab/

Oscar Alfredo Gálvez Fred Gamble Howden Ganley Frank Gardner Billy Garrett

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Paul O'Neill Speedworks Toyota BTCC 2012

British Touring Car race winner Paul O’Neill has given up on chasing a seat in the series for this season.

O’Neill, who contested two BTCC rounds last year, had been hoping to sign a deal with Speedworks Motorsport for 2013, but has not been able to raise the budget.

Although he has not ruled out a BTCC return, the two-time race winner is not actively pursuing other drives.

“You can never say things are dead and buried, but I’ve given up on trying to find something,” said O’Neill, 33, who will instead be a part of the ITV BTCC reporting team again.

“I’m not sad and bitter about it. Hopefully ITV can make more use of me this year.

“I really like the TV stuff – being on live telly is like being in a race. You have to deliver!”

O’Neill is now considering a return to British GT, in which he competed in 2008.

“I’ve got more incentive to look for a drive in British GT because that can pay you a wage for less work and stress than touring cars,” he added.

“I really would love to do British GT, but I’ve not chased anything yet.”

AUTOSPORT says
Features editor Kevin Turner (@KRT917)

Paul O'Neill Speedworks Toyota Knockhill BTCC 2012 The prospect of Dave Newsham and Paul O’Neill in Speedworks Toyotas this year was an intriguing one, so it’s a shame it’s not going to happen.

Two of the more underrated drivers in the paddock, Newsham and O’Neill would have been one of the strongest line-ups in the series. Not title winners, perhaps, but they would have been constant threats to the established frontrunners, which hopefully Newsham will be able to prove on his own.

O’Neill is a popular figure, but he’s also a worthy racer to have on the grid. His runs to a fourth and two sixths at Knockhill last year demonstrated that, and showed there wasn’t a lot wrong with Speedworks’ NGTC Avensis.

It’s good to hear that he’ll still be in the paddock (and on our screens) thanks to ITV, but it would be great to see him still racing somewhere. Perhaps a big hairy GT car would be a good option…

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/touring-cars/btcc/oneill-gives-up-on-btcc-hopes

Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones

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Felipe Massa, Felipe Massa sees the final Barcelona Formula 1 test this week as a crucial moment for Ferrari as it looks set to go right down to the wire with its definitive Melbourne car package.

Ferrari is working on a number of major upgrades to the F138 for the third test, and Massa admitted that some of the new components might not be ready until Australian Grand Prix practice.

“The car is still ‘green’. We need to make the car in good shape for the first race,” he said.

“There’s a lot of work and a lot to do. This is a very important moment for the people who work on the aerodynamics, the engine and the chassis. They have to get everything together in a good direction.

“We should have maybe not everything, but some new parts for the next test, and we should have everything that we should have for the first race.

“It’s important that we have the complete car we expect at the first race, and we need everything that we bring to the car to be working as we expect.”

But he reiterated that his initial impressions of the car’s current spec remained very positive.

“I think what we did in Jerez was quite positive and so were the changes we did in the car,” Massa said.

“The car was balanced, and I think that’s very important.

“Even in difficult conditions in the rain, the car was quite good to drive and competitive through the run. I feel good in the car.”

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari Ferrari engine chief Luca Marmorini admitted during the last test that the team was cutting it fine with a potential new exhaust package.

“Failing an exhaust can force you to stop the car, so it’s as critical as a piston failing or a gearbox,” he said.

“So therefore we have a lot of concern about introducing the latest exhaust solution without the correct number of tests, but in the end we have to push.

“I think every engine person is a little bit uncomfortable, but we will be sure that in Melbourne we will have solutions that are tested enough.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/massa-final-test-crucial-for-ferrari

Damon Hill Graham Hill Phil Hill Peter Hirt David Hobbs

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Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing Mark Webber believes his Red Bull team is operating better than ever based on what he has seen so far in testing this year.

Despite bad weather affecting the on-track programme at Barcelona on Friday, the Australian was delighted with the progress made in ensuring that the team is operating at a higher level in 2013.

“This was a good test for us in terms of everybody’s role in the team,” said Webber.

“We were put through some scenarios and this is what makes you perform.

“We need to improve, we need to do better this year as a team and we are focusing very hard on ourselves and achieving that.

“The boys did a very good job today, the best I’ve seen them work for a long time.”

Webber is determined to have a stronger season in 2013 having so far proved unable to repeat the run at the world championship that he managed in 2010.

As well as his own performance level, he believes that the way that the way that the team operates is a boost to his prospects.

“In 2011 and 2012, we were not super reliable and I could have done better in certain races,” he said.

“But ultimately, we can do better all together, my side, the team side, all of us together. That will mean a strong performance for us in ’13.”

AUTOSPORT SAYS
F1 Editor Edd Straw

Mark Webber’s comments on how well Red Bull is working read like the usual platitudes, but for a driver who hasn’t always – rightly or wrongly – felt that he had the full support of his team, it offers a glimpse into his mindset.

Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing The Australian is clearly determined to step up a gear this season. On his day, he is capable of taking superb wins and pushing Sebastian Vettel hard. The trouble is that his day doesn’t come around often enough, leaving him trailing in the triple world champion’s wake over the past two years.

At 36, there’s no reason why he can’t have more years in F1, but with the rule changes next season, he can’t be certain that even if he is at Red Bull, he will be in a world championship winning car.

For all the uncertainties of testing, it’s hard to see the Red Bull RB9 being that far off the pace and a driver understandably haunted by his failure to win the 2010 world championship clearly sees this year as a fresh opportunity.

None of that means his overall performance relative to his team-mate will be any different in 2013 to the preceding two years and it’s hard to see him joining the dots of his high-points to become a Vettel-beater.

The real point is that it proves Webber is not there simply to make up the numbers and be satisfied with a couple of wins and a healthy paycheck to feed into the pension fund.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/webber-red-bull-working-at-its-best

Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan Ukyo Katayama Ken Kavanagh Rupert Keegan

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Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/02/26/2708968/nascar-sprint-cup-subway-fresh.html

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

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Ferrari F1 2013 engine Ferrari has admitted that it is important to have a third team running its engine when the new 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 engines are introduced next year.

It is likely to continue its alliance with Sauber next year, even though a deal has not been done, but Scuderia Toro Rosso is planning to switch to Renault.

Ferrari is known to have held talks with Force India about a possible deal, although the Silverstone squad could also continue with Mercedes engines.

The engine supply deal negotiations are related to the team’s driver decision, with both Ferrari-contracted Jules Bianchi and former Force India driver Adrian Sutil, whose nationality would suit Mercedes, in contention and testing at Barcelona this week.

With engine mileage likely to be at a premium next year despite plans to allow an early V6 track test this year, Ferrari risks being at a disadvantage if it doesn’t secure at least two customer teams.

“Customer teams are a very important opportunity for an engine supplier,” said Ferrari’s head of engines Luca Marmorini when asked by AUTOSPORT how important it was to have a second customer team when the new power units come in.

“First of all, we can test more engines and now we can’t test during the season, we can collect much wider data.

“It’s also important to have a reference with cars using the same engine and have a good relative pace.

“So Ferrari is strongly committed to supplying a good engine to customer teams.”

Toro Rosso F1 2013 Marmorini added that the relationship with Toro Rosso is still good and that he is still open to continuing the supply deal.

Toro Rosso has used Ferrari engines since 2007, when it took over the supply run by sister team Red Bull a year before.

“I don’t know if Toro Rosso will be with us next year,” said Marmorini.

“We are still working very well with them now.

“They’re an important contribution to Ferrari engine development, but I also think we are giving them a competitive engine.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/ferrari-keen-on-2014-engine-customers

Tom Jones Juan Jover Oswald Karch Narain Karthikeyan Ukyo Katayama

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Paul di Resta, Force India Paul di Resta insists he has no concerns about the identity of his Force India team-mate for the 2013 Formula 1 campaign.

The Silverstone-based team is the only F1 outfit yet to confirm two drivers for the forthcoming season.

Adrian Sutil, who partnered di Resta in 2011, and last year’s reserve driver Jules Bianchi have been linked with the seat.

Sutil ended a 15-month absence from the sport when he tested the VJM06 at Barcelona on Thursday, while Bianchi tested at Jerez and will take control for the final day in Catalunya.

Di Resta said he had no preference which driver joined him at the team, and insisted the delays in confirming his 2013 team-mate did not trouble him.

“It’s not my decision and it’s not something I am thinking about,” di Resta said when asked about the situation by AUTOSPORT.

“I know both [Sutil and Bianchi] very well. They’re both good people, and they’ve both been part of the team for a long time.

“It’s not affecting me in either way, shape or form. I’m working with my team of guys, I’m working with the same people that I’ve worked over the years and we’re developing this car to get the best out of it.”

Di Resta said he would support whatever the decision the board made, but said it was important to select a driver who would help move the team forward.

“It’s all up to the board members, the key people in the team. They make the decision of who they want to partner me,” di Resta explained.

“I’m very supportive of whoever it might be as long as they’re pushing me on and they’re a team player; that’s the important part.

“The two guys that are driving I know quite well and they’ve been part of this team for a few years and really [that] counts.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/di-resta-would-welcome-sutil-bianchi

Beppe Gabbiani Bertrand Gachot Patrick Gaillard Divina Galica Nanni Galli

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Source: http://thefinallap.com/2013/02/26/photos-celebrities-at-the-2013-daytona-500/

Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green Keith Greene Masten Gregory Cliff Griffith

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Paddy Lowe will move to Mercedes after his current contract with McLaren comes to an end later this year.

Although Mercedes declined to comment on the situation, sources have revealed that a deal has been agreed in principle for him to switch camps ahead of the 2014 campaign.

The confirmation of Lowe’s departure makes it likely that he will now be put on gardening leave by his current team until the end of this year, with McLaren having now appointed Tim Goss as its new technical director.

It is not clear exactly what role Lowe will take at Mercedes, as the team already has three technical directors in place, but he is likely to assume a more senior management role at the outfit.

There had been speculation earlier this year that Lowe was being lined up for the team principal role at Mercedes, with it being suggested that the new management structure of Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda was even looking at ousting Ross Brawn.

However, talk that the current team principal’s position was under immediate threat was strongly denied, while Brawn revealed that he had been involved in talks with Lowe about joining the outfit.

Brawn said that the idea of attracting Lowe was aimed more at the longer term, as he looked to put in place a succession plan for when he did decide to call time on his F1 career

AUTOSPORT has learned that the likelihood of Brawn staying on for the foreseeable future has increased over recent weeks, however, as relations between the senior management at the outfit have bedded down well since Wolff’s arrival.

Brawn said at the Jerez test earlier this month that thoughts about his future had stopped being a topic for him, as he was settled in terms of what was happening.

In an interview with the official F1 website on Monday, Brawn suggested that bolstering the number of senior managers at Mercedes would not lead to confusion as long as everyone had clearly defined roles.

“It can be a problem if everybody tries to do the same thing!” he said. “It is important to have clear areas of responsibility. I am responsible for the sporting side; running the team on an operational level. If we can maintain that then there will not be a problem.”

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/lowe-to-leave-mclaren-for-mercedes

Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt Nico Hülkenberg Denny Hulme James Hunt

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