The grid in Bahrain looked similar to last week in Malaysia. Two Ferraris and two McLarens, side-by-side, but which McLaren was up front was a surprise. Felipe Massa took his fifth career pole position, with McLaren’s young superstar-in-the-making, Lewis Hamilton, swapping with teammate Fernando Alonso and taking second. Continue reading Spoiler Alert: F1 2007 Bahrain Grand Prix
The festivities from Long Beach are winding down as the Champ Cars just finished their second race of the season. The Long Beach Grand Prix has been a fixture on the open-wheel schedule for more than 20 years and even if the series has lost some of its drawing power, the racing was as good as ever. Continue reading Spoiler Alert: 2007 Champ Car Long Beach Grand Prix
In all of recorded employment history, it has never been a good thing when the boss “requests” that employees talk up the company, especially when non-employees know that those workers are operating under orders. Nevertheless, that is exactly the road Ford appears to have taken as part of the “Way Forward,” asking each employee to become a “walking advertisement” for the blue oval. Continue reading Ford wants workers to ‘become walking advertisements’
Our sibling site from across the Pacific has been covering the Shanghai Auto Show in the same fervent style that you’d expect from Autoblog. If you click on through, you’ll find a listing of the more important concepts to be debuted in the last few days, along with pictures and a translated article detailing the vehicle. Continue reading China Shanghai 2007 autoshow preview
Remember back in November we brought you a story of a naughty teenager, his teacher and his teacher’s husband’s 911? We expressed great skepticism about their ability to have sex in such a small car. Even when some readers claimed to have accomplished the feat themselves, we didn’t believe. But now for those of us with too little imagination, bodies that no longer move in those ways, and fear of having photos turn up on the Internets, there is an instruction manual for car lovers who want to love in their cars. Continue reading Carma Sutra: Learn to love in your Lamborghini
During an interview with AutoVisie magazine, Ulrick Hackenberg, a high ranking product exec at Audi, said that the TT-based Shooting Brake concept that debuted at the Tokyo Auto Show in 2005 will not make it to production. Continue reading Audi Shooting Brake won’t be produced
Pontiac’s foray into the tuner world has been partially stunted by the limited amount of available Solsti on the road. Fortunately for Pontiac, a Canadian customizing contingent that represents the best of what’s up north, took it upon itself to create the stereotypical tuner machine (with 500 horsepower, though) out of its coveted drop top. Continue reading Pontiac Top Tuner Solstice
Ferrari wins world championships and it applies the knowledge to building a beast like the 599 GTB Fiorano. Renault wins the championship and they make… a supermini. But that’s cool, we remind ourselves, because everyone does what they do best, and nobody makes hot hatches like Renaultsport, the performance division that builds the F1 cars and the hottest of pocket rockets. Continue reading Renaultsport hatches Clio Renault F1 Team R27
DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group and China’s Chery Automobile Co. have agreed on a plan for the Chinese manufacturer to build small cars to be sold worldwide. The cars, to be designed jointly by Chery and Chrysler with Chrysler taking the lead, would be sold as a Chrysler Group brand, either Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge, said Chrysler spokesman Jason Vines. Chery will build tiny cars known in the industry as “B-cars,” but it also may build something larger for Chrysler, Vines added. Continue reading China automaker to build cars for Chrysler
That three-pointed star on the Concept Ocean Drive convertible may be a bad omen for DaimlerChrysler’s underachieving Maybach brand. The S-class-based Mercedes concept, to be shown at the Detroit auto show, has everything that would warrant a double-M Maybach badge. There are four doors, a big V-12 engine and lots of wood and leather. For Mercedes, the Ocean Drive is a halo car. The brand has taken a beating over quality and, potentially, a less-exclusive image. But it’s nearly five years since Maybach’s U.S. unveiling, with no new models in sight. Continue reading Ocean Drive concept could hint at the death of Maybach
As clues go, it was a big one. Revealed with much pomp and ceremony at the Geneva motor show in 2004, Rolls-Royce’s spectacular 100EX concept car was created to celebrate the famed British car maker’s centenary. That was the official line, at least. When probed, the only thing officials would reveal was that there were considerations to building the big convertible—with the quick caveat that nothing was certain. Continue reading 2008 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe
BMW of North America is on track to set a sales record this year, despite the changeover of its X5 crossover. “The 2007 model year cars are just coming onstream now,” said Tom Purves, CEO of BMW (US) Holding Corp. “It’s tough to predict. But we will be better than last year, and the momentum is very good.” Last year BMW AG, including Mini and Rolls-Royce, sold 307,402 vehicles in the United States. In an interview with Automotive News, Purves touched on a variety of other issues. Continue reading BMW on track to another year of record sales