Jeremy Likes This One

The Audi R8 V10

Fall Driving School

Well that's another one in the books. We were back down to Pueblo for the Fall Driving School with the Rocky Mountain chapter of the BMW Car Club, and much fun was had by all.

There were lots of highlights, and the general banter with the gang (as well as before and after on email) was all top notch. Ross made it out without breaking anything, although he was in Franks Elise when Frank decided to go all agricultural at the end of the day. We had a winner in the group for best car of the day (they must have liked the Smurf), and everyone seemed like they were fast and happy by the end of the day (minus a couple of run-ins with the shuffle steer nazi).

Gareth had managed to invest in a set of coilovers, which looking at the laps below, paid dividends. It also makes the A8 lower and meaner, so it looked good in the car park the night before as well as on the track.

Mr Wallace kindly let us borrow his new video camera, and Todd's video is here, while Gareth's is below. I somehow managed to not be able to get the video set up when I put it on my car (obvious user error), but I did get about 800 photos of my drive, which provided the apex hitting evidence at the top there.

Everyone is now looking at whether or not they can get out to the track again before winter sets in - this weekend is meant to be the Audi club at HPR, but snow is forecast for both days so that might be tough. Porsche club the weekend after though 8-)) so there's still a chance, as well as the open lapping days. Stay tuned....

A Definition of Meta.....

Driving Laguna Seca in a Corvette ZR1 on a PSP, while driving around Laguna Seca in a Corvette ZR1.....

458 Video

Just in case you were undecided whether you liked the new Ferrari (although not sure how that could be possible personally), may I present the Ferrari promo video...

HPR (Finally)

So I somehow managed to not drive HPR all summer, despite the fact it's close and new and a fantastic track. I finally got my arse in gear, along with Mr Thompson, and joined the Z Car Club to get in an organized track day, rather than get eaten alive (maybe) on an open day. It was good to try and learn the line in a pretty relaxed atmosphere, and the rain managed to hold off until pretty late in the day (although it wasn't Colorado's warmest day).

The groups we were in meant me and Gareth didn't get much time to hang out during the day, but then the stars aligned in the afternoon and he jumped in the car with his camera to take some video of the laps. This ended up being my last session of the day - a few laps in the brakes went so I had to ease off a bit to get through the end of the session, and they weren't in any sort of fit state after that to handle any more laps (even without the minor flood that engulfed the track). I have a few pics I took out there as well that I need to load up (Gareths are here)which I hopefully will get to this weekend.

And any of you track rats who've been dialing in the perfect line on HPR want to offer any (constructive) criticism on the line, feel free in the comments - this is the first time I've hit a track without any instruction on where I'm meant to be driving, so I'm sure there's plenty of improvement to be made.

Want.....

And here's a little more....

Tomorrow's Activity

Just in case you were wondering what I'm doing this weekend, please see the video below....

Gullwing is Back!

Guess it's a supercar week (what were they thinking, today is a techie day and Apple have an event!), but Mercedes released details of the new gullwing (official name is the SLS AMG I guess). Another good looker, and I've always been a sucker for strange doors....

2010 Mercedes SLS AMG: First Photos, Details! [New Cars]

And now we have pics of the wings in full effect 8-))

Autocrossing the weekend away

So I tried autocrossing last weekend for the very first time, and I really liked it. Before you ask, it's basically just like a mini timed racetrack that's set up with cones in a car park (and no, it has nothing to do with motorbikes, dirt or crashing).

The course is obviously a lot tighter than a track, so you never actually get out of second gear for the whole time, but it feels very very fast as you're blasting around. One of the main problems you have to contend with (apart from not hitting the cones) is actually remembering which way you need to drive. You get a walk or two around the course at the start of the day, but the first time the starter gives you the green light to go, you're basically looking at a sea of orange cones all jumbled up in the parking lot, trying to work out if it's left or right. Luckily there are a few pointers (cones laying down as arrows, some white lines painted around the outside of the track etc), and after a couple of trips around, you start to feel a little bit more comfortable.

Feeling comfortable and going fast however, are two very different things. As it was my first time, I didn't have very high expectations - get around without killing myself or the car, and try not to come last. Luckily I managed both. I was actually relatively competitive in the morning - somewhere in the middle of my group, but then I after lunch I screwed up the first run by hitting a cone, and then the next two weren't as fast. Still, I had a blast, and came away wanting to do it again. So of course, I signed up for another one in a few weeks 8-)) Sign up here if you're interested in joining - there's a rumor that Mr Tonkin is going to join me and Wallace out there next time (and it's only 45 bucks!!)...

Noble M600 - It's not cheap

So, it's been a long time coming, and when it finally did arrive, it was a little more expensive than anyone imagined. The new Noble M600 is 200k (and that's pounds, not dollars), but does have 650 bhp and gets you to 60 in 3 seconds flat. Looks wise I'm not too sure - I think they made it just a little bit too long. And that price, for a Noble? It's gonna make it more expensive than the new Ferrari......




Noble M600: 650 HP, 225 MPH Driving Excitement [New Cars]

Ford Focus RS on the 'Ring

Not quite as quick as the current Renault, but still worth a watch if you're into that sort of thing

Tomorrow will be a good day

One of those days when you cross something major off your bucket list, like maybe getting a ride in a McLaren....... (just hope I can get some sleep tonight)



And apologies in advance if I have stupid grin on my face if you see me the rest of the weekend

More Pikes Peak Action

Ryhs Millen's new 2WD record setting run in all it's HD glory. And don't forget kids, Red Bull gives you wings....

CLIMB ATTACK from Will Roegge on Vimeo.

It's Absolutely Epic

Clarkson makes some sweet music (and someone has too much time on their hands to put this together, but thank you anwyay).

New Ferrari 458 Italia

As usual, Ferrari runs in at the most unexpected moment and steals my heart....


So the F430 replacement just got officially announced (with the pics I'm showing here), and a couple of details - 562 bhp at 9000rpm (!!!?!!), 392 lb/ft of torque and a 0-60 of 3.4 secs. It's got a twin clutch gearbox (similar to the one in the California), and there'll be lots more information at the official release/showing at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.


Loving the way it looks like a baby Enzo....

Oh yeah, and here's a bit of gratuitous music for your ears

Lotus Evora

Lotus Evora, originally uploaded by Aaron in Denver.

So yesterday was the turn of Ferrari of Denver to host the Lotus Evora coming out party. Although they've been released over in Europe, you still can't buy one over here until the beginning of next year, so this was the first time for many to see one first hand (including me).

They're actually really nice - it seemed smaller that I thought it was going to be - they're not really that much bigger than an Elise, although definitely easier to get in and out of. The back seats, hmmm. The Lotus guy told me that he'd had people in the back, but I'm not sure - they're definitely of the plus 2 variety, and I couldn't see any legroom with a reasonable sized person in the front.

No-one got to drive them, but I was chatting with the Lotus guys who had driven them cross country - much more comfortable than an Elise was what I got out of them, while still handling well on the track.

Based on the estimated price over here, they're going to come in around the same price as a base 911, but in reality I think they're more likely to compete with the Cayman S form what I've read of the reviews.

Oh, and if you've got a spare $300k lying around, the guys at Ferrari of Denver just took delivery of an F430 Scuderia - it's sitting in the showroom right now with your name on it.......

New Jag XJ Pics

Wow - not sure if I like it yet or not. Any opinions anyone? (More pics and talk from Car and Driver)

Free Jeep to Marry This Woman

I'm spoken for, in both the car and woman sense, but I'm sure there's plenty of single guys out in the world who just can't wait to get their hands on the jeep.....

Free Jeep Wrangler If You Marry This Woman - LOLCars - Jalopnik

Real or Fake? Schumacher 'revealed' as the Stig

Not 100% convinced, but definitely got everyone talking about the new series of Top Gear that started back home yesterday



BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Schumacher 'revealed' as the Stig

Evo vs Focus

Tiff and the Fifth Gear team provide the review

Ken Block Gymkhana Two

If you thought the first one was good, just wait for this one. Action really starts about a minute in. This is worth your time......

Air Force Cars?

I presume this is all part of a recruitment drive, but the Air Force is building cars now, fully equipped with radar absorbing paint and proximity sensors. This looks like it came straight from the set of Mad Max (and I think I want one).

Red Neck Limo's

Jalopnik has 10 of them for your viewing pleasure. The General Lee was my personal fave, although not sure it will have the same jumping ability as the original....

Track Days without the Track

Once you get your car on the track, you're kind of addicted for what I presume to be the rest of your life. Not a week goes by when I don't think about lines around the track, what it feels like to get that super smooth trail brake rotation at the perfect moment, or how to eek out another couple of milliseconds off a lap time.

Given I can't be on the track every day (or week, or even month), something has to fill the void. A few drives in the mountains, and the occasional early morning heel-toe downshift coming in to work help, as does video games. Not just any video games, but car racing games. And this year looks like it's gonna be an epic.

There's two main franchises in the racing world that go more for the realistic approach to driving (than a pure arcade, blast around having fun approach) - Forza and Gran Turismo. Forza 3 and Gran Turismo 5 are both coming out this year, and with this weeks E3 conference, a couple of trailers were released. Check them out below, and see which one you fancy.....

Oh, and my name is Aaron, and I'm a car loving geek.....

Colorado License Plates - they're in the news

Given someone's love for Tofu wasn't allowed on a plate, it seems strange that this one got thru.

(via Westword)

Jeremy Clarkson - Best Auto Journo Ever

“Speed has never killed anyone, suddenly becoming stationary… that’s what gets you.”

[On the Alfa Romeo Brera] “Think of it as Angelina Jolie. You’ve heard she’s mad and eats nothing but wallpaper paste. But you would, wouldn’t you?”

25 Coolest Jeremy Clarkson Car Quotes | Cool Cars Pictures

Pure Driving Pleasure

Enjoy....

Darth Maul Tuner M3

I think I kinda like the look of this one - maybe I'm just a sucker for the orange highlights or something. More details over here (but there's no performance stuff done to it - all just looks)

BMW Continues Ugly Streak

Back in the day, BMW used to make some pretty cars. These days, they all seem to just be big slabs of porky metal. This is the rumored 5 Series GT (via 5Post), and it's not helping my view that my next car may not be of the BMW variety....

Audi Not Welcome in Maranello

I guess the downturn seems to have inspired at least a couple of marketing companies to a better game.....

Parking Distance Control

If you can't reverse park, maybe you need the new Golf with Park Distance Control.... Not sure where the shopping goes now though.

Fastest BMW?

Oh my - a Smurf Blue supercar killer. This M6 based car from G Power can do 228mph. Producing 750 bhp via a little supercharger dropped into the already powerful V10 'base' engine, the car has the go to match the looks (which I must say I kinda like).

I know of one lady who has a bit of a smurf blue fetish, so guessing this might go on her list....

via Jalopnik

Ad War - BMW vs Audi

So last weeks news (or probably more like 2 or 3 weeks ago), but I had some issues getting this photo uploaded, and then I was busy for a week, so never got the chance.

Audi and BMW basically started having billboard wars out in California. This was BMW's response (and obviously, anytime a response is done using an M3, I'm a big fan).

Normal service will now be resumed

I (rightly) got a bit of grief off my kid brother yesterday for my fascination/obsession with The Hills, and he wasn't having none of my explanation of "I just happen to be in the living room when the wife watches it". So, I'm resuming normal service with the Porsche promotional video of the new GT3, and Walter Rohl taking it nice and smooth around a track. This car consumed a decent part of the conversation last week, and lets face it, apart from Ross's ability to injure himself on a regular (pre-track day) basis, cars were the main topic of conversation. Needless to say, I want one - better remember to buy the lottery ticket tonight I guess.

Lotus Advanced Driving School

There's going to be a big post on this when I get some time, but for now you'll have to make do with the photos here, and the video below, that Todd took on our instructor demo laps. I think I was in the car in front, but the whole two days was a bit of a fantastic blur.

I'm now a much better driver than I was when I went, and of course am trying to work out the finances for a trip back there sometime soon.

Transformers 2 - Revenge of the Fallen

Looks like there's gonna be a couple of good movies this summer


*Exclusive* Transformers Revenge of the Fallen Footage from Bay Films/Michael Bay Dot Com on Vimeo.

Viral Marketing at it's best - 370Z

Excitement is building

Lotus School - Group Photo, originally uploaded by losborne.

Only a week to go, and I have the privilege of joining up with some of last years attendees (at least the ones who avoided breaking their ankle snowboarding in Vail....) of the Lotus Driving School, just outside of Vegas. Judging from the emails that have been flying around (and the fact that I'll be spending 2 days on a track in a Lotus), it's gonna be a lot of fun.

This is probably the furthest in advance I've booked anything for a good number of years (as you would know if you've ever seen me a few weeks before a planned trip back home without flights booked yet), so I've been trying to put it out of my mind. But now it's only a week away, flights are booked, hotels are sorted and the final plans are being put in place. Now I just have to find out where I put my helmet for the winter.....

Why?

So, BMW goes and makes a car/truck/thing that nobody is quite sure why should exist (lets make an SUV that isn't really big enough to be an SUV, and then make it handle just like a car, instead of just making it a car in the first place...).

And then, they persuade/force/bribe the M division to sell their soul and work on this instead of the lsd equipped 1 Series M that every car geek/reporter/fan is waiting for.

I think it would have been a lot cheaper and easier to just bring the M5 Estate (wagon) over here, and save everyone the trouble.....

Remote Control Car

And it's a real car as well. Controlled by an iPod Touch. I think the thing I like most about this is the fact that the remote and the car aren't controlled directly - they each connect to the internet and then talk, meaning you could be on the other side of the world and really freak out the people back home. I just hope he's got some decent security on there as well, coz hacking into this would definitely be something fun if you had the technical skills.

Funny how timing works, but I started this book at the weekend, which also features remote control cars. Still only half way through, but it's a great book so far, and highly recommended (especially if you're a bit of a geek).

Focus RS - US Bound?

Once again, the rumors have started. Now that I think Ford has confirmed they're not going to fall off the edge of a bankruptcy cliff, and that they're bringing over the Focus in de-tuned form, we have the whisper of the RS making it to these shores. Given the pretty amazing reviews that Evo Magazine gave it back home, if the price comes in somewhere in the reasonable range over here, it might be somewhat tempting as my daily driver. It's even got the ready made snow shovel on the front for those Colorado winters (or spring this year I guess).

Now, orange or green?

Oops (wish I hadn't done that edition)

Source - Jalopnik

Porsche 911 - 998 Spy Photos

It looks like the next version of the 911 is under full development already. What's interesting is it looks like the next version might have a bit of a new backside - it reminds me of the 959 from way back when.

Source - autoblog.it

Tesla Model S - it's electric

In general, I don't really like electric cars. Sure, the Tesla roadster was kinda fast, but why wouldn't you just buy an Elise and not worry about the battery crapping out on you in a couple of years? And weight - light is good. Lighter is very good. (plus I secretly believe that all the production costs/effort, combined with disposing of the battery afterwards is actually a lot worse for the planet than a decent sportscar).

But this new sedan they've released is actually gorgeous. It's how I thought the new Jag was going to look, before they bottled it and pushed some Toyota like blandness into the final version. And take a look at the screen in the center console - apart from the fact that if you switch it on, it'll use so much power your roundtrip will be cut short by 30 miles (that bit isn't actually true).

Anyway, other notable things - 300 mile range (allegedly), along with 0-60 in 5.1 seconds, and 7 seats, which really translate into 5 normal seats, and two kids rear facing ones in the boot/trunk.

You make me sick

Well, not you specifically, more like ex F1 driver Damon Hill driving a little too fast for a journalist as they're reviewing a Merc. The air they get in the middle is pretty impressive, especially for the road.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce

I went to the garage today to buy one of these, but ended up forgetting what it was called, so couldn't put my order in. Then I woke up....

Update - looks like there's a pretty special video now. Turning up the volume works pretty well ;-)

Mclaren F1

Any excuse to post a pick of this still gorgeous car, even so long after production stopped. And Jalopnik provided it. (plenty videos on the click through link as well)

New S4 vs Downhill Skier

Need I say more?

Kids these days....

When I was 11, I happily played footy in the street, and had just began my journey into BMX'ing. I watched lots of car racing on TV, but was never allowed to drive one. That's why I'm soooo jealous of this 11 year old kid from Finland, seen here blasting round in the snow in an Evo. Very, very jealous...

Brabus G-Wagon

I've never really understood the status that the Mercedes G Wagon has over here. Stars seem to love them, but I think if I was going with an old school 4-wheel go anywhere thing, it'd have to be a Land Rover for me. However, whenever anyone puts 690 bhp into something, it gets my interest......

Lambo in the Snow

If you're feeling a little cold over there in the UK, here's an idea for something to do with your time, instead of sitting in front of the fire (and good luck getting snow tires that size)

New Porsche Museum

Porsche has opened a brand new museum, so if you were on the fence about going over this summer (!?), this might tip you over the edge....

2010 911 GT3 - it's pretty

Moving very quickly to (at least very new) the top of my list of dream cars, Porsche announced details of the new GT3 that everyone knew was coming. Lots of cool stuff included in the new version, including special engine mounts, and a hydraulic something or other that allows the front end to be raised by a couple of inches to get it in your driveway without taking out the splitter. And it's more powerful and faster as well, so there's not much not to like.

Of course, at $112k before you've ticked a single option box (and I'm sure there's going to be a few you're really going to "need"), you could always buy yourself an apartment instead.....

Pagani Zonda R

The final version of the super supercar Pagani Zonda has been announced. I still can't quite get over the size of the front splitter - you could serve a pizza on that thing (but of course I still want one).

Aston is worse than the Subie version

I posted the Subaru version of this a while ago. However, this is even worse - guess they were right when they said it wasn't a good time to buy a car...... (but have you seen the prices of second hand 911's at the minute!!)

Fast and Furious 4

I guess Vin Diesel's career didn't quite pan out like he hoped, so he's back, along with Paul Walker. I fully admit to liking these movies way more than I technically should....

Audi A7 at Detroit?

Could it be that one of the automakers actually have something new and not previously "leaked" on the internet for the Detroit Motor Show? Autoblog is speculating it might be the gorgeous Audi A7.....

New Ford Focus RS

The new Ford Focus has been released in Europe (or the details have at least) and it's nice. 275 bhp and nearly 300 lb-ft of torque to keep you entertained. Now we just need 2 things - the review from Evo to see if handles, and an announcement that they're bringing it over to the US.

Go Karts are Great

I managed to get in a quick afternoon session of karting when I was back in England, but never quite made it to the Isle of Man to try out these ones.....

Audi R8 V10 (Officially now)

So I've been meaning to post this for ages, and finally got round to it when I got an email from R8 lover extraordinaire Lesley about sorting out the Lotus Driving School thing we're looking to do next year.

Audi finally announced the much rumored V10 version of it's flagship go-fast and gorgeous car, the R8, with the official figures coming out at 525 bhp and 390 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 is 3.9 seconds, and it'll (somewhere) go 196mph. That seems fast enough to me, and along with the subtle changes to the outside, it's right back up there on my list of cars to own when/if I win the lottery. Pricing in the US hasn't been announced (but in the UK it's about 30k pounds higher than the regular V8, so I'm guessing about $160k over here).....

And yes, it's officially pretty enough to get two pics on here - there's more here and here.

S5 Convertible Announced

One of my favorite looking cars has just come out in a cabrio version, and it still looks very pretty. The usual engine options are available, including the new V6 supercharged engine going into the new S4. I haven't read through all the press release yet, but I'm hoping it's got the suspension and handling improvements I was reading so much about last week in the UK - apparently the new S4 is finally going to up the stakes in the handling department to compete better with BMW (think finally being able to get the back end out on an S4, like you can with your M3 or 335i).

Renault Twingo Ad

Favourite current car ad.....

Who said small cars weren't safe

Mini vs Tahoe. Which would you have preferred to be in?

Porsche Panamera - Undecided

So official pictures are now out of the upcoming 4 door Porsche, and although the final product looks sooo much better than the spy shots floating around for the last couple of years, I'm still undecided as to whether or not I like it. There's a few more pics here, but I think it's going to be one of those cars you need to see in the flesh before you finally decide.

Top Gear Live

So one of the reasons I headed back to England a week before the wife was to make sure I could take part in a little birthday pressie for my two brothers - a day trip down to Birmingham to see Top Gear Live. Although we had to get up ridiculously early, it was well worth it, and everyone seemed to have a great time.



If you've never seen Top Gear on TV, you're missing out, even if you're not really that into cars (both Heidi and Lauren enjoy it despite their less than enthusiastic general disposition to auto transport). There's plenty of fun and games in each program to keep most people entertained, and every now and again, they put together a couple of live events (apparently tickets for the actual TV show mean an 20 year waiting list or something).



So, lots of cars going very fast in a small space, plenty of burning rubber, the usual dose of comedy and even a game of Smart Car Footy were put on to keep us entertained. The team was even conned (apparently a last day of the show stitch up by the producers) to play musical instruments while talking about the Supercars being shown.



And of course, Jeremy Clarkson, one of the funniest guys in the world, (and apparently being pushed to run for Prime Minster in the UK at the next election....)made his way into the crowd to dole out some abuse. I managed to avoid it by hiding behind my camera, and from what he said to the teenager 2 rows in front, I was a lucky boy 8-)

So, it was a blast, and if you ever get the chance to see one of these things, I'd recommend it. It's the only show you'll ever attend where the hosts end the show with "Just remember, although you've seen lots of fast cars driving about the stage today, when you leave here, you'll be back on public roads. So, in the interests of health and safety, drive fast" 8-))

Car Control is Important

One day, when I grow up, I want to be this good..... (and please don't ever let me be the Segway guy in there - that looks like the scariest job in the world).

Worst Smart Car Ever?

Don't get me wrong - I love Smart cars - been close to putting my name on the list a couple of times, just to get to and from work in a more environmentally friendly manner. And I like Batman too (although not all of the movies - can't wait to see Dark Knight though).

But the two of them together? Not the best idea someone's had. More photo's here (all from SEMA in Vegas, which is meant to show the best tuner cars on the planet - they need a stricter door policy if this sneaked through).

How not to unload a car

This kinda breaks my heart


http://view.break.com/593400 - Watch more free videos

Don't be silly

in the rain, even if your car has 4-wheel drive. This brings tears to my eyes (especially as it looks like he could have made a better effort to miss the guard rail).

Jet Powered Diahatsu

Some people do the craziest things in there spare time, and this looks a prime example. Given the light weight, I'm sure this truck will pretty much take off with any power coming from the jet on the back. Might be fun once, but the year in the hospital after that first trip may not be something you're really looking for. Luckily, in the interests of your safety and well-being, I waited until after the E-Bay auction was finished before posting this. You can thank me later.

Brake Your Nuts

Please don't get these (but it made me laugh out loud)

It Sounded Sooooo Good

right until the screeching started....

New McLaren Supercar Coming?

I really really hope so - the last one is still competitive, despite it's age, and I love the front seat configuration (one driver, two passengers behind). Never going to be able to afford one, but more cars for the dream list is always good. Auto Express has the spy pics here.

Taking the wife out for a spin

I never normally drive that fast when Heidi's in the car. I think I'm scared of a reaction like this....



(this is Ricardo Patrese and his wife - he used to be a Formula 1 driver, so he knows what he's doing)

Oh, and Todd got to drive a GT-R - very jealous, just hope it's coming down to Pueblo in a couple of weeks.

Audi R8 Spider with a V10 Engine

It sounds even better than you can imagine, so turn up the speakers....

Friday Post for self

I realize I've been a bit of a slacker for posting not much on here in recent weeks. I will try harder, but the will to jump on the computer when I get home at night has somehow left me, and I've been doing other stuff (like reading, you know, books and stuff).

Anyway, this is purely for self gratification, and to remind me at some point in the future that one of these things might be fun ;-)


Drifting the GT3 from EmilGH on Vimeo.

Top Gear On YouTube (officially now)

They have their own channel and everything. Happy Days

Speaking of next cars

Look what just appeared for sale down the road.....

New 911 (or 997 and a half) Promo

My eternal indecisiveness is further elevated whenever I watch a new Porsche video (about what my next car might be). The choice is still at least a year and a half away, but current front runners are (not in any order) 911 (s or GT3), Elise or Exige supercharged, Caterham R500, Nissan GTR and the Audi R8. And of course, replacing the M3 in my garage with the newer version.

I have a feeling that cars as we know them won't be around for too long, so I'm seriously tempted to get a back to basics pure driving experience car, and then a daily driver (or see if I can keep the M), which further complicates my decision. I normally have an ordered list in my head of what's next at all times, but the whole GTR vs GT3 vs Caterham are all so different cars, that I'm in a confused state. I guess it's a nice confused state to be in though, and I'll probably end up getting none of them if/when the time comes. You never know, maybe I'll get rich and just put the deposit down on the F430 Scuderia - the lottery is up to $75 million at the minute.

Anyway, enough rambling, here's the video

Kinetic Energy Isn't So Hot

What happens when you try out a fancy new system on your F1 car for capturing the braking energy and re-using it down the straight for a few extra mph's? Just watch the guy to the left and find out - guess it still needs a little work...

Lotus Eagle

Some people leaked the details before the planned British Motor Show release, so here you go. Somewhere in the middle of this car is a 3.5 V6 from Toyota pushing out over 280 bhp. Hopefully it's gonna keep the traditional "corners on rails" handling of all the other Lotus's, and very little weight to ensure it goes and stops quickly and easily.

Official press conference is tomorrow, so there's likely to be lots more pretty pictures and details then - stay tuned.

GT-R on Top Gear

Still in shock at where on the leaderboard it ended up.....

Ferrari Friday

If the F430 Scuderia isn't fast enough for you, there's this little gem from Novitec - they added a couple of superchargers on there, along with some other bits and pieces to make sure you stay on the road, and sent it out for some lucky people to play with. Unfortunately, they decided their press car was going to be yellow, which is pretty unforgiveable in my book. And only an extra $74k over the base price? Bargain if you ask me.

Next up is the new California, moving it's roof gracefully from open to close. I think I want one now....



And that's it for now. Posting may be greatly reduced for the next 5 or 6 days as I take some much needed vacation, which will include leaving my laptop at home for the duration, so I can really relax and get some rest. Lots of photos to show at the end of next week no doubt though. And if you're around NYC and want to meet up (and we haven't already discussed it), I can always be contacted on Twitter if it manages to stay up....

TVRs - Nice Cars Those Were

Sometimes you forget how amazing TVR's look until your brother sends you a car park shot. And two of them in the same place? I just love the fact that the bonnet looks like it's covered in shark fins, especially in that color.

Alfa Mito GTA

Following on from the posting on the Alfa Mito last week, here's what looks like the Alfa GTA version. Rumored to be pepped up to around 230 bhp, it's definitely a looker for me.

Small Cars for America

With gas (petrol) prices finally getting up to the prices I used to see growing up in the UK, I'm not alone in hoping to see a few more cars come over from Europe in the next couple of years. Obviously, my wishes are driven more by the fact that they have way better hot hatches over there, so our motives may be slightly different.

Anyway, the new Alfa once again works it's way into my heart and soul. MiTo, you will be mine

Mercedes iPhone Dock

Confession time - I put in my order for a new 3G iPhone yesterday, so only a month or so to go before I get my hands on (please, please let the exchange synching work like a dream). Obviously, Mercedes were thinking about me when they announced this little toy yesterday - the iPhone dock. It charges your phone, hooks it into the phone system in the car, and allows you to get at your music from the hifi. Now all I have to do is work out two things - can they retrofit it to existing cars, and can the wife survive without the CD space....

2009 Audi A7

I realize I've been slacking a little lately, so I'm going to make an effort to get out at least one post per day (on weekdays, just in case).

First one in my new routine is an alleged spy shot of the Audi A7. Apart from the fact that it could realistically be anything under there, this has to be the best camo shot I've seen. The old cover the thing in a weird black rubber/plastic at key parts (similar to the Colorado obsession with those hideous black 'bra' things they cover the front of the car with to prevent stone chips on their paintwork) is obviously old school now. Not sure how the sack is going to survive under high speed (meaning over 20mph from the look of this thing) testing, but that's not really our problem, is it.

Source: The German site Bilder

Denver Exotic Car Show

Ferrari, originally uploaded by Aaron in Denver.

I managed to spend a couple of hours (rain free) down at the Denver Exotic Car show. Plenty of great cars there that could have easily kept me entertained for hours. I took a few photos (subtle understatement) and they're here.

I was going to tell you I met Mr Wallace there, but after the last photo he seems like he's gone publicity shy, so I'll keep it to myself.

RMCBMWCCA Spring Driving School

IMG_1384.JPG, originally uploaded by Aaron in Denver.

So the day finally arrived, and I got to spend the whole day (well, a lot of it) driving pretty fast around the track in Pueblo. George came along with his Porsche, and was grinning nearly as much as I was.

Technically I guess it was spring, but it certainly felt like summer, and my face is red enough to prove it. Rumor was that Sunday was going to be even hotter, so I'm glad I hadn't picked that day in the end (although doing both days is always tempting).

We had a few visitors come down to watch, and luckily they also took control of the camera for the day, so there's a small subset of the photos they took here. There were about 600 in total, so loading them all up on Flickr didn't seem like a practical approach. If you were in Group C or D, I've probably got a shot or two of your car, so let me know if you want me to take a look and send them direct.

One week to go

And just when I thought I had the excitement level under control, Leslie goes and posts about her Lotus driving school.

Still, I need the week to try and get my heel and toe'ing to a decent enough level not to kill me next week. That means if you're in front of me this week on my drive to work, be warned.

(and if you don't know what I'm taking about in this post, you obviously haven't spoken to me in the last 6 months ;-)

2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage

With an upgraded 4.7 litre V8 engine, modified suspension and steering geometry, the V8 Vantage somehow gets to be even more attractive than it was when it was first released. This has to be one of the prettiest cars on the road, and now that it's pushing out 420bhp it should drive through my dreams that little bit faster. And you can still get it with a manual gearbox (yay!)

Too many cars, to little time and money. I better work harder on making my millions.

BMW Car Club - Car Control Clinic

IMG_0501.JPG, originally uploaded by Aaron in Denver.

So this year I wasn't driving, but Wee Dod was, so I went up for an hour to take some pics and offer a bit of moral support.

Judging from the smile, I think George liked it (a lot), so the real driving school down in Pueblo in a couple of weeks should be a blast.

Managed to take way too many pics of course (and thanks to Cliff who provided a few photography pointers - "hold the camera like this", "don't keep pressing" etc etc), but I loaded a selection up on Flickr here if you wanna check them out.

Horsepower Takes on Original Meaning

So someone in Dubai took the horsepower thing a little too literally (or maybe they just dreamed of the good old days) and came up with this little invention. It actually does have a host of electronics in there, but they're all powered by the horse on the treadmill inside. It even has a battery that gets charged by the horse when he's feeling energetic, to make up for the times when he turns into a total lazy slob.

Although that's all well and good (although I'm a little worried that the whole going to the bathroom while on a treadmill may create a few issues...), what the world really needs is more of these hamster powered cars.....

Car Crash Weekend - Ferrari Edition

(This post makes me cry a little inside)

So last week was a couple of race cars involved in a little touchy feely with things they shouldn't have (pit crew and a stray dog). Today is a bit of a Ferrari special - I'm not sure if last week was just a really bad week for Ferrari crashes, or if it's the in vogue thing for the car blogs to post, with no car shows going on at the minute.

Anyway, first up is the sensible Dutch guy who decided he needed a quick bath. With his car.

Second up is the kid we all used to hate at school - the one who's Dad gives him the keys to his latest speed mobile, so he can show off to his mates. It looks like this one might not be allowed to borrow the car anymore.....


The last one is probably the most amazing. Despite pretty much losing the top half of the car to the crash barrier, the driver and passenger of this F355 made it out alive. At least they had the decency to use one of the older Ferrari's when they were crashing......

Caterham R500 vs a Ducatti

I don't want to start a bike vs car war here (or anywhere else for that matter), so that means you Matthew and Graham. All I want to do is point out that I think I may have finally decided on my next car. I doubt it will handle in the snow though, so I'm going to have to get something for the winter out here, or save enough money to keep the M3 as my daily driver.

Anyway, if you watch this and don't find the urge to go out and buy one straight away, you're probably on the wrong blog - you really should be here.

Car Crashing Weekend

And not just any type of crashing - the kind of crashing by experienced motor racing stars that typically don't happen. The video below is Danica Patrick taking out a member of her own team in pretty spectacular fashion, and this link is the son of Ayrton Senna, Bruno, being taken out of the race (and not being very happy about it) when a stray dog wandered onto the track. The dog obviously didn't survive, so if you're squeamish about that sort of thing (hi wife!) I wouldn't recommend clicking through.

Ferrari California

I obviously want one (unless the statement about the dual clutch transmission means there is no manual operation, in which case I'll politely spend my money somewhere else - my first Ferrari will have a metal gate around a manual stick).

More details via Jalopnik here

Maserati's not beautiful enough?

Then maybe you need to check out this page.

New STi Ads

Finally, someone at Subaru remembered what the STi was all about. If only they had shown the guys who designed the new one this ad before they started (and the engineers who dialed in the understeer as well for that matter), and I might have gone out and bought another one.