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Monday, March 15, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- Motorsport Weekend: Formula 1 Bahrain GP results
- 2011 BMW 5 Series Touring revealed, video and photo gallery included
- 2011 Kia Optima / Magentis revealed in first official pictures
- Video: Pagani Zonda R ad is the stuff dreams are made of
- Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster revealed in patent sketches
- Subaru scrapping AWD for its version of the FT-86 coupe
- GM boss doesn’t deny Chevrolet Cruze Coupe plans
- Need for Speed Shift receives Exotic Racing Series DLC on March 18th
- Chrysler teasing Moparized Jeep and Ram models at 44th Annual Easter Jeep Safari
- Scottish police enter confiscated Audi Q7 into service as patrol car
| Motorsport Weekend: Formula 1 Bahrain GP results Posted: 15 Mar 2010 04:58 AM PDT  Hello and welcome to a new edition of Motorsport Weekend, our own feature where we reveal the results from the most important motorsport competitions in the last three days. After last week’s numerous events, when we were treated with WRC, IRC, WTCC and Nascar, the last weekend focused on the start of the 2010 Formula 1 season, with the Bahrain GP. To find out how drivers like Michael Schumacher, Jensen Button, Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso faired, hit the jump.  The Bahrain GP was eagerly awaited by a huge number of people. The fact that four former champion drivers were starting this season was enough for a lot of fans to tune in and see if the 2010 season would confirm our expectations. Sadly, the Bahrain GP wasn’t exactly the best backdrop for the season start, with an extra section being tacked onto the circuit, making it even more difficult to overtake. The ban on mid-race refueling also made things more boring, with drivers making just one extremely short pit stop. But let’s get to the race shall we? The Bahrain GP was dominated by Red Bull’s pole position occupant Sebastian Vettel, which proved his talent in the first few laps, attaining a considerable gap between his main followers, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa. After the pit stop, things seemed pretty straightforward, with Vettel still the leader despite attempts from Alonso to overtake him. Sadly, what seemed like a done deal for the German driver was foiled by a problem with the engine, and the R06 car immediately lost some of its power. Shortly after the problem, Alonso, Massa and Hamilton all overtook an unfortunate Vettel, who still managed to occupy a fourth place, in front of Mercedes GP drivers Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. McLaren’s Jensen Button, Red Bull’s Mark Webber, Force India’s Vitantonio Liuzzi and Williams’ Rubens Barrichello rounded up the top 10. The group of pilots who did not finish started with HRT F1’s Karun Chandhok, followed by Virgin Racing’s Lucas di Grassi and Timo Glock, HRT F1’s Bruno Senna, Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi and Pedro de la Rosa, Renault’s Vitaly Petrov and Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Buemi. That’s it for the Bahrain GP. While not the most exciting of races, it still provided a rather interesting start to the 2010 F1 season. Let’s hope other races will be filled with more events. Photo Source: Ferrari Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| 2011 BMW 5 Series Touring revealed, video and photo gallery included Posted: 15 Mar 2010 04:29 AM PDT  The 2011 BMW 5 Series lineup is coming along quite nicely. After the 5 Series Gran Turismo and reveal of the sedan, the Bavarian company has finally showcased the Touring (aka wagon) variant of the new 5er. In terms of style and equipment, you won’t find any big additions to the things already revealed on the 5 Series sedan. The boot, of course, has been expanded, and can now hold 560 liters in regular mode, and a whopping 1670 liters, if you fold the rear seats down. Speaking of rear seats, they are in a 40:20:40 configuration, meaning you can fold the middle piece and transport long objects, without sacrificing the comfort of the rear passengers. Anyway, let’s get straight to the engines. For gasoline fans, BMW will be offering a 523i version, which generates 204 HP and 152 lb-ft (207 Nm) of torque. The top-of-the-range will be the 535i, which outputs 300 HP and 294 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. This version of the 5 Series Touring will be able to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in a respectable 6 seconds flat, and reach an electronically-limited 155 mph (250 km/h). Diesel fans will have two choices available. The 520d will offer 184 HP and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) of torque, but will also be the most fuel efficient, averaging 45.2 mpg (US) on the EU combined cycle. The larger 530d will generate 245 HP and 398 lb-ft (540 Nm) of torque. This specific unit will average a respectable 36.8 mpg. The 2011 BMW 5 Series Touring is set to appear on the market this fall, but won’t be coming to North America, who’ll have to make due with the 5 GT. Until its launch, check out the photo gallery below (the dog picture is our favorite), and then hit the jump to see a video presentation of the new 5 Series wagon. Photo Gallery: 2011 BMW 5 Series Touring
Source: BMW Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| 2011 Kia Optima / Magentis revealed in first official pictures Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:44 AM PDT  As the New York Auto Show is nearing its start date, Kia has finally decided to stop the teasing and reveal the first two official photos of the new 2011 Optima sedan, or Magentis, as it is known in Europe. Sadly, the photos were the only things revealed, as details about the engine lineup or other technical things have been left out. Either way, from what we can see, the new Kia design direction goes great with the Optima, making it a stylish mid-size sedan.  Expect many of the underpinnings to be borrowed from the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, as well as the possible engine choices, like the 2.4-liter inline-four cylinder unit. More details are set to follow at the Kia press event from the New York Auto Show. Until then, enjoy the two photos. Source: Kia Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Video: Pagani Zonda R ad is the stuff dreams are made of Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:31 AM PDT  Most car fans are absolutely in love with the glorious Pagani Zonda. The even more powerful, lightweight and track-only version, the Zonda R, made a lot more people fall for it. Now, the company released a promotional video, showcasing the race car. Don’t go thinking thinking this is your regular advert, boasting fuel economy figures or handling, as it just shows what the Zonda R can do best: tear up the track. Shot in wet conditions, with brilliant camera work and accompanied by an impressive orchestral score, this Pagani Zonda R video is the stuff dreams, not only car-related ones, are made of. Hit the jump and enjoy! Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster revealed in patent sketches Posted: 15 Mar 2010 02:05 AM PDT  Yet another patent filing appeared on the Internet, this time showcasing the convertible version of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG supercar. The SLS AMG Roadster has been confirmed for quite some time, and even spied on several occasions. This, however, is the first time we can admire every detail of the slick, new convertible coming from Mercedes-Benz. There aren’t a lot of obvious features present, but it confirms many rumors. The folding cloth top will be used, and the slick gullwing doors will be replaced with regular old ones, seeing as how you can’t fit their mechanism to anything now.  Except these things, the SLS AMG will remain largely unchanged. Expect the same 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine under the hood, capable of 563 HP and 480 lb-ft of torque. While the regular gullwing is set to be priced around $200,000, expect the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster to start higher and appear sometime around late 2011. Other variants, including an electric and a Black Series performance version, are also scheduled to appear after the roadster exits the assembly line. Source: Auto Bild via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Subaru scrapping AWD for its version of the FT-86 coupe Posted: 15 Mar 2010 01:46 AM PDT  We’ve been talking a lot about Toyota and Subaru’s joint sports coupe project, which already manifested in the attractive Toyota FT-86. We’ve also seen some sketches and spy videos of Subaru’s own take on the model. Now, a new report coming in from its native country revealed that the high production costs will definitely force the carmaker to scrap the symmetrical all-wheel drive system from its version of the FT-86, leaving it a RWD coupe, like the Toyota. We’ve already heard a Subaru USA representative say that the FT-86, if it will be greenlighted for production, will change the way people view the brand, and it seems that this new report contributes to that. What’s more, rumors are saying that because this change in technology, the company will invest more in differentiating the design of its own car from the Toyota model, in order to get fans interested in it. Overall though, we’re still far away from the late 2011 release date of the Toyota FT-86, and Subaru won’t rush things. We should wait and see how the Subaru FT-86 will look and how many wheels will be getting power from the Boxer engine. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| GM boss doesn’t deny Chevrolet Cruze Coupe plans Posted: 15 Mar 2010 01:22 AM PDT  The new Chevrolet Cruze is getting ready to enter its native US market, after achieving quite a lot of success in Europe and other territories. But with its North American launch, many people are clamoring for more performance-oriented editions. As such, when GM North America president Mark Reuss went on a recent web chat with fans, he was quickly questioned about the possibility of a Cruze coupe, which might get a boost in power (Cruze SS anyone?). Reuss tackled the question, but didn’t give a straightforward answer.
The Cruze will eventually replace the Cobalt, and seeing as how the Cobalt SS is still experiencing some pretty good sales, it’s likely that GM won’t leave that niche unattended with its new model. Reuss also let slip that the Zeta rear-wheel drive platform might possibly make an appearance with a new model in one of the GM’s core brands. No reason to celebrate just yet, but it’s nice that GM is still catering to performance fans. Source: GM Reinvention via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Need for Speed Shift receives Exotic Racing Series DLC on March 18th Posted: 15 Mar 2010 01:03 AM PDT  EA has just announced that the newest entry in the popular Need For Speed racing video game franchise, NFS Shift, will receive a special batch of downloadable content, in the form of the Exotic Racing Series. Set to include seven new cars as well as over 50 events in which to race them, the Exotic Series will be arriving on March 18th, for the Xbox 360 for 800 MS Points and for the PlayStation 3 for $10. Besides the content, the DLC will also include 125 Microsoft gamerpoints and 5 PlayStation trophies, which can be attained by completing it. The cars included are: Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, BMW M1 Procar, GUMPERT Apollo, Honda NSX, McLaren MP4-12C, Maserati GranTurismo S, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss. The locations in which the cars will be raced are also quite exotic, including the Riviera track. NFS Shift already received a special Ferrari-themed DLC pack, but it was exclusive to the Xbox 360. Check out all of the cars in the video we have for you after the jump. Source: EA Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Chrysler teasing Moparized Jeep and Ram models at 44th Annual Easter Jeep Safari Posted: 15 Mar 2010 12:43 AM PDT  Even though Chrysler’s revival process has already begun, there are many things which need to be accomplished before we see Fiat’s influence in the US carmaker. Until then, the company is betting big on special editions of its best selling models. As such, it has just released teaser images of four new models which, according to Chrysler, were “Moparized” in order to reflect their special nature. They will be unveilled on March 27, at the 44th Annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. These are: Jeep Wrangler J7, Jeep Wrangler Trail Boss, Jeep Patriot Extreme and Ram Power Wagon.  First off, let’s start with the Wranglers. The J7, which you can see in the first image, started life as a four-door Unlimited Rubicon model, and will evoke the military heritage of the iconic Willys Jeeps. The second Wrangler is the aptly named Trail Boss, and will be based on a two-door Rubicon Wrangler. It was designed and fitted with accessories capable of extreme offroading.  Sticking with the Jeep brand, the Patriot Extreme is certain to blind many pedestrians with its bright orange paint scheme, coupled with the black grille, hood and other accessories. A 2-inch Rocky Road outfitters suspension lift was implemented, and TJ “Moab” 16-inch wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich KM2 tires were also added. In order to tackle the trails while listening to your favorite tunes, Chrysler also fitted a Kicker stereo and roof-mounted snowboard rack, just what you want for the upcoming summer.  Last but not least, as you can see above is the Dodge Ram Power Wagon, which aims at taking on competitors like the Ford SVT Raptor. It going to boast two-doors and a pretty interesting paint scheme, combining black and white with fluorescent green inserts. A customized bed is in the back with a fullsize spare tire rack. Overall, these are some pretty interesting offers from Chrysler. Hopefully the new paint and accessories are enough to get off road enthusiasts attracted. Source: Chrysler Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Scottish police enter confiscated Audi Q7 into service as patrol car Posted: 15 Mar 2010 12:17 AM PDT  Police, in the war against organized gangs, usually resort to confiscating what they find, in order to hurt the groups. But the Strathclyde Police, located to the north of Glasgow, Scotland, have taken this practice one step forward, with an Audi Q7 S Line, which they confiscated from a gang and have turned into a bona fide patrol car. The car was impounded after a raid a few weeks ago, and seeing as how until it will be auctioned off, it was just gathering dust, the police officers decided to have a little fun, on the expense of gang members everywhere. As such, they decorated the Q7 TDI with official livery and are now using it to patrol the streets of the city.
After a few months the car will be auctioned off, as is normal with confiscated goods, and the proceeds will be going to administration efforts for both the police and the community. Overall, this isn’t a bad idea and we’re hoping that the example will be followed by many other departments in the future. Source: Strathclyde Police via BBC Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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