Life of Adventure

In The Hunt with RCR: Talladega

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:00:35 +0000

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/05/in-hunt-with-rcr-talladega.html

Stefan Johansson Eddie Johnson Leslie Johnson Bruce Johnstone

Official: Volkswagen gives the R-Line treatment to European-model Passat

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 07:01:39 +0000

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Wagon, Europe, Volkswagen

Few automakers can produce the kind of sports sedans that the Germans do. And for most of the country’s automakers, those performance vehicles can be recognized by one letter (or a combination of a few): M for BMW, RS for Audi, AMG for Mercedes-Benz… and R for Volkswagen. The relatively new performance division at Wolfsburg has now gotten its hands on the Passat, and these are the results.

Well, almost, but not quite. You see, this isn’t a full-on R performance variant, but an R-Line model that gives the midsize sedan (and wagon) a sportier look and an upgraded suspension, but without the engine mods you’d expect to come with it.

It also isn’t the same Passat as the one we get here. Ours is made in America (Chatanooga, Tennessee, to be specific). This is based on the European model, and as such is available (in Europe, anyway) in both sedan and wagon form. In either body-style, the Passat R-Line includes a new aero kit (complete with sportier bumpers front and rear, side skirts, rear diffuser and deck-lid spoiler), 17-inch alloys, a sport-tuned suspension and a cabin decked out with sports seats, stainless steel trim and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.

The R-Line model stands as a separate trim level atop the Passat range – selling for €30,225 in Germany (equivalent to about $39k) – but buyers of the Comfortline and Highline trim levels can also specify the aero kit for an extra €990 (~$1,300). Check it out in the high-res image gallery for a closer look.

Volkswagen gives the R-Line treatment to European-model Passat originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 May 2012 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/10/volkswagen-gives-the-r-line-treatment-to-european-model-passat/

Gary Hocking Ingo Hoffmann Bill Holland Jackie Holmes

Dieter Gass to reinforce Audi Sport

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:00:37 +0000

AUDI Motorsport Ingolstadt, December 19, 2011 – New position: Head of Racing Commitments – Engineer is returning to Audi family – Experience from eleven years in Formula One Audi is tackling the 2012 motor sport season with an extended leadership…

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

Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs Hiroshi Fushida Beppe Gabbiani

Video: Ferrari dealership in trouble for burning rubber on the Great Wall of China

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:01:06 +0000

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, China, Government/Legal, Videos, Ferrari

Ferrari is not an outfit that would miss out on the enormous opportunity presented by the Chinese market. Having won the grand prix there three times out of the first four it was held, the Prancing Horse marque launched a special-edition 599 there in 2009, followed by an even more exclusive porcelain-finish one-off.

For 2012, Ferrari created a special-edition 458 Italia to mark the year of the dragon, and to launch it, the local dealership in Nanjing rented out a section of the Great Wall. It’s what they did with it, however, that has local authorities seeing red in more ways than one.

Apparently at some point during or after the demonstration, an employee of the dealership got behind the wheel of the limited-edition V8 supercar and pulled some smokey donuts. The problem is that the stunt left tire marks burnt into the ancient surface, leaving authorities understandably upset. What repercussions will ensue remains to be seen, but we certainly wouldn’t want to be ticking off China’s notoriously strict government.

Scroll down below for the video report.

Continue reading Ferrari dealership in trouble for burning rubber on the Great Wall of China

Ferrari dealership in trouble for burning rubber on the Great Wall of China originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/05/09/ferrari-dealership-in-trouble-for-burning-rubber-on-the-great-wa/

JesÃºs Iglesias Taki Inoue Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine

Frijns dominates Aragon race two

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 07:00:48 +0000

Robin Frijns took a dominant victory for Fortec in the second Formula Renault 3.5 race of the weekend at Aragon.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/frijns-dominates-aragon-race-two

Peter de Klerk Christian Klien Karl Kling Ernst Klodwig

Video: NYPD Cruiser Chases Down Manhattan Cyclist

admin — Wed, 09 May 2012 07:00:40 +0000

In the first few seconds of this video, when you see the cop in the unmarked NYPD cruiser hit the siren and edge through a Manhattan intersection, stopping traffic before he steps on the gas, you may wonder: Is there a bank robbery in progress? A call of shots fired?
No. This officer is speeding up [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/05/07/video-nypd-cruiser-chases-down-manhattan-cyclist/

David Lee Blaney Michael Duane Bliss Kurt Thomas Busch Kyle Thomas Busch

Winterbottom takes race one victory

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:01:20 +0000

Mark Winterbottom secured his second straight V8 Supercars race victory by winning the first leg of the Barbagallo triple-header. But while one Ford Performance Racing driver won, the other lost the championship lead, as Will Davison was caught up in a first-lap incident. Winterbottom’s afternoon had got off to an odd start when contact with poleman Garth Tander as the cars formed up on the dummy grid mangled the FPR Falcon’s door

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/winterbottom-takes-race-one-victory

Jackie Holmes Bill Homeier Kazuyoshi Hoshino Jerry Hoyt

Keselowski gets push from Busch to win Talladega

admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:00:34 +0000

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/06/2048194/keselowski-gets-push-from-busch.html

Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines Scott Russell Riggs

In case you missed it: Top Gear takes on TMS

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 23:00:35 +0000

Source: http://www.skirtsandscuffs.com/2012/05/in-case-you-missed-it-top-gear-takes-on.html

Aldo Gordini Horace Gould Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried

Reduced penalties leave Jimmie Johnson confused (Yahoo! Sports)

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:00:26 +0000

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

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

Theo Helfrich Mack Hellings Brian Henton Johnny Herbert

Pic on pole again for race two

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:00:48 +0000

Arthur Pic made it two poles from two races as he topped qualifying for the second Formula Renault 3.5 race of the weekend at Aragon. The DAMS driver had a torrid first race after his car struggled to pull away from pole, later crashing out after a collision with Jake Rosenzweig. However, he bounced back on Sunday morning to dominate second qualifying

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/pic-on-pole-again-for-race-two

Walt Hansgen Mike Harris Cuth Harrison Brian Hart

Vickers Ferrari withdrawn after shunt

admin — Sun, 06 May 2012 23:00:29 +0000

The AF Corse Waltrip Ferrari has been withdrawn from the Spa six hours race following Brian Vickers’ accident in the wet warm-up session on Saturday morning. Vickers, a NASCAR Sprint Cup race winner who was getting his first taste of World Endurance Championship action prior to his Le Mans 24 Hours debut next month, lost the F458 Italia under braking for the final corner when the circuit was at its wettest. The American then hit the barriers backwards before escaping uninjured from the car.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/3rdparty/vickers-ferrari-withdrawn-after-shunt

Al Keller Joe Kelly Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel

Audi R8 LMS ultra to fight for World Champion’s title in 2012

admin — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:01:34 +0000

AUDI Motorsport Ingolstadt, December 20, 2011 – GT1 World Championship to be held with GT3 cars in 2012 – Team WRT from Belgium is set on battling for championship – Two new Audi R8 LMS ultra cars on the grid…

Source: http://www.motorsportsjournal.com/archives/2011/12/audi_r8_lms_ultra_to_figh.php

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

Hamilton: Spanish GP battle wide open

admin — Sun, 06 May 2012 07:00:33 +0000

Lewis Hamilton thinks the battle for victory in the Spanish Grand Prix is wide open, thanks to the unpredictable start to the Formula 1 season. With four different teams having won the opening four grands prix of the season, the former world champion is well aware that no outfit is heading in to the Barcelona event as favourite – even though McLaren has been on the front row at three races this year. “Our performance at Barcelona during winter testing looked promising – but the form of the season is still very hard to read, so it’s difficult to predict who’ll be at the front next weekend,” said Hamilton, who finished a close second behind Sebastian Vettel at the 2011 Spanish GP

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/formula-one-news/f1-formula-one-news/hamilton-spanish-gp-battle-wide-open

Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa Leo Kinnunen

LE MANS: Audi Sweeps Six Hours Of Spa

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:01:06 +0000

German diesels take unprecedented 1-2-3-4 sweep in second round of FIA WEC. Jota (LMP2) and Team Felbermayr-Proton (GTE-Pro) among class winners in Belgium…

Source: http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/le-mans-audi-sweeps-six-hours-of-spa/

Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota Parker Kligerman

Focus moves to Talladega after last week's drama

admin — Sat, 05 May 2012 07:00:26 +0000

Source: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/05/04/2044603/focus-moves-to-talladega-after.html

Bruce Johnstone Alan Jones Tom Jones Juan Jover

Stoner denies retirement talk

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:01:30 +0000

Casey Stoner has dismissed suggestions that he is likely to retire at the end of the 2012 MotoGP season – but says he has not yet made any decisions at all about his future. The reigning champion’s contract with Honda ends after the current campaign, and a report in the Spanish press this week suggested that retirement from racing was a realistic option for the 26-year-old Australian, who recently became a father for the first time

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/other-news/motorcycles/motogp/stoner-denies-retirement-talk

Carl Edwards Copart Ford Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota

Cuomo: Robert Moses Would Be Proud of My Transit-Free Tappan Zee Bridge

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 15:01:18 +0000

Andrew Cuomo is now holding up Robert Moses as the model for his transportation policy. Image: Wikimedia
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Tappan Zee Bridge bears all the hallmarks of a Robert Moses project. Cuomo stripped popular transit elements from the original, publicly-conceived plan, leaving only a massive highway. Cuomo has shut down the public outreach process for [...]

Source: http://www.streetsblog.org/2012/05/03/cuomo-robert-moses-would-be-proud-of-my-transit-free-tappan-zee-bridge/

Trevor Bayne Out! Pet Care Toyota Jason Leffler David Carl Allison

IndyCar to control engine switches

admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 23:00:39 +0000

IndyCar teams will no longer be able to change engine suppliers mid-season without permission from the series following a rule amendment introduced this week. “The intent of the rule is to try to help build a partnership between a team and its engine manufacturer,” said Trevor Knowles, IndyCar’s director of engine development. “Having a long-term commitment helps ease concerns about confidentiality of any information the manufacturer may share with a team.

Source: http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/real-world-racing/indycar-news/indycar/indycar-to-control-engine-switches

JesÃºs Iglesias Taki Inoue Innes Ireland Eddie Irvine