between the Donkervoort D8 GTO and the unbelievably cool Bac Mono—-i can’t decide which one would be the ‘ultimate’ weapon! The Mono is just sinister futuristic goodness.
src: autocar
Alpine Zar/A110-50 design pretty much confirmed (+ video teaser)
So while i stand by my statement that the previous A110-50/Zar photo was indeed a photoshop, it appears the design itself is pretty much how the ‘new’ Alpine concept is going to look! (big thank you to Neo Luxembourg for these tips!)
this photo was published by Renault themselves!
And then there’s this photo of a bloke working on a clay model, which looks basically exactly like the photoshopped picture! This was published on Figaro and the photo is on Worldscoop HERE:
additionally, Renault have released a 30 second video clip ‘teaser’….which I am not able to embed on this site, however you can watch it here!
http://d.yimg.com/nl/autos/site/player.html#vid=29371440&lang=fr-FR
Truth in 24 II now a FREE download on iTunes.
I saw this film at an official Audi screening several weeks ago and it was fantastic. The 2011 Le Mans will go down in history as one of THE best Le Mans races—-extremely exciting to watch and unnerving after unexpected incidents. You don’t have to be an Audi fan to enjoy this—you just have to love racing. A must watch, in my humblest opinion.
Truth in 24 (original) is also still available for FREE download on iTunes, however Audi have just released Truth in 24 II—-which chronicles the last year’s heroic R18 win. The perfect price for a fantastic documentary. Go check it out!
iTunes link for Truth in 24 II
(note that the link above is for the US iTunes; please check your country’s iTunes to make sure if it is available)
foto of the day. D8 GTO.
The Donkervoort D8 GTO is easily one of my absolute favourite cars in production right now…..just amazing to look at, and transcends the idea of the Lotus Seven straight into the 21st century. The GT4 version won the GT4 class of the 24 hours of Dubai, so it is developing a racing pedigree all of its own.
To me, in my current state of mind—-mixing modern and vintage. This may be the perfect interior. The stuff daydreams are made of…
src: senseTheCar
music video of the day: “Art of Driving”
Luke Haines is a bit of a minor genius after his small-time successes with The Auteurs (who were indeed pretty excellent) and then his solo work as well as Black Box Recorder. Here’s a bit of an odd, interesting, and pleasing bit of music entitled “The Art of Driving” by Black Box Recorder.
Where are they now? Chris Bangle.
“It starts with drinking the cognac, it ends with drinking the cognac”
A couple videos about how ex-BMW design guru Chris Bangle was asked to redesign the Hennessey bottle. The real question here is, is there flame surfacing involved!?
src: youTube (simonSays)
foto of the day. the perfect morning.
This photo does really make you wish you were there….i’m thinking cool temperatures, misty windy roads…..and an unknown location.
video of the day. pure Stratos.
What a video of the legendary Lancia Stratos with no BS music to get in the way of the exhaust notes!
Thanks to Nicolas for the tip!
spy pics: MQB 5-door A3 Sportback
Well this is the new version of my beloved 8P A3 Sportback! The MQB version looks like a direct evolution, with a very similar overall look and a more chiseled rear bumper and taillight treatment. The overall proportions and profile are very similar, but modernised to current Audi design. Great stuff……I hope it comes to the US market again, and I hope this time they bring the damn RS3—although from my info feed, only the sedan will arrive here (if it arrives) as the RS model!
2013/2014 Audi A3 5-door Sportback
src: blogautomobile
Is this the new Alpine concept? well…a photoshop!
Ever since writing about the Alpine concept debut’ing at Monaco on May 25th, the Internet has been alight with articles about the Alpine resurrection. Less than a week to go! Pretty exciting times for the Alpine marque.
Here’s today’s buzz. Is this modified DeZir the actual Alpine “Zar” or as Motorsport Magazine call it “A110-50”. I honestly don’t know…..I would like to believe the Alpine concept will look different than the DeZir. So why I am I posting it? Because I really love the way this photo looks—looks like a proper race car as an Alpine should be.
Only a couple of more days to wait til the real deal peaks its head…will it look like this? Who knows!? Renault has keeped its lipped very tightly sealed so far!
after searching a bit through Dezir photos—-i’ve discovered this supposed “Alpine” photo (src: netcarshow) is just a photoshop. I doubt Renault would photoshop their Dezir concept to make an Alpine So my conclusion? I don’t believe this is the Alpine concept—I think it’s just a photoshop.
src: blogautomobile
foto(s) of the day. NYC 1973.
I do love living in NYC, particularly in Brooklyn! NYC has both stayed the same and changed so much over the last 30-50 years. It is quite enjoyable listening to city old-timers tell their version of how NYC was in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Seeing photos is also great. Here are 2 fantastic photos taken by Wil Blanche in 1973 of cars entering the Manhattan side of the Battery Tunnel towards Brooklyn as part of the Documerica project. Can you recognize all the iron in these pics? I get a good number of them….but a couple here and there which are just guesses!
As much as things change—-looking at these photos remind me of my experiences driving here every day. So i guess not everything changes that much!
src: hemmings
video of the day. Ford styling and the experimental car.
What a great video from 1964; made by Ford explaining some of their recent concepts and ideas; including the pretty futuristic and influential (at the time) Ford Cougar II.
foto(s) of the day. R8 1-2 at t’Ring.
Audi celebrates another victory at this weekend’s 24 Hours At the Nurburgring with a 1-2 finish for the Audi R8 LMS ultra! Superb.
Great photo taken by Dan Bathie from L’Endurance
Great picture at the finishing line by Frozenspeed!
The full line-up of R8s at the N24 race. The winning car is the yellow Team Phoenix #3 car (front row, left, different number for the race!)
src: ausringers (bottom photo)
2012 Carlisle import show.
Yesterday I drove a few hours away to go to the annual Carlisle Import Auto Show for 2012. I had been tipped off there would be an Alpine A110 there, and I was quite looking forward to checking it out. I had also been told that there would be a lot of great Audis there, which there were!
The show was fantastic……I would say the largest turnout was for Saab and Audi fanatics with lots and lots of fantastic Trollhatten and Ingolstadt eye candy. I sat inside of the Alpine A110 for what felt like at least 20-25 minutes. The car FIT LIKE A GLOVE. I have never been as comfortable in a car as I was in an A110. Unbelievable….i didn’t want to leave. The A110 is pure magic…..i must have one in my life!
After leaving the Alpine, I was completely distracted by remembering the car—and honestly I had concentration difficulties. The Audi area quite brilliant though; lots of great Ur quattros, a couple nicely set up TTs and several nice 4000s and Coupes! Audi had brought the original R8 LMP car as well, and near it was also a Sport quattro! The Saab area was flourishing with “Saab Pride”; their enthusiasts knowing their marque is currently in a coma on massive amounts of life support if not dead already. There are still whispers of a Saab corporate revival floating around in China; but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
I felt the Carlisle show was a true enthusiast’s show; the people were very nice, there wasn’t much ‘snobbery’ as felt at so many car shows, and not every car was shined to perfection like at other car shows—there was room for originality, something I very much appreciate. I spent much of my day poking my head into interiors, and breathing in a large inhale of the different smells of older cars; something which fascinates me.
I didn’t take a lot of photos; in fact taking too many photos at car shows sort of annoys me these days, as it prevents you from actually paying attention. That being said, here are some of my favourite cars from the day:
loved this crazy, track ready Renault 8!
I spent 1 hour out of my 3 hours at the show with this Alpine. Honestly, I believe I am truly obsessed. HA.
i don’t smile much for photos….but i am quite happy sitting inside.
onto the Audis!
I found this sign to be entertaining, belonged to a 1969 Avenger kit car:
video of the day. How men drive a Fulvia…
Through mud and snow! Not much more complicated than this, of course…..but this video is 90 seconds of Lancia Fulvia daydreaming someone decided to film…videos like this remind me just how much I really dig the Fulvia…
foto of the day. Vallelunga.
Before there was the Mangusta or the Pantera……there was the DeTomaso Vallelunga! gorgeous.
src: best shed
Today i may be driving one of the worst ‘cars’ i’ve ever driven…
I had a minor accident last week in the A3, when a Civic Si hit me in traffic. It was his fault, however it is my nuisance! Now the A3 has gone into the shop for fixing, and the rental company didn’t have any small cars. What have they given me? a simply HUGE Dodge Grand Caravan.
I feel as if i am driving an apartment, or a restaurant….or some sort of large physical structure. Could it be a department store? or a school? My new identity while driving this is a sudden urge to transport many people. Earlier I saw an elderly woman standing by the road waiting for a bus, i felt like I WAS THE BUS—–but I am not. I had to overcome great impulse to NOT stop for her.
My bigger question is though; how in the world do people drive these!?!? Terribly built, awful to drive, way too large, completely unstylish, enough headroom for someone who is 11 foot 7 inches tall. Unless one has 15 children and a wife that is over 10 feet tall, how does someone with 2 children justify this sort of inhumane exercise in engineering!? The driving experience can only be described as ‘paralytic’.
It is cheap though…i just looked up pricing and it starts at around $21k. If there was a ratio of price:curb weight this will surely reach the top of the rankings. As enthusiasts, I often hear the term “that’s a lot of car for the money”…..well in this case, this is “a lot of car for the money”——but not in a good way; solely in physicial size and weight! Family people….buy a station wagon….a hatchback…..or for god’s sake even an SUV….buy 2 of them if you cannot fit all of your children in 1; just don’t buy this. Isn’t this what Fiat is introducing as Lancia in Europe?? RIP Lancia.
I can’t even park it properly. Here’s hoping they get me a Jetta or a Focus as i’ve requested!
The end of Lola?
It seems as if Lola is entering the early phases of going out of business. You should have produced the Lola T70 as a production supercar! There is still time.
from Octane:
‘It is with enormous regret that a decision has been taken to issue Notices of intention to appoint an Administrator to Lola Cars International Limited and Lola Composites Limited. This step allows the board to continue its discussions with possible investors and prospective purchasers with a view to securing the best outcome for the staff, creditors and customers of both businesses.’
(foto via C&D)
foto of the day. RS4.
My friend Thomas driving his fantastic Audi RS4 Avant (B5) around the Nurburgring! Menacing in the rain.
the $2.77 million-dollar 1923 Leica
What you’re looking at is the most expensive camera ever sold….the 1923 Leica O-series. Quite beautiful, but absurdly priced! Sold at 2.16 million Euros ($2.77m) at the Westlicht Photographica auctions in Vienna.
Video of the auction:
src: engadget
IEDEI 
