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- Motorsport Weekend: MotoGP Qatar GP, Nascar Phoenix races results
- 2011 Lotus Elise S sets new records: 46.7 mpg and 149 g/km of CO2
- Hummer has one possible buyer but GM might not be interested
- Next gen Range Rover gets detailed: 33 MPG and under 200 g/km of CO2
- Vauxhall launches VXR Power Events 2010
- Videos: Mini celebrates its 50 years of history at Techno Classica 2010
- Configure your own Ferrari 599 GTO, hope you win the lottery
- Lexus and Infiniti not interested in BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo niche
- Get your own Ford Focus RS500 with Mountune’s MP350 tuning kit
- GM prepping two other ER-EV models for Europe besides the Ampera
| Motorsport Weekend: MotoGP Qatar GP, Nascar Phoenix races results Posted: 12 Apr 2010 05:30 AM PDT  Welcome to a new edition of Motorsport Weekend, where we offer you the results from the biggest competitions taking place in the last three days. In the past weekend we were finally treated to some two-wheel goodness, as the MotoGP championship began its first round, the Qatar GP. Nascar fans were also excited about the Subway Fresh Fit 600 and the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200, taking place at the Phoenix International Raceway in Arizona. Curious to see how Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner, Kyle Busch or Ryan Newman faired? Then hit the jump and find out.  The 2010 MotoGP season kicked off under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit, at the Qatar GP. Valentino Rossi managed to win the race, showing that he is more than able to defend the title he won last year. The Yamaha rider benefited from the crash of his main rival, Casey Stoner, early in the race. Stoner showed great form in the qualifiers, and started in pole position. Rossi, after Stoner’s crash, managed to secure first place, but didn’t really put much distance between himself and the pack. Speaking of the pack, the end of the race was pretty electrifying, as Rossi’s teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, managed to work his way up, and managed to grab third place from Nicky Hayden and then second from Honda’s Dani Pedrosa, who rounded off the podium at the end of the race. Overall, a great race for Rossi and Yamaha, who managed a 1-2 finish. Nascar fans eagerly awaited the events taking place in Phoenix, and they weren’t disappointed, at least in the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 race, counting for the Nationwide Series. The main hero was Kyle Busch, who, after leading for the majority of the race, was penalized by officials for jumping a restart, and had to do a pass through the pits. This meant Busch re-entered the race in 19th place. Busch and his #18 Toyota then went on a hard battle, eventually reaching the number one spot, after overtaking Brad Keselowski. Runner up was Kevin Harvick, who also overtook Keselowski in the last turns of the race. Overall standings have Keselowski on top, with Carl Edwards 4 points behind and Kyle Busch trailing by 15 points. The Subway Fresh Fit 600, counting for the Nascar Sprint Cup followed on Saturday, and was seemingly headed to a new win by Kyle Busch. Unfortunately for the Toyota driver, a late-race caution sent the majority of the pack into the pit lane. This is where Busch’s decission to have a four-tire change cost him dearly, re-entering the race in eight spot. This allowed Ryan Newman, who opted for a two-tire change, to charge into first place, after Jeff Gordon spun out in front of him. Newman then cruised for an easy win in the Subway 600 race. He was followed by Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Overall Sprint Cup standings place Johnson first, followed by Matt Kenseth, trailing by 36, and Greg Biffle, behind by 92 points. Photo Source: Fiat Yamaha Team’s Flickr Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| 2011 Lotus Elise S sets new records: 46.7 mpg and 149 g/km of CO2 Posted: 12 Apr 2010 02:02 AM PDT  Great fuel average and low emissions aren’t things you would normally associate with sports cars, but thanks to the new 2011 Lotus Elise S, they’re practically synonymous. Why are we saying such a thing? Well, thanks to the improvements the Elise received for its 2011 model year, including lighter weight (1,931 pounds), a new Evora-esque nose and, most importantly, a 1.6-liter inline-four cylinder unit, it will achieve a whopping 46.7 mpg (US) on the EU highway cycle, while emitting just 149 g/km of CO2. This makes the entry-level Elise the most efficient sports car on the market, achieving impressive numbers while also outputting 134 HP and sprinting from 0 to 62 mph in under 6 seconds. Sadly, only Europeans are going to enjoy the 1.6-liter powered Elise S, as the US is still stuck with the 1.8-liter engine for their Elise model. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Hummer has one possible buyer but GM might not be interested Posted: 12 Apr 2010 01:32 AM PDT  The Hummer saga isn’t over just yet, as new reports are hinting that a buyer might still be interested in the SUV brand, which is scheduled to be closed down by General Motors. The company in question, Raser Technologies, already has a decent amount of experience working with Hummer models, as the company made an electric conversion kit for the heavy H3 SUV. It seems Raser was interested in the brand before China’s Sichuan Tengzhong made its offer, but GM favored the Chinese corporation. Another offer was made after talks with Sichuan failed, once again to no avail. Reports also indicate that because Raser might turn future Hummer models into extended range electric vehicles (E-REV), GM is reluctant to go ahead with the sale. As you may already know, the carmaker is working hard to launch its own E-REV, the Chevrolet Volt, later this year. The first Raser Hummer H3 EV prototype managed an impressive 100 mpg+ fuel average, while being able to run on electric power for over 40 miles. These numbers are awfully close to the Volt figures, and given the extra weight of the H3, show that Raser did a better job than GM. Given the fact that Raser might turn Hummer against GM and that the company already announced that it is moving forward with the wind down process, the SUV brand isn’t looking very good. Source: TheCarConnection Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Next gen Range Rover gets detailed: 33 MPG and under 200 g/km of CO2 Posted: 12 Apr 2010 01:06 AM PDT  When you think of powerful yet frugal and low emission models, the Range Rover lineup doesn’t exactly come to mind. With the next generation SUV though, the engineers at Land Rover are going to push their talents to the limit, and create a model that blends off-road performance with a lower fuel average and reduced CO2 emissions. How will it do that? First off, through the new body the next generation Range Rover will sport, when it will appear in 2012. The overall shape and design won’t be drastically changed, but the height of the roof is going to see a reduction, in order to improve aerodynamics. Most importantly, a new riveted aluminum chassis is going to be used, resulting in a massive decrease in weight of 992 pounds (450 kg). Secondly, the next Range Rover is going to boast much more efficient engines. The first units to be available will be a 300 HP TDV8 and a 260 HP TDV6. They will be followed by petrol variants, but it’s safe to say the oil burners are going to be the popular choices. These units are going to be attached to a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox, but don’t worry, as a transfer box will be making an appearance, in order to keep the off-road abilities of the Range. While it’s far from official, engineers are already speculating that the TDV6 will be able to offer 33 MPG (US) and emit under 200 g/km of CO2 (the current Range Rover emits over 300 g/km). Also among the future plans for the next generation is a diesel electric hybrid, which would take the CO2 emissions even lower, around 170 g/km. Overall, the next Range Rover is looking extremely good. What do you think? Is this blend of performance, luxury and fuel efficiency going to win over customers? Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Vauxhall launches VXR Power Events 2010 Posted: 12 Apr 2010 12:27 AM PDT  The summer is rapidly approaching, and with it, the opportunity to have some fun with your car, either driving to specific places or just driving for the heck of it. Vauxhall owners will have more reasons to have fun with their cars, as the company has just unleashed the schedule for the VXR Power Events in 2010. From roller coaster rides, to track days or simple meetups, there’ll be all types of fun. The events are catered only to Vauxhall VXR, Vauxhall V8 and Vauxhall Performance Car owners, but they will be able to bring one friend, so it might be a great time to pull in some favors. If you don’t own a performance Vauxhall or don’t have any friends who do, the Vauxhall Astra VXR Arctic Edition has just been launched. For more details about all of these special events plus the ability to book tickets, check out the VXR Power Events page. Source: TorqueAstra Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Videos: Mini celebrates its 50 years of history at Techno Classica 2010 Posted: 12 Apr 2010 12:05 AM PDT  In the last few days, the Techno Classica 2010 event took place in Essen. This is the place where Mini decided to showcase some of its most iconic models, spanning its 50 years of history. From the Mini Moke to the pick-up or utility-focused long wheelbase vehicles, visitors can see how the British brand progressed. As you can imagine, recent models created under the BMW ownership, like the Countryman, couldn’t have been forgotten. Hit the jump and check out two videos the company made at the event in Germany, and to see just what special Mini model you can win if you attend the International Mini Meeting in Bavaria this May. Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Configure your own Ferrari 599 GTO, hope you win the lottery Posted: 11 Apr 2010 11:51 PM PDT  Ferrari made a lot of its fans extremely happy last week as it finally introduced the 599 GTO model, based on the 599 GTB Fiorano and borrowing technology from the Formula 1 team and the track-only 599XX performance model. The result of this combo? Oh, just a 661 HP and 457 lb-ft V12 supercar capable of sprinting from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.4 seconds while being the fastest road-legal model Ferrari ever made. But until the official unveiling at the Beijing Motor Show, the Italian supercar manufacturer has allowed its fans to configure their own 599 GTO, thanks to a new online car builder. You can choose anything from the paint scheme, to the wheels or the bucket seats. Sadly, this still won’t allow most of us to actually afford one of the 599 models that will be made. Still, you can check out the Ferrari 599 GTO car configurator here. Source: Ferrari Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Lexus and Infiniti not interested in BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo niche Posted: 11 Apr 2010 11:24 PM PDT  When BMW announced the 5 Series Gran Turismo hatchback model, it’s safe to say that two kinds of reactions appeared, you either loved the funky, almost complete hatchback styling, or you hated the hunchback nature of the 5 GT. Still, while the automotive press and BMW fans are still making up their minds, two of the largest rivals for the Bavarian company, Lexus and Infiniti, voiced their own views on the new niche created by BMW. Dave Nordstrom, Lexus’ vice president of marketing, revealed that: “We don’t have any plans for it right now. We have not seen the demand from our customers – but we continue to look at it.” Infiniti’s Ben Poore said that while “What [we are] seeing is a much stronger preference (among consumers) for a trunk,” his company isn’t committed to following BMW’s footsteps. While at first we weren’t really attracted to the 5 GT, we had a chance to test drive one recently, and we have to say that the big model does have a lot of attributes. Look forward to the test drive soon enough. Source: AutoObserver Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Get your own Ford Focus RS500 with Mountune’s MP350 tuning kit Posted: 11 Apr 2010 11:01 PM PDT  The current Ford Focus RS is one heck of a beast, with its 305 HP blasting through the front-wheels and slapping a big smile on your face. Seeing as how that wasn’t enough for some, Ford released the limited edition RS500 model, which upped the output to 350 HP. Sadly, the 500 units in the limited run sold like hotcakes, and you can’t buy another one. Luckily though, Ford UK decided to help out those who didn’t get their hands on the upgraded RS500, and revealed, in partnership with Mountune, a special performance package, designed to increase the output to 345 HP. The Mountune MP350 tuning kit, despite being a bit shy of the 350 HP of the RS500, will still manage to further increase the smile on the owner’s face, seeing as how it will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.4 seconds, and stop at 165 mph (266 km/h). Torque output is rated at 339 lb-ft, so you know you have enough power. The Mountune MP350 tuning kit will be available in May in all Ford UK dealerships. What’s even nicer is that the price is around £1,995, plus £200 for labor, totaling £2,195 (around $3,386). Not bad for such a power increase. Source: WCF Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| GM prepping two other ER-EV models for Europe besides the Ampera Posted: 11 Apr 2010 10:45 PM PDT  Even though it is focusing on the upcoming Chevrolet Volt launch in its native USA, General Motors hasn’t forgotten about Europe, where the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera is going to appear around the middle of 2011. But even though it is placing big money on the launch of the Extended Range Electric Vehicle, GM believes the Ampera isn’t enough, and revealed through the voice of its European boss, Nick Reilly, that two other such models are going to appear. The vehicles are going to slot in above and below the Ampera, with one being based on the Corsa compact platform, while the other will use the Insignia’s Epsilon platform. They will both borrow design cues from the recently revealed FlexTreme GT/E concept, which used the same Voltec ER-EV drivetrain. It seems GM is willing to offer the European market a broader choice range, but you can be sure that, sooner or later, these other two models are going to find their way over the Atlantic. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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