Mad About Cars

Recently my beloved Audi A6 broke down on me while camping in Anglesey. I got recovered home and then took a look into what was wrong with the car. So in the meantime while the car is being fixed I am using a Y reg Ford Fiesta that is great. It’s better on economy than my 1.8 turbo Audi and is handy for getting in any tight parking spaces. It’s a much more practical car. But the one thing I miss is the thrust and pace of the Audi. I also miss having a quiet cabin that doesn’t rattle when you go over 70.

Five times World Rally Champion Sebastian Loeb confirmed that he’s ready to try his luck by racing a Formula One car instead of the WRC:

If Toro Rosso need a driver I’d love to help out.

Sports Daily l’Equipe was interviewing the French driver who made a Citroen’s Xara WRC a legend by winning in it five time in the row. He also mentioned that as long as the F1 and Rally calendars won’t overlap he is available for Toro Rosso. The Red Bull team was doing some tests last year using the French driver in Barcelona.

But the good news is that there is no way Sebastian Loeb could start racing in F1 and forget about WRC, according to Citroen’s Rally boss Oliver Quesnel. At least for this season.

This year’s car shows proved that designers are excelling in their work reaching beyond, always. New Toyota Auris SR180 with impressive 2.2 litre D-CAT engine that can show no mercy on the road by deploying whole 174 BHP onto the FWD ride, or new 2.5 litre Focus ST with the supercharger have made our hearts melt. But the best came from the Renault though, unexpectedly but impressively with two new redesigned models of Clio.

Renault Clio F1 has been replaced couple of years ago with Renaultsport badge which is a new sub make for high-performance cars from the French manufacturer. Therefore Clio has lost its iconic status as a fast-hatch and for couple of years there was no “civilian” version of Clio that would have that bite and character and still would be available to normal people, but have no fear. Renault brought back the best bits of motorsport and F1 into the redesigned hatch that is being presented to us as GT.

Basically the car is a slightly reshaped 3-door model of a standard Clio, but with exceptional interior that imitates carbon-fiber, GT cloth upholstery, 16-inch darkened alloy rims, added slight side-, front- and back-skirts and of course a very well placed roof spoiler.  Topped with genuine chromed double exhaust mounted into the double cut of the bumper that makes it look really awesome.

All-new Renault Clio GT 1.6 16v 128bhp @ 6000rpm

But the best isn’t outside, but under the hood. 1.6 litre straight-4 VVT engine sounds just fantastic and will surely boil your blood. Its 128 bhp at around 6000 rpm are able to strip down the girls on the street and get you from naught to 60mph in just 9.3 seconds. The car weighs less than its rival 207, just under 1150 kg, and has around 158 nm/lbs-ft of torque. In comparison with 207 it smokes it because the 207 is heavier, has less power and only 4-speed automatic gearbox, while GT has 6-speed manual for all real drivers out there.

All-new RS 200

Along with a all-new GT we had a pleasure to test-drive a new Renaultsport RS200 which kicks butts of the competition again. 2.0 litre 16v straight-4 engine that delivers impressive 200 bhp and loads of torque. It has set of irresistible features such as special cloth upholstery. A little bit from Renault itself about the new RS:

Clio RS 200 from the front

The interior performance credentials are mirrored in details such as the aluminium pedal facings, as well as by the perforated leather-covered steering wheel with visible stitching and yellow centre-point marker. The unique Renaultsport seats are exceptionally comfortable and ensure a high level of body-hugging lateral support. The new yellow rev-counter includes an audible and visible gearshift indicator to help optimise gear changes. The size of the figures displayed on the rev-counter increases as the needle approaches the red zone. Renaultsport badging is visible inside the cabin on the rev-counter background, sills and front seats.

I hope you’re gonna like it too, cause it’s a class on its own.

I couldn’t help but show you all the dynamics of this one!

Now we don’t like accidents at all but when it turns out to be a sleepy driver on his way to Hyundai Heaven we cannot help but spread the shame – luckily everyone’s ok in this one!

This Lambo is obviously the perfect shape to be shunting SUV’s in the air as its nose dives under the rear bumper of this Hyundai Santa Fe on a freeway somewhere near Seattle, U.S.A.

The Lamborghini Murcielago holds up well considering there’s a few tonnes bursting through the windscreen…!

I wonder if he’s learnt his lesson!!! Ouch!!

The eve of the Shanghai Auto Show and Porsche are set to unveil their latest entrant into the luxury Sedan market. Sunday night saw the importance of the introduction to the Chinese auto market and the first time they have ventured outside Europe and North America.

As a result, Porsche sales in China have risen 10 percent in the last month, and exceeded sales in America for the third month running – making China the World’s biggest ‘single-country’ market. This had attracted many other automakers from around the globe pay particular attention to the Chinese Market. A range of models are now flooding in on their way to be introduced here now.