Variable speed cameras to be activated on M25

It has been revealed the Metropolitan Police variable speed cameras between Jct 10 - 15 on the M25 are to be activated on 15th February 2008.

Thanks to Visordown for the heads up!

read more digg story

Tips for Crossing France in a Sports Car

1.

If possible keep you speed under 100mph/160kph (the limit is 130kph in dry conditions) on the autoroute. Any more and those pesky Gendarmes are going to relieve you of your license. Which means literally leaving your car with them if there is noone else eligble to drive with you.

2.

If travelling alone carry a child's fishing net for passing money to the other side for tolls: always a good few laughs in this. It's actually a lot more fun than trying to get out and walk round to the other side (eh, were RHD here in the UK!)


3.

If you NEED to make progress, do it at night. The police, especially the traffic cops tend to like their sleep in rural areas: never seen one on the autoroute after dark.


4.
If possible be a girl. As I said above, you cannot count on any favours above 100mph/160kph, but my female aquaintance was stopped doing over 130mph. She pretended to not understand and *presto*, the coppers walked off in disbelief.


5.


View Larger Map


Get off the autoroute and visit one of the many special roads that abound in France, visit the Milau bridge, and drive under-not over it. Go to the champagne region, visit Le Mans or the ageing circuit de Gueux.

Roads to see in Provence include the Col-de-Vence and surrounding roads (on which we have an article coming shortly) and the Corniche to the east of Nice. The list is literally endless.


6. Do it, do it now.

C63 AMG: Small-Merc-Syndrome

For Mercedes these days the numbers keep on getting bigger. Only a few years ago a top of the range AMG used to sport 355 horses under its bonnet: now there are both 500 and 600+ horsepower options on several AMG models.

These mind-rusting numbers used to be the preserve of limited edition tuners like Brabus and Kleemann, who worked outside the official MB remit for the crazy, and crazy-wealthy individual.

It seems a kind of 'small dog' syndrome had developed at Mercedes. This feeling of inadequacy when it comes to pure HP means they keep rolling out these vehicles with gargantuan power outputs, that no other manufacturer is even trying to compete with (that is until Audi's new 570bhp RS6 emerges).

This inadequacy appears to have its roots in the release of the previous iteration of the E55 AMG: a halo model for Merc.

The limo/dragster E55 was a classy and understated way to cross continents.

It was an excellent car, but it was put fully in the shade by another German car manufacturer: the release of BMW's M5 shortly after meant that the E55 was forever going to be the bridesmaid. All becasue of one number: 400.

BMW's M5: Four hundred horsepower.

The number (which was a huge one at the time) captured the imagination of the car world and while the M5 went on to be an all time classic, the E Class was left behind as a worthy, but unexceptional sister.

It seems that Benz were so stung by this that they held a clandestine meeting and swore that their cars would never, ever again be humbled by a rival's numbers.

And since then they never have been. But I can't help thinking that Mercedes missed a trick, focussing as it did on the M5's power. The fact that it was also a superb car to drive, and one that used a stick shift, a manual gearbox.

It was a drivers car, the fact that it could do other things as well, was wholly incidental.

In a round about way this brings me to the point. The C63 AMG unsurprisingly trumps both its direct rivals (BMW's M3 and Audi's RS4) on paper with 457bhp to their 420. But for me the problem with Mercedes is that they don't even offer that manual gearbox.

C63 AMG: 457bhp

They're intent on the power, but they're not thinking about drivers (especially those in the UK) if they think that we are content with a manual 'override' button on the 7G-tronic auto: the excellent SLK had a manual in the base model, but the AMG... auto only (why?).

The C63? Apparently it's a very good drive, but for me, without the option of a manual, it's another limo doing an impression of a driver's car.

Gulf Porsche Jacket: Hmmm, Cool?

I'd probably look like a complete twonk in one, but I've recently been hankering after the Gulf Porsche jacket as immortalised by Steve McQueen.

So would I look like this?

...or this?

Check them out, maybe they would wear better on you!

Porsche 997 GT2: Chris 'Autocar' Harris Style

Magazine journalist shows surprising talent on camera (like my idol James May) Chris 'Autocar/Porsche' Harris tries out the 997 GT2.

Whatever he says, we should take his word for it: he's owned both the 996 GT2 and full fat 993 GT2.

Lord loves a turbo, enjoy.

Ferrari F430: Bioethanol

Ferrari would be just about the last manufacturer on earth you'd expect an environmentally considerate car from, yet they've raised quite a few eyebrows in Detroit with a F430 spider tuned to run on Bio petrol (E85 ethanol).

read more from Eurocarblog

M3 Cabriolet: A History of Cashing In?

On the eve of the announcement of a new M3 convertible, we take a look back at the maligned, but big selling M3 convertibles of recent history.

Heavier, slower and less 'M-otorsport' than their tintop brothers, the cabriolet offers a more ostentatious drive: for that it has been derided as a less 'pure' choice.

• E30 M3 Convertible (1988-91)

Released in mid 1988 the E30 version took the 3 series hood arrangement an applied it to the standard M3 drivetrain.

Apart from the increase in weight the car remained essentially the same as the hardtop. The car's main problem was the fact that the buyers of M-Technic 3 series were buying into the idea of a homologation special and were part of the legacy of a tremendously successful racer (see original Batmobile CSL).

Consequently the arrival of a soft top special was not well recieved and remained generally unloved.

• E36 M3 Convertible (1994-99)

The next iteration of the convertible M3 was the E36. Showing the direction that M-cars were going to take from now on, this car had little racing pedigree to worry about and was more than content to play the role of boulevard cruiser.

It was offered as a convertible with both 3.0 and 3.2 litre engines and was a much more alluring proposition to buyers (especially in the UK, where we buy more convertibles than the rest of Europe put together!) who were beginning to understand the attraction of roofless racing.

This was a car conceived in a completely different mould from the old E30, with a softer, less extreme remit, and without the acme of a racing brother to compete with, it did very well for itself, thank you very much.

• E46 M3 Convertible (2001-06)

A proximity to that rasping engine, it can be that bad eh?

Only recently put to bed the last M3 Cabriolet was a huge success for BMW. Originally concieved at the same time as the coupe, it was as such was a significant step forward over the E36 model in that many of the 'idiocyncrasies' asssociated with cabriolets were ironed out.

It eliminated almost all scuttle shake and trod the line between road racer and fan-tan-tastic Cote d'Azur cruiser with a composure that none of the previous iterations had managed.

The only racing version of the M3 (despite the resurrection of the CSL badge in name only) was the V8 engined GTR and the E46 was taking another step away from the original M-Technic ideal.

What had changed though was the buyer: convertibles were selling big, and the customers were more concerned about the image and kudos that the 'M' moniker brought, rather than what the badge originally stood for.

If that was 'Motorsport' before it had now become 'Modish'.

• E92 M3 Convertible (2008-?)
  

414 horsepower, power folding metal hood, but how far have we come?

Thanks to the M-Registry, Wiki and Yahoo Motors

Best Motoring Classic Battles: 1997

The crazy Japanese version of Top Gear, but without such a lot of (exhaust) gassing: Best Motoring has produced many classic moments.

Perhaps none have been better than their battles between the JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) supercar models and their European counterparts.

In this series we have a look back at the best. Hope you enjoy!

1997 features the Impreza, Evo, NSX and Ferrari's 355 and F50!

Pictures: Techno Classica Essen 2006

After suggesting that this year's Techno Classica, classic car motorshow at Essen as a worthwhile trip. Here are some images of the interesting cars that attended the event two years ago. Check out more at Karimauto's Gallery.

This years event is held from the 26-30th of April.



Bugatti

Skoda 200 RS

Porsche Speedster

Ferrari FX '60'

Porsche GT3 RS: Not Demure Enough?

"Viper Green sir? excellent choice"

As anticipated as it was, the 997 GT3 RS needed something to arrest our attention: the engine was a familar 3.6, and the ceramic brakes had been seen (and mistrusted) before.

Instead it was the retro-IROC, wild (and obligatory) colour schemes that caught the eye.

"Ah yes, fireball orange, very this season"

Now all the furore has died down a little we have managed to find a couple of special order 'flat' colour RS's.

Without all the racy decals and peacock-plumage there is no doubt in my mind that these, demure examples of the RS are by far the best looking. Judge for yourself.

This black one is available at Saffron Cars

Click on the images for larger versions

Any other solid colour RS's been spotted out there?

Car Related Artiness #2: N138 and the GT40

This time the all conquering GT40 from Le Mans-ophiles: N138.net

Classic Motoring Adverts #10: BMW Film Productions

A few years back BMW hired a pre-Bond Clive Owen, Madonna and some other famous faces (I can't say actors) and set about making a series of short action films that starred... well BMWs.

I know it's not technically an advert, but here is a stitched together 3min video that contains some of the best bits: god I love M5's.

Techno Classica Essen

If classic cars are your thing, or any cars at all, you would be well advised to make a trip to Europe's largest Classic Car Show. Try the Techno Classica Essen and experience Germany's unparalleled love for the automobile.

Click for full size image

This year's show is on the 26th-30th March.

If you don't want to organise your own trip then several of the UK's tour operators (like Grandstand Motorsports) offer trips.

See images from the 2006 event HERE.

Whetting Your Appetite for the Next Vmax

The date is not yet within our grasp, but trust that it is not far off: the first Vmax for 2008 beckons. In light of that and the glowing feeling that gives me, check out this thread over on PH for an abundance of pics of the last event.

Luke Lawrence: 250 GP Rider

Making his way in the world of motorbike racing is a good friend of mine Luke Lawrence.

He rides in the 250GP class in the European Cup.

His website SpookyRacing details the ups and downs of racing, crashing and scariest of all -seeking sponsorship.

Take a look at the videos from last year's season here.

Audi's Haldex on a Rolling Road

Audi's old Haldex 4-wheel-drive system apportioned the most power to the wheel with the most grip, only on a rolling road there isn't grip anywhere.

Car Related Artiness #1: N138.net

www.N138.net

KITT Pranks the Valet

The latest 2008 Knight Rider TV ad where KITT is left to a flabergasted valet!

read more | digg story

UK Traffic Up: Delivery of Groceries Affected

Undoubtedly down partly to the increase in population in the time, UK road traffic has increased 12% in the last decade whilst rail traffic has increased 40% (1997-2006).

According to the Freight Travel Association this level of growth could soon threaten the UK's primary trade routes. Alreadt the current gridlock supposedly costs some £20 billion p.a. in lost time and trade.

Is the under-investment in the UK road network coming back to haunt us, are we just too many people in one place now? Follow an excellent discussion here.

From Pistonheads.com

Classic Motoring Advert #9: A Classic Reborn

Dum dee dum dum dee...

Best Motoring: Nissan's New GTR

A Japanese, turbocharged (and that's just the show) version of Top Gear featuring almost no chat, real circuits and each one of the testers is a proper racing driver. This is Best Motoring.

Here they try out a huge car in the JDM (Japanses Domestic Market) and its psyche: The new version of the legendary Nissan GTR.



You might not understand it, but the pictures speak for themselves.

New M3 Apes Merc: Gets a Folding Metal Roof

The new outrageously powerful M3 tan-wagon; a 414 horsepower convertible arrives with a SLK style folding hardtop.

More at autoblog.com

Abbeville Circuit: Little Gem

Enjoy your circuit driving?

One that moght not have occured to you is the Stadium Automobile, Abbeville, just 30 mins south of Boulogne (50mins from Calais) and convenient for those of you in the South East.


It is a track run privately by racer, car magazine publisher and good guy Gilles Steivenart, and it offers the usual arrive and drive experience days, as well as trackdays and private hire.The circuit itself is well surfaced and though it suffers from being a little tight and technical in some places, it does offer a good variety of corners and what every circuit needs, one big-balls- high speed corner at the end of the pit straight.

If you don't believe me watch this guy get it wrong.


All in all this is a great little place, it's usually cheaper than our circuits and well worth a trip to see from the UK.

Carrera GT: Fearless + Skill = Genius Video

Take one German journalist with God-given talent, one mountain road, and my favourite car of all time.

As Take That asked 'could it be magic?' They needn't have: it frikkin' is...

F430 Scuderia: Chris 'Autocar' Harris Style

Autocar's Chris Harris produces another excellent piece, this time on the now newish F430 Scuderia. The harder, faster and unnecessarily loud 8 cylinder Ferrari.

Take a peek.

Audi R8 Diesel: Oil of Ole!

"... is it to be an Audi R10, like the diesel Le Mans racer?" I asked towards the end of last year, demonstrating admirable clairvoyancy.

Though a V10 petrol engine is still a certainty for the car, Audi have shown a concept R8 with a V12 TDi engine producing a massive 500bhp and 730lbft torque. OMFG that's a lot.

What a way for diesel to pop its superperformance cherry!


See more pictures over at Pistonheads.com

New TTS takes on Cayman: Family Hold Back?

So a new TT (the TTS see clever microsite HERE) is being pitched into the crowded smart-coupe bun fight with the BMW Z4, Porsche's Cayman, Mazda's Wankel and the indomitable 350Z.

It forces its 2 litre engine to expel a faintly Japanese 270bhp, definately putting Ken amongst the pigeons.
But is this really a competition, when Porsche have a substantial stake in VW, who themselves own Audi? Are we just being offered different flavours of ice cream priced by their brand? Audi: Cornetto, Porsche: Galaxy.This isn't news, as such, nor is it a new phenomena. Ferrari owned Maserati, Ford (makers of the GT) owned Jaguar and Aston Martin, and of course VW owns everyone... but now Porsche have a controlling share in them.

It's all tres confusing.

I alluded to the problems of manufacturer's having overlapping products and seperate agendas in a different article on Audi's R8's engine competing too much with its cousin the Gallardo. More on a new R8 development in another article.

Do we think that Audi's TT won't be allowed to compete with the Cayman? Will it fulfil its remit as a 'sporty' but 'safe' (read uninspiring) letting the Cayman alone be the one to let its hair down.

The success of the R8 makes me hope, but I suspect that I hope in vain.

N138: Le Mans T-Shirts, ooh la la

N138 are vendors of fine Le Mans related goodies. Take a look at their collection of car art.

No PH Show for Rack and Opinion

Sadly scheduling difficulties (a surprise trip to Barcelona for Christmas) mean that RaO can't make it to the first ever Pistonheads/Autosport Show this weekend.

Apologies for not being there to report on the scoops and exhibits but we will be trawling through any new developments on out return.

Instead we can look forward to the Geneva Motorshow on the 6-16th March, Techno Classica Essen 26th-30th March and the British Motorshow on July 23rd-3rd August.

Overtaking? How Bloody Dare You!

Does it currently seem impossible to perform an overtaking manoeuvre without encountering some kind of aggression?



When you go to complete a pass do they?

• Speed up as you try and pass them: the 'how dare you' response.
• The flashing of the oncoming car no matter how distant: the 'you risked us all!'
• Shake a can of baked beans behind you: the 'tosser! I was going as fast as is safe!'
• try to blind you by putting their full beams on behind you at night: the 'I hope you crash, joyrider!'
• Tailgated for miles and repeatedly attempt to repass you: the 'yes I was asleep, but now I'm Michael 'effin' Schumacher'

Where does this homicidal urge in the overtaken come from?

I don't know when the Goverment mandate that any 'making progress' is tantamount to kidnapping and torture (oh that's rendition, that's OK, right?) filtered down to the average motorist.

There's a sense that driving for enjoyment is one of the new social ills, and that the forces for patronisation will do everything in their power to 'help us' stop.

Overtaking if done safely and sensibly has to be a core component of road driving, otherwise we will always be in one line of traffic, or another.

Only as strong as the weakest link in the chain, only as fast as the slowest driver on the road.

Classic Motoring Adverts #8: Honda's Impossible Dream

Honda go to town, dusting off a selection of some of the finest machines they have produced down the years.

It goes to show how intertwined those evocative red-and-white decals have been with motosport in its many forms over the years: inspiring stuff.

Dead Ringers: Ken and the Congestion Charge Sketch

Dead Ringers shoot, and SCORE!! in the open goal that is Ken Livingstone.

Lexus IS-F: When Good Things happen to Bad Cars

Yes that new M3 is just too obvious? What's that, sir wants something hotted up and left field? Then I may just have the car for you, please step this way...

Finest Hour Gallery: Automotive Art

Sadly no longer trading(?) -or at least no longer answering their phone, Finest Hour Gallery used to make superb 1mx1m automotive prints.

I can't find any of their examples on the web, but if anyone knows what happened to them, or to Tom please let me know.

Forget the Stelvio Pass, this is the BEST road ever...

Check out this pic of a fantastical bit of road over at incredimazing.

UK Road Network: Twiddles Thumbs

I wanted to start the New Year off in a happy, dilettante mood, but no, sadly having mused on a report on how congested our roads are becoming compared to mainland Europe, I can't. sniffle

There are several reasons for this congestion a RUA report reveals

1. In the first place we are the most densely populated of European countries.

2. Our motorway network, compared to the size of the country is the lowest ratio of any major EU country.

3. Unsurprisingly therefore the ratio of person to motorway mile is the highest by a huge margin, and despite the fact that we own less cars per person than Germany or Italy ours is also the highest ratio of cars/motorway mile.

What are we going to do about it? Do we need more roads, do we need to dissuade people from driving? Do we need to offer people alternatives? Do we need to allow more people to work from home? Do we need to lessen stamp duty to allow people to move closer to work?

At the moment rail travel is expensive and often unreliable, air transport is often cheaper (alarmingly!) but is environmentally unsound.

What are we going to do? At the moment the only Government proposal is (unsurprisingly) more charging in a pay-by-mile scheme.

The motorist is getting used to the stick, rather than the carrot.

A Pilgrimmage: The Nurburgring Nordshleife.

(Live Ring Webcam)



It was a bitterly cold autumn day when the four of us, fiance, brother, Harry and me decided that we should go, finally, to visit the last great motoring pilgrimmage that is the grand old Nurburgring Nordshleife.

First we did our homework using Ben Lovejoy's excellent ring resource.
Trembling with anticpiation our plan was to leave on the Friday, watch some of the varied 24 hour racing on the Saturday and then take a few sedate laps before we headed back to the ferry on the Sunday.

Once we were in France those iron clad-Pas de Calais clouds descended. It was gruelling weather, stop start traffic all way over, and even in Germany there was no let up, and no sign of those fabled derestricted signs. The hotel, and the bar were very welcome that night.

Thankfully the Saturday morning was beautiful, and once we were up (with our light hangovers) we were off to watch some of the VLN racing. VLN is sort of the endurance equivalent of Santa Pod's 'Rung what ya Brung' where Clio's go toe to toe with works GT3 Cups and M3 GTR's.

It was a thrill just to get near the place (the nearby roads are amazing too) in the mist strewn, spectral Eifel region. The hills all around are thickly matted with dark wood and fir trees. I imagine that if Wordsworth had been german he would have written an ode "composed a few miles above Bergwerk" such is the beauty of the area.

Arriving at the circuit to the incessant screams of engines, we couldn't hide our excitement as we watched the car after car thunder down into Fuchsrohre. It was just how I had imagined, even down to the graffiti on track. After a while we decided to move on, and drove round to watch from Hohe Acht.

Any excuse to show these Ruf's at the 'ring. Thanks Adam!

The track really is amazingly narrow and the run off, well, it's even narrower. Watching the wheel-to-wheel racing served us well as a warning: it certainly didn't look like a place to take liberties!

We stood and watched for hours, until our ears just about froze off.

The next day (delayed when I lost my passport- sorry guys!) we headed back in trepidation for our 'tourist fahren' laps. We duly paid for the ticket and set off, simple as that.

It all seems deceptively easy as you thrill in driving under the bridge (of BTG fame) down towards the GP circuit.

Here the circuit is wide but you know that this won't last more than half a mile: past the GP circuit and you realise why this is called the 'greatest country road on earth' the surface is magnificent.

The scenery quite breathtaking, but there no time to look now. The road rolls through it, never not moving, never stays flat or straight. Its can be light and dry where it crests a hill then dank, gloomy and slippery when it threads itself down into a gulley.

Wary of the myriad cautionary tales we'd heard I kept the speed down a bit and tried not to let all my Forza virtual laps of the place inform my brain of where the next blind curve was going. Trust what you can see, I told myself, but its easier said than done.

Coaches move around in front of you, bikes slip by up the inside of tightening curves. It's a blizzard of sensations.

At the end of my third lap I stopped. Dizzy, overloaded at the scale and charisma of the place. It felt like a track from a bygone era. Like the circuit de Gueux on a much larger scale: it had that same magic.

We all returned home, happy and satisfied we were back safe in one piece.

We tried to go again towards the end of the year, but the CSL's 'box stopped selecting gears at Calais. Having been towed back onto the ferry and then home, three hours from Dover it started again on our drive.

Perhaps it was trying to tell us something, after all the Nordscheife is not a place to take lightly.

Classic Motoring Adverts #7: The Ever Constant GTi

If only everything in life was as reliable.

Happy New Year in '08

A year that promises some memorable motoring moments.






Cars:
All new Impreza, Evo X battle it out.
Lexus' new 410bhp IS-F takes the fight to BMW and Audi.
Jaguar's XF... make or break.
The new Aston DBS and Porsche GT2 land in the UK.

Events:
Pistonheads Show 11-13th January
Le Mans 14-15th June
Silverstone F1 GP 6th July
Goodwood Festival of Speed 11-13th July
Le Mans Classic 11-13th July
Goodwood Revial 19-21st September
Wales Rally GB 28-30 November

Enjoy '08