Category: News

F1 season start 2015 – all you need to know!

On By ChristofferIn F1, NewsLeave a comment

As one of the most reliable and best signs of the coming spring, the F1 season 2015 kicks off on 15 March in Melbourne, Australia. So what’s new and what’s to expect in F1 2015?

Starting on the mechanical side, none of the rather small changes for the 2015 season come even close to the radical change that took place in 2014. Unfortunately that probably means that the engine sound will tend to be the same as in 2014 as well. Chassis have also largely remained similar except for some added protection around the driver’s head following Jules Bianchi’s dreadful accident at the end of the 2014 season.

On the regulatory side, many will be pleased to note that the double points rule for the last race of the season will no longer be applied. We will also see the introduction in some  yellow flag phases of something called the virtual safety car, and this year in qualifying, 5 cars will be eliminated in Q1 and Q2 respectively, leaving 10 of the total 20 cars allowed for qualifying to Q 3.

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Button on McLaren and Hamilton on a very similar looking 2015 Mercedes – why change a good thing?

So what’s with the teams? That remains to be seen although pre-season testing gives reason to think that at least the start of the season will be as dominated by Mercedes as last season was. The MB driver line-up is unchanged with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, and both have done very well in testing. Behind Mercedes we will of course find the usual suspects, including Ferrari that by hiring Sebastian Vettel were behind the biggest transfer of the season (Kimi Räikkönen has kept the second seat), Red Bull with last season’s big surprise Daniel Ricciardo who will be joined by the upgraded ex-Toro Rosso driver Daniil Kwjat, and McLaren that has welcomed Fernando Alonso and kept Jenson Button. Looking at budgets it is also these teams that lead the pack, from the largest (Red Bull / EUR 425m) to the smallest (McLaren / EUR 230m).

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Vettel trying out his new car, and Ricciardo doing the same in a heavily masked Red Bull

Other teams this season include the middle pack with Lotus (Grosjean/Maldonado, EUR 160m) and Williams (Massa/Bottas, EUR 150m) and the ones that at least on paper will struggle to keep up: Sauber that have hired Swedish Marcus Ericsson alongside Brazilian Felipe Nasr (EUR 85m), Toro Rosso (Verstappen/Sainz jr., EUR 80m) and Force India (Perez/Hulkenberg, EUR 75m). Oh yes, and Marussia, who against all expectations are somehow still there but have yet to present a car but say they will run with an adapted -14 car in Melbourne and present the -15 car later this season. Pozjivem uvidim, as the Russians would say (those who live will see).

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From top left: Hulkenberg (Force India), Verstappen (Toro Rosso) and Marcus Ericsson on Sauber, that kindly even adapted the color of the car to him!

Will the Mercedes dominance continue in 2015? Will Sebastian Vettel adapt as well to life with Ferrari as Schumi did (albeit after a few years)? Which of the smaller teams will surprise on the upside? All those questions and many more will seek to be answered in the 2015 season starting next weekend!

Geneva Salon de l’Auto opens tomorrow!

On By ChristofferIn News4 Comments

The 85th Salon International de l’Auto starts tomorrow in Geneva (or rather doesn’t, since this classical show has now been renamed the “Geneva International Motorshow” – who came up with that idea??). As usual the show will feature a number of more or less fantastic automobiles but will equally see the premieres of a number of important models for the years to come. Those that feel most relevant to this blog include the Ferrari 488 GTB, the magnificent Porsche Cayman GT4 that Sven has already written about on this blog, the brutal Koenigsegg Agera RS and the very promising Lotus Evora 400.

For a complete overview of premieres at the Salon (sorry, Motorshow), pass by Geneva in the coming ten days or check the official website under

http://www.salon-auto.ch/en/premieres/?type=6198&page=3

Porsche’s most important sports car launch since 1999: the Cayman GT4!

On By svenIn News2 Comments

Rumours have been circulating for a long time but on Wednesday Porsche finally released the details, specs and photos of the new Cayman GT4. OMG is it desirable!

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It has the 911 Carrera S engine producing 385 hp at 7400 rpm, but according to Porsche it is “probably more than 385 hp”. Porsche’s hp figures are always conservative for the GT cars and since the same engine is producing 400 hp in the Carrera S, you can draw your own conclusions…

Performance is astonishing, it goes from 0-100 km/h in 4.4s and it laps the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 7:40! (the same time as the 997 GT3 Mk2…)

The upgraded brakes consist of steel discs (380 mm) on all 4 wheels, i.e the same size as the 991 GT3, in spite of the latter being a heavier car.

The front suspension is almost identical to the 991 GT3 while the rear suspension is “new”, but it seems it is still a MacPherson-strut, although with new improved components.
The GT4 weights 1,340 kg DIN (1,415 kg EU), i.e. 90 kg less than the current 911 GT3. Compared to a standard Cayman, the GT4 is 30 mm lower.

It is only available with a manual gearbox as opposed to the 991 GT3 which is only available with PDK-gearbox.

Looking at the exterior, the GT4 has a few additions: front bumper and splitter, big rear wing and air scopes on the side to improve aerodynamics, looks, cooling and engine breathing.

In addition, there is a Clubsport package, only available together with optional bucket seats, that includes: roll cage, six-point harnesses, fire extinguisher and preparation for a body shell and battery disconnect switch. This is hardcore stuff…

Sharing many suspension components with the 911 GT3 and having the engine from the 991 Carrera S, the Cayman GT4 looks like a bargain, at a price way lower than both cars and even below the entry level 911 Carrera, which is a slower car.

Enjoy the photos and the video below!
(and read about my test drive of the Cayman GTS here)

evo Car of the Year 2014

On By svenIn NewsLeave a comment

This video is a summary of evo Magazine’s yearly Car of the Year contest. If you haven’t bought the magazine (which you should), check out this video.

The contenders in no particular order: VW Golf R, McLaren 650S, Ferrari 458 Speciale, BMW M3, Porsche Cayman GTS, Jaguar F-type R Coupe, BMW i8, Renaultsport Mégane 275 Trophy-R, Aston Martin Vanquish and Audi S1

And the winner is…

Tesla D: 4WD and up to 700 (electric) horsepower!

On By svenIn News1 Comment

Tesla has presented the new D model, a new version of the Model S with 4WD and up to 700 horsepower! The top version accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.4 (!) seconds. To put this into perspective, it is the same time as a Ferrari 458…

According to Tesla, two smaller electric motors can regenerate energy more efficiently than a single big motor, thus increasing the range of the 4WD models with about 15 km compared to their 2WD counterparts.

Tesla also introduced Autopilot features; software updates will enable semi-automatic driving on highways as well as autonomous parking. The car will actually be able to drive out of a parking space and to its owner autonomously.

The future is here today.

Tesla Model S P85D

Mr Ferrari says arrividerci

On By ChristofferIn F1, NewsLeave a comment

A couple of weeks ago it became clear that Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari since 1991, had lost the power battle against his boss and arch rival Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and will leave the company.

Montezemolo was hired by Enzo Ferrari as his PA in 1973, 41 years ago (!) and could well be described as the last Ferrari man of the old school and also the man that since 1991 led the company from close to bankruptcy through ist commercially most successful period in history. In his 23 years as CEO, Ferrari launched 19 new models and became F1 world champion six times under the F1 leadership of Jean Todt, Montezemolo’s most successful hire. He developed new businesses for Ferrari including personalized cars and Corse Clienti, where old racing cars were sold to (very wealthy!) clients. He was key to re-shaping Ferrari into the company it is today.

The lack of success in F1 since 2007 did however increasingly become a burden for Montezemolo and a good excuse for Marchionne to push him out. Marchionne already started the process a while ago when recruiting Marco Mattiacci as new F1 boss, who at the time claimed never having seen an F1 race and was as far from Montezemolo’s style as you can get.

Montezemolo leaves a very big pair (no doubt hand-sewn) Italian leather shoes to fill, as he himself moves on to try to achieve the same wonders with another Italian company close to bankruptcy – Alitalia. Ciao Luca, we wish you the best of luck, it seems you may need it…

Tesla Model S – still running at full power?

On By ChristofferIn News, Test drivesLeave a comment

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Regular readers of this blog may remember my very positive report from January after having driven the Tesla Model S the first time (click here). 9 months have passed and I was today invited to a test event Tesla had organized in the Swiss alpine resort Arosa, giving me the opportunity to drive the car again and confirm impressions and obviously also get an update on Tesla’s progress.

September is normally still summer in Switzerland and having enjoyed temperatures around 20-25 degrees the last weeks, little did I think of some rain in the weather report. But climbing to Arosa at 1800 metres, at 5 degrees the rain was close to turning into snow, and the surrounding mountains were all white. Bringing 427 bhp and 600 Nm onto the ground in a rear wheel drive car running on 21-inch 265′ summer tyres under such circumstances and on alpine roads would be… interesting. Would the car’s low center of gravity compensate for the dreadful outside conditions, or in other words, compensate for the absence of four-wheel drive?

Firstly a few lines on the car itself. Nothing much has changed in nine months other than the order books running at full steam, not only in Switzerland. Tesla is well ahead of sales predictions all over Europe and have in this country sold 800 cars of which 500 have been delivered (delivery times are currently at around 4-5 months). As the car is still basically new no face lift is planned yet, but some improvements to the interior have been made. We are here talking about small things such as a partly-covered alcantara dashboard, improved material quality especially in the boot (one of my critical points from the first report) and some new functions and buttons. Overall, the car feels exactly as premium and solid as it did when I first saw it and is clearly on par with the Mercs, BMW’s and Audis of this world.

The test car was the top version of the Model S called P85 Performance +. Besides plenty of torque and bhp it also features an improved chassis, suspension and brakes and a sportier setting of the air suspension. Too stiff for alpine roads of bad quality? Taking the wheel the first impression is that of a very tight car that in spite of its size and weight is very precise and easy to handle. Weight repartition (48/52) feels well balanced, the suspension does a brilliant job and whilst the steering may not appeal to those wishing for a mechanical feel, the three adjustments (sport-normal-comfort) bring a real added value, with the sport setting being perfect for these roads and fast driving, whilst it would be too burdensome for the city, for which the comfort setting is ideal.

Challenging the car a bit it responds really well and again, it does not feel heavier than a traditional car (even though it is!). However, the fact that the torque is plentiful and available at each moment takes some getting used to, especially on mountain roads. Things are also slightly complicated by the fact that you cannot let yourself be guided by the engine noise. Attacking a corner slightly too aggressively I suddenly felt the rear break out a little surprisingly, but it is brought in very effectively and surprisingly smoothly by the (standard) ESP half a second later. Clearly not a car for drifting – unless you turn off the ESP, that is. Doing that and given enough space, you could probably do wonder with this car, especially when you learn to handle the power! My very competent Tesla co-driver mentioned Tesla is working on 4-wheel drive as an option but also said that for normal “ski weekend” use, the low center of gravity basically means 4-wheel drive is not required. And frankly, driving a 4WD myself, I do think it would ruin the car a bit and would personally not hesitate to buy the standard version.

The company Tesla is doing really well and importantly, keeping its promises. The supercharging stations are being deployed across Europe according to plan and will until the end of this year allow you to travel from Zurich to Norway using only superchargers (which are by the way free during the car’s lifetime). Tesla’s SUV Model X pictured below will probably be available towards the end of 2015, and plans are then to introduce a small car as a competitor to BMW’s i3 by 2017. It does indeed seem Tesla is here to stay, and the Model S has lost nothing of its attractiveness as an exciting, fun and competitively-priced alternative to traditional (German) competitors!

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Tesla Model X prototype, available from 2015

Volvo unveils new XC90!

On By ChristofferIn News2 Comments

Today is an important day for Sweden’s pride as the company unveils what is probably its most important car ever, the new XC90. It’s also the first car that completely cuts the ties with the Ford heritage.

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As the pictures (source Teknikens Värld, http://www.teknikensvarld.se) show, the design is… well, let’s say especially the front will take some getting used to. The interior is beautiful though but if Tesla haven’t messed up on the patents, Volvo might have a legal battle on their hands in view of the control panel’s STRONG resemblance to the Tesla Model S, both in form and functionality…

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The drivetrains will only consist of 4-cylinder engines which is obviously a big bet in view of the very important US and Chinese markets. The top version called T8 Twin Engine combines a 300 bhp petrol engine with an 80 bhp electrical one, driving the rear axle.

Production of a first series will start later this fall before mass production starts next year. So if you want to drive your kids around in Sweden’s premier school carrier, it’s time to get your orders in!

More info (in Swedish) and pictures of the car can be found on http://www.teknikensvarld.se

Heaven on earth is in Germany!

On By ChristofferIn Classic cars, NewsLeave a comment

The small German town of Singen, 10 minutes from the Swiss border and around 20 km from the more well known German city of Constance, probably doesn’t mean much to most people. Given however you are a reader of this blog, chances are that you would experience a visit to Singen as finding heaven on earth. Because even if the town itself is about as exciting as a beige Volvo 240, for reasons no one can really explain, Singen has developed into something of a car Mecca in southern Germany.Along what is referred to the auto mile on the outskirts of Singen, more than 20 different brands from Skoda to Ferrari have showrooms. One dealer stands out form the crowd and is at the root of the relative fame of the city: the Auto Salon Singen, maybe the world’s leading dealership of used cars. Yep, you read that right, the Salon sells used, or rather pre-owned cars. There is a however a slight difference to the used car dealership around the corner, as the Salon specializes in very rare, pre-owned supercars and oldtimers. In a showroom that to the outer world doesn’t look like much is an exhibition including cars that you will very rarely have seen in real life, to a total value of which one can only speculate. What makes the Salon unique is on one hand the offer that is second to none, but also the combination of unique old-timers and supercars.


As with so many things, the beauty is on the inside…

This does not mean the Salon is full of millionaires with their pockets full of money. As confirmed by an extremely well polished salesman, very rarely do clients visit the salon other than possibly to pick up their cars. The client base is global with a fair part in Germany and Switzerland, but also with a significant number of clients in Russia, the Middle East and Asia. That has the nice side effect that if you do visit the Salon, you will have it pretty much to yourself and should you wish only to wander around and enjoy this feast for the senses, the well-trained sales force is very happy to let you do so. When asked how they find their truly unique vehicles, a polite reference is only made to their global network and also to their existing clients, of which they have about 35.000 in their database. Another database covers about 15.000 cars around the world, including pretty much every supercar or truly rare oldtimer still around. In other words the exhibition itself is only a drop in the ocean and a significant part of the Salon’s business is also finding specific cars on request.

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Definitely more like it!

Unfortunately the (still very polite) salesman made clear that the Salon is not very hot on pictures being taken inside the premises, so any illustrations of the offer below are taken from the internet. If you visit the Salon this month, the first thing you will note is a car that really doesn’t fit, not being a supercar at least in the traditional sense. Parked in between a pale yellow Aventador and a Ferrari-red Enzo is a VERY white Maybach Landaulet that takes up about 6 metres of floor space. The semi-cabrios called Landaulets were built on specific request and each one is unique. This one, from 2010 and with very few km’s on the clock, is yours if you have EUR 1.4m to spare and REALLY can’t find anything better to do with it.

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Eeeh…. No

Turning right you will step into the Ferrari section, counting about 30 Ferrari’s, both “normal” and less so. if an Enzo is not exotic enough, the offer also includes notably a magnificent 599 GTO Cabriolet. the GTO was a limited series of the 599, presented in 2010 and of which 600 cars were built. The GTO Cabriolet that was shown the same year at the auto salon in Paris was an even more limited series of which only 80 cars were built. It is a truly beautiful vehicle that has all the style the white Maybach lacks. Priced at EUR 799.900, it will still leave you enough for a decent family car!


Looks even better in real life!

The Porsche section is even larger than the Ferrari section. Starting on the oldtimer side it includes not one, not two but three original Speedsters in mint condition. A 911 Speedster is also included, and at the top end is a fascinating 997 GT3 -08, tuned beyond mechanical recognition by the German tuning specialist 9ff. Still relatively anonymous on the outside except for the trained eye, about every mechanical details has been changed including every part of the engine. The 9ff in this version develops around 900 bhp and 1000 Nm of torque, (hopefully) transmitted to the ground by a sequential six-speed gearbox. With a top speed of 395 km/h, the 9ff does 0-200 km/h in 7.4 seconds and 0-300 km/h in a Veryon-like 15.9 seconds. With only 15.000 kms on the clock it is yours for EUR 134.900, which in relation actually sounds like a true bargain!

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You want this. And a racetrack. And probably a good whisky to calm your nerves before you try it out…

Obviously all the wonderful things that could be told about the Auto Salon Singen are too lengthy for a post on this blog, but hopefully these short impressions are enough to make you seriously consider a detour to the Bodensee region when next on vacation in central Europe. It is after all truly beautiful, and no more than one hour from Zurich airport!

Petrolheads

On By svenIn NewsLeave a comment

Today we are coming out as a petrolheads!

I started this car blog  in 2012 and I have been writing about cars anonymously since then. Last year I was joined by fellow blogger Christoffer.

On the About page of the blog, there is now a short description of Christoffer and myself.
You might learn a few thing about us that you didn’t know…!!!

/sven

Ferrari California T – World Première – the turbo is back!

On By svenIn Features, News1 Comment

I had the privilege to attend the world première of the new Ferrari California T at the Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari in Modena in February.

Ferrari California T

The front is all new and inspired by the Ferrari F12 and FF. It is much sportier and I have to say it looks much better than the original California (which I had the privilege to own). The back of the car, exhausts, diffuser etc. also looks better and sportier. The shape of its flanks is inspired by the classic Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa; not bad at all… It also has some resemblance to the beautiful (moderon) Alfa Romeo 8C.

Ferrari California T

Ferrari California T

The rear has been improved and is now lower and better looking.

The interior has been overhauled as well and is more in line with the other Ferrari models (458, FF and F12). The seats are thinner and thus provide more space in the back.

Technical highlights
The big news is the use of a turbocharger in a Ferrari. The last Ferrari with at turbo was the Ferrari F40, more than 20 years ago!

The specs are amazing; remember this is the “entry-level” Ferrari… (original California in brackets):

  • Power: 560 HP (460 HP)
  • Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 3.6 s (3.9 s)
  • Top speed 316 km/h (310 km/h)

Power is really up. To put this into perspective: it has 10 HP less than the 458, more power than any Lamborghini Diablo, only 20 HP less than the original Lamborghini Murcielago or 45 HP more than the Ferrari 575M V12.

Ferrari states, with a lot of emphasis, that there is no turbo lag and that the California T sounds like a proper Ferrari. Let’s wait and see…

Summarising it looks better and more athletic than the original California and it has the power to match it.

For those he want the tech details; the presentation:

Picture Gallery: BMW 4-series Gran Coupé

On By svenIn News2 Comments

The 4-series Gran Coupé is really beautiful, specially with the optional M Sport Package, as seen in the picture gallery below. I saw it in the flesh at the Geneva Motor Show and liked it a lot.

For those who don’t follow BMW:s new, intricate numbering system:

  • The 3-series is build as a 4-door Saloon, a 5-door Touring or a 5-door GT (the latter is a BIG hatchback).
  • The 4-series is essentially the same car, but it is build as a 2-door Coupé, a 2-door Convertible or a 5-door “Gran Coupé”, i.e. an elegant 5-door hatchback with coupé-like roofline (think: Audi A5 Sportback)

Chaos as the F1 season kicks off in Melbourne

On By ChristofferIn F1, NewsLeave a comment

It was not as much the driving as what happened around it that led to a chaotic start of the F1 season in Melbourne yesterday. As the pre-season results had led us to believe reliability was indeed the major issue, with especially the Renault teams far from ready from a technical standpoint. For the first time ever in F1, several drivers including Swedish Marcus Ericsson had to retire before anything broke but to save their engines… As for the engine sound in 2014, we’ll be diplomatic and let everyone form their own opinion…

When the chequered flag dropped Nico Rosberg on Mercedes had won the race, in the season where his car carries the same number (6) as his father Keke had when he became world champion 32 years ago, in 1982. At this point, it also seemed that Red Bull had saved the day with Daniel Ricciardo finishing second, the first podium for an Australian ever in Melbourne. A short while later however, Red Bull and Ricciardo were disqualified because of too high fuel pressure in the engine, and Kevin Magnussen on McLaren who finished third was all of a sudden second and the most successful rookie since Jacques Villeneuve in 1996. Jenson Button on McLaren was the new third, and both McLaren’s and Mercedes day was hence close to perfect, as Valtteri Bottas on Mercedes was fifth after Fernando Alonso on Ferrari, the only car with a non-Mercedes engine in the top 5.

Mercedes is hence off to a good season start, and Red Bull to an awful one as Sebastian Vettel had been forced to park his car on the seventh lap. As mentioned previously on this blog, it’s quite possible that after a dreadful 2013, Williams emerges as the surprise of the season 2014. For Ferrari, finishing fourth and seventh, it was not too bad, but Alonso still made the comment that the car was only ready to about 60%. If he is right, there’s hopefully a lot of race excitement as opposed to technical and regulatory mishaps to look forward to as the teams move on to Malaysia in two weeks!

 

Geneva Motor Show 2014 – report

On By svenIn Features, News5 Comments

Thanks to a last minute reschedule of flights I was able to make it to the Geneva Motor Show this year. I was only able to spend about an hour visiting the Motor Show, so what follows is a short summary with a somewhat limited photo gallery (taken with my iPhone).

Porsche
The Porsche 991 Targa is as beautiful in the flesh as in the pictures and I was lucky enough to see the roof mechanism in action. Amazing…

There were a couple of Macans in the stand, but both where in an awful dark brown metallic colour. The car looks good though, better than it’s bigger brother the Cayenne and better than the Audi Q5, with which the Macan partly shares the underlying platform.

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I tried the back seat of the Macan. Nice but marginally less spacious than my current BMW X3. The luggage space is smaller than the X3 as well.

Nice car though; I’m Thinking about selling the X3 and getting the Macan (or the Maserati Ghibli, see below).

BMW
Looking at pictures, I have not been convinced about the styling of BMW’s electric sports car, the i8, but in the flesh it is absolutely stunning. In the dark grey colour exhibited on the stand it was very desirable. Maybe the most desirable sports car in Geneva; I didn’t see that one coming.

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The BMW 4-series Gran Coupé looks really good. I have also posted a large gallery of photos. Looking at this car, I wonder whether they will sell any 3-series Saloon…

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For those who don’t follow BMW:s new, intricate numbering system:

  • The 3-series is build as a 4-door Saloon, a 5-door Touring or a 5-door GT (the latter is a BIG hatchback).
  • The 4-series is essentially the same car, but it is build as a 2-door Coupé, a 2-door Convertible or a 5-door “Gran Coupé”, i.e. an elegant 5-door hatchback with coupé-like roofline (think: Audi A5 Sportback)

Tesla
The Model S is great. I liked it even more than I thought I would. Ergonomics are very good; the big centre touchscreen display is really easy to use. It  feels like “Car 2.0” or like the first iPhone. The future is here today…

It’s electric, it’s pretty, it’s practical (seats 5 or 7, huge boot) and it’s fast. What’s not to like? Maybe the interior doesn’t have the premium feel of the best german competitors…

Please read my fellow blogger’s excellent test drive report of the Tesla.

Ferrari
The new California T looks better than the original California (which I had the privilege to own during two years). I attented the launch of the California T a couple of weeks ago in Modena and will write a separate report on the car and the event. Stay tuned.

Maserati
The Alfieri concept car is very beautiful. Hopefully Maserati’s upcoming sports car (smaller than the GranTurismo), will look similar to this concept. Sorry about the poor picture.

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The Maserati Ghibli is a really nice entrant in the medium/high end saloon market, competing with the upmarket 6-cylinder versions of the BMW 5-series, Mercedes E-Klasse (and CLS) as well as the Audi A6. The blue car on the stand was highly desirable. I’m considering buying one, seriously.

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Jaguar
Could they build a car even more beautiful then the F-TYPE Convertible? Yes! The F-TYPE Coupé is absolutely stunning. On looks alone, this car is the Motor Show’s star:

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But the Convertible stills looks very good…

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Alfa Romeo
Alfa showed an open version of the 4C, the 4C Spyder. Nice design, in a Louts Elise kind of way, with added carbon fibre.

Audi
The new TT looks very similar to its predecesor. It’s nice but…yawn…

Lamborghini
The new Huracan is a stunner in the flesh, although a bit extreme for my taste. How did I not manage to take a proper picture?

Mercedes
S-Klasse Coupé: considering the huge size of the car it is remarkably good looking…

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Short Summary
The BMW i8 and Tesla Model S surprised me, in a very positive way. The F-TYPE Coupé was a stunner.

Geneva Motor Show

Ferrari quickest on first day of F1 testing in Jerez

On By svenIn F1, News1 Comment

Räikkönen in the Ferrari F14-T was quickest on the first day of pre-season testing on tuesday.

Ferrari F14-T

Only eight cars set times in a session where some teams didn’t run at all and other teams had serious reliability problems. Lewis Hamilton crashed due to a front wing failure.

Unofficial Tuesday test times from Jerez:
1. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1m 27.104s, 31 laps
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes , 1m 27.820s, 18 laps
3. Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1m 30.082s, 7 laps
4. Sergio Perez, Force India, 1m 33.161s, 11 laps
5. Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1m 36.530s, 15 laps
6. Esteban Gutierrez, Sauber, 1m 42.257s, 7 laps
7. Sebastian Vettel , Red Bull, No time, 3 laps
8. Marcus Ericsson, Caterham, No time, 1 lap