Eco Velocity 2012

For 1600px versions of all these images, go here. Some of them are a bit blurry around the edges, though...Earlier this month, I went to the second ever Eco Velocity car show (read about the first one here). There were a few distinct differences this year, such as having a roof over our heads and a much longer test drive route - three "First Impressions" reviews inside - but it didn't quite live up to last year's show for a couple of reasons. Chief...

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Random Thoughts - Mazda Are Cool, Not All Crossovers Suck

Hipster Dacia Duster Pikes Peak had GT-R power before Nissan thought it was cool. Also rocks of varying heaviness.As well as cars, I'm passionate about music. I like to think the variety in my music collection is diverse, with plenty of rock (with varying heaviness), some jazz, some classical, plenty of electric music, a few soundtracks and so on, and I make a point to only listen to good stuff. I don't care (or even know) who's in the...

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Video Monday - They Think It's All Over...

27/5/12, 4:10, 78781 views (when posted)The Indianapolis 500, the self-proclaimed "greatest spectacle in racing" (although frankly F1 cars at Monaco make for a much greater spectacle despite the general lack of overtaking IMHO) and part of motorsport's "Triple Crown" along with the LM24 and the Monaco GP, has seen plenty of action in its 101-year history. Even last year, when a rookie was all set to win, he let go of it at the very last corner of the 500-mile race when he ran wide to pass a backmarker and slammed into the wall, allowing Dan...

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Video Sunday - 30 Years Since An Epic Conclusion

24/4/07, 2:23, 103567 views (when posted)So the 70th Monaco Grand Prix came and went today, with rain threatening but never really arriving until the chequered flag was waved. I won't spoil the result if you haven't seen it, but let's just say that it was more tense than it was action-packed towards the end, and that a record was broken. At any rate, thirty years ago at the 1982 Monco Grand Prix, the race winner seemed obvious... and then it wasn't. Several times over. I'll let Murray Walker and James Hunt take you through ...

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Formula 1 - Spanish Grand Prix 2012

Circuit de CataluñaFive things about the race:> Without knowing the starting grid, you'd never guess who won.> Pit strategy proved more important than DRS at the front.> Lotus are still fast.> McLaren struggled, with Jenson Button complaining of a lack of balance.> Schumacher vs Senna not as enticing a battle as it sounds on this occasion.The topsy-turvy nature of the 2012 Formula 1 season continued at round 5 of 20, the Spanish Grand...

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Mazda And Alfa Romeo Tentatively Sign Best Deal Ever

It's all about the maths, really. (8C used to symbolise AR styling, not because of the V8)The facts are these: The Mazda MX-5 is the best cheap sports car money can buy, and pretty much has been since it first appeared in 1989 (in no small part because it was channelling the original Lotus Elan and the MGB Roadster in its design and philosophy). Alfa Romeo, nine times out of ten, make beautiful, soul-stirring cars that are beautiful, stylish, soul-stirring,...

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Video Sunday - A Bit One-Sided

14/5/12, 8:27, 59936 views (when posted)The oldest race track in the world is Brooklands in Surrey, England. Opened in 1907, it was used not only to hold motor races, but for record attempts as well, be it top speed, average speed, or anything else that can be done on a big oval with a straight going up the middle (the latter element also making it one of Britain's first airfields). In 1939 it was closed and became an air base in the second world war, as plane factories popped up. Sadly a combination of bomb damage and neglect - including...

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Obscure Japanese Sports Car Of The Week: Vemac RD200

Vemac RD200First off, I may have posted a picture of the Vemac RD200 in last week's entry on the Tommy Kaira ZZ and said it was the ZZ-III you get in Gran Turismo 2. It is not. That's because it's the RD200. By Vemac. But who are Vemac? It may sound like a vacuum cleaner company, but they actually make this little Honda-powered sports car, once again in the mould of the Lotus Elise/Exige, once again built in England but technically a Japanese car...

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GREAT NEWS!!!

GREAT NEWS!The New Dacia Dokker is about to go on sale in... Morocco!But wait... THERE'S MORE!!The Kangoo-based Dokker will also be available as a van!MMMM, nice!!So anyway, Toyota's in-house racing team Gazoo Racing has fitted a turbo AND a supercharger to the GT 86 to make a concept car which LITERALLY... has a silly name. Nevertheless, the Toyota GRMN Sports FR Concept features 320bhp and some go-faster bodywork. It will also remain as a concept....

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What Makes British Transport Design Unique?

The first and last Minis ever, separated by 41 years.I wrote this for my final major project for college, and thought readers might be interested: It's easy to spot a classic British car. As well as instantly-recognisable icons like the Mini, Jaguar E-Type, Aston Martin DB5 and the Land Rover Defender (not to mention the black taxi and Routemaster bus), our cars have always had a distinct look about them. But what is that look? What makes British...

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Williams Garage On Fire After Spanish Grand Prix (No Race Spoilers In Article)

Bruno Senna's Williams-Renault FW34, possibly a write-off. NOTE - the race winner is mentioned in the linked articles and the video. Don't click if you haven't seen it yet! After the eventful Spanish Grand Prix, the Williams F1 garage caught fire after a KERS explosion caused what's suspected to be a fuel fire. Members of numerous teams rushed in to help as the blaze caused acrid black smoke to billow out of the Williams garage at both ends,...

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Video Sunday - XXX Ferrari Action

10/5/12, 7:23, 59204 views (when posted)I'm not sure this video needs much of an introduction, frankly. The Ferrari Corse Clienti program allows owners of their extreme 'XX' models to have a track day together, this time at Monza. Featuring the FXX, FXX Evoluzione, 599XX and 599XX Evoluzione with active aero which I can't tell if it's working, this is an aural delight like precious few other things, as it exclusively features semi-racecars revving ~800bhp V12s past 9000rpm. Enj...

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Porsche 918 Spyder Spotted In Skin-Tight Retro Camouflage

                             Porsche 917                                                                                         Porsche 918The Porsche 917...

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