MAGAZINE: Latest FREE Issue of Road Magazine: Mazda Mania!

Open publication - Free publishing - More autocar

This latest FREE issue of www.roadmagazine.co.uk is all dedicated to the Japanese ‘Zoom Zoom’ brand that is Mazda, a manufacturer who aim to make cars that are fun, different and exciting to drive, as well as catering for the family car sector brilliantly. We’ve lined up a variety of Mazdas to road test. We’ve got the big bhp Mazda 3MPS, power leader of the hot hatch market. There’s the legendary MX-5, tested here in Black Edition special specification. And, catering for the urban chic supermini crowd, there’s the Mazda 2, here in 1.5 Sport spec. And finally, there’s the large family-orientated Mazda 6 Sport Estate: A wide selection of cars, to showcase the eclectic nature of Mazda’s range. Are they exciting? Practical? And, more importantly, fun to drive and own? Read on to find out... and do please share this with your friends and family on social media platforms. Thanks, Team Road – Phil & Bonnie Royle of www.roylemedia.co.uk: Print & digital publishing, PR, social media, imagery, video, websites and more. Join and LIKE us on FB at www.facebook.com/roylemedia.

NEWS: Like Road Magazine & blog on Facebook!

It only takes a second or so to do, and your Facebook stream will be loaded with ace Road goodness, so please do come and join us, like us, share us and get commenting on our new Facebook page Roadies. Thanks, Road Editor, Phil Royle.
Find us at: https://www.facebook.com/roadmagblog
&
While you are at it, why not follow us on Twitter too? Located here: https://twitter.com/roadmagazine

NEWS: Donington Park Multi-million £ Investment

Great news if you, like us are big fans of Donington Park Circuit – they have just started a huge multi-million pound re-investment to reinstate, re-shape and landscape the infield spectator and outdoor exhibition areas of its world-class race track. The two-year project will see new spectator banks created on the infield overlooking the Old Hairpin, Starkeys Bridge and McLeans. When complete, this work will also greatly improve the viewing areas around Coppice, along the main Straight, and into both the Fogarty Esses (Grand Prix circuit) and the newly-named Roberts chicane on the National track layout, which format is much used by BTCC and all historic racing. Bob Adams, Donington Park Circuit Manager, commented: "This is a major project for the Park and will create a fantastic viewing area for all the fans. We’ll be shaping 250,000 tons of material with topsoil and new grass lawns, right across these 24 acres, to make sure they will work well as our new spectator banks. We are also taking the opportunity to construct new roads to improve access to the infield area, both for show cars at major events to reach display areas, but more importantly for the many manufacturer displays and the traders who enjoy the advantages of the infield."
The original Donington Park infield was excavated by contractors working for the previous operator’s ill-fated Formula 1 circuit rebuild in 2009. Now placing that whole episode firmly into the history books, the new Donington ownership and management has, following a successful council planning application this summer, now committed to transform the circuit over the next two winters.
Phase one of the infield restoration will be completed by the end of March 2013. This will see the eastern half of the infield restored. Phase two will take place during the 2013-2014 winter circuit closed period, thereby ensuring that all the new spectator banks are completed and ready for the significant growth plans for the 2014 racing season.
In 2012, Donington Park has hosted its busiest racing schedule ever, with more than 30 events of the very best in World, European and British motor sport, including the World and British Superbikes, the British Touring Car Championship, the British Truck Grand Prix, and the European Le Mans Series. In addition,Donington Park will this weekend (29th and 30th September) host the concluding round of the FIA GT1 World Championship.
Christopher Tate, Managing Director at Donington Park, added: "We’ve had an amazing year of dramatic racing and a return of the crowds, for both the two and the four wheel events at the circuit. Now, with the infield work already fully underway, Donington Park continues its rebirth as the heart and soul of British motorsport."
For further information on events at Donington Park, visit the website at www.donington-park.co.uk.

NEWS: Toyota GT86 Podium @ Britcar 24-Hour

Our Road Magazine race ace, Travis drummer, Neil Primrose took the brand new Toyota GT86 to a podium finish in this weekend's Britcar 24Hr at Sikverstone. Go Neil! Team Toyota GB scored a dream result at the 2012 Britcar 24 endurance race, celebrating a podium finish with the GT86 sports car in what is considered Britain’s toughest motorsport event. The near standard GT86 impressed all those who drove it. After starting on the 13th row of the grid, the car claimed eighth place overall and finished third in its class. Brilliant stuff! The GT86 ran faultlessly throughout its 512 laps, completing an impressive 1,874 miles around the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.
The four-man driving team was led by veteran racer Chris Hodgetts, Toyota’s double BTCC champion of the 1980s. Hodgetts was joined by his son, Stefan, some aging car hack called Richard Meaden and Travis drummer and Road Magazine staff writer, Neil Primrose.
"It is an absolutely fantastic result,” said Gary Blackham, whose GPRM team prepared the car. "We harboured ambitions of finishing in the top 10 and we are more than delighted with eighth overall. Given the difference in horsepower between our car and the more modified racing cars in the division, third in class is a great result also. The GT86 ran faultlessly throughout. I think the only work we had to do was to add about half a litre of oil during the whole race. All the pit stops went smoothly, the technicians – a mixture of seasoned GPRM regulars and staff from Toyota GB’s head office – worked very well together and the drivers were fantastic; they did everything they needed to and everything that was asked of them."
The drivers took three-hour turns at the wheel and each put in two stints. Stefan Hodgetts started the race and set the Toyota’s fastest lap towards the end of his first stint, and his 61-year-old father enjoyed the honour of taking the chequered flag. Said Chris: "We drove the wheels off it for 24 hours. We literally ragged the poor little car throughout, and as you would expect from a Toyota it responded with fantastic reliability." The Britcar Toyota GT86 was powered by the standard 16-valve double overhead cam horizontally opposed ‘boxer’ engine of the road-going model, delivering 197bhp. GPRM now plans to develop a more powerful version for customers looking to buy track Toyotas of their own.

Read a full report from Neil here soon... 

VIDEO: Jaguar F-TYPE 'Focused' Film: Testing On The Green Hell

And this is Jaguar film even better! Road Magazine pal, Dirk Schoysman – a Nurbrgring Nordschleife racing and manufacturer testing God, with some 16,000+ laps under his belt – gets to grips with the new Jaguar F-TYPE and makes set-up changes at the Jaguar test facility at Meuspath, in the shadow of the Green Hell. The viral film 'Focused' was all filmed at The Nürburgring motorsports complex in Germany. Widely considered one of the most demanding purpose built racing circuits in the world - there is nowhere else like the Nordschleife (the North Loop) and although it is a track, due to its bumpy and fast flowing nature, with lots of rise and fall, it makes the perfect road car development arena. In the film, we see Dirk and the engineers testing the F-TYPE through a series of sustained high speed laps with rapid changes of direction, gradient, speed, braking, and surface to help refine the cars set up, damping, braking systems, for the most punishing lap on the Green Hell. The aim is to prove the F-TYPE's sporting credentials and real world liveability. Job done! It also sounds magic... and looks a little tail happy too, which we like... Fabulous!

VIDEO: Jaguar F-TYPE 'Fierce' Film: Testing @ Nardo

Fabulous film from Jaguar here, called 'Fierce,' filmed at the fabulous Nardo Test Facility in Italy, featuring the new awesome F-TYPE. Here it is being put through the most rigorous high-speed testing by Jaguar's engineers, setting up the ECU, suspension and much more in high temperatures. Nardo's unique ring shaped track means that test drivers can not only VMax the car, but it’s also possible to stress test at the most extreme high temperatures. Watch as the F-TYPE is pushed to its limits to ensure outstanding performance... and enjoy! Great film, great car...

VIDEO: 2012 WRC Wales Rally GB Highlights

Here's all the action from Wales Rally GB this weekend. The 1604-kilometre, 19-stage (325kms) event, drier than usual thanks to its move out of Winter to the end of Summer on the WRC calendar, finally gave Finnish Yari-Matti Latvala a Rally GB win, in the Ford Fiesta RS WRC. He won eight from 19 special stages and completed the event in 3 hours 3 minutes 40.3 seconds, almost a whole half a minute quicker than second-placed Frenchman Sébastien Loeb's Citroen DS3 WRC. Latvala's Norwegian Ford team-mate Petter Solberg completed the podium after losing out to Loeb by the tiny margin of 0.9 seconds, in one of the closest dog fights on the event for years. Ace! See more news and special stage times at: www.walesrallygb.com

VIDEO: Driftmonkey Mental Gatebil 2012 Show Video

Want something to wake you up and stimulate you this Monday morning? Watch these two cults in action – the Driftmonkey team (Erik Kallin, Reidar Andresen and James Deane) and the incredibly brilliant and bonkers Gatebil show in Rudskogen, Norway. 

If you have never heard of either, this will blow your mind... 

Brilliant film shot and edited by Zero Media: http://www.facebook.com/zeromediatv

Find our more about Team Driftmonkey here: http://www.themonkeylife.com 

And Gatebil here: https://www.facebook.com/gatebilface 

Or just have fun typing Gatebil into google images... 

Try it, and see what I mean chaps! 

VIDEO: 2012 WRC Wales Rally GB: Shakedown

Here's the highlights from the Rally GB shakedown, from a remarkable sunny and warm Wales... bring on the special stage action!

VIDEO: Tim Schrick Subaru BRZ Test

Here's our pal, Tim Schrick's verdict on the Subaru BRZ... from Turbo Automagazin. Will it drift nicely in his hands... what do you bloody reckon?

NEWS: Alfa Giulietta Special Offer

Alfa Romeo is running a special discount on its baby Giulietta this September – offering an additional £500 deposit contribution for all new retail purchases. This limited-time offer is available in addition to the £1,000 deposit contribution and 0% finance as well as the five-year warranty and five-year complimentary servicing plan. It is being offered on all Alfa Giulietta models registered before 30 September. With official fuel consumption of up to 64mpg (combined cycle), elegant yet functional five-door Alfa Giulietta, with its signature blend of functionality and coupé looks, is available from £17,760 (OTR), and like the Alfa MiTo, boasts five star Euro NCAP crash safety ratings.
To find out more or to arrange a test drive, please visit www.alfaromeo.co.uk or call 0845 8700147.

VIDEO: MLR Pace Ward 2012 Sprint Series: Round IV

Cool highlights video from the fourth round of the 2012 Pace Ward MLR Sprint Series, held on the 21st July at the under-used Kames Motorsport Complex, East Ayrshire, Scotland. Find out more and get involved with your Evo via www.lancerregister.com

NEWS: Toyota GB GT86 Britcar 24-Hour Drivers Announced

Toyota has announced who will be driving in the GT86's racing debut for the Britcar 24 Hours (September 21st-23rd) – and it's an amazing comeback call-up for 61-year-old Chris Hodgetts, the man who won back-to-back touring car championships in the famous AE86 Toyota Corolla GT in the 1980s. Not only that, our very own www.roadmagazine.co.uk race ace, Neil Primrose (Travis drummer) will also be part of the four man driver team, which also includes Chris' son, Stefan Hodgetts and journalist, Richard Meaden.

Our Neil is an experienced historic car racer, and campaigns a Lola 2-litre Lola T212 sportscar and has raced at the historic Le Mans Classic and at the Nurburgring. He says:"I'm chuffed to bits. It's great to get a proper drive like this."
Chris, being the most experienced member of the team (he’s a veteran of six round-the-clock races at Le Mans), will provide a direct link between the new GT86 and the famous Corolla GT, one of the classic Toyota sports cars that inspired its development. He said: "I think the last time I raced a Toyota was the 1988 Spa 24 Hours. We retired eight minutes from the end while leading our class."

He recently dropped into the workshops of GPRM, where the Britcar GT86 is taking shape: "There was the new car and alongside it was a replica of my old AE86 Corolla, all in its old livery. I admit I shed a tear. It’s wonderful to be reunited."
Son Stefan is equally excited at the prospect of racing the new Toyota. He said: "I was four or five when dad was wining the BTCC in his Toyota and I remember it vividly. It’s a great connection to the past for me and a fantastic opportunity. And I think my team-mate is a safe and sensible sort of guy who will have over the GT86 in one piece."
The Britcar 24 Hours will take place at Silverstone over the weekend of September 22nd and 23rd. Find out more at Team Toyota GB or stay tuned here... 

VIDEO: WRC Wales Rally GB 2012 - Ford Testing Preview

Here's a first look at Matthew Wilson's (mud-spattered) new Cumbrian livery in Wales GB 2012 with clips from Mads Østberg and Mathew in action on the Welsh gravel. Looking quick... and getting air. Best of luck to all the M-Sport Team.

VIDEO: A Classic Dogfight: Rally GB 1998

It's Rally GB this weekend folks! To get you in the mood, here's an absolute classic rally finish from 1998 – with some complete legends in action: Both McRae brothers in the best-spec 1998 Impreza WRC, Tommi Makinen & Richard Burns in the Mitsubishi Evo, Juha Kankkunen and Bruno Thiry in the last outing of the Escort WRC and Carlos Sainz and Didier Auriol in the Corolla WRC... with a cruel finish for them, after a massive fight on the wet, slippery, foggy, dark stages of Wales. Bloody perfect. Miss these days... don't you?

VIDEO: Toyota GT86 Drift Challenge with Keiichi Tsuchiya

Keiichi Tsuchiya shows off the fabulous new Toyota GT86's drifting capabilities in his 'barrel challenge' in this video. Sweet!

VIDEO: Time Attack @ Anglesey 2012

If you've not seen the UK Time Attack Series, then you should do – now attracting drivers from various race series, alongside the modified car clubman racers. The series now allows slick tyres, pushing the expanding modified sprint series on no end. Here's Rounds 4 & 5 from the awesome Anglesey circuit. Find out more at: http://timeattack.co.uk.

VIDEO: Drifting Chase Cam Forge Action Day 2012 @ Castle Combe

It was the Forge Motorsport Action Day at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire this weekend, and what a great, packed sunny event it was. One of our fav highlights has to be the drifting, captured here so well by Togethia Media Services - http://facebook.togethia.tv. Bravo! See more images on at: www.facebook.com/roadmagblog.

VIDEO: Pirelli World Challenge - Mid-Ohio 2012 Round 10 Highlights

Bit of video to bring to life the story of the incredible K-Pax Volvo S60's featured by www.ashleyvandyke.com in the latest issue of www.roadmagazine.co.uk. Great racing in the Pirelli World Challenge at Mid-Ohio. Read all about it here: http://www.issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_28/1

NEWS: Sumo Power Open Day & Sale

Sumo Power – the UK’s No.1 Japanese parts supplier and sponsors of the Time Attack series – are holding an exclusive open day at their brand new facilities in Daventry on Saturday October 6th. The Open Day will be an opportunity for Japanese performance car enthusiasts to meet the Sumo Power team, check out the new HQ and take advantage of incredible discounts of the best Sumo performance parts from suppliers like HKS, Cosworth, Do-Luck, JS Racing, Damd Styling, Akrapovic, Rays Wheels and more – in an outstandingly good value end of Summer sale, from over £300,000 of top-quality stock.

The Sumo Power Open Day also offers a chance to see some of the UK’s leading Nissan GT-R’s from the GTROC and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions from the Mitsubishi Lancer Register. There will also be an opportunity to get up close to the incredible £300,000 JRM Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 car (pictured) and meticulously prepared Exo X Group N rally cars (British Championship winners) alongside their latest exciting ‘work in progress’ fast road project car – the stripped-out, semi-race-prepared, brand new Toyota GT86.
Additionally, Sumo’s R35 GT-R will be displayed together with the opportunity to purchase the Evo X 400RS demonstrator – presenting a unique opportunity to own a slice of Sumo Power heritage.
Sumo Power have recently re-located their HQ from Rye in Sussex to a brand new, state-of-the-art, 15,000 sq/ft, facility in Daventry – a more central location to develop the brand from, designed to bring all sales activity under one roof. The site includes a huge Sumo Power stock room, hi-tech workshops, inspection room, engine building room, sub assembly, machine shop and customer showroom downstairs. And upstairs is office space including the sales area, purchasing, accounts and engineering rooms. Twenty-five staff are on site, including the sales team – on hand to take Sumo Power orders six days a week and the fabulous www.sumopower.com website is online 24:7:365 – supplying the best Japanese performance parts all over Europe and beyond, with security and efficiency, day and night.
Sumo Power and JRM Group Executive Director, James Rumsey, said: “It’s been a huge effort and investment to get the brand and business re-located, but we are very excited about the future and are really looking forward to showing off the new HQ to our valued customers at our open day. Being in a more central location makes us a lot more accessible to our UK customer base. And the shift of focus from a workshop-based facility to a pure parts supply mail order sales facility enables us to perfectly meet the needs of our enthusiast customer base. We are still Europe’s largest supplier of quality Japanese performance parts and pride ourselves on offering an efficient, informed, slick, one-stop-shop parts supply operation. Customers get the best parts, the best service and the best prices from Sumo Power.”
Mark Dexter, Sumo Power’s Sales Manager added: “The Open Day is a chance for us to showcase the new HQ and offer some really amazing special offers to our customers in the special clearance sale. We are sure the new Toyota GT86 project car and the Evo X RS will attract some real interest too – not to mention the awesome Nissan GT-R GT3 cars, Evo X Group N rally cars and all the cars from the GTOC and MLR forums. It’s going to be a great meet for Japanese car enthusiasts – and a chance to bag a bargain in our fabulous end of Summer sale.”
The Open Day takes place at Sumo Power’s new HQ at Units 3 & 4 Rutherford Way on the Drayton Fields Industrial Estate in Daventry, Northamptonshire from 9am on Saturday October 6th: A not-to-be-missed event and sale for any Japanese performance car enthusiast.
Sumo Power have re-vitalised their social media platforms to communicate about the business. Follow them on Twitter @Sumo_Power and like the new Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/SumoPower

NEWS: Donington Landmarks Up For Charity Sale

Donington Parks’s iconic Dunlop Bridge (and other famous landmarks) are to go under the hammer at Bonham's for Hope Against Cancer on Saturday, 15th September. The four Donington Park landmarks, to be sold ‘in situ’, are:
1. The individual sections of the fibreglass bridge, each as big as a large garden pond. Buyers can choose whether they want the individual letters or the whole bridge to spell out Dunlop, along with side supports.
2. The Dunlop advertising signage which hung below the bridge until its demolition in 2009.
3. The old timing clock once branded to Pirelli, which currently sits on the Old Hairpin bridge.
4. The wind tunnel model, from the 1970’s, of the World Land Speed Record car, Project Blue Star, which also sits on the Old Hairpin bridge.
World famous tyre company, Dunlop originally paid for the bridge to be erected over the Donington track 30 years ago, but during the previous operator’s ill-fated 2009 attempt to rebuild the circuit layout, the steel structure was knocked down and the metalwork was sold for scrap. The Dunlop tyre profile fibreglass lettered sections have recently been recovered and are now to be sold by Bonham’s.
Christopher Tate, Managing Director at Donington Park, said: "These iconic items will mean a great deal to thousands of racers, bikers, spectators – and all the staff and officials who have worked at Donington Park since 1977. The time has come when the Dunlop panels need to make space for new developments in the paddock area. The famous clock and the LSR car model – which is nine metres long – were to be moved this winter as our programme of track refurbishment continues. The lots aren’t going anywhere until after they are sold though – a good sized crane will be needed for that!"
Money raised from the auction will be donated to Leicestershire-based Hope Against Cancer, a charity passionately supported by the late owner of Donington Park, Tom Wheatcroft. Tom’s son and now circuit owner and chairman, Kevin, is keen to see this excellent cause benefit from the sale.
The auction is being held at the Goodwood Revival race meeting on September 14th, 15th and 16th in Sussex. Any likely bidders keen to secure a piece of Donington Park’s fabled racing history can inspect the items prior to the auction by arrangement with the circuit management.
Christopher added: "In working with Bonham’s, the leading car and automobilia auction house, we decided the time had come to offer these motoring landmarks to the market – and to support Tom and Kevin Wheatcroft’s favourite charity in doing so. We think there will be some strong interest and we hope that they will all find enthusiastic new homes!"
Donington Park is one of the UK’s most popular racing circuits and hosts the very best in World, European and British motor racing including the British Touring Car Championship, FIA British Truck Grand Prix, European Le Mans Series and the World and British Superbike Championships.
For further information about Donington Park and its history, visit the website at www.donington-park.co.uk.

VIDEO: Mazda RX7 Thunder Saloon @ Mallory Park

Thanks to our pal, Mark Hales, editor of www.trackdriver.com, for tipping us off about this ace Mazda RX-7 'Thunder Saloon' - being driven here by Stacy Vickers' in the CSCC Special Saloons at Mallory Park – on its first time out. Just listen to that amazing 13B Rotary Bridge Ported Turbocharged engine go! Awesome stuff!

MAGAZINE: Hot Volvo Special & TV link

If you've not already seen it, the latest issue of www.roadmagazine.co.uk is a hot Volvo special – http://www.issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_28/1 – featuring fast road C30 T5, V60 T6 & XC60 D5 all re-mapped by Polestar and the incredible K-Pax S60's in action on track at Mid-Ohio in the Pirelli World Challenge. And, you can catch catch those K-Pax Volvos and the other cool PWC cars by watching the TV broadcasts on the PWC website, www.world-challengetv.com. Up there now are races from Sonoma, the Cadillac Grand Prix and lots more cool stuff. Go have a look...
And do please share Road Magazine FREE with your mates...

VIDEO: Harman Ferrari FF Event With Nick Mason's Car Collection

Harman invited a select number of journalists to experience the new JBL Pro Surround Sound System in Ferrari's FF – kindly hosted by Nick Mason. Sounds dull... but (mostly!) it's not, thanks to Nick Mason's awesome car porn collection. Check it out...

NEWS: New Damd Toyota GT86 Kit

Toyota's glorious new GT86 is already attracting media praise and rightly so. And that's even before the tuners really get hold if it. Here is the styling kit from Damd, available via www.sumpower.com. Check out more images here: www.facebook.com/SumoPower

NEWS: Sumo Power Open Day @ New HQ

Sumo Power – the UK's No.1 supplier of Japanese Performance Parts and sponsors of the UK Time Attack series – are holding an Open Day at their brand new HQ in Daventry, Northamptonshire on Saturday October 6th. Sumo have just re-located at great cost and investment to the new centrally-located venue, to develop their first-rate mail order parts supply business. The Open Day will see some incredible cars on display – including the Sumo Power/JRM-Group GT-R GT3 race cars, championship winning Evo X Group N rally cars, Exo X 360 & 400 RS demonstrators, Nissan Silvia drift car, brand new GT86 project car and a whole host of cars from the GTROC and MLR. Those attending this exciting event will also get a chance to see the new facilities and take advantage of an incredible discounted end of Summer Sale for top-notch parts from HKS, Do-Luck, Rays wheels, Damd styling, Cosworth and more. Get involved! Bag a bargain! It's going to be fabulous. We will be there too! And do follow Sumo on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/sumo_power and like them on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/SumoPower, for all the latest news and deals. And get all the news, special offers and details of the Open Day at the website: www.sumopower.com, where they have an excellent blog with up-to-date info on.