NEWS: Conrad Grunewald's Hankook/Top 1 Oil Formula DRIFT Camaro Update

Another update from American drift legend, Conrad Grunewald on the progress with his Camaro for the 2013 Formula DRIFT season... and big progress. Another couple of weeks and this baby will be smoking rubber! Conrad's PR guru (& Road USA correspondent), Ashley Van Dyke says: "Since the last update, it's been a flurry of activity. All of the remaining parts for Conrad Grunewald's Chevrolet Camaro seemed to show up here at the shop all at once. The stock sub-frame bushings have been swapped out for beautiful solid mount bushings which will help add stability. The complete COPO engine arrived from GM Racing and the dogbox transmission has been modified to configure with the custom driveshaft from the Drive Shaft Shop. The Hankook/Top 1 Oil Formula DRIFT machine continues to quickly coming together for 2013. The carbon fibre wing's aero mounting system has been designed and built. So, with the fabrication completed and the chassis painted, it's time to assemble all of the great parts provided by our sponsors, and get the car ready for testing."

"It's always been a dream come true to be involved with a build like this, for a driver like Conrad Grunewald, and it has gone a lot more smoothly than I expected" says Lead Mechanic, Shawn Barr. "The first the solid subframe bushings that I installed went in way easier than they do on Nissan 240's. It was a much cleaner process. I didn't have to pull out the torch to burn out the stock bushings!"
All of the hard work is about to pay off and it's an exciting time for everyone involved with Conrad Grunewald Racing to prepare for the season open in Long Beach fast approaching us in April.
For more information on Conrad Grunewald please visit www.conradgrunewald.com and follow him on Twitter at @ConradGrunewald and @AVDMotorsports.

Looking good man! Go for it! 

And you can see more images of the Camaro built on Facebook.

NEWS: Gulf Racing UK Team Blancpain Endurance Series 2013

How good does this McLaren 12C GT3 look in Gulf livery? And a car that looks this good has to race well! Luckily, the Gulf Racing UK team will return for a second assault on the Blancpain Endurance Series with a "highly competitive driver line-up confirmed for the 2013 season."
After a promising 2012, the UK-based GT team will again run two McLaren 12C GT3s, and will be targeting overall victories with a newly-formed Pro entry as Rob Bell is joined by fellow McLaren GT factory driver Adam Carroll and the young Belgian Nico Verdonck. 

The team will also continue to run a Pro-Am entry, with an experienced and competitive driver line-up of the team’s co-owner Mike Wainwright rejoined by pro-driver Andy Meyrick, who raced for the team at selected rounds last year. And McLaren GT works driver and double Le Mans Series champion Rob Bell remains with the team following a strong 2012 season which saw a string of impressive performances. 

Rob Bell will lead the charge in the No. 9 car, and is confident going into the new season: "We showed good pace throughout last year, and had a strong end to the season. The car was consistent and competitive, and I am excited by the new line-up we have, so it should be an interesting year."
As part of his role as a factory driver with McLaren GT, Bell has also been involved with the development programme for the 12C GT3 during the off-season, and feels that significant improvements have been made: "The 12C GT3 had some really impressive results throughout the year, and became the car to beat during the latter half of the year, despite being in its debut season. We have worked hard to move things forward, and the 2013 upgrades look to have made an even more well-balanced, competitive package."
 Adam Carroll was recently announced as a works driver with McLaren GT, and he joins Gulf Racing UK having showed impressive pace in the select rounds of the Blancpain Endurance Series he competed in last year. The Northern Irishman made the move from a successful early career in single-seaters, and is looking forward to contesting the full Blancpain calendar: "It is great to be involved with McLaren GT, and to join such an iconic team as Gulf Racing UK for 2013. The blue and orange liveried cars have such a fantastic heritage in motorsport, and it’s a real honour to now be part of that. I had a taste of what the Blancpain Endurance Series was like last year, and I loved it, so I am really looking forward to getting back out on track, and competing in the full calendar with the 12C GT3."
Nico Verdonck moves to join the Gulf Racing UK team having contested the 2012 Blancpain Endurance Series in a 12C GT3. "It was clear last year that the McLaren is a competitive and reliable car, and I am happy to be back behind the wheel of the 12C GT3, and looking forward to trying the revised 2013 car. I am also delighted to be driving for Gulf Racing as It will also be a very special experience to race in the iconic Gulf livery because of its great motor racing heritage. And it’s great to be given the opportunity to drive for Gulf Racing and to race beside two other top class Pro drivers from McLaren GT. I am sure that our combined experience and speed will enable us to extract the maximum performance from the 12C GT3. I feel, we have all the ingredients to perform strongly and challenge for victories and the championship. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel and I am looking forward to the first race in Monza." 

Following testing at Aragon, the car has had extensive improvements from last year, which should add up to even better results. We wish them well and salute them for their brave choice of the iconic Gulf colours... surely worth a second a lap? The first race is Monza on April 14th. Find out more here.

NEWS: New Škoda Citigo Sport

Škoda's funky city car, the great value, no frills, multi-award-winning Citigo now has a sport model – offering "aggressive, sporty styling inside and out and enhanced equipment," but best of all, lowered sports suspension. It will be available in three and five-door version and comes with the 1.0 MPI 60PS engine, priced from £10,290.00 And the Citigo Sport will be available in three colours; Candy White with red stripes, Tornado Red with black stripes and Deep Black with red stripes, as pictured. 

From the outside, the Citigo SPORT boasts a dynamic look, underlined by black 15-inch ‘Auriga’ design alloy wheels, fog lights, tinted ‘sunset’ windows, sports suspension – which lowers the ride height by 15 mm – and a bespoke styling kit which includes a front and rear spoiler and a rear diffuser. And there's even a jushi racing stripe, contrasting in colour to the respective body, runs from the front to the rear of the car while additional stripes at the rear, on lower door frames and exterior mirrors further enhance the car’s sporty appeal.
Inside, there's black and red sports seats, a three-spoke leather steering wheel with red stitching, leather handbrake and gearstick gaiter with red stitching and matching floor mats. And a two-tone grey and black dashboard and unique grey décor instruments add more interior flair. See images on this here.
One major highlight of the Citigo Sport’s interior is the dashboard-mounted Personal Infotainment Device (PID). This five-inch touch-screen with multi-function technology comes as standard on the Citigo Sport models and includes" Advanced satellite navigation, a Bluetooth hands-free telephone connection, vehicle and trip information, plus a media player which can be synced to an external music device. And there's four additional speakers over standard Citigo models.
The Škoda Citigo Sport is on sale now, priced OTR at £10,290 for the three-door and £10,640 for the five-door 1.0 MPI 60PS.
Since its launch last year, Škoda's Citigo 30,000 customers in Europe have bought into the the fast-growing subcompact segment car (2012 figures alone) – thanks to its funky, user-friendly design, high spec for the price, spacious interior, fun driving characteristics and safety (Citigo has been awarded the top score of five stars in the independent Euro NCAP crash test ratings), including the City Safe Drive, an innovative emergency braking function which activates at speeds below 19 mph (30km/h), using laser sensors. 

We will be featuring the Citigo in Road Magazine very soon in the next Škoda special. Meantime, why not have a look at the last Škoda special we did last year, here? 

TEST: Garmin nüvi 3590 LMT: European Test

We have a brand new Garmin nüvi 3590 LMT PND (Personal Navigation Device) on test at the moment, which is proving to be tremendous – intuitive, user-friendly, accurate and stylish. And I'm still a Luddite road map book, OS map and co-driver pace notes man, so that's high praise indeed for new technology!
The nüvi 3590's light, ultra thin, huge and clear five-inch screen is easy to read and its menu system and 'Guidance 3' navigation system are superbly simple and smart, with handy features like 3D Traffic mapping and access to Live Services via Garmin’s Smartphone Link app. It also has brilliant maps of road junctions approaching with auto zoom and clear instructions – covering an amazing 65,000 junctions in Europe. Naturally, we can only test a few 100 of these here in the UK. So, to put the Garmin to the test, we're off on a 1,600-mile+ road trip to the Alps shortly, via Parisian autoroutes (sure to test any PND) and middle-of-nowhere-winding-back-roads, in the serious snow of ski season. And we'll be throwing a few wrong turns in for good measure, to see how the nüvi 3590 copes. More here soon.

To combat the Winter weather and travel in comfort, economy, safety and style, we're going in a kick-ass, oh-so under-rated Subaru Outback. The Alpine road trip feature will make the cover story for our forthcoming, second Subaru special of Road Magazine, out mid-March. More details up soon here and on Facebook where you will also find more images of the Garmin here.

NEWS: "High-Performance GT-R" R35 GT-R Nismo Coming Soon

If you thought the R35 GT-R was already quick, think again, as Nissan's official tuning arm, Nismo are set to release a "high-performance GT-R" very soon, following on from the success of the 370Z Nismo and Juke Nismo specials. They say "our extensive experience with GT-R race cars will inspire Nismo to create the ultimate GT-R for the road." Sounds very interesting...
"It would be unthinkable for us to develop a range of Nismo road cars without including the GT-R," said Nissan CEO, Carlos Ghosn. "The standard road car is a global supercar and the GT-R's performance on track reflects the passion and talents of the Nismo team. The GT-R Nismo will be special and I can't wait to drive it."

The Nismo team's intimate knowledge comes from their involvement in racing the GT-R and is a good precursor to the development of the new Nismo road car which will be based on the 2013 GT-R.

"We know that enthusiasts around the world will be itching to know more about the forthcoming GT-R Nismo," said Shoichi Miyatani, president of Nismo. "It's too preliminary to share any details yet, but fans can be certain we'll be applying all of our motorsport expertise to creating a GT-R Nismo worthy of the name."

The standard 2013 Nissan GT-R has just received evolutionary design and engineering enhancements based around feedback from competing in last year's 24-Hours Nürburgring, and its success in Super GT and Global GT series. As a result, the vehicle's overall performance has been dramatically increased, high-speed stability improved and ride quality vastly more refined – and the GT-R Nismo will go one step further still.

In development now, the new GT-R Nismo will sit at the top of the new Nissan Nismo range of performance vehicles, and be available alongside the standard model in Nissan's specialized GT-R dealerships next year.

Technical specifications and performance figures will be released closer to launch and you can read about it here. Meantime, for further information, media material and your regional media contacts, visit: www.nissan-live.com/nismoglobal

NEWS: McLaren P1™ Fast Facts & Figures. Oh and £866,000 price tag!

More details have emerged on the amazing McLaren P1™– a lesson in hypercars from the world's most anal and awesome car builders, with the most immaculate F1 win record. Not to mention being a lesson in car launching technique. The crescendo drip feed of facts, figure, images and info. has been superb. Bravo marketing and PR team.
So, headlines this week in McLaren P1™world? Well, thanks to the Instant Power Assist System (IPAS), the McLaren P1™will be 23% faster than the legendary McLaren F1 – blitzing 0-62mph in under three seconds and 0-300 km/h (186mph in old money!) in less than 17 seconds, which is quite quick (five seconds faster than the McLaren F1 in fact)! The top speed has been limited to 217mph (350 KM/h in new money). Only 375 will be made, making it super exclusive. But that'll cost you, at £866,000 OTR, or track! And McLaren says the production model is almost unchanged from the original design study, which is impressive too. McLaren has been engaging with potential customers actively in the last few months to get their views on the McLaren P1™, about the car’s styling.  Their unanimous verdict on the styling was not to change the car presented last September in Paris.  So unusually, the McLaren P1™ has translated to production form with very little change.  In fact just one, the addition of LTR ducts ahead of each of the front wheels to further aid cooling and optimise downforce.
The options list will be limited to only bespoke content that a customer might wish to add through McLaren Special Operations, and fitted luggage... naturally.
As already announced, the McLaren P1™ will have the combined force of two highly-efficient powerplants, offering the optimum mix of superb throttle response, day-to-day drivability and top speed. A mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine is substantially enhanced featuring, for example, larger turbochargers and a highly effective electric motor, to give a combined output of 916PS (903 bhp) and a maximum torque figure of 900Nm. This ensures instantaneous throttle response through the rev range, more akin to a naturally aspirated engine. Emissions of less than 200g/km on the combined cycle are reduced to zero in full electric drive mode, while the Formula 1-derived DRS and IPAS technologies offer an increase in straight-line speed and an instant boost of power.
The tyres fitted to the McLaren P1™ are specially developed P Zero Corsas, which have been developed with McLaren’s technology partner, Pirelli. The team at Pirelli has been involved throughout the entire development programme, and this has seen the tyre testing phase integrated into the schedule, as a key performance component. The final compound and construction has been developed and optimised during testing, and the end result is a tyre that is finely tuned specifically to the performance and handling characteristics.
To rein in the power produced by the twin powerplants, the McLaren P1™ is designed to offer braking performance more associated with a GT3 or sports racing car. Developed by McLaren’s Formula 1 partner Akebono, the system features a new type of carbon ceramic disc, which has previously seen service in space, but never before used on a road car. Stronger than conventional carbon ceramic, the material dissipates heat more effectively, giving the highly efficient braking system exceptional stopping and cooling capability. The system also boasts significantly reduced weight, and a bespoke ceramic layer coats both friction surfaces to give an attractive mirrored finish.
One surprising eco-feature is that the car can also be driven solely in electric mode.  In city driving, with an average speed of 30 mph, this could mean up to a 20km range.  More than enough for an owner to enter, for example, a city centre Zero Emissions Zone, have dinner and return home.
Can you wait? We can't. New Top Gear lap record? Yup! Nopt to mention a whole host of other accolades...
Bravo. The world today needs the McLaren P1™don't you think?
See more images here.

NEWS: Suzuki Swift Sport SZ-R Release

Great news for Suzuki Swift Sport fans, like us – hot on the heels of the Swift SZ-L Special Edition, here's the limited edition Swift Sport SZ-R. Suzuki GB PLC says: "The SZ-R (strictly limited to just 100 cars) is aimed at buyers who want to own a Swift Sport with a very distinctive look, but still want the sporty, fun-to-drive experience of the standard Swift Sport."
The SZ-R possesses all the peppy performance attributes of standard Swift Sport; 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds, top speed of 121 mph and a 136HP VVT engine (offering an attractive 44.1mpg combined). But each SZ-R is finished in Cosmic Black with contrasting Ablaze Red roof, rear spoiler and door mirrors plus SZ-R side badging. Inside, each of the 100 cars has uniquely numbered door sill guards, red accented gear shift knob and red trimmed carpet mats.
Swift Sport offers a high level of equipment as standard including seven airbags, auto air conditioning, cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity and USB port, rear privacy glass and 17-inch wheels. HID Projector headlamps for low and high beam are also fitted as standard. This safety feature is often listed as a cost option by its direct competitors as well as on much more expensive cars.
Swift Sport SZ-R is available from Friday, 1^st March and priced at £14,249 – just £500 more than a standard Swift Sport.
See some more images on our Facebook page. And read our road test of the Swift Sport in the latest issue of Road Magazine.
And you know what they say in nature about red next to black...? Get the **** back!

NEWS: Donington Historic Festival An Ayrton Senna-fest

Plans to celebrate Ayrton Senna at the 2013 Donington Historic Festival (May 3rd, 4th, 5th) are well underway – with a mixture of static F3 to F1 and even odd-ball classic rally car displays in the Paddock and on-track demonstrations of cars which played a significant role in the career of the late triple World Champion already confirmed for the event.
Organisers are working on appearances of further Senna cars, along with a selection of memorabilia and Keith Sutton’s personal collection of photographs from Senna’s early career.
In addition to the F1 and F3 cars, also on display will be the 1986 JPS Lotus Renault Turbo in which Senna won the US GP at Detroit. The young Brazilian started the race in pole position, but tyre problems saw him initially fall back to eighth place, with the race lead changing hands six times between five drivers before – equipped with fresh tyres – Senna carved his way through the field to take victory.
And there will also be two unusual ‘Senna cars’ on display – an MG Metro 6R4 and the Brooklyn Motorsport Ford Sierra RS Cosworth. These were among five rally cars that Ayrton Senna test-drove in a Welsh forest in November 1986, for a feature that appeared in Car and Car Conversions magazine. At the end of the day, Senna summed up his experience of these very different type of competition cars: “I think, overall, it has been much more exciting than I expected. Much more involving. I didn’t feel the time going by. It went so fast because I was finding out, and learning more and going harder and harder. Having some moments… it was very exciting. Feeling the car in the air and then bottoming. Something I have never experienced before in a road car. In a road car you go easy, eh?” The Cosworth will form part of the live rally demonstration on the Melbourne Loop.
The Senna tribute will be one of the highlights of a spectacular weekend of historic motorsport, with over 400 race cars spanning seven decades battling it out on the track, plus live historic rally car demos on the Melbourne Loop. And Senna fans can see even more of their hero’s racing machinery if they pay a visit to the Donington Collection over the weekend, where they will find a McLaren MP4/5/B-1 that Senna drove during his World Championship-winning 1990 season.
Advance ticket prices for the Festival start at £12 for the Friday, £20 for Saturday or Sunday and just £36 for a three-day weekend ticket. On-the-gate prices will be £15 for Friday, £25 for Saturday or Sunday and £45 for the three-day weekend, with Festival tickets also giving two-for-one entry to the Donington Collection. Children aged under 16 are admitted for free.
Tickets can be bought via www.doningtonhistoric.com and through the 24-hour ticket hotline 0844 873 7355.

Senna 1980s CV

In 1982 Ayrton Senna won the British and European F2000 Championships, and was rewarded with a drive in the season-end F3 race in a Ralt RT3. He famously won the race, and that very RT3 will be demonstrated on the track at the Donington Historic Festival.
During his F3 Championship-winning season in 1983, Senna enjoyed his first-ever drive in an F1 car, testing Keke Rosberg’s Monaco GP-winning Williams-Cosworth FW08C at Donington Park. That very same FW08C (pictured) is now a star feature of the Donington Collection, and this important machine is coming out of the museum for the Festival.
As a result of his impressive F1 tests in 1983, Senna moved into Grand Prix racing full-time in 1984, and his first Formula One race car - the famous 1984 Toleman TG-184-02 Hart turbo - will also be displayed at the Festival. This is the car that Senna drove to a spectacular second place in the 1984 Monaco GP, overtaking Alain Prost for the lead but being robbed of his first Grand Prix win when heavy rain stopped the race the following lap. 

NEWS: 2013 European Rallycross Launch @ Lydden Hill

Today sees the launch of the amazing FIA European Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill in Kent – with an incredible all-star driver line up, including the legendary Petter Solberg lining up against rallycross regulars, like Liam Doran for a Citroen DS3 Supercar 600bhp war! It's going to be epic. And so, to get you in the mood, check out this 2012 race in hideous wet and muddy conditions at Lydden last year. Great dog fighting. Great driving. Great event. Go this year... it's epic. 

This year sees the FIA European Rallycross Championship's "biggest and best line up of permanent drivers ever assembled in the event’s 40 year history – with 15 permanent Supercar drivers entered, the group is three times bigger than the number that took part in all rounds of the 2012 series and will be supplemented at every Championship event by a mix of star 'wild card' entries and national heroes." 

We are cuffed to bit the line-up and entry list is so illustrious and packed out and will be following the round closely, even guest blogging on the ERC website – www.rallycrossrx.com. 

And it's going to be ace to see 2003 WRC champion, Petter Solberg back in rallycross, where hsi career all begin: "We are delighted that Petter Solberg has chosen to race in the FIA European Rallycross Championship, it’s great for the Championship and will be really interesting to see how the regular guys respond to the challenge of racing against a former World Rally champion," said Martin Anayi, Managing Director of RallycrossRX at IMG Motorsport.

And the Supercar permanent entry for 2013 features the current FIA European Rallycross Champion Timur Timerzyanov, as well as the 2012 champions from the Super1600 (Andreas Bakkerud) and TouringCar (Anton Marklund) categories, both of whom graduate to race Supercars in 2013.
The all-star field assembled for the 2013 Championship, which is being promoted for the first time by IMG Motorsports, part of IMG Worldwide, the global sports, entertainment and media company, also includes former European champions Mats Lysen, Knut Ove Børseth, Ronny Scheveneels and Michael De Keersmaecker as well as X Games winner Liam Doran.
"We have put together a top quality entry of permanent drivers in the Supercar category, half of them already proven European champions, who have committed to take part in all rounds of the Championship. The core entry of 15 permanent Supercar drivers represents an enormous increase in entry level as only five drivers took part in all rounds of the 2012 Championship. However even more compelling is the fact that we have more than 15 other guys who want to come in and do more than two events each this year, including some of the biggest names in motor sport. We have the perfect balance and we cannot wait to feature these guys in our global TV coverage and start delivering a fantastic platform to take RallycrossRX to the next level," said Anayi
The 15 permanent drivers represent six different countries, drive cars from six manufacturer brands and include seven current or former FIA Rallycross champions. Also among them is 20-year-old Swede Timmy Hansen who has made a career change from single-seater racing to rallycross to capitalise on the introduction of a Championship Promoter for the very first time in its history.
With up and coming Norwegian starlet, Alex Hvaal, former French champion Davey Jeanney, as well as current and former Swedish champions Peter Hedström and Stig-Olov Walfridson and British event winner Andy Scott, there is real talent throughout the field that represents the majority of key rallycross markets.
"When you look at the permanent driver field RX has and add in the ‘wild cards’ and local rallycross heroes coming in per event, we see the Championship as becoming a “must go to” event for motor sport fans across Europe in 2013”, added Anayi.
The nine-round 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship opens with the British event at Lydden Hill on Easter weekend (March 31-April 1). Will you be there? We will!

Be a part of #RX:
Twitter: @RallycrossRX | Facebook.com/RallycrossRX | YouTube.com/RallycrossRXTV

Get a list of all the FIA European Rallycross Championship 2013 'permanent' Supercar entries & see more video on our Facebook page:

2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship
March 30 – April 1 Lydden Hill, Great Britain
April 26-28 Montalegre, Portugal
May 24-26 Nyirad, Hungary
June 7-9 Kouvola, Finland
June 14-16 Hell, Norway
July 5-7 Holjes, Sweden
August 30 – September 1 Loheac, France
September 13-15 Greinbach, Austria
September 20-22 Buxtehude, Germany

NEWS: Paradigm Shifting 903bhp McLaren P1™ Details

More details of the McLaren P1™ emerged today – and what figures! How does 903bhp and 900NM torque grab you? That's going to add up to some pretty serious pace! 

The P1's huge power figures come not just from the mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 – which knocks out 727bhp and 720Nm – but also a lightweight, super high-tech, electric motor with IPAS (Instant Power Assist System). This offers instant power and straight-line speed, boosting a further 176bhp and 260Nm torque, from a standstill. And emissions will be less less than 200g/km, with a full E-mode offering in excess of 10km emission-free driving! Green and mean!  

The McLaren P1™team say: "The instant response of the electric motor provides a sharper throttle response more associated with a normally aspirated engine, and the significantly enhanced air-charging system enables the McLaren P1™ to have more top-end power – the perfect combination for high performance. The electric motor is mounted directly onto the engine, and all drive is channelled through the dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox to drive the rear wheels. Thus, the electric motor and 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine work seamlessly together, providing more than just added ultimate power and torque. A further benefit is that the e-motor can provide faster upshifts. This is achieved through the application of instant negative torque at the point of shift, making the engine revs drop as quickly and efficiently as possible to the required engine speed for the upshift. And in addition to the obsessive weight-saving measures demonstrated throughout the McLaren P1™, so too is the optimisation of usable energy. When off-throttle the electric motor provides additional drag torque, recovering energy to the battery that would otherwise be lost to the brakes."

The awesome McLaren P1™will also have a trick 'Drag Reduction System' – technology similar to that employed on Formula 1 cars. Ultimately, speed is increased by reducing the amount of drag on the rear wing and, where the MP4-28 has a moveable flap on the rear wing, the McLaren P1™ has a wing that reduces in angle to lower drag by 23%. The system immediately deactivates when the button is released, or if the driver touches the brake pedal.
And let's not forget the chassis here – a high-strength Formula 1-grade carbon fibre MonoCage chassis – matched to MP4-12C style fancy suspension, so we can expect the McLaren P1™to handle fabulously too. 

Further details of the McLaren P1™ will be released in the coming weeks, before the production-ready car makes its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Is the world ready? Is the McLaren P1™going to be a paradigm shifter, like it's older brother, the McLaren F1? We reckon so... what do you think? Is hybrid power adding to or ruining the hyper car? You tell us... 

Meantime, see more images here.

NEWS: Bond In Motion @ Beaulieu

The Aston Martin DB5, as used in the classic Goldfinger Bond film, has taken centre stage at the Bond In Motion exhibition at The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu.
They say: "This stunning original film car, a must-see for Bond fans and classic car enthusiasts everywhere, will be on display for a limited time only, so if you don’t want to miss out, visit Beaulieu before the end of the Easter holidays to see this elegant motor showcased alongside 49 other vehicles used in the Bond films. The car has been kindly loaned to the exhibition by the Louwman Museum, Holland, and returns just as an exciting new exhibit has been revealed. Joining the three Skyfall vehicles currently on display – two Honda CRF250R motorcycles and the Land Rover Defender 110 – is a third scale miniature model of the Aston Martin DB5 which was used in filming Skyfall."
BOND IN MOTION is the world’s largest exhibition of original James Bond vehicles ever staged, and features a whole range of vehicles from the films, including cars, boats, motorbikes, sleds, jets and many more.
Other star exhibits include the gadget-laden Jaguar XKR driven by Bond villain Zao in Die Another Day, the Aston Martin DBS from Quantum of Solace, the Bede Acrostar jet famously flown in Octopussy, and the BMW 750iL from Tomorrow Never Dies, plus iconic vehicle action clips from the James Bond films. This exclusive, one-off exhibition will remain open to visitors until 5th January 2014.
Bond In Motion can be seen as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction, which includes the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House and the gardens. Beaulieu is open daily from 10am – 5pm. For more information please visit www.beaulieu.co.uk or telephone 01590 612345. And see more images on our Facebook page.

MAG: Nürburgring Special No.2

Open publication - Free publishing - More autos

Get yourself in the mood for the 2013 Nürburgring season of madness with our second, classic Green Hell issue of Road. And see what's on out at the world's most incredible track here.

MAG: Nürburgring Special No.1

Open publication - Free publishing - More top gear

One of our most popular and talked about early issues of Road Magazine was this first Green Hell special. Check it out... and do share it with your Nürburgring mates – novices, or pros. And find out what's on out there here.

VIDEO: Best Sounding Porsche GT3 Ever?

We all know what an outstanding reliable and rapid racer the Porsche 911 GT3 RS is (especially in RSR spec). But what about as a rally car? Not its usual habitat (and it does look oddly delicate on the loose), but hell-fire, it sure looks good fun, quick and sounds amazing to us, as Team Dobberkau demonstrate here on the 2012 ProRallye. Best sounding GT3 ever? Just maybe.

VIDEO: Petter Solberg in 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championship

Anyone else looking forward to the 2013 FIA European Rallycross Championships (ERC) this year? This short viral might get you in the mood. And if not, how about the fact that WRC legend, Petter 'Hollywood' Solberg – fresh from his win in his Viking Motorsport MkII Escort in the Historic Rally Sweden – is heading to the first round at Lydden Hill, March 31 - April. Petter is set to be driving a 600bhp Citroën DS3 Supercar – built and run by his own team. And, according to sources at the ERC "appears set to focus on rallycross having called time on his career in the WRC." How cool is that? Following in the footsteps of another WRC legend, Marcus Gronholm, who drive the Best Buy Focus with our pal David Binks recently. See that article here in Road Magazine Issue 20.
And see the annual calendar for 2013 – and much more – on the great ERC website.
See you there... Hollywood!

NEWS: Alfa 4C Geneva Debut

Alfa Romeo's gorgeous, exciting compact, rear-drive, mid-engined, two-seater supercar is set to make its début at the 83rd Geneva Motor Show this year. Alfa says: "The new Alfa Romeo 4C is the result of experience built up with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione model produced in the Maserati plant in Modena and it will be available for purchase in 2013, marking the return of the Italian brand to the United States." It's small – less than 4 metres in length, 200 cm wide, 118 cm high and with a wheelbase of less than 2.4 metres. It will be powered by a new (revised version of the Quadrifoglio Verde version of the Giulietta) 4 cylinder 1750 Turbo Petrol all-aluminium engine, with trick twin scroll turbo and and a revolutionary scavenging control system that gets rid of any turbo lag. It will also have Alfa's TCT twin clutch automatic transmission, with a new Alfa 'DNA' ECU/gearbox mapping selector with a new Race mode. The chassis meanwhile is 100% carbon fibre with load-bearing and structural function, so we can expect it to be light, with a weight to power ratio less than 4 kg/HP.
The 4C name is an acronym – "drawing its inspiration from the brand’s glorious past, projecting the values of technology and emotions into the future. Indeed, it refers to Alfa Romeo’s great sporting tradition: the acronyms 8C and 6C in the 1930s and 1940s distinguished cars – both racing and road – fitted with the powerful ‘eight cylinders’ and the innovative ‘six cylinders’, confirming in its design layout and construction the goal of achieving the power/weight ratio of an authentic supercar, less than 4 kg/HP, yet focusing not merely on the maximum power delivered, but on limiting the weight to guarantee maximum agility and top performance. To this end, the Alfa Romeo 4C uses technologies and materials derived from super sports cars (including the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione) – carbon fibre, aluminium, rear-wheel drive – and technologies from the latest standard models from Alfa Romeo, but updated to enhance the sports appeal of the new car even further. This is demonstrated by the new 1750 Turbo Petrol all-aluminium engine with direct injection, the sophisticated Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission and the Alfa DNA selector with the unprecedented Race mode."
Looking forward to that... you? RWD turbo fun. But is it a supercar, with a 1.8-litre engine? Even with those looks and all the trick carbon, electro goodies? You decide... 

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VIDEO: Guy Wilks Flat Chat With Suzuki

One of the little mini-features we have in the latest issue of Road Magazine is on the ace double British Rally Champion and multiple Junior World Rally Championship Rally winner, Guy Wilks. We fondly look back at his incredible years with Suzuki, 2004-2006. If you want to see proper FWD rally driving, flat out, ballsy commitment, watch this video. Epic halcyon days! 

Catch up with Guy Wilks on his Facebook page.  

MAGAZINE: Latest FREE Road Magazine

Open publication - Free publishing - More alfa romeo

The latest FREE monthly issue of Road Magazine features some great sports hatches with a female focus. And there's some rallying and racing thrown in for good measure! Do please share our FREE publications with your friends on social media. Thanks, Team Road, Phil & Bonnie

VIDEO: Peugeot 208 R5 Rally Test

Check out this short teaser video from Peugeot of their brand new 208 R5 rally car on its first ever gravel test – part of 10,000Km of testing! Looks quick, sound great and the turbocharged engine is receiving much praise from the test drivers. Get the full story in the latest FREE issue of Road Magazine here.

VIDEO: Suzuki Swift Sport Rally Cup

Want to know why we love the Suzuki Sport Swift so much? Look and listen at this rally Cup car in action being tested on track. FWD fun, defined? Yup! And read our review of the road car in the FREE latest issue of Road Magazine here.

VIDEO: Uma Thurman + Alfa Romeo = Sexy!

Yeah, I know you've all seen it, but not today, right? Sit back and enjoy Uma Thurman enjoying herself in the Alfa Giulietta. And read our test in the latest issue of Road Magazine here.

NEWS: Destination Nürburgring April Private Track Event

Destination Nürburgring (DN) has opened bookings for their first Nordschleife private track event of the year on April 2nd and 3rd, priced at £749 for both days. But be quick, as places on the event are set to sell out fast, with a real shortage of quality TDO's offering Green Hell events this year.
And as if you needed much more encouragement, Road and Ring super snapper pal, Jochen from Frozenspeed will be providing free photographs!
Darren Langeveld who runs DN said: "I've noticed a growing trend of third parties offering Nürburgring track days, with one UK based website in particular seemingly 'passing off' other operators events as their own. 'Passing Off' is an offence under UK Trading Standards laws. Destination Nürburgring are currently the only UK based track day operator at the Nürburgring, we're ATDO members, fully insured - and when you book with us you book with confidence. We're also the UK's biggest Nürburgring events organiser, whichever way you care to measure it. Of course - you're free to spend your money with whomever you please, but the risk in using some of these 'third party' sites is you may not know with whom you ultimately end up sharing track space. 'Buyer beware' - take it from my first hand experience, not all track day operators have the same stringent safety requirements we do!"
Find out more or book on their website. Pretty tempting stuff!

NEWS: Volkswagen Motorsport 1st WRC Win in Sweden

In case you had your head in a snow bank and missed it this weekend, VW Motorsport claimed their first ever WRC win at an epic and really close Rally Sweden, with the wastegate-chattering, high-yumping Polo R WRC. Huge congratulations to them and Sebastian Ogier for his first win for the team in the incredible Polo R WRC, fending off the world's greatest rally driver, Sebastian Loeb on his last WRC drive for Citroen for a while, heading off to GT racing. And Jari-Matti Latvala came in forth, narrowly missing out on a podium to a flying Mads Ostberg. It really can't be under stated what an achievement this win is for a brand new car, with a podium and win in the first two rounds and Ogier now top of the WRC table. Carols Sainz must have had a lot to do with this we're sure – helping to develop, manage and set-up the car.
You can catch up with all their news, images and video on Facebook.
What a season start! We can't wait for Rally Guanajuato Mexico 7th March now to see how the new VW copes away from the snow!

NEWS: Awesome Toyota GT86 TRD Unveiled

The much-anticipated Toyota GT86 from their official tuning arm, TRD (Toyota Racing Developments), is here – and looks stunning. See more images of the fine looking beast on our Facebook page.
It's the first official UK model grade to feature genuine TRD parts – including beautiful forged 18-inch alloys, front and side skirts, rear spoiler, fast-response quad exhaust and TRD-branded details. It will be available only in Pearl White and GT86 Black. Only 250 will be available in the UK when it goes on sale from 1 March, priced at £31,495 for GT 86 TRD manual, £32,995 for the automatic (OTR), so be quick if you want one!
Toyota say: "Since its launch last year, the Toyota GT86 has revitalised Toyota’s reputation for building cars that are all about the pure pleasure of driving. Now the hugely acclaimed sports coupe – shortlisted for both European and World Car of the Year awards – gains even more appeal with the introduction of the new GT86 TRD... one of the world’s most accomplished and successful after market engineering businesses.
"The focus is on sports styling, but not at the cost of GT86’s essential performance and handling character. The package includes 18-inch cast TF6 alloys, deep front and side skirts, a rear bumper spoiler and a fast-response quad-exhaust system with a rear diffuser to increase stability. The TRD touch also extended to a branded radiator cap and fuel filler cover, while inside the car there is a new TRD gear shift lever. These items are all in addition to GT86’s established equipment specification, which includes HID headlamps, front fog lamps, limited slip differential, Smart Entry and Start, dual-zone climate control, analogue dials and meters, drilled aluminium pedals, sports seats, scuff plates, cruise control and the Toyota Touch multimedia system."
Performance figures remain as standard at 7.7 seconds for 0-62mph and 140mph for the manual and 8.4 seconds and 130mph for the automatic. But there are slight changes in fuel consumption and emissions: 192g/km and 34.9mpg for the manual and 181g/km and 36.2mpg for the automatic (all figures official combined cycle).

Still no turbo unlike the GT4 race car also unveiled this week... but we're pretty sure that'll follow soon!  Meanwhile, what a stunning GT86 TRD have created eh? Usual class act. GT86 just keeps on getting bigger and better for Toyota. Bravo. 

We're also looking forward to seeing what STi can do with Subaru's BRZ... are you?

VIDEO: Audi RS Moments of Truth: 1983 Quattro

Legendary rally driver, Hannu Mikkola talks us through another of Audi RS' "Moments of Truth" (a series of highly stylized, dynamic short-form documentaries that capture a moment in time) with visual, visceral proof of the impact that technological – specifically Quattro – innovation and risk-taking –specifically Hannu's ballsy driving – has had on performance in the highly competitive world of rallying, when events were almost a week long and sleep was a luxury.
Audi say: "This film tells the story of Audi quattro and the advantage that four-wheel drive technology afforded Audi race teams in the early 1980s on the FIA World Rally Championship circuit. Audi driver and WRC Champion Hannu Mikkola tells the story of his win at the 1983 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland -- a gruelling race full of big-air jumps and hairpin turns. Audi quattro GmbH head of development Stephan Reil links the story to modern day refinements of the quattro drivetrain bringing to life the technological benefits of the crown gear and sport differential through dynamic track footage of the all-new RS 5." 

Well worth a watch if you like rallying and hearing the best sounding rally car is history making history.

NEWS: Mazda 787B Rotary Hero Now ‘Legend of Le Mans’

One of the 1990s most iconic race cars – Mazda's awesome Rotary-powered 1991 Le Mans 24 Hours race-winning Mazda 787B – has been selected as a ‘Legend of Le Mans’ to take centre stage with 11 other race cars in celebrations of the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours in June. Richly deserved for the 210mph Rotary monster, we say!

Race organisers, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO), asked members of the public to join an internet poll to pick one car that best embodied the spirit of Le Mans from each of the 10 decades of the race. More than 20,000 fans cast their votes online, and the Mazda came up as a joint winner of the 1990s – along with the Peugeot 905. And from the public nominations, a 12-member jury of experts meeting in Paris last week selected the final legends. The judging panel included FIA President Jean Todt, ACO President Pierre Fillon, multiple Le Mans winners Emanuele Pirro and Yannick Dalmas, famed Porsche engineer Norbert Singer, US actor and racer Patrick Dempsey and from the UK, Autosport’s long-time sportscar correspondent, Gary Watkins.
Mazda is still the only Japanese manufacturer to have won the world’s toughest endurance race, the Le Mans 24 Hours. In 1991 Mazda demonstrated its ability to defy convention and rewrote motorsport history with the rotary-powered 787B. The 700PS racer, which boasted a 210mph top speed, was driven by Britain’s Johnny Herbert, with Volker Weidler and Bertrand Gachot. Running faultlessly, the 787B completed 362 laps (3,065 miles) at an average speed of 127.62mph to take the chequered flag. Not bad for a Rotary engine eh? ;-)
The ACO plans to bring together examples of each of the legendary cars for a series of events prior to the 2013 race and for a parade lap of the famous 8.47-mile Circuit de la Sarthe before the start of this year's 24 Hours race on June 22/23.

Meanwhile, as part of Mazda’s expanding global motorsports activity, Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations, is developing a version of the race-tuned new 2.2-litre SKYACTIV-D clean diesel engine in conjunction with Mazda Corporation for teams competing in the Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) class of international motorsport. For full details of the latest promotions and finance offers visit www.mazda.co.uk/showroom/offers

NEWS: Goodwood Revival Ford GT40 & Ferrai 250 LM Races

Ford GT40 and Ferrari 250 LM: Two more great reasons to go to Goodwood Revival this year – if you needed any more than it being the best period racing meet is history! 

Further to the recent announcement that Goodwood will be staging a unique all-Ford GT40 race at this year’s Goodwood Revival (13-15 September) to mark 50 years since development of this exceptional mid-engined Anglo-American racer began, another legendary mid-mounted endurance racer will now also be competing at this September’s event.
Like the Ford, the revered Ferrari 250 LM celebrates its half century this year, having premiered at the Paris salon late in 1963. Also like the Ford, the 250 LM went on to win the Le Mans 24 Hours race, with the North American Racing Team-entered car – driven by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory – taking the chequered flag in the 1965 event. This remains the last time Ferrari took overall victory in the French endurance classic.
The 250 LM raced in the Tourist Trophy at Goodwood in 1964, where it finished fourth, and last competed in this race in the modern era at the Revival in 2000. An example of the Ferrari has also run in the Whitsun Trophy race at the Revival in various years.
For the 2013 Revival, a number of 250 LMs will be returning to the prestigious Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration race for the first time in 13 years, campaigning against fierce competition from Ferrari 250 GTOs, AC Cobras, lightweight Jaguar E-types, Maserati 151s, Aston Martin DB4s, and many other rare and mouth watering machines to create the most valuable historic motor race in the world.
Tickets, grandstand seats, camping and other products for the 2013 Goodwood Revival can be purchased via the Goodwood website (www.goodwood.com/motor sport/), or the Ticket Hotline as follows: Telephone: +44 (0)1243 755055

Image: www.roylemedia.co.uk and www.facebook.com/roylemedia

NEWS: 2013 Toyota Sprint Series Dates

Yay, the Toyota Sprint Series – one of the most affordable, fun, well organised events of its kind in the UK – is back for 20123, with some great venues and dates and the usual huge class mixture, making almost everyone a winner! 

They say: "Following on from a from a very successful 2012 championship, the series continues to provide some of the best value for money motor sport in the country for like minded Toyota enthusiasts." And we can expect to see brand new GT86's – including the mighty Fensport demo car – on the track against Supras, MR2's, Corollas, Celicas and more this year. The provisional 2013 dates and venues are:

Round 1, 28th April: Blyton Park
Round 2, 19th May: Woodbridge
Round 3, 9th June: Barkston Heath
Round 4, 18th August Blyton (different course to R1)
Round 5, 15th September: Croft Circuit
Round 6, 19th October: Snetterton 100 Circuit

The TSS add: "The Toyota Sprint Series is designed to be an affordable first step into motor sport for Toyota enthusiasts. It will be designed to be as safe as possible, whilst providing excitement and challenge for drivers of all levels, from complete novices to professional teams, everyone is made welcome. Venues are chosen for their safety and track layouts are designed to test the driver/car ability. All runs are against the clock only. With thirteen classes covering a wide range of machinery from completely standard cars to highly modified, there is something for everyone, from cars in excess of twenty five years old being joined by the latest GT86's. Also on offer is our "Class X" specially designed to allow drivers of non Toyota cars to compete alongside and get a feel of TSS. The dedicated and friendly team at TSS look forward to yet another year of quality motorsport at a very affordable price and we invite you to get out there and give it a try!"

Entry costs are a very reasonable £125 per round and entries are limited to a first come first served basis, so get entering via www.ToyotaSprint.com. It's a whole lot of Toyota fun! 

NEWS: Aston Martin 100th Anniversary Race Meet @ Brands Hatch

Astin Martin will gather the largest collection of their racing cars ever at a meet at Brands Hatch in July for a unique race series to continue the British brand’s centenary celebrations. More than a hundred of the marque’s racing cars, dating from 1922 to the present day, will gather for the two-day race series in Kent on 6th and 7th July.
2013 is the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of Aston Martin, and the event in July will recognise the company’s achievements in sports car racing during the last century. Aston Martin has recorded multiple wins at Le Mans, including outright victory in 1959, as well as the World Sportscar Championship the same year and most recently the Le Mans Series title in 2009.
The two-day event will see Aston Martin racing cars from nearly every decade compete on the Brands Hatch Indy and Grand Prix circuits. Two special centenary races are also planned, the first covering the pre-war era to the mid 1960s, and the second open to all Astons from the mid-sixties, including the latest Aston Martin GT1, GTE, GT3 and GT4 cars in a single race on the Grand Prix circuit.
Additional races will include pre-war Aston Martins, with Lagondas and Bentleys also expected to take part. Meanwhile the AMOC Intermarque Championship, ‘50s Sports Cars, Equipe GTS and HRDC Touring Greats categories will also pit cars from throughout Aston Martin’s history against contemporary rivals. The weekend will also feature two rounds of the 2013 Aston Martin GT4 Challenge of Great Britain.
Off the track there will be examples of nearly every Aston Martin racing car ever produced, plus some of its finest road machinery, while everything from pre-war Ulsters through to Nimrods and the Aston Martin AMR1 will take part in on-track demonstrations.
The marque’s connection with James Bond will also be showcased in a display to celebrate the history of 007’s Aston Martin cars from the DB5’s first appearance in Goldfinger in 1964 to its most recent appearance in Skyfall.
Meanwhile, owners of Aston Martin and Lagonda cars will be invited to take part in track parades and to display their cars around the historic venue. A concours area, dealer stands and live music will also entertain visitors, while a special celebration dinner will be held on the Saturday night in the MotorSport Vision (MSV) Centre at Brands Hatch.
David Richards, chairman of Aston Martin Lagonda, said: "Brands Hatch has played an important part in Aston Martin’s racing history so is a fitting venue for one of the key events in our year of centenary celebrations. Legendary drivers such as Graham Hill, Jack Sears and Innes Ireland all raced at Brands Hatch in Aston Martin cars and the atmospheric Kent circuit will provide a wonderful arena for our competition and road cars to participate in what I’m sure will be a superb weekend."
Jonathan Palmer, chief executive of MSV added: "Aston Martin is an incredible brand that is synonymous with quintessentially British sports cars, famous for an enviable pedigree from James Bond 007, royal patronage and Le Mans motor racing success. With a great range of ever-evolving road cars, Aston Martin makes products that are more desirable than ever and we believe a record number of its sports cars will be present at the Brands Hatch Centenary Meeting."

For more information about entering your Aston Martin for the event please e-mail jwalters@astonmartinracing.com
Tickets for the Aston Martin Centenary Meeting are on sale now at www.brandshatch.co.uk.
And for more information contact:
MSV, Kevin Ritson on 01474 875316 or by email kevin.ritson@msv.com

NEWS: VW Motorsport Ready For Rally Sweden

After their amazing WRC debut in Monte Carlo last month, VW Motorsport head to Rally Sweden (7-10 February) this week, looking for another podium, on the only true snow rally of the year. Get your spiked tyres and snow boots ready folks!  

At the wheel of the all-new 315-hp (232 kW) Polo R WRC will once again be Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) and Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) – the latter team looking to use those years of snow rallying expertise to take the home Scandinavian advantage. Only Sebastian Loeb ios the only no-Scandinavian to win the event, in 2006. 

The rally, with its headquarters in Karlstad and Service Park in Hagfors, represents a gruelling test for the drivers and the team’s technology: the rally cars are consistently pushed to their very limits, despite temperatures plummeting to between 10 and 20 degrees below freezing. The icy cold is no obstacle for the enthusiastic fans, however: armed with tents and camp fires, which they erect along the side of the route, they defy the conditions to cheer the wild drifts and huge jumps produced by their rally heroes. Another feature of the event is that the route for this iconic rally also takes the teams over the border from Sweden into Norway. 

"After a good start to the season, the entire team now heads to the next challenge, the Rally Sweden, fully motivated and full of confidence. However, everyone in the team is well aware that the good result achieved in Monte Carlo is not yet a true indication of where we lie compared to the opposition," said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. "The Rally Sweden is totally unique. The speed on the ice and snow is very high. This is only possible with extreme studded tyres, which are only used once a year. However, every rally is a test for the team. The processes in Monte Carlo recently were top-class. We want to follow on from this in Sweden and to continue developing from rally to rally."
Initial forecasts are predicting temperatures of –10° Celsius for the weekend of 7 to 10 February. This will provide a stern test for the team at the nine scheduled services, and will put man and material through its paces during the 338.91 timed kilometres awaiting the Polo R WRC.
After a spectator stage in Karlstad on Thursday, the rally heads into the Hagfors region on Friday, where Saturday’s special stages are held to the east of the city. Special stages along the border with Norway are scheduled for Saturday. The stages are all similar: largely lined by walls of snow, which the drivers “lean on” every so often, the route takes the competitors at high speeds through forests and past frozen lakes.
2012 winner, 2013 “powered by Volkswagen” Jari-Matti Latvala said: "I really like the Rally Sweden. The event requires a very quick and flowing driving style on Swedish forest roads. There is nothing to criticise about the event – with one exception: it can get very cold there, with temperatures reaching as low as minus 20 or even minus 30 degrees. Up to now I have driven 500 kilometres on snow in the Polo R WRC. However, we will slot in another test day on snow before the Rally Sweden. The car works very well in these conditions. I am already very happy with the way it feels to drive. I have fond memories of the Rally Sweden, such as my very first WRC victory in 2008 and, of course, my win there last year. My goal for this season is to finish in the top five."
Sébastien Ogier, Polo R WRC #8, who came second on his first rally with VW said: "The season could hardly have started better for us. Heading to Sweden with 18 points to our name is a very nice position to be in. This allows us to relax a little. However, we are now faced with a new rally. Let’s see what we are capable of on this surface. It is hard to predict what awaits us there. We will have to wait until after the first few special stages. I really like the Rally Sweden. If the snow conditions are good, it is really good fun driving there. The average speed is pretty high, and the grip on studded tyres is fantastic. I just love pulling off big drifts with a rally car on ice."

Did you know ...
... the Rally Sweden was first held in 1950 and will be staged for the 60th time in 2013? Since 1950, only three years have passed, in which the “Sweden” did not form part of the World Rally Championship: in 1974 it was cancelled due to the oil crisis, in 1990 due to poor weather, and in 2009 when the FIA rotation system meant it was not included on the calendar.
 

... the “poor weather” that prevented the 1990 Rally Sweden from taking place actually refers to it being too mild? Back then, there was too little snow to stage a real “Sweden”.

... the Rally Sweden is a real home event for Scandinavian drivers? Only once has the rally, which is the only race on the calendar that is always held on ice and snow, been won by a man from outside Sweden, Norway and Finland. In 2004, Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena (F/MC, Citroën) were victorious.

... Volkswagen consultant Carlos Sainz boasts a remarkable successful record at the Rally Sweden, with just one thing missing: a win? “El Matador” finished runner-up in Sweden on four occasions between 1996 and 1999, and also stepped onto the podium after finishing third in 2001 and 2002.

... the Volkswagen team is excellently prepared for the icy temperatures at the Rally Sweden? Taking the approach that layers are the best way to combat the cold, the mandatory team attire includes an outdoor jacket with a fur hood, soft-shell jacket, thermal underlayer, pullover, and polo shirt or team shirt. The team’s shoes are also completely suitable for use in wintery conditions.

... the organisers of the Rally Sweden present the “Colin’s Crest Award” for the longest jump over a crest on the Vargåsen stage, in memory of Colin McRae? Previous winners since 2008: Khalid Al Qassimi (UAE), Marius Aasen (N), Ken Block (USA) and Ott Tänak (EST).

... Volkswagen is also the official car of the Rally Sweden?

... the Rally Sweden is the first event of the 2013 season to feature two spectator stages, known as Super Special Stages? The 1.9-kilometre “Färjestadstravet” stage in Karlstad will be held twice on a harness racing track.

The number for the Rally Sweden: 1,300: As at all the rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the Volkswagen engineers can expect to be faced with a lot of analysis work at the Rally Sweden. Each car will record about 1,300 megabytes of sensor data at the “Sweden”. For comparison: that is the equivalent of about 230,000 A4 pages of pure text.

Current FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Standings
Drivers’ Championship
1. Sébastien Loeb, 25 points;
2. Sébastien Ogier, 18;
3. Dani Sordo, 15;
4. Mikko Hirvonen, 12;
5. Bryan Bouffier, 10;

2013 Manufacturers’ Championship
1. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, 37;
2. Volkswagen Motorsport, 18;
3. Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team, 15;
4. Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team, 10;
5. Lotos WRC Team, 8.