What I’d Do Differently: Jackie Stewart

What I’d Do Differently: Jackie Stewart:

The three-time world champion talks about his learning disability, his campaign for driver safety, and the mess that became Jaguar Racing.

C/D: Congratulations on getting into the Indy Hall of  Fame.

JS: Thank you. It’s very nice. I didn’t win the race [in 1966], obviously, but I was leading by two laps with just eight laps to go when the drive to the oil-scavenge pump sheared. I still finished sixth and won Rookie of  the Year—I’ve still got the trophy. It’s one of  very  few I kept.

Keep Reading: What I’d Do Differently: Jackie Stewart – Interview

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Front-Drive Audi TT RS Race Car Now Available to Order from Audi Sport Customer Racing

Front-Drive Audi TT RS Race Car Now Available to Order from Audi Sport Customer Racing:

To create the 2012 TT RS, Audi stuffed a TT with a 360-hp inline-five, Quattro all-wheel drive, and wide 19-inch wheels; to create the racing version of the TT RS Audi ripped some of that stuff out, and the result is now available to order from Audi Sport.

What did Audi remove? For starters, the TT RS’s grippy all-wheel-drive system is out—rendering the racer front-wheel drive—as well as most of the interior. To offset those losses, Audi added a downforce-enhancing body kit and rear wing, a six-speed sequential transmission, an adjustable track-oriented suspension, a roll cage, and more power (what any lightweight front-drive car needs!). Audi increased the TT RS’s turbocharged inline-five output from 360 hp in stock form (335 hp in Europe) to 380 for the track iteration. The company has been developing the TT RS race car in the crucible of racing for the past year, and a prototype took a class victory at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in June.

How much more expensive is the lighter-weight, higher-power TT RS race car than the production model? A U.S.-spec RS rings in at a relatively attractive $57,725. Audi is asking for €180,000—more than $250,000 at current exchange rates—for the stripped-out, turn-key TT RS racer. Perhaps to help sweeten the deal, Audi Sport promises customers will receive “the Audi service for which they have become accustomed.” It might not need to do so—call us crazy, but the idea of the TT RS’s wild five-cylinder engine warbling through an unrestricted exhaust might just be worth the hefty outlay.

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Toyota Teases its “New” Frankfurt-Bound FT-86 II Concept in New Video

Toyota Teases its “New” Frankfurt-Bound FT-86 II Concept in New Video:

The rear-drive FT-86 II concept that Toyota will bring to the 2011 Frankfurt auto show may share its name and basic shape with the FT-86 II and FT-86 concepts shown at this year’s Geneva auto show and 2009′s Tokyo auto show, but will apparently be a new iteration. To amp up FT-86 fans, Toyota has released a teaser video of the “new” FT-86 II concept that shows people designing and painting the car. From the glimpses of the car in the clip, it doesn’t look radically different from the last FT concept, but then that car wasn’t a massive departure from the one before it, either. We think the alleged newness of this concept warrants a name change to FT-86 III, but we’ll have to wait and see just how different it is from the previous FT concepts—and the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, for that matter. Eventually—at the Tokyo auto show later this year—we will finally see a production version.

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New C/D Center-of-Gravity-Height and Variable-Slalom Tests

New C/D Center-of-Gravity-Height and Variable-Slalom Tests:

Back to the Lab: We’re constantly pursuing new methods to unlock performance-related secrets.

When performed properly, instrumented car testing has the ability to measure and report on truths that are impossible to acquire from the seat of your pants. During a half-century of testing, Car and Driver has developed a portfolio of measurements that reveals most facets of vehicle performance. These secrets, coupled with our trenchant analysis, make you an expert on any car’s entertainment potential, giving you the tools you need to settle any bar bet.

Keep Reading: New C/D Center-of-Gravity-Height and Variable-Slalom Tests – Tech Dept.

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Volvo Gives a Glimpse at Frankfurt “Concept You” in New Video

Volvo Gives a Glimpse at Frankfurt “Concept You” in New Video:

Volvo has released a video clip previewing the Concept You it’s bringing to the 2011 Frankfurt auto show next week, and the car looks like an evolution of the automaker’s recent Concept Universe. In fact, we think it might be just a slightly tweaked version of the Universe, which was unveiled at this year’s Shanghai auto show. At that show Volvo played up the Universe’s China-centric design and importance, but promised it would show the concept in other parts of the world later.

The You’s front end—it is shown briefly as a sketch during the clip—wears a look that is very similar to that of the Universe, but with more traditional Volvo detailing. The Universe’s strange grille slats and headlight design gives way to Volvo’s signature eggcrate grille and headlights that feature what look like horizontal rows of LEDs on the You. The You’s hood even features a Universe-like semi-circular power dome on the hood. If the You is an extension of the Universe, we hope it looks more interesting; we described that car as being “styled with all the innovation of a Top 40 pop song.” We will have to wait and see what Volvo’s Concept You has in store when it is unveiled in Frankfurt.

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This Leaked Image is Probably the Actual Jeep-Based Maserati Crossover

This Leaked Image is Probably the Actual Jeep-Based Maserati Crossover:

The image you see above, published in the Automotive News Europe Pocket Guide to the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show appears to show the Maserati SUV that will be unveiled next week. While we do, of course, remain somewhat skeptical about this being the genuine article, all of the other images we can verify in the Pocket Guide are official and accurate. It seems unlikely, too, that the straight-laced folks at ANE would go with a rendering.

As we reported in May, we expect the Maserati SUV to arrive in 2014. It will be based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s platform, and probably will be built in Michigan. We are hopeful that even using Jeep underpinnings, the Maserati will be sufficiently Latinized, and that it will make use of one of the company’s fine V-8 engines. (That’s not a shot at the wonderful Hemi, of course, it just seems a bit too American for what’s ostensibly a piece of Italian machinery.)

A Chrysler-group-based Maserati? Bring on the Maserati TC by Chrysler, jokes. But hey, at least this time the Maser will be based on something at the front of the class—not a K-car.

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2011 Mini Countryman ALL4 Long-Term Update: Minor Complaints, Emerging Props

2011 Mini Countryman ALL4 Long-Term Update: Minor Complaints, Emerging Props:

It’s slow going for our fast-moving Mini Countryman.

Our extended-stay Mini Countryman needs to get out and see the country. As suggested by its sluggish accumulation of miles—in six months, we’ve spun its odometer to just 11,459 miles—it has been on few long trips. One staffer drove it down to Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Slugger and a number of fine distilleries. Another took it north to Alpena, Michigan, home of a number of fine (and fir) trees and a bar that encourages customers to bring their own food on Saturdays because that’s live-music night, and the cook is the guitar player in the band.

Keep Reading: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4 – Long-Term Road Test Update

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Full Chevy Camaro ZL1 Info: Cranking the Dyno Needle to 580 HP

Full Chevy Camaro ZL1 Info: Cranking the Dyno Needle to 580 HP:

The bow-tie fires a shot across the bow of Ford’s Shelby GT500, while aiming for more.

Here’s the latest salvo in the perpetual power and performance war: Chevy will top Ford’s 550-hp Shelby GT500 with a husky 580-hp—SAE-certified—supercharged and intercooled 6.2-liter V-8 when the Camaro ZL1 finally hits the street early next year as a 2012 model. To compensate for Ford’s cam and valve advantage, Chevy resorted to the classic expedient of an extra 0.8-liter of displacement, thereby achieving the upper hand in torque: 556 lb-ft at 4200 rpm versus the GT500’s 510 lb-ft at 4250 rpm. For the record, this new LSA small-block V-8 is the highest-caliber ammo ever loaded into any production Camaro by the factory.

Keep Reading: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Cranks the Dyno Needle to 580 HP – Car News

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Name That Shifter, No. 41: 1986 Vixen 21TD Motorhome

Name That Shifter, No. 41: 1986 Vixen 21TD Motorhome:

Click to enlarge

On Monday we presented this week’s shifter and asked you to identify the make and model of the vehicle from whence it came. The plain, generic shifter didn’t throw off Alex Todd, who correctly identified it as a Vixen 21TD motorhome. Alex will receive a Save the Manuals button and sticker as a reward.

The Vixen pictured here is from our October 1986 issue. The Vixen motorhome was fairly radical for a rolling residence—low, wide, and streamlined. It was powered by a 114-hp BMW-Steyr diesel mated to a Renault-sourced five-speed manual transaxle, and weighed just 5880 pounds. Performance wasn’t sparkling by car standards—it reached 60 mph in 21.8 seconds—but the Vixen was quick for an RV and achieved an astounding 21 mpg in our hands (the manufacturer rated it at 33 mpg at a steady 55-mph cruise).

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Ford Introduces 1.0-Liter EcoBoost Three-Cylinder at Frankfurt Auto Show

Ford Introduces 1.0-Liter EcoBoost Three-Cylinder at Frankfurt Auto Show:

Ford is using the Frankfurt auto show to introduce its latest contribution to our impending future of tiny engines: a turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder that the Blue Oval says will match the power and efficiency of a 1.6-liter.

The tiny EcoBoost promises fuel economy of about 45 mpg on the European combined cycle. And speaking of Europe, that’s where the engine will debut; first in the Focus and later in the C-Max and upcoming B-Max. Power is 99 or 118 horses, which is fairly impressive for a mere 1000 cc. Considering the power-hungry tastes of American buyers, we’ll probably only see the higher horsepower version on our shores. Ford previously said the U.S. would get this engine in the Fiesta, and maybe the Focus, too.

In 118-hp trim, the EcoBoost three makes 125 lb-ft of torque, which is available from a low 1300 rpm. The engine block is cast iron, both to keep the exterior dimensions compact and to aid in cold-start warming. Further helping cold-start warm-up are separate cooling circuits for the block and head. Among other tricks Ford employed for increased power and efficiency are a variable oil pump and air conditioning compressor. The new EcoBoost also uses a flywheel and crankshaft pulley that are intentionally unbalanced, to counteract the natural imbalances of a three-cylinder engine without resorting to power-sapping balance shafts.

A mere 118 horsepower won’t raise anyone’s pulse, but it’s yet another example of an automaker working to provide decent output in the face of incredibly high fuel-efficiency requirements. Welcome to the future. It might not be all bad.

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2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale Debuts, Is a Wild Mouthful

2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale Debuts, Is a Wild Mouthful:

The wildest yet in a long line of wild Gallardos.

We’d like to imagine that when it came time pick a shade of red for the new Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale, Lamborghini asked a wise, old pigment specialist, “Which is the reddest of the reds, signore?” To which he replied, “Rosso Mars, it is the reddest.” And yes, it is true.

Keep Reading: 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale – Auto Shows

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2012 Ford Focus ST-R Debuts in Frankfurt: A Harder-Core Focus ST, Ready to Race

2012 Ford Focus ST-R Debuts in Frankfurt: A Harder-Core Focus ST, Ready to Race:

Ford complements its upcoming Focus ST with a turn-key race car.

While the majority of hot-hatch fans will be most excited about the debut of the production Ford Focus ST at the 2011 Frankfurt show, the engineers back in Dearborn would like to make sure the car also finds love from those who spend just as much time on closed circuits as they do on freeways. As such, the production car shares the stage in Germany with this turn-key racer, known as the Focus ST-R.

Keep Reading: 2013 Ford Focus ST-R – Auto Shows

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2013 Ford Focus ST Debuts in Frankfurt: Finally, the Focus ST You Can Buy

2013 Ford Focus ST Debuts in Frankfurt: Finally, the Focus ST You Can Buy:

After a year of teasing—but not many changes—the production Focus ST finally appears.

It was a year ago, in the lead-up to the 2010 Paris auto show, that we first got our look at the Ford Focus ST. Nobody at Ford called the Focus ST shown at that point a concept, but it clearly wasn’t a regular-production car. Paint that shiny and wheels that awesome just aren’t things you can get on a showroom Ford. Now, though, Ford is officially launching the ST at the Frankfurt auto show, and we’re pleased to report that the paint is slightly less shiny, but that’s about the only departure from the ST as we already knew it.

Keep Reading: 2013 Ford Focus ST – Auto Shows

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Lamborghini Confirms Sesto Elemento for Production

Lamborghini Confirms Sesto Elemento for Production:

There has been a lot of talk lately about Lamborghini adding a third model to its thin product portfolio, and at an event at the Frankfurt auto show, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann confirmed that another product is forthcoming from the company—but not in the sense that the rumors concern. When Winkelmann took the stage in Germany to introduce the special-edition Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale, he proudly announced that Lamborghini would in fact be producing the Sesto Elemento. He then promptly left the stage, leaving us with lots of questions. How faithful will the production version remain to the concept? Will it employ carbon fiber to the extent of the concept—which weighed 1100 pounds less than a Gallardo Superleggera? Will it get a dashboard? (We hope not.)

Winkelmann did provide one important tidbit: like the Murciélago-based Reventón, the Sesto Elemento will be an ultra-limited-production car—only 20 will be built. Figure on pricing similar to that of the $1.4 million Reventón. And note that the question of what Lamborghini’s third “regular” product will be is still open.

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2013 Lexus GS450h Hybrid Debuts in Frankfurt: Both Sportier and More Fuel-Efficient

2013 Lexus GS450h Hybrid Debuts in Frankfurt: Both Sportier and More Fuel-Efficient:

The new hybrid Lexus GS looks to be both sportier and more fuel-efficient.

Lexus recently debuted the all-new 2013 GS350 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, but waited until the Frankfurt auto show to reveal the new GS450h hybrid variant. As we found out driving a prototype of the new GS350, Lexus’s new GS platform is sportier than the last one, and the new hybrid version should be no different. But more central to the GS450h’s fuel-sipping mission, Lexus made several tweaks to its hybrid system to extract a significant efficiency boost over the outgoing car.

Keep Reading: 2013 Lexus GS450h Hybrid – Auto Shows

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Ford Fiesta ST Concept: A Fiesta STeeped in the Focus ST’s Broth

Ford Fiesta ST Concept: A Fiesta STeeped in the Focus ST’s Broth:

Ford STeeps the Fiesta in the same broth in which it cooked the Focus ST.

Ford has already revealed a cache of concepts and production models at the Frankfurt auto show, and now here to round out the group is the turbocharged Fiesta ST. Ford is calling the zippier Fiesta a concept, but what you see here essentially previews a production model. There was an ST version of the last-gen Fiesta in Europe, and Ford’s upcoming Focus ST could use a little company in the showroom.

Keep Reading: Ford Fiesta ST Concept – Auto Shows

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Volkswagen Beetle R Concept Photos and Info: The Latest Bug Gets Tough

Volkswagen Beetle R Concept Photos and Info: The Latest Bug Gets Tough:

The latest Bug gets tough.

Here, finally, is physical proof of the car we first broke news of back in April: The high-power Beetle R. While it’s been slapped with the “concept” descriptor, most of what’s present will make its way to production.

Keep Reading: Volkswagen Beetle R Concept – Auto Shows

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Land Rover to Introduce Diesel Engines in U.S. Models in Next Few Years

Land Rover to Introduce Diesel Engines in U.S. Models in Next Few Years:

Land Rover will begin offering diesel engines in U.S.-market models in the next few years, executives from the company told us today. They explain that this is a necessary step for the company to meet long-term fuel-economy standards and to appeal to SUV shoppers looking to take some sting out of fuel consumption.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi have enjoyed success with turbo-diesels in the luxury-SUV category, with roughly 30 percent of customers opting for these engines in the companies’ X5, M-class, and Q7, respectively.

Which engine Land Rover will use to power American-market models is unclear, though. The company recently introduced a 2.2-liter diesel in Europe, and the engine has been warmly received. But it is likely not powerful enough to propel big trucks like the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and LR4 with enough haste to satisfy Americans. The company’s 3.0-liter diesel V-6 is getting old, but is a bit more likely. It’s clean enough to meet European emissions standards and should polish up for the EPA’s testing without too much expense.

We haven’t any complaints about this news, as we’re big fans of diesel engines. Based on the success of the Germans—not to mention our own 40,000-mile experience with an Audi Q7 TDI—it seems that luxury SUVs are diesels’ best foothold in the U.S.

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