Download

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

Cruising Europe in a 2011 Porsche Panamera

Cruising Europe in a 2011 Porsche Panamera: "

Photo by John Lamm

It doesn’t look that far on a map and the mileage doesn’t add up to much for freeway-familiar Americans, but it’s a long way from Stuttgart, Germany to Monza, Italy. And back.

It’s those pesky Alps that get in the way, whether you’re trying to go over or through them. And the traffic can bite…big time.

Luckily Porsche provided a Panamera for the drive, so even when stacked up waiting to get through the Gotthard tunnel you’re comfortable. Okay, the car’s exterior styling is controversial to some–hey, I like the rear 3/4 view–but the interior is a wonderful place to be. You face the familiar Porsche gauge layout, but look to the right and then back to all that space, as comfortable as it is beautifully finished.

Here’s what’s different about the Panamera in Europe. Those who have driven the 4-door Porsche in the U.S. think of it as large for a non-Cayenne Porsche, but not really that big in our open spaces. Put it in narrow European city streets or edging your way into an underground garage seemingly sized for small VWs and Fiats and it’s another matter altogether.

Thankfully the Porsche is equipped with highly effective and sensibly conservative sensors that warn you of impediments, both audibly and visually. BMW uses a similar system that features green, then yellow, then red flaring warnings on an overhead view of the car. It works nicely and squeezing into a tight spot in a garage ends up being oddly fun. Honest.

The route back from Monza included a stint over the Tyrolean Alps, through the Fernpass on a warm morning with sunlight slanting in from east and the roads remarkably free of traffic. The road seemed the twistiest through forest sections before opening into gentle curves bounded by open fields. Now the Panamera didn’t feel at all big, but downright nimble and when you do come up on traffic, the V-8 powers you right past.

Not surprisingly, 100-mph autobahn cruising is easy in the big Porsche, the words that keep coming back are “well planted,” which is how you feel.

"

Source : Google Reader

Phil Hill Remembered at Monza

Phil Hill Remembered at Monza: "

Phil Hill Trophy winner Mark Piercy with Alma and Derek Hill.

Photos by John Lamm

Not to make some of you feel too much older, but we’re just a few months short of the 50th Anniversary of Phil Hill’s Formula 1 championship. Yup, a half century.

Which is why the Coppa Intereuropa historic races at Monza last weekend featured a special Phil Hill Trophy race. Mark Piercy won that event in an ex-John Surtees 1964 Lola MK4 and was presented the trophy by Phil’s widow, Alma, and son, Derek.

Derek Hill leaving the pits at Monza before the start of the GT & Sports Car Cup race.

What made the show special however, was Jan Biekens from Belgium in a yellow Ferrari, a replica of the car in which Phil won. Enzo Ferrari had all the famous “sharknose” Grand Prix cars that ran the 1961 and 1962 seasons destroyed. One of Phil’s great regrets was that the car he won with had been ash canned and he hoped someone would build a proper facsimile some day.

Well, Biekens’ car is just that, a beautifully crafted reflection of the 1961 car, complete with a correct drivetrain, a frame built off the original blueprints and a body that is correct right down to the curve of the distinctive nose and tight rows of rivets. Okay, it is yellow because Biekens is a huge fan of Olivier Gendebien, whose car was done in those Belgian racing colors when he competed in F1. Then again, Phil and Olivier were great friends and shared those three wins at Le Mans.

On Sunday, we took the car up on the old banking that was such a prominent feature of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza for many years. Now the abandoned banked curve is scruffy and lined with rusted guardrail, but it was poignant to see the car, which looks so small, it’s tires so slim, on that historic surface.

At speed in the rain, Derek Hill at Monza in the Shelby Cobra 289.

That same day, Derek was co-driver in a 90-minute enduro for sports and GT cars in a Shelby Cobra 289. Robert Hall had put the car on the pole. Derek was third fastest in practice, but facing a wet track for the initial stint. Still he held a solid second place behind a Jaguar E-Type and when the rain finished the Hall/Hill pair was able to use the Cobra’s horsepower to put it strongly in the lead…until shortly before the race ended. Coming out of the second Lesmo corner, the throttle stuck open for Derek who was just about to pass a Morgan. Ouch.

Frustrating, but nothing could dim the day we finally got to see a sharknose Ferrari GP car back on the banking at Monza.

Derek Hill with Jan Biekens’ replica of the sharknose Ferrari in which Phil Hill won his Formula 1 title at Monza in 1961.

No related posts.

"

Source : Google Reader

2011 Peugeot 508

2011 Peugeot 508: "

Peugeot-508_1

Over the past couple of decades or so, mainstream European manufacturers such as Ford, GM, Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat have abandoned the large car sector. Some just weren’t very good – step forward Fiat’s Croma, others were distinctly eccentric in their design – thank you Renault Vel Satis – others like Ford’s Granada and GM’s Senator/Carlton were worthy but lacked the Audi/BMW/M-B parking lot panache as those marques stretched their product portfolios to embrace a wider price band.

Peugeot has gamely battled on with models like the 605 and, latterly, the 607 but sales have consistently flat-lined, peaking at just over 19,000 back in 2005.

Peugeot-508_2

Undeterred they’ve come back with the 508, the estate version of which you see pictured here and that I recently drove at an industry test day. This is really a [Ford] Mondeo challenger in terms of size or a theoretical bog standard steel wheeled, rubber matted BMW 5-series wagon.

Question is, is it any good? Well. It’s very roomy sadly my pair of Golden Retrievers weren’t on hand to test the luggage bay, but I think they would have been impressed by its roominess. This version was powered by the same 2.2-liter diesel found in Ford’s Mondeo with 204 bhp and 332 lb.-ft. of torque, so it has got brisk mid-range performance. But why bother with paddle shifts? For heavens sake this is not a performance car but a family holiday barge and a diesel at that.

Peugeot-508_3

The ride would happily see me loaf down to Biarritz from the Cotswolds on the Autoroutes, but I wouldn’t stray off them looking for a challenging road into the Pyrenees.

There are more accomplished rivals: a Ford Mondeo is more involving and a Skoda Superb has enough space to house a baby Grand.

At the end of the day the 508 isn’t a bad car… it’s just not a rival to three German premier brands that will, in the fullness of time, be joined by a British competitor.

"
Source : Google Reader

Intel socket 1155 MB

Intel socket 1155 MB: "

I am atm looking for new MB and CPU - and it looks like i would have to step down from the AMD wagon to intel's. So if anyone can help me to find intel MB with Z68 or P67 chipset who would allow me to install 2x PCIe graphic cards (2 slot cooling solution) with minimum 3x additional aviable PCIe x1 slot (which i do need because of the sound card, LAN card and TV card) and ideally with additional 1x PCIe x8 slot as i plan to buy PCIe SATA/SAS controler and if there would be one additional PCI slot aviable that would be great as there is possibility that i would in future change from PCIe sound card back to PCI sound card.

Source :Googel Reader

DX58SO2 memory

DX58SO2 memory: "

I am confused. The board supports DDR3 1600+/1333/1066 mHz. Looking at the specifications sheet it states DDR3 2000+. What are the best DIMM's to use? 1600+ or 2000+?

Source :Googel Reader

Intel WX58BP bug in BIOS for ASPM L0s setting

Intel WX58BP bug in BIOS for ASPM L0s setting: "

Hi,

I have tried to disable PCIe ASPM L0s power management mode in WX58BP bios by setting the option to 'disable'.

System Setup -> Power -> PCIE ASPM L0s -> <DISABLE>.

I have set the option to 'DISABLE', but i see that the chipset (X58 rev.13h,Stepping B3) continues to send 'electrical iddle' ordered sets to PCIe endpoints to initiate transition from L0 to L0s.

So it is impossible to disable ASPM L0s in this platform wich is annoying in low latency applications.

I use the last bios release.(v.39, 2/22/2011)

Could it be solved in a new bios release ?

Best regards

Source :Googel Reader

Turned on DX58SO2 and getting beep beep beep C5 post code

Turned on DX58SO2 and getting beep beep beep C5 post code: "

Dear Fellows of Intel,

A new issue. Recently, when I turned on my system, my DX58SO2 made a long beep with interval between each beep like 'beep, beep, beep, beep' with the post code displaying C5, and the monitor not getting the signal(blank) for like 3 minutes then finally booted up to windows. That was the first time I saw such a strange behavior, what was that really? Could it be a cue that a component is about to break?

Somebody please respond, would be very appreciated

thanks

markus

Specs:

980x stock speed + Corsair A70

DX58SO2 AAG10925-205

1x GTX 580

Mushkin Blackline 6Gb 1600

Thermaltake Tough Power Grand 750w

WDC Black 500gbx2 raid 0

X-Fi Titanium HD

DVD ROM

Haf X

Source :Googel Reader

Monday, 6 June 2011

Usb Device Error – How To Update New Usb Drivers

Usb Device Error – How To Update New Usb Drivers: "Why would anyone need new USB drivers? Don’t USB ports just sit there waiting around for a device to be plugged in? The truth is they do more than you think. They are the hardest working drivers on your entire computer! Without them, all your “plug n play” devices would stop working. What Devices Use [...]"

Source : Google Reader

Škoda’s Fabia-Based Four-Door Roadster RS 2000 Concept Unveiled at Wörthersee

Škoda’s Fabia-Based Four-Door Roadster RS 2000 Concept Unveiled at Wörthersee: "

Volkswagen Group’s Škoda division is showing off the Fabia RS 2000 concept, a rally-inspired, roofless four-door design study that it purpose-built for the GTI meet at Wörthersee. Despite its GTI moniker, the Wörthersee meet attracts not only GTI tuners, but even non-GTI-associated aftermarket parts companies and tuning fans. The RS 2000 should play well to that crowd—borrowing an aggressive disposition from Škoda’s rally-prepped Fabias with add-ons like white multi-spoke racing wheels, widebody fender flares, and gaping lower front fascia air intakes, the green roadster exudes rally cool. On their own, the rally bits aren’t all that new or exciting, but paired with the concept’s chopped windshield and pillarless side glass ensconcing an open, four-seat, four-door cabin they certainly create a looker. To guard against the possibility the RS2000’s bodywork fails to grab onlookers’ attention, Škoda topped it off with a searing coat of bright green paint punctuated by blacked-out windshield pillars, grille, and chin spoiler.

Škoda claims that the open cabin and low windshield combine to deliver a dynamic and sporty drive with a “constant supply of fresh air and a sense of being at one with nature.” We dig the look, but we think that in reality, a constant supply of insects and road grime might dull some of the shine of that “fresh air” deal. Skoda didn’t mention what powers its mean, green machine, but if it shares any powertrain elements with the Škoda Fabia Super 2000 Intercontinental Rally Challenge car it was inspired by, we’d happily don a full-face helmet and jump behind the wheel.

Source : Google Reader