AutoWeek articles from July 2007

AutoWeek archives from July 2007

Off the straight and narrow path.(News)
July 2, 2007... No, it's not a new design for an F1 course, nor is it alien crop circles. A wheat field was destroyed by a driver under the influence of cocaine who panicked and tried to evade several police cars and a helicopter on a chase through a rural...

VIPER JR. In these days of corporate takeovers and private equity firms, the Demon could be exactly what Dodge needs.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Wes Raynal Nine a.m. on a gorgeous, sunny spring morning in Southeast Michigan, perfect convertible weather. Lo and behold, we have one. And not just any convertible but one we've never driven, the Dodge Demon, a car that has been...

CORPORATE AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY; Juan Pablo Montoya outlasts NASCAR's best.(Competitions of car racing)
July 2, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN So many strong drivers put on so many great performances at Infineon Raceway at Sears Point that you could point to just about any of them as one of the season's best. But it came down to whose crew chief could figure...

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES; The IRL puts on a wild one in Iowa.(Competitions of car racing)
July 2, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN The Indy Racing League and its fans will remember June 24, 2007, for a long time, although Dario Franchitti's win might be lost to most. Instead, memories of Iowa Speedway's first major event will include those of...

Extra.(Briefs)
July 2, 2007... Costly kart Lewis Hamilton finally made a mistake. The F1 rookie sensation sold one of his racing karts for charity-and crashed it while demonstrating it to its new owner. The kart sold on eBay for $84,000 and was to have been handed over...

BMW BRUSHES UP 6 SERIES; 2008 model gets minor restyling, simpler iDrive.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: GREG KABLE Four years after the 6 Series reintroduction, BMW is revising the coupe and convertible for 2008. Styling changes are subtle-so subtle that only those intimately familiar with the current model likely will notice...

RACE REPORT.(Competitions of car racing)
July 2, 2007... Make no mistake, Paul Tracy knows he wasn't supposed to win the Grand Prix of Cleveland, not after crashing with rookie Graham Rahal, which required a pit stop and a new front wing on his car, then crashing with Bruno Junqueira, which required...

PATIENCE AND THE ROOKIE; Graham Rahal is only 18 but shows maturity beyond his years.(Competitions of car racing)
July 2, 2007... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH For those who wonder why Champ Car rookie Graham Rahal hasn't won a race, his father, ex-champion Bobby Rahal, has one word: patience. That's also a word he uses a lot with Graham. "He wants to win now, and...

THE SECRET LIFE OF TOLY ARUTUNOFF.(Revs)
July 2, 2007... Byline: PHIL BERG James Thurber's character Walter Mitty actually wanted to become Anatoly Arutunoff, we believe. "Toly'' raced with Bob Bondurant, Phil Hill, Richie Ginther, Dan Gurney, Ak Miller and Carroll Shelby back when cars...

The Color of Success.(Column)
July 2, 2007... Byline: Dutch Mandel America's stick-and-ball sports public was recently introduced to Briton Lewis Hamilton courtesy of ESPN. Car guys have known him, but I was still interested to see how it played out on TV. Hamilton shared the screen...

Letters.
July 2, 2007... Barrett-Jackson Responds Contrary to the comments in the article "Acreage Angst'' (Revs, June 25), Barrett-Jackson's application for a 12-acre parcel of land in Scottsdale was not a subversive attempt to ruin a competitor. We applied to...

SMOKIN' DEALS.(prices of Toyota Motor Corp.)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Toyota sweetens the deal on its capable full-size truck yet again, while Lincoln offers huge rebates on its posh pickup. A compact and a crossover also get into the act with healthy incentives. CROSSOVER 2007 Chrysler Pacifica ...

UNDER THE HOOD.(Briefs)
July 2, 2007... WIN A DATE WITH A SUPERMODEL! AutoWeek editors want you to spend a day and an evening with a supermodel-the breathtakingly beautiful, sensual, sexy and sleek Audi R8. We're looking for someone who will treat this car with respect, who...

AUDI ASSAULT; Product push-15 models by 2015-starts with 2009 Q5.(News)
July 2, 2007... Byline: GREG KABLE Audi's Q5 sport/utility vehicle is at the heart of an ambitious new model plan known internally as "Route 15''-adding as many as 15 models to the German carmaker's ranks by 2015. Set for North American sale by the...

FERRARI READIES NEW F430.(News)
July 2, 2007... Ferrari is well on its way to developing a successor to the mid-engined F430. Test mules tucked under F430 Challenge Stradale bodywork (top left) are racking up miles on the Fiorano test track, as well as on the winding mountain roads around...

TWO-WHEEL LOWDOWN.(Revs)
July 2, 2007... Byline: GEORGE P. BLUMBERG 2007 PIAGGIO MP3 This scooter aims to change commuting. 250-cc, 22.5-hp, liquid-cooled single; 449-lb dry weight; 77-mph top speed (mfr) Competitive set: Conventional two-wheeled scooters, compact cars...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
July 2, 2007... This Week's Sign the Automotive Apocalypse Is Nigh Twelve Pittsburgh-area women posed almost naked, some with cars as props, for a charity calendar. So what, you ask? The women, according to the Associated Press, are all in their 70s and...

Stepping Out in a Silver Streak Six.(Escape Roads)
July 2, 2007... Byline: LINDA CLARK Named after its home city and a colorful Indian chief, Pontiac was launched in 1926. Embodying many features of pricier cars yet costing little more than the cheapest lines, Pontiac immediately won public favor and...

TOP THIS! There's nothing better than a convertible muscle car.
July 2, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN This is not the kind of thing General Motors just does well; it is what GM was made for. The Camaro convertible is so close to the perfect all-American car that it should be in a museum in a glass case marked...

Market.(product information of Ferrari Holdings PLC)(Brief article)
July 2, 2007... Byline: KEITH MARTIN 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO coupe RM Auctions Ferrari: "Leggenda e Passione'' Maranello, Italy, May 20 2855-cc, dual-overhead-cam, twin-turbocharged and intercooled, 400-hp V8; five-speed. Red with red and...

Drivers Log.(News)
July 2, 2007... MORRISON: I drove this thing like a slot car, turning in, then just rotating it through and out of corners with a liberal application of throttle. Rather than on-the-edge powerslides (which are doable if you desire), the car's natural tendency...

TV: July 6 - 8.(Competition)
July 2, 2007... Friday, July 6 Formula One practice from Great Britain, 9 a.m., Speed (L) Car Crazy, 10:30 a.m., Speed NASCAR Live from Daytona Beach, Fla., noon, Speed (L) NASCAR Busch Series qualifying from Daytona Beach, Fla., 1 p.m.,...

Extra.(Briefs)
July 2, 2007... Locked and loaded The wait for the Dodge Neon SRT4 replacement ends this September with the debut of the Caliber SRT4. Featuring a turbocharged and intercooled version of the global Chrysler 2.4-liter dohc inline-four with dual...

DOMINATING DRIVES AT MID-OHIO.(Competition)
July 2, 2007... Alex Gurney and Jon Fogarty left Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with everything but the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype championship lead. The duo led practically every lap and scored a nearly 32-second win over points leader Scott Pruett. The Grand...

A Cool Wind.(Escape Roads)(Product/service evaluation)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Eric Tegler The maserati Mistral is often forgotten among 1960s GTs. That's a shame, because it has most of the ingredients to place it on a short list of lustworthy contemporary exotics. But like the cool French Riviera wind for...

Wall climber.(News)
July 9, 2007... Motorcycle virtuoso Valentino Rossi of Italy, front, duels Casey Stoner of Australia during the MotoGP race of the Assen GP last week. Rossi won the race, with Stoner finishing second. Now turn the photo on its side to get the real racer's...

Crazy Money at Auction.(Column)
July 9, 2007... Byline: KC Crain A lot of folks gripe about the amounts some cars sell for at auction these days. Personally, I think it's great. Most people have heard about the spectacle that takes place in Arizona every year. Some may think it's...

SPIED! MAXIMUM 911 GT2 PACKS 550-HP PUNCH.(News)
July 9, 2007... Easily recognizable by the missing foglights in the front bumper (as compared with the Porsche 911 Turbo) and the huge rear wing, as well as a simpler front spoiler, this is the 997-based Porsche 911 GT2. Many didn't expect Porsche actually...

Bring Back the Firehawk!(Column)
July 9, 2007... Byline: Kevin Crawley When the Chevrolet Camaro returns to join the coming Dodge Challenger, three old rivals from the pony-car era (GM, Ford and Dodge) will compete again, but something important will be missing. Before V8 Pontiac...

LONG-HAUL LONG-TERMER; Suburban takes on every challenge.(features of Chevrolet Suburban)
July 9, 2007... Byline: WES RAYNAL, BOB GRITZINGER If our long-term Chevrolet Suburban has taught us anything in its first six months in our hands, it is this: Sometimes you find yourself in situations that require hauling huge piles of gear or a boatload...

LE WINNER, LE WHINER; Doornbos wins at Mont-Tremblant as Bourdais cries foul.(Competition)
July 9, 2007... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH In french, mont-Tremblant means "Trembling Mountain.'' After the Champ Car World Series race at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant, the first there since 1968, some in the Champ Car paddock suggested it means "Trembling...

BIGGER AND BETTER; Conservative wins in an election year.(News)(Highlander Hybrid is back with new stuffs)
July 9, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Didn't Toyota just introduce a new Highlander a couple of years ago? No, that was the 2004 "minor change,'' just a new engine and transmission. This is a new body, a better engine and some other stuff, so it's really...

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS; Denny Hamlin wins New Hampshire, but Hendrick Motorsports shows its power.(Competition)
July 9, 2007... Byline: AL PEARCE What does NASCAR do now that Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson finished second and fifth without the aid of their suspended crew chiefs (see Competition)? Dock 'em two laps before the Pepsi 400? Make 'em race on three...

UNDER THE HOOD.(News)
July 9, 2007... WIN A DATE WITH A SUPERMODEL Yo, Spunky, get out of your Barcalounger, put on some pressed duds and make yourself look niiiice. Then sign up at autoweek.com/supermodel to win an opportunity behind the wheel of Audi's own R8 sex machine....

SMOKIN' DEALS.(News)
July 9, 2007... This week, big bargains can be had on a long-serving Chevrolet sport/ute and a popular Toyota people mover, while special financing on a hatchback and an entry-luxury sedan rounds out the highlighted deals. HATCHBACK 2007 Volkswagen...

TV: July 13 - 15.(Competition)
July 9, 2007... FRIday, July 13 NASCAR Live from Joliet, Ill., noon, Speed (L) NASCAR Nextel Cup practice from Joliet, Ill., 12:30 p.m., Speed (L) Survival of the Fastest, 3 p.m., Speed NASCAR Live from Joliet, Ill., 3:30 p.m., Speed (L) ...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)(Editorial)
July 9, 2007... Ferrari to Vatican: Sinning Can Be Good In response to the Vatican's release of its "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road,'' Amedeo Felisa, Ferrari's general manager, told Reuters that driving a Ferrari is not a sin. The Vatican...

Bring on the beauty shots.(News)
July 9, 2007... We've already driven a pre-production Tiguan through the sands of Namibia ("Tiguan Tough,'' AW, June 25), but Volkswagen just released the first official photographs of its new cute ute. As expected, the overall styling doesn't depart much...

INTIMATE SETTING; The new C63 cozies up with style and speed.(News)
July 9, 2007... Byline: GREG KABLE To put it politely, the question is this: Has Mercedes-Benz finally learned that power alone is not enough? For years now, M-B's celebrated AMG division has been turning out exciting cars with outputs to match their...

F1 AT INDY: A COIN TOSS.(Competitions of car racing)
July 9, 2007... Indianapolis Motor Speedway chief Tony George said a decision on renewing the U.S. Grand Prix contract likely won't be made much before the July 12 deadline that he imposed last month ("F1 Leaving Indy?'' AW, June 25). George said he...

EXTRA.(Briefs)
July 9, 2007... ECCLESTONE REVEALED Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone's official biography will hit shelves this fall. The book, written by Susan Watkins-wife of former F1 medical chief Sid Watkins-is titled Bernie and will reveal "The true struggle...

THE POWER OF CONFIDENCE; Dario Franchitti is on cruise control and racing to the IRL title.(Competitions of car racing)
July 9, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN Dario Franchitti likes what Scott Dixon says about race-car drivers: They get paid to do the PR fluff; they race for free. At the going rate, Franchitti is due for a raise in both categories. His win in the SunTrust...

SPICING IT UP; Kimi Raikkonen and Ferrari return to the front.(Competition)
July 9, 2007... Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK Eight races into the Formula One season, the top four drivers have two wins apiece. Kimi Raikkonen's spell in the relative wilderness ended when he won the last French Grand Prix to be run at Magny-Cours. Following a...

Market.(Escape Roads)
July 9, 2007... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Ferrari: "Leggenda e Passione'' Maranello, Italy, May 20 3967-cc, 390-hp V12, 6x2-barrel Weber carburetors, five-speed. Red with black leather interior. Coachwork by Fantuzzi. The last Testa...

Letters.
July 9, 2007... Jag, Rover and Ford's future After reading "Fire Sale'' (This Week, June 25), I'm saddened by Ford's lack of commitment to Jaguar and Land Rover. I hope Ford will try once more with Jaguar and Land Rover. Ford should hire businesspeople...

FUN & GAMES; High-Octane Racing in Your Living Room.(Revs)
July 9, 2007... Byline: JONATHAN WONG Forza Motorsport 2 While PlayStation 3 owners wait for the next Gran Turismo, Xbox 360 players can strap themselves in now for Forza Motorsport 2. With an arsenal of more than 300 cars including imports, domestics,...

WHEN ENOUGH IS PLENTY; If a six gives you 300 hp, who still says only an eight is enough?(News)
July 9, 2007... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON When Lexus rolled out its latest GS, all the headlines went to the hybrid edition, the GS 450h, a rear-drive model with performance pretensions. This go-round, though, we sampled an all-wheel-drive model with the...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/service evaluation)
July 9, 2007... FLORADAY: My initial impressions were pretty good. The car seems a bit larger than some of the competition, and that might be a bonus to some shoppers. This GTS is the top-of-the-line (short of the forthcoming Evolution) model, carrying...

FLEET STREET; Briefs on our other long-termers.(News)
July 9, 2007... Mazda Mazdaspeed 3 A rendezvous with a rather large pothole felt and sounded worse than reality: The tire and wheel were fine on this track-worthy car. Something's been getting louder, though; we'll have to check it out. Toyota FJ...

2008 BMW 1 Series Coupe; Hot 300-hp 135i resurrects spirit of original M3.
July 9, 2007... Byline: GREG KABLE BMW says there will be no M version of its entry-level 1 Series. As disappointing as that might be for M fans, it appears the German carmaker might not need one, judging by the specs of the new U.S.-bound 1 Series coupe....

THIS AIN'T NO SPA TREATMENT; Flinging mud is part of the fun at sprint-car school.
July 9, 2007... Byline: MARK VAUGHN Somewhere between the World Rally Championship and the sand drags lies the realm of the sprint car. Sprint cars are 1200-pound, 650-hp, alcohol-fueled racers built to go sideways on dirt. If that doesn't sound like a...

Corrections.(Correction)
July 16, 2007... The BMW 3 Series AutoFile in the June 11 issue should have said that traction and stability systems can be turned off on 2007-and-later Lexus IS 250/350 models. A July 9 Drive In & Check Out item should have listed a 5.4-liter V8 engine...

The many faces of upstanding citizens.(News)
July 16, 2007... Spinal injury affects thousands each year, and the Red Bull people, with their Wings for Life charity, aim to do something about it. At the British Grand Prix, some 30,000 fans donated money to get their likenesses on the F1 cars of David...

TV: July 20 - 22.(Competition)
July 16, 2007... FRIday, July 20 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series from Newton, Iowa, noon, Speed Lucas Oil On the Edge, 5 p.m., Speed Lucas Oil On the Edge, 5:30 p.m., Speed NASCAR Now, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2 NASCAR Busch Series practice from...

LIGHT & LUXURIOUS; If Land Rover survives beyond Ford selling it, this might be its flagship.(News)
July 16, 2007... Byline: JULIAN RENDELL Land Rover is putting the finishing touches on the design and engineering of an all-new Range Rover, a milestone that marks the company's next phase of new-model launches. Scheduled for sale in 2012, the next...

FOR THE TIFOSI.(Revs)(Brief article)
July 16, 2007... Byline: JACOB LINGEMAN Adding to its impressive collection of automobilia, the Galleria Ferrari in Maranello, Italy, is featuring 60 years of posters that celebrate Scuderia Ferrari's long racing history. The collection of more than 200...

ONE-TIMER NO MORE; Jamie McMurray finally notches his second Cup win.(Competition)
July 16, 2007... Byline: AL PEARCE Among the 57 one-time NASCAR Cup race winners are legends such as Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Johnny Rutherford and Jim Hurtubise. But there are far more obscure journeymen such as Royce Haggerty, Bill Norton, Frankie...

CANADIAN CARNAGE; Will Power wins a wild one in Toronto.(Competition)
July 16, 2007... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH Several admitted Paul Tracy fans stood at the fence, watching the Grand Prix of Toronto's first lap on the JumboTron television. Halfway around, a crash involving nearly half the 17-car field took out Tracy, and...

THIS PROTO-PASSAT WAGON LED THE WAY.(Escape Roads)
July 16, 2007... Byline: JOHN F. KATZ With more modern lines, more luggage space and bigger, more expansive windows, Volkswagen's 1500 sedan debuted in late 1961 as a step up from the ubiquitous Beetle. But it was the 1500 station wagon-marketed...

Get Under Our Big Tent.(Column)
July 16, 2007... Byline: Kevin A. Wilson We're getting excited about the Aug. 28 AutoWeek Teen Driving Safety Summit, an event we developed in response to the overwhelming interest in our Sept. 4, 2006, special report on teen-driver issues. Enthusiasm...

VELOCITY CLUB GETS UP TO SPEED.(Revs)
July 16, 2007... Byline: GEORGE P. BLUMBERG The lobby and portecochere of the swank Delamar Greenwich Harbor hotel are filled with supercars at the launch party of the Velocity of Greenwich Performance Car Club. Moving over marble floors beneath...

RED TIDE; Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen strikes again.(Competition)
July 16, 2007... Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK Ferrari's F2007 Formula One car thrives through long, fast corners, and there are plenty of them at Silverstone-even more so than at the previous race at Magny-Cours in France. Add that to the fact that Ferrari...

TABLES TURNED; Lewis Hamilton and McLaren own the F1 show.(News)
July 16, 2007... Byline: NIGEL ROEBUCK Thus far, two words sum up the 2007 Formula One season: Lewis Hamilton. Five months ago, he was a free man; he could eat in a restaurant, go to the movies and walk down U.K. streets without bother. Eight races into...

SPY GAMES; Ferrari-McLaren scandal rocks F1.(Competition)
July 16, 2007... Byline: Nigel Roebuck The day after the French Grand Prix, a story erupted that initially implied an impending F1 scandal of major proportions. A Ferrari statement suggested that the team's technical coordinator, Nigel Stepney, had given...

EXTRA.(Briefs)
July 16, 2007... PEUGEOTS FOR SALE Peugeot Sport director Michel Barge said the French manufacturer might supply its diesel V12 908 HDi Le Mans Prototype to customers next season. Several independent teams have approached Peugeot about racing the...

NO ASTERISK; Scott Dixon scores a Watkins Glen hat trick.(Competition)
July 16, 2007... Byline: PETE LYONS Modern Indy cars have raced only three times at historic Watkins Glen, and Scott Dixon has won all three races-always by beating Helio Castroneves. But unlike his two other victories, when rain played a role, Dixon...

What Is Automotive Maturity?(Column)
July 16, 2007... Byline: Cory Farley So I'm on a street corner in Los Angeles, Wilshire and Something, and four cars go by. I'll understand if this doesn't bring you to your feet shouting, "No way!'' But these were significant cars. The first was...

WHO'S HOT, WHO'S NOT; The best-and the rest-of drivers, teams and tracks.(News)
July 16, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN As the Indycar season passes its midpoint, we review the good, the bad and the ugly. Hot: Dario Franchitti Three victories through the season's first nine races [this story was written before the Watkins Glen...

CHANGING LANES; Buick safety options are welcome (not inadvertent) departures.(News)
July 16, 2007... Byline: JONATHAN WONG With the Enclave crossover stealing the headlines at Buick, it might be easy to overlook the 2008 Lucerne, which lands in dealerships this month. In addition to the 292-hp Super trim that arrives next spring, Buick...

UNDER THE HOOD.(Briefs)
July 16, 2007... Hello, is this thing on . . . ? Eager to know more about the sultry Audi S5 coupe? We ask 'cause an Audi product specialist is coming to our office to deliver one, and we'll podcast with him. If you've got a burning question, e-mail...

But Wait, There's More...(BWTM)
July 16, 2007... Note to the Captain: That's why they're called "regulations,'' not "options.'' "As imports grow-and China is the largest exporter to the U.S.-it's essential'' that all manufacturers comply with U.S. safety regulations. -Daniel...

WE GET IT; Think of this limited-edition Golf as a GTI for grown-ups.
July 16, 2007... Byline: PATRICK C. PATERNIE Not everyone will get the Volkswagen R32. And we aren't saying that solely because availability of the all-wheel-drive, V6-powered Golf is limited to 5000 cars for the U.S. market. The boy-racer types...

Letters.(Letter to the editor)
July 16, 2007... LEWIS HAMILTON: THE NEXT SCHUMACHER? The successful rookie driving for McLaren F1 this year is black? I hadn't noticed. What I have noticed is that we just might be watching the arrival of the next Michael Schumacher in Formula One. ...

SMOKIN' DEALS.(News)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
July 16, 2007... BMW highlights the mid-July deals with special financing on its ballistic M-tuned sedan. Those in search of more space will find generous incentives on a crossover, a wagon and a big sport/ute. SEDAN 2007 BMW M5 MSRP: $86,895; 3.9...

Market.(Escape Roads)
July 16, 2007... Byline: KEITH MARTIN RM Auctions Ferrari: "Leggenda e Passione'' Maranello, Italy, May 20 4496-cc, 550-hp, twin-overhead-cam V12, Lucas fuel injection, five-speed. Red with red-and-black fabric interior. One of the most...

FAST-APPROACHING FUTURE; There's lot to talk about in NASCAR, especially off track.(News)
July 16, 2007... Byline: AL PEARCE Nextel Cup's biggest stories have happened off the track. The only major on-track ones involved the Car of Tomorrow and the Hendrick Motorsports juggernaut of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Casey Mears....

PORSCHE WINS FOURTH STRAIGHT.(Competition)
July 16, 2007... Porsche maintained its winning streak in the American Le Mans Series, as Penske drivers Ryan Briscoe and Sascha Maassen claimed the manufacturer's fourth-straight overall victory in a thrill-a-minute race around Lime Rock Park's cramped...

EXTRA.(Briefs)
July 16, 2007... Getting an Urge? Word out of the United Kingdom is that Nissan is working with engineering partners there to develop a small sports car based on the Urge concept vehicle shown at the 2006 Detroit auto show. Designed at Nissan's styling...

MASTER OF ITS UNIVERSE; Champ Car perseveres in the face of ever-present doubt.(News)
July 16, 2007... Byline: STEVEN COLE SMITH Give the Champ Car World Series credit for controlling its own destiny. The turbocharged Cosworth V8 engines are built by a company owned by Champ Car principals. The handsome Panoz DP01 car that debuted this year...

Drivers Log.(News)(Product/service evaluation)
July 16, 2007... MORRISON: I was a bit lost on the appeal of this car-until I looked at the numbers and the price of the regular BMW 760i. This version is cheaper by a few thousand dollars, has more juice by 62 hp and 72 lb-ft and weighs 500 pounds less. It...

NOBLE IN SPIRIT; Rossion Q1 picks up where M400 left off.(News)
July 16, 2007... Byline: BOB GRITZINGER Maybe you missed your chance to buy a Noble M400, the 425-hp rocket sled of a sports car developed in the United Kingdom by former racer and engineer Lee Noble ("Organic Chemistry,'' AW, Dec. 11, 2006). Or maybe...

CHARACTERS WORTH KNOWING.(Revs)
July 23, 2007... Byline: KEVIN A. WILSON People make motorsports fascinating. Personality can be hard to read in the studied PR faces that modern racers show a media-saturated world, but these recent books about characters of the '50s and '60s focus on...

USGP WILL NOT RETURN TO INDY.(Competition)
July 23, 2007... Indianapolis Motor Speedway will not host a Formula One Grand Prix in 2008 after CEO Tony George could not reach an agreement with F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone. The U.S. Grand Prix has been in doubt almost since 2001, when travel...

JUST SAY NO; Drivers and NASCAR address substance-abuse concerns at Chicagoland.(Competitions of automobile racing)
July 23, 2007... Byline: CURT CAVIN At this point, it's difficult to say who will have a more significant impact on NASCAR's drug-testing policy, Aaron Fike or Kevin Harvick. Police arrested Craftsman Truck Series driver Fike for possession of heroin...