Articles by Gordon Lomas

Young drivers have been warned that they need the correct insurance policy otherwise they could be up for crippling bills in the event of an accident.Industry expert John Saunders, who has 30 years' experience in the insurance business, has warned of the potentially devastating impact of cutting corners with car insurance."Parents can be unaware that there is often little point in having a young driver's policy in their name to save money as young drivers need to start earning their no claim bonus at some stage," Saunders, managing director of Insure Simply, said."A smart driver understands what he or she is covered for before an accident occurs rather than learning the hard way."Insure Simply is claimed to be Australia's first online service enabling users to compare competitive policies in an objective and easily identifiable way.Among the companies Insure Simply list for comparisons are Allianz, QBE and Suncorp.There are some useful tips on what new or young drivers need to know, some are blindingly obvious others need a little more thought.Here are some tips regarding car insurance:Policies usually exclude cover when a car is unroadworthy. eg: If an accident is caused by bad brakes and their poor condition was obvious beforehand, this could cause a claim to be denied.If you have a nominated driver policy, cover is normally only extended if driven by others in an emergency.Policies exclude cover for damage (and liability to others) when the driver is drunk. (The driver's car may not be worth much but cars or property they damage could be worth considerably more.Policies exclude cover while racing.Agreed value is not necessarily superior to market value as the market values are the basis of agreed values anyway.Check policy to see what accessories are covered.Make sure the insurer is informed about performance enhancing extras.Be totally truthful in any insurance application. It may save you money in the premium but may result in no cover when it is needed.Any fraudulent claims are normally pursued by insurers.CarsGuide does not operate under an Australian financial services licence and relies on the exemption available under section 911A(2)(eb) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) in respect of any advice given. Any advice on this site is general in nature and does not take into consideration your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making a decision please consider these and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement.

Parameters set by Porsche pitch the Panamera as the leader in performance and comfort.Some company insiders say it will blow the competition wide open and set a new level for the luxury/limousine segment.Final development testing suggests the Panamera has equalled or exceeded all of its mission statements.Production is set to begin within a year and it is likely to arrive in Australia in late 2009.Specification levels for the Panamera, which is set to be unveiled at the Paris Auto Salon in November, and engine choices have not yet been defined for Australia. The early prediction is for about 150 units to be sold here each year.But if Porsche was serious about making a footprint on sales of rival German premium saloons it would start the range with the entry level V6. That would enable it to fight with Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW in the $180,000-plus price range.A V8 and a twin turbo V8 are also under development along with a hybrid version.The Panamera is principally set to target rival German long-wheel-base luxo saloons, the BMW 7-series, Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Porsche is not acknowledging, at this stage at least, Aston Martin's forthcoming Rapide four-door saloon as a rival.Jan-Peter Hoffmeister, Porsche's transmission and drivetrain specialist, says the V10-powered BMW M5 was benchmarked for performance along with the Maserati Quattroporte while the Mercedes-Benz CLS was referenced for comfort.“We simply want to be the best in driving dynamics and driving comfort,” he said.No one from Porsche would commit to acknowledging that the well-received PDK double-clutch transmission has been used in development testing on the Panamera. 

The gains in fuel economy, performance, reduced weight and emissions are palpable.Yet, as far as exterior giveaways go, the updated 997 Series coupes and cabriolets remain discreet.Just like the Carrera 2 cars which led into the latest update of the 911, the new 4 and 4S, pick up direct injection flat-six engines and Porsche's seven-speed double-clutch gearbox.The big difference is an electronic four-wheel-drive system that replaces the viscous coupling arrangement that has been used on the 911 for almost 20 years.The Carrera 4's new all-wheel-drive system is capable of shuffling torque by up to 100 per cent to either the front or the rear axles if needed where the previous system had limited maximum torque split of between 10 to 40 per cent.Prices and final specifications are yet to be finalised because of the ongoing confusion on the Luxury Car Tax increase, but the new coupes will be in the $220,000-$230,000 range for the C4 and $250,000-$260,000 for the C4S. The ragtop versions are $240,000-$250,000 for the C4 cabriolet and $270,000-$280,000 for the C4S.All will be on sale from October 25, just over a month after the two-wheel-drive versions reach the showrooms.On the outside, Porsche fans daytime running lights at the front, the neat LED rear taillight treatment and a reflector strip on the leading edge of the engine bay lid.Inside, the C4 and C4S offer generational gains with 8.5 per cent more power and use up to 12.9 per cent less fuel while the carbon emissions are lowered by 15.4 per cent.The C4 coupe lifts from 239kW to 254kW yet reduces economy from 11.6litres/100km to 10.1litres/100km with torque rising 20Nm to 390Nm Gains for the 3.8litre C4S are 283kW (up from 261kW) and a reduction in fuel use from 11.9litres/100km to 10.5litres/100km with torque jumping 20Nm to 420Nm.On the PDK gearbox front, Porsche is already hinting it may review what it does for the all-new 998 (unofficial code) model which could be out by late 2010 and which could have proper paddle shifters.The argument against all-wheel-drive layouts continuing to have relevance because of their weight impost hurting fuel economy and performance doesn't ring true in the case of the Carrera 4. Despite weighing 55kg more than a C2, a C4 has lapped Nurburgring's Nordschleife circuit two seconds quicker than its two-wheel-drive equivalent by turning an impressive 7mins 56sec. DRIVING:Changes to what is unofficially called the 997.5 mean this version of the 911 drives with a little more steering feel and less cornering push.On the design front, it's difficult for some to pick the updated Carrera 4 and 4S over the 997 series, but behind the wheel the updated all-wheel-drive 911 coupe and cabriolets are a clear and decisive step forward.On a 170km road drive in the Lowenberger region just outside Berlin, the C4 and C4S were put through a variety of smooth top roads, patchwork bitumen, lumpy and bumpy surfaces and narrow cobblestone lanes.In retrospect it was a brave move. They were not roads that suited the Active Damping set up where ride height is lowered by 20mm in conjunction with the Porsche Active Suspension Management feature.Yet the ride on the super-low-profile 19-inch rubber on the launch cars was not surprisingly jarring. Although at times there was a tendency to pick up every little imperfection and corrugation on the road.The real story is considerable steps ahead in driving dynamics and efficiency.More weight to the steering and the dialing out of some push through corners, together with a brilliant new electronic all-wheel-drive system, gives the new C4 and C4S a sharper edge.There is a triple treat waiting for those interested in the upgraded cars with direct injection and the smart PDK transmission in partnership with the electronic AWD combining to give the C4 and C4S coupes and cabriolets even greater precision and surety.At last a 911 driver can enjoy a truly masterful transmission that finally does justice to one of the sweetest chassis in the business.Pleasing levels of refinement in low speed shuffling around car spaces and rolling away from standstill have been dialed into the new double-clutch PDK. It actually creeps forward from a stop without any throttle and, while there is a bit of grumbling detected here and there when trawling the car park, the PDK is the best example yet of these wet/dry clutch systems.In the Carrera 4 coupe sampled on this drive, the PDK unit had few faults although at times the palms of your hands accidentally pushed the button on the wheel to upshift — particularly if any reasonable amount of steering lock was wound on. It's awkwardly placed and accidentally plucking an upshift is not desirable.With the optional SportChrono system ($2200) you get wildly aggressive shifts when you apply the SportPlus button. The change down from third to second is particularly angry with a short, sharp blip that sends the 3.6-litre boxer engine's into a playful yelp.Even in drive mode the gear selector readout on the Instrument Panel lets you know what gear you are in and the centrally-located taco with digital speed readout strikes a happy combination.It's not until you can legally open the taps that you comprehend what all the fuss is about when driving a 911.A comprehensive drive at a former Russian airfield that saw serious service before the Berlin wall came down in 1989 was an environment made to order for one of the world's most definitive sports cars. The exercises which the C4 and C4S 911s were put through ranged from slalom skidpan runs to long and short handling tracks using ideal lines at maximum throttle and a top-speed blast down a runway.On the slalom the C4 was driven both the stability systems functioning and turned off and the behaviour was, even for an all-wheel-drive layout, worlds apart.The new electronic all-wheel-drive set-up and the lockable limited slip rear differential (22 per cent lockable under power and 27 per cent in overrun) give the C4 tremendous confidence when pushed to the edge.This 911, with its rear-end spread a further 44mm wider than the outgoing model, is so adaptable and balanced that the driver can entice it to behave any way they desire through a corner.Acceleration times with the arrival of PDK have leaped ahead with 0-100km/h achieved in the C4 in 4.8sec, 0.8s quicker than the Tiptronic S transmissionm and 4.5s in the C4S, a similar gain over the previous model. When the optional launch control is applied that cuts the time further to 4.3s.The optional Ceramic Composite Brakes (approx $20,000), 350mm in diameter 20mm more than the standard package are monstrous in performance. After flying down a V-max run, and clocking close to a tick under 260km/h, you can punish the brake pedal as hard as you can muster and the car will pull up without any theatrics. 

And those changes have enabled some of the biggest leaps forward in the 40-plus year history of the world's most enviable sports car.The gains in fuel economy, performance, reduced weight and emissions are palpable.As far as exterior giveaways go, the updated 997 series coupes and cabriolets remain discreet unlike the story hidden beneath. DRIVETRAINSThese machines gain direct injection flat six cylinder engines in 3.6-litre (Carrera 4) and 3.8-litre (4S) and an electronic four-wheel-drive system that replaces the viscous coupling arrangement that has been used on the 911 for almost 20 years.And as with its two-wheel-drive brothers, the C4 versions benefit from the seven-speed double clutch transmission called Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or PDK.While there are seven gears, the first six ratios are evenly spaced with the final cog essentially an overrun for better economy and emissions.Bristling with engineering advancements, the C4 and C4S offer generational gains with 8.5 per cent more power and use up to 12.9 per cent less fuel while the carbon emissions are lowered by 15.4 per cent.The C4 coupe lifts from 239kW to 254kW yet reduces economy from 11.6litres/100km to 10.1litres/100km with torque rising 20Nm to 390NmGains for the 3.8litre C4S are 283kW (up from 261kW) and a reduction in fuel use from 11.9litres/100km to 10.5litres/100km with torque jumping 20Nm to 420Nm.The PDK can either be accessed by the gearshifter or large buttons integrated on the steering wheel spokes which have come in for a deal of criticism for their awkward placement.Already Porsche says it may review what it does for the all-new 998 (unofficial code) model which could be out by late 2010 and which could offer proper paddle shifters as well as the buttons. EXTERIOR AND SPECOn the outside afficianados will notice the definitive daytime running lights at the front, the neat LED rear taillight treatment and a reflector strip on the leading edge of the engine bay lid.At 124kg the PDK unit, which is expected to command a $7000 option price, is just over 10kg lighter than the Tiptronic S unit it replaces but is 30kg heavier than the manual gearbox.The PDK unit shares little with save for the in-principle idea of twin clutch technology, which Porsche used on its brilliant 956 Group C sports car racing programme of the early 1980's.As a $2200 option, the Sports Chrono Package Plus system incorporates a launch control feature that is accessed by a SportPlus button that automatically dials up 6500 revs for the perfect getaway.Another feature of the package is a meaner, angrier gearshift map accessed by the SportPlus button.Sports Chrono also enables the driver to keep a log of their lap times and detect if you are slower or faster on any given lap.SportPlus literally changes the personality of the PDK gearbox into an explosively response weapon where the shortest, sharpest gearshift points are accessed with shirt times claimed to be twice as fast as the outgoing Tiptronic S.The argument against all-wheel-drive layouts continuing to have relevance because of their weight impost hurting fuel economy and performance doesn't ring true in the case of the Carrera 4.Despite weighing 55kg more than a C2, a C4 has lapped Nurburging's Nordschleife circuit two seconds quicker than its two-wheel-drive equivalent by turning an impressive 7mins56sec.The Carrera 4's new all-wheel-drive system is capable of shuffling torque by up to 100 per cent to either the front or the rear axles if needed where the previous system had limited maximum torque split of between 10 to 40 per cent. DRIVINGTraditionally Porsche refrains from fiddling too much with the design clarity of the time-honoured 911.There's good reason because the proportions, lines, swoops and curves are among the purest and prettiest in automotive car design.No surprise then at a casual glance it's difficult for some to pick the updated Carrera 4 and 4S over the 997 series.So 997.5, as we define it, offers mild styling changes with front and rear head and taillight LED and a red reflector at the back that returns over 10-odd years of non-service.Behind the wheel the updated all-wheel-drive 911 coupe and cabriolets are a clear and decisive step forward.On a 170km road drive in the Lowenberger region just outside Berlin, the C4 and C4S were put through a variety of smooth top roads, patchwork bitumen, lumpy and bumpy surfaces and narrow cobblestone lanes.In retrospect it was a brave move putting the firm Carrera 4 coupe and cabriolet over those challenging conditions.They were not roads that suited the Active Damping set up where ride height is lowered by 20mm in conjunction with the Porsche Active Suspension Management feature.The ride on the super low profile 19-inch rubber that the launch car was shod with was not surprisingly jarring.At times there was a tendency to pick up every little imperfection and corrugation on the road.That said the real story is that the face-lifted car shows considerable steps ahead in driving dynamics and efficiency.More weight to the steering and the dialling out of some push through corners together with a brilliant new electronic all-wheel-drive system give the new C4 and C4S a sharper edge.There is a triple treat waiting for those interested in the upgraded cars with direct injection and the smart PDK transmission in partnership with the electronic AWD combining to give the C4 and C4S coupes and cabriolets even greater precision and surety.At last a 911 driver can enjoy a truly masterful transmission that finally does one of the sweetest chassis's in the business justice.Pleasing levels of refinement in low speed shuffling around car spaces and rolling away from standstill have been dialled into the new double clutch PDK 7-speed transmission.It actually creeps forward from a stop without any throttle and while there is a bit of grumbling detected here and there when trawling the car park, the PDK is the best example yet of these wet/dry clutch systems.In the Carrera 4 coupe sampled on this drive, the PDK unit had few faults although at times the palms of your hands accidentally pushed the button to upshift particularly if any reasonable amount of steering lock was wound on.It's awkwardly placed and accidentally plucking an upshift is not desirable on a track day or tarmac rally when you're negotiating quick direction changes.Together with the optional SportChrono system ($2200) when you apply the SportPlus button the gear shift points become more wildly aggressive.The change down from third to second is particularly angry with a short, sharp blip that sends the 3.6-litre boxer engine's into a playful yelp.Even in drive mode the gear selector readout on the Instrument Panel lets you know what gear you are in and the centrally located taco with digital speed readout strikes a happy combination.It's not until you can legally open the taps that you comprehend what all the fuss is about when driving a 911.A comprehensive drive at a former Russian airfield that saw serious service before the Berlin wall came down in 1989 was an environment made to order for one of the world's most definitive sports cars.The Gross Drolln airfield is a huge base linked by a maze of concrete runways flanked by dozens of camouflaged steel and concrete bunkers once home to MiG fighter jets ready to wage a war that thankfully didn't happen.Porsche used the airfield a few years ago to launch its Carrera GT supercar so it's no mickey-mouse deal for pretend sports cars.Among the extensive network of runways and link roads there are two dedicated handling tracks, a skid pan and a 1.7km long runway for high speed testing.The exercises which the C4 and C4S 911s were put through ranged from slalom skid pan runs, long and short handling tracks using ideal lines at maximum throttle and a top speed blast down the runway.Apart from being more fun that being locked in a room full suffocating with laughing gas, the exercises proved several points.On the slalom the C4 was driven both the stability systems functioning and turned off and the behaviour was, even for an all-wheel-drive layout, worlds apart.It then begs the question why traction and stability aids like Porsche's PSM should be switchable in lesser marques than those from Zuffenhausen.The new electronic all-wheel-drive set-up and the lockable limited slip rear differential (22 per cent lockable under power and 27 per cent in overrun) give the C4 tremendous confidence when pushed to the edge.This 911 with its rear-end spread a further 44mm wider than the outgoing model, is so adaptable and balanced that the driver can entice it to behave any way they desire through a corner.With small adjustments on the tiller and the throttle you can smooth out understeer mid-corner and gain maximum punch for the exit.Acceleration times with the arrival of PDK have leaped ahead with 0-100km/h achieved in the C4 in 4.8sec, .8s quicker than the Tiptronic S transmission and 4.5s in the C4S, a similar gain over the previous model.When the optional launch control is applied that cuts the time further with a 4.3sec acceleration time from a standstill to 100km/h.The optional Ceramic Composite Brakes (approx $20,000), 350mm in diameter 20mm more than the standard package are monstrous in performance.After flying down a V-max run and clocking close to a tick under 260km/h, you can trample the brake pedal as hard as you can muster and the car will pull up without any theatrics.In that exercise there is a massive amount of force generated by the emergency stop that is said to be the equivalent of about 1800bhp. 

Holden ace Garth Tander is seething about a controversial 12-point penalty which he fears could cost him back-to-back V8 Supercar titles. Tander sits second on the drivers championship heading into this weekend's seventh round at Queensland Raceway, 70 points behind Ford's Mark Winterbottom. But the defending champion staunchly believes he was unfairly docked the 12 points by stewards for careless driving when he came in contact with rival Jamie Whincup in the final race at Darwin's Hidden Valley in round six earlier this month. After snaring his maiden championship last year by just two points over Whincup, Tander hopes the ruling won't come back to bite him at the end of the 14-round series. “It certainly can (decide the championship), especially when you look at last year's championship and how close it was,” Tander said. “We weren't happy with the penalty, we weren't happy with any penalty at all. We felt there wasn't any breach there. “We won't know if it's going to change the championship until later in the year but we know how close the championship is.” Tander indicated the blame lay as much with Whincup's bold challenge, which ultimately saw him fall back several spots, as the pair fought for third place. “It was a restart and the field closed up and Jamie was trying to take an opportunity and we were both arguing about the same bit of road,” he said. “There wasn't much in it, I thought it was a fairly low percentage manouevre that late in the race, there was more to lose than there was to gain.” Despite the Queensland Raceway being a Ford home base, Tander is seen as the man to beat at the City of Ipswich 400 after taking the round in 2006 and 2007. The race and qualifying lap records are expected to be broken over the three-race weekend with the paperclip circuit this year re-surfaced with a high-grip coating. Tander holds a nine-year-old race record of 1min11.0033secs on the unpopular 3.14km track. “We always seem to go quite well up here,” he said. “I wouldn't say I enjoy the track but it seems to suit my driving style for some reason.” On a lighter note the chief protagonists contemplated their race strategies at Queensland's famous Fourex brewery at Milton yesterday. At the most unlikely of venues the first three drivers in the points standings had to refrain from tasting a glass of Queensland's finest ale as they practise today ahead of round 7 of the Championship at Queensland Raceway in Ipswich. They chatted over a jug of softdrink rather than a jug of bitter before they lock wheels. Round 7 V8 Supercar championship, Queensland Raceway. When: today, tomorrow, Sunday. Where: Queensland Raceway, Champions Way, Willowbank, off the Cunningham Highway. How Much: Pre-purchase 3-day Adult $90, with paddock entry $100; at gate 3-day Adult $125, with paddock $165. Concession, pre-purchase 3-day Adult $60, with paddock entry $80; at gate 3-day Adult $75, with paddock $100. Daily passes available, children 12 years are under free.  

Nothing clears the senses more quickly in the grip of winter than a top-down, mountain blast in a Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG. Finally, this 6208cc V8 has arrived on the big SL roadster, three years after it debuted and started trickling through the Benz family.The SL is the last port of call and its arrival coincides with the upgrades for the rest of the SL family. Along with a heavy revision of the 3.5-litre V6 in the SL 350, the 63 AMG stands as the biggest development in the facelift story.The SL 63 AMG offers mind-boggling performance, all of which is usable in a package that makes it simple to drive on the limit.You find yourself having to have a bit of a reality check midway through a drive. It's far too easy to slip into tarmac rally mode and forget there are speed limits to observe and cars coming around the corners ahead.All too easy to let the 63 have its head and charge around at full noise.Get it on a track and the SL 63 AMG gets you from corner to corner in a blink.It joins up the dots between corners with ridiculous pace, never nervous with its electronic safety systems working delicately behind the scenes and not impinging on the fun factor. Cornering grip and balance is superb.On the edge, there is a hint of protest from the front tyres before it bites and steers with authority after a mild adjustment of the throttle.There is an infectious rumble from the magnificent V8 soundtrack that intensifies as it bounces off walls and hillsides. Lift the revs for a sprint along a straight then change down several gears into a turn, blipping along the way, and the amplification of the exhaust note gives up its thoroughbred AMG roots.A race-start function, similar to BMW's launch control, can be programmed through an elaborate series of steps. The steering wheel must be at the straight ahead, ESP set to sport mode, select the race-start setting which is included on the switch that selects four driving modes and you are set for launch. With a press of the right-hand steering wheel paddle confirming your intentions, you then squash the throttle and the revs are automatically programmed to reach between 4000-4500 rpm.Then let the brake go and you fire off the line with the precision of a veteran racer. The race-start function automatically cancels once you hit 50km/h, which occurs in a blink of the eye.There is a protection facility built into the program so that if multiple attempts are made you can't program the race-start until the system determines it is safe to do so. Adjustable dampers and different driving modes tailor the 63 AMG for all situations and environments while an AMG button can short-circuit the steps you need to take by storing your favourite settings a bit like seat-position memory.The SL 350 benefits from a substantial engine tweak that gives it more power and torque and a fruity note when it revs out to 7200rpm.In fact the performance of this V6 is mightily close to the 5.5-litre V8-powered SL 500.The gap between these two has closed considerably and unless you want to be judged by the size of the engine you drive, it is hard to overlook the V6 in terms of bang for your bucks, especially when you take a look at the sticker price difference. The 350 is a particularly stirring drive and for $223,000 it really threatens to cannibalise the $306,000 SL 500.In the smaller SLK body, the 350 is also a rousing drive _ with the same engine that has a smidgen less power. The SLK 350 ($112,380 for the six-speed manual) also benefits from the direct-steer improvements, with a smoother more refined feel than the SL _ which is off a much older platform.A revelation of the SLK bunch is the entry 200k Kompressor that has more refinement and offers prodigious performance for a four-pot engine. Aided by a supercharger, the200k might be the baby of the bunch but it is far from a pushover. It is a neat little package with a blissfully flexible little engine, tailored to go harder yet maintain reasonable fuel performance with a combined city/highway figure of 8-litres per 100km. 

As the regulations have changed, designers have come up with some ingenious creations. And there have been some that have not been so good. Remember the Tyrrell six-wheeler from 1977? It managed to win a race, the Swedish GP driven by Jody Scheckter, but Project 34 didn't stay at the front for long. It was mothballed after 30 races. Then there was the Brabham BT 46 which is better known as the “fan car”. Designer Gordon Murray overcame the lack of Venturi tunnels by installing a giant engine-driven fan which “sucked” the car on to the road. It created a storm from other teams after winning on debut for Niki Lauda in 1978. Brabham owner Bernie Ecclestone decided to withdraw the car from competition, effectively short-circuiting more controversy. What about the Lotus twin-chassis Type 88 designed in 1981 not long before the brilliant Colin Chapman's untimely death? The two-chassis principle was designed on ground-effects logic and used a softly sprung inner chassis to make the driver more comfortable while a super-stiff outer chassis kept the car flat and level. Amid much angst the car was banned. Over the years there have been some stunning grand prix cars that have ruled the roost in modern F1 competition. We have compiled a list of 10 of the more momentous machines of all time.   ALFA ROMEO Tipo 158/159 Alfetta F1 world drivers championship-winning years: 1950-1951. Specs: supercharged 1.5-litre straight eight cylinder. Power: 317kW at 9300rpm. Transmission: 4-speed manual. Notable drivers: Emilio Villoresi, Giuseppe Farina, Jean-Pierre Wimille, Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio. As the modern world championship began in 1950, a little Alfa Romeo that had been around grand prix racing for more than 12 years was about to bow out in a blaze of glory. The Tipo 158/159 snatched the first two modern titles at the hands of Alberto Ascari in 1950 and gave the great Juan Manuel Fangio his first of five titles in 1951. These Alfettas were coming to the end of the road as Ferrari started to catch up. Engineer Giachino Colombo was under pressure to keep the competition at bay so he gave the supercharged eight-cylinder engine more pressure for 1951 and strengthened the brakes. Between the two models the Alfas won 47 grands prix from 54 races. Originally developed for prewar grand prix racing, the 1.5-litre straight-eight developed 150kW but by 1951 the engine was pumping out 317kW. For 1951 the swing axle was replaced with De Dion suspension with a transverse leaf spring at the rear that was its last major development. Extra fuel tanks had to be fitted to cope with the increased power and heavier fuel consumption. The little Alfa was so thirsty that it consumed four litres every 2km. The cars had to stop twice for fuel in a short race where the Ferraris could get through on a single tank. In the end the Alfa 159 produced its peak power at 9300rpm, a figure unmatched until the late 1970s. Its terminal pace was 304km/h, even though its mass was increased to about 710kg because of the extra fuel capacity. The Tipo 159 used a massive foghorn-like contraption as a rather crude but effective carburettor air intake.   MASERATI 250F F1 world drivers championship-winning years: 1954, 1957. Specs: 2.5-litre straight six, V12. Power: 191kW at 8000rpm (six), 234kW at 8000rpm (V12). Transmission: 4-speed manual/5-speed manual. Notable drivers: Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Roy Salvadori, Alberto Ascari, Peter Collins, Mike Hawthorn, Louis Chiron, Jo Bonnier, Jack Brabham (1956), Maurice Trintignant, Phil Hill. One of the prettiest and most competitive grand prix machines in history, the 250F name referred to its 2.5-litre capacity and development for use in F1. Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1954 championship with points gained from the 250F and Mercedes-Benz. The 250F, of which 26 were built, was chiefly powered by a straight six-cylinder engine that developed 164kW at 7400rpm. However, a 234kW V12 was used in modified 250F T2 cars for 1956 that had a stiffened reprofiled body. But the straight six could not be outdone. The 250F won eight of the 46 F1 races it entered before its final year in the world championship in 1960. It registered a deal of success in Australia with Sir Stirling Moss winning the Australian GP and Stan Jones, father of 1980 world F1 champ Alan, winning the Australian Drivers Championship in 1958 and a year later winning the Australian GP.   MERCEDES-BENZ W196 F1 world drivers championship-winning years: 1954, 1955. Specs: 2.5-litre straight eight cylinder. Power: 191kW at 7500pm/ 216kW at 8500rpm. Notable drivers: Juan Manuel Fangio, Sir Stirling Moss, Karl Kling, Hans Hermann. The end of the 1955 season also spelt the end of Mercedes-Benz in motor racing for what would be a 30-plus-year absence. At the time the excuse was that the resources of the research department were needed for road car development, but there remained an underlying sense of remorse after the Mercedes 300SLR of Pierre Levegh and the Austin Healey of Lance Macklin collided in June, 1955 at Le Mans, killing Levegh, 83 spectators and injuring some 100. Over the years the W196 which signalled Mercedes-Benz's return to racing after a 20-year hiatus in 1954 and the 300SLR sports car derived from the stunning GP car, have been recognised as among the finest racing machines to bear the three-pointed star symbol. The W196 entered GP racing to coincide with the fresh 2-litre regulations. Mercedes designed a 2.5-litre straight eight that was made from two four-cylinder blocks. Mercedes signed up Argentinian ace Juan Manuel Fangio for 1954, who duly won the championship and the title the following year with the W196 winning nine out of 12 races with Fangio and his 1955 team-mate Stirling Moss. Through development in its short two-year GP life the W196 evolved from producing 191kW to 216kW of power and was set for domination in the world championship before Mercedes-Benz's sudden withdrawal from motor racing.   LOTUS 25 F1 world drivers championship-winning year: 1963. Specs: 90-degree Coventry-Climax 1.5-litre V8. Power: 149kW at 8200rpm. Transmission: ZF 5DS 10 5-speed manual. Driver: Jim Clark. While it wasn't the first grand prix car with a monocoque chassis, it was revolutionary and Clark would race it to stunning success. There were seven built in 1962 and 1963 with the total weight of the car at 451kg, almost 150kg lighter than current F1 cars. In 1963 the most notable modifications were the new engine and the lower-mounted exhaust pipes. Clark and the Lotus 25 proved invincible. The only time they were off the podium in 1962 was in Monaco (eighth) from 10 races with the British connection combining to win a then record of seven races in a season.   LOTUS 79 F1 world drivers championship-winning year: 1978. Specs: naturally aspirated 3-litre DFV Ford-Cosworth V8. Power: 357kW at 10,500rpm. Transmission: 5-speed manual. Drivers: Mario Andretti, Ronnie Peterson, Hector Rebaque. This was an evolution of the 1977 Lotus 78 which introduced ground effects (underbody aerodynamics) to GP racing. The 79 addressed the problems of the previous year's car and Mario Andretti seized the opportunity to win the 1978 F1 world title. It has the distinction of being labelled one of the most significant F1 cars of all time and was refined through wind tunnel testing. The 79 was claimed to produce a massive 30 per cent more downforce than the Lotus 78. Called Black Beauty, the JPS-backed Lotus won after Andretti put the car on pole at its debut at the Belgian GP at Zolder. Peterson finished the season second — posthumously. He died from complications (initially suffered relatively minor injuries) following a starting accident at Monza which the young Riccardo Patrese was unfairly accused of causing and later cleared. There are few rivals to the Lotus 79 with the exception of the emerging Ferrari 312T3 and the short-lived Brabham BT46B “fan car” which was outlawed after winning the Swedish GP. A massive fan at the back of the car driven by the engine, which was designed by Gordon Murray, sucked air from under the car's skirts to produce ground effects. A measure of how good the Lotus 79 was came with the arrival of the Lotus 80 in 1979 which proved to be a flop with the team reverting to the title-winning design.   BRABHAM BMW BT52 F1 world drivers championship-winning year: 1983. Specs: 1.5-litre turbocharged four cylinder. Power: 670kW at 11,000rpm. Drivers: Nelson Piquet, Riccardo Patrese. This was the age where horsepower grew to quite astonishing levels. A quarter of a century on and GP cars do not come within a bull's roar of this turbocharged era where numbers were said to exceed a mind-boggling 1000bhp (745kW). This was one hell of a wild time and some drivers today become weak-kneed at the sheer mention of the turbo era. The BT52 was a Gordon Murray-designed rocketship which today stands as the most powerful F1 car ever built. It came at the end of the ground effects era with flat floors coming in to replace Venturi-style bottoms. As a rash of other turbos came in from the likes of TAG-Porsche and Renault, the little BMW whirler became the champion of the force-fed generation. Officially the car produced 900bhp (670kW) in qualifying. This was restricted to 700bhp (520kW) for the races but it is widely known that the engines were spooled up to crank well over 1000bhp for qualifying. Regarded as unreliable “hand grenades”, some engines would last long enough to do the job before they exploded.   MCLAREN-HONDA MP 4/4 F1 world drivers championship-winning year: 1988. Specs: 1.5litre turbocharged V6. Power: 511kW at 12,500rpm. Drivers: Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost. This was the first leg of Ayrton Senna's triple world championship titles and it could not have come in a more dominating fashion. Designed along a similar low-slung layout as the Brabham BT55 of two years earlier, the mighty McLaren used the potent and reliable 1.5-litre V6 unit supplied by Honda. Apparently the design was better suited to the Honda powerplant than the BMW which was used in the Brabham. The MP 4/4 cracked 15 out of the 16 F1 world championship races, 10 of which Senna and Alain Prost finished 1-2. Had it not been for an accident lapping traffic at the high-speed Monza circuit, the MP 4/4 would have been unbeaten in 1988. It was hardly stimulating competition but rather a demonstration in design and engineering. This is where Honda and McLaren were able to develop the car to not only comply with boost pressure limited to 2.5 bar and outwit the fuel regulations but completely thumbed its nose at rivals with a superiority rarely seen to that period.   WILLIAMS-RENAULT FW14B F1 world drivers championship-winning year: 1992. Specs: 3.5-litre V10. Power: 566kW at 14,000rpm. Drivers: Nigel Mansell, Riccardo Patrese. This evolution of the FW14 from 1991 was to become known as the “all-singing, all-dancing” Williams which was armed with an unprecedented level of electronic wizardry. No current F1 car can match its electronic capabilities. It was so effective that it was outlawed for 1993. The FW14B had active suspension, a semi-automatic gearbox, traction control and ABS brakes. Following on from the FW14, Williams revamped the gearbox and suspension, giving the FW14B a massive superiority over the McLaren, which even in the hands of Ayrton Senna, was no match for the Renault-powered Williams. Nigel Mansell made a procession of the beginning of the 1992 season winning the first five GPs before Ayrton Senna in the McLaren broke the sequence in Monaco, which was followed by his team-mate Gerhard Berger in the next race. But then Mansell won the next three races and a win in the Japanese GP took the Briton's tally to nine for the season. Riccardo Patrese secured another victory for Williams, bringing the tally for the FW14B to 10 with the car claiming pole position in 15 of the 16 races. Together with the original FW14, the most successful Williams car of all-time managed 17 victories and 22 pole positions. The Adrian Newey and Patrick Head-designed single-seater is regarded as one of the best engineered F1 cars in history.   FERRARI F2002 F1 world drivers championship-winning year: 2002-2003. Specs: 3-litre V10. Power: 633kW at 18,600rpm (estimated). Transmission: 7-speed semi-automatic plus reverse. Drivers: Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello. Right in the middle of the irrepressible Schumacher era, the F2002 steamrolled allcomers with 16 wins from a total of 20 races between 2002-2003. Design work concentrated on greater structural integrity, aerodynamic efficiency and a lower centre of gravity with the longitudinally-mounted 3 litre V10 engine. The engine and revisions to the suspension were specifically tuned to maximise the Bridgestone tyre compound for that period. Schumacher managed to compile 10 wins in the 2002 season while team-mate Rubens Barrichello picked up four GP victories. The team did not debut the F2002 at the start of the season and therefore the only race it failed to win that year was at Monaco. Studies stake a claim that the F2002 is the fastest grand prix car in history. It certainly had to be taken with a fair degree of trepidation The F2002 compiled a staggering tally of 207 points during its competition tenure in grand prix racing.   FERRARI F2004 F1 world drivers championship-winning year: 2004. Specs: 75-degree 3-litre V10. Power: 671kW at 19,000rpm. Transmission: 7-speed semi-automatic transmission. Drivers: Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello. An evolution of the F2003-GA, so named in honour of the late Fiat chief executive Gianni Agnelli, the F2004 used a 75-degree V10 and compiled a stunning list of triumphs to supply Schumacher with his seventh and final F1 world championship. It was distinctive in that it was the 50th car Ferrari had built for the world championship. A collaborative effort from Rory Byrne, Ross Brawn and Aldo Costa, the F2004 was essentially a tweaked version of the F2002 where the rear suspension came in for a redesign while the 7-speed semi-automatic titanium transmission was designed to be more bulletproof. Confirmation of its stunning dominance was the record of winning 15 out of 18 grands prix and along the way it flashed to the No. 1 grid position 12 times. It was replaced early in 2005 by the less successful F2005 at the Bahrain GP where Ferrari's mantle as the king of the F1 grid was overtaken by Renault. Driven by Fernando Alonso Renault dominated over the next two seasons before a Ferrari driven by Kimi Raikkonen staged a come-from-behind effort to give the Prancing Horse victory last season. All engine specifications are approximate.  

A stray red Holden flag failed to stop Ford's favourite team from sweeping to a quinella and painting the Top End a deep shade of blue in the V8 Supercar round in Darwin yesterday. Steven Richards, who has been in the shadow of his teammate Mark Winterbottom, finally consolidated his position at FPR to record his first round win for the team. It also doubled as Richards's first round win since Perth in 2006. On a day when it counted most as the spectre of the Ford sponsorship money row continued to linger, FPR nailed a one-two with Winterbottom securing second spot ahead of reigning series champion Garth Tander (Toll Holden Racing Team). It was arguably the most important result of the English-owned Melbourne squad's six-year existence in the V8 category after Ford announced that FPR and Stone Brothers would be the only teams offered financial support from next year. FPR had the most to prove and it delivered, with Richards overcoming a controversial defeat in the second 42-lap heat to Tander. Officials called a safety car so that a Holden flag which had blown on to the main straight could be removed at a time when Richards had forged a cosy 3.5sec lead. On the restart Richards's gearbox jammed spearing into the first turn left-hander, forcing his Falcon to run wide. This allowed Tander to sneak through along the inside with seven laps remaining. Richards softened his initial reaction to the incident after winning the race, explaining that driver safety had to be considered paramount. Winterbottom was sporting a broad grin, which is rare for a beaten driver, but he was clearly chuffed about FPRs one-two punch and the fact that he managed to hold his lead in the series. He moves to 1402 points, 68 ahead of Tander after assuming the lead for the first time in his career after the Sandown round in early June. “Leading is one thing but to back it up is another and if I had gone away from here and lost it I would have been disappointed,” Winterbottom said. Triple Eight Team Vodafone had a forgettable round with Jamie Whincup, third in the points on 1276, scrambling to fourth overall for the round. His teammate Craig Lowndes put together some solid runs in the first two heats. However his engine expired in a plume of smoke on the last lap of the final heat when he was running fourth. Whincup had a tough day in the office, often having to counter-attack. The Gold Coast-based racer was involved in an incident with Tander when fighting for third spot with eight laps remaining and was shuffled back to ninth. Tander is relishing the challenge at his new digs at HRT (shifted from HSV Dealer Team) and admits the competition has risen again over last year. “It gets tougher every year and there are plenty of good teams and driver combinations on more weekends than others,” Tander said. “It's certainly very tough and whoever wins this one at the end of the year is going to deserve it.” Ford's other nominated factory team, Stone Brothers Racing, was not without its share of problems, with young gun Shane Van Gisbergen and James Courtney toughing out 10th and 11th positions overall for the weekend. Courtney clawed his way back to finish seventh in the final heat. Round result: 1 Steve Richards (Ford Performance Racing), 2 Mark Winterbottom (FPR), 3 Garth Tander (Holden Racing Team), 4 Jamie Whincup (Team Vodafone), 5 Russell Ingall (Super Cheap Auto Racing). Series points: 1 Mark Winterbottom (FPR) 1402, 2 Garth Tander (HRT) 1344, 3 Jamie Whincup (Team Vodafone) 1276, 4 Rick Kelly (HSV Dealer Team) 1208, 5 Steve Richards (FPR) 1123.

Marcos Ambrose is ready to take the leap into the NASCAR coalface following a comprehensive test at Virginia International Raceway this week.The two-time V8 Supercar champion has made a significant impact in the second-tier NASCAR class over the past two seasons and has been given the green light to step up to the Sprint Cup.Ambrose is set to drive the Wood Brothers Ford Fusion, backed by US snack food giant Little Debbie, at California's Infineon road circuit in Sonoma on June 22.It will be the first time Ambrose has taken the plunge into the NASCAR big time.He came close to breaking into the top field last year when he was scheduled to drive for Robby Gordon at Watkins Glen, New York, but rain robbed him of the chance to qualify.The plan is for Ambrose, who is running the full schedule in the second-tier Nationwide NASCAR series, to contest seven races in the Sprint Cup for Wood Brothers at New Hampshire, Watkins Glen, Michigan, California, Dover, Texas and Phoenix.Also on the agenda are four Sprint Cup races for JTG Racing, at Indianapolis in August, Kansas, Atlanta and Homestead (Miami).Yesterday's tests were not officially timed but Ambrose was said to be running with the top five, with most of the Sprint Cup field in attendance.“We did good times throughout the day in the changing conditions and there was some really positive feedback from inside and outside the car,” Ambrose said.“It was great to have both Eddie and Len Wood at the test and to continually bounce things off them as we progressed through the day. We certainly have a reasonable package underneath us for qualifying at Sonoma.”Eddie Wood was impressed with Ambrose's professionalism.“Marcos is obviously a very talented road racer and had plenty of input into the car today with some positive results,” Wood said.“With three different types of tyres being used here it is really hard to provide an exact account of where we finished on the time sheets, but I would certainly say we were well within thetop five.”Ambrose continues to make inroads in the US, where he has been based for three seasons since pulling the plug on his brilliant V8 Supercar career. He is 15th in the Nationwide Series points standings after 14 of 35 races.Ambrose runs next in the Nationwide series at the Nashville Superspeedway in Tennessee this weekend. StandingsV8 Supercars(After 4 of 14 rounds)1 Garth Tander (Holden) 8962 Rick Kelly (Holden) 8823 Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 8724 Jamie Whincup (Ford) 7765 Steve Richards (Ford) 721)Previous round: Winner - Mark Winterbottom, Perth, May 11.Next round: June 7-9, Sandown.TV times: Ch 7 — Sunday, June 8 - 4-5.30pm. Monday, June 9, 1pm-5.30pm.Indy Racing League(After 6 of 16 races)1 Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi) 2342 Helio Castroneves (Penske) 2063 Dan Wheldon (Chip Ganassi) 1854 Tony Kanaan (Andretti-Green) 1745 Danica Patrick (Andretti-Green) 144Previous round: Winner — Ryan Briscoe, Milwaukee, June 1.Next round: Texas, June 7.TV times: ESPN, 10.30pm, June 7.MOTOGP(After 6 of 18 rounds)1 Valentino Rossi (Yam) 1222 Dani Pedrosa (Hon) 1103 Jorge Lorenzo (Yam) 944 Casey Stoner (Duc) 765 Colin Edwards (Yam) 58Previous round: Winner Valentino Rossi, Mugello, Italy, June 1.Next round: Catalunya, Spain, June 8.TV times: Ch 10 — 11.15pm, Catalunya GP.World Superbikes(After 6 of 15 rounds)1 Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 1942 Carlos Checa (Honda) 1663 Nori Haga (Yamaha) 1444 Max Neukircher (Suzuki) 1265 Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki) 122Previous round: Winner race 1— Carlos Checa; winner race 2 — Carlos Checa, June 1, Salt Lake City.Next round: Nurburgring, Germany, June 15.World Rally(After 7 of 15 rounds)1 Sebastien Loeb (Citroen) 502 Mikko Hirvonen (Ford) 493 Chris Atkinson (Subaru) 314 Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford) 265 Dani Sordo (Citroen) 25Previous round: Winner - Sebastien Loeb - Acropolis, Greece, June 1.Next round: Turkey, June 13-15.TV times: SBS - Sunday, June 8, 2pm - Acropolis highlights. 

The next generation of Lamborghini road rockets could use turbocharged or supercharged engines to maintain their supercar edge.Force-fed powerplants are now clearly on the drawing board as the Italian company searches for the best way to maintain the power-to-weight potential of its Gallardo and flagship Murcielago.But there is still a conflict in the company.Lamborghini director of research and development Maurizio Reggiani dead-pans the idea, but chief executive Stephan Winkelmann says it is under investigation.Reggiani says naturally aspirated engines that fire the right numbers in key speed measurements are core to Lamborghini's composition, and introducing boosted powerplants is in direct conflict with that core DNA.However, Winkelmann admits turbo or supercharged units are “something we are working on”.“Mr Reggiani is right, but on the other hand we are working on the future,” Winkelmann admits.So it is not out of the question for Lamborghini to wedge an awesome V12 turbo-diesel engine into the Gallardo down the track.“Not only the near future, but the far future and there are no limits in terms of whatever contingencies you might have. It's the same as we have.”The new Gallardo V10 engine now comes with what the Italians call Iniezione Diretta Stratificata, which in Audi-speak is FSI or direct fuel injection.It comes as Lamborghini adopts a more responsible role in the world community, saying it is important to reduce noxious exhaust emissions.The just-launched and heavily revised Gallardo LP560-4 super coupe has made a massive leap in CO2 emissions, even though it has increased engine capacity and output.