Latest Issue of Road Magazine live now, FREE!

The first of two 2011 4x4 special issues of www.roadmagazine.co.uk is live for you to read and enjoy FREE now at: http://issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_14. Or you can click on the cover image at the top of the right hand menu bar, to link through to read the magazine. This issue features a bit of off-road green lane action in the bionic, big and burly Toyota Land Cruiser V8, celebrating its 60th this year, a road trip and test of Isuzu's excellent Rodeo pick-up and a road trip to see HRH The Queen, at Buckingham Palace in the fabulous, new Mitsubishi Shogun LWB 3.2-litre. Please do spread the issue about your friends and forums for all our hard graft, producing a  FREE magazine for your pleasure every month. Thanks very much for the support, Team Road

Herbert and Blundell to race Golf24 at Nürburgring 24-Hour

Former F1 racers Johnny Herbert and Mark Blundell will race the 440PS, four-wheel-drive VW Golf24 at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife 24-Hour (23–26 June). The ex-F1 racers will be joined in the three-car team by well-known Volkswagen drivers including René Rast and Peter Terting, Nicki Thiim, Swede Fredrik Ekblom, Franck Mailleux, DTM driver Edoardo Mortara and the two Germans Thomas Mutsch and Patrick Simon – making a pretty bionic team. "We’ve managed to put together a very strong driver line-up for the 24-hour race," says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "With Johnny Herbert and Mark Blundell joining our ranks, we have two experienced racers competing for us whose track records include victories in F1 and at the Le Mans 24 Hours, and both contested the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup as Legends in 2010. All of our drivers have plenty of  experience on the world’s toughest race track and will give everything to make a strong showing at the eagerly awaited 24-hour race."
The uber-Golf will make its racing debut at the ‘Green Hell’ in the Nürburgring Endurance Championship this weekend, getting some pre-24-Hour testing done, in a four-hour endurance racing environment, with Fredrik Ekblom, Franck Mailleux and Peter Terting at the helm. Visit www.volkswagen-motorsport.info for more information about the Golf24. We can't wait to see how it fairs, after much success on the Green Hell for the Scirocco in recent years. A fitting anniversary present for a legendary car, in max-power form.

Random Rally porn: Group B Heroes

Some random Group B rally porn for you to enjoy over the extended UK bank holiday, for Wills & Kate's wedding. Just listen to that wastegate-fluttering, turbocharged five-cylinder, 550 bhp, flame and gravel-spitting Quattro go! Heaven, and a long, long way from the active diff, sorted suspension and super-stiff-chassis world of the modern 1.6-litre WRC eh? Full chat stuff!

911 GT3 RS 4.0: The ultimate 500 bhp naturally-aspirated 911

Porsche has announced the ultimate naturally-aspirated 911 for track and road  – the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 – using a 500 bhp 4.0-litre engine from the latest 911 GT3 RSR racer and available exclusively with a six-speed manual sports transmission. It's going to be limited to just 600 examples worldwide, and will be on sale from July 2011, priced from £128,466. Porsche say: "The new model transmits thoroughbred motorsport technology through to its innermost core. The flat engine's crankshaft has been lifted unchanged from the 911 GT3 RSR racing car’s six cylinder engine and the forged pistons’ connecting rods are made of titanium. The flat six 4.0-litre sports engine, the biggest 911 engine ever, is also the most powerful naturally aspirated engine with 125 bhp/litre. It achieves its maximum power of 500 bhp at 8,250 revs per minute and delivers its maximum torque of 460 Nm at 5,750 rpm. And it has a power to weight ratio of 368 bhp/tonne." The new GT3 RS 4.0 laps the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in a stunning 7:27 minutes – not far of a pukka RSR racer! And its straight line performance is stunning too, sprinting to 62 mph from a standing start in just 3.9 seconds and, with its gearing designed for the racing circuit, takes it to the 124 mph (200 km/h) mark in under 12 seconds. Other features include: Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), serious weight reduction  – via bucket seats, bonnet and front wings made of carbon fibre, plastic rear windows and weight-optimised carpets (!!) – taking it to just 1,360 kg, motorsporty Carrara White paintwork, wide track, low ride height, large rear wing with adapted side plates, central twin tailpipe and aerodynamically optimised body (lateral front air deflection vanes, so-called ‘flics’, making their first appearance on a production Porsche, testify to the aerodynamic precision engineering). Inside, there's the 911 GT3 RS 4.0 logos galore, bucket seats, more C-F than you can shake a pair of race gloves at and "the Clubsport package" – comprising half roll cage, seat belt harnesses, fire extinguisher, battery cut-off switch.  Fancy a slice of NBR24Hr car for the track day market? Us too...!

Team Lotus Enterprise buys Caterham Cars

Caterham Cars today got a new owner – Team Lotus Enterprise, run by Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin, the men behind the Team Lotus Formula 1 squad. The move will surely see the legendary lightweight sportscar manufacturer expand its brand profile and product family, and guarantees the continued development of the legendary Seven. And we can expect to see Caterham's with "added lightness" in future years. Tony Fernandes said: “Caterham has a unique place at the heart of the motoring world. As well as being proudly and staunchly British, it has an enviable and uniquely unblemished reputation within the industry for performance, handling and engineering excellence. Caterham Cars has remained wholly faithful to Colin Chapman’s philosophy of ‘less is more.’ Caterham Cars, Managing Director, Ansar Ali, added: “This is yet another exciting chapter in the Caterham story. While the Seven will now have the global springboard it deserves and will continue to be evolved yet further, we also have the opportunity to expand the Caterham family beyond the Seven and SP/300.R and breathe new life into our uniquely respected brand and mature it into a truly global business.” Exciting times for both British brands, especially with the news last week Lotus has secured extra funding. Expect big things...

R18 TDi makes successful first 2011 public appearance

The Audi R18 TDI made "a successful first public appearance at Le Mans" on Easter Sunday – in front of 24,987 enthusiastic fans. Audi Sport Team Joest's preparations for the Le Mans 24 Hour race (on June 11/12) included all three R18 TDi cars and all 10 drivers testing, for some hours. And the innovative sports car – with its ultra lightweight technology – set the two fastest times at the end of the test day, with Tom Kristensen setting the fastest time of the day in car No.3 (pictured). The eight-time Le Mans winner lapped the Sarthe circuit in 3m 27.687s. Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich (Head of Audi Motorsport) said: "We have prepared a comprehensive test programme for all three cars. The weather conditions allowed us to complete all our schedules. We have achieved very good results. I think that we can put that to very good use in the Le Mans race. It was important to do a lot of kilometres here with the all-new car before the race weekend in June comes up." Look out Le Mans. Team R18 are coming!

Vauxhall's Astra GTC Concept: A production reality

Vauxhall has announced production versions of its stunning GTC Paris concept car. This first image of the GTC may show it in a virtual landscape, but real test cars are now running final validation drives – meaning the Astra GTC is officially a production reality. And doesn't it look good (and rather VW Scirocco-y!)? In six weeks, Vauxhall will reveal full details about the GTC, as its order books open. We will then get an idea on pricing, technology, equipment and powertrains on offer. And the first production version of the Astra GTC will get its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show, on September 15, with first cars appearing in UK showrooms late autumn this year. Based on last year’s GTC Paris concept car, the production GTC will feature a 3-door body with dramatic proportions, and offer seating for five adults and "the very best of Vauxhall’s latest technology, as well as unique chassis features." Interested? We are...

Happy Easter with Porsche World cup 2011 promo video

Happy Easter to you all. Here's some lush Porsche and Green Hell footage – new and old – from our friends at www.savethering.org, as an Easter gift from Team Road! Next monthly issue of Road Magazine out early next week. Happy days!

Project S4 takes deep breaths

Project S4 (B5 Audi 2.7-litre V6, 30V twin turbo) is steaming along nicely now. We are just about to fit a high-flow K&N air filter, pictured above, (to go with the Milltek sports cat system, Forge blow off valves and Superchips ECU remap stage one engine tune), do a brake upgrade to set it up for fade-free track use, set-up the Bilsteins and go into a bit more detail on this amazing suspension kit, service it properly at Henstead Motorsport and do a few more jobs; like a deep clean with a Karcher pressure washer and some Sonax cleaning products. Follow its progress in detail here, including a test on the Dunlop Sport Maxx TT tyres fitted over Winter: http://www.roadmagazine.co.uk/?page_id=527. Spring is here... it's track day season – yes! The Green Hell and Spa-Francorchamps are calling!

Maserati GranTurismo MC goes Stateside

Maserati introduces a taste of the race-bred GranTurismo MC Stradale’s magic to North America with the GranTurismo MC – the fastest production car Maserati has ever sold in the US market, with a top speed of 298km/h (185mph) and a 0-100km/h (62mph) time of just 4.9 seconds: That's only 3km/h slower than the ultra-aggressive MC Stradale, even though the GranTurismo MC is aimed at a slightly more luxurious market. The major difference between the MC Stradale and the GranTurismo MC is in the transmission: With the MC Stradale getting "the fastest gearshift in the world," and the the GranTurismo MC getting "one of the fastest shifts of any full automatic transmission in production," say Maserati. The GT MC will be powered by the latest development of the 4.7-litre all-alloy V8 engine, with 331 kW (443bhp) at 7000rpm and 510Nm at 4750rpm, and also has aerodynamic and suspension tweaks, carried over from the GranTurismo MC Stradale. What will America think? We likey... especially that front end and in white, with black rims.

Sonax Performance Car Care: McLaren F1 endorsed

Here is the latest Sonax 2011 advertising campaign – to be seen in the next monthly issue of Road magazine, a 4x4 special, out April 25th. We will be testing a load of this fabulous new Sonax gear (from www.saxon-brands.com) in future issues of Road Magazine, on the Project S4 and various exciting press cars currently on test. And if it's good enough to be endorsed and used by the McLaren F1 team, it's certainly gotta be impressive stuff, and we can't wait to give it a try, in conjunction with our new Karcher pressure washer (www.karcher.co.uk), also on test for www.Roadmagazine.co.uk. Sonax products, which celebrate 60 years in 2011 include; shampoo, glass cleaner, polishing wax, paint renovator, wheel cleaner, interior shine, leather care, colour match polish, tyre care and much more. Spring clean your car today with F1-endorsed cleaning technology! Call for your nearest stockist on 01488-689400.

Ogier in narrowest WRC win ever

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia snatched victory in the very last stage at Rally Jordan this weekend –  by the narrowest margin ever recorded in WRC history, just two-tenths of a second!
With 115 kilometres of special stages, day two was a four-way scrap between Sébastien Ogier, Sébastien Loeb, Jari-Matti Latvala and Petter Solberg. Loeb was the first to lay down a marker, when he set the fastest time in Yakrut (SS13), but Jari-Matti Latvala’s all-out attack pushed the seven-time world champion back to third, where he finished (taking the overall lead in the Drivers’ World Championship, with Citroën in a dead-heat for first place in the Manufacturers’ World Championship, currently). At the midday service break, Sébastien Ogier was still leading the rally, with some 20 seconds in hand over Latvala: “I had to go ‘pedal to the metal’ right till the end to win the rally.” By winning three stages in succession (SS17-19) Jari-Matti Latvala closed the gap to Ogier and took the lead just before the Power Stage. Loeb decided it was better to settle for third and lifted off. This left only Latvala and Ogier locked in battle for victory. They both gave their all in the final stage. The Citroën Total World Rally Team members could not believe their eyes when they saw their driver setting the fastest time and beating his rival by just 2/10s! A delighted Ogier said: “Despite the fact that we were pushing like crazy, Jari-Matti gave us a hard time over the weekend. He banged in incredible times and we almost felt that there was nothing we could do about it. It was tough, but we never stopped thinking we could win, and Lady Luck smiled on us. It’s hardly believable to win the rally by such a tiny margin, but we’ve bagged the maximum amount of points with the Power Stage bonus. That’s put us back in the title hunt for the rest of the season.” What a rally!

Road Magazine: Project Audi S4

For those of you who might be interested in our lowly fast road and track motor, Road Magazine is busy fettling an old B5 Audi S4 b-turbo 2.7-litre V6. You can read all about it here: http://www.roadmagazine.co.uk/?page_id=527
There's lots more stuff to come soon, including a test on a Bilstein PSS9 coilover kit, K&N air filter, brake upgrade, Dunlop Sport Maxx TT tyre test and more. Enjoy it! We certainly are, as the old dog has quite a few tricks up its sleeve! The Green Hell beckons... :-)

New entry-level Subaru Legacy Tourer: ES Nav

Subaru has launched a new entry point into the (all-new platform) Legacy Tourer range - the ES Nav – with Sat Nav as standard, priced at just £21,995. It comes with the 150PS (196Nm) 2.0 litre petrol engine and with the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or Subaru’s optional Lineartronic CVT transmission. Naturally, it also comes with Subaru's excellent permanent Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system and horizontally opposed Boxer engine hallmarks, offering light weight and a low centre of gravity, "ensuring a unique and special blend of driving engagement, durability, comfort and safety." A full colour satellite navigation system is fitted as standard, with touch screen control, CD/DVD playback, integrated Bluetooth hands-free connectivity and steering wheel mounted controls. Other standard features on the ES Nav model include automatic headlights and windscreen wipers, remote control central locking, dual zone climate control, one-touch fold down rear seats, alloy wheels, electrically adjusted driver’s seat and a Thatcham category 1 alarm and immobiliser. Expect 0-60mph in 9.8s manual and 11.3 CVT, 34.9mpg and a top end of 120mph. You can read about the amazing new Subaru Legacy Outback in the current issue of road at: http://www.issuu.com/roadonlinemagazine/docs/road_13_small

Parabolique new showreel

Check out this fabulous new showreel from Road snapper and film maker, Richard Morris of www.parabolique.co.uk. The pace of the filming for Bookatrack events, the atmosphere of the shots on the S1 Lotus Esprit and the drifting Jaguar are our favourite bits, but it's all absolutely top notch work. You can follow Richard on Twitter @paraboliqueuk and view the showreel here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xFXK3JbI08

Lexus LF-Gh concept global debut

The Lexus LF-Gh will make its global debut at the 2011 New York International Auto Show. The concept has been conceived as a redefinition of the luxury grand tourer, with a “clean sheet of paper” approach to design, which should reach its way into other Lexus models. The LF-Gh has been designed as "a high-performance concept that can deliver an inspiring driving experience, carrying passengers in comfort over long distances." It will be rear-wheel-drive, with a hybrid powertrain, 20-inch wheels, a new front-end "spindle-shape grille" and radically improved aerodynamics - a key feature that will be inherited by future Lexus models; with air flowing in through the front inlets next to vertically arranged LED fog lamps, and exiting through similar slim outlets at the rear that follow the curve of the tail lamps. The interior will be finished in high-quality materials with finely honed detailing, designed to respond to the demands of customers who know and appreciate true quality. Looks like Lexus is on a roll. Bravo!

Superb Škoda

Auto Express' Driver Power survey has rated Škoda as ‘Best Manufacturer’ – again! Three Škoda cars finished in the top four of the 'Best Car' category, including Superb at number one (pictured), Yeti second and Octavia forth. And the Czech brand also scooped the top honour in the ‘Best Manufacturer’ category – for the third year running. Robert Hazelwood, Brand Director for Škoda UK, said: “Winning any award is always a great boost, but those linked to customer satisfaction are particularly well received. Along with value for money and excellence in engineering, great customer service is one of the key strategies in our continuing mission to take the Škoda brand forward.” Well done to all at team Škoda!

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 racer in development testing

The new MP4-12C GT3 race car – first developed in the McLaren simulator – has been tested on track at Navarra in Spain. McLaren say, like McLaren Formula 1 cars and the 12C road car, on which the 12C GT3 is based, the simulator has played a "vital role in defining the GT3’s engineering requirements and technical specification." Following a test programme at Circuito de Navarra in Spain, Mark Vinnels, McLaren GT Programme Director said: “We defined the power, weight and downforce targets of the 12C GT3 using the simulator, and the set-up selected for the simulated GT3 car felt near-identical to the cars we tested for the first time in Navarra. The McLaren simulator is just one example of how we are preparing to deliver a GT3 car that is the most driveable, reliable and efficient car on the grid.” McLaren say the new MP4-12C GT3 will undergo a rigorous development and testing programme over the 2011 race season before 20 cars are delivered to privateer teams for racing in 2012. McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer Martin Whitmarsh will reveal the full technical specification, development programme, driver line-up and race plans for the 12C GT3 at a press conference at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, England on 04 May 2011. Looking gooood eh?

Ford Transit SuperSportVan is back!

Ford has taken the wraps off the next evolution of its iconic SportVan bloodline – the one-off Transit SuperSportVan (SSV). It comes loaded with a range-topping, five-cylinder 3.2-litre, 200PS Duratorq TDCi engine, shoehorned into a short wheelbase Transit, for maximum power-to-weight ratio. The engine, normally to be found in bigger Transit models like the 4.25 tonnes Transit Jumbo, delivers 470Nm at 1700-2500 rpm and mates with a six speed gearbox. Under the striking livery, the rest is fundamentally the base SportVan, based on the 260, short wheelbase model with front wheel drive, usually found with 140PS 2.2-litre TDCi diesel engine. The exterior features: Le Mans-style bonnet stripes, twin exhausts, alloy wheels, low profile 235/45 tyres, front and rear lower spoilers, side skirts and extended wheel arches. The SuperSportVan will take centre stage at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show, at the NEC, Birmingham, but is strictly a limited production of one, so you won't be able to pop out and buy one!
The creation of this SuperSportVan is the latest chapter in the story of fast Transits, which began in 1971, with the creation of the GT40-based Supervan 1 and has included a 178mph DFY Cosworth V8 in 1984 (SSV II), 650bhp, 13,000rpm Cosworth F1 V8 in 1995 (SSV III) and a Ford WRC Transit in 2000, built to support McRae and Sainz. Bonkers.... and we love 'em!

Road Blog is back & MINI WRC scores first victory

Road Magazine daily blog is back! Hello!
And the next issue of monthly Road Magazine will be live on the 25th of this month. So, keep your eyes peeled here for more exciting news, views, videos and fabulous magazines, all FREE! 


While off air, the MINI John Cooper Works rally car has won its first event. A MINI John Cooper Works S2000 fitted with a 33mm restrictor, driven by Andrea Navarra, took victory on Rally dell'Adriatico this weekend past. Navarra led the opening round of the 2011 Italian gravel rally championship (perfect practice for the MINI's first WRC event in Sardinia May 5th) from start to finish. What a great omen for the return of the MINI name to World Rallying, which was officially launched yesterday. We wish Prodrive and the MINI WRC team all the very best in Italy in May. Oh, and we'll be behind the wheel (with a VERY special driver) of the MINI WRC, and behind the scenes at the Prodrive technical HQ in June... so stay tuned for that Road Magazine exclusive folks.