IN GEAR
Prepare for some high-speed action in the world of motorsports this month
The mini revamp
Alongside the R8 (featured below), the Mini Cooper S (mini.be) was unveiled at this year’s Paris Motor Show, the biggest in Europe.
Since BMW took over the design in July 2001, nearly 875,000 Minis have been sold worldwide. And the success story of The Italian Job star continues.
BMW has revamped the car with a new body design and increased legroom, giving it a more stylish interior, a new 1.6-litre engine and more comfortable suspension. To placate the environmentalists it also boasts lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions. With a price tag of around €25,000 it’s a slightly more realistic proposition for your Christmas list than the R8.
Career crossroads
James Toseland
James Toseland, who became the youngest World Superbike champion ever when he won the title two years ago aged 23, is at a career crossroads.
Ten Kate Honda’s number one racer, a runner-up in the 2006 title chase, is such a gifted musician and singer that he’s being urged to quit the sport and pursue a musical career with his band, Crash.
Jazzman Jools Holland took him on stage to perform for 25,000 fans, and rock megastars Status Quo promised to play on the biker’s debut album. Meanwhile, the hardback edition of his autobiography sold out in eight days, and it’s now out in paperback (Virgin Books, €12.55).
Nearly 10,000 fans turned up to watch him play at a UK bikers’ weekend in October, where he explained: “Music is my second passion. I’ve some unfinished business in World Superbikes. Then I’ll think about my future.” www.jamestoseland.com
Competition for Carrera
They’re calling it the Porschebuster. As supercars go – and this one certainly does – the Audi R8 is a stunner that might well come as a shock to the maker of the 911. And it’s not just the R8’s racy good looks that will enchant those who love high-performance cars
Based on Audi’s Le Mans-winning racer, the R8 (audi.com) is a masterpiece of advanced design underpinned by engineering expertise. And it’s guaranteed to give the hotshot Carrera a run for its money.
So what do you get for the asking price of around €55,000? The answer is plenty.
The cars, hand built at Audi’s Neckarsulm factory in Germany at a rate of 15 a day, are powered by a breathtakingly quick 4.2-litre
V8 engine that’s sure to test most drivers, firing from 0-96kph in 4.6 seconds.
If you can find anywhere legal to do it, the car can take you to speeds of 296kph as you operate the Grand Prix-style fingertip gear-change behind the steering wheel.
The Audi R8 pretty much matches the
3.8 Porsche Carrera 4S Cabrio for price, and it’s only split seconds behind in terms of performance.
What’s more, our spies tell us that if the R8 fails to meet your expectations there’s an even faster model in the pipeline, which is based on the Lamborghini Gallardo’s 5-litre V10 motor and capable of reaching 320kph. Its price? Around €155,000. www.audi.com
Motoring events for this month
■ Los Angeles Auto Show
1-10 December, laautoshow.com
■ Bologna International Automobile Exhibition
7-17 December, motorshow.it
■ A1GP in Dubai
15-17 December, a1gp.com
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