Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

In gear

Images Rex Features, Getty Images

Lisa Curtiss drools over Audi’s e-tron, notes Schumacher’s return to F1 and takes the VW Scirocco GT for a spin

Magnificent eight with Mercedes?

Schumacher back and chasing World Champ title

Seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher is confirmed to race for Mercedes alongside fellow countryman Nico Rosberg. The German car maker bought the 2009 title-winning Brawn GP team, renaming it Mercedes GP Petronas, and retained team principle Ross Brawn – who helped Schumacher to title glory at both Ferrari and Benetton. With the first race of the 2010 season just weeks away, on 14 March, Schumacher is looking to add to his impressive title tally.

“Mercedes GP Petronas represents a new challenge for me both in a sporting and a personal context,” he said. “It is a new chapter in my racing career and I am looking forward to working with my old friend Ross Brawn and my companions from my days with the Mercedes Junior Programme.

I am convinced that together we will be involved in the fight for the F1 World Championship, and I am already looking forward to getting back to the race track. For me, this partnership closes the circle. Mercedes supported me for so many years when I began my F1 career, and now I can hopefully give something back to the brand with the star.”

She’s electric

Audi’s e-tron stuns with its stylish looks

Proving without a shadow of a doubt that not all electric cars need to be small and staid is Audi’s recently unveiled e-tron, hailed as the world’s first true electric supercar.

With serious green credentials, gloriously flashy good looks, immense torque and a 0-100km/h sprint of just 4.8 seconds, this Audi is destined to be snapped up the instant that the order books open in 2012 – despite a likely €150,000 price tag.

Briatore off the banned list

Court overturns FIA ruling on race-fixing scandal

The indefinite ban placed on former Renault team boss Flavio Briatore for his part in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix race-fixing scandal has been dramatically overturned.

A French court made the ruling on the basis Briatore was not a Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile licence holder and therefore not subject to FIA rules, coupled with the fact that the governing body did not, in the court’s view, have the authority to impose such a ban. Pat Symonds’ five-year ban was overturned for the same reasons. The FIA is considering appealing, stating that: “…until then, the World Motor Sport Council’s decision continues to apply. In addition, the FIA intends to consider actions to ensure that no persons who would engage in such dangerous activities are allowed to participate in F1 in the future.”

Best in show

This year’s Motor Show in Geneva will see major new launches

One of the world’s largest car events takes place next month – the 80th International Motor Show will run from the 4-14 March at the Palpexo Exhibition Centre, Geneva.

Always one of the key shows to look to for significant model launches, this year promises to be no exception with important debuts from most manufacturers including a stylish Coupé Cabriolet Mégane from Renault and a host of funky electric cars.

Opening times: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat-Sun 9am-7pm. For more information visit www.salon-auto.ch

February diary

Dates to look out for this month

1-3 Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique, Monaco

7-10 Neige & Glace Historic Rally, Doubs and Jura, France

12-14 FIA World Rally Championship: Swedish Rally, Karlstad, Sweden

14 NASCAR Daytona International Speedway, Florida, USA

28 A1GP: South Africa

TESTDRIVE

VW SCIROCCO GT

Don’t let prejudices stop you from checking out Volkswagen’s latest incarnation of this motor – it offers plenty to please

VW does love a bit of retro. I’ve been subjected to more seats in tartan of dubious taste and golf ball-bedecked gearsticks than my delicate senses can comfortably endure. Little wonder, then, that the company progressed from scaring me with quirky 1980s styling to bringing an entire car back from the dead. Just a shame they picked the one named after a wind.

A tad harsh? Well, maybe. But not to those who knew and loved its sister car, the Corrado – the fastest and most elegant model to come from the VW stable at the time and, despite being first launched just over 20 years ago, a car that manages to look relatively fresh on our roads even now. A VR6 Storm and a brace of G60s have graced my driveways, all paid for from my own coffers, and coming from a motor writer and lucky recipient of just about every car under the sun to drive, that’s testament indeed to their charms.

So, after resisting a test drive for as long as I could without causing overt offence, I finally sampled my first Scirocco since 1988 – and I feel mightily sheepish, as I’m obliged to admit that it’s actually rather good.

Low slung, sleek and purposeful, it’s appealingly fierce, with a deep grille and a sharky, menacing stare. The rear is chunky with a chromed, large-bored twin-pipe exhaust alluding to some decent sporting prowess. Inside, instead of cheesy retro references, it is restrained, comfortable and subtly bejewelled with chrome.

Performance-wise this car is as sporty as it looks, its 2.0-litre petrol engine providing a handy helping of torque and a sprightly sprint of just 7.2 secs. The gearing is slick in manual guise, or you can opt for DSG, and it also handles remarkably neatly whatever twists and turns it encounters. This is thanks to its low stance and bespoke ‘Adaptive Chassis Control’ settings for its springs and dampers, and the front wishbone/rear four-link suspension arrangement, as found in the Golf.

Ultimately, the Scirocco has surprised me – in a very good way.

Spec

VW Scirocco GT

2.0-litre TSI

Displacement

1984cc

Maximum power output

146KW

Maximum torque

280Nm

Top speed

234km/h

0-100km/h acceleration

7.2 secs

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