Kamui Kobayashi put Sauber at the top of the timesheets as Formula 1′s second pre-season test closed. The Japanese driver managed a 1m22.312s on Pirelli’s soft compound in the final hour of the morning, the fastest time set over all four days in Barcelona. Having ended the morning fastest, Kobayashi’s time came under little threat in the afternoon as teams followed the established pattern of focusing on long runs.
Duncan Hamilton Lewis Hamilton David Hampshire Sam Hanks Walt Hansgen
Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Volvo, Luxury
There are some cars we enjoy writing about more than others. Those tend to be the ones with the big horsepower numbers and seldom more than two doors, but the new Volvo V40 that was officially released today stands as an exception, because while it is hardly what you’d call exotic, it did pique our interest more than a workaday hatchback should. But we’ll have to try not to like it too much, because we just received confirmation that it is not, we’re sorry to report, coming to the United States.
In an email we received today from Geno Effler, head of public relations for Volvo Cars of North America, we were told that – and we quote – “The V40 is not coming to the United States.” Rats.
Effler further states in the correspondence that “The V40 is not replacing an existing model; it is a new model.” Which may be true enough, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see the existing C30 hatchback, S40 sedan and V50 wagon all go the way of the dodo in due course.
But then we wouldn’t be all that surprised, either, to see a three-door version spun off of the V40 to officially take the place of the aging C30, a sedan version to replace the even older S40 and maybe even a longer wagon to take the place of the V50. For now, however, this is one more stylish European hatchback we’ll just have to admire from afar.
So do you think Volvo ought to change its mind and bring the V40 to these shores? Cast your vote in our informal online poll below. You never know who in Gothenburg might be listening.
Volvo not bringing new V40 to these United States [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Denny Hamlin Z Line Toyota Kyle Busch Toyota Kimmy Z Line Designs Toyota
Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Subaru
Report cards are headed home in automakers’ backpacks today, and provided there isn’t any grade-changing subterfuge, Subaru has managed to land itself atop the Consumer Reports dean’s list. The triumph comes thanks to a class-topping essay entitled “What I Did Over Winter Break: Redesigning the 2012 Impreza,” which earned the rugged brand top marks in Small Sedans 101. Combined with high scores in other vehicle classes, Subaru knocked Honda from the valedictorian’s position it has held for the past four years.
Also passing Honda were salutatorian Mazda and perennial top-three performer Toyota, who reliably proved that whether it’s the smartest kid in the class or not, it’s well liked. Mazda climbed in the rankings thanks to a lighter class load, while Honda’s drop from the top reflected a year spent drawing giant spaceships and hoping that in Civics class nobody would notice when it turned in a weak rewrite of it’s own popular essay from last semester.
Honda wasn’t alone in spending the grading period not paying attention. Also spotted wandering the halls was Ford, which dropped out of the top five. While Chrysler found itself with the worst grades in the class – again – the carmaker did see some results from hitting the books lately, earning it the title of second most improved behind Mazda.
Click past the jump to read the full press release.
Continue reading Subaru tops Consumer Reports Automaker Report Cards
Subaru tops Consumer Reports Automaker Report Cards originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Juan Pablo Montoya Joseph Francis Nemechek III Ryan Joseph Newman Kyle Eugene Petty Floyd Anthony Raines
Caption competition 7: Cardboard Red Bull RB8 is an original article from F1 Fanatic If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
This four-year-old Japanese boy got a very special present this week – his very own Red Bull RB8, made for him out of cardboard by his mother.
Caption competition 7: Cardboard Red Bull RB8 is an original article from F1 Fanatic If this article has been published anywhere other than F1 Fanatic it is an infringement of copyright.
Jean Marc Gounon Emmanuel de Graffenried Lucas di Grassi Cecil Green Keith Greene