Car News Articles

The news that Holden’s Commodore is going green will no doubt have the Australian large-car faithful questioning what some at Holden are thinking.

In particular is the idea that the Commodore could again be sold with a four-cylinder engine will bring big ugly memories for those who sampled the sluggish Commodore four-cylinder that was sold here until 1984.

If it happens – and it sounds as though it’s a reasonable chance – it would at least be tempered by the news that the four-cylinder would also likely have a turbocharger, potentially giving it more power and torque than the current 3.6-litre V6.

Making the comments in Melbourne, General Motors group vice president Nick Reilly also stressed other more environmentally friendly technologies would be looked at for the Commodore, including natural gas (CNG), diesel and hybrid.

He also confirmed a hybrid Commodore would be on sale around 2010.

It’s a radical change for Holden, which has watched its market share almost halve since 2002.

Remember, too, that a large chunk of Commodore sales are for the V8 variants; in fact 2007 was a record for Commodore V8 sales.

HSV, too, is bouncing from sales record to sales record with its almost entirely-V8 line-up. But even HSV is looking to green its image.

What do you think about the prospect of a four-cylinder Commodore? Or a hybrid, diesel or natural gas? And which is the most logical solution to growing concerns about the environment.

Toby Hagon

NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr has had his first taste of V8 Supercars in a private test session at Queensland Raceway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr is the most popular driver in the US and reportedly earns more than $50 million per year.

He is in Australia on holidays and arranged for the test drive at the Ipswich track in a Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore two weeks ago when he was at Phillip Island for the V8 Supercar season finale.

No details or times were released by the team.

The 33-year-old has been voted the most popular driver in NASCAR for the past five years.

While Earnhardt Jr was having fun, team owner Paul Morris and his new driver Russell Ingall were getting down to business for next season.

Ingall had his first run in his new Commodore since returning to Holden from Ford and Morris has secured a three-year sponsorship from retail chain Supercheap Auto.

The deal replaces Sirromet wines as the team’s primary sponsor. Sirromet is owned by Morris’s father Terry.

“For the past six to seven years we have been building our team to the point where we could sign a driver of Russell’s calibre, and we’ve now reached that point,” Morris said yesterday.

New Zealand’s Fabian Coulthard has been signed by Paul Cruickshank Racing for next year.

He replaces the retired John Bowe in the team’s Ford Falcon.

- Herald Sun

Hollywood legend James Coburn’s black Ferrari sold on the weekend for a world record 7 million euros.

The £5 million plus ($A11.4 million) sale included fees to UK radio and television host Chris Evans.

The 1961 250 GT California Spyder designed around the short wheelbase GT - one of only 54 such cars made - went under the hammer in Ferrari’s hometown of Maranello in Italy, but had been expected to sell for less than half the final bid.

The previous highest price ever paid for a car at auction prior to this was $A11.1 million for a Ferrari 250 GTO in 1990.

Evans’s successful bid topped more than £5 million sterling, but a 10 per cent buyer’s premium took his final bill to more than £5.5 million.

Coburn, who appeared in more than 100 films, bought the car second-hand in 1964, and was often spotted testing its abilities on the winding roads of the Hollywood Hills.

Evans, 42, who hosts BBC 2’s drive-time radio slot said he had long held a desire for such a car but had not yet driven one.

The popular announcer — who was reported in London’s Sunday Times to be worth around $A90 million – earlier this month splashed out on a flatscreen television for his elderly dog, to stop it getting bored after a back operation.

He also famously bought a Ferrari for then-teenage actress – and later, briefly, his wife — Billie Piper the day after they met in 2000.

- Carsguide

This Venom 1000 twin turbo viper was racing a Porsche 911 and coming out of the corner hits the boost and losses control and goes sideways at 150mph. He misses hitting a Hennessey Ford GT by less than 30 feet!

1000hp Viper Venom spins out at 150mph.

Ferraris are best known for their looks, performance, and exclusivity, but lately, it seems one could add flammability to that list of attributes. The latest case of Ferrari flambé involves a beautiful black 599 GTB Fiorano, which self-ignited at a stop light while being driven by someone who wasn’t even the car’s owner. Martin Bullen, who works at supercar garage Romans International in Banstead, UK, was at the wheel when he heard a strange sound followed by a brilliant display of smoke and fire. The £250,000 exotic was a total loss, and the 28-year-veteran of the high-end garage had to inform his boss of the Ferrari’s fate.

Luckily for Bullen, his employer is a forgiving and understanding man. Garage owner Paul Jaconelli said he wouldn’t hold the destroyed 599 against his employee, and that the vehicle was still covered under warranty. That’s good news for Bullen, but Ferrari owners the world over must be wondering if their expensive toys will be the next to join the ranks of the carbequed. This isn’t exactly what they bargained for when they decided to get a hot car. Head to The Sun for more pics of the latest Fire-ari. Thanks for the tip, Chris!

[Source: The Sun]