Every week we work to bring you focused and quality coverage of breaking news, performance and luxury cars and the occasional killer video. Here's where we put the odds and ends that didn't make the cut, but are still well worth a look. Counting down from number 5...
5. Audi's R15 TDI Plus
This car's bonanza of naked carbon fiber is only slightly marred by the drivers sitting in the cockpit. Fans of endurance racing and automotive design alike will appreciate this one. Stay tuned for the official racing debut.
4. Richard Branson's Underwater Plane
Virgin Necker Nymph submersible prototype
Billionaire media mogul Richard Branson is well-known for his high-flying exploits, but now he's decided the next frontier is under the sea. To go exploring in billionaire style, he's had a $660,000 submersible prototype designed to let him reach down 130 ft, though Branson hopes to eventually reach 35,000 feet. The prototype, called the Nymph, will be used by visitors at his Necker Island luxury retreat to better observe marine wildlife.
3. Kimi Raikkonen Crashes In Arctic Rally
Kimi Raikkonen's switch from Formula 1 to World Rally Championship racing is just getting underway, and in true rally fashion, he's already been off the road in the snowy Arctic Lapland Rally. This video shows the in-car images of a car behind Raikkonen as it passes his wrecked racer. Raikkonen and co-driver later got back underway with some help of fans.
[MSNBC]
2. Ford Performance Unveils Two New Crate Engines
Ford 427 FE crate engine
The performance parts arms of the major domestic carmakers often fly under the radar of everyday news, but these two new engines deserve some attention. The first is the X302, a 5-liter V-8 rated at 340 horsepower and priced from $3,495, and the second is the 427 FE, built on the Boss 351 block and featuring heavy-duty reinforced internals. Equipped with Ford Racing aluminum 10.5:1 heads, it's good for 535 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque. Fun.
[Ford via Autoblog]
1. Porsche 956 On-Board Video At Le Mans
This is probably the best 3 minutes, 32 seconds you'll spend all week. This legendary race car needs no introduction, but for those not in the know, it's a piece of racing history powered by a 2.65-liter turbocharged flat six turning out 635 horsepower--in a 1,760-pound package.
[YouTube via Jalopnik]
