Nelson Ireson, Senior Editor
Articles
-
It's important to consider the source of the latest news of Robert Kubica's condition following the rally accident that saw him spear a guardrail and end up in the hospital from February until just...
-
Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Production Rumors ContinueMade almost exclusively from carbon fiber and built as a demonstration of futuristic yet technically feasible design and materials technology, the Lamborghini Sesto Elemento was originally nothing but a concept. Strong interest in the car from presumably well-heeled buyers has driven rumors that...
Nelson Ireson -
2001-2004 Audi A6, S6, R6 Recalled For Fuel Tank Fire RiskPotential fire hazard or not, we still want an Audi RS6 in our driveway. Sure, we're ideally prefer the monstrous twin-turbo V-10 that followed the model under recall, but we wouldn't look a gift car in the tank. The tank is where the fire risk in the recalled cars lies: a plastic valve that flexes...
Nelson Ireson -
7 Easy Ways To Know If Your Tuner Car Has Jumped The SharkTuners of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your taste! That seems to be rallying cry of a large segment of those of us that, in one way or another, center our lives around cars. Here's a list of ways to know if you're one of them. We hope you're not, but we understand, and forgive you...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 BMW M5 (F10) At The Proving Grounds: VideoThis official look at the upcoming 2012 BMW M5 is our best look yet at what to expect. For those that feared the new M5 might lose some of its edge, we find little to quibble with here. Smoky burnouts, lots of tail-out action in the dry and wet, high-speed testing, and more await. Click play and...
Nelson Ireson -
Porsche GT3 RS 4.0, Panamera Hybrid Configurators OnlineIt's time to start making those wishlists a bit more specific, folks: the latest pair of Porsches now have official online configurators. We spent a few minutes mostly taking things off the GT3 RS 4.0 (air conditioning, stereo, creature comforts) and ended up with a $202,000 price tag and one...
Nelson Ireson -
The latest performance package Mustang isn't a rampaging supercharged steroid-shooting muscle car. It's a V-6-based car that aims for value and fun--and it's called "Mayhem."
Named by Ford's... -
2011 Showtime Southern 500 At Darlington: Weather ReportThough rain played a factor Friday, shutting out Nationwide Series qualifying and threatening to do the same for the Cup cars, weather should be a non-factor for the Southern 500 race this evening. Only a small chance of rain exists throughout the day, a steady 10 percent from morning until...
Nelson Ireson -
Darlington 2011: Kahne, Newman, Hamlin Top QualifyingAlthough Nationwide Series qualifying was rained out yesterday, the Sprint Cup cars did get to put in their fast laps to determine the lineup for the Showtime Southern 500, and the top three runners came out a small notch ahead, all clearing 180 mph average speed. Kasey Kahne lead the way with a...
Nelson Ireson -
MINI WRC Driver Sordo Sits Sixth After Day 1MINI's return to the World Rally Championship is already underway this weekend in Sardinia, Italy, and so far--aside from a few hitches--it's going well. Dani Sordo and co-driver Carlos del Barrio are currently in sixth place after the first eight stages, with an eye toward a fifth place finish...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe Gets Some Action...MovieMini-films are a favorite of the high-end luxury brands, particularly the German ones. This film skips a lot of the kitsch and awkwardness common to most of the genre and offers a nine-minute action/thriller in its place. Dubbed "Drive & Seek," the mini-movie follows a lead character as he...
Nelson Ireson -
Hennessey V650 2011 CTS-V Sport Wagon Is Badass: VideoThere's no point mincing words here. The Hennessey V650 builds on the already brutally effective CTS-V Wagon with another 100 horsepower, an electronic exhaust dump, and more. Yes, that's right: 658 horsepower, 661 pound-feet of torque. Those stats enable some other impressive figures: 0-60 mph in...
Nelson Ireson -
If you've never heard of SCCA ProSolo competition, you're not alone--but you're missing out. Like autocross, ProSolo is open to anyone with a valid driver's license, an SCCA membership, and a safe,... -
2011 NASCAR Darlington Showtime Southern 500 PreviewAs the Nationwide series gets to racing the Royal Purple 200 today at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, the Cup cars and drivers are gearing up for their Saturday run around the 1.25-mile oval in the Showtime Southern 500. The egg-shaped oval will be, as always, a challenge for drivers and...
Nelson Ireson -
Audi, MIT's AIDA 2.0 Previews Next-Gen Car GPS InterfaceThe first generation of Audi and MIT's collaboration on a futuristic in-car interface system produced a somewhat creepy, ostensibly friendly, in-car robot. The second generation, previewed in the video below, looks more like the product of a sci-fi movie, aiming to redefine the way we look at...
Nelson Ireson -
2013 VW Polo R WRC Preview VideoEarlier today we brought you the first scant official details on Volkswagen's 2013 World Rally Championship entry, the Polo R WRC, and now we have the official preview video of the car's design and unveiling. Showing little more than some cryptic sketching and small cuts of in-car video, both...
Nelson Ireson -
2011 Pebble Beach Concours To Host 20-Car Ferrari 250 GTO GatheringToday's Ferraris are often raced, and even those that aren't can lay strong claim to the racing heritage and ongoing F1 development within the company. But the tradition of building special models just for homologation in sports car racing has largely died off, leaving icons like the 250 GTO to...
Nelson Ireson -
Acura Working On New RSX: ReportThe rebirth of the NSX, now in hybrid form, is once again underway. As we wait to see how--or even if--it takes form, rumors of a new RSX are brewing at Acura. Unlike the NSX, the new RSX isn't expected to be a hybrid. Instead, it will share the new Civic Si's 2.4-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder, rated...
Nelson Ireson -
World Rally Championship racing is heating up even as other series appear to be struggling: MINI recently announced a new entry, and now Volkswagen is joining the party, too, as we've expected for...
-
Audi R4 Dead In The Water?We've been anticipating a compact sports car, expected to be called the R4, for years now. Unfortunately, the project may already be dead if the latest reports bear out. The Audi e-tron Concept from 2010 was said to be a near-perfect preview of the car--though the concept's all-electric powertrain...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 BMW 650i Coupe Live From Mexico: GalleryWe spent the first half of the week driving the 2012 650i Convertible around the Baja peninsula, but during the event, BMW also had a 650i Coupe on hand. Unfortunately we didn't get any seat time in it, but we did get these tasty photos to share with you. While it's easy to appreciate the open-air...
Nelson Ireson -
Mercedes-Benz G-Class BA3 Final Edition, Edition SelectGermany's own military-bred super SUV is soon to meet its end, and to celebrate the G-Class's run, Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a pair of special edition models: the Edition Select and the aptly named BA3 Final Edition. The Final Edition is a short-wheel base model, while the Edition Select is long...
Nelson Ireson -
Brammo Announces New IET Transmission For Electric Motorcycles: VideoElectric vehicles, of both the two- and four-wheeled variety, commonly use a single gear ratio, thanks to the instant-on torque band of electric motors. Sometimes that's not ideal, however, and Brammo has developed a new system to better emulate the performance of gasoline-powered sportbikes with...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible: First DriveIf you've never been to the Los Cabos region of the southern Baja California peninsula, you should start making plans now. While you're at it, try to find a way to secure a 2012 BMW 650i Convertible to drive while you're there. I make the recommendation based on my recent trip to drive the car at...
Nelson Ireson