Autoblog

While Bernie Ecclestone continues to bring grands prix to new markets every year, additional locations around the world get to see part of the Formula One action through individual teams staging demonstration events.

BMW-Sauber has held several such high-profile events, returning to the Nurburgring Nordschleife and racing on ice in Switzerland, and we reported on Ferrari's demo in Barbados a year ago. The latest event, organized by the Renault F1 team and title sponsor ING, drew a staggering record crowd of 300,000 on the streets of Mexico City, where Giancarlo Fisichella and test driver Nelson Piquet, Jr. drove last year's championship-winning R26 race car for the elated crowd.

The event marked what was undoubtedly the largest F1 event in the city since the last Mexican Grand Prix was held there in 1992, though both the NASCAR Busch Series and A1GP still hold races there.

To view fans' videos from the event, follow the link to Renaultsport's blog here.

[Source: Autosport.com]

click on the picture above to see a gallery of 15 shots

No, we're not talking about what happens when Malcolm gets together with the rest of the clan, but it is a family gathering of sorts. The Bricklin SV-1, Bricklin's 1970s stab at a safety GT, of course has a cult following. How could you deny the coolness of these low-slung, gullwing-door, V8 coupes? This weekend, in the North Central Massachusetts hamlet of Leominster, about 40 SV-1s are expected, along with Malcolm Bricklin and the man responsible for the styling, Herb Grasse, for the Bricklin International Owner's Club's 2007 Bricklin International Gathering East. The cars have been trickling in to town all day, and we managed to snap a few shots at the hotel this evening. We'll be going back, armed with more photo and video gear on Saturday, so these quick shots are just to whet your appetite. There will be more SV-1s present, and likely several DeLoreans when we go back, and next year, both marques are teaming up to have an extravaganza in Gettysburg, PA. If you like your iconoclastic GTs shaped like doorstops, don't miss it!

Thanks for the heads up, Toby!

Click on the image for our full hi-resolution image gallery

Dodge officially took the wraps off a number of new cars at its press conference here at the Detroit show, including the new Magnum SRT-8, the beefed-up Viper and the Avenger R/T, plus the Avenger "stock car of tomorrow", accompanied by Dodge's NASCAR stars.

The new Avenger shares its platform with the Chrysler Sebring and slots below the Magnum and Charger in the Dodge line-up. Earlier we brought you the images and details on the Avenger, which followed closely along the lines of the pre-production show car unveiled at the Paris show. The range-topping R/T spec shown will be available with either front or all-wheel-drive channeling 235 HP and 232 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed AutoStick transmission.

Check out the image gallery for all the pics from the Avenger's unveiling by clicking here or on any of the images below.



For our comprehensive listing of everything from Detroit, click here.

Ahead of their official unveilings, Aston Martin North America gave sneak-peeks at two upcoming models during a special event for 300 clients and dealers. The two models were the V8 Vantage Roadster and the DBS, and fortunately there were a handful of press invited to the event as well. Neither model, to be fair, is an all-new car. The Roadster is essentially a V8 Vantage coupe with the roof chopped off, and the DBS is a DB9 with more aggressive body panels. And we've previously brought you images of both cars.

The V8 Roadster on display featured a special paintjob that Aston Martin says is like looking at a fire, as the hue changes with the angle and the lighting conditions. The DBS on display was in full 007 trim, as the new model makes its debut in a few weeks in the James Bond film Casino Royale. This one had a host of switches and buttons inside that the production version obviously won't have, especially the pistol cut-out in the glove-box.

Follow the link for Forbes' images from the event.

[Source: Forbes Autos]