Autoblog

In the United States, Suzuki is more known for its superlative motorcycles than mainstream automobiles. It is a notion that has even been played upon by the manufacturer's marketing department in recent commercials. In other parts of the world though, particularly in places where small cars garner more of a following, the small Japanese compacts are popular enough to get their own race series. The inaugural Suzuki Swift Sport Cup kicked off in New Zealand back last November and culminated last month. Next up on the calendar, the United Kingdom gets a taste of the 1.6L 123-hp hatch in its own Swift Cup. The kiwi version utilized tarmac tracks, but the UK cars are optimized for dirt. This weekend will see seven identical Monster Sport Europe-built vehicles battling it out on part of the Pirelli International Rally course, the first of six rounds for the cup.

The low operation costs of the series and the accompanying television deal makes for an attractive package for participants, not to mention the high point prize. The overall championship winner also gets a fully funded ride in the 2008 Wales Rally GB WRC race. The vehicle entry will be a Suzuki Swift Super 1600, of course.

[Source: AutoMotoPortal.com]

It wouldn't be much of a stretch to assert that most of the transcontinental rallies out there don't hold much purpose beyond pure hoonage. And don't get us wrong, we've got nothing against hoonage. But the Fireball Run has a loftier goal in mind: finding lost children.

The participants aren't expected to actually chase down the lost kiddies as they cover ground, though. Each of the 100 teams participating is assigned a missing child report, and they take it upon themselves to make as much noise as possible about their adopted case in each of the cities they visit as they make their way from Baton Rouge, Lousisiana, to Grand Rapids, Michigan. All in all, 3,500 miles are covered over the course of nine days. As a result of last year's inaugural event, the participants helped the Child Rescue Network find 12 missing children. This year's event takes on an 80's theme (Burt Reynolds mustache optional) and runs from September 25 to October 4. The cost of entry is $6,800 per vehicle, with preference given to teams referred by existing ones. Check out FireballRun.com for more info.

[Source: FireballRun.com via Luxist]

If your inner rally driver lusts for something different than the run of the mill Subaru or Mitsubishi, there's a tasty new Gallic morsel to spice things up. Citroen is taking their C2 to the FIA Junior World Rally Championship this year, and the C2-R2 Max Rally kit is their ticket to homologation. The kit keeps the price down, but doesn't skimp on serious pieces. The 1.6-liter engine belts out 190 horsepower, and there's larger brakes and a hydraulic steering rack to keep that power in check and make sure it's properly directed. There's also an adjustable rear suspension to help fend off competitors on the track. All of our puppy-dog enthusiasm is for naught; we can't get this un-subtle killer hatch in the United States. C'est la vie.

[Source: Inside Line]

Click above to watch the video.

After amassing a healthy lead over their competitors, Subaru Rally Team USA driver Travis Pastrana and co-driver Christian Edstrom were able to play it cool for the second to last stage of the 2008 SnoDrift Rally last weekend. All was well as they made their way through the forest roads and fresh powder until one of God's creatures decided that now would be a good time to cross the ice-covered stage road. As the 2007 WRX STI careened down the road at over 60 mph, Bambi colliding with Pastrana's left front bumper, causing irreparable damage to the engine and ending the team's race as the Subaru coasted to a stop. We're not sure if it was Pastrana or Edstrom who let out the shriek just as the deer hit, but we've got to give them points for using far fewer expletives than we would've.

You can check the video after the jump and read a full account of the race over at Vermont Sports Car's website.

Thanks for the tip Chris!

Following the unfortunate cancellation of this year's Dakar rally, race organizers are examining a number of potential alternatives to permanently move the race away from northern Africa. Last year's race had stages canceled due to security considerations, but this year's event, which would have been going on right now, was the first to be cancelled in the rally's history. With reports now suggesting that the French foreign ministry's urging to cancel was based on direct threats from Al Qaeda to the Dakar rally itself, last year's modified race will likely have been the last to run the traditional, if oft-modified, route.

ASO – the French outfit that organizes the event, along with the famous Tour de France bicycle race – has considered a number of alternatives, including Dubai, Australia, and even running the distance from Paris all the way to Beijing, but reports are now suggesting that following the offer from the Chilean tourism minister, a deal has already been signed to hold the rally beginning next year on a route from Argentina to Chile and back.

Although the South American rally likely won't happen this year, when it does it will likely revert to Dakar's traditional January 1 starting gun and take the place of the Pampas Rally in the FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup.

[Source: Autosport]

With the end of the year 2007, so came the end of Ferrari's 60th anniversary celebrations. Although the 60 special-edition 612 Scagliettis made to mark the occasion were nothing compared to the F40 and F50 supercars that were created to celebrate previous anniversaries, for its sixtieth Maranello partied it up in a number of ways, including an around-the-world rally. The relay baton that was passed off through each country on its global adventure was decorated with 60 emblems, each designed for the occasion and depicting an icon from each year of the company's history.

Now those emblems are being offered to customers as a collection, each minted in brass and mounted on a wooden base covered in red silk. Anchoring the display is the same Ferrari badge that goes on the boot lid of every new Ferrari road car. The collection is available for about $2000, but if you think nobody would drop that kind of cash on something like this, there are thousands of Ferrari collectors out there who are used to spending easily a hundred times that on a new car without batting an eye, and 1947 of them will have these hanging in their homes, offices or garage.

[Source: FerrariStore.com via Luxurylaunches.com]

With the 2008 Lisbon-Dakar Rally confirmed to proceed, a star-studded roster of drivers is shaping up for what promises to be an exciting event spanning two continents over the course of two weeks.

Robby Gordon will be returning for the fourth time to fight for America's glory in, what else... a Hummer (pictured above). The NASCAR star will be competing against a host of rally champions, including double WRC champ and 2007 FIA Cross Country Cup winner Carlos Sainz (VW Touareg), and Monte Carlo rally winner Bruno Saby who will be driving the late Colin McRae's BMW. Two former F1 drivers, Ukyo Katayama and Tiago Monteiro, will be also competing, along with Vanina Ickx, daughter of famed grand prix and Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx.

All these drivers will be aiming to oust Mitsubishi, which has dominated the dunes and won the rally every year since 2001. Mitsubishi will be fielding no less than four Pajero/Montero this year in the event, which is set to depart from Lisbon, Portugal, on January 5 and finish in Dakar, Senegal on January 20. Watch this space for coverage.

[Source: Autosport]

Following meetings between the head of security for the Lisbon-Dakar Rally and government authorities in Mauritania, race organizers, undeterred by recent terrorist attacks in the country, have announced that the event will go on as planned.

Last week, terrorists in Mauritania shot and killed four French tourists and four Mauritanian soldiers. Reports indicated that the attacks were perpetrated by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the infamous terrorist network's North African wing, praying on fears that the militants were expanding southwards from their previous activities in Morocco and Algeria.

Last year's rally had two stages canceled due to security concerns regarding Algerian rebels. This year's rally is set to depart from Lisbon, Portugal, on January 5, passing through Mauritania on January 11 en route to the finish line in Dakar, Senegal, on January 20, covering a total of 9000km (5600 miles).

[Source: Autosport]

Monte Carlo is to the World Rally Championship what the Monaco Grand Prix is to Formula One. Aside from being held in the same tiny European principality, it's probably the most iconic, most well-known rally stage in the world. They couldn't cancel it. They wouldn't. They have. Sort of.

Headlines around the motorsport world have been shouting that the Monte Carlo stage will be absent from the 2009 WRC calendar for only the third time since the series' inception. But that's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Starting in two years' time, every stage on the race calendar will alternate years, in a bid to include as many locations as possible in the series each year without overcrowding the calendar and putting additional stress on the teams. (And the motoring press, for that matter, thank you very much.) Whereas this year saw no less than 16 rally stages in the WRC, next year will be reduced to 15, and the 2009 and 2010 calendars will be burdened by only 12 rounds each. Yet over the course of the '09 and '10, 24 countries will have hosted WRC stages. So in point of fact, while the Monte Carlo stage is cancelled for the 2009 schedule, it returns in 2010 and will apparently alternate every year thereafter.

Follow the jump to view the full calendars for the 2009 and 2010 seasons of the FIA World Rally Championship.

[Source: Autosport]

click above image to view video

Fiat is banking heavy on the re-launch of its historic Abarth tuning brand. It's got several models coming up, including hot versions of the Grande Punto and 500. It's rebranded its S2000 rally racing team under the Abarth name, and has done the same with its sponsorship of Valetino Rossi's championship-winning Yamaha MotoGP bike. There's even talk about a dedicated sports car.

To tie together what is targeted as a blend between its racing prowess and road manners, the Fiat subsidiary has put together this creative little video that reminds us of that golden oldie, "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena". Thankfully they didn't put that into the soundtrack, letting us enjoy the uninhibited roar of the racing engine. Check it out after the jump and remember, "IN RACING WE TRUST!"

[Source: Italiaspeed]