Autoblog

Alfa Romeo introduces us to the art of "undertaking"

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Safety, Videos, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo, UK

As the official safety car of the World Superbike motorcycle racing series, it's a little odd that Alfa Romeo decided to publicize its Mito SBK by performing what appears to be a rather dangerous stunt. Odd... but awesome.

Officially known as the limited edition Alfa MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde SBK, the four-wheeler was driven by professional stunt driver Paul Swift at the Silverstone Circuit in Britain. Joining Swift was Chris "The Stalker" Walker on his Kawasaki Ninja, the two-wheeler that normally sees duty in the British Superbike class.

Despite being an even two minutes long, the entire video really only consists of this single stunt. At least it's one really good stunt. See for yourself by watching the video down below.

Continue reading Alfa Romeo introduces us to the art of "undertaking"

Alfa Romeo introduces us to the art of "undertaking" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Watch the Ducati 1199 Panigale RS13 at Mugello

Zach Bowman — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Videos, Motorcycle, Racing

Ducati has finally put the finishing touches on its newest race bike: the 1199 Panigale RS13. To celebrate, the team took its newest creation down to Mugello for a quick sprint around the track ahead of its date with the World Superbike Championship. Factory riders Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini have put in plenty of hours on the saddle during development in an effort to fine tune the bike before making their official competition debut at Phillip Island early next year. We'll have to wait and see if it has paid off.

The race-only bike has stripped off as much weight as possible thanks in part to the fact that WSBK organizers have repealed the weight limit for V-twin powered bikes. Previously, the 1098R Superbike had to carry nearly 14 pounds of weight ballast to offset the 200cc displacement advantage the V-twin had over its four-cylinder rivals.

Ducati has released a video of the new 1199 Panigale RS3 whipping around Mugello for us all to enjoy. You can check it out below.

Continue reading Watch the Ducati 1199 Panigale RS13 at Mugello

Watch the Ducati 1199 Panigale RS13 at Mugello originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Dec 2012 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Maxime Berger loses a wheel at Donington Park [w/video]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:24:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Motorcycle, Racing

Maxime Berger loses a wheel during World Superbike Racing at Donington Park - Click above to enlarge

There are a few common ways to crash a motorcycle while racing - most often either the extremely dangerous high-side or the usually-little-more-than-ego-scraping low-side incident - but, when dealing with machinery pushed to the very edges of its mechanical abilities, there's always the outside chance of catastrophic equipment failure leading to an astonishing accident.

Such was the case for Maxime Berger, who crashed out of the first race during the second round of World Superbike action at Donington Park in rather spectacular fashion. As you can see from the image above and the video after the break, Berger's privateer Ducati somehow managed to completely shed half its normal allotment of wheels... and in the case of a motorcycle, that's a very bad thing indeed.

Click past the break for a video of the incident, along with a brief press release from the Supersonic Racing Team that includes a quote from Berger himself. Oh, and better luck next time, Maxime!

[Source: Supersonic Racing Team, Youtube]

Continue reading Maxime Berger loses a wheel at Donington Park [w/video]

Maxime Berger loses a wheel at Donington Park [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ben Spies moves to Yamaha MotoGP Factory Team

Zach Bowman — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Motorcycle, Racing

Shocking, we know. What's been called the second-worst kept secret in MotoGP has officially been confirmed. MotoGP rookie and current World Superbike champion Ben Spies (shown at right, with Yamaha's Lin Jarvis) will be saddling up with the factory Yamaha crew starting next year. Rumors to that effect have been buzzing around the inteweb for some time and were recently fueled by Valentino Rossi's departure from the Fiat-Yamaha stable in favor of the Ducati Corse team.

Spies has been an absolute terror on two wheels in MotoGP while riding with the Tech 3 Yamaha team. The Texan is currently 7th in the overall standings thanks to a slew of top 5 finishes, and even managed to podium at Silverstone. Not too shabby for the guy's first year out. There's some indication that he'll be riding alongside Jorge Lorenzo, though Yamaha hasn't solidified anything with the Spaniard just yet.

Those who follow the MotoGP world will have likely noticed the conspicuous lack of a certain prefix from this post. Interestingly enough, 'Fiat' was nowhere to be found in the Spies announcement. Odds are we'll be hearing something about that from the former Fiat-Yamaha team sometime soon. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

[Source: Asphalt and Rubber]

Continue reading Ben Spies moves to Yamaha MotoGP Factory Team

Ben Spies moves to Yamaha MotoGP Factory Team originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Alfa Giulietta sets the pace at Monza as Superbike safety car

Noah Joseph — Tue, 11 May 2010 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo, Specialty

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde SBK safety car - Click above for high-res image

As one of the most historic racing tracks in Italy, if not the world, Monza is inextricably intertwined with Alfa Romeo. Now those ties have been reinforced with the introduction at the circuit of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta as the safety car for the Superbike World Championship, which held its fifth round at Monza this past weekend.

The Giulietta takes over pacing duties for SBK (as the series is known in shorthand) from the MiTo, which itself had assumed the mantle from the 159. The Quadrifoglio Verde version, with its 235-horsepower, 1.7-liter turbo four, will continue its role for the eight rounds remaining in the series this season. If your Italian is up to snuff, you can read more about it in the native-tongue press release after the jump. And if not, well, we've gone ahead and translated it (thanks, Google!) for you, too.

Gallery: Alfa Romeo Giulietta

[Source: Alfa Romeo]

Continue reading Alfa Giulietta sets the pace at Monza as Superbike safety car

Alfa Giulietta sets the pace at Monza as Superbike safety car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 May 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Aprilia commemorates Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with special RSV 1000 R livery

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Lifestyle, Motorcycle, Celebrities

Aprilia RSV 1000 Factory Transformers livery - Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors isn't the only vehicle manufacturer with an interest in promoting the upcoming Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen flick, as evidenced by last weekend's AMA Pro Daytona SportBike at Road America in Wisconsin. Italian motorcycle maker Aprilia used the race to unveil fresh new livery for the RSV 1000 Factory race bike ridden by Ben Thompson, who currently sits 22nd in the points standings and finished in 41st position at the end of Saturday's race and 20th on Sunday. Naturally, you can expect to see a large Aprilia-shaped cameo in the movie, which is slated to hit a theater near you on June 24th.

Of course, the most interesting development from Aprilia is the new V4-powered 2010 RSV 4 superbike, which also made an appearance at Road America in Wisconsin over the weekend. Currently, the RSV 4 is doing battle in World Superbike competition, where rider Max Biaggi has scored 126 points and currently sits in fifth position in the overall standings. That's mighty impressive considering this is the bike's first year in competition.

Gallery: Aprilia RSV 1000 Factory Transformers livery

[Source: Aprilia]

Continue reading Aprilia commemorates Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with special RSV 1000 R livery

Aprilia commemorates Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with special RSV 1000 R livery originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Honda offers Michael Schumacher a ride in World Superbike Championship

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Honda, Motorcycle

Formula One champ Michael Schumacher has been enjoying his new gigs working with Ferrari's development team and hooning Honda Fireblades in various Superbike racing events, and he's proven to beabout as adept racing around on two wheels as he is on four. The seven-time F1 champion from Germany has been extended an open invitation by Honda racing officials to pilot one of its factory-prepped literbikes on the world stage. For his part, Schumacher has stated that he has no intentions to make a second career out of racing motorcycles, but his actions often seem to indicate otherwise, and he's apparently scheduled to take part in the German championship for 2009. We can only hope that our "retirement" is half as much fun as Michael Schumacher's. Thanks for the tip, Chris!

[Source: Autosport]

Honda offers Michael Schumacher a ride in World Superbike Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BMW reveals race-ready S 1000 RR

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:43:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, BMW, Motorcycle

Click above for more shots of the BMW S 1000 RR in its race colors

BMW took the wraps off its upcoming S 1000 RR World Superbike contender as the Motorrad division showed the new bike in its official race colors at the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. Taking a good look at the photos, we can see that the bike is indeed very compact. Look through the numerous cutouts and vents in the fairing and you'll see how neat and tidy the new literbike is. Next year, new BMW factory riders Ruben Xaus and past Superbike champion Troy Corser will ride the 190-horsepower S 1000 RR in competition against the Big Four Japanese superbikes, the Ducati 1098 R and the new RSV4 from Aprilia. It should all be very exciting to watch.

Expect a street-going version shortly, with 1,000 units of the new model due for 2009. Unlike past Beamers, the S 1000 RR uses an inline four-cylinder engine mounted transversely in the frame with a standard chain drive. Suspension bits also follow the normal telescopic formula up front with a traditional coil-over out back, eschewing BMW's past Telelever, Duolever and Paralever designs. Take a look in our gallery below.

Gallery: BMW S 1000 RR race livery

Gallery: BMW S 1000 RR

[Source: BMW]

BMW reveals race-ready S 1000 RR originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Oct 2008 15:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Officially Official: Aprilia RSV4 superbike

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorcycle

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Aprilia RSV4

After numerous spy shots and leaked details, Aprilia has finally pulled the wraps off its upcoming RSV4 superbike. This is the machine that the Italian company will use to contest the Superbike World Championship in 2009 against the Ducati 1098 and the Japanese literbikes. To properly do battle, the RSV4 will make some 210-horsepower -- fully competitive with the best the series currently has to offer. While the race-going RSV4 is an amazing piece of kit, it's the street-bred RSV4, which will come in both normal and factory guises, that's of the most interest... since you'll actually be able to purchase one sometime next year.

Powered by a 999cc V-Four engine mated to a six-speed gearbox with slipper clutch, we expect the Factory to be on par power-wise with the Ducati 1098R, meaning about 180 horses or more. Coupled to a wet weight of 418 pounds the RSV4 will be one seriously fast machine. A ride-by-wire system will likely allow Aprilia to offer more than one engine map to adjust power for specific conditions. One of the more interesting bits of kit that will be standard across the line are the numerous chassis adjustments, including the ability to alter the swingarm position and the headstock angle. Styling-wise, the new RSV4 tips its hat to the RSV 1000 R that we tested earlier this year with its third ~~eye~~ headlight that mimics the shape of the old ram-air duct from the twin. The rest of the bike looks thoroughly new and appropriately awesome. We're not sure how much it'll cost, but we know we want one regardless.

Gallery: 2009 Aprilia RSV4

Gallery: Aprilia RSV4 Racebike

[Source: Aprilia]

Officially Official: Aprilia RSV4 superbike originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Craig Jones: 1985-2008

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Motorcycle

We're saddened to report the passing of 23 year-old motorcycle racer Craig Jones from Northwich, Cheshire. Jones was a seasoned rider, having been part of the World Superbike and Supersport scene for the past five years. His untimely death was the result of an accident during the FIM Supersport World Championship race at Brands Hatch which took place on Sunday, August 3. During the crash, Jones was unavoidably hit by the rider directly following him after high-siding his Team Parkalgar Honda CBR600. According to reports, Jones sustained serious head injuries in the crash, leading to his death on the morning of Monday August 4. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.

[Source: World Superbike]

Craig Jones: 1985-2008 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Officially Official: BMW S 1000 RR race bike

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:14:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, BMW, Motorcycle

Click above for high-res gallery of the BMW S 1000 RR

Let the speculation end! BMW has officially pulled the covers off of its S 1000 RR race bike, which will sprout a production model next year. General Director of BMW Motorrad Hendrik von Kuenheim says that the company is committed to building 1,000 units of the new model next year. Featuring a 1000cc inline-four transversely mounted between the frame rails and an upside-down front fork, the RR is rather conventional by BMW standards. This has allowed the Motorrad to keep the bike as compact as possible, which can be attested to by the fact that it has been spotted lapping tracks in Yamaha R6 bodywork. So far, no specifications have been given regarding power levels, but we fully expect it to be competitive with the Superbike front-runners. Traction control is also reportedly put to good use. Judging from the extensive use of (bare) carbon fiber, we'd expect the weight to be on par with the competition, as well. There's an entire speech pasted after the break, so be sure to check it out.

BMW plans to crack the top ten next year in World Superbike racing and is expecting podium finishes the following year. Considering the fact that the Big Four Japanese manufacturers literally have a head start measuring a few decades on BMW, it's probably wise to set attainable goals for now. Though we're looking forward to more details regarding the S 1000 RR superbike, at least we have some pretty pictures to gaze at until then.

Gallery: BMW S 1000 RR

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading Officially Official: BMW S 1000 RR race bike

Officially Official: BMW S 1000 RR race bike originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Aprilia unveils RSV 4 with plans to go Superbike racing

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:25:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Motorcycle

Click above for more shots of the Aprilia RS4

Aprilia is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to small-bore 125 and 250cc road-racers, as well as in the 450cc off-road and supermoto categories. These successes have led the Italian company to branch out further, this time into the hotly-contested Superbike World Championship. The machine it will be doing battle with is the RSV 4, a brand new design using a brand new engine. That engine is very different from the normal inline four-cylinder Japanese models against which Aprilia will compete, as it uses a V4 design with the cylinders canted 65 degrees apart. The one-liter engine produces "well over 200 HP" in race trim, and a street-tuned version should for forthcoming. It probably goes without saying that we are anxiously awaiting the start of the 2009 season to see how well a small manufacturer like Aprilia can compete against the big factory teams of the Japanese manufacturers. Even more important to us, though, is how well the street version will compete against the other liter bikes already for sale.

Gallery: Aprilia RSV 4

[Source: Aprilia via Hell for Leather]

Aprilia unveils RSV 4 with plans to go Superbike racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Is BMW working on a Grand Prix motorcycle?

Eric Bryant — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:06:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, BMW

Unlike BMW automobiles, Bavarian motorcycles carry a rather stodgy reputation. Basically, they're the two-wheeled equivalent of Red Wing work boots - comfortable and well-suited to all-day wear, but not necessarily ideal for track use. Ever since BMW dominated the rather obscure World Sidecar Championship some thirty-plus years ago, on-road victories by factory-supported machines has been virtually non-existent.

This may be about to change, however, as rider Jeremy McWilliams has been spotting testing what is said to be a 990cc GP bike. The cycle's speed are said to not be competitive with the current frontrunners, and it's just as well since the engine size limit drops to 800cc after next season. This leaves BMW's intentions a bit unclear - is this simply a science project, a step towards an effort in 2008, or will the boys from Munich actually field a ride this year or next?

Regardless of the timetable, a GP entry would go a long ways towards establishing BMW as a bona fide contender in the sport bike arena.

[Source: Motorcycle News]

Is BMW working on a Grand Prix motorcycle? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jun 2006 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

[Not TiVoSafe] Motorsports Highlights: April 22-23

Stuart Waterman — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Quite a weekend! Ferrari returns, a new Nextel Cup points leader, a wild sports car race, a ton of motorcycle road racing, and some fence-climbing in Japan.

Formula 1:
At the front of the field, the San Marino Grand Prix was a mirror-image of last year's race, this time with Michael Schumacher holding off Fernando Alonso instead of the other way around. Schumacher's victory capped a great weekend for the tifosi, with Felipe Massa redeeming himself for his miscues in previous races with a fourth place finish, and Michael qualfying on the pole. Alonso continued to build his championship lead with his second-place finish, and Juan Pablo Montoya brought his McLaren home in third. Full weekend coverage here. [Photo courtesy of Ferrari]

More after the jump.

Continue reading [Not TiVoSafe] Motorsports Highlights: April 22-23

[Not TiVoSafe] Motorsports Highlights: April 22-23 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Apr 2006 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Motorsports this weekend: April 22-23

Stuart Waterman — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

A busy weekend coming up. U.S. TV coverage is shown (all times Eastern).

Formula 1:
The San Marino Grand Prix is underway at Imola, with Fernando Alonso (shown above at Imola) topping the time charts after Friday's very dusty practice sessions. Paddock talk at Imola suggests that the coveted 12th (and final) F1 franchise has been awarded to Prodrive. Recall that Prodrive boss David Richards ran the B.A.R.-Honda team until recently. [Photo: Renault F1 Team]

Sunday, CBS 1pm ET

More motorsports after the jump...

Continue reading Motorsports this weekend: April 22-23

Motorsports this weekend: April 22-23 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Apr 2006 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments