German Occupation of France

Audi R18 in the pit stall before the 2011 24 Hour Le Mans. Photo: Wade Harris.

While French automaker Peugeot may not compete with German luxury carmaker Audi for sales in the consumer market, their five-year rivalry on the racetrack tells a different story.

Millions of people from all over the world flock to a remote track in the French countryside to watch automotive rivals duke it out on an eight-mile road course called Le Mans.  The 24 hour race at Le Mans started in 1923, with the idea that the car that could travel the farthest in 24 hours would be the greatest.  That sentiment remains today, as the winner of Le Mans is held as the superior automobile manufacturer.

Audi victory at the 2011 24 Hour Le Mans. Photo: Wade Harris

Despite dozens of teams competing, Le Mans series racing is a field of two defined by the rivalry between Audi and Peugeot.  Audi has taken the podium at Le Mans nine times in the last 11 years.  Audi also redefined the entire game in 2006 when they were the first to race a diesel powered car, the R10.  Peugeot followed suit the following year, introducing their 908 HDI diesel racer.  Peugeot dethroned the Audi powerhouse in 2008, fueling their bitter feud. 

Audi and Peugeot are the only teams to use a diesel, and therefore remain in a class of their own.  Audi has made some big changes to their new R18 for 2011, including a closed cockpit and a new engine.  Audi has kept the cards close to their chest this year, racing in very few circuits before Le Mans as to not reveal their new secrets. Audi even chose not to race their new R18 at the 12 Hours of Sebring in March.  The race at Sebring Fla. is traditionally the prelude to Le Mans, and a chance for the manufacturers to size up their rivals. 

Peugeot pit stop.  Photo: Wade Harris.

Over their five year rivalry Peugeot has set the fastest lap times, trained the fastest drivers, and raced an overall a faster car.  However, Audi triumphs due to their superior strategy and pit stop execution.  Audi makes faster pit stops and better decisions on tire changes.  As a 24-hour race, Le Mans requires 3 drivers for each car, each of which drives in four-hour stints.  This means multiple driver changes during the race.  Also, a 24-hour race requires multiple stops for fuel and tire changes (done simultaneously with driver changes).  There are three tires the racers can use: slick tires for dry conditions, wet tires with grooves for rainy conditions, and a semi slick tire which is in between slick and wet.  Choosing the right tire for the right conditions is crucial. If there is a slick tire on the car and it starts to rain, the driver will most likely lose control and crash.  But if you have wet tires on in dry conditions, they provide less grip and make the car slower. Forecasting for weather conditions to time pit stops is crucial.  Audi wins because they plan for conditions better, and have faster driver changes and pit stops. Quick driving is exciting, but the real race is won in the pits. 

Peugeot has only taken down their German rival once in the last five years of their feud, but they have come back in 2011 with new vengeance.  The rival cars look almost identical in style and they both have similar diesel power.  Le Mans will no doubt be a close race. 

Audi leading the pack at the 2011 24 Hour Le Mans. Photo: Wade Harris.

Hybrids are old news. Literally.

1900 Posrche Semper Vivus. Photo: Porsche.

Hybrid technology has been around for over 100 years, originally created by an unlikely automotive giant.

The average consumer would probably assume that hybrid automobiles have only been around for about eight, maybe ten years and that they were invented by Toyota, the maker of the best selling hybrid: the Prius.  However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Dr. Ferdinand Porsche created and built the first hybrid automobile in 1900.  Porsche, after which the automotive manufacturer is named, was the Henry Ford of the German automotive industry.  His other accomplishments include designing one of the best selling and most iconic cars ever made: the Volkswagen Beetle. 

Porsche’s hybrid used an internal combustion engine to generate power for electric motors mounted in the wheel hubs of the car.  It was named the Semper Vivus, which means “always alive.” The Semper Vivus could travel over 40 miles on its battery charge alone.  Chevy just released their first all electric car in 2011 called the Volt, which can travel 40 miles on a charge.   The Porsche could travel over 100 miles at 35 miles per hour if it used its combustion engine as well.  Porsche’s design was light years ahead of its time.

Drescher driving his recreation of the 1900
Semper Vivus. Photo: Porsche.

Recently the Porsche Museum in Germany took on the challenge of recreating a working model from Dr. Porsche’s original design. The fact that Ferdinand Porsche was able to build such an advanced vehicle is amazing to this day.  However, it is even more amazing that it took us this long to actually produce such an automobile.  Hybrids all but disappeared until the year 2000. The world was graced with this technology and forgot about it for over 100 years.


"Porsche has the claim to the first functioning hybrid car, and the first electric car" lead Semper Vivus recreation project designer Hubert Drescher said.

"In order to travel longer distances in an electric vehicle you needed more and more batteries, which added weight. Porsche figured out that an internal combustion engine driving a generator to charge the batteries would save weight and add range," Drescher added. 

Truth be told, Henry Ford killed the hybrid.  Hybrids were starting to catch on until the cheap and economical Ford Model T hit the scene.  Internal combustion would reign supreme until Audi rediscovered the hybrid in 1997.  Audi created the Duo Hybrid, which was a total flop.  It was scraped and all research and development attention turned to diesel technology. 

2011 Porsche Hybrid and 1900 Porsche Hybrid. Photo: Porsche.

It was not until 2000 with the introduction of the Toyota Prius that hybrids really caught on.  Although, Toyota had the benefit of impeccable timing as the market was just on the brink of a green revolution. 

Hybrids have been available for about 10 years now and have steadily gained popularity due to rising fuel prices and the trends in sustainable motoring.  The alternative automotive energy market has also expanded greatly over that time, with new technologies such as all electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells.  

Toyota can take credit for the mass production and popularization of the hybrid, but its design belongs to Porsche. 

You mess with the bull…

Lamborghini has released their latest flagship supercar: the Aventador. 

If you have the burning desire to go from zero to sixty miles per hour in 2.9 seconds and have everyone stare at you as you blast down the street in your blaze orange rocket-ship-on-wheels, you should contact your local Lamborghini dealer and ask about the new Aventador. 

Smaller exhausts have been seen on jet airliners. Photo: Lamborghini. 

Twelve roaring cylinders producing 700 galloping stallions worth of power would not disappoint even craziest of adrenaline junkies.  Nor would traveling at a top speed of 217 miles per hour. 

Despite these figures, critics have chastised Lamborghini for not being bold and brash enough.  Since it was acquired by German automotive juggernaut Volkswagen group in 1998, Lamborghini has made more reliable and drivable cars, with marginally less testosterone.  In the 80s Lamborghini had the reputation of being completely set your pants on fire insane, but also extremely unreliable.  Now, Lambo can dip their hand in the Volkswagen parts bin, and benefit from German engineering prowess. This produces solid automobiles that will still turn every head, they just lack the

space thrusters and flux capacitors they had in the 80s.

No launch codes or synchronized keys? Photo: Car and Driver.

The Aventador will silence the critics, or at least drown them out with the grumble of a V-12.  With deep quad exhausts and massive side air intakes to feed the gas guzzling engine how could anyone question the lunacy of this machine.  It even has a starter button reminiscent of nuclear missile launchers.  Set the threat level to orange, because this missile is go for launch.  In fact, the whole car inside and out looks like a stealth fighter with its sharp lines, sleek stance, and piercing headlights.  The cockpit has industrial toggle switches and an instrument cluster worthy of any aircraft.  And with its new lightweight carbon fiber frame and body, its sure to

handle like a top gun fighter. 

The Aventador replaces its eight-year-old predecessor, the Murcielago.  The Aventador is a completely new automobile, hardly sharing any parts with its father, and gaining 60 horsepower.  Combined with its new frame, this makes for a faster, lighter, and more agile racing machine.  And its new edgy styling makes it a true Lamborghini, much like Lamborghinis of the 70s and 80s. 

The Aventador has restored the Lamborghini image back to its roots of pure adrenaline fuelled madness.  Prepare for impact, Lamborghini has let loose the dogs of war.

Photo: Lamborghini. 

McLaren reins in the insanity

McLaren's new MP4-12C GT3 racer. Photo: McLaren.

Twelve years in the making, McLarens youngest child has some big shoes to fill. 

Earlier this year McLaren released the highly praised MP4-12C; a road legal $230,000 supercar.  McLaren being more of a racing enterprise than an automotive manufacturer, they have now released the GT3, a hardcore race version of the MP4.  The new McLaren is a no-holds-bar competitive machine with a chip on its shoulder. 

The MP4's predecessor, the 1992 McLaren F1, was the fastest production car in the world with a top speed of 240 miles per hour.  The F1 held the podium until the Bugatti Veyron came along in 2005, achieving 253 miles per hour.  The 19 year old F1 is still the fastest naturally aspirated car in the world.  In 1995 McLaren released the F1 GTR, which won Le Mans outright.  Le Mans, a 24-hour endurance race held in Le Mans France, is the pinnacle of road racing and retains the highest prestige among automotive manufacturers.  The F1 GTR is arguably one of the greatest super cars ever produced, leaving some big expectations for the new GT3.

McLaren has made it clear that the new GT3 will not compete at Le Mans, but rather in the Spa 24.  Nor will it compete at the same GTR level as the previous F1, instead it fits into the lower GT3 class.  McLaren seems to be testing the waters before they take on the entrenched rivalries of 24-hour race.  Every year teams compete at Le Mans, usually to take on one specific rival such as Audi’s bitter 11-year rivalry with Peugeot.  It may seem like McLaren lost the nerve to take on le Mans, but they are more worried about being at the top of the podium.

 "This car will be winning from the very first race," asserts Colin Goodwin, McLaren Automotive's chief test driver

"I've driven - and won - in GT cars that were less drivable than this on the first day of testing..." Goodwin added.

The release of the MP4-12C GT3. Photo: McLaren.

 What the McLaren lacks in raw speed it gains in poise and control.  The McLaren is an athlete, as well as a pure gentleman.  Most boutique supercar companies like Pagani or Koenigsegg cant help themselves but make a completely bonkers, fire breathing monster of a machine.  McLaren has committed unprecedented time in ensuring the GT3 has the power of a hammer with the precision of a scalpel.  The GT3 will use the same 3.8 Liter turbo V8 from the road version, but with a myriad of added race modifications such as wider slick tires, a massive rear spoiler,  lower stiffened suspension, and more.  Details on the new racer are scarce due to its competitive nature.

There is no doubt that McLaren has what it takes to succeed in the race world, with 8 Formula One world championships.  However, the GT3 will not prove its worth unless it can man up for Le Mans.

Diesel > Hybrid

The 2011 Volkswagen Polo diesel which achieves 70mpg.  Photo courtesy of VW.

Hybrids are the most efficient form of car right?

Wrong.

There is a reason why in Europe, where gas is roughly $8 per gallon, more than 50% of all cars are diesel.

 If you want to drive an environmentally conscious car you would probably run out and buy a Toyota Prius or an equivalent hybrid vehicle.  Given the current market for cars you would probably be making a good choice.  But if multinational auto manufacturers were inclined to introduce their highly efficient diesel cars to the American market, hybrids would all but disappear. 

If you live in Europe you can go out and buy a Volkswagen Polo with a diesel engine that gets 70 miles per gallon.  The best selling hybrid in the US, the Toyota prius, gets a mere 51-mpg at best.  And the Prius is a more expensive car.  Not to mention that the production of acid based batteries needed for the Prius is highly detrimental to the environment.  While both diesel and hybrid engines cost a premium over traditional gas engines, the production of hybrid systems cost twice that of a diesel. 

In the United States, diesel is more expensive than gasoline, even sometimes more expensive than premium gasoline.  AAA reports that diesel is 7% more expensive than unleaded gas. However diesel engines are 30 percent more efficient than gas, according to popular mechanics. And yet only one percent of cars in the U.S. use diesel fuel.

So why is the American consumer so adverse to the thought of diesel cars?

The American consumer has the view of diesel being used only for trucks and heavy equipment.  Diesel also traditionally has a black smokey exhaust due to high sulfur content.  However recent EPA mandates have made all US diesel ultra low sulfur quality. Diesel cars like the VW polo produce less carbon dioxide emissions than any comparable gas vehicle. 

Companies like BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Volkswagen have taken the gamble of introducing diesel cars to the American market.

"By 2014, between 10 and 20 percent of our mix will be diesels." Jim O'Donnell, president of BMW North America said to the media in 2009.

While many companies like BMW and Volkswagen plan to increase their diesel line-up, JD Power and Associated projects that Hybrids will account for a far greater portion of the market.  They report that diesel will make up 3.5 percent of the market by 2015, a jump up from the current one percent.   However, hybrids will climb to 9.5 percent, up from 5 percent last year.

The future of diesel is uncertain, but the truly informed consumer will realize its benefits over the trendy hybrid. 

The future of racing is... Nascar?

"Iceman" Kimi Raikkonen during a press conference at
Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Associated Press.

Did Steve McQueen secretly dream of runnin' moonshine with Bo Duke?


As doubtful as it is, Nascar has become the chosen motorsport for many Formula 1 champions. 


How could an internationally acclaimed driver go from the glamorous, challenging, and jet set world of Formula 1 to the backwoods, bud light, redneck world of Nascar?  And yet Colombian F1 ace Juan Pablo Montoya did just that, successfully I might add.  Montoya was Nascar rookie of the year in 2007, the year after he made the switch.  Although, it would be plain embarrassing if weren't.  If you had won the Monaco Gran Prix, one of the most demanding races of the most demanding form of racing, and you couldn't handle driving in a circle for a few hours, you should start checking the classified for jobs.


"When I was in F1, every week I was on the podium. It was cool, but is it satisfying? It wasn’t, because it was the most boring races" Montoya said in a press conference after a 2008 Nascar race in California.


Apparently continually turning left and constantly drafting is more exciting to Montoya than hairpin turns and exotic race tracks.  And one of his former teammates shares the same sentiment.


World acclaimed 2007 F1 world champion and lead Team Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen is switching to Nascar.  Check the thermostat in hell because it must have frozen over.  Imagine having a Ferrari in you garage and walking right past it to get in a Chevy Monte Carlo. And while you are day dreaming, imagine sharing a bud light and reminiscing about the late Dale Earnhardt with a Finnish Formula 1 driver.  That would be like seeing Lady Gaga wearing something that wasn't a bacon bikini or dress made from the pelt of Kermit the frog.  And on top of that, Kimi isn't even driving true Nascar, he has been entered in the Camping World Truck Series.  That's right: truck racing.  He managed to find the only other form of racing inferior to Nascar. 


"Iceman" as Raikkonen is nicknamed, said in a press release earlier this month he is "really excited to have the opportunity to start my venture into NASCAR"


Along with Montoya and Raikkonen, Brazilian Nelson Piquet Jr. is another former F1 driver who switched to Nascar truck series racing.  Piquet was accused of deliberately crashing in 2008 as a ploy to help teammate Fernando Alonso win the Singapore Grand Prix.  Clearly Piquet was tired of being number two behind Alonso.


The talent is apparently swarming to Nascar and truck series racing. Don't be surprised when you hear that Michael Schumacher has left retirement to pursue a career in Nascar.   Listen closely as the fat lady is singing. F1 is done.