The Fast Lane

Panasonic Toyota Racing was able to test their driving skills for the first time with Timo Glock and Kamui Kobayashi as the new drivers for the team. It was their first time at the TF107. Both drivers left the pit garage at Jerez after everything was fine and then they started the long day test. The new driver soon took control of the vehicle and had gotten accustomed to their new cars. So far, the drivers didn’t encounter many drama on the race track.

Kamui was able to finish 114 laps and that is more than any other test drives if you look back at the history of any drivers of the Formula 1 from December 2006. Timo also pushed his luck using his 2007 electronic and so far, he managed to improve his laps as he became accustomed to TF107. Both drivers will continue their tests today, December 5, 2007.

Kamui Kobayashi said, "It was great to get back in a Formula 1 car again. Even though I don't officially become third driver until January, it feels like I have already begun my role and today I was able to learn a lot about the car. At the start of the day I was just trying to get comfortable with the car and the track and I was able to do a lot of laps which really helped me."

Kobayashi also said, "In the afternoon I could work more on set-up and understanding the development parts on the car and I think we made some good progress. I enjoy working with the team and this test is great experience for me before I officially start as third driver next year. Now I can't wait to get back in the car tomorrow."

The Senior General Manager Chassis Pascal Vasselon also said, "It has been a very interesting experience to have two new drivers in the car today. We are very pleased to have Timo in the car and he has made a strong first impression. He is very focused and worked hard today to understand the car and make some improvements in set-up."

Moreover, he said, "As expected, he did a good job and provided solid feedback, which is very useful for us. He drove without driver aids today but that was no problem for him because of his experience in GP2 driving without traction is natural to him."

In his last statement, he said, "The team already know Kamui from his tests with us last winter but he is a young driver with not so much Formula 1 experience so he had to acclimatise and get used to a Formula 1 car again. He did a good job, didn't make any mistakes and gave us some data on set-up with the new electronics system and new rear end. He also completed an impressive number of laps which shows how fit he is."

The two-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Champion and SIRIUS Radio host Tony Stewart announced the winners of the 2007 'Stewie Award'. He let the fans decide who really is to win the award by letting them sign in to www.SIRIUS.com to vote for the biggest, boldest and the funniest moments of the 2007 NASCAR season.

Motorsport.com had the complete list of the winners announced at SIRIUS New York. Here is the list of the winners:

Stewie Lifetime Achievement Award - Bill France, Jr., former Chairman and CEO of NASCAR / Benny Parsons, Hall of Fame driver/broadcaster

Golden Stewie Award - Honoring a legendary driver from the Golden Era of racing (1960-85) - A.J. Foyt

Best Duet - For outstanding teamwork by a driver and crew chief - Clint Bowyer & Gil Martin: Martin keeps Bowyer calm and team performs only one adjustment all day to get Bowyer's first career NASCAR Nextel Cup win in Sylvania 300 (Sept. 16)

Best Original Drama - For year's most exciting race moment - Kevin Harvick edges Mark Martin to win his first Daytona 500 (Feb. 18)

New Kid on the Track Award - For year's most outstanding performance by a rookie  - Juan Pablo Montoya: Wins first Nextel Cup race in Toyota Save Mart 350 (June 24)

Best Stunt Sequence (Hal Needham Award) - For year's most spectacular crash - Clint Bowyer: Crosses finish line at Daytona 500 on his roof (Feb. 18)

Best Original Comedy - For year's most entertaining on track "incident" or occurrence - Robby Gordon performs "victory celebration" burnout despite losing Busch Series race at Circuit Gilles Villaneuve in Canada (Aug. 4)

Best Vocal Performance - For year's most memorable quote or sound bite - Actor Kevin James: Provides memorable "Start Your Engines" command before Pepsi 400 (July 7)

Best Engineering and Special Effects (Smokey Yunick Award) - For year's most creative - and ultimately illegal - modifications to a race car - Crew Chief David Hyder & MWR VP of Competition Bobby Kennedy: Illegal fuel in #55 car at Daytona 500 (Feb. 18)

Dazed and Confused Award - For year's the most baffling move - Teresa Earnhardt and DEI allow Dale Earnhardt Jr. to leave for Hendrick Motorsports

'I Got Dumped' Award - For year's most memorable on-track bumping - Kyle Busch: Wrecked by brother Kurt in NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge (May 19)

Best Driver2Crew Chatter Exchange - For year's most memorable driver-to-pit crew communication - Denny Hamlin/#11 team: Discuss "plan of attack" against Dale Earnhardt Jr. and #8 car during Subway 500 (Oct. 21)

Prodrive has announced that they won’t send an entry to the 2008 Formula One Season championship. It was confirmed by former BAR principal David Richards of Prodrive.

"Prodrive has always been committed to competing in Formula One with what has become known as a 'customer car'. It has been well known that our entry was made on this basis and that our entire business model was built upon this premise,” stated the company.

"Over the past 18 months we have put considerable effort into securing an agreement for the supply of cars and engines from McLaren and Mercedes, as well as financial backing from a partner new to the sport."

"It was therefore particularly disappointing to face a last minute legal challenge to our entry, when our plans have been public knowledge for over a year."

"This legal challenge and continuing delays to the new 'Concorde Agreement' represent a fundamental change in circumstances. Therefore we must now realistically rule out the possibility of Prodrive being on the grid in 2008."

Q: How would you rate the BMW Sauber F1 Team's second season? 

Mario Theissen: It was a strong season at the end of which we even managed to crack the 100 points barrier. We went into the season having finished fifth in the World Championship on 36 points in our debut year. We set ourselves the goal of fourth place and a much bigger points total this year, so third was a great bonus. The powers that be then promoted us even further, but it is a pretty empty second place in our eyes. After all, we're well aware that four cars have been faster than us, and we want to beat them on the track, not in the corridors of power. It was surprising that we were the third-best team from the outset and were able to reinforce this position in practically every race. On occasions we were even able to break into the territory of the two leading teams, meaning that we recorded the podium positions we were aiming for on merit. To sum up, we can be proud of what we have achieved -- both as far as our development work over the winter is concerned and in terms of our pace of development during the course of the season. We have managed to meet our targets in both of our development years so far, so the engineers can see that our ideas are working. That breeds confidence in our strategy, and as a result they can see that we are heading in the right direction. 

Q: What were the highlights of 2007 for you? 

MT: For me the highlight of the season was Montreal. Nick's second place gave the team its best result so far. And the fact that Robert was able to emerge from his crash practically unhurt was a great advert for the strength and outstanding construction of the car. When you look at it this way, the weekend felt like a victory on two fronts for the team. 

Q: Were there also some low points? 

MT: Yes, there were a few of those as well -- most significantly the shock that went through us all when Robert had that accident in Montreal. We had an agonizing few minutes before we received the welcome news that he was practically uninjured. Other, less dramatic, low points were the retirements due to technical problems. You can never rule out these kinds of issues entirely, but it hurts the whole team when one of the drivers takes nothing away from a race on Sunday, because they have received no reward for all their hard work. Having said that, we finished in the points in every race this season, which meant we didn't go away from any of the 17 race weekends empty-handed.

For the 2008 season, a new face will be seen driving a Panasonic Toyota racecar. Third driver Franck Montagny retired from the position and main driver Ralf Schumacher left the team and now, it’s time for the reigning GP2 Series champion to take over Panasonic Toyota team. It’s no other than the GP2 ace driver Timo Glock!

Glock has already signed a multi-year contract with Toyota and is expected to provide more firepower for the success of Toyota F1’s campaign for the 2008 season. Timo Glock is one of the official drivers for Toyota.

"It's a great feeling to be a Formula One race driver again and I am really looking forward to this new challenge," said Glock. "I have worked hard over the past few years to get this opportunity and I must say I am grateful to Panasonic Toyota Racing for having faith in me."

"From what I have seen of the team at the track I am confident we will be able to work well together to move forward. Even though I have not raced in Formula 1 since 2004, I have tested quite regularly so I expect it will take very little time for me to get back in the groove."

In preparation for the upcoming Formula One racing series, Tonio Liuzzi practiced his skills in India and according to Motorsport.com. And it seems that Liuzzi is satisfied with the result.
 
Tonio Liuzzi says, "I'm very satisfied of how the test went. In a day and a half we did lots of laps and I understood the car very well. Obviously it wasn't easy at the beginning, since the car was very different. Not only in terms of driveability but also in terms of driving position, steering assistance and all the 'optionals' of a Formula One car."

He continued to say, "You need to adapt and I struggled a little bit at the beginning. The time we did was not the one we supposed to obtain, of course, that's why at the end I was very satisfied, because the team proved to be much more professional than what you think from the outside. It surprised me because they are hungry to do well, also thanks to the chances they have now with the new owner."

"They will do lots of steps forward, that's for sure. They will need time, because the team has already a quite solid structure in place, but the car can improve, seeing as it remained a little bit behind. They have very good engineers and there is a good feeling inside the team."

He also gave comment on the India car. He said, "I have to say there are some little flaws which make the car slower, but after very little time they are able to go one second-one second and a half faster, with little details such as the brakes, the steering assistance and so on. Little things which in the end make the difference, because they make the driver more confident with the car. This was the problem I had in adapting to the car."

On driving without electronic aids, he shares his point of view saying, "I have to say I enjoyed it very much, because the car is much more nervous. It's not more difficult to drive, but you have to pay more attention to avoid mistakes, while before the traction control concealed lots of faults in the setup and the driving style. Now you have to try and be much more delicate with the throttle, you have to pay attention because it's much easier to lose control of the rear. So it was much nicer for us drivers because it involves us a lot more."

Are you guys familiar with Karun Chandhok? Well for the benefit of those who do not know him, he is the winner of a GP2 race at the demanding Spa-Francorchamps circuit of 2007 and he will be undergoing testing for Red Bull Racing when Formula One resumes at the Circuit de Catalunya (Barcelona) happening on the 13th and the 14th of November.

He is a 23-year-old Indian who was born in Madras. He will be replacing Sebastien Buemi who will be competing at the Macau Formula 3 race soon. Chandhok won the Spa on the season in GP2, as he was also crowned 2006 Asian Formula Renault V6 Champion winning seven races and nine pole positions.

"This really is a dream come true for me. Ever since I was four years old I've dreamed of being behind the wheel of a Formula One car and this is a day that not just myself, but my family and everyone who has supported me over the years, has thought about for a long time. I really have to thank everyone involved at Red Bull Racing for this opportunity; I'm really looking forward to it,” Karun said.

"Karun has been supported by Red Bull for a couple of years now and his progress in GP2 this year has been clearly evident, culminating in a win at Spa. Barcelona presents a good opportunity to put Karun in one of the cars for his first F1 drive,” commented team Principal Christian Horner.

The future seems to arrive too slowly. Why others are saying time passes so quickly, some circumstances defy the observation. Things are gradually changing. But some are changing so at a snail's pace.

Take the flying cars. Despite the tech wonders why can’t flying cars appear in multitude?

Each day there are thousands of inventions and millions of innovations. They could be jaw-dropping, remarkable, so-so, or mediocre, but still they can’t bring to reality the opulence of making aficionados ride on flying cars.

The fact is glaring: by far, the innovations and inventions did not take us to flying cars.

Jason Fry of The Wall Street Journal writes:

I doubt the creators of "The Jetsons" ever imagined how they'd influence kids growing up in the 1970s. The last episode of the original "Jetsons" aired in the spring of 1963, but its real heyday came in syndication, with the show playing on what seemed like continuous loop in the late 1970s. Amazingly, there were only 24 "Jetsons" episodes --- it's a bit frightening to imagine how many times I must have seen each one.

Why such an influence for a show that was basically "The Flintstones" in aerial houses. I'm sure a nation of grad students have emitted turgid narratives about alienated children finding a utopian sequel to JFK-era space-race America preferable to a dystopian continuation of the real 1970s. But at the risk of being no fun, that's not it.

The appeal of "The Jetsons" is much simpler. It had easily identifiable characters (often ripped off, down to the same voice talent, from other Hanna-Barbera shows) and comfortably well-worn family-sitcom situations, with the addition of goofy gadgets that made kids laugh. None of that has anything to do with the future -- "The Flintstones" had the same goofy gadgets, but with vaguely prehistoric animals as technology. Most importantly, "The Jetsons" was on all the time. (Though it should be said that the brassy, galloping theme song is totally great.)

The only reason "The Jetsons" is a touchstone for the future instead of just childhood nostalgia is that it was "about" the future -- which was bound to arrive because, well, that's what the future does. You could spend your day comparing the future to "2001: A Space Odyssey,” but not everybody's seen that. "The Jetsons," on the other hand, is pretty close to a sure thing, conversationally. If for some reason daily life in the 2000s included girl bands foiling not-very-frightening crimes, those of us who watched too much TV 30 years ago would spend a lot of time wondering why today's intrepid musicians weren't more like Josie and the Pussycats.

Are flying cars just around the corner? Or we’ll wait ages to witness the revolution. Whether or not we will be waiting in vain remains a big issue.

But I do look forward to riding one of these amazing flying cars. It will be nice to touch the clouds you know.

IntelliChoice.com, the leading provider of auto cost and value analysis and part of Source Interlink Media, announced yesterday the winners of its 9th annual ranking of certified pre-owned (CPO) manufacturer-sponsored programs.

Overall, Volvo outshone Cadillac for the best Luxury program. This happened 1 year after Cadillac ended Jaguar’s supremacy in the said category. Volkswagen, meanwhile, was recognized for the 4th straight year for best Non-Luxury program. The rankings were released at the 2008 National Remarketing Conference & Used Car Expo, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“The luxury field in CPOs is very competitive, but Volvo edged out Cadillac on the basis of a strong compliance program,” said James Bell, publisher and editor of IntelliChoice.com. “In general, the top luxury programs offer similar car warranties, and many received high scores, which shows that Volvo had that extra edge over the competition.”

Among the non-Luxury challengers, Hyundai made the most progress by moving from last place in 2007 to third this year. “Hyundai’s inspection score went from 58 to 90,” said Bell. “They accomplished the feat of climbing up out of last place by making several positive changes, including new special car financing offers, requirement of a VHR, and the expansion of their car warranty from 6 years to 10.”

CPOs are cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles that have been both leased or traded in and thoroughly inspected prior to sale, divulged the Auto Channel. As the only consumer automotive site that evaluates and ranks all CPO programs, Intellichoice.com says that CPO vehicles will only play a larger role for consumers, car dealers and automakers.

“CPO programs hinge on used car inventory,” Bell said. “Leasing has not been very popular for the last few years, and that limits CPO vehicles that are on the market today. However, car leasing is gaining in popularity this year due to rising interest rates, and we expect the same will happen in 2008. This in turn will drive CPO inventory in the years to come.” Bell added that this year’s criteria for the CPO awards differ from last year’s, primarily to accommodate consumers’ demand for comprehensive auto warranty programs on CPO vehicles derived from their proprietary Used Car Cost of Ownership Analysis.

So far this year, over 1 million CPO vehicles were sold. That figure is expected to be challenged next year. All major auto manufacturers now have a CPO program and IntelliChoice.com investigates and analyzes 31 different manufacturer programs.

IntelliChoice.com’s Best Certified Pre-Owned Awards are presented in the Luxury and Non-Luxury classes. The top five rated programs in each class for 2008 are:

Luxury
1. Volvo
2. Cadillac
3. Jaguar
4. Saab
5. Lexus

Non-Luxury
1. Volkswagen
2. MINI
3. Hyundai
4. Honda
5. Scion
 
In addition to Volvo and VW, other notable automakers include Jaguar, which tied with Cadillac for the second spot. Jaguar was undefeated for 5 consecutive years until last year when Cadillac thump them. In the Non-Luxury class, VW won a close fight over MINI, while Mazda and Toyota slipped off the top 5 radar.

Methodology

IntelliChoice.com initiated a certified pre-owned awards program eight years ago to address the significant growth of the CPO offering and consumer demand for comprehensive analysis. Programs are rated on a set of criteria that consumers identify as having the most value, such as extended car warranties, title verification, certification inspection process and roadside assistance in addition to special financing and return exchange policies. As was done last year, this year’s criteria were extended to include program/dealer compliance and brand value.

The most important considerations cited by consumers when shopping for a certified pre-owned vehicle are the automobile warranties and inspections offered by the manufacturers. To ensure consumers receive the most complete information, there were slight fundamental changes to the IntelliChoice methodology to assess the Best Auto Warranty program this year. Based on consumer feedback and opinion, minor percentage weighting changes were made. IntelliChoice.com also explored how age and mileage of a vehicle affected the total warranty benefits as well as beyond the new car warranty.

Complete Rankings

Following is IntelliChoice.com’s complete ranking of automakers’ CPO program:

LUXURY
Volvo
Cadillac
Jaguar
Saab
Lexus
Hummer
Audi
BMW
Lincoln
Porsche
Acura
Infiniti
Land Rover
Mercedes-Benz
  
NON LUXURY
Volkswagen
MINI
Hyundai
Honda
Scion
Toyota
Saturn
Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep
Nissan
General Motors
Suzuki
Mercury
Ford
Mazda
Subaru 

Who will be celebrating his 28th birthday? Who else but Kimi Raikkonen and he said that he will be celebrating his birthday in Sao Paulo. The birthday celebration will be together with the decisive race for the drivers' championship in sight. Kimi even said, "I have no special plans to celebrate: It is better just to focus on the race weekend. I just hope for one present for my birthday and I hope to receive it after the race on Sunday afternoon!"

And he continued, "After the race in China I've been to Dubai for a couple of days. They have great weather this time of the year. We go to Brazil in position three. So I'm not really the favourite for the title. But as we saw at Shanghai two weeks ago anything can happen. Whatever will happen, it's going to be a very exciting race. We will give it all."

MotorSport.com also quoted him saying, "It is nice to get on going after the Chinese Grand Prix, where I had a very good feeling with the car and the team. We couldn't do very much to prepare ourselves for Interlagos. We have just done some simulations and analyzed the data. Let's hope that everything will be all right for this demanding and bumpy track. I know that the track has been redone, but we have to wait and see."

The Finnish driver said, "I think that our competitors have done their job as we did. There's lots of pressure on both sides. They have two drivers in the race for the title and they also fight each other. Hopefully we can benefit from that.  Interlagos we need a strong package, especially the engine is very important for the long rising main straight."

Moreover, Kimi also disclosed, "I will start into this race the same way as into the last two. My aim is to win and the rest is not up to me. It is a similar situation as in 2003, when I lost the title to Michael. But at a certain point during the Japanese GP it was a really close call. Hamilton has seven points more than us: there's not much to calculate. We have to win and that's it."

Kimi also revealed in his statement that he is not expecting a tire problem: "I've been reading stories that the supersoft tyres should be better for our competitors. That might have been true early in the season. But then things improved for us in terms of the setup. So we just have to wait and see how it goes in Brazil."

"I have been close to winning at Interlagos, but it has never quite paid off. I've finished three times second, which is not that bad at all. Once I already had the trophy back home for a couple of days. But I had to give it back later because the FIA had checked the classification again. Two weeks ago I said the same about Shanghai and then, this year, I won: let's hope history repeats itself!” he said as he ended the interview.

When you say flirt cars, what enters your mind?

For me, by virtue of elimination, I’ll put a big X on the face of huge pickups, muscular sport utilities and boring wagons. Oh wait, don’t forget to slash the high-performance sportscars. And of course, buses and trucks won’t be persistent mind you.

My choices, as it seems, are pretty consistent with what auto experts have found. Experts say women prefer stylish and fun cars that is. It does raise an interesting question though -- what are today's young, single women driving?

Craig Clough, staff writer at NBC, has compiled the top 10 flirtiest cars for women. Here they are:

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
Statistically, the Volkswagen Beetle is the most popular car for women, with 57% of all buyers of Beetles since July having been women, according to JD Power and Associates. The starting price $16,400 and its uniqueness seem to be the feminine appeal of the car.

"Females, they have a much better sense of styling than men," said Tom Lisle, General Manager of Denny Hecker Volkswagen Dealership in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. "I think they like being different."

VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
The Volkswagen Jetta continues to be one of the most popular automobiles for young women, according to Kelly Blue Book senior editor Jack Nerad,. The reason is the overall price (around $16,500), its style and performance.

"(The Jetta) is especially popular with college students," Yos said. "It's a fun, very affordable car. It's safe, sporty, and we have a great college graduate program."

MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE SPYDER
While it has fallen in popularity in the last two years, the Eclipse Spyder was the most popular car for women in 2005, according to JDPA, with 65% of all buyers being female.

VOLKSWAGEN EOS
According to JDPA, the Eos is one of the most popular brands for females, with 52% of all owners being female. Yos, however, views the car as appealing to an almost solely female clientele, mostly in their 30s.

BMW Z4
For the successful young, single woman, nothing beats the Z4, which starts at around $36,000. It's the kind of car a Bond girl would drive. But for some women, especially in urban areas like Los Angeles, even if they can't afford it, a high-class auto like the Z4 is an option, if they are willing to make exceptions in other areas.

TOYOTA RAV-4

According to JDPA, the Rav-4 is the fifth most popular car for women. The unique design of the Rav-4, which is an SUV but with a smaller, cute, sleek design, has an appeal to young women.

HONDA CR-V
Like the Rav-4, the Honda CR-V is popular with young women because it is a smaller-sized SUV that comes with an affordable price tag of $20,700.

PONTIAC SOLSTICE
Starting at $22,293, the Pontiac Solstice is one of most stylish cars on the market for under $25,000. With its sculpted curves but small, roadster body, it is the opposite of the boxy, similarly priced, testosterone-laden Mustang. It is one of the reasons that Pontiac is the third most popular brand for women, according to JDPA.

MINI COOPER
Starting at around $18,000, the Mini has a price that young women can afford, and, like the Beetle, has a unique, different style. There is simply nothing else out on the road that looks like the Mini.

MAZDA MX5 MIATA
The Miata MX5, which starts at around $20,500, is another car that has a very feminine appeal and image, being small and sleek, yet like most other cars has a crossover appeal with men.

Toyota Panasonic racer Ralf Schumacher is finally waving goodbye to the team. The famous racer said that he has to move on to another place but he did not mention anything about when and where he will be transferring. He is doing the rest of his contribution to the team he joined back in 2005. He leaves the team after his race in Brazil.

Ralf Schumacher commented and was quoted saying, "Having been a Toyota driver in the past three years, I opted for looking for a new challenge. I joined Toyota with high expectations. On the one hand, I regarded it as a major and exciting challenge to be involved in the development of a new racing car."

"On the other hand, I also learned to like the Japanese style of living, during my long stay in Japan before entering Formula One. And I still get on well with the Japanese mentality. But I am waiting for years for a competitive car."

"It goes without saying that I'm extremely motivated when it comes to racing at Shanghai and São Paulo. I will give my very best to at least finish the mulled season on a high, with and for Toyota," he shared. He had been a Toyota racer is trying to pick up some points on the last two races with the team.

Ralf Schumacher did not mention where he is going after he left Toyota. "I'm going to have several conversations in the coming weeks," he said. "I will announce my decision when the season is over. For me, the financial aspect is far less important than the chance of being involved in the development of a car and being successful afterwards."

Several sports men were connected to Toyota team next year just like Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso. Both were rumored to be a part of the team. But, the new GP2 champ and BMW Sauber tester Timo Glock is said to be the most potential contenders. But Jarno Trulli is contracted for Toyota in 2008.

If you wish to see more of the story, Motorsports.com has the detailed news about it.

Prestige and performance motor show MPH '07 and the 4Car website recently asked viewers to vote for their perfect car and passenger. The choices for voters for the perfect car are the Alfa Romeo 8C, the Bugatti Veyron, the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, and the McLaren Formula One.  For the perfect female passenger, the choices were Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Jodie Kidd, Cameron Diaz, and Eva Longoria. For the perfect male passenger, the choices were Jeremy Clarkson, The Stig, Lewis Hamilton, David Beckham, and Daniel Craig.

And the winners are… (drum roll), Scarlett Johansson, Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, and Jeremy Clarkson and The Stig.  Check out autoblog.com to see how close the balloting was for the perfect female passenger. For the perfect car, the Alfa Romeo is the runaway winner garnering 30 percent of all the votes while the Veyron, the second highest finisher only got 13 percent.  The Gallardo got nine percent and the McLaren Formula One got 11 percent.

When I read the said post I found the comments really entertaining.  Here's one: " Amen. Both have some of the sexiest curves ever allowed in public, and anything else I might try to say would likely qualify as some sort of NSFW FCC violation."

Now let's talk about that curvy car, the Competizione.  I really think that this is one sexy car but of you ask me, I'll take the new Audi R8 anytime.  Anyway, back to the Alfa Romeo.  According to Wikipedia, the production version of the Competizione is equipped with a 4.7-liter V8 engine with an output of 443.8 horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque.  The Alfa Romeo 8C is one rare car with a production target of only 500 units.  Ninety of these will go to the United States, 80 in Italy, 80 in Germany, 70 in Japan, 40 in France, 40 in the United Kingdom, 35 in Switzerland, and the remaining 65 will be sold in various countries.  One thing that kinda reduces the appeal of the 8C to me is its Edsel-esque nose.

But while the Alfa Romeo is a rare car, Scarlett Johansson is the one and only.   Her vitals statistics I'll leave for you to research.  She appeared in the movies, Horse Whisperer in 1998; My Brother the Pig in 1999; An American Rhapsody in 2001; Eight Legged Freaks in 2002; Lost in Translation in 2003; A Love Song for Bobby Long in 2004; Match Point in 2005; The Prestige in 2006; and The Nanny Diaries this year.

If you have seen gorgeous cars at the Detroit Auto Show last January and if your drool over the hot cars at the Frankfurt Auto Show in Germany which just recently ended, then be ready for some action at the Tokyo Auto Show for it will soon open its door for more Japanese cars and other car models from makers around the globe.

Of course, Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi will be the ones to lead the Japanese show well taking into account that they are all Japanese car makers. But among all these carmakers, Mitsubishi promises to bring more reasons for these car enthusiasts to visit Tokyo as they will reveal the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X at the said show. Now, tell me that’s not interesting.

The ongoing car was first seen on the “The Fast and the Furious” video game and is now finally taking the real world. It will be going on dealerships handling a price tag of roughly $30,000 with features closer to the Subaru WRX STi. It is now going to make a big splash at the forthcoming Tokyo Auto Show wearing the letter “X” with its previous name. Now the car is tagged as the Lancer Evolution X which was based on the Lancer platform which came out last year.

The Japanese car maker have launched the official photos of some of their car models like the GSR, MR and many others but sadly, they failed to reveal any information about the Evolution X. However, thanks to Car and Driver’s November issue, the new car was spied doing its complete test drive and then we had a chance to see the new Mitsubishi car before the official revelation of the Japanese car maker. The photos are now widely distributed over the net.

Kicking Tires released the news early this morning saying that the two new models from Mitsubishi, namely the base-level GSR and as well as the US bound upper-level MR, were rated to produce 295 horsepower as well as 300 pounds-feet of torque. Aside from this, the new car is also installed with an all-new dual-clutch sequential gearbox for the MR while the GRS received the five-speed manual which is both relatively priced at around $30,000.

Kicking Tires also said, “There will be a new all-wheel-drive system with a perfect power split of 50/50 to the front and rear wheels, but up to 80% can be sent to either the front or rear wheels, which is impressive.” The new Evolution was made capable of running 60 mph in 5.0 seconds which is slower than the previous car model. However, Mitsubishi gave it a better handling and grip.

We will be watching out for more information about this new Mitsubishi car at the soon to open Tokyo Auto Show. Meanwhile, let us just wait for the auto show to open to see more about the new vehicle.

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