2010 Audi R8 SportCars Concept

Solid evidence of UFO’s has finally arrived. The 2010 Audi R8 has the power, speed, handling, and sleek looks to prove we have made contact with and studied superior aircraft.

Under the hood – the rear engine bay glass that is – sits a 420-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-8 or a 525-horsepower, 5.2-liter V-10. A six speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission is available with either engine option. The R8 delivers 12-13 mpg in the city and 18-20 on the highway. Considering the level of performance, those fuel economy numbers are quite respectable. V-8 horsepower is superior to Aston Martin’s V-8 Vantage, and just behind Porsche’s 911; V-10 horsepower is superior even to the Nissan Skyline GT-R and Ferrari F430.

The only “interior” feature that matters is the throbbing high-horsepower motor lying underneath that rear glass and surrounded by beautiful carbon fiber trim, but the cockpit is lovely to behold as well. Leather and Alcantara (a suede-like material) cover the heated seats, and the steering wheel is wrapped in leather with metal embellishments. The manual transmission features a metal shift knob protruding from a gorgeous machined metal gate; the automatic transmission features metal paddle shifters. Automatic climate control and a charcoal air filter make the interior atmosphere comfortable and rarefied. A standard stereo with 6-CD stereo changer and Sirius Satellite Radio provides wonderful acoustic accompaniment to the symphonic roar of the engine. A glorious Bang & Olufsen stereo and a navigation system are optional, while the V-10 comes with both systems as standard equipment.

Under the skin of the 2010 Audi R8 is further evidence of extraterrestrial contact: Audi’s all-aluminum frame. It balances supreme strength with lightness, for better acceleration, handling and fuel economy. Side airbags and dual front airbags with a head protection chambers in place of roof-mounted head airbags protect occupants during impact. No crash test ratings are available for the R8, but the safety package is well engineered.

Considering the company that the 400-plus horsepower of the 2010 Audi R8 puts it in, plus the tasteful use of carbon fiber trim; the beautiful display of the rear-mid mounted engine, and the spectacular driving dynamics, the 2010 Audi R8 is a value that – you guessed it – is out of this world.

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Auto Race Tracks and Auto Racing

The beginning of auto racing started right after the successful introduction of cars powered by gas. The very first auto race was in 1887, in Paris, France. Actually, it seems weird calling it a race since only one person showed up, so naturally he was the winner. In 1894, another car race was organized, also in Paris, and many consider this one the world's first race. 102 people paid the entrance fee, but in the end only 25 people participated in the main auto race.

Not everyone started at the same time & the same place and three winners were selected based on the handling, the speed, and the safety characteristics of their cars.



The first real auto race, where all the cars started at the same time, at the same place, took place in 1895 in France. The winner reached the finish line almost 6 hours before his competitor. That's a big difference!

It looks like the foundation of auto racing lies in France. That's why most races, even international ones, at that time, took place in France. Open road races in France ended in 1903, after a fatal accident involving Marcel Renault happened.

The oldest auto race track worldwide is called "The Milwaukee Mile". It opened its doors in 1903. Interestingly, this auto race track was not originally built for cars, but rather for horses.

The first track that was specifically built for car racing is the Brooklands, located in England. It opened its doors in 1907. In 1939 the Brooklands racing track was closed, when wartime production of airplanes and other aircraft took over. It was extensively damaged during the Second World War, and never reopened its doors.

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Audi TTS Pikes Peak Driverless Model

Audi TTS Pikes Peak Driverless Model

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) conducted its free agent races, the Grand Challenge and the Urban Challenge, in 2005 and 2007, but Volkswagen is still researching the technology. A accumulated accomplishment with Volkswagen's Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL), Stanford University's Dynamics Design Lab (SDDL), and Sun Microsystem's resulted in the free Audi TTS. The accumulation alive on the car is because a run up the 12.4-mile Pikes Peak Hill Climb advance in 2010 to authenticate the capabilities of its driverless technology.

This new apprentice car is based on a 2009 Audi TTS, the action adaptation of the TT coupe. This car has Quattro all-wheel-drive and is motivated by a turbocharged, absolute injection, 2-liter, four-cylinder agent bearing 265 application and 258 pound-feet of torque. ERL adapted this car with the sensors, servos, and drive-by-wire accessories all-important for computer control, while SDDL developed the programming so the car can acknowledge appropriately to sensor data. Sun congenital the computer belvedere to run the car.

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AUDI QUATTRO ON FESTIVAL

Audi, which formally began life as a car manufacturer on July 16 1909, wheeled out its “stars and cars” as part of its Centenary celebrations.

The German manufacturer has supported the annual motorsport extravaganza for the past 13 years and fittingly was the “featured marque” at this year’s “True Grit – Epic Feats of Endurance” themed event attended by 150,000 spectators over all three days.

Ultra-rare Auto Union Grand Prix cars, all-wheel-drive Audi quattro rally and touring cars, plus its latest diesel-engined Le Mans sportscars – documenting over 70 years of motorsport involvement by the Four Rings brand – were in action up the 1.8-mile hillclimb.

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Mercedes 300 SLR on Goodwood Festival of Speed

There are precious few cars whose anniversaries call for celebration on Goodwood Festival of Speed four decades down the road – but this year is the Porsche 917's 40th birthday. On Saturday and Sunday, the Goodwood Festival of Speed marks the occasion with the largest gathering of 917s ever seen in Britain, including short- and long-tailed cars and CanAm derivatives.

And yet, while most enthusiasts will know about the 917 and its fearsome reputation, it's harder to explain to the layman why its cult status has endured. The car had a competitive life of just two years and there have been faster and more successful cars before and since – many of them from the same company – so why has the 917's fame survived for so long?

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