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Pirelli's new 18-inch concept tires formed the centre of attention at Silverstone, with Lotus F1 Team reserve driver Charles Pic giving the new design its debut on Wednesday morning.

Pic headed out shortly after 9am in the current Lotus E22 equipped with the new 18-inch tires and completed 14 laps of the Silverstone circuit. With the concept tire designed principally to showcase aesthetics rather than performance, and a general-purpose compound, the lap times were not the focus. Instead, the objective was to gauge reaction to the very different new design, which received the thumbs up from most observers.

Charles Pic aboard the Lotus E22, equipped with Pirelli 18-inches tires. (Photo: WRi2)

Pirelli's motorsport director Paul Hembery commented: “In our view, the new tires looked stunning fitted to the Lotus, and the reaction has already been felt all over the world. These are just a prototype concept, but if the teams decided that they wanted us to proceed in this direction, we have the capability to carry on development in this area and come up with a production-ready version in a comparatively short space of time. We've heard a lot of opinions already and we look forward to canvassing other opinions in the coming weeks and months.

"Even though performance wasn't by any means priority here, the new tires still behaved exactly in line with our expectations, so we're clearly potentially at the beginning of a huge development curve, with the wheel and tire size rules having remained unaltered for many years."

Comparison 13-inches vs 18-inches tires. (Photo: Pirelli)

The new tires were designed and built in accordance with Pirelli's premium strategy in Milan. The key technical advantage of an 18-inch tire is a stiffer sidewall that helps maintain the structural rigidity of the tire and also makes it easier for the tire to maintain a constant pressure - as there is less actual air inside the tire. The new tire is physically bigger, which makes it much more relevant to the Ultra High Performance tires that are seen on the road, leading to greater technology transfer.

The new tires tested today have the same width as the current 13-inch tires (245mm at the front and 325mm at the rear) but a diameter that is bigger by 30mm. The weight is approximately the same as the 13-inch tire, because although the diameter is bigger, there is a smaller sidewall. The total weight, including the rim, is around 4 kilograms heavier.

Charles Pic aboard the Lotus E22, equipped with Pirelli 18-inches tires. (Photo: WRi2)

Leaving a child inside a car on a hot summer day can have tragic consequences, which is why a 12-year-old boy named Andrew Pelham came up with a simple device to help parents not accidentally forget their young children on the back seat.

The EZ Baby Saver is a series of rubber bands attached together and wrapped in brightly coloured duct tape. One end hooks onto the driver's door, while the other attaches to the back of the child seat.

"When you open the car door and get out of your car, you're blocked by the brightly coloured EZ Baby Saver and you remember, 'oh, my child is still in the car,'" Pelham explained to Fox News.

Due to the long, expensive process of securing a patent, he said he'd rather just raise awareness and encourage parents to design their own EZ Baby Saver at home. It's already working, as evidenced by the numerous emails and Facebook comments Pelham has been receiving since making his invention public.

Of course, the device will only serve its purpose if parents remember to install it before hitting the road. However, you have to admire the efforts of a kid who imagined a safety system that no automaker has even developed yet, let alone made standard in vehicles.

Some of today's cars feature advanced technologies like driver drowsiness detection, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and smartphone apps to remotely program air conditioning before you get to your car. It makes no sense that a much more basic solution to prevent children from being left in the car hasn't been integrated yet.

Source : foxnewsinsider.com

From GMM

Jo Ramirez, McLaren's former long-time team manager, has slammed fellow Mexican Sergio Perez.

McLaren ousted Perez, 24, after a single season at the end of last year in favour of Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen.

"As a driver Sergio was actually not bad (at McLaren)," Ramirez, a former advisor to Perez, told motorline.cc. "I think he was also getting better.

"Sergio was just not good enough as a person. He didn't really cooperate with the team, he was too cocky. His attitude was very bad," he claimed.

"He was unpopular with the engineers, with everyone. I often criticise him in the media, but I do not criticise him as a driver. He's a good driver."

"It's such a shame," Jo Ramirez continued. "I was at the Jerez test this year and spent time with McLaren and Sauber, and no one was able to say something good about Sergio. They all say that he needs to change his attitude if he wants to stay in formula one."

Sergio Perez in the McLaren garage, in 2013. (Photo: McLaren F1 Team)

Pros: With its signature soft top, which opens in a mere 15 seconds and takes just two seconds longer to close, the 2014 Audi S5 Cabriolet brings open-air freedom to the heightened performance of the S5. The three-layered design of the acoustic roof gives it outstanding noise and heat insulation properties. This convertible also stands out with a lowered and tightened suspension, sexy and discreetly aggressive looks, standard all-wheel drive, a powerful V6 that's commendably fuel-efficient, as well as a rich combination of luxury, refinement, and technology.

Cons: Once again, the MMI controls will not prove user-friendly to all drivers. The back seat is pretty tight, and the coupe's manual gearbox is nowhere to be found in the cabriolet.

Photo: Audi

2014 Audi S5 Cabriolet Price: As was the case last year, the lineup includes two trim levels -- Progressiv and Technik. The first one starts at $68,800, and the second retails from $74,100.

2014 Audi S5 Cabriolet Fuel Economy: Expect to burn 11.8L/100km in the city and 8.0L/100km on the highway with the S5 Cabriolet.

Improvements and Changes: The newly available Audi Drive Select helps you customize individual vehicle components at the push of a button and thus alter the dynamics of the car. Other changes are in the areas of enhancements to packages and standard-equipment lists.

Powertrain: The 2014 Audi S5 Cabriolet accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 5.5 seconds thanks to a 3.0L supercharged TFSI V6 engine with direct injection that channels its 333 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque through a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission. As mentioned earlier, power is distributed to all four wheels by way of Audi's acclaimed quattro system.

Cargo Capacity: When the top is stowed away, it has little effect on the trunk thanks to its intelligent Z-fold design. That means you get 288 of the S5 Coupe's 346 litres of cargo room.

Safety: Front and side airbags keep 2014 Audi S5 Cabriolet occupants protected, while stability control helps secure the trajectory at all times. In the event of a collision, intelligent sensors automatically unlock the doors, switch on interior and hazard lights, and cut off fuel flow to the engine. Adaptive cruise control and a rear parking system are available.

Comparing the 2014 Audi S5 Cabriolet: The BMW 435i xDrive Cabriolet, Lexus IS 350 C, and Infiniti Q60 Convertible all compete against the S5 Cabriolet.

From GMM

Patrick Head has applauded Mercedes for letting its drivers race in 2014.

Williams co-founder Head, 68, is now only a rare sight in the F1 paddock, having effectively retired from the sport.

But he was spotted during the British grand prix weekend, telling Germany's Auto Motor und Sport that dominant Mercedes is doing "the right thing" by letting Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg go wheel-to-wheel rather than imposing team orders.

"A team that is so dominant, has a duty to the sport," Head said.

"Williams and McLaren know that, and we always did, often at a high price. Only Ferrari in the Schumacher era believed that it was bigger than the sport," the Briton added.

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG, in the streets of Monaco. (Photo: WRi2)

Meanwhile, Head said he is happy with his life post F1, answering "no chance" when asked if he might be considering a return.

"I'm going sailing now," he grinned.

News 9 Jul, 2014

Bentley is weighing up possibilities for a bespoke division, building one-offs at the request of its wealthiest clients

GAMCO Asset Management, the largest institutional shareholder of aluminum wheel supplier Superior Industries, today unveiled its slate of board nominees it wants shareholders to elect at Superior's annual meeting next month.

Penske Logistics, the lead logistics provider for Ford in North America, plans to shut down a site south of Detroit in September and cut 183 jobs.

With only a few months until its September debut, Mercedes-Benz has taken most of the form-altering

WASHINGTON -- Volkswagen has ordered U.S. and Canadian dealers to not sell about 800 units of its new

Jaguar Land Rover has revealed further details of the Ingenium four-cylinder engines which it will begin manufacturing in early 2015.

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We explore the UK's top hot hatch contenders in the countdown to the Auto Express New Car Awards on July 15th

Ford's European operations are sharing in the industry's modest sales recovery, but Ford of Europe President Stephen Odell warned that some of the region's underlying economic weaknesses still pose a threat.

Ford's European operations are sharing in the industry's modest sales recovery this year, but Ford of Europe President Stephen Odell warned today that some of the region's underlying economic weaknesses still pose a threat.

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The aerodynamic miracle that is the golf ball could give a fuel economy boost to cars of the future

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New details from Jaguar Land Rover on upcoming technology. We go behind the scenes to see into the future

The European Commission is probing state aid to Audi to expand its plant in Hungary. The Commission approved aid to Porsche and BMW to expand their factories in Leipzig.

The European Commission is probing state aid to Audi to expand its plant in Hungary. The commission approved aid to Porsche and BMW to expand their factories in Germany.

MG is working on a new two-seater, according to Auto Express.