| BMW X6 Invents a New Niche
BMW's new X6 pre-production concept car pushes the design innovation pedal to the metal. The X6 is making its press debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show, and will hit showrooms in 2008. It's the silhouette that causes a double-take. Huge wheels and a SUV-like body capped with a sportscar roofline. BMW's goal with the X6 was to marry the brawn and offroad qualities of an SUV with the sportiness and sleek lines of a coupe. They call it a Sports Activity Coupe. A Porsche's Cayenne may drive like a hot rod, but it doesn't pretend to be a coupe: The Cayenne really looks like an SUV. The X6 looks like nothing on the road today. "It says I've got the muscles to take on any road, any time. But at the same time, it's dressed up," says BMW Group Design Chief Chris Bangle. "It's like a powerful athlete wearing fine clothes — you can still see the muscles rippling under his shirt." Now the question is, will buyers prefer an SUV in athletic gear or one dressed to kill.
Little Fiat sexiest car ever
Top Gear magazine has voted the humble Fiat 500, which looks like a cross between a Mini and a VW Beetle, No 1 for setting pulses racing. It tops a list of 100 sexiest cars because the mag claims anyone behind the wheel looks sexually charged ? even a nun. Contributing editor James May defended the bizarre choice yesterday, saying: The Fiat 500 advertises nothing about its owner, except that its someone who doesnt need to try. Top Gears top ten sexiest cars: 1. Fiat 500; 2. Aston Martin DBS; 3. Maserati Quattroporte; 4. Chevrolet Camaro; 5. Citroen C6; 6. Lincoln Continental; 7. Bentley Continental S1 Fastback; 8. BMW M1; 9. Rolls-Royce Phantom; 10. Sally the Porsche 911 Carrera (from the animated film Cars). .
Big wheels keep up to the marque by buying flash
AS ECONOMIC barometers go, there could hardly be any more dashing a $580,000 status symbol on wheels and at least 80 Australians have already placed their order for Ferrari's slick new model, the F430 Scuderia. The latest street incarnation of the world's most famous motor racing emblem is an eight-cylinder, 503-horsepower, high-performance vehicle its Italian makers would seem wholly justified in touting as a "unique supercar perfect for passionate and sporty customers". Then there's the Porsche 911 turbo, retailing at $370,000. More than 100 Australians put themselves behind the wheel of one last year, and others are queuing to take delivery of the next generation GT2 priced at $425,000. Property developer Zac Brankovic, 38, who has been driving Porsches for about five years, shelled out $260,000 for his Porsche Carrera S convertible.
Capello showed steel to deny Beckham cap
Bravissimo, Capello! Setting aside sentimentality and nonsense from ex-footballers who should no better, he left David Beckham out of the squad to face Switzerland tomorrow at Wembley. Capello even boldly eschewed the compromise of putting Beckham on the field at Wembley for a few symbolic minutes, but has left the door open for him to win his 100th cap, albeit with the provision that the shows form in the MLS. Beckham himself made ludicrous claim for a place, insisting that he was fit and sharp even though he hasn't played a match since November. The clamour for his inclusion was all the more absurd given the fact England have three excellent young right wingers far worthier of a place than him. David Bentley has had a fine season with Blackburn and is in exuberant form.
Excerpts from Mark Martin's news conference at Daytona testing on Day ...
MARK MARTIN: The schedule is the same that we ran last year. I'm just really excited. It's great to be back at the racetrack. I'm with the new group again. But I'm really excited about being with these guys. They are really charged up, and they've got a great "can-do'' attitude and I've had a great day for the first day in the No. 8. Last year was a fantastic season, other than I still don't have one of those. But thanks to the U.S. Army and Teresa Earnhardt and everybody at DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc.), I feel like I've got a great shot at it again. Junior has had some huge success in restrictor -plate racing in that No. 8 car, and I think this team has given me something today that has brought some new things to the table. If I can bring some new things to the table, too, we can be a contender.
Hoover in the Heartland
Vermette, one of the founders and board members, makes clear that the program has "big plans and big dreams," and he said that the programs at Princeton and elsewhere don’t have enough of an impact because they are at private institutions. He would like to see something on the scale of the Hoover Institution, which is on the campus of Stanford University, eventually copied by other universities. Supporters have already provided $2 million for the effort and there are plans to raise $10 million within 3 years and $100 million within 10 years — ambitious goals, but targets that those familiar with the backers of the program say are probably achievable. Vermette, a businessman and investor who is a former president of the university’s alumni association, said that the program came out of the conviction that key ideas are lost on too many students, and that money coming into higher education doesn’t change that.
WSB cancels July Fourth Parade
After nearly 50 years, WSB-TV is discontinuing its annual "Salute 2 America" July 4 parade. The family-friendly festival of floats, marching bands, balloons, TV stars and military personnel annually wound its way through the streets of downtown for 47 years. Instead, the Atlanta ABC network affiliate plans to expand its metro area coverage on the patriotic holiday this year to include more geographically diverse July 4 celebrations. "When the parade began, Atlanta was a very small town and now our coverage goals are very different," explained WSB-TV general manager Bill Hoffman in an interview with the AJC on Thursday. "We're trying to broaden our coverage over the July Fourth holiday." Added Channel 2 program director Art Rogers via a statement: "As a native Atlantan, I've personally witnessed the incredible growth of the metro area.
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