Lexus IS 250 AWD Sedan Standard Features

By Joe Ratzkin

At a base price of $34,285, the IS 250 is a performance-oriented small luxury sedan as opposed to its Lexus sibling, the IS 350, which is a bit larger and all about comfort and luxury.

It is powered by a V6 2.5L gas engine with double overhead cam (DOHC). It has 24 variable timing valves which help deliver 204 hp @ 6400 rpm and 185 ft-lbs. at 4800 rpm using premium unleaded fuel.

This uses a 6-speed shiftable automatic all wheel drive transmission along with a mechanical center differential. It has four-wheel independent suspension, double wishbone front suspension, front and rear stabilizer bar and multi-link rear suspension. It also has a trip computer tachometer, and a clock showing external temperature. A compass does the low fuel level warning.

Exterior features include 17 x 8 in. alloy wheels, all season 225/45R17 V tires with steel spare wheel and temporary spare tire, inside mounted spare tire, variable intermittent wipers, and power glass sunroof while a rear defogger is also available.

Safety features include 4-wheel ABS, ventilated front disc / solid rear disc brakes, emergency braking assist, stability control, front and rear head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, child seat anchors, rear center 3-point belt, 3 rear headrests, engine immobilizer, dusk sensing headlamps, auto delay off headlamps, height adjustable headrests, electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control, dual front side-mounted airbags, passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation, rear door child safety locks, emergency interior trunk release, 2 front headrests, remote anti-theft alarm system, daytime running lights, tire pressure monitoring, front fog/driving lights, height adjustable headrests.

The front leather upholstery seats can accommodate 5 persons whose seats are ventilated with 10-way power passenger seat, and adjustable lumbar support. Passenger and driver seats are also height adjusted and has multi-level heating. Bucket front seats are also available.

The Lexus IS 250 AWD Sedan also has a bench rear seat, rear ventilation ducts and folding seats with storage and pass-thru center armrest.

Power features are on remote door locks, 4 one-touch windows, and heated mirrors.

Convenience and comfort are never compromised: cruise control, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, front and rear cupholders, front door pockets, 12V front power outlet(s), keyless ignition, retained accessory power, electric speed-proportional power steering, transmission, cruise and audio controls on steering wheel, remote trunk release, front seatback storage, front console with storage, universal remote transmitter (for garage door, security system, etc.), dual zone climate controls for both the driver and passenger, electrochromatic inside rearview mirror, dual illuminating vanity mirrors, alloy and leather trim on shift knob, simulated alloy trim on center console, trunk light, interior air filtration, front and rear reading lights, leather-wrapped steering wheel, alloy trim on dash, and front and rear floor mats. Entertainment features involve AM/FM in-dash 6 CD player with CD MP3 Playback stereo capable of 194 watts stereo output, 13 total speakers, Lexus antenna, and speed sensitive volume control capable of auxiliary MP3 audio input.

Annual fuel cost is at $1,560 ($2.94 per gallon, regular, 13,000 miles per year).

Formula One Season Heats Up

By Anthony Fontanelle

Going into the European Grand Prix last Sunday, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton has a commanding twelve point lead over teammate Fernando Alonso. But after a chaotic race which saw several drivers retiring, Alonso took the win while Hamilton for the first time in his career failed to finish in the top three. Furthermore, Hamilton failed to score a point as he finished ninth.

That means that ten points were awarded to the double world champion Alonso. The Spaniard now has 68 points after ten races. He is now trailing Hamilton only by a couple of points. This shows how unpredictable the sport is. While Hamilton and Alonso are on the top of the drivers’ championship standings, the two McLaren drivers are not the only ones vying for the championship.

Scuderia Ferrari’s duo of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen are still in contention for the championship. The Brazilian Massa is currently third with 59 points so far, 11 points behind Hamilton and nine behind Alonso. The Finn Raikkonen, on the other hand, has 52 points. It can be remembered that Raikkonen overtook his teammate in the standings after his back-to-back wins at the French and British Grands Prix.

At the European Grand Prix though, Raikkonen failed to finish as he was forced to retire on the 34th lap as his car’s hydraulics failed. Hamilton, on the other hand, only managed to finish ninth after he qualified tenth after a crash in the qualifying session. The front tire of Hamilton’s car was secured poorly after the team’s wheel gun malfunctioned. Although other parts of the steering system are intact such as the Mercedes struts, the wheel rubbed into the car which caused the accident.

The win by Alonso and the second place finish of Massa means that the race for the championship is now getting more competitive. Although Hamilton still leads the field, he is now facing a tougher challenge from teammate Alonso and the Ferrari pair.

Aside from the disappointing ninth place finish by the championship leader and Raikkonen’s retirement, the European Grand Prix is full of surprises. Only for the second time this season, a driver aside from McLaren and Ferrari’s pairs finished in the top three. Australian Mark Webber finished third for Red Bull. Webber’s teammate David Coulthard also managed to finish sixth although he started fro the 20th position on the grid.

Spyker’s rookie Markus Winkelhock posted a record at the European Grand Prix. The German Formula One driver who took over the seat of Christijan Albers became the first driver to start in a Grand Prix both in the last and first position. The rookie started at the back of the grid but was soon leading the race as he was the first to have tires suited to the wet tracks after rain poured. When the rain continued pouring, the race was red flagged on the fourth lap. When the race was restarted, Winkelhock started at the front of the grid.

The surprising debut of the German though did not end well as he was forced to retire after his car’s hydraulics malfunctioned. The German though is expected to be driving for Spyker for the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix. At the said race, the four drivers on top are expected to step up their game as the season reaches its most crucial stages. With more than half of the season already in the books, every race and every point is important for these championship hopefuls.

Did Ford take Jaguar down the wrong road?

By David Durban

When Ford purchased Jaguar Cars Ltd in 1989, the Jaguar brand had for some years been tarnished with a reputation for poor build quality. There can be no doubt that the financial investment and quality control that Ford brought with it saved the Jaguar marque from an untimely end. However, Ford has been unable to make a financial success of Jaguar -- did Ford misjudge the Jaguar marque and its past success?

Jaguar's past

From its humble beginnings as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, and for much of Jaguar's subsequent history, William Lyons, the company's co-founder, had a fundamental approach to his cars: to produce distinctive, high quality automobiles but at as low a cost as possible. The first of these, the Austin Seven Swallow, was simply a rebodied version of the humble Austin Seven because, Lyons believed, "... that it would also appeal to a lot of people if it had a more luxurious and attractive body."

In later years, the success of iconic Jaguars such as the XKs and E-Types were in part due to their distinct blend of forward-looking style and sophisticated use of technology. The power and quality of the XK engines used for the Jaguar XK120, and subsequent cars for many years, was far in advance of other comparable engines of the period. Similarly the much improved ride quality and road holding abilities of these cars had left their counterparts behind.

It was much the same with the Jaguar E-Type, a sensation when it was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961. Here was a race-bred, visually sensational, 150mph sports car at just half the price of its nearest rival, the Aston Martin DB4.

The Jaguar XKs, and the C and D-Types which evolved from them, also enjoyed much success in sports car racing, dominating the Le Mans 24 Hour race in the 1950s and contributing to the success of the marque. In the 1980s Jaguar again returned to Le Mans with the Group C XJRs, winning in 1988 and 1990.

Ford's tenureship of the Jaguar brand

Since the mid 1990s, Ford has launched several new Jaguars, including the XJ8/XJR, S-Type, X-Type and XK8/R. The common theme amongst these models is that they have all taken their styling cues from historical Jaguars such as the D and E-Types of the '50s and '60s for the XK8, and the XJ6s and XJ12s of the '70s and '80s for the saloons.

One can certainly appreciate Ford's reasoning behind the decision to ape the styles that proved so successful for Jaguar in the past, but by doing so they appear to have missed the point of what made those cars successful in the first place: that the styles then were looking forward rather than backwards.

In an attempt to recoup the substantial financial investment in Jaguar, and in keeping with its own history, Ford created the X-Type as a "low-budget" Jaguar that was intended to appeal to the fleet market and those for whom the top-end models were too expensive. Yet this model never sold in the volumes that Ford hoped for outside of the UK. For many potential purchasers, the model shared too much in common with Ford's own Mondeo to be distinctively 'Jaguar', and for younger owners the car bore too much resemblance to the Jaguar XJ -- a model traditionally driven by older owners. It was also a highly competitive market and the X-Type was in direct competition with BMW, Mercedes and, at the time, the similarly styled Rover 75.

Yet on occasions Ford have created much interest amongst motoring journalists and enthusiasts with a number of concept cars. The XK180, and similarly styled F-Type, were greatly praised and could, potentially, have tapped into the emerging market for roadsters alongside the Porsche Boxter and Mercedes-Benz SLK, yet neither were translated into production models.

Sporting pretensions

With Jaguar's past successes in motor sport having added much to the brand, Ford attempted to recreate this with its entry into Formula 1 racing. Formula 1, however, with its vast budgets and tendency to be dominated by one or two top teams was an ambitious leap and the Jaguar team never managed to challenge for world championship points on a consistent basis.
In hindsight it would, perhaps, have been better to concentrate efforts in other motorsport categories. Indeed, the XKRs run in the Trans-Am series proved very successful, securing four manufacturers' titles. Had the F1 budget been spread across other classes, Jaguar's presence in world motorsport may have been a different story. In Europe, the Apex Motorsport Jaguar XKR GT3 is being developed for competition in the FIA GT3 championship.

Too much too late

With the launch of the much praised next-generation XK/R in 2006, and the XF due out in late 2007 to replace the S-Type, Jaguar's model line-up does finally appear to be looking forwards both in terms of style and technology -- a substantial reason for the success of the brand throughout Jaguar's history. But with Ford having experienced financially troubled times over the last few years, the sale of Jaguar would inject much needed capital back into Ford, just as the Jaguar marque looks set to turn the corner and experience a resurgence in popularity.

Jaguar's future

To secure its future and to continue as one of history's most evocative automotive marques, Jaguar needs a parent company that will allow its designers to continue with the innovation and dynamism shown in the current XK range and upcoming XF. For much of its history, the Jaguar marque has been ahead of the field with design and performance -- its new owners, however they may be, would do well to bear that in mind.

BMW's 5-Series has New Names, Much Better Performance

By Hailey Kerr

BMW has changed the name of its six-cylinder powered midsize, luxury 5-Series cars for 2008 to emphasize its larger and more powerful engines. The old 525i would be change to 528i with 230hp while the 530i becomes the 535i with 300 hp included on the twin-turbocharged, six-cylinder 535xi Sports Wagon.

The German automaker and producer of high quality BMW 325 parts has also updated the interiors of its 2008 5-Series sedans and wagons with the addition of an optional Lane Departure Warning system that softly vibrates the steering wheel whenever it detects that the driver is wandering out of his or her lane. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the 5-Series including destination charge will start at $45,075 for the base 528i.

BMW has also assured that buyers of the 5-Series sedan will love the image that the four-door car conveys. The 2008 5-Series styling and design reflects its performance heritage, a good bit of technology but not lightweight. It is also worth mentioning that would-be BMW 5-Series owners will receive four years/50,000 miles of free maintenance that would include scheduled oil changes and even replacement if worn out windshield wiper blades. This is in addition to the four-year/50,000-mile limited, bumper-to-bumper warranty.

It is also hard to miss out the new found power in the 2008 BMWs. The test 535xi weighs in at nearly 4,000 pounds which means that this particular BMW will not feel lightweight or flighty. Its peak torque is at 300 pounds-feet and can come as low as 1,400 rpm and can reach up to 5,000 rpm which is quite satisfying for any kind of driving.

The 3-liter, twin-turbocharged, inline six-cylinder with variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust functions are similar to the one equipped on the BMW 335i. It was mated in the test 535xi to an updated Steptronic automatic transmission that could be shifter manually. For the 536xi, BMW has removed the confusing and difficult-to-operate Sequential Manual Gearbox.

The power is also increased to its highest ever in the base 528i which has a 3-liter, inline six-cylinder with variable valve timing without the turbocharging. The top range 550i sedan retains its 360-hp, 4.8 liter V8.

Fuel economy is not a highly flaunted characteristic of BMW’s vehicles but for the test 535xi, it was able to perform within the government’s ratings of 17 mpg for city driving and 25 mpg for highway driving. The handling as expected of a BMW was remarkable. The car body was steady and well-controlled in all maneuvers even over some busy road surfaces.

The Heart Of Toyota Formula One Racing

By Anthony Fontanelle

Formula One racing is not just about drivers’ skills to maneuver cars and employing accurate strategies - it is blended with a considerable amount of team preparation to attain its goals. It is at heart, a diverse kind of race which is anchored on the workings of all teams.

So how does each team exude the fundamentals? For the Toyota team’s logistics department, there is a steady race against time to get the cars, spare parts and equipment, to the track on time.

And the challenge does not stop there. Once on location, the team considers around 90 members who will need food, hotels, transport and suitable working conditions. Simply, formula One is no simple task. At Toyota’s headquarters in Cologne, Germany, team manager Richard Cregan and his staff work ceaselessly to make sure everything runs efficiently.

A Grand Prix starts when the red lights go out and the thrill of the race will be unstoppable even by the most-efficient EBC pads. One thing that is also non-stop is the work of the logistics department.

“I believe the groundwork that people have to have to achieve good logistics is experience of the business of motorsport, not necessarily in Formula One,” Cregan said. “You have to set very clear targets for yourselves. We have our plans for the year because we make plans at the start of every season. Once the calendar is finalized from the FIA we sit down with the different departments, look at the dates of the trucks leaving, when we want the equipment there and basically we go away and arrange that.”

To ensure everything is in working order and loaded on to the trucks, two days are spent to prepare and check. “We take about 38-39 tonnes of equipment to each Grand Prix, even a bit more for European races because then of course you have all the equipment loaded in the trucks themselves, like work benches and all sorts of extras for offices that are completely kitted out,” explained Markus Burger, the team leader in charge of pit equipment and trucks.

This is essential work as any troubles in the infrastructure of the pits could have serious aftermaths when the action begins on track. As such, all the spare parts are prepared to be called upon at a moment’s notice. Basically, in a Formula One garage there is plainly a car waiting to be built.

“You normally have enough parts in the truck to build another car. So effectively you have four complete cars, one in spare parts and three complete. That’s more difficult at the beginning of the season because you have a new car and new specification but that’s the target we have,” Cregan revealed.

But not every eventuality can be prepared for. For Cregan, the challenge of Formula One logistics is not in making the car itself perform to its best, but ensuring the Toyota team behind the car is given everything they need to work to the maximum of their ability.

“We can’t influence so much the performance of the car from the logistics department itself but certainly in terms of creating the atmosphere for people to do there job and perform, that is something we can do,” Cregan said. “Quite often you have very, very long days, people working late into the evening. It is a very important to make sure those people have the right environment to work in and that’s our challenge.”

Experts behind a team’s success attest to the fact that there is always an overwhelming challenge in every race. Challenge is the accurate word, for nothing in Formula One racing is simple!

Reminiscing 'Porsche Pete'

By Rain Stockton

He was known simply as “Porsche Pete”, a character created on a website intended for Porsche automobiles specifically the Boxster. The man behind it was Charles “Chuck” Hammersmith of Burlington.

In July 1, Hammersmith died at the age of 53. He pioneered the PPBB.com Web site, or Porsche Pete’s Boxster Board, one of the first Internet message boards on the subject, and the most active devoted to the Boxster, Porsche’s best-selling car. The website might also have an insight on Porsche 944 parts.

While Hammersmith had been charmed by Boxsters since before he could drive, friends from his message board say that the car particularly interested him because it was the first Porsche made available to a wider audience. Before his first Boxster, the fanatic owned three 911s.

Porsche fans organized the Blue Ridge Boxster Summit in Blowing Rock, where PPBB.com users have met for the last nine years. That’s because of Hammersmith’s site.

Karl Folkens, a South Carolina resident and PPBB.com administrator, said that the biggest thrill for many who attended the first and subsequent summits, was meeting “Porsche Pete” in person. He continued that one got the sense he’s a pistol-pulling kind of guy form the website, but in person one would find he’s very mild mannered.

Kim, Hammersmith’s daughter, said that her dad was never the spotlight dominant, and would have been surprised by all the appreciation he received since his death began to spread. Thousands of posts are on the Web site, highlighting Hammersmith through memories and photos.

Kim, who has an appreciation for Porsche herself and toured a factory while visiting Germany a few years ago, continued they didn’t realize how big an impact the site made for the past 10 years. The daughter added her dad never really wanted to take credit for anything he did.

Hammersmith wasn’t able to make it to the 9th annual gathering last month, where Boxster friends spent four days driving along the 400-mile Blue Ridge Parkway’s winding mountain roads.

Gordon Mckeehan, parts manager at Porsche dealer Suncoast Motorsports, said the honor was his and the other employees, to sell Hamersmith his last Boxster in 2003.

Cecil Thorpe, one of the site’s administrators said that since the opening of the website, Porsche owners and other self-designated “car geeks” have posted millions of messages on the message board. Thorpe said the discussions on the board are monitored by Porsche’s corporate headquarters to learn what owners like and don’t like about the vehicle. The loss was especially difficult for Robert Granger, Hammersmith’s co-host from Texas.

In an email, Granger implied that Chuck’s philosophy has always been really so special.

Aside from meeting Hammersmith at Boxster gatherings, Granger had met Hammersmith’s daughters, and was especially amazed by the father’s love for them. He said that other than a true Boxster fanatic, Chuck’s real pride and joy were his two girls, Kim and Sarah. He added Chuck never missed a chance to brag on them.

Budweiser And Junior To Part Ways

By Katie Jones

After Dale Earnhardt Junior earlier this year announced that he will be leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. after this season, there were questions where the most popular NASCAR driver today will end up. That question has already been answered when Earnhardt confirmed that he has signed with Hendrick Motorsports for next year.

Another question raised during that time is whether Junior’s sponsor Budweiser will be following him to whatever team he will be racing for next season. The answer to that question has also been answered as Budweiser is reportedly looking for a new driver to sponsor next season.

It is now widely known in the paddocks that Budweiser officials are in a quest to find a driver to sponsor next season which means that the ‘King of Beers’ will not be sponsoring Junior next season. Although adjudged as the most popular NASCAR driver today by fans, it seems that the move by Junior from the team that his father started to Hendrick Motorsports made Budweiser think about withdrawing the sponsorship.

Speculations arise that Junior will be sponsored next season by PepsiCo Inc. It is also expected that if the sponsorship of the soda company pushes through for Junior, his car will be boasting a Mountain Dew logo or a combination of Pepsi products. Junior will be driving the Number 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick next season.

It is also reported that Budweiser is talking with Evernham Motorsports regarding sponsorship for the following season. It is speculated that Anheuser-Bush, the makers of Budweiser would move their logo from Junior’s to hood to Kasey Kahne’s Number 9 Dodge just above its Dodge bumper next season.

Officials from Budweiser have also contacted officials at the Lowe’s Motors Speedway. This is in connection with the possibility of holding a press event at Lowe’s if Budweiser has already found a substitute to Junior.

According to an official from Evernham Motorsports, no agreements have yet been formed between them and Budweiser. The official went on to say that the team is still talking with other companies that are also interested in sponsoring the team for the next season.

Ray Evernham, the owner of the team, has a standing agreement with Dodge via the Dodge Dealers for a sponsorship of Kahne’s car and the Number 19 Dodge driven by Elliott Saddler. Accepting sponsorship from Budweiser for Kahne’s car would mean that Dodge Dealers should agree to it.

Although speculations are rampant that Budweiser will be sponsoring a Dodge next season, there are also reports that there is still a possibility that Budweiser would remain with Dale Earnhardt Inc. But this would only hold out to be true if Budweiser like who DEI will be bringing in to replace Junior.

It can be remembered that Budweiser has sponsored Junior since his rookie season in 2000. With Junior’s popularity and the amount of air time that the Budweiser logo appears on national television painted across Junior’s car’s hood has been translated to millions of dollars worth of advertisement. The reason for Budweiser’s apparent lack of support for Junior’s jump to another team is yet to be cleared.

Aside from Kahne, Budweiser is also reportedly looking at three more drivers to sponsor next year. The three drivers that Budweiser is considering were not named by the company. In the end, one of these four drivers, one is Kahne and the others still unknown, will be picked by Budweiser to sponsor next year.