World Car Awards

I am not into too much about World Car of the Year award however, this year I really appreciated the winner! Volkswagen UP. Most of the times, I am not paying very high attention to  this award and sometimes I really don’t agree with their decision. But, Volkswagen is a realy revolutionary car for urban transportation without scarifying ride comfort or ergonomy. I really like the UP and it would be a great solution to tiring and boring urban transportation.

They also awarded, Range Rover Evoque as the World Design Car of the Year, Porsche 911 as the World Performance Car of the Year and Mercedes-Benz S250 CDi as the World Green Car of the Year. I agree with Evoque, they created a new path for the urban SUV market and developed a new design language. 

Mercedes-Benz S250 CDi offers the smallest diesel engine (2,2-lt), the lowest consumption 5,7lt/km diesel and cleanest CO2 level 149g/km on its segment. 

However, I would not award the new Porsche 911. Because, its steering wheel replaced by an electric steering wheel that reduces the connection with the road and McLaren MP4-12C offers much better performance levels than the 911.

Pictures' Copyright

Mercedes, VW

Photos from Malaysian Formula 1 Race

Here are the results from the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

For more photos: Cars & Life Facebook Page

POS	DRIVER	TEAM	GRID	FASTEST LAP	RACE TIME	POINTS
1	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	8	1:41.680	2:44:51.812	25
2	Sergio Perez	Sauber	9	1:41.021	+00:02.263	18
3	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes	1	1:41.539	+00:14.591	15
4	Mark Webber	Red Bull-Renault	4	1:41.017	+00:17.688	12
5	Kimi Raikkonen	Lotus-Renault	10	1:40.722	+00:29.456	10
6	Bruno Senna	Williams-Renault	13	1:41.404	+00:37.667	8
7	Paul Di Resta	Force India-Mercedes	14	1:41.819	+00:44.412	6
8	Jean-Eric Vergne	Toro Rosso-Ferrari	18	1:41.922	+00:46.985	4
9	Nico Hulkenberg	Force India-Mercedes	16	1:42.173	+00:47.892	2
10	Michael Schumacher	Mercedes GP	3	1:41.760	+00:49.996	1
11	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault	5	1:41.342	+01:15.527
12	Daniel Ricciardo	Toro Rosso-Ferrari	15	1:41.756	+01:16.828
13	Nico Rosberg	Mercedes GP	7	1:41.863	+01:18.593
14	Jenson Button	McLaren-Mercedes	2	1:42.100	+01:19.719
15	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	12	1:42.051	+01:37.319
16	Vitaly Petrov	Caterham-Renault	19	1:43.513	lapped
17	Timo Glock	Marussia-Cosworth	20	1:44.757	lapped
18	Heikki Kovalainen	Caterham-Renault	24	1:43.803	lapped
19	Pastor Maldonado	Williams-Renault	11	1:42.237	retired, 54 laps
20	Charles Pic	Marussia-Cosworth	21	1:44.813	lapped
21	Narain Karthikeyan	HRT-Cosworth	23	1:45.909	lapped
22	Pedro de la Rosa	HRT-Cosworth	22	1:46.244	lapped
23	Kamui Kobayashi	Sauber	17	1:44.202	retired, 46 laps
24	Romain Grosjean	Lotus-Renault	6	2:08.464	retired, 3 laps

Pictures' Copyrights

Mercedes

2011 McLaren MP4-12C

 

CAR GARAGE | 2011 McLaren MP4-12C  | McLaren Automotive now looks to the future with a new range of revolutionary sports cars. McLaren Automotive is in the final stages of developing a range of innovative high-performance sports cars will also be That highly efficient, high-quality, lightweight, practical, dynamic, safe, comfortable and visually arresting. On Monday 17 January 2011, the first McLaren MP4-12C production car Entered the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) General Assembly Hall in Working, England.

We began designing and building cars for aficionados of Thoroughbred sports cars almost 20 years ago. Martin Whit marsh, Team Principal of McLaren's racing team highlighted the integral part That McLaren's motorsport and road car experience played in developing the 12C: "McLaren has for years Offered a potent mix of race car and road car technologies.  The first car from the new company, the McLaren MP4-12C, is a high performance two-seat mid-engine models in the 'core' sports car market segment for cars costing Between £ 125,000 and £ 175,000. The 12C is pure McLaren, featuring no carryover parts from any other car, and will be produced by McLaren in the UK.

McLaren is already a car maker with maturity and experience, having produced iconic Such as the F1 cars," said Antony Sheriff, McLaren Automotive Managing Director. "The next step was to construct a range of pure McLaren high performance sports cars That are true to the company's philosophy and Reflect our position as an absolute technology and performance leader.  "Forget what you know about sports car companies, McLaren is different," he concluded.

The production process for the McLaren MP4-12C will enable McLaren to build on its recent success of record production volumes and quality for a luxury super car with the SLR. The McLaren Production System brings a large scale lean production mentality into a small-scale, flexible operation. McLaren will maintain its high standards of final approval before a car can be released. McLaren AIMS to offer segment leading performance here too. McLaren has extensive experience of meeting these needs for McLaren F1 and SLR customers.

 

2011 McLaren MP4-12C GT3

 

CAR GARAGE | 2011 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 | The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will be the first McLaren car built for FIA GT racing series since the McLaren F1 GTR finished production in1997. The 12C GT3 is based on the new MP4-12C high-performance sports car and a team of engineers, designers and test drivers with the vast experience in Formula 1 and GT racing has been assembled to undertake the process of adapting the carbon chassis-based 12C to racing specification. Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer said: "McLaren has racing in its blood and it was a natural step to take our MP4-12C road car and turn it into the most reliable, efficient and easy to drive GT3 car.

We have worked with CRS Racing to Ensure the 12C's design and development program is as close as possible to one McLaren Racing would employ in developing a Formula 1 car. No other GT3 car in 2012 will be supplied with a road-car carbon chassis, or a steering wheel and other associated technology from a Formula 1 car. "This blend of road car and Formula 1 technology and experience will be a great advantage to anyone racing a 12C GT3 in 2012. "

Just as with the 12C road car, McLaren is working closely with specialist suppliers to deliver an innovative and lightweight car. The 3.8-liter twin turbo V8 McLaren 'M838T' engine supplied in the road car also features in the 12C GT3, but de-tuned to 500 PS (from 600 PS) in order to Provide optimum power for this performance-balanced race car. The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will feature a unique engine calibration, Bespoke racing transmission developed in partnership with Ricardo (who also developed the engine with McLaren) and a suspension arrangement tuned specifically for racing. McLaren GT has selected the TAG-400 Engine Control Unit for the new GT3 12C. 

McLaren GT comprises a team of designers, engineers and test drivers with the vast experience in developing race and road cars Successful. Marcus Waite, McLaren GT Chief Engineer, began his career working with the McLaren Formula 1 Simulation Group. We are committed to dealing with emerging issues Often That race teams face in their first season running a new GT3 car and we will Ensure our first customers receive a very reliable race car next season. "

The Best Car on Earth! The Most Complicated Question

The best on earth is the most complicated question on earth! Everyone has a different opinion, even every nation has its unique opinion. Most of the time, people never agree on a single brand for the best! The conversation starts with Mercedes, jumps to BMW, later on Land Rover, just pass by Audi, moves to Aston Martin, quickly ends up with Bentley! In the meantime, someone says something about Bentley and we start overall again.

In order to resolve this very important issue, I end up with making the best car on planet from the brands that we know. First of all, all electronics are made by Bosch and Siemens. You cannot change this, and I am moving on.

Here are my categories for the best car!

Exterior Design | Engine | Transmission | Chassis | Suspension | Interior Design | Safety | Computer Interface | Ignition Key

I start with Exterior Design; I suggest Frank Stephenson as the best designer. His work can be spotted anywhere on earth and probably his designs are more popular than the Da Vinci’s paints! Welcome to world of social media.

Engine should be designed and manufactured by BMW. They offer the lowest CO2 level and efficiency with the best power output. Also, BMW has Formula 1 racing history. Don’t start saying, Ferrari is better. I am trying to find the best of everything.

Transmission should be manufactured by Ferrari. Their new double clutch gearbox is a state-of-art technology, which combines the comfort of a conventional automatic gearbox with the aggressiveness of Formula 1 shifting speed.

Chassis is really important and should be done by McLaren. They introduced the first carbon fibre technology in Formula 1 races and they always use this material for their road cars (Such as; Mercedes McLaren SLR and MP4-12C). In addition, nobody can manufacture the carbon fibre faster and better than McLaren.

Interior Design, this category has one option and it is called Rolls Royce. They are the best in interior design and comfort. All their cars are beyond extreme comfort. You have to experience it, before judging it.

Safety is the job of the Mercedes-Benz. They introduced the ABS, ESP, ASR, crash prevention systems. Nearly every three or four years, they introduce state-of-art road safety technologies and the competitors cannot keep most of the time.

Computer Interface! Unfortunately, automotive industry still is not good when it comes to design user interface for cars. I cannot ignore the improvement, but still the screen quality is low, menus are sometimes complicated, touch screen may not be that good at sensing the touch. So, there is only one company left for this and it is Apple. Just look at the iPhone, iPad or iPod; they all easy to use and work seamlessly.

Lastly the ignition key! I cannot think any other brand than Aston Martin for this job. They are doing amazing job with their crystal ignition keys.

In the end, in order to manufacture the best car, you need to combine many different brands that would lead to destroy the excitement of driving a car! Each brand has its own unique characteristics, which makes them unique and diversifies from others. So, the best car is the best one that satisfy your need, not others!

Pictures' Copyrights

Apple, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, McLaren, Ferrari, BMW

Interview with Frank Stephenson

My trip to McLaren Technology HQ and interview Frank Stephenson (Design Director of McLaren).

Firstly I would like to start with Frank. He is the design director of McLaren and worked in Ford, BMW, Mini, Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and McLaren. You can find more information on interview. I had a great time with Frank in McLaren; he toured me around the building and showed every single place. The McLaren is really huge and I cannot define how it looks wonderful! After today, I can clearly say, Frank is a great designer and also a very nice person; and passionate with this work. When you listen to him, you understand the meaning of being a designer. And explain the designing a car with very simple words. I cannot ignore his passion to motorcycle. Honestly, after I had chat with him my perception towards motorcycle are changed. I never approach to them from the perspective Frank described me. You can find more about him in interview where you can find below.

Let's go back to McLaren headquarters in Woking, UK. Woking is a very nice, small city, silent, relaxing and lots of green. Inside the green, there is the McLaren HQ. The structure of the building totally part of the nature, there is an artificial lake, precisely placed tree. While I was there, the view from the window was like a canvas. The building and nature so well integrated with each other and you would never think that McLaren is producing cars here, but they do.

I want to talk about the building a little bit more. It is a total perfection, everything is perfectly designed, measurement are precise. The air is in same temperature in each room, there is no thermal shock here. You don't feel the cold weather from outside. And they achieved to isolate the smell in the food court from the rest of the building. By maintaining different air pressures.

The front part of the building is covered with glass and there are some curves. When it was first made, the wind was vibrating the glass. And McLaren F1 engineers designed a metal structure to eliminate this vibration through F1 technology.

And the corridors, when you first get inside you have the feeling that, I am in a James bond movie. Everywhere is perfect white, no dust or dirt at all. You go from tunnels, take lift with circular glass doors. There is nothing can annoy you with the building. Don't think that, it is just limited with the management part.

I visited the manufacturing site of MP4-12C, where they produce the car. Manufacturing plant is usually involves with dirt, oil, bad odour. However, it looks cleaner than hospitals. I am extremely serious! The manufacturing site is so clean, and you started to question your personal cleanliness.

The paint shop? It is supposed to be dirty but it is cleaner than my five start hotels! Each car is painted by hand with people who are expert on their job. Perfection does not finish here, McLaren does not paint the parts of the cars separately. In order to sustain the same level of paint, all parts are painted together.

Later on, the rain test. I was expecting to see some water but no! They test each car with rain test and no single drop at all. And last, the high speed test inside a glass room. It is also supposed to smell exhaust gas but again there is no smell at all.

I saw manufacturing plants but I have never seen something like this on earth. And possibly cannot see in future as well. Even the manufacturing team wear Hugo Boss dresses from head to toe! They don't have that ugly dresses like in other companies.

The MP4-12C, I witness to each stage of this car manufacturing. From naked chassis to ready for delivery. The manufacturing is so perfect, there is nothing wrong with the car. It is built like a luxury sedan. Parts are matching with no gap, the door is opened by sliding your fingers. The rear air brake works with hydraulic and acts as a proper air brake like in an airplane. One other example, navigation screen placed vertical to keep the car narrow!

The best part is the front head lights, at night you see the McLaren’s logo illuminated with LEDs and fins of sharks below it.

Lastly, McLaren is going to reveal more models! I don't want to give more details. But I assure that, Veyron will not be alone anymore.

From what I see today, if you are planning to buy an exclusive sports cars. There is only one choice, McLaren MP4-12C. From design studio to customer delivery preparation, everything is perfect!

Is that all from McLaren, of course not ;) I want to keep some secret...

For more photo: Facebook Gallery

And here is my interview with Frank Stephenson

Autosport International 2012 Full Coverage

I have been blogging since the Autosport International 2012 started on Thursday and I realised that, I need to have a post for each article I posted during the show. Here they are!

And last video Caterham Live Action Arena

BMW M3 Chrome, BMW M5, BMW New 3 Series 

New Porsche 911, Porsche 918 RSR, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche Cayman R

Ginetta

Aston Martin DBR9

Mini Countryman and WRC version, Original Mini

Subaru Impreza

Ferrari 458, Ferrari 250 GTO

Lexus LFA

Jaguar XJR-S

Range Rover Sport, Land Rover Defender

Audi R8 GT

McLaren MP4-12C

Nissan GTR

Lamborghini Gallardo

Classic F1 Race Car, present F1 cars

Porsche 550 Spyder and LeMans racer 

Drayson Electric Racing Car

KTM

Ariel Atom 

Bugatti Veyron's brake disk

Nobel

Ford Focus and Fiesta WRC

David Coulthard

Fiat 500 Van

Pop Bang Colour

First day photos

http://uygarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/autosport-international-2012-birmingham.html

A Fashion Statement by Ginetta

http://uygarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/fashion-statement-by-ginetta-autosport.html

Second day photos with Tiff Needell

http://uygarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/autosport-international-2012-day-2.html

Models from the show

http://uygarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/autosport-international-2012-models.html

http://uygarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/more-models-autosport-international.html

Porsche Stand

http://uygarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/porsche-autosport-international-2012.html

Third and Fourth Days

http://uygarr.blogspot.com/2012/01/autosport-international-2012-days-3-and.html

Autosport International 2012 Day 2

You can find the new photos from the Autosport International 2012. The show takes place in a very big area, one day was not enough to see everything.

And I met with Tiff Needell. He was very nice person and friendly to chat. It was a great chance to met with him.

More photos are available at Facebook Gallery

For more information Autosport International.

Frank Stephenson

A few hours ago, I found some interviews with Frank Stephenson on YouTube. If you don’t know Frank, I am sure you know his designs; BMW X5, Mini, Maserati MC12, Maserati Quattroporte, Ferrari F430, Ferrari 612, Fiat 500, McLaren MP4-12C and many other cars. In my opinions, he will be remembered as one of the most influential car designer in his era. Especially his interpretation of the new Mini and new Fiat 500 are the most remarkable cars of this century, and never getting old Quattroporte!

We will find more about him on these interviews. And additional information to his Wikipedia page, he stayed in Istanbul, Turkey for six years!

Part 1

Part 2

Pictures' Copyrights
Mini, Fiat, McLaren