IT’S OFFICIAL: NISSSAN JOIN V8 SUPERCARS (now we can all get some sleep)

MELBOURNE TO FOCUS ON AUSSIE AFTERMARKET

A heightened commercial focus on Australia’s leading edge aftermarket performance, racing and tuning products will highlight an expanded 2012 Australian Automotive Week, to be held in Melbourne from 11 to 18 March. Supported by the Victorian Government, the 2012 Australian Automotive Week will include a new program to showcase Australian designed and manufactured high performance accessories, [...]

BRITISH DRIVERS DOWN UNDER PAY TRIBUTE TO DAN

British sportscar drivers Richard Westbrook and Oliver Gavin will pay tribute to countryman Dan Wheldon at this weekend’s Armor All Gold Coast 600. Wheldon tragically passed away following an IndyCar accident in Las Vegas last weekend. He was scheduled to race alongside James Courtney at the Surfers Paradise street circuit this weekend. Both Westbrook and Gavin are life long friends and rivals of their countryman Wheldon, with all three members of the exclusive British Racing Drivers Club. Westbrook and Gavin will unveil special visor stickers in memory of Wheldon in pit lane at the Surfers Paradise street circuit at 9.30am local Queensland time. All BRDC members present at this weekend’s event will carry the special visor stripe stickers as a tribute to Wheldon. They are Westbrook, Gavin, Andy Priaulx, Emanuele Pirro, Gil de Ferran, Marino Franchitti, Ryan Briscoe, Richard Lyons and Darren Turner. Westbrook will partner Todd Kelly in the #7 Jack Daniel’s Commodore at the Armor All Gold Coast 600, while Gavin will drive alongside Greg Murphy in the #11 Pepsi Max Commodore. Source: Kelly Racing Media Release

MAZDA ENDS RX-8 WITH SPIRIT BUT THE ROTARY TO LIVE ON

Mazda has announced the new Mazda RX-8 SPIRIT R, a special edition version of its four-door, four-seat rotary engine sports car. The RX-8 SPIRIT R will go on sale from November 24, 2011 at all Mazda and Mazda Anfini dealerships throughout Japan. Mazda RX-8 production will end in June 2012 and SPIRIT R will be the final special edition model. Mazda expects to sell 1,000 units. However despite the end of the RX-8 Mazda say that the iconic Rotary engine will continue to be developed. although just how and why they haven't said. Takashi Yamanouchi, Mazda's Representative Director, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, said:

SUPER FAST SUBARU ROCKS INTO MELBOURNE

Subaru Australia will display it's wicked Liberty GT300 race car at the Australian International Motorshow starting this Friday at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. The car which runs in the Japanese based SUPER GT series is powered by a 300BHP version of the company's two litre turbocharged boxer engine. For Subaru the car represents one of the few remaining motorsport projects for a company that made it's International reputation on high performance rallying. But the decision to bring the car Liberty GT300 to Australia indicates that like Toyota the company may once again be getting serious about racing and high performance. Nick Senior, Managing Director, Subaru Australia, said: “Visitors to our stand in Melbourne will see we’ve got a ‘performance corner’, which will include this amazing sleek Liberty race car, which is a highlight of the GT300 series in Japan. “We’ll also have a WRX STI racing car simulator, where visitors can try and set a lap record against some fierce competition at the famous Nurburgring circuit in Germany.” So far the Subaru looks to be the highlight for racing fans at the show but there's plenty of other interesting performance machines on display.

FAST FACTS: A PARTNERSHIP FOR ALL SEASONS

C31's popular and long running weekly motorsport news show In Pit Lane is delighted to announce the continued support of the All Seasons Phillip Island Resort. Located less than five minutes from the world famous Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit, All Seasons Phillip Island Resort has been a major supporter of both In Pit Lane and grassroots motorsport in Victoria. Brett Ramsey, Host and Producer of In Pit Lane, said the continuing support of the resort was a huge boost for both the show and the local motorsport community. "Our relationship with the All Seasons Phillip Island Resort has been a huge assistance in our coverage of local motorsport." said Brett. Thanks to the support of the All Seasons Resort, the costs of covering events like The Victorian State Circuit Racing Championships is cut considerably. Apart from assisting with the coverage, the weekend at the Resort is also a great added reward for In Pit Lane's hard working all volunteer crew. "Many members of our crew are students and the cost of going down to the Island and finding accommodation is prohibitive," said Brett. "Now it's much easier to get crew to the Island and it's also a great way to say thanks for all the hours of hard unpaid work." Brett said.

HIT THE DYNO FOR A GREAT CAUSE THIS SATURDAY

SMA Australia in conjunction with Power Up Performance are hosting a CHARITY DYNO DAY AND STREET SHOW AND SHINE … who will be the horsepower hero of the day? Come along and see how much power your car has under the rear wheels… and show your car off to all your friends! ( front wheel drive [...]

SPORTSCARS RULE AT ISLAND CLASSIC

Sportscars will take centre stage at the 2011 Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport. The annual event is widely regarded as the biggest and best in Australia has again attracted a huge entry of approaching 500 vehicles. The most popular category of the meeting are the Production Sports Cars, with 105 already entered – around a quarter of the total cars at the meeting! The Group Sa and Sb cars are again fully-subscribed, with a lone Shelby GT350, a Chevrolet Corvette and a Morgan Plus 8 taking on 12 MGs, nine Austin Healeys, eight Triumph TRs, four Porsches, a Lotus Elan and a Mercedes-Benz 190SL. And in the always-popular Group Sc, at least 10 Porsche 911s will face three De Tomaso Panteras, three MGB V8s, three Ferraris, a Renault Alpine and a Corvette Stingray. With the feature event of the meeting being the Sunday’s 30-minute race for big banger sports cars, the 2011 Phillip Island Classic features one of the strongest sports car fields seen for many years, with nine Lolas, six Porsches, two Elfins, a Sauber-Mercedes and a genuine Ford GT40 amongst the early entries.

FORD SUES FERRARI OVER NEW F1 CAR

In  one of the silliest lawsuits of its kind, Ford is suing Ferrari over the name of its new F1 racer the F150. The Formula One car was named to commemorate this year's celebration of the unification of Italy 150 years ago. The US car maker is claiming that the F150 moniker is too close to its F-150 pick-up truck. According to the law suit Ford claims that Ferrari is using the F150 name “in order to capitalise on and profit from the substantial goodwill that Ford has developed in the F-150 trademark, and in order to trade off of Ford's famous and winning trademark,” While Ford are not willing to comment publicly Ferrari are stunned. We are simply speechless," a Ferrari spokesman told Automotive News Europe in response to the lawsuit. He noted that the F150 is a racing-only Ferrari model, which is not for sale, either for private customers, or for racing teams.

GM ANNOUNCE OPEL DOWN UNDER

Opel CEO Nick Reilly and Holden Chairman and Managing Director Mike Devereux announced the Opel export program to Australian media at the North American International Auto Show on behalf of GM today. Mr Devereux said "Opel will be sold as a stand-alone brand in Australia for the first time in 2012." He said Australian drivers have a strong affinity with Opel vehicles like the Astra which were previously sold under the Holden brand." “Opel presents a new opportunity for GM in Australia with a growing demand for German design and technology at affordable prices. Mr Reilly said Australia played a key role in the brand’s international strategy and was one of three new markets, including Israel and Chile, announced in recent weeks.