Falken Tire Unveils Factory ALMS Team at Long Beach (Video)

LONG BEACH, CA – Fontana, CA-based Falken Tire, well regarded for its high performance tires, officially entered the 2009 American Le Mans Series’ highly competitive GT2 class by competing at Long Beach with its in-house-prepared Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. The car was driven by veterans Dominic Cicero and Bryan Sellers and ran on specially prepared Falken AZENIS RT slicks.

Qualified in eighth position by Sellers, the Team Falken Tire RSR ran within a second of the race podium-winning #92 BMW car, a considerable accomplishment for a brand new team and tire that has never previously experienced the unforgiving Long Beach street course. The Porsche moved to seventh on the grid after the pole-winning car was sent to the rear for a ride height infraction. Sellers started the race, but reported shifting problems early on. He continued to nurse the car for 30 laps, maintaining his position of seventh, but eventually had to retire the Porsche. The team finished 20th overall and 12th in class.

“The car was extremely consistent for a long time,” Sellers said. “I was able to run a steady pace for the whole stint never dropping off more than four-tenths of a lap until we had transmission problems.” Co-driver Cicero agreed: “The tires were consistent and held up very well in our practices. We feel we have a great product for the 2010 season.”

“Despite our race difficulties, our drivers were very happy with the Falken Azenis RT slicks,” added Stephen Mitchell, Falken’s Motorsports Manager.

“The team worked very well together for being our first race. We’ve done a lot of testing, but this was a good experience under extreme pressure,” stated Rod Everett, Falken team manager. “We noticed vibration on very high speed during practice on Friday, and we pulled the transmission and examined it. It’s a shame that we finished where we did, but that’s racing. We’ll learn from this, move forward and do better next time.”

Long Beach also saw the debut of Falken’s new tire team booth with a constant flow of traffic to the Falken paddock Friday and Saturday. Falken awarded a specially designed Falken collectible guitar to Tom Crowe as part of its at-track promotional efforts.

The Porsche 911 GT3 RSR is painted in traditional Falken teal and blue livery, now highlighted by its new sponsor, Cleveland Golf of Huntington Beach, CA. Cleveland Golf, a force on the PGA tour, embraces many of the same product development ideologies which Falken Tire Corporation applies to their Azenis RT Slick tires used for ALMS competition.

“The American Le Mans is an excellent series and the perfect platform for Falken to demonstrate the strength and capabilities of our technology and capabilities,” noted Andrew Hoit, Director of Marketing, Falken Tire. “The competition this year is extremely tough, and we knew that going in, because we wanted to be able to challenge the factory teams as well as the privateers and our competitors, the other tire manufacturers. We’re running a shorter season this year, in preparation for a full assault in 2010.”

The Falken Tire/Cleveland Golf team will next compete at Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in September.

Track title: Ownage
License Type: Mass Market License
Composer: Dimitris Plagiannis (AEPI)
Publisher:Dimitris Plagiannis (AEPI)

Modernisation "Ivanovec" from students MGTU "MAMI"

Students of MGTU "MAMI" within the limits of the curriculum have executed projects of the truck crane for known Russian mark "Ivanovec". The task has been given pupils of the fourth year of chair "Design". We represent you the most interesting projects.

First of all it is necessary to notice that before students there was a problem only to modernise present crane KS-8973 and not to bring changes in configuration of the basic knots. The primary goal was to develop driver's cabs and the crane operator, plus to replace the basic facing panels for increase of competitiveness of the base crane. One of unpleasant features КС-8973 – a radiator sticking out on the left side of the truck crane while at any competitors, whether it be Liebherr LTM 1100-4.1 or even Chinese XCMG QY 100K, such it is not observed – a motor compartment behind a driver's cab goes flush with it. The given feature of 100-ton "Ivanovec" should be beaten somehow by means of various style decisions.

Certainly, work on the project has begun with preparation of the technical project with studying of existing competitors, and then on the basis of the done work students have created new images for KS-8973.

Roman Voit:



Grigorii Reshetnikov:















Alexander Semenov:





Alexander Krasnov:

Results Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2009

Though weather this year was not the most pleasant (almost all the Sunday long poured a rain), it has not prevented more than to 2 600 visitors of an exhibition to take pleasure in exclusive exhibits. By the way, Villa D’Este has celebrated double anniversary: 80 years from the beginning of carrying out of competition of elegance, and 80 years to the first car BMW. Germans have brought the most well-known roadsters for 75 years, since 315/1 and finishing new Z4.

The main prize from BMW Group (Trofeo BMW Group), and also two other awards - Trofeo BMW Group Italia and Coppa d'Oro Villa d'Este has this time received Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta Touring 1938. It belongs to American John Shirley.

SL 63 AMG and C 63 AMG will struggle with a lawlessness on "Formula-1"

SL 63 AMG as the official car of safety of the Formula 1 and C 63 AMG in a body the station wagon as the official medical car continue to provide the maximum safety, this time, a season of 2009 Formuly-1.

Specially prepared two cars AMG, sports mark of a Mercedes-Benz, will draw duty during all 17 races of a season 2009, start to which has been given in Melbourn on Grand prix of Australia from March, 27 till March, 29th, 2009. Experts AMG Performance Studio are responsible for creation, manufacture and service of cars. At the wheel exclusive SL 63 AMG — Bernd Majlender, in the past racer DTM. After instructing it rises at the head of participants of race, and the fastest racers in the world pass a circle on a line, following for SL 63 AMG. The Indispensable condition for the safety car — fast time of a circle, differently engines bolids Formula-1 can overheat, and their tyres and a brake excessively to be cooled.

Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG possesses excellent dynamic characteristics that is the basic requirement for performance of so responsible problem. Eight-cylinder engine AMG in volume of 6.3 l and capacity 386 kVt/525 h.p. disperses the car to 100 km/h for 4,4 sec. In a new fashion developed sports exhaust system AMG with the increased diameter of a tube and the special rear muffler allows engine AMG to "breathe" even more freely — and gives it even more sports sound. Exclusive dynamic characteristics are guaranteed also by 7-step sports gear box AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT which is capable to switch speed only for 100 milliseconds.



Working out, testing and release of two cars of safety and two medical cars — in both cases, one car is the basic, and the second reserve — were spent by experts AMG Performance Studio in close cooperation with a command of verifiers on the general workings out AMG. Numerous test drives were arranged on various lines "Formula-1" to adjust a suspender and to check up all systems and components. Two highly skilled technicians AMG are ready to incur responsibility for readiness of the car of safety and the medical car to all to 17 races of a season of 2009 "Formuly-1". Throughout 12 years company AMG is the permanent supplier of official cars of safety and medical cars Formuly-1 ™ top-level the international motor racing.
Coupe AMG of the E-class with engine V8 became the official medical car even earlier, in 1984. Thus, all activity of the company from Affalterbaha reflects long-term adherence of Mercedes-Benz "Formula-1".

VI International rally "Golden Ring"

From July, 11 till July, 14th, 2009 will pass VI rally of classical cars "Golden Ring". This unique rally old time cars in Russia, having the higher international category and spent under home nursing RAF and FIVA. The scale action which is traditionally passing in July, gathers fans and collectors of ancient cars from every corner of the globe. The cars which have been exhausted till 1979 participate in competition, passed test by time and deserved a world recognition. The cars which have become by absolute symbols of the epoch.

The basic idea of rally "Golden Ring" is association of admirers and owners oldtimers, and also a close acquaintance with a cultural and historical heritage of Russia. Having started from Red Square, for 4 days participants of rally will pass more than 1000 km on capitals and cities of Ancient Russia: Moscow, Yaroslavl, Suzdal, Uglich, Jurev-Polish, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Kostroma, creating in each city unforgettable atmosphere of a holiday.



«Every year interest to rare cars grows in our country, and level of preparation and the relation of participants becomes more and more serious, — Boris Bazhenin, the founder of Club of Classical Cars, the organizer of rally"Golden Ring"makes comments. — it is even more pleasant to notice that the majority of participants among which many foreign collectors, will go with us any more for the first time». In rally of classical cars speed is not the defining factor. Participants compete in accuracy of passage of a distance that is fixed by means of the modern equipment with a rounding off to the 100-th fraction of a second. It is an interesting clever game, rare possibility to hear and feel the car, original "time machine". "Golden Ring" is first Russian rally of world level that since 2008 is confirmed by assignment by highest category FIVA — unique authority on the world of historical cars.« Participation in rally "Golden Ring" for me rather important event. The sated program, interesting special tracks, quality of refereeing, surprising cities, race atmosphere — to organizers is possible impossible! — tells Luchano Viaro, the triple winner of race Mille Miglia and the double champion of rally "Golden Ring". — Believe, to me is with what to compare. And I am assured that shortly participation in rally "Golden Ring" becomes not only a good form, but also kind tradition among all enthusiasts of autoclassics ».

Subaru Impreza will act in "the Green hell"

Company Subaru has prepared new car Subaru Impreza WRX STI for an annual marathon "24 hours of a Nurnburgring". This race passes on line Nordschleife ("Northern hinge strain") which has a nickname "Green hell" for complexity of a line, the big extent (one circle – more than 22 kilometres) and a close arrangement of trees to a racing cloth.



The new car of the Japanese company has undergone some changes in a running gear, having kept an all wheel drive and transmission. Besides, the car has received more rigid body. By the head of a command Hideharu Tatsumi who also heads department of experimental workings out STI is appointed. The Japanese racers will represent a command only, and the car is declared in class SP3T (cars with two-litre turbo engines). Throughout three last years race "24 hours of a Nurnburgring" per absolutely offset won the crews of command Manthey Racing acting on cars Porsche. In class SP3T last year two factory crews Volkswagen Scirocco took priority. This year competitions will pass on May, 21-24st.

Lexus L-Finesse have shown in Milan!

This year on a week of a fashion in Milan, Lexus will show the mini exhibition under the name “Lexus L-finesse – the stood wind”. It will illustrate philosophy of design Lexus L-finesse together with a design sight of Japanese at the modern art, and in particular, architecture. Japanese Sou Fudzhimoto is responsible for an exhibition (Sou Fujimoto) which uses space, a sound and light to present the installation. Than it interesting to fans of sports cars, we read further.

Outwardly installation will represent LF-A – a laser projection high-grade superpenalty Lexus. While it is not known, whether this will be realised further acryl concept car, but it definitely costs attention of aesthetes. Rough characteristics of the car – the 5-litre 10-cylinder engine, 500 h.p. and 320 km/h of the maximum speed. To look an exposition it will be possible from April, 22 till April, 26th.