Feel the adrenaline
Rev up with Oman Today’s spotlight on
the hottest wheels this September
TOP GEAR
The festival of speed
In a unique duel, Audi pitted the Le Mans winning R10 TDI against a combat aircraft of the Royal Air Force. The one-kilometre drag race took place at RAF Wittering ahead of the Festival of Speed in Goodwood, England.
The 650hp car that won the gruelling 24-hour Le Mans race, driven by Allan McNish, lost narrowly to the 15,000hp Harrier GR7. The Audi R10 TDI, designed to start races from a rolling instead of a standing start, was quicker off the line and maintained the lead for almost the whole race distance before the Harrier Jump Jet nudged ahead of the Audi before taking off. "It was essentially a fun race," said driver McNish. "But when a racing driver and a pilot get together it quickly becomes serious.” |
The 40-something classic
This summer is special for the Blue Oval. It is the 40th anniversary of Ford's historic finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans when it took all three places on the podium with the Ford GT40. The anniversary was celebrated at the 2006 Le Mans Classic. On June 19, 1966, a trio of sleek Ford GT Mark II endurance racers crossed a rain-soaked finish line at the famous La Sarthe circuit, convincingly achieving Ford's goal of beating Ferrari to the podium to create history in racing success. The accomplishment not only established Ford's motorsport credentials but also left an enduring legacy.
Tweaked and ready
The Volvo Car Corporation has announced the expansion of the XC90 range with the Volvo XC90 Sport. With a dynamic chassis setting and a unique appearance and specifications, the new variant is expected to offer drivers better handling. Both the shock absorbers and the anti-roll bars have been made stiffer to offer a high level of stability when cornering. The steering has also been adapted to offer quick steering response.
Volvo has equipped the XC 90 with its self-levelling system, Nivomat, as standard. The range of engines for the Volvo XC90 Sport includes a 4.4 litre V8 that produces 315hp and 440Nm of peak torque and its new 3.2 litre six cylinder in-line petrol engine that produces 238hp and 320Nm of torque.
Double chromed exhaust pipes and large 19 inch alloy wheels in diamond cut or silverbright lend the look that is essential to the vehicle’s sporty image. While a steering wheel and gear knob covered in perforated leather and metal chronograph watch-like instrument cluster complete the look inside, seats with enhanced lateral cushioning will support the driver through tight corners. The steering too has been tweaked to respond quicker than before. The car will be available in a five-seater as well as a seven-seater version.
The XC 90 Sport kit will be available from the last quarter of this year and is expected to cost around US$3,300
Unstable numbers
Bosch, a manufacturer of automotive spare parts and accessories, has announced that the results of a new study carried out in the US by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that outfitting vehicles with an electronic stability program would help reduce the number of fatal accidents by as much as 43 per cent and reduce the number of single-vehicle accidents that do not involve any other road user, with fatal consequences, by up to 56 per cent. The results show that the risk of fatal rollover is reduced in large off-road vehicles and SUVs by as much as 80 per cent.
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