Filed under: Motorsports, UK, Celebrities

For such a distinguished and high profile institution, Formula One looks more and more like some sort of pro wrestling outfit by the day - and much of that circus-like atmosphere can be traced to the sport’s leadership. The latest development in the series is Bernie Ecclestone’s Marge Schott-esque interview with London’s The Times newspaper.

Over the weekend, an interview ran in which Ecclestone talked about his preference for “strong leaders,” including people like former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher and Max Mosely. No problem there, but bringing up talk of Adolf Hitler in such contexts is generally frowned upon, particularly when saying things like “he got things done,” but “In the end he got lost, so he wasn’t a very good dictator.”

Like Mosely, Ecclestone has never been a shrinking violet, and he’s rarely been one to shy away from controversy. He famously once noted that women should wear white “like all other domestic appliances,” a comment he revisited in The Times interview, suggesting that the utterance was a joke, only to follow it up with: “I would love to have a good lady race driver and preferably black and Jewish, too, but they might take maternity leave.”

Ecclestone’s comments have raised the hackles of a number of Jewish groups and politicians, who have called him “either an idiot or morally repulsive,” chiding him for “a complete lack of judgment.

In a subsequent interview with Germany’s Bild, the 78-year-old reportedly maintained that the furor his comments inspired were predicated on “a big misunderstanding,” saying that: “It was never my intention to hurt the feelings of any community… many people in my closest circle of friends are Jewish.” Thanks to everyone for the tips!

[Sources: The Associated Press via ESPN; Motorsport.com | Image: AFP/Getty]

REPORT: F1’s Ecclestone ripped for Hitler comments originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: F1’s Ecclestone ripped for Hitler comments - UK Auto News

Filed under: Audi, Lifestyle, UK

The Goodwood Festival of Speed takes place this weekend, and every year the Earl of March, who manages the 12,000-acre Goodwood estate that hosts the event, commissions a giant art piece honoring that year’s featured marque. Audi is the featured marque this year, which is timely since the Ingolstadt-based automaker is also celebrating its centennial.

This year’s sculpture that was commissioned for Audi is a big swoosh of tire tracks with a 1937 Auto Union streamliner and new Audi R8 V10 suspended at either end. Standing 135-feet tall and weighing 40 tonnes, as they say in Britain, the piece is made entirely of steel to support itself without braces or cables. Gerry Judah is the designer, as he has been for Goodwood’s featured art installations since 1997 when he first designed one for Ferrari. This is also the second time he’s produced a piece for Audi, the first one being back in 1999.

It goes without saying that we all want to stick this in the flower bed in our front yard, but unfortunately you’ll only be able to see it if you’re in West Sussex this weekend to enjoy the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Check out more pics of this year’s Audi sculpture, as well as art pieces from prior years, in the gallery below.

[Source: Audi, Photos courtesy of Gerry Judah]

Continue reading Goodwood Festival of Speed featuring 135-foot monument to Audi

Goodwood Festival of Speed featuring 135-foot monument to Audi originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Goodwood Festival of Speed featuring 135-foot monument to Audi - UK Auto News

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Time Warp, Tuners, Sports/GTs, Jaguar, UK

Arden AJ18 - Click above to view in high-res

The thing about limited editions is that there are bound to be at least a few customers disappointed that they couldn’t get their hands on one. That’s the whole point, keeping demand higher than supply and thus ensuring a high price. So it’s a little unusual to see an automaker or aftermarket supplier going back and reopening the supply lines, especially if the model in question has already been replaced. But that’s exactly what British tuning house Arden has done with the AJ18.

Based on the previous-generation XK, Arden debuted this limited-edition track-inspired Jag coupe nearly ten years ago at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show, pegging production at just 13 units. A decade gone by, Arden has announced the availability of an additional five examples, bringing the total run up to 18 pieces. What sets the AJ18 apart from the stock XK8 is the carbon-composite aero kit, custom grilles and bumpers, narrow wing mirrors, giant rear wing and 20-inch Sportline rims hiding 370mm brake discs with 6-piston calipers mounted to a lowered Bilstein suspension.

We’d just as soon go out and buy a new XK, dynamically superior as it is to its successor in just about every way, but if you’ve already got a previous-generation model in your driveway and still regret missing your chance to upgrade it to the Arden AJ18, this will probably be your last chance. Probably.

[Source: Carscoop]

In Tune With the Past: Arden re-issues limited-edition AJ18 XK originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Tune With the Past: Arden re-issues limited-edition AJ18 XK - UK Auto News

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Filed under: Government/Legal, Earnings/Financials, UK

The final days of MG were disastrous and disastrously expensive. The British government finally has an accounting of what happened, but it only adds to both sides of the disaster: the report took four years and �16 million ($26 million U.S.) for CPA firm BDO Stoy Howard to compile.

For now, various government figures are upset about the delay and the cost. BDO is reported to have spent more than �130,000 ($214,000 U.S.) on hotels and expenses, leading to charges of the firm “living like kings” while MG’s workers were living on government support. The report hasn’t been released yet, so no one knows what it says. When it is made public, if the MG story continues as it has, what’s actually in the report will probably be just as hard to swallow as the lead-up to it.

[Source: Sunday Mercury]

Findings from inquiry into demise of MG Rover finished… only took 4 years and $26M originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Findings from inquiry into demise of MG Rover finished… only took 4 years and $26M - UK Auto News

Filed under: Toys, Motorcycles, UK

Further proof that you can literally fashion anything if given access to enough interconnecting Lego bricks is this Triumph Daytona 1200 motorcycle. The machine has apparently been on display for quite some time at Legoland Windsor in Berkshire, England and is obviously assembled from thousands of individual pieces. We especially like the detailed engine, which is complete with linkages for the carbs and throttle cables.

As cool as this creation is, how much better would it be with a fully functional Lego engine? Of course, having a full-scale building-block motorcycle would also require a matching helmet. May we suggest this one? Click past the break for a video of the LEGO Triumph Daytona on its display stand and click here for more automotive-themed Lego madness.

[Source: Asphalt and Rubber]

Continue reading VIDEO: Triumph Daytona motorcycle assembled from Lego bricks

VIDEO: Triumph Daytona motorcycle assembled from Lego bricks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Triumph Daytona motorcycle assembled from Lego bricks - UK Auto News