Blogs

Where's BMW'S R8?

</p> I love the way the Audi R8 drives, but unless I’m looking at it head on, I just don’t like the way it looks. It’s way too fussy for me and too jarring with angles and panels all over the place.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <a href="http://www.autocar.co.uk/csfiles/blogs/autocarconfidential/WindowsLiveWriter/WheresBMWSR8_B02F/141207-a-aud%5B2%5D.jpg" atomicselection="true"><img style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="158" src="http://www.autocar.co.uk/csfiles/blogs/autocarconfidential/WindowsLiveWriter/WheresBMWSR8_B02F/141207-a-aud_thumb.jpg" width="240" align="left" border="0"></a>I was sharing this opinion with a senior motor industry bloke the other day and his response was fascinating. He reckoned I should forget about what Audi’s 911-rival looks like, it’s mere existence proves that the company is leaving arch-rival BMW for dead at the moment. This is a chap who’s opinion counts for a lot. He’s run three major car companies and also spent a good chunk of his career working for BMW itself. And his perspective is that Munich has lost its direction – and that has allowed Audi to move in and plug the gaps.

Pininfarina's picture looks great

</p> Fascinating news from Italy that Tata is to take an ownership stake in styling house Pininfarina – rescuing one of the best-known names in automotive design from the financial crisis that threatened to engulf it.<a href="http://www.autocar.co.uk/csfiles/blogs/autocarconfidential/WindowsLiveWriter/Pininfarinaspicturelooksgreat_F5B1/40841_060076car%5B2%5D.jpg" atomicselection="true"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="159" src="http://www.autocar.co.uk/csfiles/blogs/autocarconfidential/WindowsLiveWriter/Pininfarinaspicturelooksgreat_F5B1/40841_060076car_thumb.jpg" width="240" align="left" border="0"></a> Pininfarina has designed the bulk of Ferrari’s recent range, and currently builds the C70 and Focus C+C for Ford. And, like Britain’s beleaguered high-street banks, it’s raising money by issuing new shares. We don’t know how much of a stake Tata will take – but the Pininfarina family will see its current 55 per cent holding (and the control that brings) diluted to about 30 per cent. Tata is likely to share the extra investment with French company Bollore, a specialist maker of electric cars.

California breezin'

There's hope yet for today's youth

</p> While at the ‘Ring the other day blasting around in the new GT-R, I saw a heartwarming sight in the paddock.&nbsp; <a href="http://www.autocar.co.uk/csfiles/blogs/anythinggoes/WindowsLiveWriter/Thereshopeyetfortodaysyouth_CA39/Goodwin_GTR-SPRICE-020_rt_003%5B2%5D.jpg" atomicselection="true"><img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin: 5px 5px 5px 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="159" src="http://www.autocar.co.uk/csfiles/blogs/anythinggoes/WindowsLiveWriter/Thereshopeyetfortodaysyouth_CA39/Goodwin_GTR-SPRICE-020_rt_003_thumb.jpg" width="240" align="left" border="0"></a>In among the Porsches, M3s and other assorted hot motors were a British registered Ford Orion and what I first thought was a Clio Williams but was actually a 1.2RN. The Renault was driven by a young lad and the Orion by a couple of teenage girls (or perhaps early twenties). I tell you, my faith in British youth has been restored.