The BMW Sauber F1 Team has a new super brain. Albert2, presented on Thursday to international media representatives in Hinwil, is Europe’s fastest machine used in industry according to the current Top-500 list. Albert2 is based on Intel processors and employed by the team for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). On average, it is about three times faster than its predecessor.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen: “Aerodynamics has a crucial influence on the performance of modern Formula 1 cars, with experimental work in the wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics complementing each other. The launch of Albert2 means a decisive reinforcement of our CFD capacity. Unlike other teams, we are not planning to build a second wind tunnel but will continue to bank on the consistently expanding potential in this area. For the new season, we have set the goal of further reducing the gap to the top. Our new Supercomputer based on Intel technology is an important tool supporting us in this effort.”

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The creator and patent holder of “the clear wheel” Doug McGoon and Forgiato have combined to turn this idea into a real drivable wheel.

continue reading "Forgiato Wheels"

There are few if any models in the world to rival the Ferrari 312PB built by Pierre Scerri. This 1:3 scale masterpiece is the real thing in every sense, from its operating 100cc 12-cylinder engine to the exact scale operating Ferrari gauges which are calibrated precisely to indicate rpm, oil pressure, water temperature and oil temperature. It took Pierre 15 years and more than 20,000 hours to build this car! He learned to make glass so he could make the exact pattern lens for the operating headlights. He learned to make rubber so he could mold his own tires. The creator of the original gearbox even came out of retirement to produce an exact 1:3 scale version for the model. Featured on Jeremy Clarkson’s Extreme Machines.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announces 13 vehicles that earn TOP SAFETY PICK awards for 2007. Winners include 4 cars, 7 SUVs, and 2 minivans. This award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute tests. Winners also have to be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC).

As well as his role as test and reserve driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team, Sebastian Vettel will also go racing in the 2007 season. The 19-year old from Heppenheim in Germany will compete for the British team Carlin Motorsport in the World Series by Renault.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen explains: “With this programme Sebastian will get more racing experience and extend his overall experience as well. This is an important factor in the career of such a young driver. Furthermore for us it was important that Sebastian does not have to compete in two different racing series over a Formula One weekend. This finally led to the decision against a drive in the GP2 series.”

Sebastian Vettel looks forward to his programme in the forthcoming season: “To be confirmed as test and reserve driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team meant a big step for me. At the same time I am glad I can go racing and continue to learn with the Carlin team, which I already know. If there are any clashes in dates, Formula One has priority, that much is clear.”

The calendar for the World Series, in which 425 bhp 3.5 litre V6 engines are used, has a total of 17 races.

Robert Kubica, who began the 2006 season as test and reserve driver for the new BMW Sauber F1 Team before being promoted to a race driver, won the World Series by Renault in 2005.

Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture) today called on the leadership of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to abandon plans to force a vote on Senate Bill 1025 (SB 1025), the bill that would kill the Clean Vehicles Program.
“It is inconceivable to me that House leadership could be so oblivious to the clear message sent by the voters,” said John Hanger, PennFuture’s president and CEO. “Voters want respect for democratic processes, and forcing a vote on Clean Cars when at least 49 of the legislators won’t be returning in January but will be voting during the Lame Duck session beginning Monday shows little respect.”

SB 1025 was due to be considered prior to the legislature’s election break, but a huge public outcry — and entreaties from some House members not to force a vote just before the election — led to the leadership not bringing SB 1025 up then.

“If the leadership thought this was a bad bill to consider just before facing the voters, they must also know that it is a very bad, very unpopular bill at any time,” continued Hanger. “We urge every legislator to stand up to the leadership and keep the bill from being revived during the Lame Duck session.

“Quite simply, the Republican leadership has declared war on cleaner, more fuel efficient cars — cars that would cut our dependence on foreign oil by up to 29 percent, and would save consumers $7.9 billion,” Hanger continued.

“Federal law requires us to clean up our air,” continued Hanger. “If the pollution reductions do not come from cleaner cars, greater reductions will be required from businesses and industries making it harder to expand existing businesses, locate new businesses here and grow jobs. If the Republican leadership succeeds in killing the clean cars program, the only winners would be the out-of-state and foreign-owned auto industry interests. Pennsylvania consumers would be the biggest losers.”

The Clean Vehicles Program will allow Pennsylvanians to purchase the most technologically advanced, fuel-efficient and cleanest cars, striking a blow against our addiction to foreign oil from Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. The Clean Vehicles Program will also protect Pennsylvania jobs and industry, since federal law requires the Commonwealth to cut air pollution. The clean cars program cuts one-third of that pollution, avoiding stricter standards on many businesses. The program has been through an extensive public comment process and has been approved by every required regulatory body. SB 1025 would override that public input and approval.

The Clean Vehicles Program standards were developed by the state of California, and are the only option besides the weak standards of the federal government. Once the clean cars program is fully implemented, Pennsylvania will join Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Oregon, Washington and California in opting for the clean cars program.