Porsche Ready for Baltimore Grand Prix

Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long , current American Le Mans GT class reigning champions, will once again take their places behind the wheel of the Flying Lizard Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 RSR on September 3, 2011. New for the 2011 American Le Mans schedule is the Inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix.  The new 3.219km, 12 corner, urban street circuit, winds through Baltimore’s inner harbor and around the Convention Centre.

Commenting on this inaugural event, Porsche head of motorsport, Hartmut Kristen said, “The first race on a new circuit is always an interesting task for drivers and teams, and even more so on a street circuit with its very special challenges.  The Baltimore race, with its large urban area is definitely a positive for the American Le Mans Series and a crucial step towards tapping into new markets for the series and extending the fan base.”   Being the head of the most successful GT race car nameplate in recent years, Kristen will be as equally excited for the exposure for Porsche as he is for the fans.

Joerg Bergmeister, who seemed genuinely excited when asked about the new circuit said, ”I’m looking forward to Baltimore.  We don’t know much about the new track and have no experience here whatsoever.  But because the Indycars are driving there too, I assume that it’ll be in good condition and in this regard we don’t expect any issues.  Generally, street circuits suit us.  Like at all city races, it’ll be important in Baltimore to use the short practice session well to find the best set-up for the track.”

Bergmeister  and Long are currently defending their championship status from  6^th place in the American Le Mans GT class; 57 points behind current leaders Dirk Muller and Joey Handof BMW Team RLL.  Residing in 5^th place, ahead of Bergmeister and Long, 2011 Mid-Ohio winner, Wolfe Henzler and Bryan Sellers pilot the Falken Tire 911 GT3 RSR.  Darren Law and Seth Neiman, both Americans, pilot the second Flying Lizard Porsche while Bryce Miller and Sascha Maassen  team up in the Paul Miller Racing 911 GT3 RSR.

Providing his thoughts on the new circuit, Henzler said, “The first race on a new track is always a challenge. At the moment everything is running smoothly for us.  After winning in the rain at Mid-Ohio we followed up in Elkhart Lake with our best result on a dry circuit. This shows that we’re working in the right direction.  I’m heading to Baltimore feeling confident and hope that we can continue our positive trend.”

From - http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2011/08/porsche-ready-for-balitimore-grand-prix/

Introducing the Remarkable Audi Film Series

When trance and chill out musician Ryan Farish began investigating new equipment to help him perfect his recordings a few years ago, he was struck by a review that compared its qualities to the engineered precision of an Audi.

That was enough to sell him on the new gear – and a new car. As he developed songs that earned him a Grammy nomination, a 2008 Gospel Music Association Dove Award, enough tracks to fill eight albums and a style that has come to define The Weather Channel soundtrack, Farish burned them on a CD so he could hear how they sounded in his Audi TT. When the Virginia Beach, Va., artist explained how this process helps him refine his music, we had an idea. Why not get his professional impression on the most advanced sound system built into our cars today – the 19-speaker, 1,400-watt Bang & Olufsen® Advanced Sound System found in the new Audi A8 flagship model? We were eager to hear what his trained ear thought of a system that is engineered from the start of the A8 development with more than 400 hours of fine tuning devoted to acoustic purity.

With only a basic introduction to the car and absolutely no strings attached, we left an Audi A8 with Farish to drive and test songs for the new album “Upon A Dream,” which was released internationally last week. The result is this first installment of the new Remarkable Audi film series – a project devoted to letting real people like Ryan Farish bring their real and remarkable Audi stories to you.

Here Comes the Sun: Ford and SunPower Team up to Let Focus Electric Customers ‘Drive Green for Life’

Dearborn, Mich., Aug. 10, 2011 – Ford and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA, SPWRB) have teamed up to offer customers a rooftop solar system that will allow Focus Electric owners to “Drive Green for Life” by providing customers with enough clean, renewable energy to offset the electricity used to charge the vehicle.

“Under the ‘Drive Green for Life’ program, Focus Electric owners can reduce their total cost of ownership by generating enough energy from their high efficiency SunPower rooftop solar system to offset the electricity required to charge the vehicle at night,” said Mike Tinskey, Ford director of Global Vehicle Electrification and Infrastructure. “It’s an eco-friendly solution that perfectly complements our plug-in products and other green initiatives.”

“SunPower’s innovative partnership with Ford is a win-win for customers, providing a comprehensive sustainability program,” said Tom Werner, SunPower president and CEO. “By taking advantage of this program, Focus Electric customers can receive the added benefit of installing a SunPower solar system, the highest-efficiency, most reliable on the market today, generating the electricity needed to charge their vehicles.”

The 2.5 kilowatt rooftop solar system is comprised of the SunPower® E18 Series solar panels that produce an average of 3,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. These high-efficiency solar panels generate approximately 50 percent more electricity than conventional panels and utilize a smaller footprint on the roof. The system was sized to accommodate a customer who drives about 1,000 miles per month.

The complete SunPower solar system is offered at a base price of less than $10,000*, after federal tax credits. Local and state rebates, along with other incentives, may drive the system cost down even more, depending on a customer’s location. Included in the purchase is a residential monitoring system, which includes the ability to track the performance of their solar system on the web or through an iPhone application. Affordable financing options for the solar system are available through SunPower. This price point does not include local sales tax.

Interested Focus Electric customers will be contacted by a participating SunPower dealer who will visit their home to begin the installation process. SunPower leads the industry with more than 400 dealers in the U.S., and can support the initial Focus Electric roll out in all 19 markets.

In addition to the Focus Electric, the SunPower rooftop solar system will be compatible with the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid electric vehicle Ford is rolling out in 2012.

Two Complementary Charging Solutions for Focus Electric Owners
By partnering with SunPower, Ford now offers Focus Electric owners two complementary charging solutions to make the overall experience of owning an electric vehicle easier. In January, Ford announced an agreement with consumer electronics leader Best Buy to offer a 240-volt home charging station for the Focus Electric and future electric vehicle owners.

“The goal of working with both SunPower and Best Buy was to offer Focus Electric owners solutions to charging needs that help lower the vehicle’s overall cost of ownership,” said Tinskey.

The Power of Choice
Electrification is an important piece of Ford’s overall product sustainability strategy, which includes the launch of five electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and in Europe by 2013. Ford launched the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in 2010 and will launch the all-new Focus Electric later this year. In 2012, these models will be joined in North America by the new C-MAX Hybrid, a second next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid. This diverse range of electrified vehicles allows Ford to meet a variety of consumer driving needs.

*This offer assumes normal installation conditions, not including modifications to a roof, electrical service panel or excessive wire requirements. 

Two Ford vehicles earn spot on kbb.com Back-to-School list

Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com has announced its picks for the 2011 Top 10 Back-to-School Cars, a mix of both new and used cars and trucks. Ford has two vehicles on the list, the 2012 Focus and 2007 F-150. Young drivers love the Focus, kbb says, because "it looks cool on the outside, modern on the inside, handles with more than a hint of sportiness and offers advanced audio and information technology." For those who subscribe to "bigger is better," kbb says the 2007 F-150 is their back-to-school ride. It "boasts five-star NHTSA front crash ratings, beefy good looks and all the practical hauling and towing abilities afforded by a proper pickup truck."

Choosing a car for yourself - that's one thing. It's an important decision more than worthy of a few hours of research and rumination. But choosing a car for your child - that's a far more important decision, because that car will transport your most precious possession. The decision on which vehicle is the right back-to-school car for your child is a critical one, and we at Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com keep that in mind when our experts put their heads together to compile this list. The car for your child must be safe, affordable and versatile. It would also be nice if it were fuel-efficient, fun-to-drive and good-looking, too. Oh, and did we mention reliable and inexpensive to own? All these factors are rolled into the following list of the Top 10 Best Back-to-School Cars for 2011.

Our annual list spotlights five new and five used vehicles because each has its own merits. The new cars are all available at a Fair Purchase Price under $18,000, while the used vehicles are all 2007 model year and newer with a Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Value of less than $12,000 (with base-level equipment and average mileage).

Audi Leads List of Consumers Top Rated Vehicles on Edmunds.com

Audi led all automotive brands by winning four categories in Edmunds.com’s 2011 Consumers’ Top RatedSM vehicles. The German luxury make earned the top nod for Best Coupe $35K-$45K (2011 Audi A5), Best Coupe Over $45K (2011 Audi S5), Best Wagon $35K-$45K (2011 Audi A4 Wagon) and Best SUV $35K-$45K (2011 Audi Q5).

“It’s clear that the owners of Audi’s 2011 lineup of vehicles are very satisfied with their purchases,” said Scott Oldham, editor-in-chief at Edmunds.com. “It’s also just as clear that Edmunds.com visitors continue to rate European and Japanese brands higher than their U.S. and Korean counterparts. European and Japanese models won 75 percent of our categories.”

To see all 21 winners of the 2011 Consumers Top Rated vehicles, please visit the awards page at http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/2011-consumers-top-rated.html.

Audi of America Partners with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences For the Primetime Emmy® Awards

Audi of America is honored to announce that it will serve as the official automotive partner of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences beginning with the 63rd Primetime Emmy® Awards taking place on Sunday, September 18, 2011 at the Nokia Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles and airing on FOX. This multi-year partnership will take place across numerous platforms, expanding upon the brand’s continuous support of the entertainment industry.

Audi will participate in select Television Academy events celebrating this year’s Primetime Emmy® Award nominees, including the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy® Awards on September 10, the Red Carpet rollout for the Primetime Emmy® telecast and Governor’s Ball preview on September 14, and the Performers’ Nominee Reception on September 16. The Primetime Emmy® Awards honors excellence in all aspects of national television programming – from such categories as writing, directing and performance, to costume design, cinematography, lighting and music. The winners are annually selected by 15,000 industry professionals who are voting members of the Television Academy.

“Audi is honored to support the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognizing exceptional talent in television,” said Scott Keogh, Chief Marketing Officer, Audi of America. “The brand has become a key player within the entertainment industry and has a longstanding history as a friend of the arts, making this partnership a perfect fit. What better way to celebrate some of the greatest talent in the television industry than with a car company that produces only the very best automobiles that truly epitomize the luxury and glamour of Hollywood.”

Audi, one of the top luxury automakers in the world, has had numerous successful partnerships with high-profile entertainment brands including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the “Iron Man” film franchise, The Weinstein Company, and more. Audi is supporting its sponsorship of the Primetime Emmy® Awards with a fleet of stunning Audi vehicles including the all-new A6 and A7, along with the Audi A8, the brand’s luxury flagship sedan, which will chauffeur select guests to the show and to additional events throughout the television awards season.

Additionally, Audi will once again host its annual pre-Emmy® Awards celebration on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at Cecconi’s in West Hollywood. The brand has become known for its exclusive star-studded parties to kick off awards week, and this year Audi will be making a donation to Tuesday’s Children in honor of the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Tuesday's Children is a non-profit family service organization that has made a long term commitment to every individual impacted by the events of September 11, 2001, including the families of 9/11 victims and the heroic first responders.

The 63rd Primetime Emmy® Awards will air live coast to coast on Sunday, September 18th (8PM, ET/ 5PM, PT) on FOX and will originate from the Nokia Theatre at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles. The awards will be produced by Mark Burnett and hosted by Jane Lynch.

Audi driver Mattias Ekstrom commandingly wins

In the duel against Mercedes-Benz Audi has raised the score of victories to 4-2. In front of 86,500 spectators (throughout the weekend) Mattias Ekström in the Audi A4 DTM of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline was in a class of his own at the Nürburgring. From the pole position the Swede achieved an advantage of 5.533 seconds over the leader of the standings, Bruno Spengler, and celebrated his 15th DTM victory that was never at risk in the race.

Exactly 63 weeks or 441 days Mattias Ekström had to wait for this day. The last DTM race won by the Audi driver had been at Valencia at the end of May 2010. “That was a very long time,” said the Swede after his triumph at the Nürburgring. “This success feels incredibly good. I’m very happy for the team that suffered a great deal of misfortune in the first half of the season. This weekend Audi Sport and Abt were right on the mark. All I had to do was drive ...”

Almost up to the end of the race Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline was even heading for a one-two result at the Nürburgring. Up to the penultimate lap Mike Rockenfeller was running in second place before, under pressure from Bruno Spengler, the wheels of his Audi A4 DTM locked as he was braking into turn one. “I was having problems with grip on the rear wheels and changed the brake balance,” explained Rockenfeller. “But that’s not meant to be an excuse. I’m sorry for the team – something like this simply mustn’t happen on the penultimate lap.”

Places four and five went to Timo Scheider and Martin Tomczyk (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) who switched positions in a fierce duel on the 20th lap. The runner-up in the standings, Tomczyk, had started well from position seven on the grid but was hit by Mercedes driver Jamie Green in the commotion on lap one. The front end of his Audi A4 DTM was damaged in the incident. Tomczyk nonetheless managed to secure fifth place and as the best driver of a year-old car scored important points in the title fight. Before the remaining four races the German as the best Audi driver remains within a striking distance to Bruno Spengler, ranking seven points behind him in the overall classification.

With Edoardo Mortara on position seven a fifth Audi driver scored points. Audi Sport Team Rosberg had to repair the Italian’s A4 DTM after an incident in the morning’s warm-up session when a kerb along the track had come loose and caused considerable damage to the left-hand side of the vehicle. The two points which Mortara clinched as the best DTM rookie in the field were a nice reward for the extra work.

Mortara’s team-mate Filipe Albuquerque in ninth place just barely missed scoring a point. Oliver Jarvis managed to recover from position 15 on the grid to tenth place. Miguel Molina and Rahel Frey occupied places twelve and 16 in the race that was very turbulent at times.

“Overall, it was a great team performance,” said Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “Mattias Ekström and his A4 DTM were in a league of their own this weekend. And Team Abt showed perfect pit stops. It’s a shame that Martin Tomczyk lost a few points. But we’re happy that after the body contact with Jamie Green on lap one he was able to even finish the race.”