Andrea Dovizioso has no serious serious neck issues

Andrea Dovizioso underwent successful surgery yesterday at the Cervesi Hospital at Cattolica to remove the titanium plate that was inserted in his right collarbone following a motocross training accident last January.

The Ducati rider was operated on the same Dr. Giuseppe Porcellini who did the first surgery, and today Dovizioso was released from the hospital and was able to return home.

Before going under the knife, Dovizioso also underwent an MRI scan to discover the reasons behind the neck issues that he has been suffering from since the Sepang round, that he partially solved with physiotherapy and anti-inflammatory medicines, but the problem returned with a vengeance at the start of the three-day Ducati test at Jerez last week and he was unable to ride, but was able to compete and win the Sic Supermoto Day charity event this past weekend.

According to Dovizioso’s official Facebook page, the scan did not reveal any particular problems, except for a slight degeneration of a couple of intervertebral discs, which was deemed compatible with his profession as a motorcycle racer and that a slight muscle imbalance caused by the presence of the plate may have induced inflammation resulting in the neck pain.

Dovizioso will rest for a few days before starting rehabilitation and postural re-education and he should be fully fit for the first official MotoGP test at Sepang next Feburary.

from TWOWHEELSBLOG

MARKUS WINKELHOCK ÉLU PILOTE DE L'ANNÉE À ESSEN.

Le Essen Motor Show tenait salon le week-end dernier et plusieurs pilotes ont été récompensés à l'issue de la soirée. Le trophée du meilleur pilote de l'année décerné par Auto Bild Motorsport est revenu à Markus Winkelhock. L'Allemand a remporté cette saison les 24 Heures du Nürburgring sur une Audi R8 LMS ultra/Audi Sport Team Phoenix. Il a également décroché le titre de Champion du Monde GT1 sur une Mercedes SLS AMG GT3/All Inkl Münnich Motorsport aux côtés de Marc Basseng. « Ce prix est un grand honneur pour moi, d'autant plus qu'il y avait un grand nombre de pilotes de talent en compétition » a déclaré le lauréat. « Cela montre que les fans ont de toute évidence vu tout comme moi que j'avais fait du bon travail lors de la saison 2012. Elle montre aussi à quel point les 24 Heures du Nürburgring tiennent une place importante. En plus d'avoir gagné dans l'Eifel, le titre de Champion du Monde GT1 a été un gros point fort et a aussi joué un rôle pour les lecteurs d'Auto Bild. »

La victoire au Nürbugring signifie beaucoup pour Markus Winkelhock : « C'était un week-end fantastique avec une bonne ambiance et une concurrence très forte. La voiture était vraiment bien tout comme l'équipage et l'équipe a fait un excellent travail. La Nordschleife est la piste la plus difficile au monde et y gagner est quelque chose de très spécial. » Il y a quelques semaines, le Champion du Monde GT1 était en piste pour une course de 24 heures d'un tout autre type avec les slotcars : « C'était un événement incroyable. Pour commencer, je ne savais pas à quoi m'attendre. Je n'avais jamais rien fait de tel auparavant. C'était vraiment super fun et nous avons réussi à terminer deuxième avec notre Audi R8. Si le timing me permet d'y participer à nouveau en 2013, je serai ravi de disputer les 24 Heures de Hambourg la saison prochaine ! »

En attendant, Markus Winkelhock prendra part aux 24 Heures de Dubai en janvier sur une Seat Leon Supercopa alignée par All Inkl Münnich Motorsport, le reste de son programme n'étant pas finalisé : « Je devrais connaître mon programme 2013 d'ici les prochains jours voire les prochaines semaines. J'espère rouler le plus souvent possible pour Audi. Audi est une marque fantastique et l'Audi R8 une auto fascinante. »

BY Laurent Mercier(Endurance-Info.com)

BMW M3 DTM Champion Edition announced

Celebrates Bruno Spengler's DTM drivers? title

Following a preview ceremony, BMW has finally announced plans to offer an M3 DTM Champion Edition to celebrate Bruno Spengler's DTM drivers’ title.

Drawing inspiration from Spengler's race car, the special edition features a Frozen Black metallic exterior with carbon fiber flaps, dark chrome accents and matte black wheels. There's also DTM-inspired graphics and plenty of M badging.

Interior changes are limited but the model comes nicely equipped with an Alcantara steering wheel, carbon fiber trim and black Novillo leather seats with contrasting Palladium Silver accents. Other highlights include GPS navigation, heated front seats and door sill plates which "replicate Spengler’s helmet design."

Power is provided by a 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces 420 HP (309 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to an M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) which enables the coupe to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds.

The car will go into production in February and only 54 units will be built. German pricing starts at €99,000.00 (including VAT) and buyers will be offered a chance to attend the BMW M Fascination Nordschleife driver training course to get tips directly from Bruno Spengler himself.

Source: BMW

Urban Outlaw by MOS MEDIA | SUPPLEMENTAL

URBAN OUTLAW is a portrait of Magnus Walker, the rebel Porsche customizer who turned a hobby into an obsession, and an obsession into a successful business. From a workshop in downtown Los Angeles, Magnus obsessively harvests fragments from donor 911s, grafting them onto vintage frames to create one-off automobiles with the spirit of Ferdinand Porsche but an ethos entirely his own.

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept: A ‘peaceful co-existence’

The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo Concept was launched at this year’s Paris Show. A few weeks on, we have taken the prototype for a drive in Los Angeles to see what it contributes to Porsche’s model line-up.

Porsche's Chief Technology Officer Wolfgang Hatz left no room for confusion: “The Sport Turismo will not replace the Panamera as we know it. Rather, it will complement it.” So it’s not cannibalism, but a peaceful co-existence – one that should take shape within the next four years, although officially nothing is set in stone just yet.
“This is a trial project. We want to test the customer response for station wagons in tricky markets such as the USA and China,” said Hatz. Initial reactions in Beverly Hills have been positive: “A film producer has already offered us an absurd amount of money for this prototype,” designer Mitja Borkert chuckled. But the chic concept is not for sale at any price.



The increased interest is hardly surprising. On the road, it boasts lines that would leave its first-generation ancestor green with envy. And while we’re talking green, the plug-in hybrid has an electric motor providing the equivalent of 94bhp – double that of the electric motor in the current Panamera Hybrid. The result is an electric-only range of just under 20 miles - admittedly only achieved with a restrained right foot. That’s not so easy with the knowledge of the car’s easily accessible 410bhp.


And when your self-restraint gives way, you certainly know about it. As the shooting brake springs forward, the sonorous burbling of the engine changes into a hearty six-cylinder concerto. The reason for this is the lack of an acoustic silencer, a feature likely to be adopted in a possible production version. Also to be carried forward is the impressive fuel economy of 80mpg. However, the installation of a supercharged V6 plus electric motor in Porsche’s current hybrids resulted in patchy power delivery, so we hope the combination will be further developed come the Sport Turismo’s showroom showdown.


It’s not just forward propulsion that’s been under consideration during the car’s development; rearward vision has been re-thought, too. Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed the absence of side mirrors. They’ve been replaced by cameras which transmit images to screens located either side of the circular central display – apparently a feature requested by ‘someone at the top’. But our initial experiences suggest this might not be one of Volkswagen patriarch Ferdinand Piëch’s better decisions. Retraining your brain to instinctively look downwards rather than sideways during lane-changes seems strange and, without the customary blind-spot check, you never feel completely at ease. That said, concepts are all about pushing boundaries, and the swipes and taps required by today’s centre-mounted touchscreens would have felt peculiar 10 or so years ago.


Whereas the interior looks to the future, the exterior uses the tried-and-tested Porsche formula. The strip connecting the rear lights is a nod to the 911 Carrera 4 (as a reminder that the Concept is 4wd), while the front end inherits the shark nose and bulging fenders of its predecessors. But, altogether, the design represents one of the freshest to come from Stuttgart in recent years.

It might share the Panamera saloon’s wheelbase, but in its current form the Sport Turismo Concept sits two inches lower and six inches wider, giving it a much more balanced look. So it’s prettier, more practical and will, we hope, be rid of the current Panamera Hybrid’s dynamics gremlins. Given the sales success of that model, a production go-ahead seems inevitable.
Text: Wolfgang Gomoll (classicdriver.com)Photos: Porsche

EL SOLITARIO ‘WINNING LOSER’

It’s stating the obvious, but some bikes are easier to customize than others. If you’ve got a Ducati SportClassic or Harley Sportster sitting in your garage, you’ve got a head start. But what about the real bread-and-butter bikes, the unloved small-capacity Japanese machines with gawky aesthetics, sold by the million to inner-city commuters the world over?

Yamaha’s SR250 is one such machine, and a staple of the slick Japanese ‘Brat Style’ custom scene. But you don’t often see it customized in the west, and certainly not to the radical extent we’re looking at here. This is the ‘Winning Loser,’ the first El Solitario motorcycle to be built from scratch, and one that still has pride of place in David Borras’ Galician garage.

This is the bike that El Solitario cut their teeth on: It was created for the Metamorfosis Masiva, a Spanish garage builders’ contest. There were just two rules: the donor bike had to be an SR250, and you were only allowed to spend €1,000 on parts—around US$1,300.

There was no time limit though, so Borras and his crew got to work—and put in over 500 hours. And although this SR250 might look like a design study, it’s a motorcycle that’s ridden regularly today. With a 3-liter fuel capacity it won’t go far between stops, but the fun factor is high on the twisty roads of northern Spain.

Borras dropped the front end of the high-riding stock SR250 by 4”, and lowered the rear end by turning metric wrenches into struts. Vintage bicycle handlebars are dressed with Wilson perforated leather grips.

Custom fabricated parts include the stainless steel fuel tank—fitted with a brass petcock and cap—plus the exhaust system and a 50-tooth rear sprocket. There’s no battery, with juice coming from a 68k uF capacitor, and the kickstart is from a 1983 Yamaha XT250. The headlight and Smiths tachometer are vintage finds, and the rear light is from an old Bultaco.

Paint was provided by the Spanish artist Raulowsky—also noted for his work with Sideburn Magazine—and Londoner Nicolai Sclater, AKA Ornamental Conifer. The resulting mix of raw finishes and immaculate detailing is strangely compelling; it’s part of the contradictory nature that has garnered a lot of attention for ESMC in Europe.

Head over to the El Solitario website for updates from the cutting edge of the European art-moto scene, and follow their exploits via the ESMC Facebook page. Images courtesy of Kristina Fender.

Jorge Lorenzo's new Italian girlfriend?

from Twowheelsblog

This year’s Monza Rally show was a roaring success, but Italian gossip rags were more interested in Jorge Lorenzo’s love life, than finding out how he drove a rally car for the first time and where he finished in the race - he was tenth.

According to Novella 2000, during his stay in Monza, the reigning MotoGP World champion was pretty much captivated by an aspiring Italian showgirl that goes by the name ofElena Morali (hit the link for the usual de rigueur sexy and NSFW calendar). The two had lunch together at the paddock and then he invited her out to dinner which was followed by drinks at his hotel - which was apparently supervised by Lorenzo’s entourage.

Apparently this isn’t the first time the two have met according to Morali - whose name to fame includes being in the Italian version of the reality show, ‘The Beauty and the Geek’ and dating bad boy soccer player Mario Balotelli and the son of important Italian politician who was involved in funding scandal earlier this year - they’ve met once before and that they’ve kept in touch, adding that Lorenzo is cute and well mannered and she likes him and that they are still getting to know each other, but she doesn’t want to take advantage of the pubblicity.

MV Agusta 750 S 1975 by Willie DeWitt

Foto: tractionlife.com

CR&S Vun Marathon

Foto: CR&S Motorcycles

Best of the LA Auto Show 2012

Like a phoenix from the ashes – America is booming, at least in terms of car sales. As a result, Classic Driver surveys the commitment of the manufacturers and brings you the highlights of this year’s show.

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Porsche Cayman


Porsche’s latest addition to its recently overhauled sports car range is the second-generation Cayman, which sits alongside the all-new Boxster as Porsche's entry-level sports car. It’s had a nip-tuck here and an augmentation there, but its beauty is beyond skin deep. Underneath the tauter bodywork is a completely new chassis, while other improvements collectively increase performance and economy. 

Go to our in-depth article >>

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Bentley Continental GT3


We first saw the GT3 version of Bentley’s Continental GT Speed at the Paris Show only a few months ago. It will hit the circuits in late 2013. Bentley is clearly using the LA show as an opportunity to test the reactions of potential American customers. Good luck with getting any answers, gentlemen; the visitors are likely to be rendered speechless by the size of that carbonfibre rear wing. 

Go to our in-depth article >>

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BMW i3 Concept Coupé


The i3 has been doing the rounds at motor shows for a while now, ahead of its expected showroom launch next year. But this is the debut of the three-door derivative – which, along with the shedding of two doors, has a more steeply raked windscreen in the pursuit of ‘sportiness’. We wonder if the M-division will ever get in on the eco-act?

Go to our in-depth article >>

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Mercedes-Benz


With a stand opposite its Bavarian rivals, Mercedes needed to turn up to the party with something special. Step forward not only the SLS AMG Black Series, but also the Ener-G-Force concept. Despite being polar opposites – the Black Series a supercar on steroids, the G-Force a distant vision of future Merc SUV styling – the two seemed to complement each other quite well on the stand. 

The same can’t be said of the Smart ‘Forjeremy’ (yes, really): a collaborative design exercise based on a Smart Fortwo, with apparently no further purpose than pampering the ego of fashion designer Jeremy Scott. Equipped with some of Mr Scott’s signature ‘wings’, the car also has bespoke wheels and white Nappa leather seats with diamond stitching. 

Go to our in-depth article on the SLS Black Series >>

Go to our in-depth article on the Ener-G-Force >>

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Jaguar Land Rover


The XFR-S made its debut in LA – but we’ll have to wait a month or two before finding out if its bark is as loud as its bodykit. Other recent additions to the JLR family were also on display: the new Range Rover (which we’ve already driven) and F-type both made their North American debuts. Well, we are nearing the 50th anniversary of the ‘British Invasion’, after all…

Go to our in-depth article on the new Jaguar XFR-S >>

Read our road test of the all-new Range Rover >>

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Old-School U.S. Muscle


Even in these eco-aware times, it seems nothing can hold back the American muscle car. Whether it’s an all-new Viper armed with an 8.4-litre V10, or a tuned Dodge Charger with upwards of 650bhp, the traditional-recipe cars ensnare onlookers in a manner the average motor show econobox could only dream of. But, given the opportunity, we’d always choose to slip behind the rear suicide doors of the chrome-shouldered 1961 Lincoln Continental, to be chauffeured around the night-time streets of LA with the signature ‘float’ of a softly sprung 1960s American saloon.

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Text: Classic Driver
Photos: NewsPress / Manufacturers / Sven Jürisch