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And there I was, spending hours under the scorching sun sampling an array of Porsches with the guidance of world-class Porsche driving instructors. The resulting sunburn didn’t really matter when you’re up close and personal with some of Stuttgart’s finest.

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On The Ground: Porsche World Road Show 2023

IN On The Ground, Porsche World Road Show, 2023, Porsche, World, Road, Show, PWRS

More than 20 Porsches unleashed behind closed doors with no restrictions on them? That’s what the Porsche World Road Show is all about.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López won the race from pole position in the #7 GR010 Hybrid, cementing a Hypercar hat-trick for Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) from the opening three races of 2023, following the team’s victories in Sebring and Portimão.

In the sister car, a remarkable fightback from a back-row start saw Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa, in the #8 GR010 Hybrid, earn an unexpected second place. Interestingly, they now lead the drivers’ World Championship by five points over the #7 crew.

With seven consecutive Spa victories under their belt, TGR takes a 33-point World Championship lead over Ferrari into the centenary edition of the Le Mans 24 Hours on 10-11 June, the unofficial mid-point in the seven-race season.

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Toyota Gazoo Racing Takes Home Spa One-Two

IN Toyota Gazoo Racing, Spa, One-Two, Racing

Toyota Gazoo Racing dominated with a one-two victory in the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps after a spectacular third round of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in Belgium.

And how have they done it? By achieving carbon-neutral manufacturing at its Gaydon and St Athan facilities.

Aston Martin has continued to make progress in reducing its environmental impact, following business-wide initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions from its manufacturing processes and wider supply chain.

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Aston Martin intensifies sustainability strategy, achieving carbon-neutral manufacturing

IN Aston Martin, Sustainability, Strategy, Carbon-neutral, Manufacturing

One year on from announcing its ambitious ‘Racing. Green.’ sustainability strategy, Aston Martin today takes another positive step to become a world-leading sustainable ultra-luxury business.

Ivo Lopes (POR), who has enjoyed success for several years with the easyRace BMW Team in the Spanish Superbike Championship (ESBK), will stand in for injured BMW Motorrad WorldSBK works rider Michael van der Mark (NED) at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

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Ivo Lopes stands in for the injured Michael van der Mark in the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family

IN Ivo Lopes, Injured, Michael van der Mark, BMW, Motorrad, Motorsport

The BMW Motorrad WorldSBK family has a new addition from Portugal for round four of the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) at Barcelona (ESP) this weekend.

Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa, the reigning World Champions and 2022 Le Mans winners in the #8 GR010 Hybrid, delivered in Portugal to dominate the race and win by a lap from the #50 Ferrari and the #6 Porsche.

However, there were contrasting emotions for Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in the #7 GR010 Hybrid. After winning the season-opener at Sebring four weeks ago, they took a ninth-place finish, losing a precious 11 minutes when race officials ordered a mandatory sensor to be replaced.

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Portimao Victory for Toyota Gazoo Racing

IN Portimao, Toyota Gazoo Racing

Toyota Gazoo Racing maintained its winning start to the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) with a victory at Portimão.

Considered the first pure asphalt round of the season, the Croatia Rally joined the WRC schedule two years ago and the varied roads around the country’s capital city, Zagreb, are already seen as some of the most challenging on the calendar.

With the service park located within Zagreb itself, the stages take place in the north of Croatia close to neighbouring Slovenia. The roads feature a wide variety of different asphalt types, which means that available grip is constantly shifting, while mud and rain can bring about further challenges. Some sections are technical and twisting, but many others are fast and flowing with jumps and crests.

Much of the route for this year is familiar from 2022. After the shakedown on Thursday morning and a ceremonial start in Zagreb that evening, Friday’s opening day action takes place just to the west of the city.

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Toyota Gazoo Racing makes asphalt return in Croatia

IN Toyota Gazoo Racing, Croatia, WRC

Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team heads to the Croatia Rally for the fourth round of the 2023 FIA World Rally Championship season on April 21-23, 2023.

Markus Reiterberger (GER), Ilya Mikhalchik (UKR) and Jérémy Guarnoni (FRA) claimed third place at the opening event, which was the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, an extremely gruelling spectacle.

This was also the first podium for the new #37 BMW M 1000 RR, debuting on the track for the first time. Mikhalchik also posted the fastest lap time in it, clocking in at 1:35.751 minutes. The newly-formed Tecmas-MRP-BMW Racing Team enjoyed a perfect debut, claiming victory in the Superstock class.

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First podium finish of the season for BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team at 24 Hours Of Le Mans

IN BMW, Motorrad, World Endurance, 24 Hours, Le Mans

The BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team kicked off the FIM Endurance World Championship 2023 with a beautiful podium finish.

Reigning FIA WEC LMGTE Am class champion TF Sport and fellow Aston Martin Racing partner teams NorthWest AMR and D’station Racing contested the 6 Hours of Portimão event on Sunday with a trio of Aston Martin Vantage GTEs.

The Vantage GTE is the prototype version of the British-built race car derived from Aston Martin’s critically-acclaimed ultra-luxury sportscar and shares the same aluminium body frame and a specially-tuned version of the four-litre V8 turbo-charged production engine.

Aston Martin is aiming for its first podium at Portimão on its final visit to the Portuguese track before the class switches to GT3 machinery in 2024.

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Aston Martin Vantage Aims High FIA WEC and IMSA GTD series resume

IN Aston, Martin, Aston Martin, Vantage, FIA, WEC, IMSA, GTD, Series, Racing, Race, 2023

Aston Martin’s multiple championship-winning Vantage returns to action in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) and the North American-based IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, with four

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New Maserati GranTurismo Takes Center Stage At Milan Design Week 2023

The new Maserati GranTurismo was an icon at the 2023 Milan Design Week, an annual international celebration of design attracting one of the most cosmopolitan and kaleidoscopic audiences in the world.

At the season-opening race, which was the 1000 Miles of Sebring, perfect team operations, exceptional driver consistency and smart tyre management delivered a one-two victory over a packed Hypercar field featuring other legendary endurance racing marques, such as Cadillac, Ferrari, Peugeot, and Porsche.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López held the advantage in the drivers’ standings after their victory at Sebring in the #7 GR010 Hybrid. Reigning World Champions, and last year’s Le Mans winners, Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa began their title defence with a close second-place finish.

After the unique challenges over the bumps in Sebring a month ago, Portimão marks the start of an important and intense European-based preparation period prior to the Le Mans 24 Hours, which includes the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps at the end of April.

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Toyota Gazoo Racing Prepares For Portimão Showdown

Toyota Gazoo Racing aims to maintain its dominant start to the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season when it competes in Europe for the first time this year, at the 6 Hours of Portimão.

The GR010 Hybrid #7 of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López bounced back from a practice accident on Thursday to take victory after a hard-fought 239 laps at the home of endurance racing in the United States.

After a tense race-long battle at the front, World Champions and 2022 Le Mans winners Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa also clinched a perfect result for Toyoto Gazoo Racing by finishing second in the #8 GR010 Hybrid, with a gap of just 2.168 seconds.

Relentless consistency, flawless team operations and strong tyre management combined as Toyota Gazoo Racing overcame the challenge of new Hypercar rivals from Cadillac, Ferrari and Porsche. Toyota managed to lap all competitors twice, earning the team’s 40th WEC victory.

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TOYOTA GAZOO Racing secures Sebring 1-2

IN TOYOTA, GAZOO Racing, Secures, Sebring, 1-2

Toyota Gazoo Racing dominated the opening round of the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), securing a 1-2 victory in the 1000 Miles of Sebring in the face of strong Hypercar competition.

And Toyota will be bringing the heat as well, rocking up with its 2023-specification GR010 Hybrid, an evolution of the hypercar that won 10 of the 12 races it participated in since its 2021 debut.

Pre-season testing showed good promise as well, with tweaks to optimise reliability and drivability as well as reducing overall weight.

Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López will team up for their fifth consecutive season, at the wheel of the #7 GR010 Hybrid. In the #8 sister car, Sébastien Buemi, Brendon Hartley and Ryo Hirakawa will aim to repeat their world title and Le Mans wins from 2022.

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Toyota Gazoo Racing set for Sebring showdown

IN Toyota, Gazoo Racing, Set, Sebring, Showdown

Toyota Gazoo Racing is now defending its FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) titles, starting with an exhilirating 1000 Miles of Sebring.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are undoubtedly the future for the automobile – at least for the next decade anyways, until governments and manufacturers come around to e-fuels…

However until then, if or when, the car industry is firmly committed to producing EVs. Like everyone else, I’m all for anything that is an improvement over whatever it replaces and so EVs ticks almost all the boxes.

One very big box that remains unchecked, however, is the business of charging. If you are an apartment dweller like me, who doesn’t have regular access to a personal wall box or is using your EV for a road trip, then you’ll know that you have to set up an account with the charging provider, and store your credit card number. And since there are several operators, it would be prudent to hold several accounts to minimize the chances of not being able to charge your EV when need to.

Oh, on road trips, charging stops have to be planned lest you be stranded with a dead EV.

Compare this with the convenience of refuelling conventional Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars. The drive down the I-5 to Los Angeles takes you through one of the most uninhabited places in California. Yet, you could still find a gas station with no more than 25 miles between them.

You can drive up to any station, use any method of payment, including cash – imagine that, fill up and be on your way for the next 400 miles or so. All in 10 minutes or less.

While EV charging technology is getting faster, and over time will be more common, the business of paying for the charge is ridiculously complicated to paying at the pump. No amount needed, just hand over your money and go. How is this progress?

Okay, I’m sure someone is working on making EV charging more convenient. Wake me up when September ends.

Testing the hybrid theory

Until charging an EV becomes as convenient as refuelling, perhaps hybrid cars will be relevant in the sense that they offer all the advantages of an EV without the drawbacks. This proved to be the case when I drove a 2023 BMW 330e from Los Gatos to Los Angeles.

The car was chosen on the assumption that its 107hp electric motor would be sufficient for pottering around the city while the 181hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine would have the legs to handle the endless stretches of Interstate Freeways without breaking a sweat. Working in tandem with the electric motor, there’s a combined output of 288hp and 310Nm at its driver’s disposal.

Over 300 miles or so of interstate driving, the motor, along with regenerative inertia and braking would have plenty of time to charge up the batteries so I essentially could cruise in the city.

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2023 BMW 330e xDrive: The Really Easy e

IN BMW, 330e

A drive from Silicon Valley to Los Angeles shows why plug-in hybrids still make sense in a growing EV world.

Formula 1 is back after the winter break, and this season promises more action and close fights. Aston Martin, aside from their new signing with Fernando Alonso, will be showcasing its ultra-luxury SUV, the DBX707, as the official FIA Medical Car for Formula 1.

The DBX707 is the no-compromise, fully loaded variant of the DBX, and has received significant engine, transmission, suspension, and brake upgrades. These upgrades make it the (at the time of writing) the most powerful SUV on the planet.

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Aston Martin unleashes the DBX707 For the Formula 1 2023 Season

IN Aston Martin, DBX707, Formula 1, 2023

Aston Martin DBX707, the world’s most powerful luxury SUV, is the new Official FIA Medical Car of Formula 1.

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you would have already known by now that Fernando Alonso has signed with Aston Martin’s Formula 1 Team for the 2023 season, following the departure and retirement of Sebastian Vettel.

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Aston Martin DBX707 Meets Fernando Alonso

IN Aston, Martin, DBX707, Meets, Fernando, Alonso, Aston Martin

What better way to welcome a two time world champion, than to have him wring a fast car round a track at breakneck speeds?

Have you always wanted to find out what it feels like to sit in a Bentley, but don’t have the means to get near one? Well, luck is at hand, and customers and enthusiasts alike can now explore the Bentayga Extended Wheelbase (EWB) and take it for a virtual drive in a real-life location of their choice, or simply check how it looks on their driveway. All in a virtual space.

Bentley has recently launched a new Augmented Reality (AR) mobile application to showcase the world’s finest luxury SUV. Exterior paints, leather colour and cabin styles can all be changed to produce your own personally commissioned Bentayga EWB. It’s like being in a candy shop all to yourself.

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Explore The World In Your Own Bentayga EWB

IN Bentley, Bentayga, Augmented, Reality, AR, Mobile, App

Always wanted to know what it feels like to be in a Bentayga? Well, now you can.

Nestled in the little-known region of Umbria, Italy, is Miataland. The name is about as obvious as it gets. Miataland is home to the world's largest private collection of Mazda MX-5. Yes, we don’t know why someone would be so committed to the petite Japanese roadster.

While most car collections are usually museum exhibits and only taken out on special occasions, the generous people who run Miataland actually want you to touch the cars. Hell, they'll even let you take them out for a drive.

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Miataland Is The World’s Only Mazda Themed Resort Getaway

IN Miataland, Mazda, Resort, Getaway, Italy

Take the largest private collection of Mazda’s classic roadster in the world and couple that with a resort, and you get an automotive haven where dreams come true.