Renault Straightline Archives

Like it or not, the Iceman is back.  

Kimi Raikkonen hasn't been in an F1 car since 2009 but just threw down 171 laps durig a two-day practice session at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. Raikkonen was driving the 2010 Renault R30. "Having not driven a Formula 1 car for two years and obviously with a new team, there is a lot to get used to. I'm happy because I was pretty quick to get back in the groove,"  Kimmi said. "It was great to be driving an F1 car again and from that respect I feel very positive."

The team tested both low-fuel qualifying laps and a full-tank 27 lap session. Tough work, right?

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Categories: Lotus,Motorsports,Renault

With the introduction and relative success of the Nissan Juke in the U.S. market, we really had our hopes up that this funky little crossover could be the gateway design to start bringing French cars into the states. Sure, it's no first-gen Fiat Multipla, but the Megane is a visually interesting little car (that happens to be quite fast), and the Kangoo and Clio would certainly spice up the compact van and hatch categories. And then there's the Wind Roadster. Because, well, why not?

Well, why not is because Carlos Ghosn doesn't want to. More than doesn't want to, Carlos Ghosn is using "facts" and "statistics" to support his decision to focus on Renault's introduction in China. When pressed on the U.S. he said it would not return "in the foreseeable future."

Though, really, with the difficulty that Fiat is having reintegrating with normal American society, maybe we're just not ready for French, err, Freedom Cars. And if the Italians can't sell a stylish compact in the U.S., good luck to the French trying to sell a vehicle called the Traffic Generation.

(Detroit News)

Categories: Auto Industry,Renault

Besides trying to figure out how to get today's youth interested in cars, carmakers are wracking their brains trying to figure out how to integrate things people don't want to go without -- social media, music, apps -- into cars in a safe way.

The trouble is that most of these systems are so inelegant and incomplete that there's absolutely no reason to use it instead of the one you're already holding in your hand. But that's dangerous and it's illegal in many states.

Renault's solution is this: R-Link. "R-link covers all the car's functions and data while offering access to a menu of useful and community applications already available on Smartphone." Or so says the release.

R-link has over 50 apps already and will be open to developers. R-link owners can download new content from the R-Link Appstore.

It looks nice, but it also looks busy and not much safer than just using a smartphone.

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Categories: Miscellaneous,Renault,Videos

The big news yesterday out of Lotus Renault was that they had signed Kimi Raikkonen for the 2012 race season. The 32 year old Finn released a statement with the announcement that read, "I'm delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break. My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver, but I can't deny the fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming."

It reads like someone who's actually interested in racing and has a pulse. Watching this video interview, however, will remind you quickly that his "iceman" nickname isn't just due to his chilly demeanor on the track.

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Categories: Lotus,Motorsports,Renault

We all know that FWD cars are boring and nobody likes them and that wrong-wheel-drive isn't any fun on a racetrack and that real drivers certainly wouldn't go anywhere near one! Not even this Renault Megane RS 256 which just set the FWD lap record at the Nurburgring with an 8:08 run.

The Megane Renaultsport makes 265 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, has a six-speed manual, limited slip diff, Recaro buckets, Brembo brakes, lower Cup suspension and 19 inch wheels on Bridgestone RE050A tires. The RS Trophy weighs 2,904 pounds.

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Categories: Motorsports,Renault

http://www.insideline.com/ford/mustang/2011/2011-ford-mustang-track-shoot-out.html

Kurt Niebuhr for Edmunds

Inside Line (and the internet come to think of it) runs thousands of photos a week of cool cars. These are our favorites.

If we missed any, let us know...

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Categories: Honda,Kia,Mazda,Renault,Rolls-Royce

In his new book, "Overhaul" former head of President Obama's Auto Task Force and guy who fired Rick Wagoner, Steve Rattner, spills the beans on what it was like to deal with a failed / failing industry and an $85-billion band-aid.

While the book will be on sale Oct. 14, The Detroit News, Washington Post and Huffington Post all received advanced copies and came up with some jewels:

-  Rahm Emanuel (Chief of Staff) doesn't respect the UAW.

- Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne told UAW boss Ron Gettlefinger that they (the UAW) needs to "embrace a culture of poverty, not a culture of entitlement," and recommended retiree health-care be chopped.

- Fritz Henderson wanted to move GM out of Detroit to the GM Tech Center in Warren, Michigan, to reduce costs and keep executives hip to what's going on "on the ground." The White House, however, thought it would be too damaging for Detroit, calling it a "bridge too far."

- The White House and Rattner wanted Nissan/Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn to run GM, but Ghosn declined because he "felt considerable loyalty to both companies (nissan/renault- Ed.) and wanted to see them through the crisis."

( Automotive News )

For more on Rattner's book, see Edmunds AutoObserver.

Categories: Auto Industry,Chevrolet,Fiat,Nissan,Renault

Back in 1980, Renault had a tiny, front-drive hatchback. It certainly didn't have much of a future in motorsports, or did it? Renault moved the 1.4-liter engine to the middle of the car, put a turbocharger on it and converted the car to rear-drive. And so the insane little Renault 5 Turbo was born -- just in time for the equally insane Group B era of world rally competition. The car turns 30 this month, so Renault has edited together this video tribute.

Categories: Classic Cars,Motorsports,Renault

And what do you know? The French have a sense of humor.

Categories: Hatchbacks,Renault

Renault has announced it will indeed sell a "large stake" in its Formula One team to Genii Capital, a Luxembourg-based company. Alongside that is the confirmation that the Renault team will remain intact and contest the full 2010 F1 season, while continuing to supply engines to Red Bull.

Although the Renault F1 web site says nothing about the size of the stake, various media outlets are reporting it's in the neigborhood of 75 percent. Renault says that the deal will be concluded in early 2010, and after that it will operate the team jointly with Genii Capital.

Already BBC Sport is attempting to stir the pot of controversy by suggesting the newly signed Robert Kubica (a refugee from BMW Sauber) might have doubts about competing on the newly cash-infused Renault F1 team.

"We would like to know about Genii Capital and who is doing what in the team -- a partner can be a sleeping partner or a controlling partner," BBC quotes Kubica's manager, Daniele Morelli as saying.

Renault F1 team press release

Autosport, BBC Sport, Speed TV

Categories: Motorsports,Renault

A report out of Paris suggests that Renault will indeed sell a majority stake in its Formula 1 team, possibly to Prodrive, but will continue to compete under its present identity, even as a minority stakeholder. An announcement is expected this week.

And the rumor that Michael Schumacher will come out of retirement to drive alongside Nico Rosberg on the Mercedes GP team isn't going away, either, with German media outlets apparently claiming that a one-year deal has been inked.

IL News: Renault to Stay in Formula 1

Evo

Categories: Motorsports,Renault

Formula 1 legend Alain Prost straps into a Renault-built Dacia Duster rally car with studded snow tires, and there's only one word for it: sideways.

Categories: Hatchbacks,Motorsports,Renault

The Renault F1 team has been in state of flux for the last month after reports surfaced that the company might pull out of Formula 1. Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn then said the company would make a decision on whether to participate in 2010 by the end of this year. Now the British magazine Car is reporting that Prodrive is likely to buy the Renault team in the next 24 hours with a formal announcement coming Wednesday. This would mark Renault's exit from F1.

Prodrive formerly managed the Subaru WRC team and is of course now in charge of the racing program at Aston Martin.

Car

Categories: Motorsports,Renault

A report by the BBC says that top officials at Renault held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the company's future in Formula One. This comes on the heels of Toyota's official departure announced the same day.

The report said Renault was considering whether to stay in full time, become an engine supplier or pull out altogether.

UPDATE: Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn told reporters today that Renault will make a decision on its participation in Formula One by the end of the year.  

BBC Sport: Renault Considers Formula One Exit

FT: Renault stays cagey on F1 future

Categories: Motorsports,Renault

FIA slapped the ING Renault Formula One team a two-year ban at a hearing Paris today for orchestrating a crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix to provide an advantage to Fernando Alonso (who won that race). The ban is suspended, however, provided Renault is not found guilty of "a comparable breach" over the next two years.

The team will reimburse FIA for the cost of the investigation and make "a significant contribution to the FIA's safety work," according to the FIA statement.

Renault's decision not to contest the charges evidently contributed to the lenient sentence, as did its dismissal of Managing Director Flavio Briatore and Executive Director of Engineering Pat Symonds. FIA placed an indefinite ban on F1 drivers forming business associations with Briatore while banning Symonds from any participation in a FIA-sanctioned event for 5 years.

Alonso has been cleared of any involvement in the scandal, though he attended today's hearing. FIA has taken no punitive action against the whistleblower, former Renault driver Nelson Piquet, who admits that he crashed his car deliberately on that fateful day.

IL News -- Formula 1: Renault Gets Suspended Two-Year Ban in Race-Fixing Scandal

Categories: Motorsports,Renault

A quick roundup of the news in Formula One today:

First off, there's the mess that is Renault. FIA announced it would call team representatives before the World Motor Sport Council on Monday in Paris to answer charges that the team conspired with former driver Nelson Piquet to cause a deliberate crash at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. Said crash resulted in the deployment of the safety car -- to the advantage of teammate Fernando Alonso, who went on to win that race.

Renault moved quickly, dismissing Managing Director Flavio Briatore and Executive Director of Engineering Pat Symonds. The team issued this statement on its web site: "The ING Renault F1 Team will not dispute the recent allegations made by the FIA concerning the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix."

The UK-based Times has published a piece with some of the radio traffic from the day of the race, and it does little to exonerate Renault. Notably, there's considerable conversation between Symonds and Piquet reconfirming lap numbers; plus, Symonds orders an unusually early pit for Alonso.

Times Online 

IL News: Scandal in Formula 1 as Renault Won't Contest Race-Fixing Charges and Team Heads Quit

More on Lotus and BMW after the jump.

Photo source: ING Renault F1

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Categories: BMW,Lotus,Motorsports,Renault

F1 driver Felipe Massa came through surgery just fine, and has been awakened on multiple occasions to allow communication with family, CNN is reporting. Massa, of course, underwent surgery for head injuries sustained when he crashed during Hungarian GP qualifying on Saturday. He remains in an induced coma, but doctors at AEK hospital in Budapest are expected to bring him out of it later today.

Ferrari's Massa was hit in the helmet by a 2-pound spring that came loose from Brawn's Rubens Barrichello's car. At speed, the impact was enough to knock him unconscious, causing him to lose control of his car and crash into a tire barrier. The official F1 website even has a diagram of the crash.

Just about every story you read on this topic today has suggestions for how safety might be improved in Formula (everything from stronger helmets to closed cockpits). And for the moment, the Renault team has been suspended after Fernando Alonso's right front tire came loose as he was leaving the pits on Sunday and bounced across the track.

Do you think additional safety measures should be taken in open-wheel racing, or was Massa's accident a freak occurence in a sport that invariably presents some risk to participants?

CNN International

Inside Line News: F1 Racing Driver Massa Improving after Injury; Debris Incidents Called "Very Disturbing"

Update: The Guardian quotes one of Massa's doctors as saying, "He has suffered some damage to his [left] eye. We don't know if he'll be able to race again."

Photo Source: SpeedTV

Categories: Ferrari,Motorsports,Renault

Considering how many American autoworkers are losing their jobs this year, the reaction here has been comparatively mild. To our knowledge, no one has threatened to blow up a plant. But that's exactly what's going down in France right now.

All 316 workers at the partsmaker New Fabris will be losing their jobs after the factory closed June 16. New Fabris was a parts supplier to Renault and PSA (the Citroen-Peugeot alliance), and the workers are demanding 30,000 euros (almost $43,000) each in compensation from the automakers.

They've set a deadline of July 31, and workers are taking turns guarding cannisters of acetylene and butane once used to power tractors at the plant.

Auto Observer: French Auto Workers Threaten To Blow Up Factory

Associated Press

Categories: Citroen,Peugeot,Renault

In what can only be considered a win for the Formula One Teams Association in its contentious stand-off with F1's governing body, the FIA president Max Mosley has agreed to not run for a fifth term this fall.

It was Mosley who pushed budget caps for the 2010 season, which were wildly unpopular with established teams such as Ferrari, Toyota, McLaren and Renault. There will apparently be no spending cap for next season, although the sport's commercial boss, Bernie Ecclestone has said that he expects costs will be brought in line with spending levels from the early-90s in two years. No specific details of the agreement have been released.

Eight teams, including most of the biggest, most competitive, threatened to start a rival series, taking the big-name drivers and big budgets with them.The teams have agreed to stay in Formula One reportedly to 2012 to get the deal done.

Categories: Ferrari,Motorsports,Renault,Toyota

According to the Wall Street Journal, General Motors is considering the idea of selling its Saturn unit to Renault. The French automaker would use the Saturn dealer network as a launching pad for a new lineup of small, fuel efficient vehicles.

Renault already controls Nissan and Samsung Motors, so Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn may consider the acquisition of Saturn a cheap way to get its European products into the U.S. market.

WSJ: GM Considers Turning Over Saturn to Renault

Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors,Renault,Saturn