History of Ford Mustang : Seventh Generation (1994-1998)

By the early '90s, Ford knew it needed to keep the Mustang around no matter what — that wasn't something the company was so convinced of a decade earlier. Kill the Mustang and it would kill the one car the whole world associated with Ford. But a new Mustang would still have to be affordable, and the only way to control costs would be to build it atop the existing Fox chassis.

What appeared for 1994 was a Mustang clearly influenced by the styling themes of Mustangs past. There was the galloping horse in the grille, the side scallop reappeared and the taillights were split into three segments (albeit horizontally instead of vertically). Inside, the cockpit featured a twin-pod dashboard that recalled the dashes used between '64 1/2 and '73. Only two body styles were now offered, a two-door coupe with a semifastback roof and a convertible.

The Fox platform was thoroughly reinforced for the '94 Mustang, but the basic modified MacPherson strut front and coil sprung solid rear axle returned intact. Four-wheel disc brakes were now used throughout the line with ABS optional.

The biggest beneficiary of the new structure was the drop top; this was the first Mustang convertible since the '73 that was actually conceived as a convertible and not a conversion. The new convertible's structure was significantly stiffer and the car handled better than the outgoing '93.

Engine choices were also pared down to two for '94. Base Mustangs (no more LX, just Mustang) got a fuel-injected development of the 3.8-liter Essex V6 rated at 145 horsepower. The Mustang GT got a revised version of the 5.0-liter V8 with a flatter intake manifold that was rated at 215 horsepower. The disappointingly low-output rating of the V8 made many suspect that the '93 5.0's down-rating to 205 horsepower was done in a relatively shallow attempt to mitigate any outcry resulting from the squashed intake's stealing power from the '94 5.0-liter. Both engines could be mated to either five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmissions.

Available with either 16-inch or 17-inch wheels and tires, the '94 Mustang GT proved to be a better handling, more secure driving car than ever before. But it wasn't really any more sophisticated than the '93. Most tests of the time found the 5.0-liter V8's performance to be soft in comparison to the 5.0-liter used in the '93 Mustang.

For the third time in its history, the Mustang was chosen to pace the Indianapolis 500. Instead of conjuring up some sort of special edition for the Speedway, Ford assigned its Special Vehicle Team (SVT) the task of building another Cobra version of the Mustang. The result was a slightly modified GT wearing 17-inch wheels and, thanks to a set of Ford's "GT40" cylinder heads and a different intake, a 5.0-liter V8 making 240 horsepower. Cobras were distinguished by their own uniquely blistered hood, rear spoiler and front fascia with round foglamps and snake logos on their fenders and in their grilles. While the Cobra used to pace the 500 was a convertible, the Cobra coupe was more common. Fully 5,009 Cobra coupes were sold along with just 1,000 convertibles during '94.

The new Mustang was a hit, but hardly overwhelming. Selling into a market vastly more fragmented than it was in 1965, Ford sold 123,198 Mustangs during '94. Not bad at all considering that the car didn't go on sale until January of 1994.

Why change something that was working? The 1995 Mustangs were virtually identical to the '94s. The only change to the model lineup was the introduction of a "GTS" model that essentially put the Mustang GT's drivetrain into a plain Mustang shell. Sales rose to 190,994 units that year, including 48,264 convertibles and another 5,006 SVT Cobras (1,003 of which were drop tops).

The big change for 1996 was the abandonment of the 5.0-liter V8 in favor of Ford's 4.6-liter, SOHC V8 in the GT. Rated at the same 215 horsepower as the outgoing 5.0, the 4.6 opened a new chapter in Mustang history as the good old small-block Ford V8 was left behind after serving in the Mustang for 31 of the previous 32 model years. In addition, the 3.8-liter V6 was rerated to 150 horsepower. Transmission choices remained the five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.

A special run of 250 Cobra R models were also produced for '95 powered by a 5.8-liter version of the Ford small-block V8 making 300 horsepower. The lack of a rear seat, radio or air conditioning didn't keep enthusiasts from snapping them up instantly.

Bowing to enthusiasts' demand, all Mustangs got new taillights for '96 that were divided vertically into three segments as tradition dictated. Otherwise, except for revised front fender badges on the GT announcing the 4.6 engine, styling was unchanged.

Also new for '96 was a heavily revised version of the SVT Cobra that now featured an all-aluminum, DOHC, 32-valve version of the 4.6-liter engine. To accommodate the tall engine, the hood sported a new bulge but otherwise the car looked quite similar to the '95. But with a full 305 horsepower available, it performed much better. This was, after all, the most powerful V8 in a Mustang since the Boss 351 back in '71. Cobra production expanded to 7,496 coupes and 2,510 convertibles during '96.

Some new upholstery, a new security system and new colors came for 1997, but that's about it. Ford built 108,344 Mustangs that model year, with 6,961 of them being Cobra coupes and 3,088 Cobra convertibles. Except for redesigned five-spoke wheels on the Cobra, revisions to the 4.6-liter V8 that increased output to 225 horsepower and the usual juggling of colors and trim, the 1998 Mustang carried over from '97. Inexplicably, sales increased to a healthy 175,522 total units that year, including 5,174 Cobra coupes and 3,480 Cobra convertibles. By the way, what is a "Mustang Cobra" anyhow? Is it a reptile? A horse? Or is it some cruel, misbegotten hybrid of the two?

2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera

The bull has been raging wilder than ever this past year, with new LP640 versions of the Murcielago and Murcielago roadster-both of which lean dangerously over the edge of insanity. But why stop there? Why not make a Gallardo that is lighter, more powerful, and more focused than ever?

Using carbon fiber for the engine bay cover, center tunnel cover, mirrors, rear diffuser, and door panels, the Gallardo Superleggera weighs 154 pounds less than the regular model, and for good measure, output is raised 10 horses to 530 horsepower. These modifications translate to a 0-62 mph time of 3.8 seconds (0.2 seconds quicker than the Gallardo) and a ratio of 5.5 pounds per horsepower. All Superleggeras will come with e-gear transmissions and new fifteen-spoke wheels that are too dainty for our taste. If the car doesn't have enough carbon for you already, a carbon fiber wing and carbon-ceramic brakes are optional.

The Gallardo Superleggera is meant to be the Lamborghini for purists, and yes, it's the lightest, smallest bull you can buy. But what we'd really like to see is a similar model that ditches a differential and goes to rear-drive, and bolts to it a six-speed stick. Keep the carbon, but give us some tougher looking wheels. That would be our Lamborghini dream.

2005 Lotus Elise

The good news is that it is a better car than the spartan original. It has 60 percent more power but is only 14 percent heavier than the existing European model. It has the airbags, the anti-lock brakes, and the air conditioning that the car has lacked until now. Perhaps not so good is its sticker of $39,000. It's a fair price for the nearest thing to a modern race car you can drive on the road but will discourage those who see it as a sexy little boulevard cruiser.

That's probably just as well because the Lotus Elise, as a closely focused driver's car, makes few compromises on behalf of the well-being of a passenger. You sit on a thinly padded seat in an aluminum tub (the Elise chassis is made from aluminum extrusions bonded together). There is hardly enough room for two, so the driver's seat is adjustable but the passenger's is fixed—and the cockpit space on the right-hand side is just two-thirds of that provided for the driver.

Elise enthusiasts—there are at least 60 owners of race-spec cars in the U.S. as of this writing—will accept that what it lacks in comfort is compensated for by the performance and handling. Lotus claims the federalized Elise will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and run to 141 mph; prototypes ran to nearly 150 mph. Not much this side of an exotic supercar will keep up with it on a racetrack.

The Elise was designed around the 1.8-liter Rover K-series engine found in the mid-engined MGF sports car, a good choice in 1996 but now getting on in years. Rover has never certified that engine for the U.S., and Lotus judged that a federal emissions program would be too expensive to undertake alone. It looked around for suitable alternatives, engines that were already in use in the U.S. Roger Becker, a veteran development engineer who started at Lotus under Colin Chapman, the company's founder, has been leading the U.S.-certification project. He picked up an old relationship with Toyota (which for three years in the 1980s owned 21 percent of Lotus) and secured a deal to use the 1.8-liter VVTL-i (variable valve timing and lift) engine from the Celica GT-S and its accompanying C64 six-speed gearbox.

Although the internals of the engine are standard Toyota (in fact made by Yamaha), Lotus fits different intake and exhaust systems and, significantly, has devised its own engine control electronics. The result is 190 horsepower (10 up on the Celica) at 7800 rpm and 133 pound-feet of torque at 6800 rpm.

We have our reservations about this engine and transmission in the Celica as it is difficult to keep the engine on the high-rpm cams as you accelerate through the gears. The performance is more accessible in the lightweight (2000 pound) Elise, due in part to Lotus's improvements to the electronics and gearshift. And for those accustomed to the Rover-engined Elise, the Toyota-powered car is noticeably quicker even before the cam phase change at 6200 rpm. Besides which, it sounds terrific, whereas the old K-series and its five-speed gearbox had a rough and rattly edge.

Installation of the Toyota engine required a new subframe and modifications to the rear of the aluminum chassis. The suspension—double control arms front and rear—needed only minor changes in spring and damping rates to cope with 154 additional pounds of weight. Becker and his associates were determined to maintain the Elise's pure responses and wonderfully balanced handling while making subtle changes to the dampers and bushings to cope with the worst of America's highways. U.S.-bound Elises will use a unique Yokohama tire.

Although its cousin, the Opel Speedster that Lotus makes in Europe for General Motors, has anti-lock brakes, Lotus has traditionally regarded both ABS and a brake booster as unnecessary frills for the Elise. But its engineers accept that pedal assistance is needed when vehicle weight rises above 1800 pounds, and that ABS is becoming a standard safety feature of most performance cars. Therefore, the challenge was to provide this latest Elise with ABS that would not intervene during intentional hard braking until the limit of front-tire grip. For the same reason, there is no electronic traction control nor is any planned. The steering does not have, or need, power assistance, although Lotus accepts that some customers may expect it.

Externally, there are few changes from the Elise that was launched in 2000. Identifiers include the twin tailpipes and the slightly raised grille on the front hood to clear the new brake booster. Inside, though, the car has had an upgrade with a new and more shapely instrument panel, injection molded rather than vacuum formed, which accommodates the passenger airbag. The radio is now at its center, and most of the ugly screw heads that were peppered around the earlier cockpit have been concealed. The convertible top is from the '00 car: easier to erect than the original but still a fairly primitive affair.

We drove a prototype U.S. Elise on the test track and on country roads around the Lotus factory in Norfolk, England. As we first wrote of a similar exercise with the original Elise, it's a hoot. For pure sports-car thrills, it's in the top five most-entertaining cars available. The same comments apply to the federalized Elise, which, although it is 450 pounds heavier than the original, is faster and better equipped but still has nearly perfect balance. It is the best Elise yet, and for Americans wanting a race car for the road, it's worth the six-year wait. Lotus Cars USA, which has been subsisting on the sale of a handful of Esprits a year, hopes to expand its annual sales to 2500.

2005 LOTUS ELISE

Vehicle type : mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door roadster

Estimated base price : $39,000

Engine type : DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection

Displacement : 110 cu in, 1796ccPower (SAE net): 190 bhp @ 7800 rpm

Torque (SAE net) : 133 lb-ft @ 6800 rpm

Transmission : 6-speed manual

Wheelbase : 90.6 in

Length/width/height : 149.0/67.7/44.0 in

Curb weight : 2000 lb

Manufacturer's performance ratings :

Zero to 60 mph : 4.9 sec

Zero to 100 mph : 12.6 sec

Top speed (drag limited) : 141 mph

History of Ford Mustang : Sixth Generation (1979-1993)

Any car that stays in production through 15 model years has to be counted as a success. But when the all-new 1979 Mustang (no "II" and no "III") was introduced, few would have predicted such a long life for it. Or that it would inspire a passionate following of amazing breadth. Or that it would be used as a cop car.

Tossing aside the wimpy Pinto parts, the 1979 Mustang was built atop the shortened chassis of the Ford Fairmont "Fox" body that had been introduced for '78. While the Fox platform was still a unibody structure, it shared little else with previous Mustangs. The new front suspension was a modified MacPherson strut system that mounted a spring separate from the strut itself, while a new link and coil spring rear suspension held up the back of the car. This basic suspension system would remain in use on Mustangs through at least the 2003 model year.

Available as either a coupe or fastback hatchback, the new Mustang rode on a 100.4-inch wheelbase and was 179.1 inches long. That's a bit more than four inches longer in both dimensions over the Mustang II, but still shorter than the original Mustang's 108-inch wheelbase and 181.6-inch overall length. However, the '79 Mustang was significantly roomier inside than any previous Mustang thanks to a more upright-oriented cockpit and flatter doors that allowed more shoulder and hiproom.

The new Mustang's styling was angular and handsome, but hardly related to previous Mustangs. There was no running horse in the shovel nose grille which was flanked by four square headlights, the sides were devoid of the signature side scallop and the taillights were divided into six segments instead of three. With slightly different blistered fenders, a flatter grille and different taillights, Mercury sold the same car as the Capri. The '79 Mustang was at its best wearing the optional 390mm three-spoke "TRX" wheels and tires, but there was little about it that was intrinsically Mustanglike.

All three engines from the '78 Mustang II carried over to the '79 Mustang. The 2.3-liter SOHC was rated at 88 horsepower, the 2.8-liter Cologne V6 at 109 horsepower and the 4.9-liter (but called a 5.0-liter by Ford) V8 made 140 horsepower. They were joined by a turbocharged version of the four also making 140 horsepower but saddled with epic boost lag and hideously bad reliability. Late in the model year, the old 200-cubic-inch (3.3-liter) OHV straight six reappeared making 94 horsepower. Four-speed manual transmissions were standard behind all engines with a three-speed automatic optional.

The most desirable of all '79 Mustangs would turn out to be the 6,000 Indy pace car replica fastbacks, which featured a unique hood scoop, unique front air dam, unique rear spoiler, black and silver paint with orange graphics and an interior blessed with genuine Recaro front seats. The pace car was available with either turbo four or V8 power and included the TRX wheel and tire package.

With the Ghia trim back on the coupe and a "Cobra" package available on the hatchback (which had a fake hood scoop but no spoilers), the '79 Mustang was a hit. A healthy 369,936 Mustangs were built that model year.

In a very real way the 1980 Mustangs were worse than the '79s. While visually they changed very little (a few aerodynamic tweaks were made, including a subtle lip spoiler on the coupe's trunk lid), under the hood things got ugly. Gone from the line were both the 2.8-liter V6 and the 5.0-liter V8. The only six available was now the wheezy 3.3-liter straight six, while the sole V8 was a new version of Ford's small-block displacing 255 cubic inches (4.2 liters) and gasping out just 119 horsepower. It was the smallest — and the worst — V8 ever offered in a Mustang. By default the turbo four was the most powerful engine in the '80 Mustang inventory. Too bad it was a grenade waiting to detonate.

All the spoilers and scoops used on the '79 pace car were now part of the '80 Cobra package, which also included a tasteless oversize cobra hood decal. In what was the worst year ever for Mustang engine performance, Ford sold 271,322 examples of the breed.

A five-speed manual transmission finally came to the Mustang in 1981 as an option behind the regular and turbocharged fours. Also, making a return appearance on the options list was a T-top roof. Otherwise the '81 was much the same car as the '80, and sales slipped dramatically to 182,552 cars.

Big news came for 1982 in the form of a new "High Output" (HO) version of the 5.0-liter V8 making a healthy (for the time) 157 horsepower with two-barrel carburetion in a revived Mustang GT hatchback. Backed by a four-speed manual transmission and wearing many of the '79 pace car's body pieces, the '82 Mustang GT wasn't quite a return to the glory days of high-performance, but it was a step in the right direction.

The rest of the Mustang lineup was set up in three progressively more luxurious series: L, GL and GLX. The turbo four was gone (temporarily), but the base four, iron lump straight six and inexcusable 4.2-liter V8 all carried forward through '82. The most unusual model Mustang, however, wasn't sold to the public at all, but a "Special Service Package" notchback coupe equipped with the Mustang GT's 157-horsepower V8 and four-speed transmission that was used by the California Highway Patrol as a pursuit vehicle. The CHP bought 400 of the SSP Mustangs in '82 and they, along with numerous other state and local law enforcement agencies, would continue buying them right through 1993 when Ford ended production.

A new grille with Ford's Blue Oval logo at its center came along with the 1983 Mustang. But the grille was the least of the changes that year, as the Mustang convertible returned in the form of a conversion performed by ASC, Inc. on coupe bodies. The convertible was offered in GLX and GT trim and featured a real glass rear window, power operation and rear-quarter windows that rolled down. The convertible was instantly popular.

The drivetrain lineup was also revised for '83 with the straight six and 4.2-liter V8 being eliminated and quickly forgotten. A revised version of the turbocharged 2.3-liter SOHC four returned to the lineup, this time with electronic fuel injection that did a wonderful job of tempering turbo lag and increasing engine longevity. But its 142-horsepower output didn't seem all that impressive, especially since the 5.0-liter HO V8 now sported a four-barrel carburetor and was rated at 175 horsepower. And the V8 was now available with the excellent Borg-Warner T5 five-speed manual transmission.

The normally aspirated 2.3-liter SOHC four was still around for buyers too timid for anything else, but the six-cylinder option was the new "Essex" 3.8-liter V6 making 112 horsepower.

Despite all the improvements, the '83 Mustang was hardly a barn burner in the sales race. A total of 120,873 Mustangs were sold that model year, including 23,438 convertibles.

Much of the 1984 Mustang line was carried over from '83, but there were a few changes and an unexpected new model in the line. Although there was supposed to be a more powerful (205 hp) 5.0 V8 this year, development problems killed it. A fuel-injected version of the HO V8 with 165 hp was offered with the automatic transmission (now with a fourth overdrive gear). The turbo four was back for one last year, now rated at 145 horsepower in the Mustang GT.

There were also revisions to suspension tuning, and at midyear Ford offered a "GT-350" 20th anniversary package for convertibles and hatchbacks. But the big surprise came in the form of the technologically sophisticated SVO Mustang.

With its own unique appearance (single square headlamps in a grille-free front end, plus a unique dual-plane rear spoiler), the SVO was powered by an intercooled version of the turbocharged 2.3-liter four rated at an impressive 175 horsepower. Wearing big 16-inch wheels on five-lug hubs, with four-wheel disc brakes aboard for better stopping, the lavishly equipped SVO was quick, agile and expensive with a base price of $15,596. However, no matter how interesting it was on a technical level, it wasn't as quick as the V8-powered Mustang GT and never sold in large numbers.

Another new grille design came along for the 1985 model year featuring a single large slit between the two pairs of headlights. The GT was treated to a new set of 15-inch cast-aluminum wheels shod with P225/60VR15 Goodyear Eagle "Gatorback" tires, and thanks to a serpentine single belt accessory drive system and revised roller cam, the 5.0 HO engine was now making a full 210 horsepower in four-barrel carbureted form. The fuel-injected HO hooked to the four-speed automatic now made 180 horsepower. The SVO continued forward, but the turbocharged four was gone from the Mustang GT options list.

Fuel injection became the only induction system on the 1986 5.0 HO, and output was 200 horsepower with both the five-speed manual and four-speed automatic in Mustang GTs. Real dual exhaust debuted this year, meaning there were now two catalytic converters so each engine bank had its own exhaust right to the tail pipes. The SVO Mustang's turbo four was recalibrated and its output was also 200 horsepower.

With Mercury's Capri out of production after the 1986 model year, Ford simplified Mustang production in 1987 by eliminating the V6 engine option, killing the high-priced SVO, and paring down the trim levels to just LX and GT — the coupe in LX only with the hatchback and convertible available in both trims. The front end and taillights were redesigned once again with the GT getting its own grilleless face, flush single headlamps, specific taillights, rear spoiler, urethane side skirts and turbine wheels. But many found the low-key skirtless LX to be the real performance value, as it was offered with all the GT's performance options, but without the look-at-me exterior pieces. Both the LX and GT also got a new interior including an improved dashboard that grouped the instrumentation in a pod in front of the driver.

Carburetors were finally a thing of the past for Mustangs as even the 2.3-liter, SOHC four-cylinder engine now sported fuel injection and made 90 horsepower. The 5.0-liter HO was also revised and now made a robust 225 horsepower regardless of transmission. At this point in its development, the "5.0 Mustang" had reached its full flower and would remain mechanically unchanged through 1993. In fact, the 1988 and 1989 Mustangs were virtually unchanged from 1987.

There was a good chance the Mustang would be killed before the 1990 model year, as Ford contemplated re-engineering the car to accept a driver-side airbag. But Ford decided to spend the money and installed the airbag for 1990, eliminating the tilt steering column in the process.

A new five-spoke, 16-inch wheel was offered on both LX and GT 5.0-liter Mustangs for 1991. The car carried over into 1992 with only a few not-very-special "limited edition" models to goose sales by offering special wheels and paint.

While the basic Mustang LX and Mustang GT were unchanged for 1993 (the 5.0-liter engine's output was revised to 205 horsepower — probably for marketing reasons with the redesigned Mustang coming for '94), a new special-edition Mustang did appear in the form of the SVT Cobra. A parts bin mix of 1983 Mustang taillights, the front air dam from the GT, a new grille with the running horse emblem on it and 17-inch wheels scavenged from a delayed Thunderbird project, the SVT Cobra was nonetheless surprisingly attractive. The 5.0-liter in the Cobra was modified slightly to make 235 horsepower while the improved suspension, bigger wheels and tires and four-wheel disc brakes all expanded the other parameters of performance. Only 4,993 of the Cobras were built during the 1993 model year. Another 107 track-ready versions of the Cobra, known as the "Cobra R," were also built without such luxuries as a radio or backseat.

Even after 15 years in production, Ford still sold 114,228 Fox-based Mustangs during the '93 model year. Obviously the Fox-bodied Mustang was totally exhausted. Or was it?

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Carl Hamilton is a British Formula One racing driver from England. He will drive for the McLaren team in the 2007 Formula One season.

As early as 1994, Lewis had introduced himself to McLaren team boss Ron Dennis, at that Year's Autosport Awards, asking if he could drive for the team in the future.

In 1998 he was signed to the McLaren Driver Development Support programme. The contract included a future option on an F1 seat making Lewis, 13 at the time, the youngest driver ever to have an F1 contract.

His 2006 GP2 championship coincided with a vacancy at McLaren following the departure of Juan Pablo Montoya to NASCAR and Kimi Räikkönen to Ferrari.

After a long period of speculation of whether he, Pedro de la Rosa, Gary Paffett, or even Mika Häkkinen would drive for McLaren alongside World Champion Fernando Alonso for the 2007 Formula One season, Lewis was confirmed as the team's second driver. He was told of McLaren’s decision on September 30th, but the news was not made public until November 24th, for fear that it would be overshadowed by Michael Schumacher’s retirement announcement.

Lewis will be the first black driver with prominent African or Caribbean ancestry to compete in Formula One, since Willy T. Ribbs tested a Formula One car over 20 years ago.

Nationality : British
Date of Birth : 07/01/85
Place of Birth : Stevenage , UK
Height : 1.74m
Weight : 68kg
Resident : UK
Favourite Music : R & B, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and funky house
Hobbies : Playing the guitar, music, training

Formula 1 Statistics(after 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix)
Grand Prix Debut : 2007 Australian GP
Grand Prix Starts : 17
Grand Prix Points : 109
Grand Prix Wins : 4
Pole Positions : 6
Fastest Laps : 2
Number of Finishes : 16
Number of Podiums : 12
Number of finishes in Points : 15
Number of Doubles(pole position & win) : 4
Number of Trebles(pole position, win & fastest lap) : 1

FORMULA 1
2007 : Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: Driver

2007 AWARDS
SQUARE MILE SPORT AWARDS 2007 : Sports Person of the Year
ITALIAN CONFARTIGIANATO MOTORI : Racing Driver of the Year
PRIDE OF BRITAIN : Most Inspiring Public Figure Award
GQ UK : Sportsman of the Year
GQ GERMANY : Man of the Year
BILD AM SONNTAG : Golden Steering Wheel Award for Outstanding Achievement
AUTOCAR AWARD : Motorsport Award
WALPOLE AWARDS FOR BRITISH EXCELLENCE 2007 : British Sporting Excellence
F1 RACING MAGAZINE’S MAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS : Driver of the Year, Man of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Qualifier of the Year, Personality of the Year

AUTOSPORT AWARDS : Best British Competition Driver, Best International Racing Driver, Rookie of the Year
BRDC ANNUAL AWARDS2007 : Gold Star Winner
BBC EAST SPORTS AWARDS : Sports Personality of the Year

COMPETITION HISTORY
2006
GP2 Series: Champion with ART Grand Prix; five wins; six fastest laps; first double win at the Nürburgring; pole position and winner of Monaco GP2 race; second double win at Silverstone in home race; seven 2 nd place and two 3 rd place podiums
2005
F3 Euroseries: Champion with ASM F3 Dallara-Mercedes; 15 wins; 10 fastest laps; 13 pole positions; secured championship with four races remaining; winner of F3 Masters at Zandvoort including pole position and lap record; winner of the Monaco F3 Grand Prix including two pole positions and two race wins and one fastest lap; winner of Pau F3 Grand Prix in France; two pole positions, two race wins and two fastest laps
2004
F3 Euroseries: fifth; one win and third place at the Norisring and the Nürburgring; winner of Bahrain F3 Superprix
2003
British Formula Renault: Champion; 10 wins; nine fastest laps and 11 pole positions; Champion before final two rounds
2002
British Formula Renault: third; three wins; three fastest laps; three pole positions; Formula Renault EuroCup Championship fifth; one win three podiums; competed in four out of nine rounds
2001
British Formula Renault Winter Series; fifth overall.
2000
Formula A: European Champion; winner of all four rounds; World Cup Champion; awarded Karting World Number 1; winner of Masters at Bercy; Founder member of BRDC ‘Rising Star' membership
1999
Intercontinental A (ICA): Italian "Industrials" Champion, Junior ICA (JICA): Vice European Champion; winner Trophy de Pomposa, 4th Italian Open Championship
1998
Junior ICA (JICA): second in McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; fourth in Italian Open Championship; signed by McLaren and Mercedes-Benz to Young Driver Support Programme
1997
Junior Yamaha: Super One British Champion; winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series
1996
Cadet Class: winner of McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future series; Sky TV Kart Masters Champion; Five Nations Champion
1995
Cadet Class: Super One British Champion; STP Champion

History of Ford Mustang : Fifth Generation (1974-1978)

Everyone hates the Mustang II. It was too small, underpowered, handled poorly, terribly put together, ill-proportioned, chintzy in its details and altogether subpar. It also sold ridiculously well.

By the early '70s it was obvious to Ford that the pony car market the Mustang had established was changing. Emissions regulations made the high-compression, high-horsepower V8s unsustainable, and baby boomers were increasingly turning to smaller imported cars. Making the Mustang a smaller, more fuel-efficient car seemed like a good idea.

Tossing aside the Falcon components that had underpinned the Mustang from Day One, Ford plopped the 1974 Mustang II (Ford put the "II" there to indicate the extent of the car's change from the oversize '73) atop the basic structure and suspension of its subcompact Pinto. The Pinto was smaller than the Falcon, but otherwise similar. It was still a unibody design, the front suspension was still a double wishbone design and the rear suspension still bolted its solid rear axle to a pair of leaf springs. If there were any steps forward in technology with the Pinto chassis, it was that it had a rack-and-pinion steering gear rather than the Falcon's recirculating ball, and front disc brakes were standard.

The Mustang II rode on a miniscule 96.2-inch wheelbase and stretched out just 175 inches long total. That's 12.8 inches less in wheelbase and 12.5 inches less in overall length than the '73 Mustang. That's also 11.8 inches less in wheelbase and 6.6 inches less in overall length than the original Mustang. And it weighed in about 400 pounds lighter than the '73 version as well.

Despite the smaller size, the Mustang II actually revived traditional Mustang styling cues like the scalloped sides while retaining others like the three-piece taillights and the running horse in the grille. Available as either a notchback coupe or a fastback hatchback, the Mustang II's pricing ranged from $3,134 for a base coupe to $3,674 for a Mach 1 hatchback.

Lighter weight with the same power means more speed. But the Mustang II's reduced mass came along with less power. In fact, the '74 Mustang II was the first Mustang ever to be offered with a four-cylinder engine and without a V8.

The base engine was a single-overhead cam four displacing 2.3 liters (that's 140 cubic inches, and from here on out Ford expressed all Mustang engine sizes metrically) and rated at a truly pathetic 88 horsepower. The only optional engine was the German-built "Cologne" 2.8-liter OHV V6 making an underwhelming 105 horsepower. In stock form, the first Mustang II was underpowered, period. Two transmissions were available, a standard four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic.

In addition to a base notchback and base fastback, a "Ghia" notchback and Mach 1 fastback were offered during '74. Ordering the Mach 1 mandated inclusion of the V6 in the package. The Ghia included a vinyl top and fancy interior trim.

Coming to the market while memories of the OPEC fuel embargo of 1973 were still fresh in buyers' minds, the more economical Mustang II sold a stunning 385,993 units during its inaugural year. As much as the Mustang II is despised today, Ford appreciated its success back then.

A V8 returned to the Mustang lineup for 1975. The 5.0-liter (302 in Amerispeak) V8 had only a two-barrel carburetor through which to breathe, and had to exhale through a catalytic converter; both conspired to limit output to an anemic 122 horsepower. Further, the automatic transmission was the only transmission available behind the V8. The addition of the catalytic converter also tempered the output of the standard four to just 83 horsepower and of the V6 to just 97 horsepower.

The model lineup for '75 was supplemented with a new "MPG" coupe aimed at budget shoppers, but the market's initial enthusiasm for the Mustang II was already waning and production dropped to 188,586 — that's just 49 percent of the number made during '74.

Returning essentially unchanged for 1976, the Mustang II was stagnant during the year. All the variations from '75 returned with a new "Stallion" appearance package available on the fastback. But the most notorious addition was the Cobra II package that added a big rear spoiler, a fake hood scoop and blue stripes across white paint to a V8-powered fastback. The Cobra II wasn't any faster than other similarly powered Mustang IIs, but it sure looked radical and Farrah Fawcett-Majors' character, Jill Munroe, drove one on the huge TV hit series Charlie's Angels. Also in '76, the now 134-horsepower V8 was available with a four-speed manual transmission, output of the standard four swelled to a heady 92 horsepower and the V6's rating went to 102 horsepower.

Maybe it was bicentennial-induced hysteria, but Mustang II sales came in at a surprisingly stable 187,567 units — a mere 1,019 less than in '75.

Except for some minor trim changes and the expansion of colors available on the Cobra II, the 1977 Mustang II was visually identical to the '76. New to the options list were T-top removable glass roof panels and simulated wire wheel covers. Power from the four and V6 dropped again to 89 and 93 horsepower, respectively. Production dropped about 18 percent to 153,117 cars.

For 1978 the Mustang II got some revised trim and the radical-looking (but mildly performing) "King Cobra" version debuted. The King Cobra wasn't much more than a Cobra II with revised graphics and the hood scoop turned around backward, but it was visually about as nutty a Mustang as has ever been built. Mysteriously, production climbed to 192,410 units.

Thankfully, it was time for Ford to put the Mustang II out of its (and our) misery.

Mustang Giugiaro

Ford today unveiled the Mustang Giugiaro concept — a one-off design study by Fabrizio Giugiaro, styling director of Italdesign. Ford officials aren't saying anything, but there's speculation in the automotive that Giugiaro concept might preview some aspects of the next-generation 'Stang.

Visually, the Mustang by Giugiaro appears more compact than the production car, thanks to a reduction of the rear overhang and a signature Giugiaro “trick” of tapering the angles on the car to the limit of its mechanical outlines. The vibrant orange concept is wider than the production version. The Giugiaros added 30 millimeters to the front, gradually expanding the width by a full 80 millimeters toward the rear.

The 500 horsepower car features a single curved glass panel that bridges the windshield and rear window, serving as the concept’s roof. Produced by Solutia of Detroit, the panel is made from a special type of crystal that filters out 100 percent of UVA rays while providing unfettered vista views. The car's doors open vertically, with hinges at the base of the upright A-pillar. Gallery after the jump…

Audi TT 2008

All-new coupe and roadster are bigger, better sports cars.

Audi has redesigned the TT for the 2008 model year. Audi's goal in the redesign was to make a bigger sports car with better handling characteristics. We think they succeeded. The new car is wider and longer than last year's model for more comfort yet it feels light and tossable.

The 2008 Audi TT will appeal to true sports car enthusiasts and weekend cruisers alike. Handling is crisp and steering is direct. With the standard 17-inch tires, the ride is quite compliant for a sports car, but it can be busy and bumpy with the available 18s and 19s. The interior is top-notch Audi. Tight panel gaps and soft-touch materials abound. The new, bigger TT is more accommodating to larger drivers than most of the other sports cars in this class. Both engine choices offer brisk performance, and the 2.0T is easy on gas.

The new Audi TT comes in a range of body styles, with engine and transmission options, and available all-wheel drive. You can choose anything from an affordable, high-mileage hatchback with plenty of cargo capacity to a more-powerful, high-end two-seat roadster with unique interior appointments. Watch your options, though, because pricing can run high. No matter what TT you choose, you'll be sure to have fun behind the wheel.

The TT is once again offered as a two-seat roadster or 2+2 coupe. Each is available with front-wheel drive or quattro all-wheel drive. Both body styles are 5.4 inches longer and 3.1 inches wider than the previous TT, which was last offered in 2006. The wheelbase has grown as well, up 1.8 inches to 97.2, but the weight is down more than 150 pounds, thanks to the extensive use of aluminum. V6 and turbocharged four-cylinder engines return, but the four-cylinder is a 2.0-liter instead of a 1.8.

Both the coupe and roadster are offered as front-wheel-drive 2.0T and all-wheel-drive 3.2 quattro models. The 2.0T models have a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 200 horsepower between 5100 and 6000 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque from 1800 rpm to 5000 rpm. The 3.2 quattros use a 3.2-liter V6 that produces 250 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 236 pound-feet of torque from 2500 to 3000 rpm.

The 2.0T has EPA fuel economy ratings of 22 mpg city and 29 highway for the roadster and 23/31 for the coupe. EPA ratings for the 3.2 quattros are 17/24 for roadsters and 18/24 for coupes. Audi recommends premium fuel for both engines.

History of Ford Mustang : Fourth Generation (1971-1973)

Flat-featured and flabby, the 1971 Mustang was hardly beloved upon its introduction and has never really gained a place in enthusiasts' hearts. The wheelbase stretched to 109 inches and the car grew all the way to 187.5 inches long overall, and that was enough to kill the light, airy look and feel that had made the Mustang so engaging.

Still running on the Falcon-derived chassis, the '71 Mustang had engines ranging from the 250-cubic-inch six rated at 145 horsepower, through a plebeian 302 making 210 horsepower, two 351s at 240 and 285 horsepower and new Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet 429s pounding out 370 and 375 horsepower, respectively. Gone from the scene were both the Boss 302 and Boss 429 and in their place was a new Boss 351 with a (you guessed it) 351 V8 aboard that whacked out 330 horsepower.

Whether it was due to this new car's so-so appearance or the age of the Mustang concept is not known, but only 149,678 '71 Mustangs were produced. That's 41,049 less units than '70 and less than a quarter of the number sold during the 1966 model year.

While the 1972 Mustang was mostly carryover from '71, a change to net horsepower ratings and lower compression ratios (to reduce emissions) knocked the ratings of the 250-cube six to 98 horsepower, the lackluster 302 to 140 horsepower, and the three 351s offered to 163, 248 and 266 horsepower. Gone were both 429s, as well as the Boss 351. Sales slumped to just 111,015.

Power ratings dropped even further during the 1973 model year as emissions regulations began strangling output. The six now made a totally inadequate 88 horsepower, the 302 just 135 ponies, and the two remaining 351s (a two-barrel of Windsor design and a two-barrel Cleveland) just over 150 horsepower each.

Even though 1973 sales picked up to 134,867 cars, it was obviously time for Ford to rethink the Mustang.

Maserati's new GranTurismo Coupe

These are the first images of Maserati’s new GT Coupe, revealed ahead of the car’s official debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The stunning lines were penned by Italian design studio Pininfarina, clearly taking inspiration from Maserati’s larger Quattroporte sedan. A near-perfect 49/51 weight distribution combined with an upgraded 405hp 4.2L V8 motor is sure to provide scintillating performance.

Just like the Quattroporte saloon, the new coupe gets a modern take on the Buickesque three-hole side vents with a sharper more angular appearance. Muscular flared wheel arches house huge multispoke alloys featuring Masearti’s trademark trident logo. The new interior, which was also designed by Pininfarina, features a leather lined dash and center console that runs the entire length of the cabin, while the conventional handbrake is replaced with a foot operated pedal next to the brake. Gears are changed by a fully-automatic transmission with pseudo-manual mode that uses paddle-shifters located behind the steering wheel.

The new coupe won’t be called the GT but instead picks up the extended title, GranTurismo, refering to Maserati’s first street car of 1947. The first cars are expected to hit showrooms by the middle of this year, but already there are rumors of even more models. A new flagship GranSport model is said to be in the works, powered by an all-new 450hp 4.7L V8 that will be shared with Alfa Romeo’s 8C Competizione. This will be followed with the release of a new Spyder convertible as well as a possible Coupe-Convertible sporting a folding metal roof next year.

History of Ford Mustang : Third Generation (1969-1970)

The Mustang got larger once again for 1969 even though the wheelbase remained 108 inches. The new body for 1969 featured four headlights, a sharp nose with a simpler grille that dispensed with the famed running horse centerpiece and a revision of the fake side scoops on the coupe and convertible. The fastback had large nonfunctional scoops dug high into its rear fenders. Unlike the '67, the '69 design clearly broke from established Mustang styling themes.

But under the sheet metal the Mustang still carried that Falcon-sourced front suspension and the solid rear axle was still perched on leaf springs.

The range of powertrain options grew once again for '69 and those led to the development of exciting new models. Base power still came from the 200-cubic-inch straight six, the 250 six was back again as an option. But the 289 V8s were gone for good with a two-barrel, 220-horsepower 302 now serving as the least intimidating V8 available. Beyond the 302 was a new 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) V8 which made 250 horsepower when gasping in air through a two-barrel carb and 290 horsepower with a higher-compression ratio and four-barrel carburetion. The 390 was back making 320 horsepower and two 428s were offered, with the "Cobra Jet" version making 335 horsepower and the "Super Cobra Jet" pounding out 360.For those who wanted a luxurious Mustang, Ford offered the '69 coupe as a "Grande" model.

For those who wanted a performance image, the company came up with a "Mach 1" version of the 2+2 fastback available only with the 351, 390 or 428 engines.

The two most intriguing '69 Mustangs came in the middle of the model run. Both were named "Boss" and both were built for racing.

The Boss 302 Mustang arose because Ford needed a car to go up against the successful Camaro Z28 in the SCCA Trans Am road racing series. So Ford came up with the Boss 302, which benefited from an optimized suspension, a neat Larry Shinoda-designed body package (which included a flat-black hood, rear window louvers and a rear deck spoiler) and a high-compression, deep-breathing 302 V8 making a wicked 290 horsepower. Ford would sell 1,628 of these near-racers and they'd prove effective weapons on the racetrack as well.

The Boss 429 was built only to homologate Ford's spectacular 429-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) hemi-headed V8 for NASCAR stock car competition. The 429 was ludicrously underrated at 375 horsepower (500 horsepower was more like it), and there's no explanation as to why the company insisted on shoehorning the big engine into the Mustang (the front suspension had to be virtually redesigned) instead of putting it in the roomier bay of the Torino, which was the car Ford actually ran in NASCAR. Only 859 Boss 429 fastbacks were built during the '69 model year and they all had large functional scoops on their hoods.

Those Boss 429s were but a drop in the 1969 Mustang sales bucket. In all, Ford sold 299,824 Mustangs that year, including 72,458 Mach 1s and 14,746 convertibles.

Ford went back to just two headlights for the 1970 Mustang, replacing the outboard lights with attractive scoops that fed nothing at all. Other changes included the elimination of the phony side scoops from all models. Also, the 351 V8s now came from Ford's Cleveland plant and were of a slightly different design from the previous 351s that had been built at the Windsor, Ontario, facility.

During the '70 model year, sales dropped to 190,727 Mustangs including 6,318 Boss 302s, 499 Boss 429s and just 7,673 convertibles.

Ferrari F430 2007

The F430 signals the arrival of a brand new generation of V8-engined Ferrari berlinettas. Every inch of the car was inspired by the engineering research carried out at Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva F1 racing division. The result is a highly innovative design, characterized by cutting-edge technologies perfected for use on a road-going car. Two of these innovations are world firsts for production cars: the electronic differential (E-Diff) initially developed by Ferrari for its F1 single-seaters and designed to make the most of the engine’s torque to optimize traction, and the handily placed steering wheel-mounted rotary switch (better known to the Formula 1 drivers as the manettino) which directly controls the integrated systems governing vehicle dynamics. The F430’s light, compact 4308 cc engine is completely new and gives the car its name. It punches out 490 bhp and delivers a specific power output of 114 bhp/liter and 343 lb-ft of torque. Needless to say, performance is outstanding: acceleration from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4 seconds flat and a maximum speed in excess of 196 mph (315 km/h).

Style

The F430’s nose is characterized by two distinctive air intakes that channel air into generously dimensioned radiators to cool the powerful engine. The two intakes are linked at their lower edge by a spoiler that directs the air towards the car’s flat underbody. The F430’s vertically stacked headlights are extremely compact thanks to the use of Bi-xenon technology. Large air vents just ahead of the front wheels channel the air out of the radiators and along the car’s flanks. Generous scoops at the top of the rear wheelarches channel air into the engine. The side view is completed by the new 19" wheels with the 5 twin-spoke layout that combine classic Ferrari design flair with exceptional levels of structural rigidity combined with light weight.

The Enzo Ferrari was the inspiration for much of the rear styling of the new F430. The type and arrangement of the lights are the same with the latter protruding quite prominently from the bodywork. Another similarity is the shape of the air vent for the engine with the chrome Prancing Horse at its centre.

Engine

The F430 is powered by a new 90° V8 featuring Ferrari’s traditionally uncompromising design approach with a flat-plane crank (180° between throws). This is an all-new unit that does not share any components with the 360 Modena’s engine. Despite a 20% increase in engine displacement (from 3586 cc to 4308 cc), engine weight has grown minimally by just 4 kg, while performance is considerably improved across the board. Torque increases by 25% (343 lb-ft at 5250 rpm, 80% of which is already available at 3500 rpm) and power by 23% (490 bhp at 8500 rpm). The engine is extremely compact with a cylinder spacing of just 104 mm. Similarly, Ferrari’s engineers integrated the sump and main bearings in a single casting which, along with a smaller diameter twin-plate clutch and flywheel, has reduced the engine height between the bottom of the oil sump and the crankshaft to just 130 mm (from 145 mm on the 360 Modena power unit).

E-Diff Electronic Differential

One of the technical features that sets the F430 apart is the E-Diff or electronic differential. This solution has been used for years in F1 single-seaters and has been continuously developed and refined, effectively transferring massive torque levels to the track under extremely high cornering g-forces. The E-Diff is now standard equipment on the F430 - the first time that a production car has been equipped with such a sophisticated system for high-performance roadholding. On the track, the E-Diff guarantees maximum grip out of bends, eliminating wheel spin. On the road it is a formidable technological refinement that improves roadholding. This system is available both on the F1-paddle shift version as well as on the manual gearbox model and consists of three main subsystems:

• a high-pressure hydraulic system, shared with the F1 gearbox (if present);


• a control system consisting of valve, sensors and electronic control unit;


• a mechanical unit housed in the left side of the gearbox.
  

Transmission and F1 Gearbox

The F430 features a new cast-aluminum transmission casing that houses the gearbox in unit with the electronic differential and bevel type final drive, as well as the engine oil tank. The 6-speed gearbox incorporates multicone synchronizers, while both the 6th gear and the final drive have been lengthened to make the most of the greater power and torque of the new engine. The F430 is available with either the classic Ferrari open-gate manual gearbox or with the F1 paddle shift that Ferrari has continuously developed and refined over recent years for its road-going berlinettas. Thanks to that ongoing development, Ferrari’s F1 gearbox for the F430 is state of the art, introducing a number of important modifications: thanks to inputs from the engineers on the Gestione Sportiva racing side, the F1 gearbox management incorporates a new control strategy which further perfects gearchange speed and smoothness under hard use. Changing gear takes just 150 milliseconds, as measured by the ‘hole’ in acceleration during the change (intended as the overall time from declutching, changing gear to releasing the clutch).

Interior

The F430’s interior has been re-designed for improved driver ergonomics. The instruments are housed in a new binnacle, and this design together with the layout of the dashboard underlines the care that has gone into grouping all the major controls in front of the driver within easy reach. In the driver’s direct line of sight are the rev counter, which features new graphics with a choice of either a red or yellow background and a new metal surround, the digital readout of the gear ratio selected (F1 version) and a multi-function display. The same uncompromising approach to driver control was the inspiration behind mounting the starter button and manettino on the steering wheel. The wheel itself is new with the upper rim flattened to improve visibility in the straight ahead position, and the horn pushes are integrated into the inner rim where they can be easily actioned. The interior reflects the advanced technology and materials employed in the car’s construction, and can be personalized with carbon-fiber or aluminum inserts. The cockpit is noticeably bigger and the already excellent passenger comfort is subsequently increased thanks to a slimmer central tunnel which houses the gear lever turret on the manual version and the F1 console on the paddle-shift version. There is plenty of space behind the rear seats, with a new electrically operated compartment for oddments storage and catch netting to the rear fire wall. The seats have been redesigned for greater lateral containment and the standard electric seats can be substituted by more sporting items with four-point harnesses to order (depending on markets).

Specifications
Engine
Type : V8
Displacement cu in (cc) : 263 (4308)
Power bhp (kW) at RPM : 490(360) / 8500
Torque lb-ft (Nm) at RPM : 343(465) / 5250
Redline at RPM : n.a.

Brakes & Tires
Brakes F/R : ABS, vented disc/vented disc
Tires F-R : 225/35 ZR19 - 285/35 ZR19
Driveline : Rear Wheel Drive

Exterior Dimensions & Weight
Length × Width × Height in : 176.6 × 75.7 × 47.8
Weight lb (kg) : 3196 (1450)

Performance
Acceleration 0-62 mph s : 4.0
Top Speed mph (km/h) : >196 (>315)
Fuel Economy EPA city/highway mpg (l/100 km) : 11/16 (n.a.)

History of Ford Mustang :Second Generation (1967-1968)

By 1967, the Mustang had something it hadn't had before: competition. Chevrolet was now making the Camaro, Pontiac the Firebird, and Plymouth had redesigned the Barracuda into a more serious machine. Even within Ford, Mercury was now selling the Cougar.

Ford's response to that competition was a new, slightly larger Mustang with an all-new body over what was pretty much the same chassis. The wheelbase was still 108 inches, but total length was up two inches to 183.6 inches and every styling feature was just a little bit exaggerated — the grille opening was bigger, the side scallops deeper, the taillights were now larger and concave instead of modest and convex, the 2+2 fastback's roof now extended all the way back to the trunk lid's trailing edge and the convertible's rear window was now a two-piece item made of real glass instead of instantly hazing plastic. A hood with dual recesses was optional.

The standard power plant was now the 200-cubic-inch six making 120 horsepower with a 250-cubic-inch (4.1-liter) 155-horsepower six and the 200-, 225- and 271-horsepower K-code 289 V8s optional. New on the menu was a 390-cubic-inch (6.4-liter) "big-block" V8 breathing through a Holley four-barrel carburetor making 315 horsepower. Accommodating that wider engine meant that the front suspension's track needed to be widened by 2.5 inches for clearance.

With its wider track, the '67 Mustang was a more stable car than the '66. The seats were more comfortable, and the instrumentation was easier to read. It was, generally speaking, a better car in every way that counted. Ford sold 356,271 coupes, 71,042 2+2s and 44,808 convertibles during '67 despite the new competition. Of those, only 472 cars were equipped with the 271-horsepower 289, while around 28,800 had the 390 under their hoods.

Federally mandated side marker lights and a revised grille distinguished the 1968 Mustang from the '67 on the outside, while a slew of new engines set it apart mechanically. A low-performance 195-horsepower 289 V8 was still an option, but the other 289s were gone in favor of two new 302-cubic-inch (4.9-liter) versions of the small block V8. The two-barrel 302 made 220 horsepower, while the four-barrel-equipped version put out 230 horsepower.

More glamorous than the revised small V8s were new 427- and 428-cubic-inch (both convert to about 7.0 liters) versions of the big-block V8. The more radical 427, which had a slightly higher-compression ratio and wilder cam, was rated at 390 horsepower, while the more civilized 428 knocked out 335 horsepower. Both the 427 and 428 were very rare options. Those big engines hinted at what was in store for the Mustang over the next few years.

History of Ford Mustang

For a car enthusiast, knowing the history of the Ford Mustang is as basic as knowing the laws of thermodynamics are to a physicist, knowing Hebrew is to a rabbi or knowing when the bacon is done to a cook at Denny's. The Mustang is a pillar of American automotive lore, and the car that brought sporting dash and styling at a price almost anyone could afford.

The Mustang has never been an exotic car. Even the rarest, most powerful Mustangs ever built (such as the '69 Boss 429) were assembled with haphazard care by a UAW workforce facing a quick-moving, continuous production line with parts that were shared in common with six-cylinder Falcons, four-door Fairlanes and stripped Galaxies. Handcrafting and taking the time to do something extra special has never been part of Mustang production.

But that hasn't kept the Mustang from capturing the hearts of drivers for nearly 40 years. As ordinary a car as the Mustang has always been, it has always been extraordinarily attractive.

First Generation (1964 1/2-1966)

Ford's Mustang was conceived in full knowledge that in the mid-'60s the biggest population bubble in history was coming of age in America. Baby boomers would rule the '60s and there was little reason to think they wanted cars that were anything like their parents' cars. The production Mustang was shown to the public for the first time inside the Ford Pavilion at the New York World's Fair on April 17, 1964 — two months and nine days after the Beatles first came to New York to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. It went on sale at Ford dealers that same day.

The 1964 1/2 production Mustang followed two Mustang concept cars. The Mustang I shown in 1962 was a midengine two-seater powered by a V4. The Mustang II show car first displayed at the United States Grand Prix in Watkins Glen, N.Y., during October 1963, was a front-engine, four-seater foreshadowing the production machine that went on sale six months later. Compared to those two, the production machine was dowdy. Compared to every other American car then in production, except the Corvette, the Mustang was gorgeously sleek.

To make the Mustang affordable it needed to share much of its engineering with an existing Ford product. That product was the smallest Ford of the time, the compact Falcon. In fact, the first Mustangs were built in the same Dearborn, Mich., plant as the Falcon.

Initially offered as either a notchback coupe or convertible, the Mustang's unibody structure was laid over a 108-inch wheelbase and stretched out 181.6 inches from bumper to bumper. While it shared its front double-wishbone/coil spring and leaf spring rear suspension as well as its overall length with the Falcon, the proportions of the Mustang were different. Its cockpit was pushed further back on the chassis, resulting in a longer hood and shorter rear deck design, and both its roof and cowl were lower. It's with those proportions — detailed with such iconic touches as the running horse in the grille, the side scallops along the flanks and the taillights divided into three sections — the Mustang became a car people were instantly passionate about.

Engine choices started with the utterly lame 170-cubic-inch (2.8-liter) OHV straight six that made just 101 horsepower; then proceeded through a 200-cubic-inch (3.3-liter) OHV straight six rated at a flaccid 116 horsepower; a 260-cubic-inch (4.3-liter) OHV V8 breathing through a two-barrel carburetor and making 164 horsepower; a 210-horsepower two-barrel-equipped 289-cubic-inch (4.7-liter) V8; a four-barrel 289 making 220 horsepower; and, at the top, the famous "K-code" high-compression, solid-lifter, four-barrel 289 pumping out a lusty 271 horsepower. K-code-equipped cars got a special badge on their front fenders indicating that not only did the engine displace 289 cubic inches, but that it was also the "High Performance" version.

A three-speed manual transmission was standard with every engine except the 271-horse 289, which was available only with the four-speed manual that was optional on other models. The Cruise-O-Matic three-speed automatic transmission was also offered.

Nothing could stop the 1964 1/2 Mustang (especially not its four-wheel drum brakes) and with Ford furiously adding production capacity for the "pony car" at plants around the country, the company sold an amazing 126,538 of them during that abbreviated 1964 model year — 97,705 coupes and 28,833 convertibles. The V8s outsold Mustangs equipped with the six by nearly three to one.

The three most significant additions to the Mustang for 1965 were the neat 2+2 fastback body, the optional GT equipment and trim package and optional power front disc brakes. Gone forever was the 260 V8 that few buyers were choosing anyhow.

Even Ford was shocked at America's appetite for the Mustang during '65. It sold an astounding 409,260 coupes, 77,079 2+2 fastbacks and 73,112 convertibles that year. That's a total of 559,451 Mustangs for the '65 model year.

With that many Mustangs in the nation's automotive bloodstream, it was natural that many of them would be raced. But in order to go road racing head to head against Chevrolet's Corvette, Ford needed a two-seater. And rules said that Ford had to make at least 100 of them by January 1965. That's where Carroll Shelby came in.

Shelby, a Texan and longtime racer, saw the potential to slay Corvettes with the Mustang and took 100 of the first 2+2s equipped with the K-code engine built at Ford's San Jose, Calif., plant down to Los Angeles for modification into "GT 350" models. Tossing the rear seats aside, Shelby added such performance items as oversize front disc brakes, a fiberglass hood and a lowered suspension with oversize tires on 15-inch wheels. Shelby's legendary series of modified Mustangs would be built through 1970 in various forms and are today considered some of the most desirable Mustangs ever built. It's impossible to ignore the Shelby Mustangs (which carried Shelby VIN numbers) when recounting Mustang history, but space considerations prevent further discussion of them in this article.

The easiest way to tell the 1966 Mustang from the '65 is the later car's lack of horizontal or vertical dividing bars in the grille — the running horse logo seems to float unsupported in the '66's slatted grille. Other changes were limited to color variations, a revised instrument cluster and a few trim tweaks. Incredibly, the '66 was even more popular than the '65 and Ford sold 607,568 of them — 499,751 coupes, 35,698 2+2s and 72,119 convertibles. That's still the most Mustangs ever sold during a single model year.

Honda Accord 2008

The Sports 4 concept, which is nominally based on the Honda Accord platform, foretells a new four-wheel-drive sport sedan and also showcases a possible new direction for Honda styling, which the company calls "Keen Edge Dynamics." The front end reminds us of the Acura RL, while the tall, sharply chiseled bodysides and the small greenhouse are similar to the new Lexus IS. At 180 inches (15 feet) in length, the show car is shorter than an Acura TL.

Honda has not specified a powertrain other than to say that it will likely be a 2.0-liter four-cylinder. The Sports 4 uses the same super-handling all-wheel-drive system as the RL. Rear-seat passengers can monitor the system's torque split and other vehicle data via small digital readouts on the backs of the front-seat headrests. The idea that all passengers should be able to share the same information at the same time is one of the key concepts of the car.

Designed in Japan, the Sports 4 concept has a luxurious, four-seat cabin boasting a moonroof with four blinds that can be individually opened or closed.

Porsche Boxster 2007

The Boxster is Porsche’s mid-engine, six-cylinder roadster that was added to the Porsche lineup for 1997 with Porsche’s new liquid-cooled flat six-cylinder “boxer” engine. The Boxster first debuted as a concept car at the 1993 North American International Auto Show with styling cues from the legendary Porche 550 Spyder. The Boxster S was added for 2000 with a higher level of performance. The second-generation Boxster debuted for the 2005 model year with updates for the first time since its debut.

The 2007 Porsche Boxster receives a bigger engine, more power and other minor updates. The Boxster gains five horsepower to 245 and torque increases by two to 201 lb-ft. in its 2.7-liter engine. The engine in the Boxster S is increased from 3.2 to 3.4 liters with a horsepower and torque upgrade of 15 to 295 and 251 lb-ft. Zero to 60 mph time is a tenth of a second quicker than its predecessor at 5.1 seconds and the top speed increases by two to 169 mph. Standard is a tire-pressure-monitoring system and available for the first time are optional 19-inch forged alloy two-tone wheels that were developed for the new 911 Turbo.

AutoPacific, a California-based automotive marketing and product-consulting firm has conducted a survey asking thousands of new car owners on what they think is the most satisfying sports car in United States. The 2007 Porsche Boxster has been able to obtain the No. 1 position.

Porsche Boxster and Boxster S were given the Vehicle Satisfaction Award (VSA), which is considered the industry’s yardstick in measuring the satisfaction that new car owners get from their vehicles. According to the survey, Boxster owners have rated their cars highly within the Power/Acceleration and Braking categories same with the Cargo/Space/Capacity, Cupholders and Interior Storage areas of the survey.

The Auto Pacific releases VSA outcome annually as a consumer and industry service measuring owner satisfaction across 46 specific areas associated to a vehicle’s operation, comfort, security and overall buying experience. And fortunately Porsche got all what it takes to win such distinguished recognition.

George Peterson, President of Auto Pacific said that, “Sports cars are supposed to be exhilarating to drive, but sometimes difficult to live with. Owners of the Porsche Boxster indicate it delivers on exhilarating, but it is not difficult to live with.” Starting from the day that the Boxster was released until now it still win praises from consumers as it provides the ultimate open-air driving experience. It has a one of a kind mid-engine configuration, with numerous handling developments and better dynamic and passive safety that makes it the leading vehicle in its segment.

Auto Pacific as a future-oriented automotive marketing and product-consulting firm promise to give every year the same kind of award to deserving vehicles, they aim to recognize vehicles and manufacturers that prove to them that they deserve respect and acknowledgement from consumers.

Porsche Panamera

The Porsche Panamera is a four-door, four-seat sedan, currently still in concept stages, set to be launched in 2009. It will be front engined and rear wheel drive and powered by a modified version of the 4.5 L V-8 found in the Cayenne, equipped with the FSI system invented by Volkswagen (Porsche and Volkswagen collaborated on the Cayenne/Touareg sport utility vehicle platform). Base spec models will be engineered with a 3.6 litre V-6 found in the upcoming 2008 facelifted Cayenne, and there is even a hybrid version in the pipeline. Rumours suggest that the V-10 engine from Porsche's limited-run Carrera GT supercar may be offered as well, although this is still extremely unlikely given the expense of manufacturing the engine and that Porsche does not currently have a facility capable of producing a suitable number of the V-10 per year. A rumour is also around that the V-12 diesel from the Audi Q7 could make it into the Panamera.

The final assembly of the vehicles will take place in Leipzig. Engines will be assembled in Stuttgart, and the car's painted body will come from the Volkswagen facility in Hanover.
The Panamera is generally considered to be the long-awaited fruit of their 989 concept from the late 1980s; some argue that it also presents itself as a suitable successor to the 2-doored 928, although some amount of debate surrounds this. It will be marketed as a direct competitor to automobiles such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG and Maserati Quattroporte and (to a lesser degree) a less expensive alternative to vehicles such as the Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Aston Martin Rapide. It is the first V8-engined sports car built by Porsche since 1995, when the 928 was discontinued and will be produced in the new plant at Leipzig alongside the Cayenne. The vehicle has been caught testing at the Nürburgring and the original sketches are a little more sleek than the taped up model spied testing.

Artist renderings of the car already distributed by Porsche show a low-slung, four-door sports car with narrow side windows and flowing lines. However spy shots of the Porsche Panamera testing at the Nürburgring show a more blunt car than the artists renderings.

The Panamera's name is derived, like the Porsche Carrera line, from the Carrera Panamericana race. Earlier prototypes of four-door sedans such as the 1991 Porsche 989 prototype or the even earlier 4 door 911 based prototype, never went into production.

Biography of Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche

Although the company of Dr. Ing. h.c.F Porsche AG was formed on April 25,1931 as "designers and consultants for land, sea and air vehicles," it wasProfessor Dr. Ferry Porsche, son of the automotive genius Professor FerdinandPorsche, who steered the company into becoming one of the world's leadingautomotive engineering design companies and specialist manufacturer of sportscars. From the time he designed the first Porsche, the Type 356 in 1948, itwas his personal involvement that made Porsche the great marque it is today.

When Ferdinand Anton Ernst Porsche, known as "Ferry," was born in WienerNeustadt, Austria, on September 19, 1909, his father was Technical Director ofthe Austro-Daimler Company.

Never far away from the automotive work of his father, Ferry Porsche wassoon behind the wheel of a car and, by the age of twelve, was even permittedto run in the class winning Targo Florio car, the lightweight Austro-DaimlerSascha.

When the Porsche family moved to Stuttgart in 1923 for Professor FerdinandPorsche to become the Technical Director of Daimler-Benz, the south Germanautomotive center became Ferry Porsche's second home. It is there that he waseducated and met his wife, Dorothea, she remained his staunch companion untilher death in 1985, and was the mother of his four sons.

Ferry Porsche started working with his father when the latter formed hisindependent design office. Their first contract, designated number 007 togive the impression it was not their first project, was a 2-liter car forWanderer. The success of this car was later to lead the newly founded AutoUnion Company, which had incorporated Wanderer, to appoint Professor Porscheas the designer of a new Grand Prix car to meet the new 750 kgs. maximumweight formula.

The Auto Union was the most advanced pre-war racing car design concept.It was of lightweight construction, featured a 16-cylinder super-chargedengine, with unique valve control mounted just behind the driver; an engineposition which is standard for all modern generation F1 cars. Ferry Porscheplayed no small part in its design and construction. Less well known is thefact Ferry Porsche conducted much of the initial test driving of the car untilhis father declared one day, "I have enough drivers, but only one son."

One other car which the Porsche firm designed before World War II was tohave an important influence on both Ferry Porsche and the rest of the world.It was, of course, the most produced car of all time: the Volkswagen Beetle.

The war itself cut deep into the life of the young automobile designer.Transferred from demolished Stuttgart to the Carinthian town of Gmund in 1943,Ferry Porsche and a few colleagues had to start again from scratch in 1945 bykeeping busy with repair jobs and the construction of simple farm machinery.

Meanwhile, the French held Ferry's father, Professor Ferdinand Porscheuntil 1947, when Ferry Porsche's family managed to raise sufficient money fromnew contracts in Italy to buy his freedom. One of these design projectsresulted in the Cisitalia Formula 1 race car, unveiled at the Turin Motor Showthat same year. It was the first race car with a midmounted engine andfour-wheel drive.

After that, Ferry Porsche decided to build his own sports car, effectivelythe first "Porsche." He took out plans he made back in 1939 for a light,compact car based on the Volkswagen, practically the only components availablein Germany at the time. Besides providing speedy acceleration, unmatchedbraking and good road holding, an essential criterion was the car had to bepractical for everyday use. Its "marketing concept" adopted by Ferry Porschewas, "If I build a car that gives me satisfaction, then there must be otherswith the same sort of dreams who would be prepared to buy such a car."

The first car to bear the Porsche name, the Type 356, was delivered onJune 8, 1948. It boasted a tubular space frame chassis, an aluminum body anda rear-mounted four-cylinder 1.131 cc VW engine. The following year, in orderto ensure continued production of the 356, Ferry Porsche negotiated a newcontract with the then head of Volkswagen, Heinz Nordoff, for the supply ofparts. Besides this, the contract appointed Dr. Ing h.c.F Porsche K.G. asconsultant engineer to VW, sole importer of VW's for Austria and recipient ofa royalty sum on every VW Beetle produced at Wolfsburg.

A total of fifty-two 356 cars were built at Gmund in Austria before thecompany returned to Stuttgart. Production recommenced there in March 1950.During the same year, Porsche began designing its own engine, the Carrera.The 356 model, which was initially forecast to have a world sales potential of500 units, was last produced in 1965 after over 78,000 cars had been built.The policy of model longevity is continued today with the Porsche 911, whichenters its 35th year of production.

Professor Dr. Ferry Porsche was happy and grateful that his fatherwitnessed with approval, shortly before he died on January 30, 1951, the startof Porsche as a specialist sports car manufacturer. Since 1948, decades ofhard, dedicated work were put in by him to further enhance the Porscheproduct, which enjoyed a fine reputation from the beginning, by expandingcustomer service and marketing, not to mention accelerating productdevelopment through motor racing.

Since entering Le Mans in 1951 and achieving a class win, the name Porschehas been synonymous with success in motor sport. Amongst its numeroustriumphs, Porsche has been crowned World Endurance Champion in sports carracing 14 times and, since 1970, has won the Le Mans 24-hour race a record15 times. The world famous Monte Carlo rally was won four times by Porsche911s, and an experimental 4WD 911 Carrera won the 1984 Paris-Dakar desert racefirst time out, the very first sports car ever to achieve this honor.Subsequently in 1986, Porsche 959s finished first, second and sixth on theirdebut outing in the event as well as becoming the first all-wheel drive racingcar to enter and win its class at Le Mans.

In all, Professor Dr. Ferry Porsche demanded a great deal from hisengineers, mechanics and drivers. He made courageous investments in newdevelopments and thereby founded the worldwide reputation of his firm as aprivately controlled, independent producer of technologically advanced sportsand racing cars for worldwide use.

In 1972, the year the Porsche family withdrew from active management ofthe company, Weissach was opened. Today, Weissach is world famous as a sitefor research and development, where 30%, of all work is undertaken on behalfof other manufacturers, governments and NATO.

Back in 1965, Ferry Porsche was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by theTechnical University of Vienna in recognition of his achievements in so manybranches of the automobile world. In 1984 on his 75th birthday he was awardedthe honorary title of 'Professor.'

1909 Ferdinand Porsche was born in Wiener Neustadt, Austria on September 19.

1931 Began his activities as a designer in the engineering consultancy of his father, Dr. Ing h.c.F Porsche KG.

1932 Ferdinand Porsche's duties expanded to include supervision and coordination of testing. Assisted with the design and development of the Auto Union race car.

1934 Head of VW Testing

1935 Ferdinand Porsche became the Manager of the Research Department in the newly established Porsche test plant, Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

1935 Married Dorothea Reitz from Stuttgart (died 1985). They had four sons.

1938 Head of Development Department. In same year the design studio moved to a newly built building in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

1940 Took over the post of deputy director for the entire operation.

1945 Ferdinand Porsche headed the firm, moved to Gmund in Carinthian during the war, and initiated development of the legendary Porsche 356, based on the Volkswagen and the first car to carry the Porsche name.

1948 The first 356 was completed in June.

1949 After completing the first 52 cars of this 356 range, Ferdinand Porsche with his company and most of his colleagues returned to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. Rebuilding of the consultancy offices for outside contracts took place.

1950 Production of the Porsche 356 began in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen.

1959 Professor Theodor Heuss presented the Grosse Verdiensstkreuz (Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit) of the Federal Republic of Germany to Ferdinand Porsche in September.

1965 The Technical University of Vienna honored Ferdinand Porsche in November with the presentation of the title, Dr. techn. E.h.

1972 The Dr. Ing. h.c.F Porsche KG became a joint stock company (AG). Dr. Ferdinand Porsche assumed the post of Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

1975 Dr. Porsche received the Grosse Goldene Ehrenzeichen (Great Golden Cross Of The Order Of The Order Of The Order Of the Order of Merit) of the Republic of Austria in Vienna on January 31.

1979 On September 19, Lothar Spath, Prime Minister of Baden-Wurttemberg presented Dr. Porsche with the Grosse Verdienstkreuz mit Stern (Knight Commander's Cross) of the Bundesverdienstorden, on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

1984 A third of the entire Dr. Ing. h.c.F Porsche AG capital was offered to the public in the form of non-voting preference shares on April 25. On September 19, Dr. Ferry Porsche celebrated his 75th anniversary and was awarded the honorary title of 'Professor.'

1985 The Guild of Motoring Writers Vice Presidents trophy for outstanding achievements in the field of automobilism was won by Professor Dr. Ferdinand Porsche. Honor of "Senator E.h." by University of Stuttgart.

1990-1998 Honorary President of Supervisory Board, Porsche AG.

History of Porsche

The history of Porsche road cars is undoubtedly dominated by the history of the Porsche 911, and its predecessor the 356. The flat-4 and then flat-6 engines, the rear engine position (behind the rear axle) and, until the late 1990s, air-cooling, are all Porsche trade-marks. Porsche tried front-mounted, water-cooled engines and rear wheel drive with the 924/ 944/ 968 between 1975 and 1994, and with the V8 Porsche 928, 1977-1994, but the 911-line is held to represent the classic Porsche. Our special interest here is with the 911-Turbo which offers four wheel drive and with the 911 and 959 4WD rally cars.

1948, June 8: First Porsche car (#356-001) registered in Gmund Austria; it --> had a 1086cc 30kW VW engine.

1949: Production begins in Stuttgart, Germany; the car is called the 356 because it is the 356th project off the Porsche design desk.

1950s: Porsche builds the 1.5L flat-12 supercharged Cisitalia racing car with driver-controlled four wheel drive.

1951: The factory enters a light-weight 356 in the Le Mans 24 hours race. First two right hand drive Porsche 356s built and imported into Australia by Norman Hamilton.

1953: The 550 mid-engined race car Spyder is created.

1963: Porsche "901" (later renamed the "911" after a protest by Peugeot) is shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show, 2L flat-6, air-cooled engine, 97kW at 6200rpm. The engine is later enlarged to 2.2L and 2.4L.1964 Porsche 911 production begins.

1969: The 914 mid-engined car features 4-cylinder engine from VW (and insufficient "go" in the opinion of many).

1973: New G-body 911 (e.g. larger bumpers), 2.7L flat-6 engine. A prototype 911-Turbo was shown at the Paris Motor Show.

1973/74: Porsche 911 Turbo, 2.7L, 186kW, rear "whale-tail spoiler".

1974 New 3.0L, 6.5:1 c.r., 0.8bar boost, turbo engine, 194kW at 5500rpm.

1975: The 4-cylinder, water-cooled, front engined 924 is a new departure; later developed into the 944 and 968.

1977: 3.3L, 7.0:1 c.r. Porsche 911, inter-cooled (1978), 224kW, 416Nm. (And in the front-engined layout... the V8, water-cooled 928.)

1981: 911 4WD concept car shown at Frankfurt Motor show.

1982: New 911 Carrera-2 shape - e.g. integrated bumpers.

1984: A 911 4WD wins the Paris-Dakar rally.

1986: 4WD Porsche 959s finish 1, 2 and 6 in the Paris-Dakar rally.

1987: The Porsche 959 was a 911-based group-B rally car and had electronic controlled 4WD with dry/ wet/ icy settings, also ABS brakes. 2.85L twin-turbo flat-6, 330kW at 6500rpm, 500Nm at 5500rpm, 1350kg. 200 were built for homologation purposes.
1991: Porsche 911 type-964 (~Carrera 2) 3.3L, 235kW, 450Nm, four-wheel drive, au$265K 5 sold (au) -->.

1992 Porsche AG take direct control of Australian imports.

1993: 911 Turbo gets 3.6L, 270kW engine. At au$270K, or $1/Watt, 15 sold were sold here in 1994/95.

1995: 911 series 993, 300kW twin-turbo, 6-speed, electronic control of 4WD and limited slip diff' from the Carrera 4 and Porsche 959. This engine later developed up to 400kW in a car with a weight of 1280kg and 4WD.

1996: The Boxster is a new mid-engined, and more affordable, Porsche.

1998: 50th anniversary, It is said that over 1,000,000 Porsches have been built and that 2/3 of them are still on the road.

1999: 911 type-996 turbo 4WD, 309kW.