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The Corkscrew at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is one of the most iconic corners in the world, a unique left-right combination that’s notable for the precipitous drop between its two main elements. It was also the scene of one of the most thrilling passes in auto racing, when
somehow divebombed Bryan Herta on the last lap of the 1996 Champ Car race. It’s such a distinctive corner that racers around the world always ask those who’ve driven there, “What’s it like?”
Step 1 (below): The Corkscrew is approached via the uphill Rahal straight, which is actually about as straight as Perez Hilton. Just before the first part of the corner, there’s a slight kink to the right, over a brow. Read the rest of this entry »
Over the past couple of decades we’ve reviewed several impressive European Ford models that are not available to American buyers. Now, at last, here is one that will be coming to the U.S., the first product of CEO Alan Mulally’s “One Ford” global car policy: the new
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Launched in Europe this fall, it will be built in Mexico and sold in the U.S. in 2010. Although the emphasis in the U.S. will be on the sedan version, Ford plans to offer the five-door hatchback as well, currently the most popular version of the car in Europe.
The new Fiesta was first seen as the —three-door and four-door—that toured the international motor shows. The concepts have translated faithfully into production with their styling cues intact, even the novel cell-phone-inspired slanted switches on the center stack, which look good and work well. Read the rest of this entry »