Why you should care about Michael Schumacher...

He is often compared to Tiger Woods for his domination of his sport, but Schumi's list of acheivements is much more comprehensive (although his list of mistresses probably isn't). Thanks to ITV.co.uk, here is a comprehensive list of the Formula One records held by Schumacher:
* Most world titles: 7 (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004)
* Most consecutive titles: 5 (2000-04)
* Most grand prix wins: 91
* Most wins in a single season: 13 (2004)
* Most consecutive wins in a single season: 7 (2004)
* Most wins at the same race: 8 (French GP)
* Most wins with one team: 72 (Ferrari)
* Most wins from pole: 40
* Most pole positions: 68
* Most front-row starts: 115
* Most podium finishes: 154
* Most second place finishes: 43
* Most points finishes: 190
* Most points scored: 1,369
* Most points in a single season: 148 (from a maximum of 180, in 2004)
* Most fastest laps: 76
* Most fastest laps in a season: 10 (from a maximum of 18, in 2004)
* Most races led: 141
* Most laps led: 5,108
* Furthest distance led in a season: 2,085 miles (2004)
* Fastest race-winning average speed: 153.843mph (2003 Italian GP)
* Most consecutive podiums: 19 (USA 2001 to Japan 2002)
* Most consecutive points finishes: 24 (Hungary 2001 to Malaysia 2003)
* Most consecutive seasons with a win: 15 (1992-2006)
* Most consecutive wins from pole (6)
* Most ‘clean sweeps’ (pole, win, fastest lap): 22
* Largest points gap between champion and runner-up: 67 (2002)
* Earliest title winner: 2002 (in July, with 6 of the 17 races remaining)
* Longest continuous spell with one team: 11 seasons (Ferrari, 1996-2006)
* Most races with same team: 162 (Ferrari)
* Most time between first and last race wins: 14 years, 1 month and 1 day
* Never outqualified by his team-mate in 1992, 1993 or 1994
* Only driver to have finished every race on the podium: 2002
* Won all his ‘landmark’ GPs, winning on his 50th, 100th, 150th and 200th GP starts
* Only events he failed to win were South African, Mexican and Turkish GPs
* His record of 91 GP wins is only one shy of the combined total of the next two most winning drivers, Alain Prost (51) and Ayrton Senna (41)
* Scored points in a remarkable 76.6% of all his GP starts
* Led 56.9% of all GPs he started
* Banned or disqualified from more races than anyone else (banned from two races and disqualified from another in 1994; excluded from 1997 world championship results for collision with Jacques Villeneuve)

He's back, baby!

It's official - Michael Schumacher will be back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car next year. After five world championships with Ferrari and two with Benneton, he will bring his prodigious talents to the all-German uber-squad Mercedes-Benz. Let's see if the forty-year-old has still got it. My money is on yes.

Mystery Car of the Week

Here's an easy one. To make it a bit more interesting, name the car, the race and the year. Good luck!

Because I can...

That's why I am posting this picture of the Lancia Stratos. Perhaps one of the coolest cars ever.

Schumacher Watch Continues

Rumors continue to circulate about Michael Schumacher's return to Formula 1 next year behind the wheel of a Mercedes. His old boss, Luca di Montezemolo at Ferrari said there is a "very, very, very strong" possibility that he will be back. Count 'em...that's not one very, but three. From what I hear, the only outstanding issue now is his fitness and the state of his neck injury that kept him out of the Ferrari earlier this year.

A Schumacher return would be a great thing for F1. Plus the Mercedes merchandise department must be salivating at the prospect of all the Schumacher Mercedes hats, shirts, flags, etc. that it will sell. I have to admit, I'll be near the front of the queue.

The Changing Face of F1

Even with all the controversy, the fans have been treated to some pretty exciting racing over the last couple of years. 2010 should be no different.

We'll see three new teams and a couple reworked teams. With the addition of new teams we'll also see a bunch of new drivers to fill those extra slots...so it looks like even marginal current drivers should snag a seat for next year.

Mercedes notwithstanding, for the most part the manufacturer era is over in Formula 1. Honda pulled out last year. Toyota and BMW have pulled out this year and it appears Renault is on the brink of selling its team (but perhaps keeping the Renault name on the car). It remains to be seen whether this will be good for the sport. I tend to think it will if the privateer teams can secure strong sponsorship.

2010 will see the end of refueling, so cars will be much heavier meaning that drivers have to manage very changeable cars over the length of a Grand Prix. This should really put a premium on driver adaptability.

Last and certainly not least, there is the rumored return of one Michael Schumacher. Remember, him? I thought your would. More on that soon...

New Addition to the Family...

We are proud to announce the recent addition of a 1992 Mercedes 300E to the "Scuderia Bellanger." The 300E joins the 2008 Passat, 2002 Astro, 1990 2CV and 1981 Golf GTI. The 300E will replace the Astro as my daily driver (thank God). Given the recent sale of my Aprilia scooter, this addition does not increase the number of wheeled conveyances in the Bellanger household (at least that's how I justified it to my wife).

Although I am not a Mercedes guy, the W124 300E is one of the last great Mercedes built in the pre-Lexus days. (After Lexus launched, Mercedes cut build quality in order to compete on cost with the Japanese.) The W124 is completely over-engineered and over-built. Hopefully it will deliver me years of reliable service.

OktoberFAST

I had the pleasure of attending the Green Mountain Chapter of the BMW Club's OktoberFast event last weekend in Stowe, Vermont. This was a gathering for all German makes and after a one-year hiatus, the organizers were trying to get the event back on its feet. Although attendance wasn't great, there was a terrific atmosphere and I have the sense that this event will build momentum over the next couple of years. It was also a great chance to drive some of Vermont's great twisty roads at a beautiful time of year. Add to that the fact that my co-attendee and camping partner Brian and I scored some great hardware - Best Original Condition and Best In Show for Brian and his 1989 BMW 325iX and Best VW for me and the GTI - and you have an all-around great weekend.

Dabu Habi, I mean Abu Dhabi

Formula 1 will visit the brand new facility at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi for the last race of the 2009 season. James Allen just posted some great video on his blog of the first Formula 1-style car being driven around the circuit. Looks like a good layout - add to that the fact that this will be a twilight race (starting in the light, finishing in the dark) and it should be pretty spectacular. See the video below...enjoy!

Out of Reach...

Here is my personal list of some of the coolest new cars not available for US sale...rather than focus on supercars or exotics, of which there are many, I've stuck to cars that can be considered everyday transport. For space reasons, I will limit it to five cars, but feel free to add your faves in the comments.

First up is the Citroen C5 Wagon. As mentioned in a post below, I think this has to the best looking wagon on the planet. Definitely a stylish way to haul the kids and their gear.

Next in line is the Citroen C3 Picasso. The Europeans, and particularly the French, do tall one-box designs well. This is compact car with tons of space inside and lots of cool design features.

Although we get the four-door Si version, we no longer get the Honda Civic three-Door Type S. At this heart of this polarizing design is a high-revving Honda engine.

We've been denied the new VW Scirocco. Although this is really a squashed GTI, it is a damn-cool car. Bring it over VW!

Along with the Citroen, here's one from a brand not even sold in the US - the Seat Leon Cupra. The Leon is a cool design - given the Cupra treatment it also hauls. It sports a VW-based 2 litre turbo and hits 62mph in 6.4 seconds.

Back to the Scene of the Crime

Formula One makes its way back to Singapore this weekend - the scene of the all-consuming "Crashgate" scandal (see post below for more detail). It should be an exciting weekend...as every race clicks down the mathematical possibility for anyone other than Jenson Button to win the championship diminishes. My prediction for the weekend is a win by Mark Webber with Button, Rubens Barichello and Vettel all mixing it up for points. My wish for the weekend is that Fisi scores some points for Ferrari, but this looks unlikely.

Bye, Bye Flav...

Renault has fired Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds over allegations that they conspired to deliberately cause their driver Nelsinho Piquet to crash in last year's Singapore GP, thus setting up their other driver to win the race. This is a bad, bad day for F1. Cheating on technical issues (e.g., design, software, etc.) is one thing, putting people's lives at risks is another.

After 20 years in the sport and four world championships Flav and Pat are now leaving in disgrace. I guess Flav will have to console himself on his mega-yacht with is supermodel girlfriend. Good riddance.

Funny F1 Video...

Two world champs having fun with a very serious subject...

Put Fisi in the Ferrari

The musical chairs continue at Ferrari in the wake of Massa's accident. First it was supposed to be Schumacher, but his neck injury precluded him from racing. Currently they are running their test driver Luca Badoer, who just isn't cutting the mustard and will likely be taken out of the car after the race in Belgium this weekend. Rumors are swirling that they will put Giancarlo Fisichella in the car. I love Fisi...he is nice guy who loves racing and is passionate about Ferrari. The guy has had a long F1 career and driven for half a dozen different teams, but never had a chance to drive for his "national" team. For him, driving a Ferrari would be like someone who grew up in Boston getting the chance to pitch for the Red Sox. Here's what he had to say:

“For sure, it’s a dream for all the drivers,” Fisichella said. “Especially for me, as an Italian driver, let’s say at the end of my career, so it’s a very good opportunity. It would be nice. I have 220 grands prix so far, it would be very good pressure for me. It’s not a big problem, it would be a very good opportunity but so far I can’t say anymore.”

Saab needs this one...

Saab was saved from the automotive scrap heap by Koenigsegg but for it to be a viable long-term brand they need to update and expand their product line. The first effort on this front is the new 9-5. Although still leveraging GM underpinnings, Saab is working on getting more "Saabiness" (also known as quirkiness) back into its products. This is a good looking car that has some of the traditional Saab design elements and some interesting technology underneath. Let's hope the buyers haven't been scared off by the company's tenuous situation.

Arrivederci Clunkachino

So the cash-for-clunkers program is over already! I am biased, but I like any program that gets fuel-efficient, commute-appropriate vehicles on the road and stops people from driving unnecessarily in over-sized gas guzzlers. That said, there are plenty of folks, like my friend Jim, who think this is a waste of government cash. Fair enough, but I say compared to some of the places the government spends its (our) moolah, providing incentives for people to make smart decisions regarding their second-largest purchase, isn't a bad idea.

Anyway, to prove that this process worked as intended (i.e., taking clunkers off the road in favor of fuel-efficient vehicles), take a look at this list of vehicles "clunked" and purchased. I'd guesstimate about a 10-15MPG average improvement...

Top 10 New Vehicles Purchased
1. Toyota Corolla
2. Ford Focus FWD
3. Honda Civic
4. Toyota Prius
5. Toyota Camry
6. Hyundai Elantra
7. Ford Escape FWD
8. Dodge Caliber
9. Honda Fit
10. Chevrolet Cobalt

Top 10 Trade-in Vehicles
1. Ford Explorer 4WD
2. Ford F150 Pickup 2WD
3. Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD
4. Jeep Cherokee 4WD
5. Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan 2WD
6. Ford Explorer 2WD
7. Chevrolet Blazer 4WD
8. Ford F150 Pickup 4WD
9. Chevrolet C1500 Pickup 2WD
10. Ford Windstar FWD Van

Bonus: Here's an interesting video of how they "kill" the engines on the clunkers with sodium silciate:

Mystery Car of the Week

This one isn't too hard. Leave your guesses in the comments. Good luck.

Update: This is the Ferrari Daytona-inspired Rover SD1. A real looker for a big saloon (that's British for sedan), but a mechanical nightmare.

Clunk

By all accounts, the “Cash for Clunkers” program seems to be a success. Sales are up at dealerships to levels not seen in a couple of years. Plus low-MPG cars are being taken off the road and being replaced by more fuel-efficient models.

Unbeknownst to many, this program is based on programs launched in Germany (Strudel-for-Clunkers) and France (Crepes-for-Clunkers) late last year and earlier this year. Those programs were also wildly successful, although they offered much higher amounts for trade-ins and didn’t have as many restrictions as the US programs. Those programs were more about taking high-polluting cars off the road rather than reducing low-MPG cars (since cars in Europe have been much higher-MPG for a long time).

There were two criticisms of the European programs that we haven’t heard much here in the US. The first was from independent mechanics who complained that taking older cars off the road was affecting their livelihood. Fewer old crappy cars mean fewer trips to the local mechanic. The second criticism was from the enthusiast community. Folks were turning in cars that could be considered “future classics” which were then destroyed.

I am not sure why we are not hearing from mechanics in the US. Although, if my local mechanic is any indication, they have more business than they can handle and a few less clunkers probably isn’t affecting them at this point. As for the silence from US enthusiasts, I think they are largely silent due to the fact that the majority of clunkers being taken off the road are pick-ups and SUVs, which have little likelihood of becoming classics. Even so, I am sure there is the odd future classic that is being crushed. Too bad there is no flexibility in the government guidelines to allow a knowledgeable dealer/junk yard to exempt a vehicle if it has significant potential for parts or future collector status.

(Thanks to Scott Snyder for inspiring this post.)

A Modest Proposal

From time to time I have to head to work on a Saturday morning to clear up some loose ends. I usually leave at about 6:30am when traffic is non-existent and enjoy blasting down Storrow drive. This experience has often led me to daydream about an actual car race on the streets of Boston. Monaco-on-the-Charles, if you will.

Before you dismiss the idea of the Grand Prix of Boston as half baked, think about it. Boston is a great spot…within hours of millions of people and plenty of accommodations. A course could be created down Storrow and Memorial Drives using the Mass Ave. Bridge and Museum of Science Way as connectors for a total of 3.8 miles. It would basically be two long curving straights broken up by a several sharp turns. Pits could be set up along the Memorial Drive access road in front of MIT with grandstands lining both sides of the Charles. There’s plenty of parking for motor homes and transporters in Kendall Square just behind the pits, and space for hospitality areas at Teddy Ebersol fields and in from of the Museum of Science. I see tie-ins with MIT and the MOS on the “science of F1.” Just imagine cars blasting down the banks of the Charles on a beautiful summer day with boats, yachts and Duck Boats plying the river. This would seriously be an awesome event.

Boston is a world-class city… let’s get a world-class event! All I need is approval from the Mayors of Boston and Cambridge, the Back Bay Preservation Society, Turnpike Authority, BRDA, Big Dig, Museum of Science, MIT, CambridgeSide Galleria, DEP, DOT, DCR, State Police, Boston Police, Cambridge Police, Chamber of Commerce…

DS Reborn

I was reading Top Gear magazine this weekend by the pool (thanks Melissa and Tobe for a kidless weekend). TG is one of those guilty pleasures I rarely indulge in these days due to its US cover price of over $10...I can get Automobile and Car and Driver for the same price. Anyway, it is a great magazine and allows me to keep up on all the cool European cars we don't get to see here in the US. There was a feature on the new Citroen DS Inside concept.

Citroen has chosen to resurrect its "DS" moniker not for a single model, but for a range of models that will sit above its basic line-up. Citroen has really been on a roll lately with its designs and the DS Inside (the smallest of the DS lineup) is no exception. It is intended as a Mini-fighter and has all the right design touches. Apparently it will drive less "go-karty" (my word not theirs) than the Mini and have slightly more space. The design is definitely compelling for a small hatchback with lots of unique touches like the shark fin B-pillar and gaping front end.

The French have really been designing and producing some great cars lately. It's a shame we can't find away to get some of these cars (Citroen C3 Picasso, C5 and C6; Renault Modus and Scenic; Peugeot 1007, 308, 407) to the US. Business plan, anyone?