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Saturday, January 22, 2011
If you think the Audi R8 looks special, wait until you fire the engine. The normally-aspirated 4.2-litre V8 (proudly displayed under a glass engine cover, just like a Ferrari) roars into life, and once on the move delivers impressive performance from 2,000rpm. At the far end of the rev counter, a red line of 8,250rpm means astonishing acceleration. Audi R8 have a proper performance engine. But be very careful with Audi R8 gearbox choice; the R Tronic paddleshift system is OK, but it distances you from the drive. The same can’t be said for the superb six-speed manual, while the brakes are progressive, strong and reassuring.
Audi R 8 it’s an enormously capable and user-friendly machine, with scarcely believable amounts of grip. None of Audi R8 rivals could keep pace on twisting roads during our tests. However, it doesn’t have quite the same involvement of the scalpel-sharp Porsche 911, and its responses are slightly numb in comparison.
Specifictions and Performance 2011 AUDI R8 V10
Engine: Lamborghini-sourced V10
Horsepower: 518 8,000v rpm
Torque: 391 pound-feet, 6 500 rpm
Compression ratio (x:1) 12.5
The 2011 AUDI R8 V10 reach zero Zero to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds
Friday, January 21, 2011
While warming up for her third-round Australian Open match, Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova noticed a bouncy spot on the court. "It was a little bit strange," she said. "I thought Nike had put some extra cushioning in my shoes!"
The chair umpire came out to inspect the area and tried to bounce a ball on the spot. The result has to be seen to be believed
The ball doesn't bounce at all! It's completely absorbed by the court. There's no upward movement at all. I just tried dropping a tennis ball on a soft pillow and there was at least a little. That one simply died, like it was caught by one of those velcro paddles you see people playing with on the beach.
What happened is that the stifling temperatures in Melbourne caused a heat bubble filled with air to form under the surface of the court. It's the same concept that causes crust bubbles to develop on edges of pizza slices. As the Mirror reported, workers came out and drilled two small holes in the court, which let out the air. Order, and gravity, was restored.
