Kubica will be 'of the same calibre' as Alonso, argues Bell

Robert Kubica will be eminently capable of picking up the cudgels from double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso when the Spaniard leaves Renault at season’s end, argues acting team principal Bob Bell

Double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso ‘will be missed enormously’ at Renault, Bob Bell has admitted as the Spaniard’s last race with the French manufacturer approaches in Abu Dhabi this weekend – but the incoming Robert Kubica will prove to be ‘of the same calibre’ as the driver who has delivered the team the lion’s share of its success in recent years.

Alonso will depart Renault at the end of the campaign to switch camps to Ferrari following no fewer than two drivers’ titles, 17 grand prix victories, 16 pole positions and 41 podium finishes with the Enstone-based outfit, and the man from Oviedo will be replaced by current BMW-Sauber star and former Canadian Grand Prix-winner Robert Kubica.

Whilst Alonso’s absence will naturally be keenly felt, acting Renault F1 team principal and technical director Bell is confident that the Pole will be more than capable of taking up the mantle of de facto number one.

“He’s made a huge contribution to the team – especially winning two world championships in 2005 and 2006 – so he will be missed enormously,” confessed the Ulsterman. “It’s often said that he is the best driver on the grid and I wouldn’t disagree with that, so we’re understandably sad to see the end of our very successful relationship.

“We’re also looking forward, though, and we’re all delighted to be welcoming Robert Kubica to the team as I believe he will quickly show that he is of the same calibre as Fernando. He’s a strong team player, a great motivator and incredibly quick so we have plenty to look forward to as we enter a new era for the team.”

Before that happens, of course, Renault and Alonso have one final race together – the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, to be held around the eagerly-anticipated, all-new, anti-clockwise Yas Marina street circuit – and following a disappointing outing at Interlagos, Bell admits that a strong result, and ideally a podium, will be keenly-sought as F1 gets set to enter the twilight zone.

“It was very frustrating to lose Fernando from the race through no fault of his own,” the 51-year-old mused of the opening lap Brazilian Grand Prix contretemps that claimed Alonso as its innocent victim, “although we have to be grateful that he didn’t have a bigger accident with the Force India. We also have to be grateful that we didn’t get incinerated on the pit wall as we felt the heat from the fireball in the pit-lane!

“Romain [Grosjean] simply didn’t have the pace in the early part of the race as he wasn’t happy with the grip of the car, which cost him a lot of ground. The weekend didn’t meet our expectations, especially as we lost our advantage over BMW and we now face an uphill struggle to beat them in the final race.

“I think all the teams enjoy visiting a new country, though, and a new track always has a modern infrastructure with so much space available for the mechanics and engineers. It remains to be seen how good the circuit will be in terms of the action it produces, but from what I’ve seen so far it seems the organisers have done an excellent job. As a team we enjoy the challenge of a new track, and we will be ready to exploit any advantage we can.

“It would be great to get Romain and Fernando through to Q3 in qualifying, so that we have some reasonable starting positions for the race. We want to be challenging for points and even the podium, which is a realistic target considering the performance level we have already demonstrated this season.”

Those sentiments are echoed by Renault F1 chief engineer Alan Permane – the man widely believed to have been the mystery ‘Witness X’ in the ‘Singapore-gate’ race-fixing scandal that very nearly led to the car maker being expelled from the top flight – who predicts a unique challenge when the circus takes to the track around the 5.55km, Hermann Tilke-designed track.

“We usually begin our preparations about two months ahead of the race,” he explained, “which is when we receive a detailed map showing the layout and characteristics of the circuit. This gives us an idea of the set-up we will need in terms of the downforce levels and the demands on the brakes and the engine. We then feed the circuit map into our computers to create a virtual circuit, where we can run simulations with a computer model of our car. This allows us to evaluate many different set-up options, which can be easily changed to help us work out a good base set-up.

“Once we have arrived at the circuit and run the car in free practice, we will send the real circuit data back to the factory, which can be used to run more accurate simulations. The logged data from Friday practice can also be used on our chassis dynamics rig to explore the ride characteristics of the circuit and can reveal improvements to the damping or perhaps to the spring rates. Any suggestions from the factory for improving the set-up of the car usually come through by the end of Friday, so that we can try them on Saturday morning ahead of qualifying.

“There are a couple of reasonably long straights, but it does look like it will be quite stop-start – a bit like the street circuit in Valencia. In terms of downforce, it will be on the higher side, although we won’t run maximum downforce settings because of the long straights where straight-line speed will be important. There are a lot of right-angled corners, but it’s difficult to predict the impact this will have on car set-up as it depends on the layout of the curbs. That’s one thing we will examine during our track walk.

“What we do know already is that the drivers will want a car that is biased towards traction, as the circuit doesn’t have high-speed changes of direction, which would require a stiffer car set-up. To aid good traction from the low-speed corners, we will aim to give the drivers a softer rear end. In terms of braking, our simulations have shown it to be similar to Valencia and Melbourne, so it’s by no means an easy circuit on the brakes, but it’s not as tough as Monza.

“I agree with Fernando that turns eleven, twelve and 13 will be interesting and certainly worth a lot of lap time. Drivers always enjoy the high-speed corners, but most of the gains can be found in these low-speed corners where you spend the most time. With this in mind, turns five, six and seven will also be a section of the lap where the car needs to work well so we can maximise the gains in lap time.”

 

Reference: crash.net

Now That's Thinking with Your Dipstick -- DIY Oil Change

Over the weekend I changed the oil in my ‘99 M3. It was actually pretty easy, since I didn’t have to go under the car at all. I used an fluid extractor that I picked up from Griot’s Garage. It siphons the oil out via the dipstick column.

I don’t have access to a lift, and when I first heard about the extractor I checked it out on the boards. Others had used it successfully, so I pulled the trigger. As far as the filter goes, BMW uncharacteristically made that easy if you can believe it. Instead of on the side or below the engine, the filter is right there front and center when you open the hood. So I bought a Mann filter, seven liters of Royal Purple 5×30 — BMWs are very thirsty — and tackled the job Sunday.

Saw a couple of neighbors looking and probably wondering what the??

Takes about 15 minutes to get all the oil out, but after a few pumps it keeps going on it’s own. The new filter looked different than the Mahle filter in there, hard exterior versus soft filter. But slid in easily after removing the canister top with a 13mm wrench. Car took a little over six and a half liters of oil.

I had a little drama when I started the car after I thought I was done — lost some oil out of the canister top. It was because I hadn’t seated the rubber O-ring properly, just removed and fixed easily.

Guess you can tell old vs. new

Will drop off the used oil at my local garage Hollin Hall Automotive, good guys. Next up is changing the manual transmission fluid, although I may wait until spring. Read online the extractor can be used for that too, must find more information…

Money Green 4-Door

I think everyone can pretty much agree that BMW should have made an E46 M3 sedan. But even though the M3 sedan variant never made it down the production line, people have been doing some great things with the standard E46 saloons. Everything about this car is totally on point – the color, brakes, HRE/DPE wheels, molded front lip, M3 mirrors and euro clears/smoked corners. It’s not hellaflush, but its done up so classy that it’s still fresh.

I think cars like this made BMW realize that an M3/4 was necessary for the E90.

7/11/2009

All the photographs are peeling
and colors turn to gray, he stayed
in his room with memories for days, he faced
an undertow of future’s laid to waste, embraced
by the loss of one he could not replace…

Spit it out Johny…the journey is here and the mood is around, should the weather co-operate we shall be doing half a thousand Km’s in a days joy!
I have in mind many different destinations and nothing beats a nice old traditional village on one of the most appealing Greek mountain landscapes!
So tripod is getting ready, photographic equipment as well, the bike is getting serviced (damn I wish there where self healing engines!) and we are preparing for what sounds as a lovely weekend!
It’s been a long time since I roamed around traditional villages with a motorcycle, and it was about time I did so!
First stop is Kammena Vourla for a lovely coffee and some Loukoumades (check Greek dictionary for meaning ), next we continue towards Damasta and Bralos (Greek magic #2), we continue for Pavliani and finish to Athanassios Diakos, enjoying the Greek country (and some Greek traditional food ).
After out lovely meal, (damn I feel nice…) we prepare for the return, a return which in my humble opinion (we don’t give a s**t about it) should be relaxing and calming (yeah! you know lamb chops need their time… ). We head towards Kaloskopi, and from there on to Amfiklia (maybe another nice stop for a quick coffee? ) on from Amfiklia we head towards Cheronia, after Cheronia we head for Kastro which is our last part of the “slow” Greek country and we reach the “new” National highway, onwards the journey is typical until we reach our home!
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Posventa y reducción de costes en los concesionarios

Cómo está el sector de España

El sector de los concesionarios de automóviles está viviendo uno de sus peores años. A la considerable caída en las matriculaciones, cercana al 40% en los últimos meses, se une la perspectiva de que las ventas no se recuperarán en el corto y medio plazo.
Aunque las ayudas del Gobierno puedan contribuir a una cierta mejora del sector a corto plazo, se ha de tener en cuenta que se está ante un problema estructural del sector que se tendrá que redefinir en los próximos años. Ante esta situación, la posventa y el cierre de centros son las claves para la viabilidad de los concesionarios.

Identificación del problema sectorial

Los principales problemas de las empresas del sector están siendo estructuras sobredimensionadas para el nivel actual de ventas, centros no rentables, stock excesivo, operativa en taller poco optimizada, falta de control en VO (vehículo de ocasión) y un mejorable sistema de control de gestión y tesorería.
La gravedad de la situación se puede apreciar en el gráfico, donde se analiza el número de concesionarios por cada una de las marcas líderes frente a la caída de ventas acumulada. Es obvio que el sector debe reestructurarse y concentrarse.
En este contexto, resulta muy importante la disminución de costes. Las medidas más adecuadas son la adecuación de la estructura al nivel de ventas, la reducción de personal y de stocks, el cierre de centros no rentables y el recorte de gastos generales. Con estas líneas de acción, nuestra experiencia práctica es que se pueden conseguir mejoras muy importantes.

Factores claves de éxito

Según nuestros estudios, más del 50% de la rentabilidad se obtiene de la posventa. Por ello, su volumen sobre la cifra de negocio es la mejor garantía para asegurar la viabilidad del concesionario. Esta área de negocio es aproximadamente entre tres y cuatro veces más rentable que la venta de de vehículo nuevo (VN). Además, aparecen muchas oportunidades de ventas en esta área, empleando el marketing directo, las promociones y la venta activa por parte del receptor de clientes de taller.
El área de venta de vehículos de ocasión es también una gran oportunidad. La eficiencia operativa, la mejora de compras y la focalización del producto optimizarán los márgenes radicalmente.
Por otra parte, uno de los mayores peligros para un concesionario es entrar en una guerra de precios, ya que, en vehículo nuevo, cada punto de descuento equivale a una necesidad de incremento de ventas del 11%.
Por todo ello, este va a ser un sector que se redefinirá en los próximos meses con menos empresas y más eficientes. Es muy recomendable que se acometan cuanto antes medidas de reestructuración, pues el tiempo juega en contra. En ese contexto, todo el sector -tanto marcas como concesionarios- tiene que reflexionar en profundidad sobre su relación, ya que la situación actual necesita de la colaboración de ambas partes.

Las mejores prácticas

Entre las mejores y más exitosas prácticas empresariales, desde la experiencia de Improven encontramos que las siguientes son las que mayor impacto tienen en la rentabilidad y la caja:

1. El taller será una de las claves para la supervivencia, gracias a su potencial de mejora y adecuadas perspectivas de futuro frente a las otras unidades de negocio, además del efecto sobre el área de recambios. Es fundamental la focalización en esta unidad de negocio.
2. La gestión de los clientes actuales y potenciales será una de las razones de peso en la elección del concesionario por parte del cliente en todas las unidades de negocio.
3. La venta o cierre de unidades de negocio o centros, actuaciones llevadas a cabo por más del 90% de las empresas que mejor están gestionando la crisis. Esta práctica ayuda a focalizarse en las actividades y centros que mayor valor añadido aportan al concesionario y que a menudo resultan más rentables, mientras abandona aquellas que lastran sus resultados y/o requieren más esfuerzos.
4. La eliminación de productos o sub-unidades de negocio no rentables, llevada a cabo por un 62% de las empresas del sector. En las épocas de bonanza
   de años anteriores se desarrollaron productos o servicios con malos ratios de venta y/o rentabilidad, además de un elevado coste de mantenimiento para dar “más servicio” o conseguir más cuota o presencia en el mercado. Eliminar estos servicios ayudará a toda la organización a focalizarse en los productos más rentables, incrementando su venta y nivel de servicio.
5. Racionalización de la sistemática de compras, llevada a cabo por un 70% de las empresas del sector que están superando la crisis. Se empezó por una racionalización de la política de compras de recambios que basaba la rentabilidad en un rappel por volumen de compras, así como la gestión del stock o de compras de vehículos de VN o de VO.
6. Por supuesto, la gestión de la caja es fundamental. Por ello, es clave disponer de un presupuesto de tesorería actualizable al día, un presupuesto anual en función de ventas y gastos previstos, y un plan de financiación y de contingencia ante desviaciones sobre el presupuesto.
7. La reducción de costes generales y de estructura será inevitable, ya que los concesionarios, al igual que todas las empresas deben equilibrar su nuevo nivel de ingresos con los gastos. Además la reducción de gastos generales es habitualmente una importante fuente de mejora de rentabilidad.
8. Es básico no “creer” que las bajadas de precios son la solución porque constituye una de las prácticas que menos ha ayudado a las empresas en crisis a superarla. La elevación del punto de equilibrio un 11% por cada punto de descuento aplicado en la venta de un VN es un claro ejemplo.

En resumen

• El sector de los concesionarios se redefinirá en los próximos meses con menos empresas y más eficientes. Por ello, es muy recomendable que se acometan cuanto antes medidas de reestructuración, pues el tiempo juega en contra.
• La potenciación de la posventa será una de las claves de la viabilidad en la mayoría de concesionarios.
• Todo el sector -tanto marca como concesionarios- tiene que reflexionar en profundidad sobre la relación entre las marcas y los concesionarios, dado que la situación actual necesita de la colaboración de ambas partes.

Vía | improven

2011 BMW M5 Rips Up Nurburgring

The 2011 BMW M5 is the ultimate driving machine every way you look at it! Sports car speed and handling with luxury and road manners that everyone can enjoy, the 2011 BMW M5 is the pinnacle of four door performance. Spied tearing up Nurburgring with twin turbo enjoyment, the 2011 BMW M5 proves itself to be a very capable vehicle.

Not much is known about the new vehicle yet, but we can be assured by the BMW logo it is automotive perfection. BMW prides itself on building high performance vehicles that can be driven safely by all drivers. With a twin turbo V8 turning out just under 600 horsepower, this spunky sedan is a nice blend of daily driver and performance monster that everyone can enjoy! Great job BMW, read more about the 2011 BMW M5 at Tampa Sports Car Examiner.

Christopher Columbus: Member of the Tribe?

Essentially, no.

But, if you want to take the word of one Bubbles S. Cohen and her Jewish Day School education, then yes. For the record, this day school was obviously lacking in something, because Bubbles (note: not her real name) never learned that Marcel Proust was Jewish (and a ghey, but that’s besides the point), a fact that I, incidentally, learned today from the New Yorker (proving the old adage that the New Yorker >> everything else ever in the world).

Exhibit A: a "schnoz" if you will (ugh, I will)

Let’s set the stage, shall we? Our story begins not in the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, but on the balmy shores of Punta Cana, where six intrepid travelers found themselves being assailed with offers of Ponzi schemes as well as lists of famous Jews (ones that obviously left off one Marcel Proust).  To our disbelief (oh, the disbelief!), Christopher Columbus was on that list. Not the Ponzi scheme one, the Jew list.

In the haze of six days of Mama Juana and food poisoning (the good old “FP”), we quickly forgot about this almost-definitely untrue factoid from the Jewish contingent of Team Dominican Republic. That is, until today, when we received this piece of troubling news out of the Latin American Herald Tribune (an obviously well-respected paper).

Evidently, some “scholar” from some bullshit school (really, who has ever heard of George Washington University? anyone?) proved that our favorite genocidaire of 1492 Chris was a Jew based on COMMA USAGE. She hides her methods through the use of “Spanish” and “linguistics,” but she is NOT fooling me. Not one bit.

GW "students" are inordinately fond of this stupid statue. Yes, it is a hippo.

After the jump: my rebuttal to this booshit booshit booshit.

Point A: Christopher Columbus used a lot of commas, also known as “virgule.”

rebuttal: do you know who else uses a lot of commas? Peggy Noonan. Not a Jew (thank Yahweh)

Point B: Christopher Columbus deliberately hid his origins. Thus, must be a Jew.

rebuttal: The Jews I know talk about it, a lot. They LOVE being Jewish. Everyone wants to be Jewish, including Tall, who has to remind us all the time that she’s half-Jewish or else we’d forget and Jappy, who tries so hard that she drives a BMW.

Point C: Christopher Columbus had a terrible sense of direction.

rebuttal: I’m Jewish, and I have a great sense of direction. I am an excellent navigator and driver. Chris? Not so much.

If I just sail West far enough, I'll get to India! Of COURSE!

Point D: Christopher Columbus committed genocide, before it was cool to do it.

rebuttal: I don’t even need to make this point. Why rub it in?

Thus (THUS), I’m not buying it. And neither should you.

No Jew I know would ever be caught dead in a hat that ugly unless it was Prada.