Contract negotiations in Formula One never seem easy and who really knows why some decisions on drivers are really made. The 2007 F1 champ, Kimi Raikkonen shifted to the World Rally Championship when he didn’t like his options at the end of last season, and since then rumors have been flying with speculation of his return to the single-seaters. Some reports placed him at Red Bull Racing, others at Renault or Mercedes GP for 2011, but the latest news suggests he’ll continue blasting around the world in his Citroen rally car.

Raikonnen’s long-term future remains up in the air, although his partnership with Red Bull (which sponsors his Citroën rally car) could open the door for a return with the energy drink’s premier F1 team. But based on how well things are looking for Red Bull F1 at the moment, that won’t come until 2012 at the earliest, so the other top dogs on the Formula One grid can breathe a little easier for another season.

So you’ve invested in an awesome off-road machine that can take you to the most remote areas of the land, but where are you going to sleep? Over in the States, Jeep have decided to offer a solution to those that want to get well away from it all but still have a touch more luxury than a regular tent can offer. Called the Trail Edition Camper it’s available as an official Mopar accessory and looks tailor-made hooked up behind a new Wrangler.

This fancy new trailer uses good old pop-up technology to remain a manageable size for towing. Each trailer will have sleeping arrangements for four with one dedicated queen-size bed (the other sleeping quarters are converted from the table and sofa), built-in aluminum cabinets, a power supply and a canvas enclosure.

Two different models will be made available, the standard Trail Edition Camper and if that’s not enough the Extreme Trail Edition Camper. While the basic model gets 32-inch tyres and 12 inches of ground clearance, the Extreme Edition goes bigger with 35-inch tyres and a handy 15 inches of clearance. Other extreme upgrades include a stronger frame and full underbody skid plates.
Check out the gallery below for more images of the ‘Campers’.

A updated range of Hardex chemical products for automotive, DIY, construction and industry are now available from Sulco Tools and Equipment.

“Hardex products are a close to tools as you can get”, says Ed Higgins, Sulco’s Managing Director.

“We had been seeking a range of quality chemical products for some time”, says Ed and the Hardex line made in Malaysia in conjunction with their parent company in U.S.A. is very competitive, well packaged, well presented and has wide application.

Products include an all new “Fast Clean” Citrus Hand Cleaner, “4D Penetrant and Lubricant”, “Spray Grease”, “Brake Clean”, “Belt Dressing”, “Auto Undercoating”, “Wire Rope Lubricant” etc., all in convenient aerosol packs.

“Threadlock” cyanoacrylic liquid in various formulation for nuts and bolts, pipe threads, etc. Other products include Metal Polish, Gasket Sealants, RTV Silicones and Epoxy Glues and Compounds. There is also a range of Engine Oil and Fuel Additives.

For further information call Sulco – 0800 800 488 or click here to go to the Sulco website.

The Pebble Beach classic car event in the States is all on for next month and is shaping up to have an amazing range of cars on display. Already lined up for the concours are the debuts of Morgan’s new EvaGT and Ferrari’s 599 roadster. Notable auction lots include the 1959 Le Mans-winning Ferrari 250 TdF and a famous 1927 Benz once owned by the Marx Brothers. But wait… there’s more.

An ex-Stirling Moss 1956 Maserati 200 SI and a Ferrari 340 America that featured at the 1952 New York Auto Show have also been announced, but they’ll be joined by some formidable classic Italian machinery. Among them will be a rare Zagato-bodied 1954 Fiat 8V, a stunning 1971 Lamborghini Miura S and a pristine alloy-bodied 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione, along with the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta SEFAC Hot Rod and stunning 1955 Maserati A6G/54 Zagato pictured above.

The Zagato Maserati is a coachbuilt special which was chosen to represent the marque at the 1955 Turin Motor Show.

Check out the gallery below for more images of the Zagato Maserati and the the Ferrari 250 GT SWB.

Toptul tools has become a true force in the NZ tool market and is now selling a professional range that’s well suited for all applications.

Toptul professional tools are manufactured in Taiwan to the highest standards and are guaranteed against defects in materials and workmanship for the life of the tool. All their gear exceed the ANSI and DIN international standards and so are perfectly suited as professional quality hand tools specifically manufactured for the trade sector.

Toptul’s also look sharp with their eye-catching satin chrome finish which is found on a majority of their tools and this attention to detail endorses Toptul’s manufacturing technology and capabilities as they produce a professional high quality range of hand & air tools for trade users. The satin chrome finish also offers superior corrosion resistance and is 30 percent more scratch resistant than standard finishes found on other tools.

Another feature of Toptul products is the easy distinction between the range of metric and imperial sizes. All metric sockets, accessories and spanners come in the satin chrome finish while the imperial sizes are all in the standard chrome finish. This allows the user to easily determine the difference.

Included in the Toptul range are professional tool boxes, socket sets and accessories, screwdrivers, pliers, adjustable wrenches, panelbeating tools and dollies, R&OE spanners, torque wrenches and lots more.

Toptul can be purchased through Partmaster, Tradezone Industrial stores and selected trade outlets.  Click here to visit the Toptul NZ website.

The Internet auction website eBay over in the States throws up some interesting vehicles in its listings. Unfortunately for keen parties bidding is over on this rare jewel pictured above, but it is still a fascinating piece of automotive history.

Czech company Avia, now a truck builder known as Ashok Leyland, built two-stroke, two-cylinder cars in the fifties that were converted to racing machines. Czech driver Miroslav Jurca got hold of one in 1956 and turned it into this: the 750 Mk III. It has aluminum and magnesium sheetmetal that sits over a steel tube chassis. Power comes from a 750cc, four-stroke BMW engine.

It’s surprising how much technology lives under the revised bodywork, including a fully-independent front suspension with unequal-length A-arms, coil springs, telescopic hydraulic shocks and torsion bars; an independent rear suspension with coil springs and hydraulic-telescopic shocks; a transaxle gearbox and lightweight alloy-magnesium rack and pinion steering.

A rare gem indeed, take a closer look in the gallery of photos below.

Here in NZ when it rains the heavens can really open up and that means that occasionally our roads get flooded. Perhaps it’s because we love our cars or maybe because we don’t want to look like dickheads but when faced with a cordoned off flooded road we always go around the long way. Well it turns out that not all of us take the safe approach and a video has just appeared on YouTube that shows one have a go hero making a bad call by taking on a flooded kiwi road in his fairly tidy BMW 3-Series, or what ‘was’ a tidy 3-Series.

He gets going without problems at first, but as the water’s current starts pushing the BMW his plans are, well… sunk. The dance music is a little unnecessary, but the reactions of the rescue team are priceless. Moral of the story is – don’t try and be a hero out there folks.

Check out the video below, it’s worth a look. Read full story…

Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton battle it out on a Scalextric track