Top Gear airship stunt goes wrong (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

Top Gear presenter James May escaped unhurt when an airship he was travelling in crash-landed in a field.

May was filming a feature for the TV show in which a caravan was attached to the bright orange airship and flown across Cambridgeshire.

It was supposed to land on a cricket pitch but strong winds blew it off course and it landed on its side in a farmer’s field near the A428.

Emergency services were on stand-by, but were not needed, the BBC said.

Eyewitness Peter Clarke told the Daily Mail newspaper the caravan-carrying airship was “a very strange sight”.

He said: “I understand they were planning to land on the village cricket green in the middle of a match.

“All the cricketers were there dressed in their whites waiting for it to appear, but it started drifting off in the wrong direction.

“The film crew were a bit fed up as they’d been hanging around the village all day waiting for the wind to drop so they could film.”

A spokeswoman for Top Gear confirmed May was uninjured, but refused to disclose any further details about the stunt.

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BMW to quit F1 at end of season (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

BMW will withdraw from Formula 1 at the end of this season.

The German car manufacturer, who took over Sauber in 2005, have cited “current developments in motor sport” as the reason for their pull-out.

BMW are the second major manufacturer to leave the sport in eight months after Honda’s withdrawal in December.

F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone said BMW had given themselves three years to win the world championship, but they have only amassed eight points this season.

“It’s not quite been like that so perhaps that’s why they’ve [decided] to stop,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“When you consider how much money they’ve spent and the results they’ve got, it’s probably not such a good investment.

“They were quite sure that they were going to win the championship within three years, and I was hoping they would.”

BMW held a meeting on Tuesday where they made the decision to quit the sport.

They will instead devote resources to the ‘development of new drive technologies and projects in the field of sustainability’.

“Of course, this was a difficult decision for us, but it’s a resolute step in view of our company’s strategic realignment,” said Dr Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW.

“Premium will be increasingly defined in terms of sustainability and environmental compatibility. This is an area in which we want to remain in the lead.

 

“We are continually reviewing all projects and initiatives to check them for future viability and sustainability.

“Our Formula One campaign is thus less a key promoter for us.”

BMW’s takeover of Sauber in 2005 saw them enter their own team in 2006 and in their debut season they were fifth in the constructor’s championship before being promoted to second in 2007 after the exclusion of McLaren-Mercedes.

They put up a strong challenge in 2008 but ended up third behind Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes.

Their only grand prix win as BMW Sauber came when Polish driver Robert Kubica won in Canada in 2008, while he also achieved the team’s only pole position with his qualifying effort in Bahrain in 2008.

BMW motorsport director Dr. Mario Theissen added: “Of course, we, the employees in Hinwil and Munich, would all have liked to continue this ambitious campaign and show that this season was just a hiccup following three successful years.

“But I can understand why this decision was made from a corporate perspective. We will now focus sharply on the remaining races and demonstrate our fighting spirit and put in a good result as we bid farewell to Formula One racing.”

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Hamilton seals first win of 2009

Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix to take his first victory since October last year and complete a remarkable turnaround for McLaren.

The Englishman took the lead after pole-sitter Fernando Alonso’s Renault made an early pit stop and dominated ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Red Bull’s Mark Webber was third with Brawn’s Jenson Button down in seventh.

The Australian replaces team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who retired, in second place in the world championship.

Vettel, who suffered a front suspension failure while running eighth on lap 27 of 70, slips to 23 points behind the Englishman with seven races remaining and a maximum of 70 points available.

Nico Rosberg was fourth for Williams ahead of Hamilton’s team-mate Heikki Kovalainen, Toyota’s Timo Glock, Button and the second Toyota of Jarno Trulli.

Raikkonen’s second place was a big boost for Ferrari who had gone into the race with only one driver following Felipe Massa’s high-speed crash in qualifying, which resulted in the Brazilian undergoing emergency surgery in Hungary.

“Maybe I can speak for all of us, but today was a sad day given what happened with Felipe,” said Hamilton.

“We miss him, wish him well and we all wish him a speedy recovery.”

Raikkonen is being investigated by race stewards following a coming together with Vettel at the start of the race.

Red Bull, who dominated the last two races in Britain and Germany, put in a surprisingly uncompetitive performance but they were in much better shape than Button.

The Englishman qualified eighth, but was starting on a heavy fuel load and was optimistic he would have a strong race. Instead, he was unable to make any impression on the cars at the front.

For the first time this season, that meant McLaren, whose form here confirmed that the revised aerodynamics they introduced in Germany two weeks ago have transformed the car.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be back here after what feels like such a long time away, and such a struggle with me and my team. I’m just so proud of the guys,” said Hamilton.

Red Bull, who dominated the last two races in Britain and Germany, put in a surprisingly uncompetitive performance but they were in much better shape than Button.

The Englishman qualified eighth, but was starting on a heavy fuel load and was optimistic he would have a strong race. Instead, he was unable to make any impression on the cars at the front.

For the first time this season, that meant McLaren, whose form here confirmed that the revised aerodynamics they introduced in Germany two weeks ago have transformed the car.

“It’s an incredible feeling to be back here after what feels like such a long time away, and such a struggle with me and my team. I’m just so proud of the guys,” said Hamilton.

“After four laps my tyres were destroyed. I had rear graining and couldn’t keep up with the cars in front.

“Our car is not what it was to drive a few races ago. It’s not like it was at the start of the season, there is obviously an issue.”

Alonso got a good start from pole position and retained first place but Hamilton briefly got up into second place at the first corner before being re-passed by Webber.

The Red Bull was expected to be the strongest car in the race but, while Alonso initially built a small gap, Webber found himself under pressure from Hamilton, who passed him on lap five and proceeded to pull away and close on the Renault.

Alonso, who had planned to do a three-stop strategy in contrast to the two stops of most of the rest of the field, pulled in for his pit stop on lap 11.

He was released a fraction too early before the right front wheel was fully attached and it parted company with the car part way around the lap and was forced to retire with the consequent damage and a fuel pump problem.

By the time all the front-runners had done their stops, Hamilton had a six-second lead over Raikkonen and he was able to control the race from the front.

Webber slipped behind Raikkonen after a problem with a front wheel at his pit stop and he was also passed by Toyota’s Timo Glock as he rejoined.

The Red Bulls lacked their recent pace but Webber drove consistently well to take the final podium position and make it a good race for him from a championship point of view.

By contrast, his team-mate Vettel had a disastrous weekend, making a poor start from second on the grid and running eighth in the early laps.

He was running behind Rosberg when he suffered a front suspension failure on lap 27 and was forced to retire.

Toyota, both of whose drivers qualified outside the top 10, used a long first stint to put themselves in contention for the minor points places.

Button finally showed some pace in the closing laps once the track was coated in rubber and he was back on the softer tyres after using the harder ones in the middle stint.

That lifted him to seventh from eighth, but he will still be concerned at a third consecutive uncompetitive race.

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VW Camper (Use this Code 5XXXUKRA, and get 5% of all canvas art)

The Volkswagen Type 2 (also known as Transporter) was the second automotive line introduced by German automaker Volkswagen. It was a van introduced in 1950, initially based on Volkswagen’s first model, the Type 1, also known as the “Beetle”. The Type 2 is the forerunner of modern cargo and passenger vans. The Type 2 spawned a number of imitators both in the United States and Europe including the Ford Econoline, Dodge A100, and the Chevrolet Corvan, the last even adopting the Type 2’s rear-engine configuration. Updated versions of this line are still being produced in international markets, both as a passenger and cargo van and as a pickup truck. It is also unofficially known as a “Microbus” or “hippie van,” the latter due to its popularity with the 1960s/70s counterculture movement.

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Bullitt GT Mustang

The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the Ford Falcon, a compact car. Production began in Dearborn, Michigan on 9 March, 1964 and the car was introduced to the public on 17 April 1964 at the New York World’s Fair. It is Ford’s oldest nameplate currently in production, although the F-Series has undergone major nameplate changes over the years (most recently to F-150). It was Ford’s most successful launch since the Model A. Executive stylist John Najjar, who was a fan of the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane, suggested the name. The Mustang created the “pony car” class of American automobile — sports car-like sedans with long hoods and short rear decks —and gave rise to competitors such as GM’s Camaro, AMC’s Javelin, and Chrysler’s revamped Barracuda. It also inspired coupés such as the Toyota Celica and Ford Capri, which were exported to America. Mustangs grew larger and heavier with each model year until, in response to the 1971-1973 models, fans of the original 1964 design wrote to Ford urging a return to its size and concept. Although some other pony cars have seen a revival, the Mustang is the only original pony car that has remained in production without interruption after four decades of development and revision.

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Government plans travel database

The government is compiling a database to track and store the international travel records of millions of Britons.

Computerised records of all 250 million journeys made by individuals in and out of the UK each year will be kept for up to 10 years.

The government says the database is essential in the fight against crime, illegal immigration and terrorism.

But opposition MPs and privacy campaigners fear it is a significant step towards a surveillance society.

The intelligence centre will store names, addresses, telephone numbers, seat reservations, travel itineraries and credit card details of travellers.

Big Brother

Shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: “The government seems to be building databases to track more and more of our lives.

“The justification is always about security or personal protection. But the truth is that we have a government that just can’t be trusted over these highly sensitive issues. We must not allow ourselves to become a Big Brother society.”

A spokesman for campaign group NO2ID said: “When your travel plans, who you are travelling with, where you are going to and when are being recorded you have to ask yourself just how free is this country?”

The e-Borders scheme covers flights, ferries and rail journeys and the Home Office says similar schemes run in other countries including the US, Canada, Spain and Australia.

Minister of State for borders and immigration Phil Woolas said the government was determined to ensure the UK’s border remained one of the toughest in the world.

“Our hi-tech electronic borders system will allow us to count all passengers in and out of the UK and [it] targets those who aren’t willing to play by our rules,” he said.

“Already e-Borders has screened over 75 million passengers against immigration, customs and police watch-lists, leading to over 2,700 arrests for crimes such as murder, rape and assault.”

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Italian Job Conundrum is ‘Solved’

The Royal Society of Chemistry has announced the winner of a competition to solve the conundrum at the end of the iconic UK film The Italian Job.

In the film, the robbers’ coach almost drives off a cliff, ending up balanced precariously on the edge, with the gang at one end and their gold at the other.

The RSC asked for ideas to get the gold off the coach before it tips over.

John Godwin from Surrey came up with the winning idea which involves draining fuel from the vehicle.

In the conclusion to the 1969 movie, Charlie Croker, played by Michael Caine, tries to reach the gold, but as he does so, the coach tips up dangerously.

Then gang leader Croker turns around and says: “Hang on a minute lads, I’ve got a great idea.”

So what was the idea?

Some 2,000 members of the public put forward their own theories. Many of them were from children.

Twelve-year-old Thomas Nixon’s homonym solution was for the gang to sing until they all got “frogs” in their throats. The frogs start to jump up and down which rocks the bus. They use the “rocks” to weigh down the end of the bus.

Eventually, the gang’s throats become sore from the singing. And with the “saw” they cut the gold bullion in half. Because two halves make a whole – the gang could sneak the gold through the “hole”.

But the winner, John Godwin from Godalming, had a more practical solution involving a three-stage process.

First, the coach needed to be stabilised. This involved smashing out the windows on the part of the coach overlooking the drop and smashing them inward at the front end to improve the weight ratio slightly.

One of the bullion raiders is then lowered outside and deflates the wheels to stop the coach from rocking.

Second, its weight distribution needs to be changed, particularly over the rear of the coach which is overlooking the drop. This involves emptying the fuel tank which John Godwin discovered was at the rear of the coach. This, he estimated, would contain 140kg of fuel.

Third, he would allow a member of the team to leave the coach and bring rocks in to the front of the vehicle to ensure it was stable and the gold could be removed.

“There’re several sheets of maths here,” said John Godwin.

“It was a good long day with a calculator. It’s more than 20 years since I saw the film – I remember thinking there must be some way of getting that gold off the bus.

“I always had an idea of how they might solve this – so when the Royal Society of Chemistry put this out to the public as a competition it seemed like the ideal opportunity to see if it would really work or to see if it was hot air.” 

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Mini Cars

The Mini is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered an icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout (that allowed 80% of the area of the car’s floorpan to be used for passengers and luggage) influenced a generation of car-makers. The vehicle is in some ways considered the British equivalent to its German contemporary, the Volkswagen Beetle, which enjoyed similar popularity in North America. In 1999 the Mini was voted the second most influential car of the 20th Century, behind the Ford Model T.

This distinctive two-door car was designed for BMC by Sir Alec Issigonis. It was manufactured at the Longbridge and Cowley plants in the United Kingdom, the Victoria Park / Zetland British Motor Corporation (Australia) factory in Sydney, Australia, and later also in Spain (Authi), Belgium, Chile, Italy (Innocenti), Portugal, South Africa, Uruguay, Venezuela and Yugoslavia. The Mini Mark I had three major UK updates: the Mark II, the Clubman and the Mark III. Within these was a series of variations including an estate car, a pickup truck, a van and the Mini Moke — a jeep-like buggy. The Mini Cooper and Cooper “S” were sportier versions that were successful as rally cars, winning the Monte Carlo Rally four times from 1964 through to 1967, although in 1966 the Mini was disqualified after the finish, along with all the other British entrants, as the French wanted a Citroen victory. Finding no other reason to disqualify the Mini, the French hosts settled on an ‘illegal’ combination of headlamps and spotlights. Minis were marketed under the Austin and Morris names until Mini became a marque in its own right in 1969.

BMW Pop Art – Absolutely Timeless

The launching of the BMW 7 Series may be on the horizon, so it is fitting that we have added a previous conception to our pop art range. This M3 is yours to own on triptych with a choice of sizes:

BMW Canvas Pop Art Painting on Triptych

A Brief History of BMW

Karl Friedrich Rapp is the name of the founder of BMW – one of the biggest world wide car manufacturing companies. BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works) was founded in 1916 as a successor to the Rapp Motor.

Many people think that the logo of BMW comes from a spinning white propeller seen in the background of the blue sky. This may be so but in fact it is known that it also comes from the white and blue flag of Bavaria – the largest state of Germany. The capital city of the state is Munich and this is the place where even today we can find the BMW Headquarters.

In 1916 with the foundation of the company a contract was secured for building V12 engines. These engines were about to be used in the creation of the automobiles from Austro-Daimler. These 12 cylinders V engines were at first used in aircrafts which is the original plan of the BMW Company. Taking in account the time when the company was founded it was very likely for them to continue like that.

However in 1919 after the World War I and the Treaty of Versailles the production of aircraft in Germany was prohibited and that quickly changed the politics of BMW. They began making brakes for the Rail transport. Soon after that BMW was able to design a motorcycle engine which was used for the creation of a motorcycle called with the model name Victoria. However Victoria was not built by BMW but by another company in Nuremberg.

In 1924 BMW made a model of a motorcycle which was the first one they built – the R32. This was a turning point in the BMW history because it was a major achievement and for decades they used its technology – 500 cc engines cooled down by the air. Soon after that BMW added one new innovation – the driveshaft. It came to replace the chain for driving the rear wheel and became a mark of BMW for quite some time.
In the German city Eisenach in 1927 began the production of Dixi – under license but only a year after that the Dixi Company was bought by BMW and they began mass production together with the model Austin Seven.

When the World War I began BMW took its place in it because of the German army’s motorized division. They used BMW R75 together with BMW R12. Because of the high need of engines BMW note that period as highly profitable. BMW was the main supplier and even today words like Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht brings many memories. Some of the best planes in that historical time used the BMW aero-engines and till the 1945 more than 30 000 planes with these engines were manufactured.

BMW even made researches which enabled the company to make different jet engines for weapons. With the use of some men power consisting mainly by prisoners of the war BMW made many rocket-based weapons that were used in the war.

Soon after the creation of the rocket-based weapons parts of the company were bombed. Soviets razed to the ground most of the company located in eastern Germany and the base factory in Munich was almost completely destroyed.

After the war BMW was not able to quickly recover because of the need to rebuild the factory in Munich. After that when the restrictions from the Allies applied BMW was banned for three long years in which the company was forbidden from producing motorcycles until 1948 and cars until 1952.

In 1951 the Bavarian company was able to regain all trademarks and it looked like it was finally able to recover and start again from what was left. In 1959 Herbert Quandt became the “wheel” which turned the BMW around because he denied a deal with Daimler-Benz and soon after that he increased his share in the BMW Company up to 50%.

The name of Kurt Golda is stated as the man who incited Quandt to do this step and in the same year BMW began production of the BMW 700 which was based on the BMW 600. This small car used 2-cylinder, air-cooled engines and some years later it was renamed to “LS”. Coupe and some cabriolet series were also manufactured.

In 1963 BMW offered dividends to the shareholders of the company and in 1966 the factory in Munich reached its maximum capacity and BMW bought Hans Glas GmbH. This deal enabled BMW to use factories in Landshut and Dingolfing.

With some new style provided by Bertone in 1972 BMW began production of 5 new series and in the years to follow the company made a big progress in the market. For 6 years under the leadership of Bernd Pischetsrieder BMW was able to expand its deal in the market by buying from British Aerospace the Rover Group. Rover Group’s history starts in 1986 and till the moment when BMW owned it this company was able to achieve many things like for example the Rover 400 in 1990.

However the Rover was sold to Phoenix Venture Holdings and Ford Motor Company because of some years of losses for BMW. Jokingly the press called the Rover “The English Patient” after the release of the namesake film. This however was not very hard on BMW and they were spared from taking the blame. It looks like that even the British press was not very enthusiastic about the Rover.

BMW began production outside of Germany in 1994. New factories were made in South Carolina and even today the manufacturing of BMW X5 and BMW Z4 is made there. There are factories in some other places too like Oxford, Goodwood and others. After some time of assembly BMW began production in South Africa. Today BMW exports more than 50 000 3 Series vehicles yearly to Japan, USA, Africa, Australia and the Middle East.

In order to serve the market in Eastern Europe and Middle East BMW are planning to begin construction of a new plant located in Cyprus or Greece. A plant in Chennai, India already opened production in 2007.

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