8/3/2019 BCM2011-03-16PG049FRST[1]

1/1

couriermail.com.au Wednesday, March 16, 2011 The Courier-Mail 49FRST

AUSTRALIAS LEADING CAR MARKETPLACE CARSGUIDE.COM.AU OR PHONE 132 202

Following in dads tyre tracks

SPEED DEMON: Ryan Hansford, son of the late racing great Gregg, issteeling himself to compete in this years Auto One V8 Ute Racing Series.

RyanHansford is justoneof the newgeneration ofAustralianracerskeepinga famoussurnamealive,writesBenDillon

MOTORSPORT dynastiesare an Australian tradition

with a younger generationof famous surnames like Johnson,Brock and Moffat taking up theracing torch laid down by forebears.

Another name to add to this listis Ryan Hansford son of lateracing champ Gregg Hansford.

He is set to strap into a V8 uteand compete in the 2011 Auto OneV8 Ute Racing Series.

Queenslander Hansford cut histeeth in the state Gemini series

before moving into the Fujitsu V8Supercars via a stint in the MiniChallenge series.

Ive always wanted to race. Ijumped into the Gemini and kept

winning so decided to keep going,says the 28-year-old Brisbane- based builder. We tried V8Supercars next and one of the onlyreasons we left was budget.

Despite a late start, Hansford isvery keen to make up for lost time.

Dad was definitely an inspi-ration and Im sure I wouldve beeninto it (racing) earlier if he hadntdied, Hansford says.

Hansfords decision to move tothe V8 utes was precipitated by theaggravation of an ankle injury

which last year forced him towithdraw from the final round ofthe Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series.

A young Hansford and his fatherhad talked about joining forces totackle the Great Race at MtPanorama, but Gregg Hansfordsuntimely death while racing atPhillip Island in 1995 stole thosedreams away from a 12-year-oldRyan, along with his hero.

The 2011 seasonisset tobe oneof

the toughest yet with V8 utestalwarts Charlie Kovacs andCharlie OBrien and former V8supercar drive rs CameronMcConville and Nathan Prettyamong a field ready to take thefight to champion Grant Johnson.

Its a nice littlebit of Gumpert

YES, its a strange name,but theperformance of theTornante isntto

besneezedat.The two-seat, mid-engined rocket

is the proposedsecondroad-goingmodel from German-based Gumpert which, ifyou hadntnoticed, is alsoastrangename after itsApollo and a

lineof trackcars.The Tornante

its Italian forahairpinbendgets a 520kWbi-turbo4.2-litre V8Audiengineand

Tiptronicgearboxwith paddleshifters.

The body isby TouringSuperleggera,whichmeans it lookssexy, andhas thatfirmslightweightchrome-moly-steel space frame,carbon-fibre spine andcomposite

bodypaneldesign.RolandGumpert previously a

topexecutivewithAudiin China

retains a strong linkwith Audiandexclusively usesits drivetrains.Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur

was started in2004andusesthetechnicalassistanceof Audi.

Neil Dowling

Experience a new perspective on AWD.

Experience the New Saab 9-3X with XWD.

Sometimes, when you look at things in a different way, you see beyond the obvious. Then a

crampon isnt just a climbing aid, it becomes the inspiration for Saab XWD, our cross-wheel

drive system, that gives the new Saab 9-3X better control of any surface.

The Saab 9-3X is the perfect car when you want to go somewhere a little off the beaten track.

Maybe to a place where you really will need a set of crampons.

For a new perspective call Brisbane Saab on 3852 5888 or visit saab.com.au