El Mirage Lake is a dry lake bed in the northwestern Victor Valley of the central Mojave Desert, within San Bernardino County, California. The dry lake, at an elevation of 2,840 ft (870 m), is approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) long. For 50 years the lakebed has been used by the Southern California Timing Association for timed speed runs. The club also operates the Bonneville Salt Flats speed runs. Land speed racing is a form of motorsport. The sport’s origins date to the 1930s in California, when the Southern California Timing Association first held meets for a variety of hot rodded vehicles. Land Speed Racing is about inventing, creating, experiencing and learning. It’s about exceeding boundaries, natural, technical and personal. For some people, even finding their purpose in life. The official land-speed record is 1,227.985 km/h (763.035 mi/h) (Mach 1.020), set by Andy Green on 15 October 1997 in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA, in Thrust SSC.

credit: Mike Palmer

One word – amazing! Alfa Romeo GTA 4C Concept was presented in Geneva Motor Show 2011. Despite of expectations is not an open roadster, but a baby version of the beautiful and sinfully expensive 8C Competizione. Carbon fiber and aluminum construction helps keep the weight down to below 850 kilograms (1873 lbs). The 1750cc, direct-injection turbo four from the Giulietta QV mounted amidship drives over 200 horsepower via Alfa’s TCT dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels. So, we have a car with an extremely high fun factor. Alfa 4C could lead the company’s long-awaited return to the North American market.