RobiNZ Personal Blog

Beautiful and now topless!

Recently voted the most beautiful car in the world, now there is an Alfa Romeo Brera Spider! Alfa Romeo Brera Spider - official photos - www.Eurocarblog.com. Read more →

Fiat comeback from near death

Fiat report an operating profit for the fourth quarter of 2005. It’s a glimmer of hope after a run of red ink. Perhaps not being taken over by GM was a good move. Apart from getting a bundle of GM cash they had the opportunity to look at other alliances. Now they need to roll-out the rest of the Grande Punto range, the Grande Punto Abarth has to be HOT, and follow up with a strong new Stilo & “500”. Fiat comeback continues - Autoblog. Read more →

Alfa Romeo NZL-80 on Auckland Anniversary Day & more of "Le Grand Blue"

Thanks to Zelda for sending a cool photo of the super-maxi Alfa Romeo NZL-80 sailing in the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta (30 January, 2006). She also sent a great shot of the of the mega-yacht Le Grand Bleu which I only managed to photograph from the wharf. After seeing my other shots I went back to take this photo but Le Grand Blue had sailed! You can just see the 20m/67ft power-boat on the deck which sits beside the 21m/70ft sailboat seen in my photos! The vessel alongside Le Grand Blue is the bunkering tanker Tolema 1. Read more →

Auckland Match Racing Cup

Dean Barker (Team NZ Skipper) won the Auckland Match Racing Cup against a world class fleet. It took place on the harbour across from where I work. The lunchtime view from the café was just a bunch of boats sailing up & down as we aren’t close enough to see the names/numbers & follow the racing. My request for next year is: Colour coded mainsails for each skipper please! Valencia Sailing: Dean Barker wins Auckland Match Racing Cup. Read more →

Back to Sky

When Sky TV (Digital pay TV) had the New Zealand rights to Formula One I had Sky TV. When Sky TV dropped Formula One I dropped Sky TV. Sky TV have the New Zealand rights to Formula One again… And WRC Rally…. And I’ve just signed up again…. Read more →

Rosso replaces the red Uno

After contributing to the demise of my Mum’s red Fiat Uno it seems kinda fitting to replace it with another little red Fiat. She’s now getting about in “Rosso”; a Punto. Read more →

The new Fiat Stilo?

Eurocarblog have what is claimed to be sketches of the new Fiat Stilo. It sort of has a “Grande Punto Grande” look. I couldn’t get to the link posted – bandwidth restriction – but the thumb-nails on the post are good enough. Sketches of the new Fiat Stilo - www.Eurocarblog.com. Read more →

Protect Your Cat!

Useful tip from Sketchblog; Sketchblog » Blog Archive » The F.P.E.S. 0.0 - 1.1.0. Today is a great day for the cat freedom movement! The prototype Feline Protection and Enhancement System is ready for testing! Read more →

Supervolcano — Truth, fiction and everything in between at Yellowstone

I found this interesting comment on the BBC doco, Supervolcano, which screened in New Zealand tonight. It was a good drama but I wondered about the accuracy of the science behind it. From this comment it appears the BBC did a reasonable job merging fact and fiction, if erring towards the most dramatic of the possible outcomes. It is unlikely we’ll see a super volcano in Auckland * (unlikely to see one anywhere in our lifetime) but it’s only 600 years since the last volcano arrived so only a matter of time ‘till another does! Geotimes — June 2005 —... Read more →

Where is the WRC on free to air NZ TV?

Monte Carlo is on but can’t find any mention in the free to air TV sport listings. WRC was on 3, where is it now? Read more →