Williams blocks Michael Schumacher's Plans to Test Car Ahead of F1 Return

Michael Schumacher's bid to step up his comeback by testing Ferrari's current car has been blocked by Formula One rivals Williams.

Ferrari last week wrote to the other nine Formula One teams and the FIA requesting Schumacher be granted a day at the wheel of the F60 ahead of the German legend's return to racing at the European Grand Prix in Valencia on August 23.

Under current regulations in-season testing is banned, but Schumacher hasn't raced since his retirement in 2006, so Ferrari were hoping the seven-time world champion, who is standing in for Felipe Massa after the Brazilian's horrific crash in Hungary, would be allowed to practise.

Out of courtesy, the other seven members of the Formula One Teams' Association – McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BMW Sauber, Brawn GP, Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso – gave Schumacher and Ferrari the green light.

Williams, however, see no reason why Schumacher should be given special dispensation, citing the recent arrival of 19-year-old rookie Jaime Alguersuari into F1.

"While we welcome Michael Schumacher back to Formula One, the fact is any form of in-season circuit testing is strictly prohibited, a regulation clearly laid out by the FIA and adhered to by all of the teams," said Williams in a statement.

"It was for this reason Alguersuari, who drove an F1 car for the first time in Hungary, did not have the opportunity to familiarise himself with the Toro Rosso before he made his race debut.

"Williams sees no distinction between Alguersuari's situation and Schumacher's and feels any deviation from the rule would create a precedent for the future.

"For the sake of consistency and fairness, therefore, we oppose Ferrari's proposal to test ahead of the European Grand Prix."

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2009 Toyota Corolla/Matrix - OEM Special Feature

JBL Audio Upgrade, Factory XM Satellite Radio Make Sonic Impact For Entry-Level Buyers

The doormen and valets at the Olmstead Spa must have thought I was totally off my rocker as I scurried from one '09 Corolla to the next. Both were idling with their sound systems at pretty much full song. The spa, in Cary, NC, was the site of the press introduction for the all-new '09 Toyota Corolla and Matrix. I was curious to hear the difference between the base and the premium JBL Audio systems offered in the new-for-'09 Toyotas. There are buyers out there who think the only difference between a base system and an optional system is a few extra speakers, watts and a bump in price. I often wonder how many buyers actually testdrive the different audio systems offered in their target vehicle?

My "Chinese pit stop" testing was worth the workout. It really drove home how dynamically superior the sound quality of optional JBL system was compared to the stock offerings.

The standard issue setup is AM/FM/CD head unit and four speakers. A mid-level upgrade adds a six-disc changer and a total of six speakers. The big audio dynamite is the JBL Audio system with a 440-watt AM/FM six-disc CD changer head unit, eight speakers and Bluetooth connectivity. This setup, available on S, XLE and XRS models, features a digital tuner with MP3/WMA playback capability and XM Satellite Radio with XM NavTraffic capability. The JBL speaker setup was described as eight speakers in six locations and a visual inspection confirmed the JBL units featured profoundly better materials.

Sonically, the JBL system was light years better than the other offerings, generating enough bass to thump the mirrors but still possessing the finesse to hit the high notes. The standard offering couldn't tickle the mirrors as the sound quality fell off quickly.

Beyond the hardware, Toyota is making history with the '09 Corolla and Matrix, which will be the first Toyota brand vehicles to offer XM Radio as a factory-equipped feature. It will be a standard feature in models featuring the JBL premium audio system. XM NavTraffic, XM's real-time satellite information service for GPS navigation, will also be available as an option on all '09 Corolla and Matrix vehicles equipped with a navigation system. Every Toyota and Lexus equipped with factory-installed XM comes with a three-month trial subscription. Score one for the little guy as the entry-level Corolla and Matrix models get XM from the factory. So lucky buyers can testdrive XM, without running back and forth between cars, then decide whether to continue the service.

Sound Quality	7.5
Ergonomics	7
Navigation	8

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