Showing posts with label Racing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Racing. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

VIDEOS: “Monster” Tajima Breaks 10 Min Record at Pikes Peak with 910-hp Suzuki SX4


Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima has broken his own record at this year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb, completing the 12.42-mile (19.9 km) “Race to the Clouds” in just 9:51.278, demolishing the 10:1.408 time he set four years ago.

“Monster” Tajima, who has being racing at Pikes Peak every year since 1988, accomplished this extraordinary feat driving an extremely modified Suzuki SX4 with 910-horses. Second fastest was Rhys Millen in the modified Hyundai PM580, with a time of 10:09.242.

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Monday, June 27, 2011

Mazda’s Legendary 787B Le-Mans Winner to Race at Goodwood


It’s been 20 years already, yet it feels like yesterday when Mazda in 1991 became the first, and to date, the only Japanese manufacturer to win the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. The weapon of choice was the rotary-engine-powered 787B, which sported a carbonfibre body, an output of 700 PS and a 210 mph (338 km/h) top speed. Read more »

VIDEO: Lexus LF-A Nurburgring Edition Laps the Nordschleife in 7:22.85


Carscoop reader Shinya Yamamoto from Japan tipped us off about this video showing the new Lexus LF-A Nurburgring Edition (or at least that’s what the Youtube poster claims we’re seeing here) lapping the famous Nordschleife circuit in 7 minutes and 22.85 seconds. The poster videotaped the run from a video screen set beside the LF-A Nurburgring Edition.

According to the person who shot the clip, Lexus raced the car just before this past weekend’s 24-hour Nurburgring endurance race kicked off.

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Sunday, June 26, 2011

F1: Sebastian Vettel takes his 6th Win in Valencia


Sebastian Vettel is on a roll and no one seems able to stop him and his Red Bull from adding a second Formula 1 championship to their trophy list. This was confirmed once again today in the European Grand Prix in Valencia, in the eighth race of the 2011, where Vettel took his sixth win of the season. The German world champion started from the pole position and was never challenged during the race as he cruised to another win.

The only driver to even come close was Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso who started from fourth place and, like his team-mate Felipe Massa, made a terrific start. Alonso had a fight with the Red Bull of Mark Webber who, despite starting from the front row, eventually lost out to the Spaniard who finished the race second, more than 10 seconds behind Vettel.

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F1 to Adopt Turbo 1.6-Litre V6s, not 4-Cylinders, from 2014


It seems that Formula 1’s rules that were supposed to take effect from the 2013 season are being scrapped before they are even imposed. Those regulations called for the replacement of today’s 2.4 V8 motors by 4-cylinder turbocharged 1.6 liter units, a proposal that had being strongly opposed by certain teams such as Ferrari.

Now the sports’ governing body, the FIA, has offered an alternative: 1.6-liter turbocharged V6s with hybrid Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS), with the implementation of the new rules being pushed back one year, to 2014.

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Friday, June 24, 2011

BMW Faces Problems at 24h Nürburgring Qualifier, M3 GT No7 Crashes


The first qualifying session for the 24 hours of Nürburgring did not go exactly as planned for Team BMW Motorsport, as the number 7 M3 GT driven by Dirk Muller crashed in the Karussell two hours into the session. Prior to that, the car was 8th overall, with Dirk Werner lapping the Nordschleife at 8:32.302. Read more »

Thursday, June 23, 2011

New Video Footage of Subaru Impreza WRX STI’s Record Run at the Isle of Man TT


After seeing the growing the attention and interest on Mark Higgins' record lap time -and not to mention, a very close call with a wall during the practice runs- in a U.S. specification 2011 Impreza WRX STI 305HP at the historic Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, Subaru’s American arm issued a new video of the event.

The former British Rally Champion achieved speeds of up to 162 MPH (260 km/h) and a lap time of 19 minutes 37 seconds over the 37-mile track, which runs through several small towns with trees, stone walls, and buildings and includes more than 200 corners.

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2012 Corvette Z06 Smashes Previous Model’s ‘Ring Time by 20 Seconds [with Video]


As promised, GM released the Nürburgring lap time of its modestly tweaked for the 2012 model year, Corvette Z06. The most important change for the 2012 model is the available competition-orientated Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure tires, which helped the Z06 turn around the ‘Ring in just 7:22.68.

The lap time is 20 seconds faster than the previous-best Z06 lap time, recorded in 2005, and just 3 seconds behind the 638-horsepower 2012 ZR1, a video of which you can see in our previous posting here.

However, GM noted that in 2005, the Z06 was timed from a standing start instead of the rolling start technique used on the latest Z06 and ZR1 models.

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New MINI JCW Coupe Racer to Debut at 24h of Nurburgring


Well, that was quick. Just three days after unveiling the MINI Coupe, the firm’s first-ever two-seater coupe model, and even though its flagship version won’t be available to the public before autumn, the company presented the MINI John Cooper Works Coupe Endurance (yes, that’s quite a mouthful, so we’ll just call it JCW) racer.

And, what’s more, its public debut will be in one of the most demanding endurance races of the world, the Nürburgring 24 hours at the legendary Nordschleife, the place which Jackie Stewart has famously christened “the Green Hell”.

The MINI JCW Endurance is powered by a tuned version of the standard 4-cylinder, 1.6-litre engine that features a twin-scroll turbocharger as well as direct injection.

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Comical Fail: Formula SAE Car Falls Off a Tilt Table


There are fails and there are fails. What you’re about to see in the following video after the break, is one of those fails that will probably make you laugh.

A single-seat Formula SAE racing car was on the tilt-table when the strap holding it on the platform came off (according to the person that filmed the video, it wasn’t connected securely in the first place) resulting in the vehicle falling off to the ground.

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Nissan to Claim Two Oddball Speed Records at Goodwood Festival


Without doubt, one of the highlights of this year’s edition of the famous Goodwood hill climb will be Nissan’s participation. And no, we’re not talking about the Sumo Power GT team’s GT1 race-winning Nissan GT-R, but for the Juke small crossover and the Leaf EV.

You see, the Japanese company has set its sights on claiming two special records at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that takes place in Britain on 1-3 July with the aforementioned models.

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Porsche Ready for 24h Nürburgring Race with 911 GT3 R Hybrid


One of the most important racing events of the year in Germany is the 24-hour race of Nürburgring, which will take place this weekend (25/26 June). Porsche will enter the endurance race with eight factory cars, most prominent of which is the updated version of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid that led the event for eight hours last year in its first outing.

For this year, the organizers have changed the rules, restricting the flat six’s output to 448 hp which is directed to the rear wheels. But the hybrid system that features two electric motors driving the front wheels adds another 200 hp.

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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

VW Fields a Trio of 450-hp Golfs for the Nurburgring 24h Race


Volkswagen will participate with three 450-hp Golf24 cars in one of the most grueling endurance races in the world, the famed 24 hours of Nurburgring that will take place this weekend at the renowned German circuit. Read more »

Toyota Presents the Successor to Last Year’s MR2 Study with the New GRMN Sports Hybrid Concept II


At last year’s Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota showcased a concept study of an all-wheel drive hybrid sports car (see here) loosely based on the now obsolete MR2 roadster, developed in partnership with Japan’s GAZOO Racing.

Now the time has come for Toyota to unwrap its successor in the form of the GRMN SPORTS HYBRID Concept II that will receive both its public and racing debut at this weekend’s highly anticipated 39th Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race in Germany.

The name “GRMN” stands for GAZOO Racing tuned by Meister of Nürburgring, in honor of the late Hiromu Naruse (1944-2010), the Toyota chief test driver and head of the GAZOO Racing team who died in an accident last summer driving a prototype of the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition in Germany.

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Aston Martin Prepares Two V12 Zagato Concepts for 24h Nurburgring Battle


The world’s toughest 24-hour race at the Nurburgring circuit this weekend will see Aston Martin entering a bevy of sports cars led by not one but two specially prepared racing examples of the freshly revealed V12 Zagato Concept.

Based on the existing V12 Vantage chassis, the concept model was designed by Italian coachbuilder Zagato to celebrate its partnership with Aston Martin in the 50th anniversary year of the DB4GT Zagato. The prototype received its public debut at the Concorso D’Eleganza at Villa D’Este in May this year, winning the Design award for Concepts and Prototypes.

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Tuesday, June 21, 2011

GK2G: Go Karting Goes High Tech with Beau Reid’s Latest Conceptual Study


I want to live in a world designed by Beau Reid. The Floridian futurist and designer makes today’s cutting edge technology look old fashioned. Moreover, his name sounds like the alter ego of a Golden Age superhero. His latest automotive-themed creation is the GK2G (Go Kart 2 Go): a Formula 1-inspired, fold-able kart racer.

Weighing in at a lithe 65 pounds (30 kilograms) thanks to its all carbon fibre construction and lightweight lithium-ion batteries, the all electric concept has a theoretical top speed of 60 mph (100 km/h).

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Dragster Steering Wheel Falls Off During Race


We can think of many things going wrong during a run in a dragster but having the steering wheel fall off together with the column after launch on such a powerful vehicle is perhaps one of the worst possible scenarios imaginable.

Yet, that is exactly what happened to Russ Parker during a race at an Oregon dragrstip last weekend. “I must say that we are laughing at it now, though at the time it was not so funny,” Parker wrote on his Youtube page.

Follow the break to watch the incident unfold from the in-car video footage.

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Monday, June 20, 2011

VIDEO: Renault Megane RS Trophy’s Record Run at the ‘Ring


Last week, Renault upped the ante for front-wheel drive models by setting a new lap record at the Nurburgring Nordschleife with its more powerful Mégane Renaultsport Trophy.

The 265-horsepower strong special edition posted a lap time of 8 minutes and 7.97 seconds in the hands of Renault test driver Laurent Hurgon, smashing the previous record for a front-wheel drive model held by the older generation Mégane RS R26.R by nine seconds. Buckle up, sit tight and enjoy the record run in the video after the break.

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Join Mercedes GP or Team Lotus for a Day


British fans are getting ready for their National Motorsport Week, and two UK-based Formula 1 teams are each giving two members of the public the unique opportunity to join their pit crews for a day.

Mercedes Petronas GP will randomly select two winners from those who will enter an online competition. The window of opportunity opens today, Monday 20 June, and will close at midnight on Thursday 23 June.

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BMW to Debut New 2012 M5 Saloon at The Goodwood Festival of Speed


The all-new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan will be making its first public appearance at The Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place in the UK between July 1 and 3, the German automaker announced today.

The most powerful production version of the M5 series to date comes with a high-revving 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 pumping out 560hp from 5,750-7,000rpm and 680Nm [501.5 lb-ft] of torque from 1,500rpm. It goes on sale this fall.

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