Month: March 2012

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Motorsports Toyota Video

There’s no replacement for displacement

Max Orido's Toyota GT86 V8

The advent of the tuner’s blank canvas that is the Toyota 86 hasn’t taken long to be exploited. In fact, all that’s left of this one is the outer shell, pretty much. Gone is the pissy 147kW 2.0 litre four cylinder boxer engine, replaced by an altogether meatier 311kW 5.0 litre V8 from a Lexus IS-F.

Yep, that’ll void the warranty. And it’s the most extreme Toybaru we’ve seen so far.

Japanese SuperGT driver Max Orido is the man behind this creation and it seems he’s also pretty serious about his drifting. There’s three videos for you after the break. The in-car footage is pretty amazing to see, and best to start at around 5:50 we reckon. If you want more check out the build thread from Tune86 using the link below.

Enjoy!

[via Tune86]

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Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

“One does not expect a professional sportsman to be such a cry baby”

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing

Cast your mind back to the closing stages of the Malaysian Grand Prix, when Sebastian Vettel, in fourth place, and Narain Karthikeyan, running second last, made contact. In the incident Vettel’s left rear tyre was punctured. His immediate response in the car was one of frustration and TV replays clearly showed him giving the bird to Karthikeyan.

The resultant pit stop pushed Vettel out of the top 10; no points. The 24-year-old dual world champion was not happy and he didn’t care who knew.

After reviewing replays, race stewards gave Karthikeyan a 20-second penalty, enough to relegate him to last place. A little harsh, we thought at the time, but that was the decision made. And that’s when the war of words started.

“As in real life, there are a few cucumbers on the road,” has become the accepted translation of what Vettel told German TV immediately after the race.

Happy to ensure nothing was lost in translation Vettel made the following comment to the BBC: “Like on normal roads, you have some idiots driving around. It seems there is also one driving here.”

After the race Karthikeyan defended himself telling reporters, “With Vettel, I got on to the marbles and the car had a lot of wheelspin. I had to jink to get out of it and unfortunately he was there.

“What else I could I do?”

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BMW

BMW M135i gets busy at the Nürburgring

BMW M135i prototype, Nurburgring, March 2012

The Industry Pool has been in full swing all week at the Nürburgring and one of the cars seen in development is the upcoming BMW M135i.

BMW revealed the M135i Concept last month and told us it will feature a 3.0 litre six cylinder turbo charged engine (it’s the N55 unit from the old 135i for those playing at home). Although, we can expect the new M135i to better the 225kW offered by the E82 135i.

You’ll notice the car above is in 3 door guise (F21), which hasn’t actually been released by BMW yet. If you need more doors, it’s okat, the M135i will be available in the regular 5 door body (F20) as well.

BMW has yet to announce when they will launch the M135i, but the 2012 M Festival in June shapes as a pretty good bet.

There’s more pics available from the link below, or you can see video of the M135i and standard 135i in action around the Ring in a short video after the break.

[Source: 1addicts]

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Top Gear Toyota

Top Gear special coming to outback Australia?

Toyota Hilux prepared for TopGear

Top Gear and Toyota are shouting about some newly modified Hilux models prepared for the show. Of course, it’s a successful combination that has conquered the north pole and that volcano in Iceland which nobody can pronounce.

We’ve thought for a while that the last remaining frontier for the Top Gear specials was the Australian outback. We’ll find out for sure where these new Hilux creations are heading next month when all is revealed in Top Gear magazine.

Look, there’s not really much to go on to think the Top Gear lads are headed down under, but a couple of possible clues are revealed with the ARB stickers and the off-ground sleeping accommodation.

ARB is an Australian company specialising in 4×4 modifications which began in the mid 1970s, their website says: “Back then, 4WDers relied on home made or ill fitting equipment that was not designed for extensive Outback expeditions. Endless corrugated roads, extreme temperatures, and the heavy loads carried by Australian travellers were extremely punishing on vehicles that regularly tackled these kinds of conditions.”

We also know that James, Jeremy and Richard are not particularly fond of creepy crawlies, not to mention slithery snakes; we do some pretty nasty ones here in Australia. So having sleeping accommodation that is off the ground is probably a wise idea.

They’ve also ensured the roof rails are strong enough to carry extra fuel. Something that is essential with the outback’s immense distances where it can be days between one town and the next.

We may be way off the mark here, but we reckon the Top Gear blokes are coming down under and we welcome them with open arms. And redback spiders. And tiger snakes. And hungry crocodiles. At least they should be pretty safe from great white sharks.

[Source: Top Gear & Toyota UK | Thanks to Wes for the tip]

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Categories
Toyota

VIDEO: First peek at the Toyota 86 TRD in action

Toyota GT 86 TRD performance line

We must have been napping in January when the Tokyo Auto Salon was on and the Toyota GT 86 TRD Performance Line was first shown. Three images and a few paragraphs from a press release gave us the first look back then.

Now we have the first video of the TRD GT 86 in action. You can watch that after the break and wonder what it would be like to drive the TRD enhanced 86 on the tight slalom course shown.

Here’s the relevant text from January’s presser, which explains more about the TRD GT 86:

Even in showroom guise, the new GT 86 has the looks and performance to command attention. The Tokyo Salon shows that package taken to another level in two new styling interpretations from TRD and Modellista that make full use of modified parts and accessories.

Key handling features added to TRD Performance Line GT 86 include a reworked suspension with new front and rear anti-roll bars, a carbon front strut, rear diffuser, additional cross-bracing and a high-response exhaust system. Finished in Satin White Pearl, the coupe gains a full body kit with skirts and spoilers, 18-inch alloy wheels and sports seats and meters in the cabin. Likewise, the Modellista interpretation of the “hachi-roku” (eight-six) shows some of the customisation possibilities the car offers.

These versions are shown alongside the Gazoo Racing FT-86 which competed at the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2011. The team has announced it will return to the event this year with a specially prepared GT 86.

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Alfa Romeo Chrysler Fiat

Chrysler Australia to take on Alfa Romeo and Fiat distribution

Alfa Romeo Giulietta

The association with the Ateco Group and Alfa Romeo and Fiat, which began 15 years ago, will come to an end on 1 May. Distribution for the two Italian marques will then fall under the banner of subsidiary company Chrysler Australia. All Alfa Romeo and Fiat dealerships around the country will also come under the control of Chrysler Australia.

Neville Crichton, Executive Chairman of the Ateco Group said, “Alfa Romeo and Fiat have at their heart a real, live passion for life and Ateco has been fully involved in that, whether it has been the yacht, the Alfa Romeo G1 or motorsport with the Fiat 500 Australian Grand Prix and class-winning performances at Bathurst with Alfa Romeo.

“But while this makes it all the more hard to say good bye to these iconic brands, we know that it is that passion that has driven us over the past 15 years and which has made them successful once again in Australia. We know that they now have are prepared and positioned for a strong future in Australia and New Zealand, something of which I and everyone who has worked on them at Ateco can justifiably be very proud.”

Ateco’s full statement can be read after the break.

UPDATE: Chrysler Australia’s statement has also been added below.

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Categories
Formula 1 News

Bahrain GP protesters take cause online, following F1 industry’s support for race

Bahrain Grand Prix protest banners

Yesterday, Bernie Ecclestone and Team Principals from leading F1 teams attended the media launch for the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for 22 April. It was a strong show of support for the troubled event.

This morning, the above image was sent to AUSmotive via twitter. Clearly some people don’t want F1 in Bahrain. In January we reported on calls to boycott the 2012 race and civil unrest continues in the Gulf state. It’s reported that 33 deaths have occurred since June last year.

However, Ecclestone has dismissed concerns over the race’s future. “People say to me ‘Oh there’s not going to be a race’. I say ‘How do you know?’ ‘Ah, we know because we saw, we read or we heard’ or something like that. It’s all nonsense,” he exclaimed.

The F1 supremo also denied there are any worries regarding security, “I’m absolutely sure that whatever is necessary to do will be done,” he said. “Probably not necessary. We’ve never been concerned about security in the past. I don’t understand why we should be now.”

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Subaru

Subaru BRZ STi seems certain

Subaru BRZ Concept STi

Subaru’s global marketing manager, Atoshi Atake, has given the biggest hint yet that a BRZ STi will become a reality.

A concept model was released at the LA Motor Show last year and any fans generated from that exercise will gain heart from Atake’s comments to Auto Express: “We have already had many requests from interested customers regarding a faster version. Let me say this—we will certainly satisfy our customers. We are already working on a faster version.”

However, don’t expect the STi version to stray too far from its basic BRZ roots. “We want to keep turbocharging separate. It is for models like the WRX STI,” added Atake. “The same goes for four-wheel drive. We could not make the BRZ four-wheel drive even if we wanted to.”

A peak power figure of 186kW (250hp) is being bandied about for the STi model and represents a sizeable increase from the 147kW in the standard model.

Overall weight would likely be reduced thanks to measures like carbon fibre body panels and racing seats. Usual enhancements such as revised suspension and uprated brakes would complete the package.

[Source: Auto Express]

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Pagani Video

VIDEO: Get closer to the Pagani Huayra

Pagani Huayra

The Pagani Huayra is beautiful. So we reckon you’ll enjoy this short video from noted YouTube contributor Marchettino.

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Formula 1 News

Aussie Chris Hemsworth to play James Hunt

Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt

Chris Hemsworth, former Australian soapie star and Thor leading man, will play James Hunt in Ron Howard’s F1 movie Rush. From a physical likeness point of view it’s not a bad match. Let’s hope he does the loveable rogue character of James Hunt well. It’d be a great role to play, that’s for sure!

German actor Daniel Brühl will play Niki Lauda. The movie is due out in 2013 and we’re getting sucked into the build up and can’t wait to see what Howard delivers.

The official word on the movie reads: “Following their personal lives on and off the track, Rush follows the two drivers as they push themselves to the breaking point of physical and psychological endurance, where there is no shortcut to victory and no margin for error. If you make one mistake, you die.”

[Source: Mail Online]

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News Video

Mmmm donuts

World record 75 simultaneous donuts

For a moment we’d like to direct your mind to its immaturity box, break it wide open and indulge in the silliness of the latest world record for the most number of donuts being performed at the same time. The new records stands at 75 and was set in the controlled confines of Infineon Raceway in California. You might actually be disappointed to know that this breaks the previous benchmark set by 57 like-minded Aussies.

Videos of both can be seen after the break. It’s stupid but looks like a hell of a lot of fun. Just don’t try this at home kids.

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Saab

Saab Cars Museum opens

Saab Cars Museum

Saab. Remember them?

Well now you can at the official Saab Cars Museum in Trollhättan. True to form the existence of the museum almost fell through, amid controversy which saw its contents put up for auction.

The merry chaps from Saabs United were on hand for the opening and filmed a short video. It’s a bit wobbly, but offers a glimpse of the genuinely cool classics on show, as well as the future models that never really got a chance to shine.

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