Year: 2011

Categories
Ferrari

Ferrari Superamerica 45 ready for exclusive show

Ferrari Superamerica 45

This is the Ferrari Superamerica 45. It’s a one-off creation built for New York collector Peter Kalikow. The Superamerica 45 will make its public debut tomorrow at the Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza.

At this stage the official Ferrari press material makes no mention of the engine underneath that Blu Antille bonnet. However, it is being listed as a 6.0 litre 12 cylinder on the event website. So it’s just a 599 with custom coachwork, then?

If you’ve been buying Fezzas for 45 years and have a stack of cash you can’t give away then you too can play the Fantasty Ferrari game. If you did, do you reckon you could come up with something better than this?

Continue reading “Ferrari Superamerica 45 ready for exclusive show”
Categories
Formula 1

FIA blowing cool air over exhaust gasses

2011 Turkish GP

This time last week the FIA had written to the Formula One teams declaring the engine mapping allowing exhaust gasses to flow into blown diffusers while the driver was off-throttle would be drastically altered. The change was to take effect at this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix. Under the FIA’s plan up to 90% of the benefit gained was to be taken away.

However, the changes have since been put on hold now won’t come in place until after the Canadian Grand Prix at the earliest. This will follow the latest Technical Working Group meeting in mid-June.

As usual for F1, it’s a complicated tale and accusations of inter-team rivalry are at play. It’s believed that Lotus Renault GP and Red Bull Racing have the most to lose. But these comments from McLaren’s Tim Goss are telling, “I think all of the major teams are up to the same tricks with regards to engine mapping. Certainly we exploit them.

“If the latest guidelines that the FIA have given us on use of engine to drive exhaust systems came in then it would be a performance setback to us. I know it would almost certainly be a performance setback to our major competitors.”

Goss was quoted by James Allen and if this story interests you we recommend following the source link below for more.

[Source: James Allen on F1]

Categories
BMW

BMW 1M CSL rumour ignites

BMW 1M Coupe

At the recent UK launch of the BMW 1M Coupé the seed for a new and possibly very exciting rumour was sewn. We’re told James Morrison, BMW UK product manager, is the man responsible after he said, “There is scope for a CSL version.”

Adding context to that comment is the fact 300 of the 450 1M Coupe models alloctaed to the UK market were sold prior to its official release. Demand that BMW wasn’t expecting, and on a worldwide scale too, could have them thinking there is some more 1M cash to milk.

Morrison explains, “This car [1M Coupé] has certainly generated a buzz. When we planned for this car we were cautious, but now there’s some hype surrounding the 1M so there’s clearly going to be some people looking at what we can do next.

“M is the pinnacle of engineering so if there’s a CSL proposition or something really different that we could consider then we would. If there’s something special and unique we can do with it then absolutely we would.”

We’re doubtful a 1M CSL could happen so late in the 1 Series model cycle, but we remain hopeful. Then there’s the cost to consider; would you pay M3 money for a slightly lighter and quicker 1M?

[Source: Car Dealer Magazine]

UPDATE: A reminder that a 1M CSL was hinted at last December. How does 332kW (445hp) sound?!

Categories
Top Gear Top Gear Australia

Top Gear Series 17 starting on 12 June (or not)

Top Gear cast

First filed: 18 May

According to the latest issue of the Dutch edition of Top Gear magazine Season 17 is due to air on BBC2 from Sunday 12 June (see below).

Meanwhile, Top Gear Australia has recently been recording its studio pieces for the next series which will be due to air on Channel 9 later this year.

[Source: Final Gear]

UPDATE 19 May: It looks like the Dutch Top Gear mag went a bit early by naming a start date for the next season. A wrap on the knuckles for someone, we suspect. So, Top Gear Series 17 will start in June and most likely on a Sunday, too. You have a one in four chance of being right; name your date below!

Categories
Porsche

Racecar kinetic energy tech for Porsche 911

Porsche 991 911

Interesting news has recently emerged about a new KERS system reported to feature on the next-gen Porsche 911. The entire 991 model range is said to take brake energy recuperation to a new level, with a special flywheel to store the saved energy for later use. So they’ll have a proper “go fast” button, then.

Keep in mind Porsche has its fingers on the pulse with this technology after teaming up with Williams Hybrid Power to produce the GT3 R Hybrid. A car which made everyone stop and take notice when it very nearly won the Nürburgring 24 hour race at its first competition outing.

[Source: Autoblog | Pic: CarPix]

Categories
Audi

Audi S1 prototype pipes up

Audi S1 spied

This otherwise regular looking A1 is reportedly an S1 prototype. The subtle twin pipes at the back offer the required clues. They actually look pretty good, too.

Speaking of clues, there’s not really too many others in regards to the finer details of the S1. We know it will feature a quattro drivetrain, but at this stage we’ve not come across anything too concrete in terms of the engine which will power the S1.

Some reckon it will be a reworked version of the 1.4 TFSI, which seems unlikely to us. Autoblog speculate 270hp could be on the cards; a little high maybe? Either way we doubt the 1.4 twin charger—currently offered with a max power rating of 185hp (136kW)—could be tuned to achieve that result. The S3 engine currently offers 265hp, so will the well utilised Volkswagen Group 2-litre find its way into the car? Or what about something entirely new altogether?

[Source: Autoblog | Pic: CarPix]

Categories
Volkswagen

Volkswagen Polo R speculation heats up

Volkswagen Polo R WRC

As we predicted, the announcement of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC has led to increased hope that a road-going Polo R would be back on the cards.

In a brief interview with Autocar, Volkswagen board member Ulrich Hackenberg said, “You can see how the World Rally Championship programme would increase the probability of an R version of the base model [Polo].”

However, buyers hopeful of buying the feisty pocket rocket may have to wait until 2013 or beyond to see the Polo R. Hackenberg explains, “It is with the rally programme, not before it. I can’t give a precise date, but it’s along those lines.”

Autocar currently suggest the Polo R would be front-wheel drive only. We’d like to live in hope that the baby R model could utilise the Audi S1 all-wheel drive system. However, a front-wheel drive precedent has been set with the Scirocco R.

The final question remaining is will Volkswagen try and find more power from the 1.4l twincharged unit found in the Polo GTI, or will they shoehorn a 2 litre engine in there from a Golf GTI? Either way expect power to be 150kW or beyond.

[Source: Autocar]

Categories
BMW

M5 watch: Heart of gold

BMW M5 engine bay

Back when the BMW X6 M was launched we said its only saving grace was the 4.4 litre heart of gold stored beneath the bonnet. Thanks to M5 board we can now get a quick look at the closely related heart of gold powering the F10-based Concept M5.

Still with a 4.4 litre capacity and a couple of turbos, the M5 engine is expected to produce a rather tasty 560hp (approx 420kW) while being more fuel efficient to boot.

[Source: M5 board via BimmerFile]

Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Adrian Newey talks about Ayrton Senna’s death

Adrian Newey

Imagine you designed the car in which Ayrton Senna was killed; it would be a heavy burden to carry. And so it has proven for Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer at Red Bull Racing and former design guru with Williams F1.

Newey’s creations have won 119 races, seven constructors’ titles and crowned six world champions. They are astounding achievements. On current form it looks likely that two new additions will be added at the end of the 2011 F1 season.

The death of Ayrton Senna continues to haunt Newey, however. In a recent article with The Guardian Newey said he is unlikely to watch the Senna documentary because, “It would not be an easy thing to do.”

Speaking candidly Newey revealed how the death of Senna and subsequent manslaughter charges brought against himself and Patrick Head made both men question their involvement in Formula One.

Continue reading “Adrian Newey talks about Ayrton Senna’s death”
Categories
BMW

BMW 1M Coupé gets slow-mo drift

More promo guff as the BMW 1M Coupé continues its worldwide roll out. This time it’s BMW UK providing the entertainment in this well produced clip where the undoubted highlight is the slow motion drift around one minute in. Mind, the higher-speed follow up shortly afterwards is pretty cool too. Shame a promo like this would be banned in Australia.

[via BimmerFile | Thanks to John for the tip]

Categories
Motorsports Renault

Daniel Ricciardo wins at Monza

Daniel Ricciardo

Aussie charge Daniel Ricciardo has so far been impressing during his Friday testing role with Toro Rosso. On the weekend he also earned favour by winning the Formula Renault 3.5 Series race at Monza, Italy.

Ricciardo actually crossed the finish line in second place, but French driver Jean-Eric Vergne was handed a 10 second penalty for cutting a chicane while defending a move from the young West Australian.

After the race Ricciardo explained, “The race was hectic, especially at the start. After that it was a bit frustrating because I never had a clear opportunity to get past. I knew that Jean-Eric was penalised, but if I’d had an opportunity to overtake him before the chequered flag, I’d have taken it.”

Let’s hope we’re soon seeing Daniel Ricciardo on F1 racetracks on Sundays in the very near future. Next year, would be great!

[Source: Word Series by Renault]

Categories
Ferrari Motorsports

P4/5 Competizione to be diesel powered?

P4/5 Competizione

On the weekend the P4/5 Competizione had its second and final race at the Nürburgring before the 24 hour race in June. James Glickenhaus and his team will continue testing, most likely at the Hungaroring, to finalise their N24 preparations.

Mike Frison, respected Nürburgring blogger, and lately Save the Ring activist, caught up with Glickenhaus at the race and had a good chat. Two of the more notable points to emerge from that discussion were plans to race the P4/5 Competizione at Le Mans and Sebring in future.

Makes sense, really, you put all that money into making a racecar, you probably want to tale it around the world.

However, it was the revelation that Glickenhaus would also like to convert the P4/5 Competizione to run a diesel engine to help improve performance. That’s likely to cause a few disturbances of the force down Ferrari-way.

[Source: Mike Frison | Pic: Facebook]