Year: 2011

Categories
Jaguar

Jag-inspired Growler E set for production

Growler-E

News of this funky looking E-Type inspired Growler E broke last week. TopGear now brings word the car will be going into limited production.

To bring you up to speed, the Growler E was created as a tribute to the classic Jaguar E-Type, which was first presented 50 years ago at the 1961 Geneva Motor Show. The 21st century Growler concept has been created by Swedish designer Bo Zolland from Vizualtech, in collaboration with Swiss designer Robert Palm. The pair got creative at the behest of a nameless and apparently wealthy businessman from Sweden.

The Growler E is based on a current model Jag XKR and has had the wick on its 5.0 litre supercharged V8 turned up from 510hp to 600hp. That’s easy enough to do thanks to a bit of ECU tweaking. The clever part comes in shedding 200kg of weight from the XKR and reaching a target weight of 1550kg for the Growler E. The clever clogs from Vizualtech reckon that should be enough to get their creation to 100km/h in under four seconds.

So, back to the production plans for the car. Spokesman Robert Palm reckons they should have their first car ready in a bit over 12 months from now. Each model will be hand built and may take as long as six months to assemble.

As for pricing, well it all depends on the number built. If only a handful are made expect to pay around £850,000. If demand is high enough, though, Vizualtech may consider contracting production to Magna Steyr in Austria (they make the MINI Countryman). That being the case costs could fall by around half.

[Source: TopGear | Thanks to Adam for the tip]

UPDATE: AUSmotive contacted Robert Palm for more info and he’s replied with some good material. Check it out after the break.

Continue reading “Jag-inspired Growler E set for production”
Categories
Jaguar McLaren MINI Porsche Video Volkswagen

Autocar names top five road tests

Steve Sutcliffe, Autocar

Steve Sutcliffe from Autocar presents the top five cars from a database of 5000 road tests (video available after the break). On the list they have included an original 1959 Mini, a 1961 Jaguar E Type, a 1981 Golf GTI, a 1994 McLaren F1 and a 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS.

In the first recap, featuring the Mini, it’s interesting when Sutcliffe includes a couple of lines from the 1959 test; a shame, really, he didn’t do that for the other four cars.

Overall, it seems like a reasonable enough list, if a bit skewed towards British engineering. But, Autocar is a British mag after all. So, what would cars would you put in your top five?

Continue reading “Autocar names top five road tests”
Categories
Lamborghini Video

Lamborghini Aventador hits YouTube

Lamborghini Aventador

The highly anticipated Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 has created plenty of activity on the Tube. So here’s a few of the better clips out there, starting with an official teaser clip released just before the Geneva Motor Show.

Continue reading “Lamborghini Aventador hits YouTube”
Categories
Formula 1

Mark Webber says no to fake rain

2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Last week Bernie Ecclestone raised a few eyebrows when he suggested introducing artificial rain to spice up racing in Formula One. While it’s true that wet races do often mix up the natural order of the F1 grid quite nicely providing excitement along the way, it’s also good that such conditions remain unpredictable.

A view shared by Australia’s Mark Webber who replied to the BBC, “No and no” when asked if he thought fake rain was a good idea.

Mark continued, “It wouldn’t be the most sophisticated way to make the show more entertaining.

“It can be more exciting when we have some different weather conditions, that does happen. But you just try and think of Jimmy Clark, and Jackie Stewart and (Ayrton) Senna and those guys, masters in the wet.

“Jackie’s still here but the other two would be turning in their graves if they thought we’d have sprinklers and hoses lined up around the track.”

Continue reading “Mark Webber says no to fake rain”
Categories
Lotus

“In 2011 the vision comes to life”

At the 2010 Paris Motor Show Lotus stole the limelight by releasing not one, but five new concept cars. For Geneva they’ve tweaked the range a little and produced this video to remind us they mean business.

Categories
Motor Shows Volkswagen

Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Study Golf R

VW Study Golf R

Volkswagen’s R GmbH division has revealed four special Golf R models at the Geneva Motor Show. The cars feature a variety of cosmetic enhancements from the full production version, including carbon fibre accents, two-tone interiors and unique alloy wheels. The models have been displayed in four colours, Oryx White, Carbon Steel Grey, Space Grey and Aplomb Blue.

Full details from Volkswagen after the break.

Continue reading “Geneva 2011: Volkswagen Study Golf R”
Categories
Formula 1 McLaren

Formula One coming to Bathurst on 22 March

First filed 28 February.

We’re still waiting on CAMS to greenlight the event, but assuming permission is granted, as expected, Craig Lowndes and Jenson Button will be in Bathurst on Tuesday 22 March. They’ll be there, of course, to drive a McLaren F1 car around the famous 6.2km Mount Panorama circuit.

We brought you this news earlier in the month, but after the break you can see the official press release from the Bathurst Regional Council.

The statement details a loose itinerary for the day, being billed as Vodafone’s King of the Mountain Drivers’ Swap, which includes Lowndes and Button swapping their respective racecars for a total of five laps around the mountain. Supposedly three of those laps will be at pace.

Interestingly, the presser below states McLaren will be using an MP4-26, which is their latest 2011 spec machine. Surely not? Usually F1 teams keep a few old chassis operational for promo events, and you’d expect this to be the case here.

If/when this event goes ahead, it’s certainly one that shouldn’t be missed. Two questions remain, then, how many people will turn up to watch an F1 car at Bathurst, and what sort of lap time can Lowndes set?

UPDATE 2 March: Apparently both the Bathurst Regional Council and CAMS are awaiting final details from Vodafone about this event before it can be rubber stamped.

However, Terry Aylett from Bathurst Council has told AUSmotive, “there still doesn’t seem to be any doubt that the permit will be granted.”

While Clive Banfield from CAMS said, “We have agreed in principle to what has been proposed and we can foresee no problems with it provided their [Vodafone’s] documentation confirms that proposal.”

UPDATE 6 March: Thanks to Rocket Rod for posting a tip in the comments section that the F1 event will take place between 10:00am–1:30pm. We’re also hearing that Jenson Button might get a drive of the McLaren F1 car as well. The itinerary would likely be Lowndes in the McLaren, Button in the V8 Supercar; before the pair swap back into their usual modes of transport. There’ll be a reasonable delay in between while the F1 chaps change seats, pedals and so on.

Continue reading “Formula One coming to Bathurst on 22 March”
Categories
Motor Shows

2011 Geneva Motor Show refresher

Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

The 81st Geneva Motor Show is well underway now and to help you catch up on the highlights here’s a quick refresher of the 16 most important cars on display. We’ve also updated the galleries with pics from the display stands so you can feel closer to the action. Just take the jump for links and pics.

There’s been some great cars offered up this year too. The Alfa Romeo 4C concept is a true show stopper, with its eye-catching curves and awe-inspiring mechanical details. Then there’s the sculptural Saab PhoeniX concept that lets you update your infotainment system like a mobile phone. MINI returned to its roots with the too-cute-to-be-true Rocketman concept. And we’re definitely sure your senses have been heightened by the power hungry Koenisegg Agera R and Lamborghini Aventador hypercars.

We didn’t even mention Toyota’s attempt to recapture the enthusiast market, the 400hp Audi A3 sedan or the crazy Morgan 3 Wheeler.

So, which is your favourite? We’d love to hear all about which car has stolen your heart in the comments section below.

Continue reading “2011 Geneva Motor Show refresher”
Categories
Ferrari Ford

Ferrari changes name of the F1 car formerly known as F150 … again

Ferrord F150

Ford has formally dropped its claims against Ferrari for using the F150 name. Although, that hasn’t stopped The Horse Whisperer column on the Ferrari website form making a few digs at the American auto giant.

Ferrari’s 2011 Formula One car, previously known as the F150, then the Ferrari F150th Italia, will now be known as the Ferrari 150° Italia. The ° symbol is the Italian abbreviation for “th”. However, it’s probably best if we let the Horse Whisperer do the talking:

“Therefore the name will now read as the Ferrari 150° Italia, which should make it clear even to the thickest of people that the name of the car is a tribute to the anniversary of the unification of our country. Let’s hope the matter is now definitely closed and that we can concentrate on more serious matters, namely ensuring that our car that already seems to be pretty good out of the box, becomes a real winner.”

[Source: The Horse Whisperer | Pic: twitpic]

Categories
Porsche Targa Tasmania

Rally legend Walter Röhrl to compete in 2011 Targa Tasmania

Walter Rohrl

Exciting news for Australian motorsport fans with the announcement that rally legend and Porsche icon Walter Röhrl will be competing in Targa Tasmania this year. Röhrl has raced in Targa Tasmania twice before, 1997 and 2000, and will be reunited with a 30-year-old rally car in Tasmania for 2011.

Back in 1981 Röhrl and co-driver Christian Geistdoerfer raced a Porsche 911 SC at the San Remo Rally. It was the era dominated by the fearsome Audi Quattros and Röhrl almost won the race, in what is considered to be one of his greatest drives ever. It was the only time he raced the 911 SC and the very same car has been located, restored and will be in Australia competing under the Porsche rolling museum initiative. Geistdoerfer will complete the fairytale by re-uniting with Röhrl in the navigator’s seat.

Reminiscing about the 1981 San Remo Rally, Röhrl siad, “That rally is one of the most memorable for me, for sure. We were not supposed to be competitive in the San Remo because the stages were very difficult and the all-wheel drive Audi had much better grip and more power than our 911 SC.

“But we pushed and pushed and pushed … and finally something broke on the car on the final tarmac stages when I thought we were going to win the rally.”

Continue reading “Rally legend Walter Röhrl to compete in 2011 Targa Tasmania”
Categories
Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes GP unveils amazing suspended display

Mercedes GP display

This spectacular display, called View Suspended II, has just been unveiled at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey, UK. The piece, consisting of 3200 parts, was created by Dutch artist Paul Veroude.

Nick Fry, Mercedes GP Petronas CEO, was on hand for the official opening and said, “It is fantastic to see View Suspended II here at Mercedes-Benz World. Formula 1 is a sport watched by over 580 million people worldwide annually, so to be able to see a racing car in this way is something very special and a unique look at the heart of the sport.”

Meanwhile, late last month Daimler AG and Arabar Investments upped their stake in Mercedes GP to take a 100% controlling interest. Mercedes now controls 60% of the company, while the remaining 40% is owned by Arabar. This means Ross Brawn has relinquished the remaining 24.9% of the company he owned. The full press release from Daimler AG is available after the break.

Continue reading “Mercedes GP unveils amazing suspended display”
Categories
BMW

M5 watch: Strong and five

BMW’s Dr Segler is back to tell us all about the next M5, which he exactly knows we are all waiting for. This clip is more substantial than the earlier footage released via M-Power.com. Despite some concerns about the sound from the twin turbo V8, we reckon it’s not sounding too bad.

Remember, we’re expecting a full reveal of this car in April, so with any luck that rumour is on the money and BMW’s teasing won’t be strung out for too long.