Month: March 2012

Nissan

MY12 Nissan GT-R lands in Australia

Post author By Liam
Post date 23 March, 2012
5 Comments on MY12 Nissan GT-R lands in Australia

Nissan Australia advises the MY12 spec GT-R, announced last November, officially goes on sale this week. You’ll need $170,800 if you want to get yourself the world’s best 1:1 scale PlayStation driving simulator. It really is a technological marvel, the GT-R.

Headline stats for the 2012 model say the twin-turbo V6 now produces a healthy 404kW (+14kW) and a hefty 628Nm of torque (+16Nm). Nissan also points out that the torque curve is now flatter and the peak figure can be enjoyed from 3200â€“5800rpm.

The use of race-bred transmission oil helps to improve shift speed and feel. While asymmetric suspension tuning, allowing for the weight of the driver and propshaft on RHD cars, affords better handling balance.

Since its original release around 420 Australians have said yes to the GT-R. By our quick back of the envelope calculations that’d represent close to $70 million in sales in around three years. Handy stats for a pretty handy car.

BMW

Numbers in action

Post author By Liam
Post date 22 March, 2012

BMW’s official performance figures for the F10 M5 say it can see off 100km/h in 4.4 seconds. That’s pretty fast, but not blindingly so. However, US-based Motor Trend recently tested the M5 and:

“We recorded a 0-60-mph time for the previous M5 at 4.1 seconds with a quarter-mile time of 12.5 seconds at 115.3 mph. Those seem like fast numbers until you consider the newer car runs to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and gets through the quarter in 11.9 seconds at 120.3 mph.”

Now 60mph is not 100km/h, of course, but at 96.5km/h it’s pretty damn close. Close enough to call it comfortably sub-four seconds for a 0-100km/h time. And a sub-12 second standing quarter isn’t exactly hanging about either.

[Source: Motor Trend]

Formula 1 News

You can buy Ayrton Senna’s first F1 car

Post author By Liam
Post date 22 March, 2012
2 Comments on You can buy Ayrton Senna’s first F1 car

Ayrton Senna made his F1 debut in 1984 at his home Grand Prix in Brazil. There was no fairytale. He lasted just eight laps, forced to retire with a dodgy turbo.

Senna was driving for the Toleman team in the unreliable TG184. Retiring from races that year was something he became quite used to, completing only six of the 16 races on the calendar.

Of course, Senna made the F1 world stop and take notice at the Monaco Grand Prix, where he put in a masterful performance to claim second place. It was also the first time we got a glimpse of Senna’s paranoia, believing the race, red-flagged due to poor weather, was stolen from him due to some French conspiracy or other. Anywayâ€¦

That ratty old Toleman TG184-2 is now up for sale and can be all yours if you have the desire and the cash. If the tyranny of distance is holding you back and you can’t be at the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on 16 May you’ll need to make contact with Silverstone Auctions to arrange the bidding process.

Oh, going back to the 1984 Monaco GP for a moment. Another young driver made a name for himself that day too, albeit in a car that was later deemed illegal. That man was Stefan Bellof, still the fastest man around the NÃ¼rburgring and another brilliant driver lost too early on a famous racetrack.

After the break there’s the official press release for the sale of the Toleman and we’ve also found a delightfully deadpan review of the 1984 Monaco GP for you to enjoy, with Clive James at the microphone.

Tags Ayrton Senna

Audi

C’mon Audi Australia we #WantAnR8 too!

Post author By Liam
Post date 22 March, 2012

Last year an innocent tweet by US resident Joanne McCoy expressed her desire to have an Audi R8. For a laugh she included the hashtag #WantAnR8. So what, you say, people do stuff like that all the time. Now. There’s another one. And again.

But, back then, Audi of America saw Joanne’s tweet and decided to make her day. So they found out where she lived and turned up to her house, in a 412kW R8 V10, and said, “Here, drive this for a day.”

Pretty cool, huh.

Now, in a more organised fashion, Audi of America is repeating the dose. This time though they’ll be working eight days a week and offering the same courtesy to eight individual winners. All the winner will have to do is decide, do they want to enjoy the R8 V10 on the track, or for a day on the streets.

The video above has been created to promote the latest campaign. So, what would you do: track or street? And, what chance of Audi Australia following suit?

Tags R8, R8 V10

Green Machines Porsche

Porsche brings us closer to the 918 Spyder

Post author By Liam
Post date 22 March, 2012
3 Comments on Porsche brings us closer to the 918 Spyder

Porsche 918 Spyder prototype, March 2012

Tech geeks Wired were invited along to Nardo in Italy to take a closer look at the development of the 918 Spyder. You’ll recall the concept was first launched at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. It promises massive horsepower, around 770 in all, thanks to a combination of an RS Spyder-sourced V8 and a pair of electric motors, one at each axle.

The 918 Spyder doesn’t go on sale until the latter half of 2013, which explains the rather cobbled together prototype you see above. And you’re going to have to pay a lot of money for the keys, or extension lead, whatever. Somehow, we think it will be worth the wait:

“Flick the steering wheel mounted switch into â€œHot Lapâ€ mode and in third gear Porsche claims youâ€™ll be thrusted forward with an overboosted total of 700 lb-ft 9950Nm] of twist. Thatâ€™s good for a zero to 60 mph run of less than 3 seconds, 124 mph [200km/h] in less than 9 seconds and on to a top speed of 202 mph [325km/h]. And if youâ€™ve got enough juice from the liquid-cooled, lithium-ion battery pack, you can hit 90 mph [145km/h] without using a single drop of fuel.

“The entire chassis is a mix of carbon fiber and aluminum, including the passenger compartment and associated crash structure, which weighs in at a scant 485 pounds [220kg]. Carbon fiber construction has come a long way since Porscheâ€™s last super car, the Carrera GT, and Porsche illustrates that by pointing out that the passenger tub of the GT took five days to make. Today, they can crank out five 918 tubs a day thanks to new innovations in composites and assembly methods.”

If that’s grabbed your attention then you’re probably going to like Harry Metcalfe’s video after the break, with thanks to Evo.

[Source: Wired & Evo]

Porsche Volkswagen

The new Porsche Boxster by Volkswagen

Post author By Liam
Post date 22 March, 2012

Word has come through via Wards Auto that Volkswagen will build the new Porsche Boxster. Don’t worry, it’s not a rehash of the 914 collaboration, rather a development of a previous arrangement that Porsche used to have with Finland-based Valmet Automotive.

Porsche will still concentrate Boxster production at its main Zuffenhausen plant, but any overflow will be taken care of by the former Karmann facility in OsnabrÃ¼ck.

Of course, VW has a long association with Karmann, which became something more serious after the coachbuilders filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and Volkswagen stepped in to pick up the pieces.

It’s not the first time Porsche has done this after recently ending a similar agreement with Valmet. Between 1997 and 2011 almost 230,000 Boxsters/Caymans originated from Finland.

[Source: Wards Auto]

Formula 1 News

Ron Howard speaks about ‘Rush’ filming

Post author By Liam
Post date 22 March, 2012

Rush film set, March 2012

Noted movie director Ron Howard recently spoke to Car magazine about the filming of his latest Hollywood project Rush, which focuses on the 1976 Formula One World Championship battle between James Hunt and Niki Lauda.

It’s sure to be an epic movie, not in the least because it will bring Lauda’s horrific accident at the NÃ¼rburgring to the silver screen.

Here’s a little of what Howard had to say (follow the source link for more):

“Weâ€™ve got guys like Alastair Cauldwell [James Huntâ€™s chief engineer] helping out and weâ€™re asking them to flag up inaccuracies. But itâ€™s not a literal story, weâ€™re not making a documentary. It takes inspiration from the rivalry. It gives a broad overview of racing in the ’70s, but itâ€™s more than a racing movie.

“Itâ€™s a challenge to shoot race scenes but thatâ€™s the ying and yangâ€”the attraction and the headache. Weâ€™ll be using every contemporary cinematic tool at our disposal to make the audience think theyâ€™re actually there. But weâ€™re doing more in the cameraâ€”even the SFX people want as much analogue source material to work with as possible.”

We hold high hopes for this movie and hope it will deliver on the promise shown to date. It’s not due for release until next year, though, as filming will continue through the European summer. So we’ll have a while to wait.

[Source: Car]

BMW

VIDEO: BMW 4 Series playing in the snow

Post author By Liam
Post date 21 March, 2012

The new BMW 3 Series CoupÃ© replacement, the F32 4 Series, has been caught on video testing in the snow. If nothing else it looks like a lot of fun and would be a great way to refine your mad drifting skillz.

We first got a look at the F32 coupÃ© late last year, with a com-gen rendering not long after, and, really, you’re not getting much more to see now. Thanks, of course, to BMW’s familiar patterned camouflage.

Current speculation suggests the two-door F30-based 4 Series will debut at the Paris Motor Show in September.

[Source: WCF]

Porsche

Porsche at Techno Classica Essen

Post author By Liam
Post date 21 March, 2012

The Techno Classica Essen show is about to get underway. Organisers describe the event as the “World show for vintage, classic and prestige automobiles, motorsport, motorcycles, spare parts and restoration”.

Porsche will be on hand at Techno Classica once again with a suite of classic parts, but more importantly, with two of their most important models. The 911 Carrera RS 2.7 (pictured above), celebrating itsÂ 40th anniversary, will be joined by the equally classic 1973 911 RSR (pictured below). Complete in Martini Racing livery the RSR looks fantastic.

Datsun Nissan

The Datto is back!

Datsun 1200 ute

Carlos Ghosn, Nissan CEO, has announced they will be reviving the Datsun brand for use in new growth markets. From 2014 you’ll be able to buy a Datsun in India, Indonesia and Russia.

We reckon this is pretty good news, although bemoan the fact that a new 21st century logo has been created for the relaunch. The retro Datsun logo would be a welcome relief in a sea of slick corporate design.

To celebrate Datsun’s return we found this great brochure cover of the classic Datto 1200 ute, check out the uncropped version after the break.

[Source: Nissan | Pic: hugo90]

Porsche

That’ll buff right out

Holy Moses!

That’s Brian Taylor, upside down, in what was his 1977 Porsche 911. The accident happened a couple of weeks ago at the Phillip Island Classic. This image is one of a spectacular sequence brought to us by the excellent Motorsport Retro website.

Although he was quite badly bruised Taylor emerged from the wreckage with no serious injuries.

If you have the stomach for it there’s a couple of amateur videos of the crash after the break.

[Source: Motorsport Retro]

Motorsports Nissan

Does this look weird to you?

Post author By Liam
Post date 20 March, 2012
4 Comments on Does this look weird to you?

Last week Nissan revealed its radical DeltaWing concept. The idea behind the car isn’t actually to see how odd a racecar can be, rather to try and halve the weight, engine size and fuel consumption while maintaining a cracking pace. Indeed, when the DeltaWing races at Le Mans later this year Nissan expect it to lap in between the times set by the outright-chasing LMP1 category and the LMP2 cars.

But how can it steer? Those skinny tyres, so close together? We bring you a couple of videos, then, to prove that it does work. Thanks to Road and Track you can see former F1 driver Eric Comas explain the initial success of the concept.

The DeltaWing was originally conceived for a submission to IndyCar, where it would provide a chassis to teams. It was around the middle of 2010 that they got knocked back by IndyCar. Hopes were boosted a year later, in mid-2011, when word came through the Le Mans project had been approved. You can read more at the DeltaWing website.

After the break you can watch a couple of videos of the DeltaWing in action. We’d love to hear what you think.