Month: June 2015

Categories
Porsche WEC

2015 LM24: Porsche preview

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, Porsche preview

Porsche has entered three 919 Hybrids for Le Mans this year and after setting the fastest time in last month’s official test session at the Circuit de la Sarthe the team will have good reason to think it can claim victory #17 in the endurance classic.

The 2015-spec 919 is super fast in a straight line and that will hold them in good stead on the 13.629km Le Mans circuit.

Each of the three 919s will carry a unique livery, making them easy to spot. For example, and not so seriously, the red one is #17 and shall be known as Mark Webber’s car. The white one is #19, otherwise known as Nico Hulkenberg’s car. And the black one is #18, known as that other 919.

Joining the LMP1 effort will be four 911 RSRs, two each in the GTE Pro and GTE Am categories. For the ladies out there, you need to keep an eye on the #77 911 RSR which will be driven by Patrick Dempsey, and that other Patrick guy.

Porsche’s full pre-race press release and more pics can be seen after the break.

Porsche 919 Hybrid

#17 – Timo Bernhard (GER), Brendon Hartley (NZ), Mark Webber (AUS)
#18 – Romain Dumas (GER), Neel Jani (SUI), Marc Lieb (GER)
#19 – Earl Bamber (NZ), Nico Hulkenberg (GER), Nick Tandy (GB)

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Toyota Video WEC

VIDEO: Toyota’s 30 years of Le Mans

Toyota's 30 years of Le Mans

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Toyota’s first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Back in 1985 its hopes were pinned on the 85C-L, the two-car effort managing a respectable 12th place for the #36 car, while the #38 entry did not finish.

Today, Toyota will fight for the ultimate Le Mans success with the TS040. Again the team will have two cars, carrying the numbers #1 and #2. And with four second place finishes at the Circuit de la Sarthe (1992, 1994, 1999 and 2013) you could say Toyota is due for a win on Sunday afternoon.

You can relive Toyota’s Le Mans history with a very slick short film after the break.

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Audi Nissan Porsche Toyota WEC

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans spotter guide

2015 24 Hours of Le Mans spotter guide

The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans will be held this weekend and as always the talented Andy Blackmore has made his legendary spotter guide available as a free download.

[Source: spotterguides]

Categories
Ford WEC

Ford set to return to Le Mans in 2016

Ford GT

Ford has announced it will be holding a press conference in Europe on Friday where it is expected to confirm its return to Le Mans with a GT-based entry in the 2016 race.

Chip Ganassi is tipped to lead a two-car team in the World Endurance Championship in the LMP1 category, along with a two-car United Sportscar Championship team. That will culminate in a four-car assault for outright victory in next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The iconic Ford GT40 won Le Mans four times in success from 1966–69.

[Source: Racer]

Categories
TVR

Gordon Murray to lead TVR revival

TVR relaunch rendering

Back in 2013 TVR returned to British ownership after Les Edgar, a computer games developer, bought the idle boutique carmaker from its former Russian owner Nikolai Smolensky.

At the time Edgar revealed, “We do have a very clear idea of what we’re doing, we do have plans in place.”

It’s just that it took until now, some two years later, for those plans to be announced. And the wait has been worth it, with word that legendary car designer Gordon Murray will lead the design of the next era of TVR and its cars will be powered by a Cosworth-developed engines.

Production of the first new TVR in over a decade is scheduled to commence in 2017. Details and official images of the new TVR will be released later this year. TVR says the car, which will be a classic two-seater powered by a front-mounted V8 engine, has already got 12 months of development behind it.

“We know that a new TVR has to be better than just good—it has to be outstanding,” said Les Edgar, TVR Chairman. “From the outset we only wanted to work with the best partners in the business, and both Gordon Murray’s and Cosworth’s track records within motor sport and high performance car design and engineering speak for themselves.”

In addition to that model, TVR says it plans to launch “at least” four new models over the next 10 years.

TVR has a chequered history when it comes to its ownership and funding models. But Edgar says eager minds can rest easy.

“We are a well-funded, well-supported organisation and boast a vastly experienced management team,” Edgar reassures. “We are here to stay and we have a fully evolved ten year plan for product and business development, and are committed to deliver on all the targets we have set ourselves—as we have done to date.”

Low volume sportscar manufacturing is, or was, a British specialty back in the day and we wish Edgar and his team well.

[Source: TVR | Pics: Autocar]

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Categories
Porsche

Porsche Classic recreates 1969–1975 dashboards

Porsche Classic dashboard 1969-1975

Porsche Classic has announced it will be selling brand new dahsboard recreations for 911 models built between 1969 and 1975:

A sophisticated manufacturing process combines high quality that meets today’s standards and a design that is true to the original down to the details. The dashboard consists of a modern substructure and the original surface structure. The fluted texture and tactile feel, gloss and degree of black are identical to the original. The new part can be ordered from any Porsche centre, and in Germany it costs 951.99 euros including VAT.

Modern manufacturing techniques also mean the new parts will be less likely to crack and warp compared with the original items.

The recreated parts are classified as OEM and while the purchase price may not seem too scary, the requirement to remove the windscreen for installation may up the labour costs somewhat. And, of course, Porsche suggests using official Porsche Classic partners to carry out the work.

It’s very cool to see Porsche looking after its brand and customers in this way.

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Categories
Bugatti

2016 Bugatti Chiron rendered

2016 Bugatti Chiron rendering

While I was driving around Germany in April Car magazine published this rendering of the new Bugatti Chiron. It will be the replacement for the iconic Veyron.

What can we expect from the Mk2 Veyron? Let’s start with a reworked version of the 16-cylinder engine found in the old car. Power is expected to peak at a mammoth 1500hp (1100kW), matched by a staggering 1500Nm of torque. There’s also rumours of some electric hybrid gubbins featuring to help achieve that eye-watering headline power figure.

The Chiron’s v-max is predicted top out at licence-wrecking 463km/h (288mph) and the increasingly irrelevant 0–100km/h sprint will be all over in just 2.0 seconds.

Oh mama!

Maybe the Veyron I saw lapping the Nürburgring during an Industry Pool session (pictured below) was a precursor to the Chiron?

[Source: Car]

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Volkswagen

Volkswagen launches new corporate fonts

New Volkswagen typefaces, May 2015

Maybe Volkswagen read my little typography rant published to Instagram after my Autostadt visit back in April (see below). Maybe they didn’t, but what they have done is launch two new fonts to take the brand into the future.

Gone is the still very functional and successful VW Headline and VW Utopia fonts, in use since 1997, and in comes the new VW Head and VW Text fonts.

MetaDesign has been working with Volkswagen since 1994 and launched the old fonts back in the late 1990s and is also responsible for the new designs, which radiate “dynamism, modernity, and the human touch”.

You can compare the two above and below, with the old style on the left and the new world order displayed on the right.

What do you think? Do you even care? I certainly do and if it means that shitty “Auto” text on the light switch will be gone then I will be very pleased!

[Source: Car and Driver & MetaDesign | Thanks to Wayne for the tip]

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Categories
Porsche Video

Harry drives a 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo

Harry Metcalfe, 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo

The latest video added to Harry’s Garage is this clip featuring a 1989 Porsche 911 Turbo. Harry Metcalfe once again gives you all the details you never knew you’d find interesting and while there’s no sideways hooning you can’t come away from one of his videos without learning something new.

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Categories
Lancia Video

Harry drives a Lancia Delta Integrale Evo II

Harry Metcalfe with his Lancia Delta Integrale Evo II

Harry Metcalfe is a pretty cool dude. Not only was he the original founder of Evo magazine, but he has an extraordinary garage of seriously cool cars. He’s known for his Lamborghini Countach, but he has a lot more to show the world than that.

Which brings us to this wonderful Lanca Delta Integrale Evo II. It’s a rallying and hot hatch icon and Harry raids his old Evo back catalogue to add this clip to his Harry’s Garage Youtube channel.

Metcalfe’s style is calm and full of details. It’s proper car nerd stuff! You’re going to enjoy this.

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Categories
MINI

A jet powered MINI, what could possibly go wrong?

Jet powered MINI crashes at Snetterton

A jet powered MINI on a mildly moist Snetterton race track. It’s all fun and games until the first corner comes along!

Thankfully, it appears, the driver emerged unscathed from his fuselage.

[Source: Mattzel89]

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