Nissan has released a 20 minute video to YouTube that illustrates the virtues of its 2013 model GT-R when driven snowy conditions. They compare it against a 370Z and an Infiniti SUV.
It’s not the most entertaining video we admit, but it does go to some lengths to explain some of the factors and research that went into creating the 21st century Godzilla.
Oh, and if you ever thought the GT-R was a heavy car (it’s 1740kg), think again. The correct term is “optimised weight”.
Among all the hyperbole to have followed since Sebastian Vettel’s controversial win at the Malaysian Grand Prix one thing you may have forgotten were claims that Red Bull broke the pit stop record for changing a set of wheels.
Red Bull themselves have released a statement claiming they bettered the old mark no less than five times. Five! The previous record stood at 2.31 seconds and was set by McLaren at last year’s German GP.
Now, the record stands at just 2.05 seconds, and was set during Mark Webber’s second pit stop at Sepang. Red Bull, though, say the stop wasn’t perfect and that a stop completed in less than two seconds may be seen this year.
Amazing!
[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]
You’re looking at the BMW X4 concept, which has been leaked ahead of Auto Shanghai (21–29 April). And, don’t tell anyone, but we think it looks quite nice.
Early last year BMW officially announced it would build the X4 at its Spartanburg plant in South Carolina. Last April a rendering emerged that made us question our preconceived idea that the X4 would be cabbage. Now this!
Five images showing the exterior of the X4 which is very well proportioned, certainly miles ahead of the cumbersome X6, and that front grille works much better than the standard 3 Series saloon. The double crease line along the side of the car works well, it fits in with BMW’s visual language, but speaks on it own as well.
Clearly, the X4 looks a lot better than the 3 Series GT. Of that, there is no doubt.
We are a little ashamed to admit it, but this X4 concept looks great! It’s practical, looks good and will drive very well. Really, what’s not to like?
[Source: Auto WP]
UPDATE: Official images have now been released.
The good old boys from Hennessey reckon their cobbled together supercar, built on a Lotus Exige chassis, has the balls to mess with the rather more sophisticated garcons from Bugatti. The Hennessey Venom GT, powered by a 1244hp (927kW) 7.0 litre twin-turbo V8, has just achieved a a top speed of 265.7mph (427.6km/h) on a two mile runway in California.
Hang on a minute, hasn’t the Veyron Super Sport earned itself a nice certificate from the Guinness Book of Records for topping out at 268mph (431km/h)? Well, yes it has. So while we’re splitting hairs here, what is Hennessey playing at?
You see, in factory production spec Bugatti limits its cars to a feeble 258mph (415km/h), so Hennessy boasts that in, production trim, their Venom GT can top anything the Veyron can in do without being fiddled with.
“While a Veyron Super Sport did run 267.8mph, Bugatti speed-limits its production vehicles to 258mph,” said John Hennessey. “Thus, at 265.7mph the Venom GT is the fastest production car available to the public.”
One thing is clear, the Venom GT is mighty fast. It’s already knocked off the Koenisegg Agera R for the title of fastest vehicle to accelerate to 300km/h (13.63 seconds). And it might actually be a half decent steer too. This is what Richard Meaden from Evo had to say about the car:
To my mind the Venom GT is in the mould of the Porsche Carrera GT and, in some respects, the McLaren F1. Its defiantly analogue approach makes it unique amongst its contemporaries, while its no-prisoners attitude ensures it will never be less than a challenge to master. If anything, the Hennessey’s handling is a little more flattering and forgiving than either, though there’s no doubt it’ll bite if you take liberties. If you ask me, that’s exactly how a supercar should be.
You can watch a video of the Venom GT’s high-speed run after the break.
Remember the Porsche 918 Spyder? With the advent and subsequent hype of the McLaren P1 and LaFerrari it’d be easy to forget Porsche wants in on this hybrid hypercar fad too.
So it’s just as well the lads from Stuttgart rocked up to Bahrain with four 918s—two test mules and two pre-production models—to offer exclusive test drives to rich oily types. We’re certain they will have enjoyed their time at the wheel of the 795hp hybrid beast and wish it was us having a laugh with Porsche instead.
The 918 Spyder is due to go on sale in mid-September, so expect a heap of goodies and press guff in time for the Frankfurt Motor Show.
[Source: Autocar]
BMW’s third-generation MINI, codenamed F56, is about to enter pre-production phase with ‘kite-flyer’ models set to roll off the Plant Oxford production line this week.
As you might expect, mixing two different generations of MINI on the production line presents a few challenges. Although that trend will continue for around two more years while the second-gen R56 models slowly wither away as up to 10 new F56-based models come on line.
The F56 is due to hit showrooms later this year and to cater for the expected increased demand a second production facility, NedCar in the Netherlands, will ramp up in 2014. NedCar will join Magna Steyr’s Austrian plant, which currently builds the Countryman and Paceman, as the only facilities outside of England to build MINIs.
In time, though, MINI is expected to concentrate production at Oxford and NedCar, with Magna expected to build another BMW branded model(s) once the current-gen Countryman platform reaches the end of its product cycle.
Given the F56 will be share many components with the front-wheel drive BMW 1 Series, including the UKL1 platform, don’t be surprised if that’s what Magna finds to fill the void.
For a detailed discussion on the interior of the F56, which is expected to lose its large centrally-mounted speedo dial, head over to MINI specialist website MotoringFile.
[Source: Autocar]
If, or should that be when, there is a spare seat available at Red Bull Racing for the 2014 season it has emerged that team owner Dietrich Mateschitz would consider offering a contract to current Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen.
Discussing the possible options if a new driver is required Mateschitz said: “Kimi is cool and fast and always a candidate.”
However, the billionaire is also a fan of Mark Webber’s and says the decision to retire from F1 will be up to the Australian. “Whether he retires, only he will choose. Mark is definitely a candidate for 2014,” he added.
“He is always welcome with us. So too would be a quick junior like (Jean-Eric) Vergne or (Daniel) Ricciardo from the Toro Rosso team.
“Sorry, I know it’s a diplomatic answer which leaves everything open, but that’s how it is. Everything else is pure speculation.”
Perhaps most telling is the re-emergence of the Webber to Porsche in 2014 rumour, which has now been mentioned by Germany’s Auto Bild newspaper. They claim Mark has “already been in contact” with Porsche management about the possibility of future in sportscar racing.
[Source: Speed TV | Pic:Â Lotus F1 Team/LAT Photographic]
For a while there the Volkswagen Scirocco was the ‘it’ car of the moment. It’s dramatic swooping lines were (and still are) a welcome breath of fresh air for the normally reserved VW family.
The only downside, we could see, was that the moment had passed by the time Volkswagen Australia delivered the Scirocco R (almost three years after its European release).
In the planning for the new model Volkswagen’s design boss Walter de Silva says the next-generation Scirocco will be another step forward in terms of its design.
Speaking to Car Advice at the New York Auto Show, de Silva said: “It must be completely different. Completely.”
It’s still early days for the new Scirocco, which has been given the green light for production and de Silva adds the brief is still open.
“We don’t want to repeat the body style of the Scirocco, we want to change that.
“At the moment it’s only a studio [project]. It’s not defined at the moment.
“We are still working … but we are looking 360 degrees.â€
Fingers crossed the new Scirocco is as great looking as the current model and that Volkswagen Australia doesn’t torture us again with ‘yes we will’, ‘no we won’t’ deliberations.
[Source: Car Advice]
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Porsche 911. We’ve been a little lax in sharing the goodies from Porsche with you, but promise to put that right over the course of the year. To start with here is a video featuring Dr Peter Bradley from the UK who has owned Porsches all his life it seems, including 50 years of 911 ownership. Lucky chap!
Jean-Eric Vergne has told Autosport he has dismissed his intra-team rivalry at Toro Rosso with Daniel Ricciardo, saying he craves bigger challenges.
“People want to make out that there is a big fight,” Vergne said. “I don’t care. I’m here to do my job and get the best result for the team.”
Last year the general form showed that Daniel had the edge during qualifying but Jean-Eric was able to even things up on Sunday, when it matters most. The rookie Frenchman claimed 16 of Toro Rosso’s 26 points in 2012.
From the two-race sample we have to draw on in 2013 it seems that Vergne won’t be waiting around for Daniel. His tenth place in Malaysia is Toro Rosso’s only 2013 world championship point to date.
“[In Australia] I was in front of Daniel after qualifying, but I was really pissed off and sad that I didn’t make it through into Q3,” added Vergne.
“The [intra-team] fight isn’t enough for me; I want better performances.”
Both drivers are under pressure to perform this year and, following the Vettel–Webber team orders saga from Sepang, it seems increasingly likely that there will be an opening at Red Bull Racing for 2014.
If so Red Bull may well cast their eyes wider than their Toro Rosso junior team, but an impressive season in the STR8 for Vergne or Ricciardo certainly won’t harm the chances of either for landing the plum gig at RBR.
[Source: Autosport | Pic: Toro Rosso/Getty Images]
Jaguar’s very stylish F-Type has been named the 2013 World Car Design of the Year. It’s another feather in the cap of the accomplished career of Ian Callum.
The F-Type came up trumps impressing the specially appointed five-member design panel who said: “Almost Italian at first glance. the clear, analytic and fresh design of the F-Type is the promising dawn for the company’s latest roadster. The rear can’t hide a certain influence of Alfa’s Brera. The sideview is dominated by muscular rear fenders; the front end is a careful evolution of the XK. Sharper—by that more like a driving machine.â€
The design experts formed a shortlist that was passed on to the World Car jurors to choose from. Joining the F-Type in the fight for votes were the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Mazda6.
We think the 981 Porsche Boxster and Cayman are pretty ace, even though we’re yet to drive either. But it turns out we’re not the only ones who reckon the Coxster rocks, as both cars have been awarded the 2013 World Performance Car crown.
An initial field of 20 cars was shortlisted to three and the Porsches came out ahead of the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and the Toybaru.
The World Car judges have put their names to this rather quaint statement: “The Job One for this new generation of Porsche’s littler two-doors was actually two-fold. The Boxster needed to be seen as less of a fancy secretary’s car and the Cayman needed to be set loose to be an even better Porsche sports car than the iconic 911. In both instances, mission over-accomplished. Both cars are now allowed out of their company cages and they drive as if they’re celebrating.”
Porsche has also used this news to remind us the 911 Carrera 4 has been awarded the Best All-Wheel Drive Car by readers of German mag Auto Bild.
You can read the official word from Stuttgart after the break.