It was a sad day to hear that Fiat and Chrysler were to force the extinction and end the production of all American Dodge Viper back in 2017.
But over at Keating Supercars in Bolton Lancashire UK, have designed and manufactured a prototype based on the European Common Viper and aptly named Vipera Berus.
The Nissan ZEOD RC was a hybrid electric racing car that competed as the prototype from “Garage 56” entry at the 2014 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
The ZEOD RC was designed by Ben Bowlby. Bowlby had worked for DeltaWing LLC, a Chip Ganassi company created to develop a concept race car for the IndyCar Series’ post-2012 chassis. When IndyCar awarded the tender to the Dallara DW12, Bowlby – working for DeltaWing Project 56 LLC, a consortium led by Don Panoz – adapted the DeltaWing design to race at Le Mans. Nissan Motor Company provided an engine for the Le Mans-specification DeltaWing, and received naming rights on the car.
Continue reading Nissan Zeod RC
It’s interesting to see how ordinary motorists and amateur/semi-pro race drivers are so fascinated (bordering on obsessed?) with obtaining F1-like data and telemetry for their driving activities.
So much so, that there are any number of quite good (and improving) smartphone apps for the major platforms that aim to provide the motorsports telemetry experience to a wide audience. Some are free, some are quite expensive, but all have a large following. Some are better implemented than others, but there’s a growing trend for this type of application to come with back-end server support for more comprehensive playback and analysis. These server systems are (so far) by no means as professional or as comprehensive as something like the Magneti Marelli’s top-end WINTAX or ATLAS products, but much more accomplished than you would ever be able to get on your smartphone.
Continue reading Trackspy – Motorsport Video Dashcam Comparison
Stuttgart. GT sports cars from Porsche are a good ticket to the world of motorsport. Four out of five of all Porsche GTs ever built have been driven on the track. One in three enthusiastic drivers take to the track in the first year to test the sporting limits of their vehicle and their own abilities. Porsche has developed the Track Precision app especially for such drivers.
The Porsche Track Precision app is part of a special Sport Chrono Package, which is only available as an exclusive option for the Porsche GT sports cars Cayman GT4, 911 GT3 and 911 GT3 RS. It also includes the pre-fitting for connecting a lap trigger, which is available as an option from Porsche Tequipment. This lap trigger allows lap times to be measured even more precisely than using the GPS signal. You can download the free smartphone app for Android or iPhone from iTunes or Google Play. It allows the driver to perform a detailed and objective analysis of their lap times and driving style using synchronised data and video recordings. To do so, it utilises precise vehicle data from an auxiliary control unit in the vehicle as well as the smartphone’s high-resolution camera and GPS signals.
The Porsche Track Precision app offers a unique range of functions, both while driving as well as for subsequent analysis. Before setting off, the driver simply has to select the desired track. This can be done either before or during the approach to the track. There are already about 60 international racetracks available in digitised form so far. Additional tracks can be conveniently added in a map editor beforehand or can be created when you drive the first lap in the car. To ensure high video quality, the driver should then affix the smartphone in a secure mount on the windscreen. As soon as he passes the start line, the system automatically begins to record using the GPS data. The data can be saved with the tap of a finger after passing the finishing line when the car leaves the track.
Continue reading Like in motorsport: recording and analysis of driving data on tracks
Today the 2015 running of the Mille Miglia begins and Mercedes-Benz has combined the old and the new with the creation of a cutting edge 360 degree film to mark a special anniversary.
A little over 60 years ago, on 1st May 1955, Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson won the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR – number 722. They drove flat out for 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds and averaged 98 miles per hour – all on public roads.
It was recognised as one of the greatest feats of driving ever – their record still stands today.
In 1955, the W 196 R racers were the most advanced cars in the world – they won every race they finished and used cutting edge materials.
At a time when road cars would struggle to hit 70 mph, the W 196 R could exceed 180 mph. Today only eight examples still exist, but now and again they’re let loose…
Sixty years on, Sir Stirling Moss has been reunited with the 300 SLR number 722, on the very same roads on which he won.
The film released today allows you to control the camera and watch from nearly any angle as Sir Stirling Moss takes ‘722’ on the roads he and Denis Jenkinson set records on. Three dimensional sound makes the footage even more vivid.
Continue reading Mille Miglia – Sit Shotgun with Sterling Moss 360 Degree Film
ALFA ROMEO 4C OFF TO AN AWARD-WINNING START IN IRELAND
The Alfa Romeo 4C has been named “Performance Car of the Year 2015” in the inaugural Association of Professional Motoring Press (APMP) Car and Van of the Year Awards, shortly after claiming the joint “Overall Best Car” award in the Sunday Times Ireland / CompleteCar.ie Best Cars Guide 2015, where it also claimed the “Best Driver’s Car Under €75,000” category win. It also set the www.Rev.ie production-car lap record around Mondello Park Race Circuit in the hands of experienced racing driver and motoring journalist Ian Beatty.
Continue reading Alfa Romeo 4C – The Shamrock Returns
Owners of expensive, classic or remodelled automobiles may need to pay extra attention when they are insuring them. Their requirements can be slightly different from a typical family car. However, they should watch out for brokerages and underwriters who claim to be specialist on arranging coverage for certain types of vehicles. Not that there aren’t great specialist brokerages but a few of them make it sound like their services are worth paying an arm and a leg extra.
“It would certainly be cheaper if you could find a policy off the shelf but this may not be possible. However, a good standard policy can be adjusted to meet your needs with additional coverage and endorsements” says Joe Moore of CheapAutoInsurance.net. Here are a few points to keep in mind when you are arranging car insurance coverage for different, better than average and classic automobiles.
When you have an expensive automobile you cannot have a policy that will stipulate on repairing your car with aftermarket parts. You just have to make sure that original parts will be used to repair your vehicle should something happen to it.
You should be allowed to choose your own mechanic for the repairs within reason. You should avoid policies that would restrict your choices in any way. Some companies may not necessarily mention that you need to use their approved garages but may try hard to steer you in that direction. Some companies may only be happy to pay you the costs of repairs if it was carried out in their approved garages. In other words, you may have to pay the difference out of your pocket if you were to choose a specific repair shop. Make sure that you can take your car to a good repair of your choice.
There is a particular problem with the classic cars. Some of them are left to rot in a junk yard and worth almost nothing. But the ones that are lovingly restored and put back to their former glory are expensive. The problem with a standard vehicle insurance policy is that they only pay you the open market value of the car insured. Therefore, you should agree the open market value of a classic car at the time of insuring it in order to avoid disappointments and disagreements when it is totalled. This can easily be dealt with an endorsement on the policy.
Modifications made on vehicles changes their specifications and increase the risk simply because auto insurers prefer manufacturers’ specifications. The problem is that they cannot verify who carried out the modifications and how good they are. You need to discuss the modifications made on your automobile while arranging coverage for it. You should make sure that the policy mentions the modifications. Otherwise, not only you may not get compensated for the costs of modifications but also your claim may be refused.
Not that anything wrong with those polices but they are designed to service motorists with low income and generally an average vehicle. They may have some of the additional conditions you want to avoid as mentioned above. And those underwriters would try to get the repairs done as cheap as possible. If you have never heard of the name of insurer you should do additional research on who and how reputable they are.
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