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Motorists hate black ice like the devil hates holy water. No wonder, because when the going is icy, directional stability is all too often an unpredictable lottery.
With its Hakkapeliitta 8 studded tyre, Finnish tyre manufacturer Nokian, traditionally committed to this cold problem area, has provided impressive proof that it is possible to drive at blistering speed, under control and in a straight line even on an icy surface.
The Finn Janne Laitinen clocked 331.61 km/h on the thick ice sheet of the Gulf of Bothnia on 6 March 2011.
Well the boys over in the USA have opened their new 85mph toll road in Texas, with the sort of fanfare which will have the road safety expert’s suffering from stress based insomnia.
The tuning outfit Hennessey have taken their VR1200 twin turbo Cadillac CTS-V Coupe to test the limits by taking their 1226 crank horsepower to a jaw dropping 220.5mph on the newly opened road. Continue reading Video: Hennessey CTS-V – 220.5 MPH→
Well here is another auction for a more recent Le Mans racer, this time its the 2001 Bentley Speed 8 and has the following racing pedigree.
• First Team Bentley to finish on the podium at Le Mans in 71 years • Third Place at 2001 24 Hour of Le Mans • Last raced at Road America in 2007
The inspiration for the successful Bentley Speed 8 program belongs to Dr. Ferdinand Piech, the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, who designed the Audi’s “Auto Union” Grand Prix cars in the 1930s.
As chairman of Volkswagen, Piech directed the acquisition of Bentley in June 1998, but he had been the guiding force on the Porsche 917 program, which had won Le Mans in 1970 and 1971. Piech also worked on the formidable Audi Quattro rally car and thought that Audi should enter sports car racing.
In 1998, Piech commissioned Italian contractor Dallara to build a sports racer to use the Audi 3.6-liter turbocharged V-8, mid-mounted in a carbon fiber tub. The car became the Audi R8 roadster, which would enjoy a spectacular competition record, losing only 16 races in which it was entered, between 2000 and 2006.
Piech decided that Bentley’s racing heritage should be revived and it should have a parallel course to Audi, competing in the closed LMP GTP class at Le Mans, while Audi would contest the LMP 900 open division. The Audi R8C Coupe would evolve into the Bentley EXP Speed 8 Coupe, the car which is on offer today. Continue reading 2001 Bentley Speed 8 Le Mans Prototype Racing Car – Auction→
Audi RS1 Spyshots (Click Picture to see the Gallery) These are the very first nearly uncamouflaged spyshots of the RS families baby RS1.
But what the prototype is sporting under the hood is the big question.
After the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro which had the 2.5 liter along with 496bhp and a whopping 660 NM of torque, We expect this varient to house the 2.0l TFSI with expected power output of around 280bhp.
The reason why we dont think the car is equipped with the 2.5 liter is the size of the brakes and the supporting disk rotors.
The innovative new McLaren MP4-12C was given its public world debut at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed, held from 01-04 July. Current Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button and 2008 Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton delighted the crowds by driving a McLaren Orange Validation Prototype (VP) 12C up the famous Goodwood Hill on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
With McLaren Automotive Managing Director, Antony Sheriff at the wheel, the MP4-12C was the first car to be driven up Goodwood Hill on Friday 02 July, effectively opening the show. The 12C was subsequently granted pole position in every Supercar Run over the course of the weekend, a fitting gesture to two Formula 1 World Champions that are accustomed to leading from the front!
In addition to another 12C VP car, finished in Volcano Orange and fitted with stunning Lightweight Forged alloy wheels, many of the 176,000 visitors to Goodwood Festival of Speed over the course of the event were drawn to a 12C rolling chassis displayed on the McLaren stand. Presenting a car in this way underlines the skill and pride the team place in the 12C’s engineering integrity. By viewing firsthand the car’s hydraulic suspension arrangement, its carbon Monocell chassis, compact 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine and unique transmission unit, visitors with an appreciation for innovation and technology had a rare glimpse of what lies under the skin of the 12C.
McLaren Automotive Managing Director Antony Sheriff said: “The visitors to our stand were the perfect blend of car enthusiasts and potential customers; I’m delighted that we chose Goodwood Festival of Speed to unveil the 12C to the public. Two British Formula 1 World Champions were behind the wheel of the car as we led the field up the hill. A major landmark, delivered to McLaren’s high standards.
“Visitors to the McLaren stand either displayed an in-depth understanding of the bespoke technologies developed for the 12C, or spent time discussing our plans. It was a great opportunity for tens of thousands of car fans to see the car in the metal…and carbon.
“This is just the start for McLaren Automotive. In five year’s time, I expect us to be presenting a full range of innovative and performance-focused sports cars. Sports car enthusiasts all over the world will be able to enjoy McLaren cars up close and personal at events like Goodwood Festival of Speed.”
We have been following the development of this model see the early production test cars below from early 2009 at the Nurburgring:-
Jaguar will release a limited edition of their Jaguar XKR called “75″ at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 2 to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary. The Jaguar XKR 75 Special Edition will be built in a limited number of 75 units.
Under the hood, the car will feature an upgraded version of the standard 5.0L supercharged engine with 525 HP and 655 Nm of torque that will take the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and to a top speed of 280 km/h. The normal XKR had a 0 to 100 acceleration time of 4.6 seconds and a top speed limited to 250 km/h.
As well as a more powerful engine and the obligatory sports exhaust, the XKR 75 gets an upgraded suspension system with a stiffer setup and slightly reduced ride height. The manufacturer insists that greater driver focus has been achieved without sacrificing the refinement and comfort that customers expect from a Jaguar.
Each of these Jaguar XKR 75 will be priced at £85,500 and will be available to order next month after the Goodwood Festival Of Speed.
