Car And Classic: Racing

Showing posts with label Racing. Show all posts

Porsche to Debut New 911 GT3 R Hybrid with Twin-Electric Motors in Geneva

Geneva Motor Show, New Cars, Porsche, Porsche 911, Racing

A new Porsche 911 GT3 R racer with a novel hybrid drive will have its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on March 2. As with any other Porsche race car, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid will serve as a moving laboratory for the company to explore the use of hybrid technology in road-going Porsche sports cars.

Based on the 911 GT3 race car, the hybrid version adds an electrical front axle drive with two electric motors each developing 60 kW that supplement the familiar 480HP four-liter flat-six 'boxer' petrol engine at the rear.

Therefore, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid get four-wheel drive with apparent gains in traction.

However, unlike your typical road-going hybrid car, the 911 GT3 R does not use a heavy set of batteries to power the electric motors. Instead, this 911 features an electric flywheel power generator mounted inside the cockpit beside the driver to create electricity.

Jaguar Returning to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will Compete with an XKR GT2

Jaguar, Jaguar XK, Racing

Marking its 75th anniversary of Le Mans competition, Jaguar confirmed today that it is returning to the famed 24 hour endurance race this year with the factory sponsored XKR GT2 run by JaguarRSR, an independent racing team from the U.S.

The British automaker has a total of seven wins at Le Mans between 1951 and 1990, the first win being with the C-type and the last with the Jaguar XJR-12.

Gentilozzi, who will drive the JaguarRSR XKR GT2 in the 2010 American Le Mans Series (ALMS) commented: "We are delighted the ACO has granted us entry in the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans. It is a race that is held dearly in the hearts of motorsport fans across the world and for Jaguar to be racing again is something special."

2011 Mustang GT to Pace Daytona 500, Ford to Build Limited Run Edition for the Public

Ford, Ford Mustang, New Cars, Racing

In a first for the Mustang and the first time for Ford since 1970 when a Torino GT Convertible did the honors at the Daytona 500, a Blue Oval model will be pacing the field for the NASCAR season-opening race on February 14 at the Daytona International Speedway.

The car of choice is none other than the refreshed 2011 Mustang GT that's powered by Ford's new 412 horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine linked to a 6-speed transmission. Interestingly, Ford said that the actual pace car will be auctioned off for charity before the race at this week's Barrett-Jackson.

But fear not because Ford also announced that it is planning to build another 50 examples of the 2011 Mustang GT Daytona 500 Pace Car to sell to the public.

Each example of the limited run series will feature a special Daytona 500 paint scheme, Ford Racing suspension, strut tower brace and mufflers, unique painted wheels, and special interior treatment, including specially branded lit sill plates.

Prodrive Launches New Subaru Impreza Group N Rally Car

Prodrive, Racing, Subaru, Subaru Impreza

Longtime Subaru specialist, Prodrive, has unveiled the Impreza N2010 rally car that complies with the Group N regulations. The five-door hathcback comes with a bevy of mechanical and chassis upgrades including a larger 33mm air restrictor, high flow fuel injectors and recalibrated ECU that help increase the 2.0-liter boxer engine's output by 20 horsepower and strengthened suspension that employs revised Ohlins dampers with extra travel front and rear.

"The engine and suspension changes make the N2010 far more competitive," said Graham Prew, Prodrive sales manager.

"On gravel the Impreza is certainly a match for any Super 2000, but it is on tarmac, that the additional engine performance will really come into its own and make the N2010 a competitive alternative to a Super 2000, but at about half the price and with significantly lower running costs," Prew concluded.

Pricing for the Impreza N2010 starts at £120,000 or about US$196,000 / €136,500 at today's exchange rates.

For the first time Prodrive also offers buyers an alternative financing option to lease the Impreza for a period of two years with the option to buy the rally-prepped car at the end of the agreement.

N2010 specification

Engine:

Flat 4-cylinder boxer:

Capacity: 1994 cc

Bore: 92.0 mm

Stroke: 75.0 mm

Turbo charger:

IHI twin scroll with new design regulation 33 mm restrictor with new roller bearing.

Electrical:

Spark plugs: BRISK

Lightweight battery: Odyssey

Controllers and displays:

Engine: Prodrive-Pectel programmable with removable data storage card.

Centre diff: Prodrive-Pectel programmable fully CAN compliant with selectable diff maps.

Driver's screen: GEMS CD25 5.5" colour VGA screen with multiple pages including engine, transmission and steering information. Increased integration of control systems and co-driver's screen.

Exhaust

Hi-flow motorsport catalyst with silencer options available in stainless or titanium.

Fuel system

FIA approved FT3-99 95 litre safety tank centrally mounted under floor.

Transmission

Gearbox: Prodrive-Hewland five-speed manual dog engagement with revised gear linkage and 2-stage shift light.

Front diff: Plated limited slip

Centre diff: Electro mechanical locking

Rear diff: Plated limited slip

Clutch

STI, 240 mm six paddle competition, single plate homologated STI cover.

Roll cage

Prodrive manufactured rollcage to FIA compliant MSA homologated.

Suspension

Revised Öhlins dampers with improved travel, strengthened rear cross-member high performance uprated suspension bushes.

Front: Prodrive-Öhlins TPX 44 MacPherson strut, three-way adjustable with front hydraulic bump stop.

Rear: Prodrive-Öhlins TTX 44 coil-over damper, three-way adjustable on multi-link rear suspension.

Steering

Power assisted quickrack (13:1) for left and right hand drive.

PAS cooler (optional)

Wheels: Speedline or Work

Tarmac: 18" x 8" or 17" x 8"

Gravel: 15" x 7"

Snow: 16" x 5.5"

Brakes: AP Racing

Tarmac: front: four-piston 355 mm rear: two-piston 285 mm

Gravel: front: four-piston 295 mm rear: two-piston 285 mm

Handbrake: WRC style vertical lever using STI/AP homologated piston.

Dimensions

Front track: 1,550 mm

Rear track: 1,540 mm

Length: 4,415 mm

Weight: 1,350 kg

Papecraft Love: The Lightest Honda NSX Super GT, Ever

Honda, Honda / Acura NSX, Japan, Offbeat News, Racing, Tokyo Auto Salon

The racing version of the Honda NSX for the Japanese Super GT series is on its way out as it will be replaced by the new HSV-10 GT that we told you about earlier today, but the supercar still holds a special place in the hearts of Honda fans.

Among the many displays at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2010 was a real-life size example of the Epson Nakajima Racing Honda NSX built entirely out of cardboard and paper. Awesome to say the least. Full photo gallery after the jump.

Motorshow photos by Phil Alex with the help of friends Mike and Aaron

Honda Releases New Photos and Spec Sheet on HSV-010 GT Racer

Galleries, Honda, Honda / Acura NSX, New Cars, Racing

Today, Honda officially introduced its all-new HSV-010 GT racing car with which it will compete in the GT500 class of the Japanese 2010 Super GT series. The HSV-010 GT, which will take the place of the racing variant of the NSX, is all that has been left from Honda's V10 powered supercar project that got canned at the end of 2008 due to the recession.

Instead of wasting all the work that went into the development of the Honda / Acura NSX's spiritual replacement, the Japanese firm decided to use the supercar as a base for its Super GT contender.

Although the HSV-010 GT keeps the unfinished production model's front-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive layout, Honda's engineers ditched the V10 powerplant in favor of a naturally-aspirated 3.4-liter V8 unit that churns out more than 500-horsepower and over 392Nm or 289 lb-ft of peak torque.

Honda says that the blacked-out racing model tips the scales at a little over 1,100 kg or about 2,425 pounds and features a double wishbone suspension all around, steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters for the transmission and a rack and pinion system with electric power steering.

Honda HSV-010 GT Spec Sheet

Specifications and performance characteristics

Length x Width x Height (m): 4.675 x 2.000 x (not disclosed)

Wheelbase (m): 2.700

Vehicle weight (kg): 1,100 or more

Engine name: HR10EG

Configuration: Liquid-cooled, naturally aspirated, longitudinal V8

V angle (°): 90

Valve train: Gear-driven DOHC: 2 intake and 2 exhaust valves per cylinder

Displacement (cm3): 3,397

Bore x stroke (mm): 93.0 x 62.5

Compression ratio: (Not disclosed)