5/24/2012

TopSpeed Daily Update

Spy Shots: Opel Astra Convertible Flips its Top
Ducati 450 Desmo Scrambler
Vaughn Gittin Jr. Dedicates World Drift Series Win to Carroll Shelby
TVS Scooty Wego
Spy Shots: Skoda Rapid&#39;s interior revealed!
Ducati 900 S2
Results: Houston Half Mile 2012 is in the books
Spy Shots: Volkswagen Golf GTI Tests at the Nurburgring
Top Gear building its very own Nissan DeltaWing from recycled materials
Spy Shots: Another round of testing for the 2013 Mini Cooper

Spy Shots: Opel Astra Convertible Flips its Top

Posted: 23 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT

The upcoming Opel Astra Convertible was caught testing for the first time back in March when it endured the cold weather to get results. Now, it has been taken for a new round of testing, and the warmer weather has allowed the drivers to completely remove the fake roof it was sporting. Of course, that doesn’t tell us too much because the vehicle seen in these images is just a prototype and features none of the vast changes expected on the production model, such as the new frameless doors and a soft top roof that is non-existent at this point (right now Opel has an army tent to serve as the roof).

Under the hood, Opel will place the same engine line-up found in the sedan version: a choice of eight different engines mated to a six speed transmission. The suspension system will be borrowed from the GTC version.

The date for the next Astra Convertible’s official debut is still up in the air. Some say it will be in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show and some say it will be in March at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.

Spy Shots: Opel Astra Convertible Flips its Top originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 16:00 EST.

Ducati 450 Desmo Scrambler

Posted: 23 May 2012 09:00 AM PDT

It’s hard to imagine that Ducati has been building bikes for as long as they have. But for all those years in production, you’re bound to get a number of models that have become classics in their own right.

Take the 1973 Ducati 450 Desmo Scrambler for example.

With the anticipation of Ducati’s desmodromic valve gear back in the late 60’s, coupled with the success and popularity of the Ducati Scrambler, it figured that the two would somehow be tied-up together to create a completely new bike. That’s when the Ducati 450 Desmo Scrambler was born.

With the technology being fitted into the bike, the 450 Desmo Scrambler became a must-have purchase for Ducati enthusiasts back in the day, in large part because of the bike’s impressive performance credentials, highlighted by a 16.6-second time through the quarter-mile. On top of its performance characteristics, the 450 Desmo Scrambler was also fitted with an individual speedometer and Veglia tachometer rather than the headlight-mounted unit sometimes seen on 250-cc and 350-cc models.

The model that was auctioned off at the 2012 RM Auctions in Monaco carries the chassis number DM450S/466142. It’s an unrestored model in good condition with a two-tone, black-and-yellow finish with a 436 cc Desmo single engine mated to a five-speed transmission.

Bidding price for the bike was expected to hit €8,000-€10,000, which is around $10,400 - $13,000 based on current exchange rates. Actual selling price was $12,121.

Ducati 450 Desmo Scrambler originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 16:00 EST.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. Dedicates World Drift Series Win to Carroll Shelby

Posted: 23 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Recently deceased automotive master and all-around great person, Carroll Shelby, has a history that few can compete with. Not only was he one of the best American road racers, but was also a legendary car designer. But his legend is seemingly endless in the automotive field, as even racers in drift series races are influenced by him.

The most recent evidence was when American driver Vaughn Gittin Jr. took home 1st place in round 1 of the World Drift Series in China while driving his Mustang RTR. Though Mr. Shelby never had a hand in drifting, it is obvious that he had a huge influence on Gittin, as he dedicated this victory to the memory of Mr. Carroll Shelby.

After being declared the winner, Gittin was quoted saying "I would like to dedicate this to win to a very special man that we lost recently, someone I had the opportunity to meet just a few times, and someone that was a true inspiration to me personally and to the automotive world as a whole. That man is Carroll Shelby. He is someone that always did what he wanted to do no matter what anyone thought and I know he would be proud to know we are drifting Mustangs in Olympic stadiums here in China and bringing home a huge first place trophy back to the USA!"

Our congratulations have to go out to Gittin for his victory, but the victory pales in comparison to his heartfelt dedication to the man that helped make the Mustang that won the race what it is today. To say that Gittin has our support throughout the rest of the WDS is an understatement.

Somewhere, Mr. Shelby was smiling as this Ford Mustang slid its way around imports and into first place…

Click past the jump to read the full press release.

Vaughn Gittin Jr. Dedicates World Drift Series Win to Carroll Shelby originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 15:00 EST.

TVS Scooty Wego

Posted: 23 May 2012 08:00 AM PDT

The TVS Scooty Wego will go where you go. Play on words notwithstanding, TVS’ latest scooter matic is set to launch in the Indian market with the hopes of competing against heavyweights, Honda and Yamaha.

So does the TVS Scooty Wego have what it takes to be a contender in the market? To answer that, you need to understand what this scooter has to offer.

In terms of styling, the Scooty Wego offers the kind of look that makes it a worthy contender to the joint title of Honda and Yamaha. It comes with a Balance Technology Body that not only offers unique styling, but also makes for better riding, handling, and maneuverability. The lighting configuration of the Wego features a multi-reflector halogen headlamp and an LED set-up on the rear. Moreover, aluminum materials were also used on the engine while the Wego’s 12" velg matches up well with its Japanese rivals, which uses 14-16" velg.

At the heart of the Scotty Wego is a 100cc, one-cylinder OHC engine that produces a respectable 8 horsepower at 8,000 RPM and 8Nm of peak torque at 5,500 RPM. This engine is mated to a Vmatic transmission.

For all intents and purposes, the TVS Scooty Wego will not have the same recognition as its counterparts from Honda and Yamaha. But when it comes to straight up value, the Indian scooter is as good an option as you can have.

Find out more about the TVS Scooty Wego after the jump

TVS Scooty Wego originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 15:00 EST.

Spy Shots: Skoda Rapid&#39;s interior revealed!

Posted: 23 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT

It was only yesterday that the new Skoda Rapid was caught testing on the famous Nurburgring track and just 24 hours later, the company whipped out yet another prototype, this time in a red exterior finish. What’s even better is that the interior was readily accessible to our photographers! Unfortunately, there was nothing revolutionary about the Rapid’s insides, but at least it’s another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. It looks like the Rapid will just be another new small family car.

The Skoda Rapid is inspired by the Mission L Concept unveiled at the 2012 Frankfurt Motor Show and will be placed between the Fabia and the Octavia in Skoda’s line-up. It will be built on a standard platform, not the new MQB multi-vehicle platform, and will be offered with the latest engines and transmissions from the Volkswagen Group.

Expect to see the new Skoda Rapid launched in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show.

Spy Shots: Skoda Rapid's interior revealed! originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 14:00 EST.

Ducati 900 S2

Posted: 23 May 2012 07:00 AM PDT

The Ducati 900 S2 was built on the joint platform of the 900 Darmah SS and the 600SL Pantah, with the latter supplying the body work of the bike.

The reason for doing so centered on Ducati’s decision to rationalize its production lines at that time. To their credit, though, they still managed to make a bike that not only looked good, but performed up to the standards of its predecessors.

The Ducati 900 S2 is powered by an 864 cc SOHC Desmo V-twin engine that’s mated to a five-speed transmission. It was also offered with either electric or kick-start options, as well as being fitted with 40-mm Dell'Orto carburetors.

Aesthetically speaking, the 900 S2 was also the picture of attraction - the bike was given a bevy of color options, including bronze with yellow, orange and red stripes, or red and black.

The Ducati 900 S2 that was present at the 2012 RM Auctions is an original model, one that was once displayed in a museum. Expected bidding price for the bikes go for around €5,000 - €7,000, which is about $6,400 - $9,000 based on current exchange rates. Actual selling price was $5,303.

Ducati 900 S2 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 14:00 EST.

Results: Houston Half Mile 2012 is in the books

Posted: 23 May 2012 06:00 AM PDT

Unlike the One Lap of America race, which recently ended, the Houston Half Mile Shootout is a brand new race for 2012. This year it was run in conjunction with the 4th annual Aeros & Autos event at Ellington Airport in Houston, TX.

This race is much like the Texas Mile, as it is purely a top speed-style of race, where your goal is to reach the highest speed within the half-mile-long track. Simple enough, right? Well, driving in excess of 200 mph is never simple, but rules sure are.

This inaugural run includes cars and motorcycles, both street legal and off-road only, which makes for some really intense speeds, but also some utter disappointment. The biggest disappointment that we see is Mario Williams, an NFL Linebacker, running his Aventador down the half-mile track and only hitting 167 mph in the above video. C'mon, man, open her up a little. That's just getting that $400,000 supercar warmed up.

On top of that, event organizer John Hennessey shows that he is not a football guy, as he calls Mario Williams an "All Pro defensive player from the Houston Texans," but Williams signed with the Buffalo Bills in March, oops. We have to give Hennessey a pass though, as the video was taken on March 5th and Williams was still a free agent at the time, but he certainly was not a Texan at the time.

Fortunately that was just a warm-up lap, as we saw much more speed as the event went on.

Click past the jump to read more about the event, cool cars and highlights.

Results: Houston Half Mile 2012 is in the books originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 13:00 EST.

Spy Shots: Volkswagen Golf GTI Tests at the Nurburgring

Posted: 23 May 2012 05:00 AM PDT

We’ve already captured the seventh generation Volkswagen Golf during some of its testing a few months ago, but now we have finally been able to catch the GTI version during its turn on the Nurburgring.

The Volkswagen Golf GTI has been built on the company’s new MQB platform. Compared to the current GTI, the next generation will be longer and lower, but its design will pretty much remain the same. The prototype seen in these images are covered in camouflage, but through the gaps of the coverings we can see that it has received real front lights and door mounted mirrors (the current Golf GTI’s mirrors are mounted at the side window).

Under the hood, there is a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder that will deliver up to 260 HP - an increase of 60 HP over the current generation (if the current rumors turn out to be true).

Expect to see the new Volkswagen Golf GTI launched sometime in 2013, most likely at the Geneva Motor Show.

Spy Shots: Volkswagen Golf GTI Tests at the Nurburgring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 12:00 EST.

Top Gear building its very own Nissan DeltaWing from recycled materials

Posted: 23 May 2012 04:00 AM PDT

Not only does the Nissan DeltaWing prototype resemble something out of batman rather than a racer which will take up a grid position at this year's Le Mans 24 Hours, but it may also suggest what the future of racing could look like. Unfortunately for many motoring enthusiasts, that does include the elongated, tapered front end and the aircraft inspired hind quarters.

However, the effectiveness of this design will not be proven until after the Le Mans endurance race and despite the car being largely experimental, the guys over at Top Gear recently teamed up with English car customizer, Andy Saunders, to produce a replica of the DeltaWing concept.

Andy Saunders is no rookie when it comes to producing the weird and wacky, and his very own DeltaWing will be testament to the belief that what's worth doing, is worth overdoing. In order to create the one-off piece of art, Saunders will search the scrap heap for components which not only resemble certain elements of the original but can also be tweaked to get the look just right.

So far, Saunders has borrowed the wheels from a Ford Mondeo, the rear axle from a Ford Escort, and has combined components from the Fiat 126 and Morris 1000 bonnet to shape the rear deck of the car.

And that list will continue to grow as the rear pod sections will be created from old Mazda MX-5 bumpers, while the "DeltaWing kick-ups on the rear" will be formed around the air intakes of Australia's last F1 champion, Alan Jones' 1975 Formula One racer.

It's currently unclear what engine, drivetrain, and transmission Saunders plans to utilize for the car, but you can be sure of two things: they'll be recycled and when finished, the Top Gear DeltaWing will be significantly heavier, less powerful, and slower than the real racer.

Nonetheless, we respect Saunders' ambition and wish him all the best!

gallery: 2012 Nissan Delta Wing

Top Gear building its very own Nissan DeltaWing from recycled materials originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 23 May 2012 11:00 EST.

Spy Shots: Another round of testing for the 2013 Mini Cooper

Posted: 23 May 2012 03:00 AM PDT

It’s been about a week since we last offered up spy shots of the next generation Mini Cooper testing on public roads, but today we have another set of images, this time with the future Cooper testing at the famous Nurburgring track.

As reported on other occasions, the next Mini Cooper will be built on the same platform as the next generation BMW 1-Series and will be offered in both FWD and AWD versions. It will also grow slightly in its dimensions and will adopt a more modern design, but will still be immediately recognized as a Mini.

Under the hood, there will be the usual four-cylinder turbocharged engines, but BMW is also developing a new three-cylinder unit to drop in the Coop.

Mini has promised that the 2013 Cooper will be offered in up to ten body versions, including a van. We’ll see how that pans out when the new Cooper is launched sometime in 2013.