TopSpeed Daily Update |  |
- Natural Gas-Powered Cars Coming to 2013 American Le Mans
- Bluebird GTL Formula E Racing Concept
- Video: Mercedes SLS Black Series testing at the Nurburgring
- Citroen C4 Picasso
- Video: Watch as Nissan Delta Wing Driver, Satoshi Motoyama, Attempt to Repair his Wrecked Rig
- Aston Martin Vanquish
- Bentley Continental GT Speed
- Video: 11 Pagani Zonda and Huayra models in one place
- Chevrolet Spin Minivan
- Video: Global RallyCross is an Awesomeness Injection for the Racing Soul
| Natural Gas-Powered Cars Coming to 2013 American Le Mans Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT
A while back, we weighed the possibilities of LPG and CNG making its way into our lives as an automotive fuel on a more regular basis. We determined that there is a niche market for it, but its chances of widespread U.S. use are highly unlikely. We did, however, mention that it does have a use in high-performance vehicles, like the Maxximus LNG 2000. It looks like the American Le Mans Series is starting to consider this a possibility, as it attempts to dig itself a niche in racing as a "green" automotive racing series. According to reports, Patrick Racing Team and Indy 500 legend, Jim McGee, are working hard toward retrofitting the 430-horsepower ORECA FLM09 American Le Mans racer with a natural gas injection system. It is uncertain exactly what type of natural gas, CNG or LPG, the Patrick Racing Team is targeting right now, but we would anticipate it being LPG, due to its more widespread availability. Given the fact that natural gas has an average octane rating of 130, it makes a perfect racing fuel. The biggest issue is getting it connected to the existing Chevy engine without losing too much horsepower or fuel economy. Also according to reports, the plans are to have this system in place and homologated in time for the 2013 ALMS racing season, which will kick off in March next year. That gives Patrick Racing just under a year to get this system in place, tested, and certified for racing. If this takes off, it could ultimately alter the path that automotive propulsion is taking now – a lean more toward the electric side – and skew it back toward the natural gas/hydrogen direction. Granted, CNG, LPG, and hydrogen will not overtake electricity in hybrids on the grand stage, but it could bring about a slight shift toward these alternative fuels. We'll keep a close eye on this project and let you know how it's going. Click past the jump to read to full press release. Natural Gas-Powered Cars Coming to 2013 American Le Mans originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 15:00 EST.
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| Bluebird GTL Formula E Racing Concept Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT
For those that are unaware, the FIA is still organizing and developing the Formula E racing series, which it almost the exact same racing as Formula 1, minus the vroom-vroom of the internal combustion engines. This series uses only cars that utilize sustainable energy, which means no gasoline or diesel, just the ominous hum of an electric motor. The series is loosely set to kick off in 2014 and manufacturers have started coming forward with cars for the series. This latest car is pretty wild, to say the least. It looks almost like a Le Mans prototype car and the Batmobile had a wild night in the Batcave and the Bluebird GTL Formula E racing concept was the end result. It takes most of its styling cues from the closed-cockpit-style Le Mans cars that have no rearward window, which was Audi's reasoning for replacing the rearview mirror. It is very obvious that the focal point in building this machine was aerodynamics, as the curves are plentiful and there are no visual flat spots to catch the air. According to its developers, the pictured model is purely just a prototype that they are using for wind tunnel testing and there is no motor information available yet. They anticipate a track-ready model to be completed by the end of September in hopes of racing in the Formula E's debut season – if one ever kicks off. We will keep you updated on this newest addition to the Formula E series and let you know the second its manufacturer releases some performance specs. Bluebird GTL Formula E Racing Concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 14:00 EST.
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| Video: Mercedes SLS Black Series testing at the Nurburgring Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT
While we thought we were going to see the new SLS Black Series as Mercedes’ next big move, the company decided to replace the SLS AMG with an even more impressive SLS AMG GT, and keep teasing us with a few more spy shots of the next Black Series. The sports car has been caught testing around the Nurburgring race track yet again, and BridgeToGantry managed to shoot an impressive video of the its hot laps. The Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series will be powered by a revised 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V8 engine with an output taken up to an impressive 660 HP. The engine is mated to a 7-speed double-clutch gearbox and will help the car to deliver more impressive performance numbers. Expect to see a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of about 3 seconds and a top speed of more than 200 mph. Video: Mercedes SLS Black Series testing at the Nurburgring originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 13:00 EST.
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| Posted: 20 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT
After debuting the new C4, Citroen is now testing the Picasso version of the small family car. In fact, this is the second time the future C4 Picasso has been spotted testing - the first time, Citroen took it for some extreme winter testings in Northern Europe. Now, the company has gone out for yet another round, but this time, it’s the hot summer months pushing the car to its limits. The new C4 Picasso will be offered with the same engine range found in the C4, meaning there will be a range of petrol and HDi diesel engines, as well as the hybrid system Hybrid4 seen in the DS5 and Peugeot 3008. Initially, the C4 will be offered as a five-door models, but a seven seater model - called the C4 Grand Picasso - will also be offered. While the 5 seater will have conventional rear doors, the 7 seater is expected to have sliding rear doors. The new Citroen C4 Picasso will be making its world debut at the 2012 Paris Auto Show in September and will hit dealerships in 2013. Citroen C4 Picasso originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 12:00 EST.
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| Video: Watch as Nissan Delta Wing Driver, Satoshi Motoyama, Attempt to Repair his Wrecked Rig Posted: 20 Jun 2012 04:00 AM PDT
Look in any dictionary and find the word "dedication." Next to that word, paste in a picture of Nissan Delta Wing driver, Satoshi Motoyama, as that is all of the definition you need of being dedicated to a particular craft. After being slammed in to the wall by a rookie Le Mans driver and his vehicle becoming disabled, Motoyama had two choices, give up or fix it yourself. See, in Le Mans there is a rule against the pit crew coming out to help repair any disabling damages to a car – a ridiculous rule in our opinion – but there is no rule against the driver trying to fix said damages. So Motoyama, with his mighty Phillips screwdriver in hand, went to trying to breathe life back into his disabled experimental car, with his pit crew not too far away telling him what to do at each step. Motoyama removed body panels, in an attempt to free the apparently stuck wheels, but that just wasn't working. After exhausting all of the team's ideas, Motoyama conceded to the fact that the Delta Wing was not going to finish the race. After months of testing, tuning, and more testing, this experimental rig didn't get the opportunity to complete the race, despite a pretty successful debut, where it sat near the middle of the LMP2 class with a fastest lap of 3:42.612. Fortunately, there were plenty of cameras available to capture Motoyama's valiant efforts and he certainly earned the respect of his peers and us in the media with his efforts. Check out the above video to see his attempts to get the Delta Wing back on the road and you'll see just how important this race was to the Delta Wing team. We have a feeling that this is not the last time we see the Delta Wing. It ran very well against the LMP2 class and may have earned an even higher fastest lap position, had it not been so heavily damaged. Video: Watch as Nissan Delta Wing Driver, Satoshi Motoyama, Attempt to Repair his Wrecked Rig originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 11:00 EST.
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| Posted: 20 Jun 2012 03:00 AM PDT
Here we go, folks. The 2012 model year was the last for the current Aston Martin DBS, but Aston Martin fans will be kept busy with the 2013 DBS Ultimate, which is little more than a slightly upgraded version of the Carbon Black model, but a limited edition nonetheless. Once the novelty of that model wears out, the newly redesigned Vanquish will be here and ready to soak up the spotlight. In the past few months, we have seen plenty of spy shots of the new supercar, but Aston Martin has finally decided it was time to offer full details on the new Vanquish. As you probably know, the new DBS successor not only received a completely new design, but it also revived a legendary name: Vanquish. The reasoning behind the name choice was explained by Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez, himself: "Today’s Vanquish is the ultimate expression of Aston Martin design ethos, engineering innovation and technical ability. It offers luxurious, continent-crossing capability and pure driving excitement without compromise. Bearing the same name as the iconic original Vanquish that did so much to cement Aston Martin's reputation as a maker of great GT cars in the modern era, I believe the car unveiled today once again puts this great British brand at the top of its class." Did the British brand overshoot, or did it just find a way to catapult sales? Hit the jump to read more about the new Aston Martin Vanquish and decide for yourself. Aston Martin Vanquish originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 10:00 EST.
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| Posted: 20 Jun 2012 02:00 AM PDT
The new Continental GT Speed is set to be making its world debut in about a week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012, but Bentley decided to offer the first details on the car a few days early. With 616 HP under the hood and a top speed of 205 mph, the new GT Speed is the fastest production model Bentley has ever offered. Deliveries will begin in October 2012. The new Bentley Continental GT Speed is powered by an updated version of the company’s 6.0 liter twin turbocharged W12 engine that now delivers a total of 616 HP and 590 lbs-ft of torque. This amount of power is just enough to sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.0 seconds and up to a top speed of 205 mph. Wolfgang Dürheimer, Bentley's Chairman and Chief Executive said about the new car: "For nearly a decade, the Bentley Continental GT has defined high luxury, high performance grand touring and the unique W12 engine has been so successful that Bentley is now the world's largest producer of 12-cylinder engines. The new GT Speed with its harder-edged, sportier character reaffirms this pinnacle positioning and continues to broaden the worldwide appeal of the Continental coupe." UPDATE 06/20/2012: This review has been updated with the official details and images of the Bentley Continental GT Speed. Hit the jump for the full review on the Bentley Continental GT Speed. Bentley Continental GT Speed originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 09:00 EST.
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| Video: 11 Pagani Zonda and Huayra models in one place Posted: 19 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT
If you needed more proof that our favorite Youtube user, Marchettino, does an amazing job, here it is: he caught not one, not two, but eleven Pagani models in one place. The video was shot at the 8th Vanishing Point, the secret Pagani event. A lot of the Paganis presented at the show were Huayra models and this makes the video even better. Also, next to all these impressive number of Paganis, a great number of AMGs were also present. Enjoy the video and let us know if you would have loved to be there! "Enjoy the walkaround of the insane lineup! It was truly awesome to see so many Pagani’s from different ages all together, from the C12 S to the Cinque, Tricolore, R and even the orange Prototipe 2 that now has the configuration of the Zonda 750!" Video: 11 Pagani Zonda and Huayra models in one place originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 04:00 EST.
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| Posted: 19 Jun 2012 08:00 PM PDT
Chevrolet has just announced that a new minivan will make its way into the "Global Market," which is the PC term for developing markets. In addition to announcing the upcoming debut, Chevy also teased us with a rather revealing image, for a teaser anyway. This image depicts a minivan that boasts much bolder styling than your average people-hauling minivan. It features wrap-around headlights that come to a sharp point near the halfway point of the fenders. The windshield rakes rearward at a very shallow angle and its roofline actually has a slight curve to it. Really, this "minivan" looks closer to a crossover than an SUV. Considering that the developing markets that Chevy has in its targets, Indonesia and Brazil, it is no wonder that it would bear the minivan classification instead of crossover. From personal experience, I can tell you that the term "crossover" is not a well-known one in Indonesia and only a handful of cars, including the Nissan Juke and Suzuki SX4, bear that classification. We would assume much of the same is going on in Brazil. The Spin will be available in both a five- and seven-seat capacity, but unlike American minivans, this one will boast hinged doors – again, bearing more resemblance to a crossover. To remain competitive in these developing markets and allow buyers to be able to fuel this new minivan, it will likely boast a sub-2.0-liter engine as its base level, with its smallest engine likely being the 141 PS (139 hp) 1.8-liter four-cylinder in the Chevy Orlando and Cruze. Given its size and the fact that its closest competitor will be the 2.4-liter-powered Honda Odyssey, which is far smaller than the American Honda Odyssey, Chevy may offer it with an optional 171 PS (168 hp) 2.4-liter found in the Captiva SUV. Chevy is set to fully unveil this upcoming minivan/crossover in the next few weeks and it'll hit showroom floors early in 2013. We'll update you once Chevy releases this additional info. Click past the jump to read Chevy's official presser. Chevrolet Spin Minivan originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 03:00 EST.
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| Video: Global RallyCross is an Awesomeness Injection for the Racing Soul Posted: 19 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT
Remember the days when car racing was "Car Racing." The rules were loosely written and even looser followed, and it was considered more entertainment than sport. Those were the good old days, when the purpose was to build a car faster than the others and hire a driver that can keep the thing on the tarmac. Those days all went away in the 1980s, as all of the major professional racing circuits – NASCAR, Indy, F1, NHRA – turned these entertainment spectacles into damn sporting events. While we love our sports – I for one am obsessed with NFL football – the turning of driving a car fast into a sport led to the injection of fairness and parity. This led to restrictor plates, horsepower limits, and barred modifications. It even led to drivers starting to whine and boo-hoo about a little paint scraping… Well, if you are ready to see some racing in its truest form, take a look-see at the Global RallyCross Championship. Sure, it piggybacks along with the aforementioned whiny racing "sports," but it couldn't be much farther from these sports in terms of real life competitive racing. The rules are few, the paint trading is a plenty, and there is no one crying foul when a fellow driver pulls a pit maneuver on your car’s tail end. He just pops it back in gear and thinks "why didn't I see that guy there," then gets 'em back. To boot, there are freaking bike-style ramps and barricades in the middle of the track to leap over or drive around. There are even shortcuts on each track. Granted the shortcuts are typically more difficult to drive through, but they are there. The only rules regarding the engine is the fitment of an intake restrictor and that the engine block must meet the manufacturer’s specification. This means you can bolt on as many ponies as you like, just don't modify the block. Ah, you've got to love it. Check out the above video to catch a glimpse of the awesomeness that is GRC! Video: Global RallyCross is an Awesomeness Injection for the Racing Soul originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 20 June 2012 02:00 EST.
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