TopSpeed Daily Update |  |
- Wildfire forces postponement of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
- Spy Shots: Dacia Sandero gets new garbs
- SRT Viper GTS-R
- Cadillac CTS-V
- Bugatti Veyron successor could be built as a hybrid
- McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Great Briton
- Mazda's Final Rotary Engine Roll off of the Assembly Line, Maybe for Good
- Ford Mondeo
- Video: Ferrari 599XX EVO goes for a ride around the Fiorano racetrack
- Video: Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale vs Helicopter
| Wildfire forces postponement of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Posted: 28 Jun 2012 08:00 AM PDT
There are only a handful of circumstances that can force the cancellation of an event as highly-anticipated as the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Unfortunately, Mother Nature is one of them. As a result of the Waldo Canyon wildfire in Colorado Springs, the U.S. Forest Service has clamped down and banned the staging of the 90th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June 8. According to the government agency, the extreme conditions of the fire, coupled with its unpredictable nature, has made it virtually impossible to host the event at this moment. Major bummer. Tom Osborne, chairman of the board for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, understands the decision of the Forest Services, noting that safety for participants and fans remain top priority. "Our deepest concern is for the safety of the public and the competitors," he said. "It was obvious that several agencies charged with public safety would not be able to commit the resources and manpower required to ensure those requirements because of the critical need for their resources at this time. Our city is in an unprecedented struggle right now and we are deeply sensitive to it." For now, race organizers have announced that the event will still take place at a later date, possibly "later in the summer." The schedule has to be set up in such a way that all the participants - drivers, teams, etc. - are available, making for what could be a huge logistical problem for the organizers. Likewise, fans that have already booked tickets for the event will have their tickets honored on the new race date, whenever that’s going to be. Wildfire forces postponement of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 15:00 EST.
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| Spy Shots: Dacia Sandero gets new garbs Posted: 28 Jun 2012 07:00 AM PDT
  A few days ago, we brought you the first spy shots of the next Dacia Sandero and today, it’s time for a new round of testing. The Sandero seen in this images is donning new clothing, offering even more details on the upcoming Stepway version. As promised, the new Sandero will feature a new design language, and these spy shots reveal a new headlight and grille design, as well as a more modern appearance. The interior will also be redesigned with better materials and new technologies. The next Sandero will be built on a new platform borrowed from the Renault Fluence and will get more modern engines, gearboxes, and a new chassis. Dacia will unveil the first concept version in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, while a production version will follow in March at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Sales will begin in late 2013. Spy Shots: Dacia Sandero gets new garbs originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 14:00 EST.
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| Posted: 11 Jun 2012 12:00 PM PDT
Next to the road-going version of the SRT Viper at the 2012 New York Auto Show was the SRT Viper GTS-R - a model that marks SRT Viper Racing team’s return to the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) in 2012. There will be two GTS-R models entering the competition with four drivers currently being signed to drive including Dominik Farnbacher, from Ansbach, Germany; Marc Goossens from Geel, Belgium; Ryan Hunter-Reay from Dallas; and Kuno Wittmer from Montreal. The GTS-R racing version will be based on the standard Viper, but the model will be updated for track use. The GTS-R version was built in cooperation with Riley Technologies, based in Mooresville, N.C. Both models will race on Michelin GT tires. "Racing has been a significant part of the illustrious history of Viper not only with wins on the track, but also in the continued development of the street cars – and our new 2013 SRT Viper models are proof of those lessons learned," said Ralph Gilles, President and CEO – Street and Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, Chrysler Group LLC. "Now with our new team and the launch of the GTS-R, we're excited and proud to begin writing more chapters in the racing history of the Viper later this summer." UPDATE 06/13/2012: Dodge has unveiled a new video featuring the Viper GTS-R during its first track test. Enjoy! SRT Viper GTS-R originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 11 June 2012 19:00 EST.
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| Posted: 28 Jun 2012 06:00 AM PDT
The Cadillac CTS-V’s history started back in 2008 and hit a monstrous peak when it became the first production four-door on street tires to break the legendary eight-minute barrier at Germany's famed Nurburgring. In four years, the CTS-V sedan has managed to steal many customers from its German competitors due to its stylish look and exceptional performance. The 2013 model year will continue the success laid out in the previous model years with only minor additions to increase function. For 2013, the CTS-V will continue being powered by the 6.2 liter supercharged V8 engine that delivers a total of 556 HP and a peak torque of 551 lb.-ft. of torque - the most powerful engine in Cadillac’s history. The engine is mated to either a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual with a dual-disc clutch or a Hydra-Matic 6L90 six-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted shift controls. The only changes will be the addition of two-piece front brake rotors and red Brembo brake calipers. These performance adjustments will also come with a new exterior color - Glacier Blue Metallic - as well as a few exterior changes such as a larger grille to enable more air intake and a raised hood that encompasses the supercharged engine beneath it. Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Cadillac CTS-V. Cadillac CTS-V originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 13:00 EST.
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| Bugatti Veyron successor could be built as a hybrid Posted: 28 Jun 2012 05:00 AM PDT
With the Bugatti Galibier all but fading into the shadows, Bugatti has been left with nothing to show the auto market apart from different Veyron variants in the past year. But not it appears that the French automaker is getting ready for their latest offering, the long-awaited successor to their mighty super car. According to a report from AutoExpress, Bugatti is currently developing their new super car, and coming as a bit of a surprise to us is that the car could very well be a hybrid. Bugatti's chief vehicle engineer, Jens Schulenburg, was quoted by the UK car magazine saying that while the Veyron successor will remain the company’s flagship model, it will be packaged a little bit differently than its predecessor. "The big challenge on the next car will be reducing weight," Schulenburg said. "We are looking at some incredible technologies, such as wheels made entirely from carbon fiber. Hybrids are definitely something we are looking at too." While no official details have been released, we know how Bugatti takes these things seriously. So we expect nothing less than a model that can put even the supremo of all super cars, the Veyron Super Sport, in its place. Bugatti Veyron successor could be built as a hybrid originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 12:00 EST.
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| McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Great Briton Posted: 28 Jun 2012 04:00 AM PDT
The Goodwood Festival of Speed brings together a number of supercars ever year, and this year, we’ve already collected a number of vehicles that are tackling the hill, including the Pagani Zonda R EVO and the Alpine A110-50 Concept. McLaren is now joining the bunch with a unique MP4-12C GT3. This special MP4-12C GT3 will be adorned with a unique livery, which highlights McLaren Group's support of the "GREAT" campaign launched this year by the Prime Minister's Office and Department for Culture, Media, and Sport. It is because of this that the GT3 has been named the "Great" Briton and was designed by McLaren Racing's own graphic design team. The Great Briton MP4-12C GT3 will be running in Batch 3 of the Hill program on June 29th, June 30th, and July 1st, 2012. Next to this unique GT3, McLaren has also promised to unveil an exciting new version of the recently updated MP4-12C supercar. More details on these two new supercars will be unveiled in the next couple of days, so stay tuned! McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Great Briton originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 11:00 EST.
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| Mazda's Final Rotary Engine Roll off of the Assembly Line, Maybe for Good Posted: 28 Jun 2012 03:00 AM PDT
 When the RX-7 hit near supercar status in the 1990s, the Rotary engine was a thing of beauty and Mazda had all but perfected it. The only remaining downfall was the fuel required to keep the rotors inside the engine spinning. This fuel consumption, plus a restructuring of Mazda's U.S. market, led to the deletion of the RX-7 and its perfected rotary following the 1995 model year. When the rotary engine made its way into the sexy, yet fairly flabby, RX-8 in 2004, the rotary enthusiast clamored over its 238 horsepower without any turbo. However, hiding in deep within the engine was its biggest sore spot, a puny 159 pound-feet of torque that sucked up a gallon of gas after only about a dozen miles. Through the RX-8's life, Mazda refused to turbocharge the 1.3-liter rotary and the new Renesis rotary engine was effectively to blame for the RX-8's disappearance following the 2011 model year. This all brings us to today, as Mazda finally closes the chapter on the RX-8 by rolling the final rotary engine off of its production line and into a special edition Mazda Spirit R, which is only available in Japan. This closes one chapter in the life of the rotary engine, as Mazda has no plans to develop a replacement for the failed RX-8, despite rumors of an RX-9. Even if the rotary is to make a comeback in the future, it will likely not come back as a gasoline engine. We would likely see it used in a gasoline/hydrogen hybrid system, as Bloomberg is reporting that Mazda is currently testing out how this Wankel works on hydrogen. As much as we once loved the rotary engine, we think it is time to put this old dog down and let us remember the good old days of the 255-horsepower, 217 pound-feet of torque twin-boosted 1.3-liter rotary. The only way we could agree with bringing the rotary back is in a turbocharged sports car platform, like this engine is intended. Mazda's Final Rotary Engine Roll off of the Assembly Line, Maybe for Good originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 10:00 EST.
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| Posted: 28 Jun 2012 02:00 AM PDT
At the end of 2011, we brought you spy shots of the next generation Ford Mondeo Wagon, and now, our spy photographers have managed to catch the sedan version doing its own bit of testing. From these images,w e can see that, while the wagon version was donning discrete camouflage, the sedan version is completely uncovered, meaning that it is ready to make its world debut. We expect this to happen in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. The European Mondeo will be in many ways similar to the US model Fusion, but with smaller changes to the headlights and bumpers. Clearly, the car has been inspired by Ford’s latest design language previewed by the Evos Concept launched at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. Under the hood, the new Ford Mondeo will get the usual array of 4- and 6-cylinder engines, with a hybrid version popping up shortly after the release as well. Ford Mondeo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 09:00 EST.
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| Video: Ferrari 599XX EVO goes for a ride around the Fiorano racetrack Posted: 27 Jun 2012 09:00 PM PDT
YouTube member, Marchettino, has been pretty busy these past few days. A couple of days ago, we brought you a video he shot for the upcoming Pagani Zonda R Evo, and now he has headed over to Italy to the famous Fiorano racetrack. This is where he caught the very impressive 599XX Evo - a model that was previously auctioned for an impressive $1.77 million. All you have to do is watch this video to reaffirm just how cool this car really is, but make sure you turn up the speakers and listen to the loud accelerations and downshifts! As a reminder, the 599XX EVO is powered by a 6.3 liter V12 engine that delivers an impressive 750 HP at 7000 rpm and 516 lb-ft of torque. So, you can only imagine just how amazing this car sounds! Video: Ferrari 599XX EVO goes for a ride around the Fiorano racetrack originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 04:00 EST.
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| Video: Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale vs Helicopter Posted: 27 Jun 2012 07:00 PM PDT
A few days ago, we brought you a very cool video showing the Lamborghini Aventador battling it out with an F16 Fighting Falcon. Today, it’s time for another video just like that one, the supercar is a Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale and it’s facing a helicopter in the snow. This video was shot at the beginning of 2012 while filming for Lamborghini Magazine issue No. 10 at the Transfagarasan road, where TopGear also shot a video back in 2009. Watch the video and let us know which type of vehicle impressed you the most: the Gallardo or the helicopter? The Gallardo is powered by a V10 engine that delivers a total of 570 HP and a peak torque 398 lbs-ft at 6500 rpm. The supercar can hit a top speed of 198 mph and sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds. Video: Lamborghini Gallardo Super Trofeo Stradale vs Helicopter originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 28 June 2012 02:00 EST.
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