Tsvetan Varbanov – Page 19 – Automobiles Review

Audi R8 e-Tron Sets World Record on the Nordschleife

After an overall victory at the 2012 Le Mans series, there comes another triumph for Audi. The R8 e-tron has set a new world record on the Nürburgring track of 8:09.099 minutes. Yes, it’s not an all-time record but a “production vehicle with an electric drive system“ kind of record . The Gumpert Apollo Sport, which by the way has an Audi V8 engine, has been around the Nürburgring for less then 7:12.00 minutes. Still, a giant leap for the all-electric car world and for the e-tron.

There are two electric motors underneath the Audi R8 e-tron that work together to produce 280 kW and 820 Nm of torque. At the same time, despite having a bulky 49 KWh T-sized battery pack bellow the cabin, the weight is down to 1,780 kg which is okay for a normal sport’s car and astonishing for an electric one. That’s mainly the result of an aluminum body with traces of CFRP parts here and there. Where we are getting at is that the R8 e-tron is capable of speeds up to 200 km/h (for the Nürburgring they had to ditch the limiter and went for the 250 km/h benchmark). From a stand still, the e-tron will reach 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds – a time which will bring some of the best petrol equivalents to tears.

Best part of it all? It’s all natural and almost ready for production:

“Of course, the R8 e-tron is a production car, not a racing car with the assistance of aerodynamics. But with its low center of gravity and rear biased weight distribution, it brings with it a lot of sporty qualities. The torque with which the electric motors propel the car uphill beats everything that I know – even if they make hardly any noise in the process, which at the start was really a completely new experience for me. In places where I really need traction, the torque vectoring – the displacement of the torque between the powered wheels – really helps me.” Comments 32-year-old Markus Winkelhock – the e-tron driver and current record holder.

Source: Audi

June 29, 2012

Most Powerful Ford Mustang Going to Goodwood

Ford will, for the first time ever, ship one of their most powerful Mustangs ever outside of the US. The occasion is the Goodwood festival which will be held this weekend. More importantly however, the latest Shelby GT500 will serve as a fitting tribute to the now deceased Carroll Shelby.

The “pony” is to participate in the famous Goodwood hillclimb with guest drivers behind the wheel. They’ll have to keep in mind that the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 has an aluminum 5.8-liter supercharged V8 engine that produces 662 hp and 631 lb-ft of torque. In other words – the most powerful North American production car yet. It sounds rudimentary, but the features that put control on that power are abundant as well – updated gearing for superior traction management, suspension tuning and a clever launch control that can be adjusted manually as well. Then there’s the brute counter force: Brembo six-piston (front) calipers. This particular one will also be stuck with the otherwise optional Performance Package which adds electronically adjustable dampers and a Torsen limited-slip differential and then a Track Package that integrates three additional coolers to the system. A worthy commemoration of Carroll Shelby.

Distinctive outside features include, downforce-friendly front grilles, a pointy splitter, a new quad-exhaust system and new forged-aluminium wheels.

Carroll Shelby passed on May the 10th 2012, leaving behind an engineering legacy, 16 US and international world speed records and a number of charity deeds. One of his most famous works – the Cobra – still sends shivers through the spines of motoring enthusiasts. In 2003 he began his joint venture with Ford which resulted in the making of the Mustang Shelby GT series.

Source: Ford

June 29, 2012

Switzer Prepare 1000HP Nissan GT-R Ultimate Street Edition

This is a 1000 HP Switzer Nissan GT-R. It will be known as the Ultimate Street Edition but it won’t be the most powerful product ever to come from the Oberlin, Ohio-based company. No, back in 2010 there came out another GT-R labeled R1KX that had 1000 and above WHP but it was essentially a track-happy sort of car and a nightmare in the real world. It had a tendency to overheat in traffic jams, to shift gears in a jerky manner, and a thirst for a racing-grade kind of fuel. The only practical use of it was to shed tenths of a second on lap times. This one though, the USE is a car that can be driven “comfortably every day, to the track or the office or the grocery store, on the highway or in bumper-to-bumper traffic” claims Tym Switzer.

Still, it will have 1000 crankshaft hp no doubt and that figure hasn’t been achieved by shoving in a W16 engine under the hood or something like that. In fact, the Switzer people are so full of admiration towards the Nissan brand that the 3.8L engine block has been essentially untouched. What they have done however, is to stick two liquid-cooled turbochargers to it. Turbochargers with sophisticated billet compressor wheels that is. They provide over 30% more free-flow when compared to more ordinary turbines. The intercoolers are also from Switzer and so is the new overall cooling system. The exhaust system on the other hand, has been specifically made to behave like a dentist’s drill on the streets and like a jack hummer on the track. The suspension is lower but the ride will be somehow better we are told:

“Softer tires, adjustable shocks, and serious reductions in unsprung weight all come together in these cars. Once you factor in our ‘nano-carbon’ brake pads that improve bite and reduce fade, you have a package that’s better than stock in every way, without punishing your kidneys from being super-stiff.”

Switzer Nissan GT-R Ultimate Street Edition

The one thing that has been replaced completely, is the transmission. At that point, Shepherd Transmissions had to come up with something that will withstand and utilize immense amounts of power and at the same time prevent your neck from snapping during shifts.

Not an easy job working on a Godzilla – it’s packed full of sophisticated electronics that will make your ears bleed as soon as they detect some hardware changes. But Switzer are out there when it comes to GT-R overhauling. And this, the Swtizer Nissan GT-R Ultimate Street Edition proves that they can do that with finesse as well.

The Switzer Nissan GT-R Ultimate Street Edition dyno test

Source: Switzer

June 28, 2012

VATH Show Class with the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL

The guys at VATH are notorious for taking in already vicious AMGs and turning out even more viscious AMGs. But what follows here is proof that deep down, their philosophy is not all steroids and swagger. It’s a restoration program that involves a Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL – a pinnacle of luxury that dates back to the 70s.

So what have they done exactly to it? Besides looking very crisp… and having additional rally style projector lights installed, the 300 SEL has had it’s engine completely taken apart and inspected. Everything from the cylinder head to the crankshaft has been milled, drilled and rebuild. The pistons have been replaced and the connecting rods along with the bearings on them: renewed and modified. It’s all precision work when working in VATH. More peripheral components are usually inspected as well – think in terms of oil or water pumps or axles even. As an end stage, the SEL goes through some computer diagnostics and then it is ready to go out.

And although it will not fly out the garage, it might raise some smoke. The original Mercedes-Benz SEL 300 had (and evidently still has) an M100 V8 engine with 6.3 liters of displacement. That translates in 250 PS and 510 Nm of torque. 6.5 seconds, even by today’s standards, sounds pretty brisk when doing the 60 mph run. Top speed – 220 km/h. But all of that is irrelevant really. If we were to take a ride in it, the needle will be stuck around the cruising 30 mph so that everyone on the streets can marvel at the majestic sight of a VATH Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL.

Source: VATH

June 28, 2012

Oxigen Add Color to 14 Oxrock Line

Let’s talk about wrapping again. Apparently a fairly popular marque of wheels can now come with certain candy shades. It’s the 14 Oxrock line from Oxigin – the Esslingen, Germany based manufacturer.

All Oxigin 14 alloy wheels can have some high-grade foil applied to them and the colour spectrum is immense. Leather based foils are also available. Also, unless you like to grind curbs on a daily basis, the wrapping should last and should not fade.

Oxigen even have a sample car for us which is a Porsche 911 with an appropriately coordinated theme that matches the wheels. We personally wouldn’t go for the baby blue (red on black is our weakness) but the end effect is satisfying.

Porsche 911 with wrapped Oxigen 14 Oxrock

The Oxigin 14 Oxrock can be supplied in the following dimensions:

7.5×17 inches
8.5×18 inches
8.5×19 inches
9.5×19 inches
8.5×20 inches
9.5×20 inches
11×20 inches
10×22 inches

You’ll get some documentation as well – ABE or TÜV. Quality stuff.

Source: Oxigin

June 28, 2012

BMW M3 Wrapped by CAM SHAFT and More

A silver painted…sorry…wrapped BMW M3. It’s the latest work from the German based Cam Shaft company. And it’s not really silver if we have to be honest: “mat space-gray metallic” is what they’ve told us. The foil itself is from the brand Bruxafol and is described as Platinum Wrapping Film. All may sound like fancy talk, but underneath the Guerilla M3 (that’s how they called it) is not what you call ordinary.

No, this M3 is a complex blend of custom parts that bring up some of the biggest names in the business. Take the front apron for example. It’s from Racing Dynamics. The die sills are courtesy of Hamman Motorsport and the exhaust system comes from the guys at Akrapovovic. The whole car sits closer to the ground thanks to a variant 3 KW coil over kit and thus the 19-inch BBS-Le Mans wheels, which themselves are wrapped with 245/35ZR19 and 265/35ZR19 tires front and back, look as prominent as they can be. Even the interior has an additional touch of carbon and aluminum under the brand of Hartge.

It’s nice to see that Cam Shaft are not all about the wrapping. Substance is what matters to us most and we can’t complain about that here with the Guerilla BMW M3.

Source: Cam Shaft

June 26, 2012

GEMBALLA Add Aero 2 GT Kit to Porsche Cayenne

Gemballa see themselves as the force of evolution and today’s subject is the Porsche Cayenne 958. For it, they have a GT AERO 2 package which is basically a second stage carbon fiber body kit that adds a little flare to an already existing one – the GT AERO 1. Apparently, the latter was introduced at the beginning of this year.

So the GT AERO 2 adds wheel arch extensions and connecting side sills that “emphasize” (broaden) the Cayenne‘s width. Also…that’s about it. Everything aftermarketish on this Cayenne is the stuff seen on the GT AERO 1. That is, the front bumper and splitter, the rear bumper and the six tailpipes that stick out from it. The rooftop spoiler is the work of Gemballa too.

All finished and easily fitted, they had to find the appropriate wheels to fill in those arches. Will a set of 22-inch Gemballa bulks of alloy do the job?

Source: Gemballa

June 26, 2012

Porsche Exclusive 911 Carrera S

Aftermarket enhancements is what most tuning houses do, no question about it. If one seeks to extract something extra from his/hers Porsche, the logical thing to do is contacting the people from SpeedART, TECHART, 9ff or even RUF. Now though, you can turn to Porsche Exclusive… if you happen to have a Porsche 911 Carrera S. They will be more than happy to provide some extra oomph for the engine with their ‘Porsche Exclusive Program.’

With that in place, your Carrera S will have 450 bhp instead of 400. A Coupe with that kind of power and a PDK transmission on Sport Plus mode can do 60 mph from a stand still in just 3.9 seconds. Surprisingly however, the Carrera’s economy figure remains unchanged.

How they have achieved this is beyond us. No, wait. It’s not. The cylinder heads have been redesigned and so have been the camshaft profiles. The engine now breathes better and thus allows some tinkering with the management system. The Exclusive Carreras will sound right as well thanks to the new variable resonance intake system design that has seven flaps in total.

We get some visual alterations as well. The level of “kitting” will be fairly flexible – one can go for the subtle ducktail spoiler or go all the way to the Aerokit Cup package where there’s a fixed rear wing over the standard rear spoiler and a special front spoiler lip with more vents then ever.

The Exclusive Program will be available in the USA this fall. It will be specifically made for the Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe or Cabriolet and you’ll get a ton of other options as well.

Source: Porsche

June 26, 2012

Hot Wheels and the X Games

Around a week ago, Top Gear managed to set a world record by pulling off a stunt that involves two loops in a row. The setup was creatively dubbed the “deadly 720”. Now Team Hot Wheels, which basically do stunts for a living, would like to respond by attempting again a loop stunt but with more of a tag team kind of spirit.

Two reasonably brave drivers will set off from a single line on separate tracks. Then they’ll begin their individual climb on a six story loop that fuses the two tracks at the top. Then rather gingerly, they have to swoop in side by side. The drivers need to be ready to endure up to 7 Gs of force. Sound’s like a nerve wrecking procedure. The preview clip we have here is made to be just as thrilling.

The stunt will take place on the 2012 X Games in Los Angeles. Tune in to watch at exactly 11:00 AM PT on ABC / ESPN.

httpv://youtu.be/b1eRcOskBxw

Video Sources: TopGear and HOTWHEELS via YouTube

June 22, 2012

Loder1899 Ford Focus TDCI

Again a tuned up estate. This time it’s from the guys at Loder1899 and the car in question is a Ford Focus, so that’s unusual. And by unusual, we mean rare and exclusive. It’s a fairly flexible program that makes use of an aerodynamic kit, a few suspension and wheels options plus a power enhancement for…the diesel range.

At the front we can find a “cupspoiler”, on the sides of the focus, you can go for the carbon or non-carbon side skirts. At the back, an apron with the diffuser is supposed to keep the back end planted…because otherwise you might skid off the road while doing power slides on the way to the grocery store.

If required, the Focus can be lowered with a suspension kit by around 35 mm. There’s a choice between a single or dual pipe exhaust system and a wheel spectrum that ranges from 17 to 20 inches.

The Loder1899 Ford Focus Estate we see here is a 2.0-liter TDCI that has 140 bhp as standard. By fitting the company’s ECU upgrade, we can get 55 bhp more. So that’s 195 bhp and 395 Nm of torque as soon as 2000 rpm. The top speed is now 220 km/h and the zero to 100 km/h time stands at 8.4 seconds as opposed to 8.9 seconds. The one thing that has remained pretty much the same ford this Ford Focus, is the economy- 5.0 l/100 km on the combined cycle.

Source: Loder1899

June 22, 2012

Vauxhall Corsa Turns to the Dark Side

It’s a Corsa Black. Don’t worry, AMG are still doing what they should be doing (Mercs). This one here is just a special ‘Black Edition‘ from Vauxhall. It’s not just stitches on the steering wheel and fresh new cup holders on it however. No, the Vauxhall Corsa Black Edition introduces a whole new engine to the range.

It’s a 1.4 liter turbo engine that develops 120 PS and 175 Nm which start at 1,750 rpm. To our ears, which are used to hearing blistering performance figures, a Vmax of 121 mph and an acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds sounds like ages. But let’s be real about it and say that this is pretty swift. It should be fun to drive as well despite the lack of suspension tweaking. It might be fun at the gas station also. Because it has a Start/Stop system and is turbocharged, the Corsa Black retains a stunning fuel economy of 51.4 mpg.

On the outside some of the Black Edition features include color oriented bumpers, side skirts and a black rear spoiler. For some extra aggression, the front and back lights are also dark styled and the rear side windows are tinted in black. You get fog lights as well. Finally there’s a “Black” logo somewhere along the lines and 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels.

Inside you do get a leather steering wheel but also some leather sports seats, sports pedals, silver stitching and matt chrome air vent surrounds. You can opt for some clever tech if you wish. Think in terms of Vauxhall‘s Touch and Connect infotainment system, climate control and adaptive forward lightning. There will be only 500 examples of it (3-door and 5-door versions) so in a way, it will be pretty exclusive. Did we mention that the body color is black?

Source: Vauxhall

June 22, 2012

Lumma Design BMW M6

The BMW M6 is not yet fully out but Lumma Design cannot wait any longer. Here’s a brief glimpse of what they intend on doing to it. Don’t worry, no Mses have been hurt during the process. Their idea is, quite unsurprisingly, is to make the new BMW M6 “even more” sporty and appealing.

How are they going to that? With carbon fiber of course. What we can see here is a complete aerodynamic kit comprising of bumpers, side skirts and vents and everything. The wheel arches are now flaring with their full force, and the carbon fiber hood leaves a lasting impression and hopefully, it saves weight. From the diffuser at the back, sticks out a Lumma central double-pipe exhaust system. Multi-piece wheels provided from the company measure up to 12.5×21. That’s a serious caliber.

On the inside, Lumma have made an effort as well. Once you step in, a mash up of leather, Alcantra and carbon fiber overwhelms you. Elegance plus Sportiness – it is a well known formula.

The BMW M6 with it’s bi-tubro V8 engine and it’s 412 kW of power go out on sale near the Fall. Lumma Design plan to bring out their own BMW M6 by the end of this year.

Source: Lumma Design

June 22, 2012

Author: Tsvetan Varbanov