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McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Price – £310 000

The price of the new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 is £310 000. The manufacturer will build just 20 units, which will race for teams in 2012.

At a press conference held at the McLaren Technology Centre, senior McLaren GT executives revealed to the world’s media and a group of prospective 12C GT3 clients the price and development programme details of the first non-Formula 1 race car built by McLaren since the McLaren F1 GTR.

“Having been a customer of GT car manufacturers for many years, I’m delighted we are now able to offer a carbon chassis based GT3 car for £310,000. There will be no hidden costs and we will work as hard as we can to support as many races as we can.”, commented Andrew Kirkaldy, CRS Racing Team Principal and Project Manager for McLaren GT

“We will spend the 2011 season developing the car with a team from McLaren Racing, McLaren Applied Technologies and McLaren Automotive and make sure this is the most efficient, reliable and easy to drive GT3 car on the grid when we deliver cars to customers next year.”, he added.

“The new MP4-12C sports car is the essence of a race car and we used Formula 1 simulation technology to get us ahead in our development programme. We have a unique mix of experience in the McLaren GT team and I expect the 12C GT3 to be the start of our GT racing plans. We have had great success outside of Formula 1, from the US, to France, to Japan and there is no reason why we can’t repeat that success in sports cars after 2012.”, said Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group CEO.

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Conference

Source: McLaren

May 5, 2011

2012 Mercedes SLS Roadster

Mercedes-Benz has released first official photos of the all new 2012 SLS AMG Roadster. After the Gullwing version, the luxury open-top variant is the second car, which will be independently developed by AMG.

The new SLS AMG Roadsters are slightly disguised as they cover their test routes. However, it is easily to identify the vehicles, because of the two seats and a fabric soft top. The proportions are well-known: a long bonnet, large wheels and a short rear end.

The SLS AMG Roadster gets a soft-top roof made of cloth that can be retracted or closed in 11 seconds at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph). Despite losing the gullwing doors, the weight of the roadster didn’t suffer at all. The weight of the bodyshell is just 2 kilograms more.

2012 Mercedes SLS Roadster is powered by a 6.2 liter naturally aspirated V8 with 571PS (420 kW) and 650Nm (479 lb-ft). 0 to 100 km/h takes 4.0 seconds, flat and the top speed is electronically limited to 317 km/h (197 mph). Whether open or closed, even at top speed the SLS Roadster is perfectly stable.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster will make its official debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September and it will hit the market in the end of the year.

2012 Mercedes SLS Roadster

The endurance testing at a glance:

Long-term testing on a variety of different roads:

All the components and systems are tested together in everyday operation. Loaded up to their permitted gross vehicle weight, the test cars are put through a precisely defined test programme on country roads, on motorways and in city traffic.

Endurance testing on heathland:

In this case, the developers focus on the durability of the chassis and suspension components, the entire bodyshell and the integral subframe on which the front axle, steering and engine are mounted. The test cars are loaded up to their permitted gross vehicle weight.

“Accelerated” endurance testing:

Testing of the entire vehicle, focussing on the powertrain, chassis and suspension. Special features of the AMG programme include 10,000 kilometres on the Nürburgring’s North Loop and 10,000 kilometres in city traffic.

Full-load endurance testing:

Extreme acceleration and braking manoeuvres with a high proportion of full-load operation, making extreme demands on the cooling, fuel-delivery and braking systems.

Long-term corrosion testing:

Corrosion testing of the entire vehicle simulates the toughest dynamic and climatic environmental influences.

Final board approval:

All-inclusive verification of the degree of development and production maturity.

Source: Mercedes

May 5, 2011

Team Peugeot RCZ Nokia – RCZ 2.0 HDi Sport Coupe

Team Peugeot RCZ Nokia with two Kumho-shod RCZ 2.0 HDi Sport Coupes made it to 1st and 2nd place in class in round two at the Nurburgring last weekend (April 30).

Peugeot No.545 with Michael Bohrer, Stéphane Caillet and Jürgen Nett came on 1st place with a best lap of 9:55.224 minutes with average speed of 137.777 km/h.

Peugeot No.546 with Alexandre Premat, Olivier Perez and Guillaume Roman finished in 2nd place.

“I was very positively surprised by the grip, torque and acceleration of the RCZ on such a technical circuit.”, said Alexandre Premat.

“I must congratulate the team for the race strategy and our tyre partner Kumho for the S700 slicks. During my eight 14-mile laps, the times varied by no more than two seconds.”, commented Jürgen Nett.

“The balance of our Peugeot RCZ is just a dream.”, said Stéphane Caillet.

“This team is clearly fully into its stride already and it’s very encouraging to learn how well our tyres our working and how well the cars handle on them.”, said Kumho’s European Motorsport Manager Steve Thompson.

Team Peugeot RCZ Nokia - RCZ 2.0 HDi Sport Coupe

Source: Peugeot

May 5, 2011

1 000 KM of Spa-Francochamps

The 2011 Le Mans 24 Hours is the biggest upcoming motor sport event. That’s why Team Peugeot Total had a test day held on 24^th April, which is crucial to acquire important data necessary to ensure it arrives at Le Mans with the best possible car set-up.

There will be three Peugeot 908s with totally nine drivers, who have two targets. The first one is to prepare for Le Mans without taking any risks and the second is picking up ILMC points.

“The ILMC season got underway with a podium spot at Sebring, after an intense 12-hour race. The conditions were perfect to prepare for our main target of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Since then, the cars have had a lot of track time in private testing. The test day really got us into the mood at Le Mans; competing in this race at Spa-Francorchamps is the best way of checking that our racing reflexes are well and truly in place. The entire team will be at the event. We will be working in the same conditions that we’ll have in Le Mans. The ILMC is an important goal for us; however, we are not going to go after the race win at any cost, just a few weeks away from Le Mans. Above all, we need to make it to the end of the 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps with all three cars intact and collect as much information as we can during the race. If we manage that, Peugeot will undoubtedly come away with a serious haul of points.”, commented Olivier Quesnel, Peugeot Sport Director.

Team Peugeot Total is unbeaten since 2007 and the great success came in 2010, when they recorded a one-two at the 1 000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps. The race was won by Sébastien Bourdais, Simon Pagenaud and Pedro Lamy, followed by Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin in second.

This year, the official driver line-ups are identical to those of 2010:

Peugeot 908 No.7 (blue rear-view mirrors):
Anthony Davidson, Marc Gené and Alexander Wurz

Peugeot 908 No.8 (white rear-view mirrors):
Nicolas Minassian, Franck Montagny and Stéphane Sarrazin

Peugeot 908 No.9 (red rear-view mirrors):
Sébastien Bourdais, Pedro Lamy and Simon Pagenaud

Check out the schedule for the event, below!

Peugeot 908 prepares for Le Mans

SCHEDULE FOR THE 1 000 KM OF SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS:

Thursday 5 May 2011
12.20pm – 1.20pm: Free practice
2.45pm – 3.10pm: Press briefing at the Peugeot Sport hospitality area
4.55pm – 5.55pm: Free practice

Friday 6 May 2011
11.50am – 12.50pm: Free practice
4.20pm – 4.40pm: LMP1/LMP2 qualifying

Saturday 7 May 2011
9.55am – 10.15am: Warm up
2pm – 8pm: 1,000 kilometres of Spa-Francorchamps

ILMC STANDINGS BEFORE SPA:

Manufacturers:
1. Peugeot, 27 points
2. Audi, 17 points

Teams:
1. Team Oreca Matmut, 15 points
2. Team Peugeot Total, 12 points
3. Audi Sport Team Joest, 9 points
4. Rebellion Racing, 6 points

Source: Peugeot

May 4, 2011

Peugeot EX1 – Nurburgring Nordschleife Record Time

Electric vehicle with a record lap around Nurburgring Nordschleife race track?!

Yes, Peugeot EX1 with Stéphane Caillet, driver and tuner-technician from the Company’s Research & Development Centre, behind the steering wheel. The vehicle made a record lap for electric vehicles around the 20.832 kilometres (12.944 miles) race track.

EX1 set the clock at 9 minutes, 1.338 seconds (9:01.338) at an average speed of 138.324 km/h (85.951 mph). The weather conditions were far from perfect, but the vehicle managed to beat the previous electric speed record on this circuit, which was 9:51.45 seconds clocked in 2010.

The record achieved by EX1 was formally recognised by WIGE Performance, the official time-keeping body for the Nordschleife.

Peugeot EX1 at the Nurburgring Nordschleife

Source: Porsche

May 4, 2011

McLaren MP4-12C GT3: full details

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will be the first car from the manufacturer built for FIA GT series racing since the famous McLaren F1 GTR. The iconic F1 finished production in1997. 12C GT3 is based on the new MP4-12C, which is one of the best super sports cars in the world.

“McLaren has racing in its blood and it was a natural step to take our MP4-12C road car and turn it into the most reliable, efficient and easy to drive GT3 car. Every car on the grid will have its performance balanced by race rules, meaning our objective must be to select a technical specification that ensures any driver is able to access the 12C GT3’s performance limit with ease.”, commented Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer.

The 12C GT3 made its race debut at the UK circuit – Silverstone. Just a week after, the car was sent to the Circuito de Navarra in Spain for its first FIA circuit test. In simulated tests, McLaren GT was able to fine-tune engine calibration, power steering, spring rates, weight distribution, gear ratios and differential settings.

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 comes with a new aerodynamics package, which is made entirely from carbon fibre. It is specially created by McLaren Racing in compliance with GT3 regulations. The body kit includes – a new front splitter, door blade, rear wing, diffuser and louvres in the front fenders.

MP4-12C GT3 has the same 3.8-litre McLaren V8 twin-turbo M838T engine as the road car, but it will be de-tuned to 500PS (from 600PS) in order to provide optimum power for this performance-balanced race car. The car also includes the TAG-400 Engine Control Unit, which is a compact, self-contained engine management system and data logger for race engines designed and built by McLaren Electronic Systems.

Other very important features are the unique engine calibration, bespoke racing transmission developed in partnership with Ricardo and a suspension arrangement tuned specifically for racing.

Check out the specification, below!

McLaren MP4-12C GT3

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Technical Specification:

Width (mm)	1995mm
Height (mm)	1145mm
Wheelbase (mm)	2670mm
Fuel tank capacity	120 litres
Chassis/body	McLaren carbon fibre MonoCell with aluminium front and rear frames and bespoke carbon body panels
Aerodynamics	Front and rear diffuser, front splitter, dive planes and adjustable rear wing.
Transmission	6 speed sequential using actuation via steering wheel mounted paddles Limited slip differential with a range of ramps and adjustable pre-load. Wet sump Sintered clutch hydraulically operated Driveshafts with tripod joints
Engine type	V8 twin turbo McLaren M838T
Engine capacity	3.8L
Bore x Stroke	93 x 69.9
Max. Engine speed	Limited to 7500rpm
Cylinder block	Cast aluminium , 90 deg V angle, dry sump scavenge, Nikasil coated liners
Crankshaft	Forged steel flat plane
Pistons	Forged aluminium
Conrods	Forged steel
Cylinder head	Cast aluminium with plastic composite cam covers, inlet & exhaust variable cam timing
Valvetrain	32V with 40 deg variable cam timing on intake & exhaust. Low mass with sliding contact end pivoted pinger followers, single variable rate springs and hollow cast chilled iron camshafts
Intake system	Two water/air charge air coolers. Plastic composite plenum.
Exhaust system	Cast stainless steel exhaust manifold with compact MHI fixed geometry turbo chargers. 970 deg C turbine inlet temperature.
Fuel system	Returnless fuel rail with twin fuel tank mounted pumps and twin spray injectors
Engine management	MESL TAG400 ECU & CIU 100 Interfacing with Bosch ABS and Shiftec control units
Wiring harness	Modular installation: Engine, chassis, fuel cell
Lubrication	MOBIL1: engine and transmission
Cooling	Air/water heat exchangers for engine water and charge air cooling combined with water/oil heat exchangers for engine, transmission & PAS.
Front axle	SKF integrated axles with handed single wheel retaining nut
Rear axle	SKF integrated axles with handed single wheel retaining nut
Front suspension	Double wishbone adjustable for ride height camber and toe
Rear suspension	Double wishbone adjustable for ride height camber and toe
Dampers	Coil over Multimatic dampers with DSSV technology with independent bump and rebound adjustment
Front brake system	Akebono 6 piston monoblock calliper 378Ø x 36mm Iron ventilated disc
Rear brake system	Akebono 4 piston monoblock calliper 355Ø x 32mm iron ventilated disc
Steering	Electro-hydraulic PAS
Wheels	Forged Aluminium Front 12” x 18” Rear 13” x 18” MESL TPS system compatible
Cockpit electronics	Multifunction steering wheel with integrated driver display Central switch panel with systems display screen
Steering wheel	Derived from MP4-24 Formula 1 wheel retaining integrated driver display, paddle shift and switches

Source: McLaren

May 4, 2011

Nissan NV200 – New York Taxi

New York is the city with the largest taxi fleet in the US. It has selected Nissan to design and supply the next-generation “Taxi of Tomorrow”. The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) selected the Nissan NV200 as the exclusive taxi of New York City beginning in late 2013.

“Nissan is proud to provide the next generation of taxis for the City of New York,” commented Nissan Americas Chairman Carlos Tavares.

“The NV200 taxi will give Nissan the opportunity to showcase our dedication to vehicle quality and urban mobility to more than 600 000 passengers every day.”, he added.

The NV200 taxi will be produced and assembled at Nissan’s facility in Cuernavaca, Mexico. A very good idea, because it will be much cheaper than building in the US. However, the NV200 taxi will be a tuned version of the compact commercial vehicle currently available in global markets including the UK.

The program will also include working with the City and taxi owners on a pilot training to study the use of zero-emission, electric vehicles as taxis. The manufacturer will also provide up to six electric Nissan LEAFs to taxi owners for testing in 2012.

“The city’s Taxi of Tomorrow is the Nissan NV 200 – and it’s going to be the safest, most comfortable and most convenient cab the city has ever had,” saide Mayor Bloomberg.

“We started this process to leverage our taxi industry’s purchasing power to get the highest quality taxi, one that that can expand and redefine the legendary image of New York City taxicabs. The new taxis will be custom-designed to meet the specific demands of carrying 600,000 passengers a day in New York City traffic and the vehicle meets the top priorities identified by the public in our on-line survey.”, he added.

There are more than 13 000 taxis in the city of New York, which have a cumulative 500 million miles per year, so the durability was a key factor in the “Taxi of Tomorrow” selection process. That’s why, Nissan will train taxi fleet operators to conduct routine in-house service and repairs.

Nissan NV200 Taxi

Planned innovations:

2.0L 4-cylinder powertrain, engineered to enhance the emission performance and fuel efficiency of the taxi fleet;
Ample room for four passengers and their luggage, substantially improved over current taxi models;
A low-annoyance horn with exterior lights that indicate when the vehicle is honking, helping reduce noise pollution;
Sliding doors with entry step and grab handles, providing easy entry and exit;
Transparent roof panel (with shade) that will provide unique views of the city;
Independently controlled rear air conditioning with a grape phenol-coated air filter to improve cabin air quality;
Attractive, breathable, antimicrobial, environmentally friendly and easy-to-clean seat material that simulates the look and feel of leather;
Overhead reading lights for passengers and floor lighting to help locate belongings;
A mobile charging station for passengers that includes a 12V electrical outlet and two USB plugs;
A six-way adjustable driver’s seat that features both recline and lumbar adjustments, even with a partition installed;
Standard driver’s navigation and telematics systems.

Key safety features include:

Front and rear-seat occupant curtain airbags, as well as seat-mounted airbags for the front row;
Standard traction control and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC);
Sliding doors to reduce the risk of pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists getting struck by doors opening unexpectedly;
Lights that alert other road users that taxi doors are opening.

Source: Nissan

May 4, 2011

Porsche TechArt GTStreet is priced at €59.90

TechArt now offers limited colectors models in a 1:43 scale. The series includes GTstreet, GTstreet R and GTstreet RS models, which are exact copies of the original super sportscars. The TechArt GTStreet series is based on the Porsche 911 Turbo and GT2.

TechArt will launch just 300 units of 1:43 GTstreet series and each model will come with a base plate with a limitation badge and serial number. The GTstreet is an individual highlight in every high-class collection.

The models are available for purchase exclusively online at www.techart.de/collector and the price is €59.90, VAT included.

TECHART GTStreet RS, which is the most powerful tuned version of Porsche 911 GT2, has a brutal 3.8 liter twin-turbo flat-six with staggering 700PS and 860Nm of torque.

Porsche TechArt GTStreet

Source: TechArt

May 3, 2011

Dodge Ram Long-Hauler Concept Truck

Dodge Ram Long-Hauler Concept Truck will be on display at selected events across the country. The vehicle is based on a Class 5 Ram 5500 Chassis Cab and boasts a number of modifications.

One of the most staggering facts about the vehicle is its fuel tank, which can contain up to 170 gallons of fuel. means fueling up would cost up to around 750 dollars given current gas prices in the U.S.

The dimensions are also unbelievable – 5014 mm (197.4 inches) wheelbase, the overall length is 7315 mm (24 feet), height – 2009 mm (79.1 inches) and the curb weight of the huge truck is 4213 kg (9 300lbs).

Dodge Ram Long-Hauler Concept is powered by a six-cylinder 6.7 liter High Output Cummins Turbo Diesel with 1083Nm (800 lb-ft). The horsepower are not so important and the company didn’t release any information about the power. The engine is mated to a 6-speed Aisin AS68RC automatic gearbox. All the pulling power is put on the road through a four-wheel-drive.

The vehicle stands on a Kelderman air suspension and 19.5” Alcoa aluminum wheels.

Among the goodies in the cabin, there are Wi-Fi, a laptop storage area , 2+2 leather seating with a specific, high comfort driver seat. Rear passenger comfort is assured with power-adjustable footrests and a rear center console that includes a refrigerator, cup holders and tray tables.

The Ram Long-Hauler is only a concept and can be seen across the country in the next 8 months.

Dodge Ram Long-Hauler Concept Truck

Source: Chrysler

May 3, 2011

2011 Volvo S80 Executive

The new Volvo S80 Executive features unique details and a very rich content that reinforce its position as Volvo Car Corporation’s top-of-the-line saloon.

“Both cars are designed around the growing number of people who appreciate the possibility of tailoring their cars to suit individual tastes. The Executive version of the S80 radiates exclusive luxury while our R-Design models are developed for buyers who want an extra sporty look,” commented Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Product Strategy and Vehicle Line Management at Volvo Car Corporation.

2011 S80 is the most exclusive Volvo saloon model. It boasts sophisticated comfort and sober Scandinavian design.

The interior comes with an instrument panel top in leather, available in espresso brown or off black. There are also ventilated soft leather seats with massage function, leather door panels, an integrated analogue clock on the instrument panel and the aluminium centre consol storage.

The extra thick carpets reinforce the sober impression. You can opt for a fridge in the rear seat, combined with a set of Swedish crystal glasses.

2011 S80 Executive comes with the latest Sensus infotainment system including a 5” or 7” colour screen in the upper part of the centre stack.

2011 Volvo S80 Executive

Source: Volvo

May 3, 2011

2011 Volvo V70 R-DESIGN

Volvo has announced a new version of V70 R-Design, which gives the elegant estate car a sportier character.

2011 V70 R-Design comes with a number of upgrades, which are specially developed for the vehicle. The exterior includes LED turning indicators integrated into door mirrors with silk metal covers. The estate stands on big 18” „Ixion” light alloy wheels.

The interior boasts leather upholstery trimmed in off black, leather around the gear selector, and black floor-mats with contrasting stitching.

The new Volvo V70 R-Design can be opted with 1.6 liter DRIVe diesel having just 119 g/km of CO₂ emissions. The fuel consumption is extremely low and the elasticity is good enough.

2011 V70 R-Design features the latest Volvo Sensus infotainment system including a 5” or 7” colour screen in the upper part of the centre stack.

“Concern for the individual’s wellbeing is the very core of our Scandinavian origin and these unique versions of the S80 and V70 mark yet another step forward in our determination to be the brand that best interprets what buyers of modern prestige cars want,” commented Volvo Car Corporation’s President and CEO Stefan Jacoby.

2011 Volvo V70 R-DESIGN

Source: Volvo

May 3, 2011

NOVITEC Alfa Romeo 8C Spider

Novitec has released the world’s most powerful and fastest Alfa Romeo. The tuned version of 8C Spider has staggering supercharged V8 capable of bringing the car over 300km/h barrier.

The supercharger kit boosts the 4.7 liter V8 to 600PS (441 kW) at 7300RPM and 588Nm at 5400RPM.The factory power of the engine is 450PS, so the performance package adds another 150PS (110 kW). The price is EUR 19 900.

The supercharger is driven by a cogged-tooth belt directly from the crankshaft. Maximum boost pressure is limited to 0.37 bar. The mechanical charging system is rounded out by a water-to-air intercooler with dedicated radiator, and by custom injectors. An Ecu re-map is made to make sure that all parts are working perfectly.

The result is 3.9 seconds to 100 km/h and top speed of 305 km/h, instead of the factory’s 290 km/h,

NOVITEC also offers stainless-steel sport exhaust with integrated flap system. The exhaust system features four tailpipes and fits perfectly into the standard cutouts in the rear apron.

The exterior didn’t receive any aerodynamics modifications, but NOVITEC offers three-piece NA3 wheels with dimensions 9J x 21” at the front and 11.5J x 22” at the rear fitted with by Formula 1 supplier Pirelli in sizes 255/30 ZR 21 and 315/25 ZR 22, respectively.

NOVITEC also provided height-adjustable coil-over suspension.

The interior can be customized with finest leather and Alcantara in any color.

NOVITEC Alfa Romeo 8C Spider