Fifth Gear: Season 15 Episode 8

In this episode:

• Tiff pits the Vauxhall Astra GTE 16v against the Ford Escort RS Turbo, two classic 80’s hot hatchbacks
• Tim compares various speed camera alerting devices
• Jonny tests Honda’s new hybrid, the Insight
• Vicki helps adventurer and motorbike enthusiast Charley Boorman improve his 4-wheeled lap times
• Jonny attempts to make a profit by buying a scrap car and then selling it’s parts at an autoparts sale
• Jason drives the brand new Ford Focus RS in Spain
• Tiff heads to Abu Dhabi to get a ride in and watch Aero GP planes compete
  

[source: Fifth gear, Streetfire] ...Read more!

YES WE CAN: 2010 USA F1 Team Officially Announced

Even though I've been saying "I will believe it when I see it" ever since I heard about the early speculations of an USA F1 team; I would never expect it to become a reality under the current state of our economy. Especially, when racing teams backed by factory of automakers have been pulling themselves out of motorsport left and right and in many different disciplines from WRC to F1.

My being skeptical about the viability of an USA F1 team was never about the technical knowhow of advance technologies needed to compete in arguably the most advance form of the sport, nor the pool of highly motivated people needed to excel in the sport. The issue has always been in America F1 is never a big enough sport that people will pay attention to, the general American public probably know more about Japanese sushi than who Micheal Schumacher is and he is the freaking 7 time F1 world champion!

I honestly hope things will change for the better now that the sport will have an American team and I wish USF1 nothing but the best. Check out the official team announcement video below and a quick run down of what we know about the team so far.

USF1 - What we know so far:

• Team principle: Ken Anderson and Peter Windsor.
• USF1 will be base in USA with their HQ and factory at Charlotte, NC.; and a small base in Europe.
• Factory to employ around 100 people.
• Team to employ vendor base approach vs all inclusive in house manufacturing.
• The team would like to see an all American drivers line up.
• The team will use customer engines.
  

[source: F1, Speedtv] ...Read more!

Fifth Gear: Season 15 Episode 7

In this episode:

• Tiff and Jason compete in a series of quad bike races
• Tim finds out if diesel cars are still as economical as they used to be with the current gas prices
• Vicki pits the new Alfa Romeo Mito against the Mini to see how it stacks up
• Jonny attends a personalized license plate auction where “1 HRH” is being sold
• Tom reviews the Hyundai i20
• Jason takes sailing gold Olympic medalists Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb, and Pippa Wilson out on Silverstone in a Ferrari F430 Scuderia
• Tiff heads to the U.A.E. in the Middle East to drive what’s claimed to be one of the greatest driving roads in the world
  

[source: Fifth Gear, Streetfire] ...Read more!

Toyota AE86 Successor: Code Name Assigned, Direct Injection Affect Pricing.

Due the spiraling down turn of automobile sales, auto manufacturers are all scrambling to stay afloat by halting new model developments. Thankfully, the development of the long overdue and highly anticipated true successor to Toyota's legendary pocket rocket is apparently still alive, but will probably suffer some delays. The significance of this FR layout sport compact car, has been further legitimized by its assigned development code name "086A" according to Best Car Magazine.

Co-developed with Subaru, Toyota's AE86 successor will be equipped with a modified version of Subaru's "EJ20" 2L flat 4 engine. Direct Injection will likely be use as a measure to boost fuel economy by 10% and to achieve a projected engine output of around 100ps per liter. Due the raised development cost, the initially projected 2,000,000 Yen ($21,000 USD) price tag for the car will be expected to increase to around 2,500,000 Yen ($26,000 USD).

With Hyundai's Genesis Coupe launching this Spring, those sales will be a very good indication of how a FR layout sport compact in that price range will be received by the even more so budget conscious public.

[source: Best Car] ...Read more!

Pagani Zonda R: Monza Testing Video + Launch Press Release

Not long after Pagani had announced the trackday version of their rather "civilized" Zonda , the Zonda R. A 2359 weighing, 739hp pumping, Carbon-Titanium composite monocoquing hyper car with a face ripping 2.7s zero to sixty miles per hour time and a top speed of over 218 mph. Sadly Pagani will only produce 16 of them and only 15 will be sold to the "public"; which I presume somehow Pagani knew that there will probably be only 15 rich people left after the stock market and basically the entire global auto industry tanked.

Checkout the official press release and images released by Pagani below.

Press Release

A Pagani Zonda is never shy of a drive at the racetrack, a fact that was undermined numerous times in the past with records for production vehicles at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. With the input of its avid track focused customers, the Pagani team has created the Zonda R using bespoke engineering solutions to meet the performance demands for a trackday version of the highly popular Zonda F.

The central monocoque is made of a Carbon-Titanium composite, increasing rigidity while reducing significantly the weight. Bolted directly to the chassis is the Mercedes AMG 6.0 litre race derived V12 engine, with 750 hp and 710 Nm of torque. A direct throttle actuation via mechanical cable ensures immediate throttle response. The Xtrac Magnesium cased dog ring gearbox combined with tha Automac Engineering AMT system performs gearshifts in 20ms, triggered by the drivers input on the paddles behind the steering wheel. A 12-way Bosch Motorsport traction control and ABS system allows the driver to fully adjust the settings while driving the Zonda R.

At the pits, each driver will be able to find a suitable setup thanks to a fully adjustable suspension and wing configuration. The effectiveness of the rear is matched by a complex new front bonnet, a masterpiece realised with the help of models by Ennegi, as well as the closed underbody and rear diffusor. Aerodynamic setups rage from a high downforce setting of 1.500kg to a 350kmh top speed setting. Aspa forged AvionAl suspension components as well as machined structural ErgAl parts holding the engine and gearbox have been designed to reduce the weight of the overall car, Poggipolini Titanium screws are used on the whole car. These measures lead to a dry weight of 1.070 kg.

The interior has been designed to offer a perfect environment for the driver. The controls are limited to the indispensable, but the quality finish reflects the usual demanding Pagani standards. The bespoke Toora seats are FIA homologated and comply to latest HANS standards, five-point safety belts and a CrMo roll-cage assure the occupants’ safety.

The lucky owners of the Zonda R will experience a level of performance on the track, that is simply not possible on the road. A power-to-weight ratio of 701 hp-per-ton will catapult them from 0 to 60 mph in less than 2,7 seconds, the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes ensure the car comes to a standstill even quicker. The Zonda R is built in a limited production run and sold at a price of 1.460.000 Euro plus taxes, a performance machine, a track toy, a collectors item, a masterpiece signed by Horacio Pagani.


Technical Data

Engine: Mercedes-Benz AMG - M120 - 12 cylinder V 60°, 48 valves;
displacement 5987 ccm, dry sump.
Max. Power: (kW) hp/rpm: (551) 750 / 7.500.
Max. Torque: Nm/rpm: 710/5.700.
Stroke: 80,20 mm.
Bore: 89,00 mm.
Traction control: 12 Stage - Bosch Motorsport traction control system.
Intake: Single throttle bodies, mechanically operated.
Exhaust system: Hydroformed Inconel, ceramic coated.
Transmission: Longitudinal mid engine; rear wheel drive with self-locking differential.

Gearbox: XTRAC 672 bespoke magnesium casing gearbox, 6 speed sequential dog gearchange with Automac Engineering AMT system.
Carbon-ceramic brakes: 4 ventilated Brembo disks, hydraulic power brake.
12 Stage - Bosch Motorsport Race ABS.
Dischi: Front 380×34 mm 6 piston caliper;
Rear 380×34 mm 4 piston caliper.
Wheels: Forged alloy APP wheels; 19” front, 20” rear.
Tyres: Pirelli P Zero Zonda R: ant. 255/35/19; post. 335/30/20.
Suspensions: 4 independent wheels with double A-arm;
Forged Avional suspension arms; pull rod helical springs and
Öhlins adjustable shock absorbers.

Structure: Central carbon-Titanium chassis, Engine is a stressed member;
front and rear Cr Mo space frames;
bodywork carbon fiber MD System.
Dimensions: Length 4886 mm; Width 2014 mm;
height 1141 mm; Wheelbase 2785 mm;
Dry weight 1070 kg.
Safety: Roll cage in Cr Mo steel; carbon fibre seats HANS compatible; five point harness.
Performance: 0-100 km/h in 2,7 sec.; Top speed: > 350 km/h.
Weight-to-Power ratio: 1,43 kg/hp.

[source: Pagani, EVO] ...Read more!