Tag: dtm

Mercedes-Benz hooks DTM up with a new C63 AMG safety car

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Safety, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

2011 DTM Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG safety car

2011 DTM Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG safety car – Click above for high-res image gallery

The DTM series and Mercedes-Benz have a long and beautiful history together. Particularly when it comes to the AMG-tuned C-Class. That’s the car that the German automaker currently runs in the touring car series, and stands as the most successful in the series’ history. Also, one of the most coveted models Mercedes AMG ever made was the CLK DTM. And now the latest C63 AMG will be setting the pace as the series’ new safety car.

The safety car is essentially the same as the model you can order from your local showroom, complete with the AMG Performance Package, but has been outfitted with such features as flashing LEDs front, rear and top, Safety Car decals on every exterior surface and an interior fitted with a communications radio, TV monitor for watching the live race feed, a pair of bucket seats with four-point harnesses and a steering wheel covered in Nappa leather and Alcantara.

While this latest iteration will debut at Hockenheim this weekend, this isn’t the first time that the C63 has been called into this particular line of duty. In fact Mercedes-AMG has provided pace cars to DTM every year since its relaunch in 2000, the C63 filling the role since 2008. But rather than replacing the R8 safety car, the Mercedes alternates with Audi from race to race. Which are the only two teams currently on the grid, leaving us to wonder what they’ll do when BMW joins in next year.

Gallery: 2011 DTM Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG safety car

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz hooks DTM up with a new C63 AMG safety car

Mercedes-Benz hooks DTM up with a new C63 AMG safety car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW returning to DTM in 2012

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, BMW, Racing

BMW in the DTM

BMW is returning to the DTM – Click above for high-res image

BMW has announced that it will once again knock fenders in the DTM. The company has said that it will make its way back to the race series for the 2012 season after a lengthy 18-year absence. The German automaker is in the process of restructuring its involvement in motorsport, and DTM is going to play a key part in that effort.

According to the company’s press release, BMW has been in talks with DTM organizers for some time about future regulations and technical requirements. After it began to look like the brand would in fact be welcome in the series once again, BMW broke the news to fans at the DTM race weekend at Hockenheimring.

So far, it looks like the M3 will be the bruiser of choice for going toe-to-toe with the rest of the field, but as of right now, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will be behind the tiller when the green flag drops on the company team. Stay tuned and hit the jump for the full press release.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW returning to DTM in 2012

BMW returning to DTM in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Super GT moving closer to DTM, may adopt KERS; Grand Am to join as well?

Filed under: Motorsports

DTM race start at Hockenheim 2010

In an attempt to reduce costs and get more brands into the field, it’s beginning to look like as many as three different race series in Europe, Asia and the United States may adopt a more-or-less common set of rules. The German Touring Car Championship (shown above) is set to introduced a new rules package for the 2012 season and the Japanese SuperGT series looks to be on-board for its GT500 class. Here in the States,. the NASCAR-owned Grand Am series is also considering jumping in, presumably to replace the current GT class.

The proposals being considered by the DTM organizers clearly show some NASCAR influence, although with more modern technology. A common carbon-fiber chassis could be mandated with an agreed-upon wheelbase and overhangs for all cars. DTM is considering “Introduction of “design line” where on one side all cars are common” which sounds an awful lot like NASCAR’s dreaded common templates. Along with the V8 powerplants, hybrid kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) could be part of the picture. The goal is to cut the cost of these cars in half from current levels.

If the new rules are adopted by all three groups, it could result in cross-pollination of cars between the series with Lexus, Nissan and Honda joining Audi and Mercedes-Benz in DTM and possibly the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro mixing it up with the Germans and Japanese.

[Sources: RaceCar Engineering, Touring Car Times, DTM | Image: Bongarts/Getty]

Report: Super GT moving closer to DTM, may adopt KERS; Grand Am to join as well? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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