Porsche celebrates millionth Facebook fan with special 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Porsche, Racing

Facebook Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Facebook Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche is celebrating a unique social media milestone with a custom 911 GT3 R Hybrid. The company recently surpassed 1 million fans on Facebook, and to mark the occasion, designers have churned out the hybrid 911 racer with the signatures of over 27,000 Porsche fans. The vehicle is set to be on display at the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart for all to see.

The German automaker says that it chose the 911 GT3 R Hybrid for the Facebook celebration because Porsche believes that the car is the future of racing. The machine packs 480 horsepower from a 4.0-liter flat six-cylinder engine and two electric motors capable of 80 horsepower each. Unlike most hybrids, Porsche has opted to store the vehicle’s energy in a flywheel accumulator that gets a boost during braking instead of a traditional battery pack. The technology recently proved itself as competition-capable during last year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

Hit the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Facebook Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche celebrates millionth Facebook fan with special 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Porsche celebrates millionth Facebook fan with special 911 GT3 R Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Videos: Your Porsche 911 GT3 isn’t that fast…

Eau Rouge section of Spa-Francorchamps

Tackling Eau Rouge: F1 vs Track-Day cars – Click above to watch video after the jump

The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium plays host to a variety of racing events, ranging from from Formula One and touring car to weekend track days. When out on the course in a production car, it might feel like you are conquering the Eau Rouge better than any human on the planet. This video mashup is here to remind that you’re not.

This isn’t ground-breaking information, but it is interesting to see just how much faster an F1 car is around a series of high-speed turns. Someone over in the VWVortex’s Car Lounge decided to overlay two videos of the same corner, and while they don’t line up perfectly, you get the point. Check it out after the jump.

[Source: VWVortex]

Continue reading Videos: Your Porsche 911 GT3 isn’t that fast…

Videos: Your Porsche 911 GT3 isn’t that fast… originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Your yearly fix of Porsche 911 GT3 rally action

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Porsche, Racing

Porsche GT3 rally drift

Porsche 911 GT3 tackling a gentle left – Click above to watch video after the jump

Watching a Porsche 911 GT3 manhandled on public roads is a wonderful way to spend time. How much time? How about 16 minutes and 24 seconds? That’s what Olaf Dobberkau and Alexandra König – the winners of the 2010 Deutsche Rallye Series – have compiled for our viewing pleasure. Unlike other motorsports videos, it’s mercifully devoid of a crap soundtrack, and instead it’s filled with the sonorous sounds of the GT3’s flat six and the squeals of the tires fighting for traction. It’s an endless series of slides and drifts, and it’s awaiting you after the jump. Thanks for the tip, Cpmarcelm!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Your yearly fix of Porsche 911 GT3 rally action

Video: Your yearly fix of Porsche 911 GT3 rally action originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, MISC, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 rendering – Click above for high-res image

Some automakers also race. Some racing teams also make cars. Ferrari is one example of the latter, but it’s not alone. With the launch of the MP4-12C, longtime on-track rival McLaren is getting serious about its automotive division. And you know what that means: a racing version.

We’ve seen reports and spy shots of a competition-spec MP4, but this is the first official confirmation to come straight out of Woking. And it comes with a press release, rendering, video and even a dedicated website.

Rather than develop the MP4-12C racer in-house, McLaren has teamed up with CRS Racing. And while the famous McLaren F1 GTR may have competed in the top tiers of sportscar racing – even beating the prototypes for outright victory at Le Mans – with the MP4, the British outfit has confined its competition (for now, at least) to the GT3 category. Only a limited number of cars will be fielded through privateer entries in the 2012 European FIA GT3 Series before McLaren takes on other championships, so if you run a team interested in getting on board, follow the link to register your intent.

[Source: McLaren]

Continue reading McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program

McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Susie Stodart in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 – Click above to watch video after the jump

Susie Stoddart is a professional race driver who hails from Scotland, and has moved up through the motorsports ranks to arrive in the DTM world. Getting started in karting before moving on to Formula Renault and then Formula 3, Stoddart has been driving a Mercedes-Benz for its DTM team since 2006. Driving a Benz has its privileges, of course, and that’s even more true when you’re a factory race driver. In this case, while Stoddart’s normal racecar is a DTM-prepped C-Class, she recently got to spend some time behind the wheel of the SLS AMG GT3.

In the video, Stoddart tells how she became a professional driver because of the encouragement of her father. He instilled a strong sense of determination and will, and Susie takes time to thank him. The highlight of the clip, however, is watching Susie pilot the SLS AMG GT3 around the track. She scored her first points in a DTM season this year and she has come a long way from the kart track.

If that is not enough SLS AMG – or the lovely Ms. Susie Stoddart – action for you… we also have video footage of her flogging an E63 AMG wagon. Before you jump off, however, click past the break to watch pilot the SLS AMG GT3.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Video: Susie Stoddart drives the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Porsche 911 GT3 and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera tango through Paris

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Europe, Videos, Lamborghini, Porsche

Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Video

Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera chases a Porsche 911 GT3 through Paris – Click above to watch video after the jump

Before we go salivating all over the thought of two of Europe’s best and brightest going the distance through the City of Lights, we should probably start off with an obligatory “don’t try this at home.” The kids you see sliding around the Parisian streets in the video after the jump are trained professionals working in a semi-controlled environment, so do us all a favor and keep your reenactments confined to your Need For Speed marathons.

That said, the video is a well-shot interpretation of what a full lap of Paris might look like as a Porsche 911 GT3 and a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera go fender-to-fender. Our early money was on the Raging Bull strolling away with the checkered flag, but Stuttgart’s finest seemed to have no problem keeping the big bad Italian behind its winged tail-end as the two snake around the French capitol. Hit the jump to see the action for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Porsche 911 GT3 and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera tango through Paris

Video: Porsche 911 GT3 and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera tango through Paris originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Jeff Zwart shakesdown his Pikes Peak Porsche GT3

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Videos, Porsche, Racing

Jeff Zwart Pikes Peak Porsche 911 GT3

Jeff Zwart shaking down his Pikes Peak Porsche 911 GT3 – Click above to watch video after the jump

There’s just something about watching a Porsche 911 play in the dirt that flips all the right switches. Seeing that iconic shape throw rooster tails of silt triggers a sort of Pavlovian response brought on by years of daydreaming over shots of the Rothman 953 slinging sand in Africa. Consider that doubly true for Jeff Zwart’s Pikes Peak-winning GT3.

Zwart has just released a video of one of his shake-down runs prior to this year’s Pikes Peak event. The course runs up some godforsaken mountain in the middle of the California wilderness, and while Zwart isn’t seen flogging the life out of the car, it’s more than clear that both he and the machine are in their element. Click past the jump to enjoy the action.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Jeff Zwart shakesdown his Pikes Peak Porsche GT3

Video: Jeff Zwart shakesdown his Pikes Peak Porsche GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: McLaren prepping race-ready MP4-12C GT3

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Grainy as they may be, these spy photos give us our first glimpse at the race-prepped McLaren MP4-12C GT3 – a high-performance version of the automaker’s stunning new two-door. The GT3 aims to recapture the racing success of the original McLaren F1, and though details are slim on power enhancements, the revised visual cues of this prototype show that this MP4 is ready to do serious battle out on the track.

Up front, the road-going MP4’s front air intakes have been closed off and a large air duct is now found right in the center of the hood. These changes are matched with revised rear window venting, as well as a giant wing fixed to the car’s rump.

Early reports have stated that McLaren is working with British racing firm CRS and that the car is set to debut sometime in 2012. All we know is, we can’t wait to see this stunning new beast swapping paint with other GT3 racers. See the full set of spy shots in the high-res gallery, below.

UPDATED with better images.

Gallery: Spy Shots: McLaren MP4-12C GT3

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 spy shotsMcLaren MP4-12C GT3 spy shotsMcLaren MP4-12C GT3 spy shotsMcLaren MP4-12C GT3 spy shotsMcLaren MP4-12C GT3 spy shots

[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: McLaren prepping race-ready MP4-12C GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche upgrades world’s best-selling racing car with new RS-based 911 GT3 Cup

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Porsche, Racing

2011 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
2011 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup – Click above for high-res image gallery

As many Porsche 911s as you think you might see at the golf course, yacht club or shopping mall, that’s nothing compared to the legions regularly running around racing circuits worldwide. Aside from the myriad open GT grids dominated by Stuttgart machinery, the iconic German sportscar is the spec racer of choice for various national Porsche Carrera Cup championships and the Porsche Mobil1 Supercup that supports F1 races around the year. Those series use the versatile 911 GT3 Cup. With over 1,400 sold since 1998, Porsche maintains that it’s the best-selling racing car of all time, and it has just announced a new model for the 2011 season onward.

Whereas the outgoing Cup racer was based on the street-going 911 GT3, the new model starts life as the harder, faster and sharper GT3 RS. That means a wider body that can accommodate bigger wheels, tires and brakes. It also carries the larger 3.8-liter flat-six with 450 horsepower – 30 more horses than the outgoing model coming from 200cc of added displacement. It also looks more like the RS, with an aggressive aero package and LED lighting for when tracks go dark and dreary.

The 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup will make its track debut at the opening round of next season’s Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship, but you can delve into the details right now in the press release after the jump and in our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche upgrades world’s best-selling racing car with new RS-based 911 GT3 Cup

Porsche upgrades world’s best-selling racing car with new RS-based 911 GT3 Cup originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 looks and sounds evil, priced around $550k

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 screengrab

2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 – Click above to watch video after the jump

The FIA GT3 European racing series is about to get a whole lot classier. Mercedes-Benz has been testing and tuning its 2011 SLS AMG GT3 and the car is now ready to claim top spot in your high-end racing trailer. Pricing for the racing version of the “standard” SLS AMG Benz is set at €397,460 (including 19 percent Value Added Tax) or a little over $550,000 USD. The SLS AMG GT3 was recently out at the EurosSpeedway Lausitz in Eastern Germany. A camera crew was on hand to capture the action, and the result is over 21 minutes of shameless automotive pornography action. The only sound is the car on the track, interspersed with the occasional pit stop.

If you’re a wealthy privateer racer, the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 can be ordered directly through Mercedes-AMG GmbH. Act now, and your racecar could arrive as early as February of 2011. What are you waiting for? There are two mega press releases and footage of the SLS AMG GT3 being put through its paces, after the jump.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

[Source: Mercedes-Benz, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 looks and sounds evil, priced around $550k

Video: 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 looks and sounds evil, priced around $550k originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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