race Archives | Page 2 of 6

Video: Watch this mobility scooter drag race a Nissan Skyline with surprising results

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Videos, Nissan, Humor

Mobility scooter races Nissan Skyline - video screencap

Okay, so we may not be talking about a classic, all-conquering Nissan Skyline GT-R here. But the sub-Godzilla-trim Nissan Skyline GTS-T is still a car, after all. And, as a car, if someone asked you to lay a bet on it versus a mobility scooter (Hoveround, Rascal, you know the type) in a drag race, you’d probably take that action.

Unless, of course, that drag race were happening on YouTube, in which case you’d put your money away and open up your laptop. On the Internet it’s best to never bet against the wild underdog.

We don’t mean to spoil the following video for you, but come on. When you saw Skyline vs. Scooter in that headline, you had a pretty good idea of what was to come, didn’t you. Needless to say, mobility scooters fitted with Suzuki GSX-600F engines are pretty quick. Strap in and scroll down.

Continue reading Watch this mobility scooter drag race a Nissan Skyline with surprising results

Watch this mobility scooter drag race a Nissan Skyline with surprising results originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Jul 2013 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Watch this mobility scooter drag race a Nissan Skyline with surprising results”

Motorsports: The pre-race and first in-race report from Le Mans

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Audi, Porsche, Ferrari, Racing

The 2013, 90th anniversary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has begun, tragedy marking the opening laps with the death of Allan Simonsen. We’re at the track now as a guest of Audi and plan to stay through the evening, and even we haven’t been able to find out what caused the accident – the only video is from just after the incident, and beyond the statement from ACO there’s been no more news. The Aston Martin in the LM GTE Am class and its all-Danish drivers had taken pole in its class and was one of the favorites to win.

The pre-race report will come first, and even thought we can’t spoil the race because we’re only five hours into it at the time of writing, we’ll put all of the news at the end in case you don’t even want the updates.

Or you can go straight to the high-res galleries above.

Continue reading The pre-race and first in-race report from Le Mans

The pre-race and first in-race report from Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Motorsports: The pre-race and first in-race report from Le Mans”

Report: José Froilán González, Ferrari’s first F1 race-winning driver, passes at age 90

Filed under: Etc.

José Froilán González, the first driver to win a grand prix race for Ferrari, passed away at the age of 90 on June 15, 2013.

The Argentinian, who was born on October 5, 1922, recorded his historic victory in 1951. The race was at the Silverstone circuit in the UK, and González defeated the legendary Alfa Romeo driver Juan Manuel Fangio, a five-time world champion. González competed in a total of 115 races, winning 46 times, including once at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and was also a successful driver of the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow cars when they took part in Formula Libre events in Argentina.

González, who had been nicknamed El Cabezón (Fat Head) by his fellow racers, is survived by this wife, Elena. A full obituary can be found here.

José Froilán González, Ferrari’s first F1 race-winning driver, passes at age 90 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: José Froilán González, Ferrari’s first F1 race-winning driver, passes at age 90”

Report: Tesla Model S costs one nickel per drag race [w/video]

Filed under: Tesla, Electric

Historically, the intersection between electric vehicles and drag racing has been really small – or so we guess, at least. But the advent of Tesla in the auto marketplace, and the subsequent performance offered up to drivers by way of battery-powered cars, has caused even racy publications like DragTimes to get in on the action.

Having posted several YouTube videos featuring the Tesla Model S doing pulls at the local strip, DragTimes encountered questions about just how many races that car might be able to run before needing to re-juice its battery pack. The publication monitored the energy being used by the Tesla during full-throttle, quarter-mile runs, and determined that the net use (after energy from the regen braking was added back in) amounted to just 0.5 kWh per go. Considering that the full battery capacity is 85 kWh, DragTimes figured that the Model S is good for a remarkable 170 races before needing a recharge. By that math, and using electricity costs in DragTime‘s home state of Florida, each race would cost just a nickel and a penny’s worth of electricity.

With respect, that theoretical number is probably way too high. For starters, the car would expend some energy getting to and from the starting line between races. Perhaps more critically, the system is designed to not allow for a completely full charge or deletion of charge, so the car can’t use all 85 kWh. Still, 100 runs is in the realm of possibility. In the video below, the narrator makes mention of 150 runs, which is optimistic but more likely. Cheap thrills, in any case (once you’ve paid for the car).

Continue reading Tesla Model S costs one nickel per drag race [w/video]

Tesla Model S costs one nickel per drag race [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Tesla Model S costs one nickel per drag race [w/video]”

Official: Aston Martin V12 Zagato heads from Villa d’Este to the race track

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Aston Martin, Misc. Auto Shows, Racing

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Aston Martin V12 Zagato – Click above for high-res image gallery

Some concepts debut at an auto show and are never heard from again. Some make the rounds of minor local car shows. A small number make it into production. But it’s full speed ahead for the Aston Martin V12 Zagato.

The collaborative effort between Aston Martin and Zagato was unveiled at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original DB4GT Zagato. A stunning creation, the show car handily won the award for concepts at the Italian lakeside concours. The next step? Racing.

Right from the start, Aston announced that the V12 Zagato would be hitting the race track in no less rigorous a test than Germany’s Nürburgring. And so it will, starting this weekend and returning in tandem next month for a second outing. But before it does, Aston’s released these images of the car.

The car that debuted in Villa d’Este ditched the diamond-finish wheels from the advance pictures for blacked-out ones, but it has kept the front splitter, full roll cage and sliding plastic driver’s-side window. The image above shows an even larger splitter, along with a giant rear wing. Otherwise, the racecar looks essentially the same as the coupe that won the Concorso D’Eleganza Design Award at Villa d’Este, but it’ll likely feature a full competition livery when it makes its race debut this weekend. Check out the updated image gallery and the award announcement after the jump.

Continue reading Aston Martin V12 Zagato heads from Villa d’Este to the race track

Aston Martin V12 Zagato heads from Villa d’Este to the race track originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Official: Aston Martin V12 Zagato heads from Villa d’Este to the race track”

Exclusive: Amazing Scion FR-S Soapbox car ready to roll in Red Bull race this weekend

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Scion

Scion FR-S Soapbox Derby Car

Scion FR-S Soapbox Derby Car – Click above for image gallery

Remember the good old days when you and your dad spent countless hours in a dimly-lit garage to piece together an old ramshackle Soapbox Derby car for an upcoming downhill race? It probably was constructed out of ancient materials, rocked wagon wheels and had a cable brake that may or may not have stopped you before kissing something solid. Well, my friends, just like the rapture of tomorrow, those days are over.

Scion FR-S Soapbox Derby Car Renowned concept car builder Five:Axis is ready to throw down with a truly outstanding build for an upcoming Soapbox Derby. Being put together by Red Bull, this ain’t your regular Soapbox Derby, and this certainly ain’t your average backyard special. This is a custom one-off fiberglass micro-body based on the super stylish Scion FR-S Concept unveiled at the New York Auto Show in April. Since Five:Axis is well intertwined with Toyota, Lexus and Scion, it looks like they got some design studio CAD files to design the shell and the same slinky red metallic paint that the FR-S was wearing for its first stage appearance.

Think the underpinnings are still ’50s Soapbox technology? You couldn’t be further off because the custom aluminum space frame features a TEIN coilover suspension and Wilwood disc brakes. But all that technology isn’t going to be worth jack if there isn’t a ringer behind the wheel. The Five:Axis Scion FR-S will be piloted by none other than Dai Yoshihara, the Formula D drifter who slides the Falken Tire Nissan 240SX. Dai knows a thing or two about grip as well since he also competes in the Redline Time Attack Tuner Car Championship in an imported Civic Type R.

However, at this point we’re not sure what part of Dai’s expertise is really applicable for the upcoming Redbull Soapbox derby race. The only race on the calendar in the U.S. this year, it’s slated to be held tomorrow, May 21 at 5th & Grand in downtown LA and promises to be nothing like what you might envision a traditional Soapbox derby to be. There are sharp 90-degree turns, NASCAR-style banks and myriad of sweet jumps. Although it appears the Five:Axis build will hold together during the abuse, we are not sure that Dai’s run will be crash or injury free.

Amazing Scion FR-S Soapbox car ready to roll in Red Bull race this weekend originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 May 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Exclusive: Amazing Scion FR-S Soapbox car ready to roll in Red Bull race this weekend”

The Coolest Pinewood Derby Car To Never Race

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Toys/Games

Pinewood Derby Audi R18

Pinewood Derby Audi R18 – Click above for high-res image gallery

As kids, there were only so many outlets available to satiate our automotive obsession. While we always had grand visions of things like building the ultimate model A/C Cobra or hewing the sleekest Pinewood Derby racer that the sport had ever seen, our projects typically turned out looking more like Revell nightmares and shop class castoffs. We simply lacked the granular motor skills to turn our hopes and dreams into plastic and pine realities. We’re guessing that Sam Francis never had that problem.

As a local Cub Scouts leader, Francis has made a reputation for himself by crafting unbelievably intricate Pinewood Derby cars. Last year he worked up a Keaton-era Batmobile to show the kids in his troop exactly what could be done with a little patience and a lot of skill, but this year, he wanted to do something even more special. It just so happened that while Francis was racking his brain for a little inspiration, Audi yanked back the veil on its new R18 Le Mans machine. Suddenly, Francis had his shape.

Continue reading The Coolest Pinewood Derby Car To Never Race

The Coolest Pinewood Derby Car To Never Race originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 May 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “The Coolest Pinewood Derby Car To Never Race”

Spy Shots: Audi R8 GT Spyder almost ready to scatter toupees across race tracks

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Performance, Audi

audi r8 gt spyder

Spy Shots: Audi R8 GT Spyder – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi keeps churning out more exciting versions of its two-door supercar, the R8. It began with the R8 V8, went power hungry with the R8 5.2 FSI V10, topless with the R8 V10 Spyder and on a track-focused diet with the R8 GT. Soon, Audi will let loose with the next iteration; the Audi R8 GT Spyder, a lightweight droptop poised to bring a more aggressive open-air motoring to R8 fans.

The Audi R8 GT Spyder is powered by the same 5.2-liter V10 found in other non-V8 R8 coupes and convertibles. The mill produces 560 horsepower and sends marching orders directly to both the car’s four tires and your ears, seeing as it’s mounted right behind them. Audi is going to build 333 of them, so get your cash in line now. The R8 GT coupe costs $196,800 so bring at least $200,000 for the convertible, just to be safe.

Audi R8 GT Spyder almost ready to scatter toupees across race tracks originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Spy Shots: Audi R8 GT Spyder almost ready to scatter toupees across race tracks”

Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Europe, Hatchback, Lexus, Racing

Lexus Gazoo Racing CT

Lexus Gazoo Racing CT – Click above for high-res image

When nearly 200 cars line up this weekend at the Nürburgring for the Adenauer ADAC Rudstrecken-Trophy, countless Porsches and BMWs will be among them. And a hybrid. Wait, what?

That’s right. This year Gazoo Racing – the ToMoCo-backed outfit that has campaigned the Lexus LFA at the same track – is fielding a competition-spec Lexus CT 200h.

Well, we shouldn’t call it a CT 200h, since while it’s almost identical to the roadgoing CT hybrid, the 200 nameplate would be a bit of a misnomer. Because while the electric component of the Lexus Hybrid Drive system was kept in place for this racing machine, the 1.8-liter four was replaced by a 2.4. Perhaps it’s a test platform for the upcoming more powerful CT?

Otherwise, beyond the required safety modifications, it’s pretty much bone stock, right down shutting the engine off at idle and under braking. Follow the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring

Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 May 2011 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Gazoo Racing fields race-prepped Lexus CT hybrid at Nürburgring”