Tag: racing

Nissan celebrates racing tradition with special overseas 370Z GT Edition

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Nissan, UK

Nissan 370Z GT

Nissan 370Z GT Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s no refuting that Nissan has a rich motor racing heritage, one which it continues to build in series around the globe. And to celebrate its racing prowess, the Japanese automaker is launching a special 370Z GT Edition.

The special model features retro stripes running down the rocker panel over either black or white paint options (including a unique shade of black exclusive to the GT edition), anthracite-finish 19-inch Rays forged alloys and some suspension enhancements. The chassis in particular has been recalibrated at Nissan’s European technical center for high-speed driving, further facilitated by extra underbody sound insulation.

Nissan’s also thrown in the Premium Connect sat-nav system and rear-view parking camera, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and a new snow mode on the optional seven-speed automatic that starts the car in second gear to minimize the potential for wheelspin. Unfortunately, there’s no indication as yet of plans to offer the 370Z GT on these shores, so for a closer look you’ll have to scope out the images in the high-resolution gallery and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Nissan celebrates racing tradition with special overseas 370Z GT Edition

Nissan celebrates racing tradition with special overseas 370Z GT Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 May 2011 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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Boss 302 crate engines now available from Ford Racing

Filed under: Aftermarket, Ford

Ford Mustang Boss 302 Crate Engine

Ford Mustang Boss 302 Crate Engine – Click above for high-res image gallery

Last year Ford made the Mustang’s 5.0L V8 available as a crate engine. Shortly thereafter, many of them found homes in some well-deserving cars. Now, Ford Racing is offering the Boss 302’s 5.0L V8 as a standalone purchase through its performance parts catalog, allowing anyone to put the 444 horsepower engine into their own project car.

The difference between the Mustang’s standard 5.0L V8 and the Boss 302 variant is more than just 32 horsepower. The Boss 302 features a new high-flowing intake manifold; CNC-machined cylinder heads; upgraded exhaust valves; forged pistons, connecting rods and crankshaft; a more aggressive camshaft and more. All of those upgrades cost a pretty penny, though. Ford Racing lists the Boss 302 V8 crate engine at $11,999.00, while the standard 5.0 will cost you just $6,999.00.

Follow the jump for a full list of features, or let us know what vehicle you’d drop a Boss 302 into via the comments below.

Gallery: Ford Mustang Boss 302 Crate Engine

[Source: Ford Racing]

Continue reading Boss 302 crate engines now available from Ford Racing

Boss 302 crate engines now available from Ford Racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 May 2011 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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See the streets of Long Beach through the eyes of Corvette Racing

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Chevrolet, Racing

Corvette Racing Long Beach

Corvette Racing Long Beach – Click above to view video after the jump

Corvette Racing went into the ALMS round in Long Beach, California ready for a fight. Coming off of the long grind that is 12 Hours of Sebring, the two-hour slam around a concrete-lined street course promised a new challenge for the team and drivers. As promised, the race was a hard fight, demanding the drivers stay vicious and focused from beginning to end.

Despite a lackluster last-place qualifying effort for the number 3 machine, car number 4 managed a second-place grid spot. Ten minutes in, Corvette Racing had first place, though they were only able to hang on until around minute 40. Despite its less-than-desirable start, car 3 managed to work its way up the ranks to a respectable finish.

Both cars came away with the scars of an all-out street race, but managed to finish near the top of the heap. Corvette Racing now heads into LeMans with a renewed focus and the momentum of two positive results in California. Click past the break to see the team’s results and get a closer look at the action.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading See the streets of Long Beach through the eyes of Corvette Racing

See the streets of Long Beach through the eyes of Corvette Racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tanner Foust signs multi-year racing deal with Ford

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Ford, Off-Road, Racing

Tanner Foust Ford Fiesta jump

Tanner Foust Ford Fiesta jump – Click above for high-res version

Tanner Foust has carved out a place for himself in motorsports lore as a preternaturally talented drifter and rally racer. Partnered with Ford, Foust has raced in both the European RallyCross Championship and the brand-new Global RallyCross Championship, and dominated ESPN’s X-Games. Now, Foust has made the partnership last by signing a multi-year contract to drive for Ford.

Foust’s new long-term deal has him at the wheel of his familiar Rockstar Energy-sponsored 2011 Ford Fiesta in both the European RallyCross Championship and the inaugural season of the Global RallyCross Championship. Foust is also headed to X-Games 17 in July to defend his double gold-medal run from last year and his title as the most-decorated rally driver in X-Games history.

As well as his role as Ford’s RallyCross and X-Games pilot, Foust is bringing his talent and fame along to help launch the 2012 Ford Focus ST, Dearborn’s upcoming 2.0-liter EcoBoost-powered hot hatch.

Gallery: Tanner Foust Ford Fiesta jump

Tanner Foust Ford Fiesta jump

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Tanner Foust signs multi-year racing deal with Ford

Tanner Foust signs multi-year racing deal with Ford originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette is all about racing history [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet

2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette

2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chevrolet is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a fitting tribute to racing driver turned entrepreneur, Louis Chevrolet. The brand’s founding father raced in four Indianapolis 500s from 1915 to 1919, and though he never managed a victory, his motorsports expertise helped guide his car company from the outset.

In observance, the 2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette gets a special coat of “Carbon Flash” black paint and carries logos on the B-pillars with the number 100 and a likeness of Mr. Chevrolet himself. Inside, there’s plenty of Alcantara and contrasting red stitching to set off additional black trim, and the headrests are embossed with the same 100th anniversary logo as the B-pillars.

Outside, the Centennial Edition gets special 18 or 19-inch for the Grand Sport and standard Corvette and 19 or 20-inch rollers for the ZR-1 and Z06.

The Centennial Edition package is available on every Corvette model they sell, meaning you can get your Z06, ZR-1 or Grand Sport gussied up just the same as your standard coupe or convertible. All of the cars with the 100th anniversary package receive red painted brake calipers and Corvette’s optional (and excellent) magnetically adjustable suspension.

The Centennial Edition Corvettes go on sale this summer, but the first one will be auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson tomorrow in West Palm Beach, Florida. Proceeds of the sale will go to the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer. Full press release and video after the jump, gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette

2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette

[Source: Chevrolet]

Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette is all about racing history [w/video]

2012 Chevrolet Centennial Edition Corvette is all about racing history [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Runaway ghost-riding motorcycle wants to keep racing *Update

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Motorcycle

Ghost riding motorcycle at Daytona SuperSport race

Ghost-riding Daytona SuperSport motorcycle – Click above to watch the video after the break

Here’s something you don’t see everyday. We’re a little short on details – there’s no description provided and we didn’t watch the race live – but the video after the break appears to have been taken at the start of the second SuperSport race in Daytona, Florida, earlier in 2011.

Two riders collided in the middle of a turn, sending both to the ground, while a third bike was left riderless but with both wheels still on the ground. That happens often enough that there’s a term for it – ghost riding – but generally the machine only goes a few hundred feet before falling over or hitting something solid. Not so in this case.

Somehow, the ghost-ridden bike managed to stay upright long enough that it veered back onto the track, barely missing the race leader. Fortunately, nobody was seriously hurt in the incident… and it was all caught on tape.

Click past the break to watch the video… clearly, at least one bike was not ready to score a lowly DNF without putting up a proper fight. Thanks for the tip, Milan!

*UPDATE: Turns out this clip is from the 2011 World Superbike race at Donington Park in the UK.

[Source: Streetfire.net]

Continue reading Video: Runaway ghost-riding motorcycle wants to keep racing *Update

Video: Runaway ghost-riding motorcycle wants to keep racing *Update originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring

Filed under: Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

Corvette Racing, Sebring 2011

Corvette Racing, Sebring 2011 – Click above to view video after the jump

Corvette Racing managed to snag third and fourth place in GT2 at the ALMS 12 Hours of Sebring, beginning a much-anticipated racing season for Chevrolet. Now the team has released the third installment in its coverage of the buildup to the season and Corvette Racing’s fortunes.

Sebring proved to be a tough test for Corvette Racing. The number 4 car went for a spin early on after a nudge from a Porsche, and car number 3 needed a new windshield during the night. Despite those hiccups, things went well for Corvette Racing, and the team says they’re confident going into the next round in Long Beach, California. Hop the jump to see the official video from this season’s race at Sebring.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring

Video: Corvette racing series, Episode 3: Sebring originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Videos: Cadillac documents return to racing with CTS-V Coupe race car

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Videos, Cadillac, GM, Racing

cadillac cts-v coupe scca race car

Cadillac CTS-V Coupe Race Car comes to life – Click above to watch the videos after the jump

Cadillac is pretty excited to head back to the race track. It’s no simple task, however, to go from luxury sports coupe to competitive racer in a short amount of time. Thus, the automaker is spending plenty of time making sure its got the CTS-V Coupe race car completely dialed in before heading off to compete in various SCCA events.

Cadillac is documenting this return to racing with a series of YouTube episodes titled Refueled: Return of the CTS-V. We have the trailer and episodes one through three waiting for you after the jump, showing the race cars’ origins, the build process and the Cadillac race team testing out on the track.

[Source: YouTube via 0-60mag.com]

Continue reading Videos: Cadillac documents return to racing with CTS-V Coupe race car

Videos: Cadillac documents return to racing with CTS-V Coupe race car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 20:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Mazda

Mazda MX-5 GT Race Car

Mazda MX-5 GT – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mazda has been trumpeting its “gram strategy” to cut weight on all of its products, and the best example of how this philosophy works is in the new MX-5 GT race car. The roadster, which will compete in the Britcar MSA British Endurance Championship this year, weighs just 1,874 pounds while packing nearly twice the punch of the standard MX-5.

The heavily modified MX-5 engine produces 275 horsepower – enough juice to propel the light-weight roadster to 60 miles per hour in a scant three seconds flat. The race-ready Mazda can also crest 160 mph while looking damn fine with its new Spirited Green paint job.

In order to cut several hundred pounds off the base MX-5, the Jota Sport racing team removed interior components, revised other interior fittings and dipped the car’s shell in acid. The doors, like many interior components, are made of carbon fiber and the windows are made of polycarbonate. The racing team also lowered the engine height, adjusted the suspension and added a six-speed paddle shift transmission to aid with handling.

The Mazda MX-5 GT race car sees its first action on Saturday at a three-hour endurance race at Silverstone. See the lightweight MX-5 for yourself in the gallery below. Trust us, you’re going to want one.

Gallery: Mazda MX-5 Race Car

Mazda MX-5 Race Car

[Source: Mazda]

Continue reading Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing

Ultra lightweight Mazda MX-5 GT unveiled for British enduro racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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