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Channel your inner Vettel with the Playseats F1 Red Bull Racing Sim chair

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Technology, Racing

Playseat F1 Red Bull

Everyone knows that driving simulators, no matter how good they are, are just that: simulators. They don’t quite get the experience nailed, and they won’t make you the next Sebastien Vettel. Still, Red Bull and Playseats have teamed up to make your experience that much closer to Vettel’s with the release of this Red Bull racing simulator.

Playseats has nailed the details for this setup, putting the seat in the same location relative to the pedals and steering wheel as in a real Formula 1 car. The best news is that Playseats makes the set up for a variety of systems, meaning you can have one for Forza, Gran Turismo 5 and F1 2010, should you have the funds and the desire.

The funds are the big issue here. Playseats charges $1,300 for the system on sale. Regular price is $1,400, not to mention the cost of a TV to make this worth while. Looks like it’s good, old-fashioned joysticks for us, then.

[Source: CrunchGear]

Channel your inner Vettel with the Playseats F1 Red Bull Racing Sim chair originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mini gets reintroduction to rally racing

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Mini

mini countryman wrc

Mini Countryman WRC teaser clip – Click above to watch video after the jump

Mini is venturing back into the World Rally Championship fold. That’s right, we said “back into,” because in the 60’s, Mini decided to take its Cooper and go rallying. This wasn’t simply a half-cocked effort either; Mini won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, 1965 and 1967. Now the automaker is going full-tilt yet again by campaigning a Prodrive-prepared Countryman in the 2011 WRC season.

A teaser clip is in order to help get you psyched over Mini’s upcoming rally run. Thankfully, Mini has just such a clip and it’s available for your viewing pleasure after the jump.

[Source: YouTube via Inside Line]

Continue reading Video: Mini gets reintroduction to rally racing

Video: Mini gets reintroduction to rally racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Motorstorm Apocalypse is down and dirty racing, Mad Max style

Filed under: Etc., Toys/Games

Motorstorm Apocalypse

Motorstorm Apocalypse – Click above to watch video after the jump

If Gran Turismo 5 has turned a bit stale for you, never fear. The crew behind the Motorstorm franchise has just what you need to wet your racing videogame whistle in the form of the new Motorstorm Apocalypse. The game takes all of the fender-bashing glory of the classics into a city in the throes of collapse. Players will not only have to contend with the other racers, but they’ll have to square off against an environment that’s hell-bent on destruction as well. It’s like Mad Max on steroids.

Programmers have thrown in a heap of new vehicle classes on top of old favorites, and the single-player campaign brings a new level of story-telling to the party for the first time. Additionally, new online multiplayer content allows you to collect experience points to build your favorite racing machine, collect medals to show off and to unlock new vehicle perks to help you gain an edge over the rest of the field.

Sign us up.

You can check out a full trailer for the game after the jump as well as a few developer journals that take a closer look at both the multiplayer and the single player action. We think you won’t be disappointed.

[Source: Caradisiac]

Continue reading Video: Motorstorm Apocalypse is down and dirty racing, Mad Max style

Video: Motorstorm Apocalypse is down and dirty racing, Mad Max style originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: Lotus flashes the black and gold with new racing cars

Filed under: Motorsports, Geneva Motor Show, Lotus, Racing

2011 Lotus Race Cars at 2011 Geneva Motor Show

2011 Lotus Renault GP R31 and Evora GT4 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Picking a color scheme for a race car is usually a straightforward matter, but when Lotus opted to revive the black-and-gold combination of the classic John Player Special livery for its new Formula One car, things got a bit complicated. Not because it was once associated with a tobacco brand, but because of the still-unsettled dispute with the other Lotus team.

The Malaysian outfit at the back of the field originally planned on adopting the black and gold for this season, but opted to stick with its existing green and yellow livery shortly after Lotus Cars assumed part ownership of the newly rechristened Lotus Renault GP team.

The naming rights may still be in dispute, but the livery issue is settled. And Lotus isn’t just applying it to the grand prix racer you see here. (Though Renault, incidentally, displayed the team’s car from last year in the new livery on its stand, and Pirelli a selection of last year’s cars as well, Lotus appears to have brought the new 2011 challenger…or at least a mockup.) The British outfit also brought along an Evora GT4 decked out in the same scheme. And it looks positively dynamite on both cars. But don’t take our word for it: check it out for yourself in the high-resolution image gallery below and see for yourself.

Gallery: 2011 Lotus Race Cars: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: Lotus flashes the black and gold with new racing cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Half Mini Cooper, half racing chair… all awesome

Filed under: Etc.

Most people probably describe themselves as casual gamers, but then there are the guys who stand in line for two days to buy a new title and call in sick for a week as they immerse themselves in it. If that’s you when it comes to racing games like Forza and Gran Turismo, this gaming chair probably fits your lifestyle.

Yes, it’s made from the front end of an old Mini Cooper. The super-seat features a racing wheel and three proper pedals, but that’s just the beginning. It also boasts a pair of speakers connected to an iPod dock and a 500-watt amp, a mini fridge, an under-seat vibration pad, and a smoke machine. Sick. But it doesn’t come cheap:the chair’s price tag is $13,000.

[Source: Gizmodo]

Half Mini Cooper, half racing chair… all awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Volvo S60R returns to World Challenge with K-Pax Racing

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Volvo, Racing

K-Pax Racing Volvo S60R

Over the past few years, the Volvo S60 has achieved considerable success in touring car racing around the world. The factory-supported Polestar team took the title in the Swedish Touring Car Championship a few years back before switching to the C30, and K-Pax Racing took the Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ trophies in the World Challenge GT Championship with the car last year.

Thing is, the touring car taking the honors is still wearing the bodywork of the old Volvo S60, so it was only a matter of time before its successor would be revealed. And here it is.

Although K-Pax will still use the old S60R in the first few rounds of the 2011 World Challenge, the new all-wheel-drive racer will be rolled out for the fourth round at Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah, in late April.

[Source: K-Pax Racing via CarScoop]

2011 Volvo S60R returns to World Challenge with K-Pax Racing originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Erik Buell Racing 1190RS: America strikes back

Filed under: Motorcycle

Erik Buell Racing 1190RS

Erik Buell Racing 1190RS – Click above for high-res image gallery

You can’t keep a good man down. That certainly applies to Erik Buell, who, by all accounts, was delivered a giant shiny bowl of lemons from his previous employer, Harley-Davidson, and is somehow elbow-deep in a gushing flow of sweet-tasting lemonade. To wit, have a look at the new Erik Buell Racing 1190RS, a roadgoing version of Erik’s 1190RR superbike racer.

As is typical with recent bikes bearing the Buell name, fuel is held in the frame, which is manufactured by the same company that welded up the units from the previous Buell motorcycle company, and the engine is a V-Twin design displacing 1190cc. That powerplant is a heavily massaged version of the Rotax-built unit used in the old 1125 models. Horsepower figures are not yet available, but the race bike makes about 185 horses at the rear wheel. Expect a slight drop from that figure.

Lots of premium components are hung from the 380-pound (wet) 1190RS. Expect to see Öhlins suspension front and rear, an Aim Sports digital dashboard, magnesium wheels and a full carbon fiber fairing. Surely, components for a hand-built bike like this cost a pretty penny, and though Erik isn’t talking pricing just yet, don’t expect the 1190RS to come cheap. Think Ducati 1198R (about $40,000 or so) territory. A slightly less expensive version using fiberglass and plastic in place of carbon fiber may also be in the offing.

Suffice it to say, we’re excited that Erik is once again living his dream of producing high-end American sportbikes. Have a look at the images in our high-res image gallery below, and stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

Gallery: Erik Buell Racing 1190RS

Erik Buell Racing 1190RS

[Source: Road Racing World, Cycle World | Images: Steve Anderson/Erik Buell Racing]

Erik Buell Racing 1190RS: America strikes back originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hispania Racing Team F111 debut rounds out Formula 1 preseason

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2011 HRT F111

2011 HRT F111 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We know this looks like an F1 car. But you know what it actually is? It’s the end of the beginning. Because after Ferrari, Lotus, Renault, Sauber, Mercedes, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Williams, McLaren, Virgin and Force India all unveiled their new Formula 1 cars for the 2011 championship, Hispania Racing Team has joined the action with the F111, marking the end of the preseason debuts.

The new car bears all the hallmarks of the new F1 regulations, but the first thing you’re likely to notice is its livery. With little in the way of sponsors, HRT brought in Daniel Simon – the former VW Group designer responsible for, among other things, the light-cycles in Tron: Legacy – to pen the car’s dynamic paint scheme. The result is considerably more attractive than last year’s gray car, leaving open spots for future sponsors (currently held by “this could be you” and “your logo here” lettering). Simon’s Cosmic Motors design firm gets its own logo on the sidepod wing plates, joined only by Tata Motors, which came to the team with Narain Karthikeyan.

The Indian driver, who once raced for Jordan way back in 2005, returns just in time for this year’s inaugural Indian Grand Prix. However, after showing Bruno Senna the door, HRT is the last outfit that still needs to confirm its second driver. This is business as usual for HRT, which last year used four different drivers: Karun Chandhok, Bruno Senna, Sakon Yamamoto and Christian Klien, none of whom scored a single point in the 2010 car. Can Karthikeyan and his to-be-announced wingman do better? Well, when you’re at rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up. Details are in the press release after the jump, with high-res images in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Hispania Racing Team F111

[Source: Hispania Racing Team]

Continue reading Hispania Racing Team F111 debut rounds out Formula 1 preseason

Hispania Racing Team F111 debut rounds out Formula 1 preseason originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Marussia Virgin Racing comes back for more with new MVR-02 F1 challenger

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

2011 Marussia Virgin Racing MVR-02

2011 Marussia Virgin Racing MVR-02 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Last year, Virgin Racing popped its cherry with the VR-01 that led the team through a lackluster first season, finishing the 2010 Formula One World Championship dead last. The team failed to start one of its cars at two grands prix, retired fifteen times and scored a grand total of zero points in the standings.

Now with backing from Russian automaker Marussia Motors, the team has unveiled its Cosworth-powered 2011 challenger in the form of the MVR-02 in the hopes of a more competitive followup season. The car was unveiled at the BBC Television Centre in London, and followed the debuts from Ferrari, Lotus, Renault, Sauber, Mercedes, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Williams and McLaren, leaving only Force India and HRT to follow suit.

With a similar design to its competitors (but a slightly lower nose cone) reflecting the latest tweaks to the formula, the MVR-02 will be driven again by Germany’s former GP2 champion and Toyota F1 driver Timo Glock. Partnering Glock this season is the Belgian former International Formula Master champion and GP2 Asia Series runner-up Jérôme d’Ambrosio, who replaces axed Brazilian driver Lucas di Grassi.

Follow the jump for the full press release from Virgin and check out the high-resolution images in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Marussia Virgin Racing MVR02

[Source: Marussia Virgin Racing]

Continue reading Marussia Virgin Racing comes back for more with new MVR-02 F1 challenger

Marussia Virgin Racing comes back for more with new MVR-02 F1 challenger originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mad Men go racing: Ridley & Tony Scott developing Le Mans period drama

Filed under: Etc.

Le Mans the film

Everybody loves Mad Men. It’s a hit TV show that has something for everyone. Heck, it even features some nice old cars, like the pimpin’ Lincoln that Betty Draper inherited from her father, and discussions around the office on marketing import cars for the first time in America. But what the series really needs – well, what we really need, anyway – is some good ol’ classic racing action. Enter Hollywood producers Ridley and Tony Scott.

The British brothers’ production company Scott Free just signed on to a project called The Drivers. It’s based on Wallace A. Wyss’ book “Shelby: The Man, the Cars, the Legend,” which was optioned for the screen and is reportedly being turned into a television drama.

The series is set to follow the daring drivers from the U.S. and Europe who raced the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the 1950s and 1960s – one of the most exciting periods in racing history with plenty of material to draw on. There’s no telling at this point when the project will begin filming, let alone air, but the notion of a Mad Men-style show set at La Sarthe has got our TiVos twitching already. Thanks for the tip, Peter!

[Source: Deadline.com]

Mad Men go racing: Ridley & Tony Scott developing Le Mans period drama originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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