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Drayson will shoot for FIA electric-vehicle land-speed record on June 25

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, UK, Racing

Drayson Racing's EV

It’s pretty impressive when an automotive speed record stands for almost four decades, but UK-based Drayson Racing Technologies will take a shot at one next week. The company, led by Lord Paul Drayson (whose company is partnering with Michelin on the effort), will look to break the FIA World Electric Land Speed Record on June 25 at RAF Elvington in Yorkshire, England.

Mr. Drayson himself will be driving a modified 2,200-pound Lola B19 69/EV down a nearly two-mile runway during his attempt. The car gets 850 horsepower from its 30 kWh battery. Drayson is looking to break the 1974 record of 175 miles per hour by Battery Box General Electric.

BBC posted a video in March on Drayson and his team, and Formula E Holdings earlier this year tapped Drayson Racing as its first team for an all-electric racing tour set to start next year in Rome.

Check out Drayson’s press release below.

Continue reading Drayson will shoot for FIA electric-vehicle land-speed record on June 25

Drayson will shoot for FIA electric-vehicle land-speed record on June 25 originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Mon, 24 Jun 2013 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Watch this tuned VW van break Sabine Schmitz’s record

Filed under: Motorsports, Minivan/Van, Videos, Diesel, Racing

We tend to get hot and bothered when a production car sets a newly minted lap record around the incomparable Nürburgring Nordshleife, but records for other types of vehicles tend to fly beneath the radar. Thank God then that we’ve got the Germans to pay attention to these things on our behalf.

Volkswagen tuning outfit Revo had such a record in mind when it started to hot-up a VW T5 2.0 turbo diesel van to make a record ‘Ring run. The target was a lap turned in by none other than the Queen of the Ring herself, Sabine Schmitz – a 10:08-lap done in a Ford Transit van for the guffawing audience of Top Gear.

Revo changed the stock ECU map on the T5, fitted a custom exhaust and an uprated intercooler and oil cooler, underpinned the whole deal with a Bilstein coilover kit and set to racing. The final product was just racy enough, in the capable hands of veteran driver Dale Lomas, to finish its lap some 11 seconds quicker than the former record. Circumnavigating the Nordshleife in under 10 minutes in a commercial diesel van is, of course, bonkers, which is as good a reason as any to watch the video of the run below.

Continue reading Watch this tuned VW van break Sabine Schmitz’s record

Watch this tuned VW van break Sabine Schmitz’s record originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jun 2013 19:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500

Team Hot Wheels’ “Fearless at the 500” record jump attempt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Prior to the start of today’s Indy 500, fans finally got to see the long-awaited Team Hot Wheels world-record jump attempt. The mystery “Yellow Driver” piloted specially-prepared truck down the 90-foot ramp that had been under construction in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s infield over the last several weeks. The neat gimmick behind Hot Wheels’ “Fearless at the 500” event was that the launch ramp itself was built to simulate that orange track we all grew up with, hung from a giant 10-story door. Talk about pandering to a guy’s inner child…

Anyhow, the stunt itself was a success, and fans at the Brickyard watched the truck sail, ramp-to-ramp, 332 feet through the air, setting a world record for four-wheeled vehicles in the process. Upon landing, the mystery driver doffed his helmet to reveal himself as American Top Gear host Tanner Foust. If you want to see the jump yourselves, be advised that ABC will air the stunt at 3:30 PM Eastern time today, following the conclusion of its Indy 500 race coverage. Check out the first few photos from the event below, and follow the jump for the press release.

UPDATE: Video of the jump now added after the break as well.

Gallery: Team Hot Wheels “Fearless at the 500” Jump

Continue reading Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500

Tanner Foust completes record-setting Team Hot Wheels jump at Indy 500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 May 2011 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: McLaren crashes MP4 12C on the ‘Ring… is a record attempt in the cards?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Europe, Luxury

McLaren MP4-12C on track

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

Word on the web is that McLaren binned a new MP4-12C at the Nürburgring recently. According to Pistonheads, one of the early prototypes of the vehicle got up close and personal with some barriers at the legendary circuit, though the damage apparently wasn’t severe enough to put the model out of commission for good. The driver, who remains anonymous, wasn’t injured in the kerfuffle. McLaren hasn’t come out and said whether the incident was a result of driver error, mechanical failure or some other factor.

Officially, he MP4-12C was only out for durability testing, but since the accident occurred at the very end of a scheduled test session, some minds have begun to wonder whether or not McLaren was attempting to set a ‘Ring record time with their new lightweight. According to Pistonheads, the company says that while it may pursue such an adventure at some point down the line, that’s not what was going on when the vehicle left the tarmac. Of course, that would seem to contradict reports from the scene where witnesses were said they saw the MP4-12C traveling flat-out just before the impact.

McLaren crashes MP4 12C on the ‘Ring… is a record attempt in the cards? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hot Wheels world record jump at Indy 500 starting to take shape

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Off-Road

Indianapolis 500 jump

The ramp designed to propel Hot Wheels’ mystery driver to world record glory at the 100th Indianapolis 500 is starting to take shape. The ramp doesn’t look quite like it did in Hot Wheels’ original rendering, but it’s still an enormous and terrifying structure. Don’t believe us? Check out a full gallery of the ramp on the speedway’s Flickr page.

Hot Wheels’ goal is to propel a winged off-road truck 302 feet through the air, which would clinch the world record for distance. The death-defying stunt will kick off the excitement at next weekend’s Indy 500.

Hot Wheels world record jump at Indy 500 starting to take shape originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 May 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peugeot EX1 rips ’round the ‘Ring with record-setting EV run

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Europe, Peugeot, Specialty, Electric

Peugeot EX1 at the Nurburgring

Peugeot EX1 sets electric vehicle ‘Ring record – Click above to watch video after the jump

For decades now, automakers have turned to the famed Nürburgring in Germany to put vehicles to the test. On April 27th, Peugeot sent its radically styled EX1 electric ’round the ‘Ring, setting a record for battery-powered vehicles with a time of 9 minutes 1.338 seconds.

The Nürburgring actually consists of several interlacing tracks, with the main stretch, the Nordschleife, comprising almost 13 miles of hairpin turns, undulating surfaces and lengthy straightaways.

Peugeot’s electric sports car averaged a rather impressive 85.9 miles per hour on the demanding 12-plus mile Nordschleife track. The EX1 smoked the previous electric vehicle record of 9:51, set by a modified Mini E back in 2010. Hit the jump to catch official video of the EX1 whizzing ’round the ‘Ring.

Continue reading Peugeot EX1 rips ’round the ‘Ring with record-setting EV run

Peugeot EX1 rips ’round the ‘Ring with record-setting EV run originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge Viper ACR breaks Miller Motorsports Park production car lap record [w/video]

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Dodge

Dodge Viper ACR at Miller Motorsports Park

Dodge Viper ACR at Miller Motorsports Park – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Dodge Viper ACR is no longer in production, but it remains one of the most impressive sports cars ever built as evidenced by a recent trip to Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele, Utah. Dodge Motorsports brought a 2010 Viper ACR to the track along with road racer Kuno Wittmer, and the result was a record-smashing lap time of 1:59.995 – nearly four seconds faster than the previous record of 2:03.86 held by a Corvette ZR1 driven by Jan Magnussen.

This isn’t the first time the Viper ACR has broken a track record for a production car. In 2008, Dutch driver Tom Coronel piloted a Viper ACR to a record 7:22.1 lap time around the Nürburgring, and one year later, an SRT vehicle dynamics engineer broke the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca lap record with a time of 1:33.92.

You can read more about the Dodge Viper ACR’s lap record at Miller Motorsports Park as well as watch video footage of the car on track after the jump.

Gallery: Dodge Viper ACR at Miller Motorsports Park

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Dodge Viper ACR breaks Miller Motorsports Park production car lap record [w/video]

Dodge Viper ACR breaks Miller Motorsports Park production car lap record [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokian tires claims it’s already beaten Bentley’s new ice speed record with Audi [w/video]

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Europe, Videos, Audi

nokia tires ice speed record audi

Nokian Tires slides past Bentley’s Ice Speed Record – Click above to watch video after the jump

Nokian Tires was paying close attention to Bentley’s Ice Speed Record. If you don’t recall, Bentley used a Continental Supersports Convertible to dash across a stretch of ice last month at 205 miles per hour, 205.48 to be exact. Nokian strapped a set of its Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tires on to an Audi RS6 and decided to have its own icy blast. Thanks to the grippy rubber and aerodynamic mods (as well as a curious lack of detail regarding performance mods), the Nokian team and driver Janne Laitinen upped the ice-speed ante with a trap figure of 206.05 miles per hour.

The Nokian team previously set an Ice Speed Record using its Hakkapeliitta 5 tires. During that run, a Bentley was used, but this time Nokian preferred Four Rings, Quattro all-wheel-drive and its latest generation of studded snow tires. Click past the jump to watch the new record and Nokian’s previous 199.86 mile per hour record run. Thanks for the tip, Ville!

Gallery: Nokian Tyres sets new Ice Speed Record

[Source: Nokian Tires]

Continue reading Nokian tires claims it’s already beaten Bentley’s new ice speed record with Audi [w/video]

Nokian tires claims it’s already beaten Bentley’s new ice speed record with Audi [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: 1908 Fiat SB4 “Mephistoles” land speed record car baffles the mind

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Geneva Motor Show, Racing, Fiat

1908 Fiat SB4 Eldridge

1908 Fiat SB4 Eldridge “Mephistoles” – Click above for high-res image gallery

Way in the back of the Fiat booth at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, behind all of the shiny modern machinery with their tiny, fuel-sipping engines, sat a car that looks like one of those wood-carved models you see at every knick-knack store. Curious though it was, we knew right off the bat there is something far more significant to this car than met the eye. And indeed there is.

Nicknamed “Mephistoles” by the French public in the 1920s, this 1908 Fiat SB4 racer was, at the time, the fastest car in the world. Sir Ernest Eldridge bought it on the cheap after it crashed in a race at Brooklands in the UK, thereafter setting about turning it into a land speed record car. To get there, Sir Ernest and company replaced the engine with a 22-liter(!) inline six-cylinder aircraft engine that delivered 320 horsepower to the rear wheels via chain drive – a combination (hardly) kept in check by a single brake on the rear differential.

Mephistoles set a top speed of 143.26 miles per hour over a flying kilometer in Arpajob, France in 1924, but was later disqualified because the regulations stipulated the necessity of a reverse gear, which the Fiat lacked. Sir Ernest developed a system and came back, regulations satisfied, just days later to set a new record of 146 mph… the last such record achieved on a public road. To this day, according to the lore, nobody knows how Eldridge got the thing to go in reverse, but after over three years of restoration, Fiat is proudly exhibiting Mephistoles in Geneva, and we snapped a few photos to help you ponder the mystery and majesty for yourself.

Gallery: 1908 Fiat SB4 Eldridge “Mephistoles”: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: 1908 Fiat SB4 “Mephistoles” land speed record car baffles the mind originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible looks for warm reception in Geneva

Filed under: Motorsports, Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Bentley, Luxury

Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible 'Ice Speed Record

2011 Bentley Continental Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery

To celebrate its recent ice-speed record, Bentley is rolling out a special edition of the Continental Supersports convertible at this week’s Geneva Motor Show. The record was set a mere two weeks ago by Finnish rally star Juha Kankkunen, who went 205.48 miles per hour on the frozen Baltic Sea in a Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible. Kankkunen’s run eclipsed his 2007 record of 199.83 mph, which was also set in a Bentley Continental GT.

The Bentley Continental Superspots “Ice Speed Record” Convertible sports the Flying B’s most-powerful engine ever, a 631-horsepower W12 kicking out 590 pound-feet of torque and sporting flex-fuel capability. The car Kankkunen set his record in ran exclusively on bio fuel.

Behind the impressive engine is a six-speed Quickshift automatic. The combo is good for a 3.8-second 0-60 sprint, with 100 mph coming up in just 9.5 seconds. Bentley claims that running the car on E85 will cut C02 emissions by up to 70 per cent.

Outside, the “Ice Speed Record” Supersports Convertible gets one of three unique colors: Beluga (above), Quartzite or Arctica White. Never one to stop at enough, Bentley has gone as far as to cover the soft top in a composite weave sporting its own metallic finish. Rounding out the package is a set of black 20-inch Supersports wheels. Both the special edition Supersports and Kankkunen’s actual record-breaker will be on display at the Bentley booth in Geneva, so stay tuned for live images of them both soon.

Get in line now if you want one, as Bentley says it’ll only build 100 of these worldwide.

Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental Supersports Ice Speed Record Convertible

Bentley Ice Speed Record front Beluga Bentley Continental Ice Speed Record rear Bentley Ice Speed Record side

[Source: Bentley]

Continue reading Bentley Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible looks for warm reception in Geneva

Bentley Supersports “Ice Speed Record” Convertible looks for warm reception in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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