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Nissan debuts special track-ready Nismo GT-R RC

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Japan, Nissan, Tokyo Auto Salon, Racing

2011 Nissan NISMO GT-R RC

2011 Nissan NISMO GT-R RC – Click above for high-res image gallery

The speed-hungry fiends at Nismo have taken the time to unveil a new hardcore race version of the Nissan GT-R at this year’s Tokyo Auto Salon. This machine is built for tangoing in the world’s most brutal endurance races, and the engineers behind it took the time to rip out every last unnecessary bit of weight and install all the hardware it needs to go fender to fender with other race-bred bruisers. That includes a set of stoppers capable of bringing the globe to a halt, a full roll cage and a more menacing suspension.

There’s even an onboard jack system and a huge 31.67-gallon fuel tank onboard to minimize time in the pits and maximize the number of seconds that the car can stay out on track. Nismo calls this terror the GT-R RC for Racing Competition, and if you like what you see, you better call your CPA. Nissan says that the race-bred GT-R will command a ¥20,790,000 price tag when it goes on sale – a shave over $250,000 at current exchange rates.

Gallery: 2011 Nissan GT-R RC

[Sources: 0-60, Nismo]

Nissan debuts special track-ready Nismo GT-R RC originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus Type 125 makes its track debut

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Lotus, Specialty, Racing

Lotus Exos Type 125

Lotus Exos Type 125 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Lotus has taken the time to put its new civilian Formula One racer through its paces. The company enlisted the help of both Jean Alesi and James Rossiter to test the Exos Type 125 in its first official track outing. Rossiter serves as the company’s official test driver, so he’s been in the seat of some pretty wild machines. Even so, the racer says that the Type 125 is “unique, intense and extremely raw.” On top of that, Rossiter claims the open-wheel beast is as close as a mortal human can get to man-handling the tiller of a genuine F1 car.

There’s no surprise there. The Type 125 packs a 3.5-liter Cosworth V8 at its core with 650 horsepower. The miracle mill is strapped to a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox, and Lotus says that all it takes to wake the beast is a push of the start button. That means that owners won’t require their own personal squad of mechanics just to get out of the paddock. If you like the sound of this machine as much as we do, you better know someone at Lotus. The company is only planning on handing out 15 examples of the Type 125. Hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: Lotus Exos Type 125

[Source: Lotus]

Continue reading Lotus Type 125 makes its track debut

Lotus Type 125 makes its track debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Cold and fog can’t keep the P4/5 Competizione from the track

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Ferrari

The Ferrari P4/5 Competizione out on the track

Jim Glickenhaus takes his Ferrari P4/5 Competizione out in the fog – Click above to watch video after the jump

Another day, another video of the Jim Glickenhaus’ Ferrari P4/5 Competizione in action… not that we’re complaining. This time Mr. Glickenhaus takes his one-off racer to Franciacorta for some track time. The fog may be thick, but that didn’t stop Glickenhaus from making glorious noises with his Pininfarina-designed track toy.

Hop the jump to take to give your ears some afternoon delight. Thanks for the tip, Enzo!

[Source: Youtube]

Continue reading Video: Cold and fog can’t keep the P4/5 Competizione from the track

Video: Cold and fog can’t keep the P4/5 Competizione from the track originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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James Glickenhaus’ P4/5 Competizione makes maiden track voyage

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, Ferrari, Specialty, Racing

Glickenhaus Ferrari P4/5 Competizione

Glickenhaus Ferrari P4/5 Competizione – Click above for high-res image gallery

Jim Glickenhaus and his team have given their stunning Ferrari P4/5 Competizione its first taste of track time with a short sprint around a closed course. According to Glickenhaus, the run went better than expected with the one-off Ferrari interpretation staying light on its feet and easy to fling. Despite testing on a relatively short track, the driver was able to ratchet the car up to third gear before having to call it quits.

As you may recall, the Ferrari P4/5 Competitizione is hewn from carbon fiber and borrows pieces from the similarly sinister Ferrari F430. The last time we saw the car, Glickenhaus and his team were putting the finishing touches on the vehicle for its first shake down.

The Glickenhaus Ferrari P4/5 Competizione is set to wage war against the rest of the fighters at this year’s 24 Hours of Nürburgring. That means that this beast will square off against the likes of the Porsche 918 RSR and a host of other high-power creations. We can’t wait.

Gallery: Glickenhaus Ferrari P4/5 Competizione

[Source: Facebook via Jalopnik]

James Glickenhaus’ P4/5 Competizione makes maiden track voyage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Construction gets underway on Austin F1 track

Filed under: Motorsports, Plants/Manufacturing, Videos

Start of construction at Austin's F1 track

Austin’s F1 track breaks ground – Click above to watch the video after the jump

How long does it take to lap the future site of the United States Grand Prix? 31 minutes, according to reports. But that’s before any pavement has been laid down.

Organizers of the upcoming F1 race in Texas planned on breaking ground on the site – currently little more than a bumpy plot of wilderness – by December 2010, and they’ve apparently just made the target, as construction equipment was spotted there before the end of the year. Contractors for the $250 million facility have already been assigned for the project that is slated to finish construction by summertime 2012.

The Austin-based American-Statesman met the construction crews on the site and have compiled a report you can view after the jump, along with a written report available at the link below. Thanks for the tips, all!

[Source: American-Statesman]

Continue reading Video: Construction gets underway on Austin F1 track

Video: Construction gets underway on Austin F1 track originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Police using Twitter to track down stolen cars

Filed under: Etc., Technology

Police in Seattle have turned to social media in an effort to help recover stolen vehicles. By sending out a Tweet that describes the liberated vehicle, authorities are hoping someone in the network of followers will spot it and report the vehicle’s location. The Twitter account being used by the SPD goes by the handle @GetYourCarBack and sends out a message listing the year, make, model and license plate of the stolen vehicle.

Every little bit helps and it’s always interesting to see how companies or organizations adopt new uses for technology. Besides the usefulness of the feed, it’s also quite interesting to see what is getting stolen in the Seattle area. We spy lots of Hondas, but also a few scooters and someones Ford F-350 pickup.

[Source: Social Car News]

Police using Twitter to track down stolen cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Volvo S60 flogged around track by… blindfolded Kiwi racer?!

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Volvo

Jonny Reid drives the Volvo S60 blindfolded

Jonny Reid drives the Volvo S60… blindfolded – Click above to watch the video after the break

We don’t exactly know why this video was filmed, other than the fact that it’s somehow supposed to make us more interested in the Volvo S60, but we don’t really care – just because it’s cool is reason enough for us.

In any case, well-known Kiwi racer Jonny Reid, who is currently competing in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge, belted himself into the driver’s seat of a brand new 2011 Volvo S60 sedan at the starting line at Hampton Downs Motorsports Park in New Zealand.

No big deal, right? Not until you consider the fact that Reid was blindfolded and going all out based solely on his knowledge of the track and the instructions from his co-driver, Earl Bamber. We can’t really say how it compares to any other times, but he ended up lapping the track in one minute and 28 seconds.

Now, it should be noted that Reid knows Hampton Downs very well. In fact, he’s a track instructor during driver training and corporate events. Still, the video is pretty darn cool, and in the end, that’s all we really care about, right? See for yourself after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Volvo S60: First Drive

2011 Volvo S60

[Source: Car & SUV]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Volvo S60 flogged around track by… blindfolded Kiwi racer?!

Video: 2011 Volvo S60 flogged around track by… blindfolded Kiwi racer?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Production Lamborghini Sesto Elemento will be for track use only

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Lamborghini

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – Click above for high-res image gallery

It sounds like we can forget all about cruising South Beach in the upcoming Lamborghini Sesto Elemento. According to Autocar, The Raging Bull is planning to build the carbon-fiber terror as a limited production model for track duty only. Thanks to its unique construction, the Sesto Elemento should hit the scales at less than 2,200 pounds, all while boasting the same drivetrain as the wicked Superleggera. This promises to be one very fast machine, but chances are it will carry a price tag to match. Autocar is reporting that the newest addition to the Lamborghini stable will likely go for Reventón money. With an MSRP of over $1.6 million, you certainly won’t be seeing these parked in every paddock.

That’s all the more true given that Autocar suspects that Lamborghini will build less than 20 examples of the Sesto Elemento. Who knew that rare birds were built from forged carbon fiber?

Gallery: Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept In Detail

[Source: Autocar]

Report: Production Lamborghini Sesto Elemento will be for track use only originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ariel Atom dices it up on the track against… an Epson printer?!

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Humor

Ariel Atom 3 vs. Epson Printer

Epson Inkjet vs. Ariel Atom – Click above to watch video after the jump

If we had to pick a printer company on the merits of its advertising stunts alone, Epson would hands-down be our favorite. Along with cranking out an awesome 1:1 scale paper replica of an NSX racer not too long ago, the company recently decided to pit its newest printer against an Ariel Atom 3. The premise is simple: The printer would begin printing a scale replica of said track at the exact same time as the Atom would begin slinging corners. The company even bolted the printer to the car and threw in a genuine command center for little extra drama.

Which machine comes out on top? You can probably guess given who’s sponsoring this shindig, but we won’t spoil it for you, either. Hit the jump to check out the spot for yourself. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’ve got a sudden urge to go buy some ink cartridges.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Ariel Atom dices it up on the track against… an Epson printer?!

Video: Ariel Atom dices it up on the track against… an Epson printer?! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Panoz Abruzzi makes on-track appearance, gearing up for competition

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, MISC, Racing

Panoz Abruzzi on the track at Petit Le Mans – Click above for high-res image gallery

Panoz recently revealed its long-awaited new sports car, the Abruzzi, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France. We finally have a better look at the Abruzzi on our own home soil thanks to a surprise on-track appearance at Petit Le Mans a few weeks ago.

The Panoz Abruzzi is powered by a front-mounted V8 engine producing 640 horsepower and over 600 pound-feet of torque, while it’s styling is derived from pre-war classics such as the 1935 Delahaye.

It has been five years since Don Panoz and his racing team have experienced a win in the American Le Mans series. They plan to change that next year when they enter the Panoz Abruzzi into the 12 hours of Sebring using the race-prepped version, which also got some track time at Road Atlanta. While the race version didn’t compete in the Petit Le Mans, it was shown off during the parade lap as well as in the Panoz Motorsports booth.

Gallery: Panoz Abruzzi on the track at Petit Le Mans

[Source: American Le Mans]

Continue reading Panoz Abruzzi makes on-track appearance, gearing up for competition

Panoz Abruzzi makes on-track appearance, gearing up for competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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