VIDEO: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport at Goodwood

There’s nothing faster, short of a Formula 1 car, than a Bugatti Veyron, right? In particular, a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport boasting a 1,200HP quad-turbocharged 16-cylinder engine, four-wheel drive tech and a 258 mph (415 km/h) top speed. Whoever is behind its wheel must feel invincible, right?

Well, actually, no. A few days ago, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a Veyron Super Sport that was ready to begin its climb up the hill pulled over and let another car start first. What car was that?

A bright yellow Hennessey Venom GT with 1,200HP and a 0-200 mph (0-320 km/h) time of just 15.9 seconds. Watch the in-car video past the jump as the Venom GT tackles the hill climb.

VIDEO

Read more In Cars

Kelleners Sport Tunes the BMW 1-Series M Coupe

German aftermarket firm Kelleners Sport is one of the first official tuners to get its hands on the new BMW 1-Series M Coupe and offer a complete conversion. Named KS1-S, the modified 1 M Coupe’s turbocharged straight-six now delivers 410-horses, or a good 20% more than the standard car, and just 10HP short of the E92 M3, while torque is increased from 450 to 550 Nm or 405.7 lb-ft.

As a result, the power to weight ratio drops from 4.4kg per HP in the stock model to 3.8 kg per hp in the KS-1 S.

Visually, the KS1-S differs from the standard 1 M Coupe thanks to new aerodynamic parts designed to minimize drag and increase downforce at high speeds, as well as the quad 83 mm exhaust pipes.

Kellener’s 1 M Coupe now rides on new 20-inch alloy wheels shod in tires size 245/30 at the front and 265/30 at the rear.

The company also worked on the suspension settings and added an adjustable coil-over system, which gives the driver the opportunity to adjust both rebound and compression independently.

Changes were also made also in the interior with two-tone black and white perforated leather and alcantara covering the dashboard, door panels and front and rear seats.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read more In Cars

Siemoneit Racing’s VW Golf R Black Pearl

While VW’s 270-horsepower Golf R hatchback is hardly underpowered, the engineers over at the German tuning firm Siemoneit Racing felt like it could use some extra ponies.

Siemoneit Racing calls its tuned VW Golf R the ‘Black Pearl’for obvious reasons- and it offers customers a choice of two performance packages. The first boosts the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine’s output from 270HP and 320Nm to 355-horses and 485Nm (357.7 lb-ft) through thanks to the updated ECU software, custom exhaust and a new air intake system.

The second and more comprehensive package transforms the Golf R into a 530-horsepower monster by further tweaking the engine software, and adding a larger turbocharger, a new intercooler and a different exhaust system.

Other available options include a lightweight hood made out of carbon fiber.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read more In Cars

Red Bull Takes the Front Row in Qualifying with Webber in Pole Position

The unpredictable weather conditions made the qualifying of the British Grand Prix something of a gamble, and the teams weather forecasts were expecting rain during the final session. So everyone made sure that they got out quickly in order to set a fast time before it started to rain again.

Once again Sebastian Vettel was the man to beat, setting a provisional pole. But this was not to last as his team mate, Mark Webber, recorded a fastest lap just seconds later beating Vettel by just 0.032 seconds.

Behind the Red Bull-occupied front row were the two Ferraris. Third place went to Fernando Alonso, who was just 0.1 seconds slower than Vettel and fourth to Felipe Massa, with the Scuderia obviously very happy with the progress they have made.

Jenson Button’s McLaren was fifth, but his team mate Lewis Hamilton couldn’t manage anything better than 10th place in his home Grand Prix. The surprise of the day was the performance of Paul di Resta, who in his rookie period brought his Force India to the sixth place of the grid.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read more In Cars

Massa Shines in the Rain

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa set the quickest time in Friday’s afternoon practice session of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, which takes place this weekend at Silverstone. Just minutes before the beginning of the session, heavy rain started to fall, with all cars staying in the pits for half an hour because of the condition of the track.

However, in the last 20 minutes conditions improved slightly and the teams decided to send their cars out of the pit lane. At first Michael Schumacher, on wet tires, set the fastest time until one minute before the end of the session.

But with the track drying up the rest were able to use intermediate tires and Massa, with 1:49.967, 0.777 seconds ahead of Nico Rosberg’s Mercedes and Kamui Kobayashi’s Sauber.

2011 champion and current points leader Sebastian Vettel was 18th, one spot behind the second Ferrari of Fernando Alonso.

VIDEO

PHOTO GALLERY

Read more In Cars

2012 Range Rover Sport

After the introduction of the updated Discovery 4, Land Rover released details on its 2012 Range Rover Sport that features similar mechanical changes and equipment upgrades for the new model year.

As with the Discover 4, the Range Rover Sport’s more powerful 3.0-liter SDV6 diesel engine receives a 10HP boost lifting output from 245-horses to 256HP and is now mated to Land Rover’s new ZF 8HP70, 8-speed automatic gearbox. As a result, CO2 emissions have been reduced from 243g/km to 230g/km while combined fuel economy has improved from 30.7mpg to 32.1mpg UK.

Along with the new 8-speed transmission, the Range Rover Sport SDV6 now comes equipped with the 'Drive Select' rotary gear shift and steering wheel-mounted paddle shift.

Thanks to a low-flow fuel injection system, CO2 emissions for the entry level 211-horsepower diesel engine have been reduced from 243g/km to 224g/km.

The range-topping 5.0-liter supercharged V8 gasoline engine remains unchanged for 2012, continuing to deliver 510-horses and a 0-60mph (96km/h) sprint time of 5.9 seconds.

Other changes to the 2012 Range Rover Sport include new colors for the exterior and interior trims, a restyled powered single piece tailgate that is standard across the range, enhanced audio and infotainment systems and a next generation 7-inch touch-screen that is available with optional Dual View technology.

PHOTO GALLERY

Read more In Cars

Monster Toyota Celica Record the Fastest Hill Climb Time

Over the past weeks we’ve been bombarding you with news about exotic cars such as the Aston Martin Zagato V12 that would participate at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. The event took place this past weekend and the spectators gathered to marvel at every car enthusiasts dream garage.
But they also came to watch more than 200 production, tuned and racing models including recent Formula 1 cars, race against the clock in the famous 1.6 mile hill-climb. However, much to everybody’s surprise, the winner was not an F1 car but a tuned, 800+ horsepower Toyota Celica that recorded a time of just 48.07 seconds.
It was driven and built by former British rally champion, Jonny Milner, who had also tried, but lost, in previous years. So he returned with an extra 100 ponies packed under the hood of the Celica and this time, he won.
Of course, this is not your run-of-the-mill Celica. Based on the 6th generation of Toyota’s coupe, it features a Corolla WRC four cylinder engine fitted with a Garret turbocharger, a Rotrex supercharger and a nitrous oxide injection system. It also sports Corolla WRC suspension and has been lightened to just 1,050 kg (2,315 lbs) while, thanks to a flat floor and a diffuser, generates a degree of ground effect.


_____________________________________________________________

PHOTO GALLERY

Read more In Cars

VIDEO: Porsche Car In Le Mans in 2014 with Brand New LMP1 Racer

Porsche, the most successful marque ever in the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans has announced its return in 2014 to the world’s most famous endurance race. Porsche has won at Le Mans a record 16 times, and aims for the top spot with its works entry in the top LMP1 category.
Of course, Porsche had never really shut down its motorsport activities as far as endurance races are concerned. Apart from the numerous 911s, the RS Spyder that was run by the Porsche-backed Penske team in the US from 2006-2008 and to 2010 with several privateer teams, it has enjoyed success in the LMP2 category.
“With the RS Spyder we proved that our motorsport engineers in Weissach are at the forefront,” says Wolfgang Hatz, Board Member for Research and Development at Porsche AG. “We were the first to run a high-revving race engine with direct fuel injection, setting new standards in performance and efficiency. Recently, with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, we adopted a completely new drive technology for racing purposes and achieved a considerable reduction in consumption.”
According to Porsches’s head of Motorsport, Hartmut Kristen, the company will begin to evaluate its options for the brand-new LMP1 racer. As he points out, “these obviously depend on the details of the 2014 regulations, which are interesting because in principle the integration of our hybrid technology is one option”.
Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood claimed the first overall victory for Porsche in 1970 with the legendary 917 short-tail. The 16th and, until now, last overall win was secured by Laurent Aiello, Stéphane Ortelli and Allan McNish in 1998 with the 911 GT1. In 2008 and 2009, the Porsche RS Spyder sports prototype won the title in the LMP2 category.

VIDEO

PHOTO GALLERY

Read more In Cars

New Cadillac ATS Small Sports Sedan

A bare-shell of an unidentified model shown in a introduction video on GM’s corporate site caught the attention of a forum member ofGMInsidenews. The team over the website believes that this could be an early prototype of the upcoming 2014 Cadillac ATS sports sedan, with which GM wants to compete against the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class saloons.
The test vehicle’s compact dimensions and more importantly, the short front overhangs, and the distance between the front axle and the passenger cabin suggest that they could be on to something, but we wouldn’t bet the farm on it, at least not just yet and without any more proof.
The new ATS is expected to arrive in the market in 2013 and it will sit right under the CTS as Cadillac’s new entry-level model. Powertrain options are believed to include both four-cylinder turbo engines and larger displacement V6 units.

Read more In Cars

VIDEO: Subaru Impreza WRX STI’s Record Run at the Isle of Man TT

After seeing the growing the attention and interest on Mark Higgins' record lap time -and not to mention, a very close call with a wall during the practice runs- in a U.S. specification 2011 Impreza WRX STI 305HP at the historic Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, Subaru’s American arm issued a new video of the event.
The former British Rally Champion achieved speeds of up to 162 MPH (260 km/h) and a lap time of 19 minutes 37 seconds over the 37-mile track, which runs through several small towns with trees, stone walls, and buildings and includes more than 200 corners.
The video highlights Higgin’s lap that averaged 115.356 MPH, while the British driver also talks us through a chilling moment at Brey Hill when he momentarily lost and then regained control of the WRX STI at more than 150 MPH (241km/h).
Aside from the necessary safety modifications such as a Lifeline fire suppression system, Hockley Motorsports roll cage, and motordrive competition seats, the WRX STI was also fitted with Mintex brake pads (but with stock calipers and rotors), a louder open exhaust to warn spectators of its arrival, and retuned springs and dampers to accommodate the numerous high-speed jumps on the circuit. In addition, Subaru’s engineers turned off the car’s speed limiter.
Commenting on the event that marked the test runs, Higgins said:

"We were only able to get two practice runs and on our second practice I had the biggest 'moment' of my career. We had a passenger on the run and so coming into Bray Hill at more than 150 MPH, the extra weight compressed the suspension more than on previous runs and shifted the Subaru to the left and then right as I corrected--it was a real tank slapper. The whole thing went by so quickly that we never slowed below 110 MPH, and then we were back on the power. It was amazing and the helicopter shots really show just how hairy it really was."

VIDEO

Read more In Cars

Nissan Claim Two Oddball Speed Records at Goodwood Festival

Without doubt, one of the highlights of this year’s edition of the famous Goodwood hill climb will be Nissan’s participation. And no, we’re not talking about the Sumo Power GT team’s GT1 race-winning Nissan GT-R, but for the Juke small crossover and the Leaf EV.
You see, the Japanese company has set its sights on claiming two special records at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that takes place in Britain on 1-3 July with the aforementioned models.
With the pure-electric Leaf, Nissan will attempt to set a record for the fastest car ever to be driven up the hill climb course...in reverse. And unless something goes wrong, Nissan has a very good chance at it as unlike conventional gasoline / diesel -powered models, in which reverse gear allows only low speeds, the Leaf’s electric powertrain -in theory- enables it to be driven backwards as fast as it can move forwards.
While regular production models come with an electronic feature that stops the vehicle from reversing quickly, Nissan’s engineers disabled this feature on the Leaf that will participate in the hill climb next weekend. The Japanese company said that the modified Leaf will be able to reach speeds of up to 90mph [145 km/h] in reverse.
Nissan will also try to set another odd record with the Juke crossover, which will attempt to become the first four-wheeled machine to drive up the Goodwood Hill on two wheels.
Both the Juke and Leaf will be driven by professional stunt driver, Terry Grant, who will try to set the records by performing the stunts once every day.
“I’ve experienced Goodwood before but never attempted to set a new record,said Grant. “To have the chance to grab not only one but two records at the same event will hopefully provide everyone with a very entertaining spectacle,” he added.

Read more In Cars

VIDEO: The Longest Car Drift Set In Mercedes C63 AMG

Mauro Calο, test driver at Mercedes Benz, has smashed the existing world recοrd οf 394 meters for the lοngest car drift, by driving a Mercedes C63 AMG sideways around the track fοr almost 8 laps.

He managed tο total a distance οf 2,308 meters, an impressive achievement which will mοst likely seal his name in the record books fοr a lοng time.

The place where it all happened is a cοmplete 360 degree circle οf tarmac at the Handling Circuit at Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge Surrey, sο it remains to be seen if the Japanese, the inventοrs of drifting are nοw feeling challenged by this record.

Andrew Mallery, Cοmmercial Operations Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars said

"When Maurο apprοached us to hοld his record breaking attemptοn the circuit at Mercedes-Benz World we were happy tο offer him the suppοrt. He has been a valuable member of the driving experience team fοr several years and is a respected driver in the industry, sο there was no dοubt he wοuld achieve his aim"

Advertisements 

PHOTO GALLERY

VIDEO

Read more In Cars