2012 Abarth 695 Maserati Edition – A Fiat 500 in Wolf’s Clothing

A new limited edition of the Abarth-tuned Fiat 500 has been unveiled as part of the festivities preceding the running of the Mille Miglia historic car rally this weekend. Called the Abarth 695 Maserati Edition, this open-top model is a follow on to the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari launched three years ago. Both projects are joint efforts with these sister divisions, but while the Tributo Ferrari was geared more towards performance, the 2012 Abarth 695 Maserati Edition is Gran Turismo oriented by blending sportiness with the elegance of a convertible.

Painted a color called Pontevecchio Boreaux, this special model sports Xenon headlamps, an electronically controlled soft top and an interior fitted with leather seats, a Jaeger instrument cluster, aluminum pedals and a special matte-finish carbon fiber trim.

Under the hood, the 1.4-liter turbo four has been boosted to produce 180 bhp and is mated to an Abarth Competizione 5-speed manual gearbox with automatic clutch and steering-wheel shifters. The Abarth 695 Maserati Edition rides on 17-in. wheels with upgraded Brembo brakes and Koni shocks. The wheels themselves are a special Neptune design from Maserati. The variable back-pressure dual-mode exhaust also gives the car a distinctive note when the engine is revved above 3,000 rpm. Only 499 of the Abarth 695 Maserati Editions will be built and sold in Europe only.

Related posts:

1. Abarth Pumps Up the Fiat 500 for Frankfurt
2. Fiat Creates Alfa/Maserati/Abarth Group
3. 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth – 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show Preview

Read More:
2012 Abarth 695 Maserati Edition – A Fiat 500 in Wolf’s Clothing

tags: abarth auto news automotive new car information fiat limited edition car maserati pontevecchio boreaux special-edition xenon headlaps

Ryan Hunter-Reay Finds Speed – Trackside at Indy 2012

Photos courtesy of IMS

Ryan Hunter-Reay at IMS

Ryan Hunter-Reay has never qualified higher than the middle of the 33-car field for the Indianapolis 500 and twice he’s had to endure gut-wrenching experiences. The Andretti Autosport driver doesn’t have to be concerned about making the race this year with only 31 cars practicing (including two Lotus-powered cars that are 10 mph off his pace), but he’d still like to start up front.

Ryan Hunter-Reay during practice sessions at Indy

Hunter-Reay’s 221.763 mph lap was third fastest Wednesday in the fifth practice. His best out of 230 laps is 221.814, run on Tuesday, is sixth fastest in the combined practices.

“We want to start up front,” Hunter-Reay said. “It’s way better when you start up front and run up front. We’re always focused on that in qualifying. We want to get into the fast nine.”

Cars on track at IMS for practice

The fastest nine cars on Pole Day advance into a shoot-out in the final 90 minutes for the pole and the next eight positions on the grid. Hunter-Reay’s top starting position in the 500 is 17th in 2010. He started 20th in 2008 and finished sixth, earning Chase Rookie of the Year.

Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe at practice

Hunter-Reay and his Andretti teammates haven’t worked much on a qualifying setup for their Dallara DW12-Chevrolets. They’re saving that for Friday, when everybody gets 40 to 50 more horsepower from IndyCar’s decision to raise the turbo boost level.

“We’ve concentrated on making our cars better in race trim,” Hunter-Reay said. “The Andretti cars are working well. It’s pretty impressive the way the cars are operating. We’re most of the way there on some pretty good race cars.”

James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay in pit lane

Typically, a fast car in race setup can be trimmed out aerodynamically and maintain the balance for the four-lap qualifying runs. But the best news for Hunter-Reay is he should have a fast car on race day and he hasn’t had that since 2008. Much of that can be attributed to his struggles in qualifying. You can’t work on the race car when you’re trying to get into the race on Bump Day.

Last year, Hunter-Reay was bumped out of the field in the final minutes. Team owner Michael Andrertti had to make a deal with A.J. Foyt to put Hunter-Reay into the unsponsored car qualified by Bruno Junqueira. Andretti needed to get Hunter-Reay and his sponsors in the race and brought the car. At Indy, it’s the car, not the driver, who qualifies for the race.

Ryan Hunter-Reay getting ready to race

“We had a pretty tough in qualifying here last year,” Hunter-Reay said.

Hunter-Reay started 33rd and finished 23rd, three laps down in a car he drove only in the Carburetion Day practice. He bumped his way into the 500 with three minutes remaining in 2009, started 32nd and spun out of the race with 19 laps completed  and finished 32nd. Hunter-Reay finished 18th in 2010, running out of gas with two laps to go in front of Mike Conway, whose car climbed over one of Hunter-Reay’s wheel, crashed and suffered season-ending injuries.

Sebastian Saavedra and Ryan Hunter-Reay on the Indy track

Hunter-Reay has the luxury of working on a race setup this year and the speed is there for him to be a contender to win the 500 for the first time. Hunter-Reay has three wins in the Izod IndyCar Series and two in Champ Car. Two of the five have been on ovals.

More:

Exclusive Photos: 2012 Indy 500 >>
More: 2012 Indy 500 Racing News >>

Related posts:

1. Michel Jourdain Jr. Returns – Trackside at Indy 2012
2. It’s All in the Family at A.J. Foyt Racing – Trackside at Indy 2012
3. Celebration of Automobiles-Trackside at Indy 2012

Continue Reading:
Ryan Hunter-Reay Finds Speed – Trackside at Indy 2012

tags: auto news automotive car information dallara dw12-chevrolet featured indianapolis indy indy 500 indycar izod indycar series motorsports trackside at indy 2012

Lola in Trouble?

Anyone who has followed automobile racing for the past half century knows about Lola Cars. Those with a long memory recall that Eric Broadley’s Lola GT was the inspiration for the original Ford GT. Those with a smartphone approach realize actor Patrick Dempsey was racing his new Lola-Judd at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca last weekend.

Between these historical bookends is a remarkable lineage of competitive sports cars, IndyCars, GTs and various formula cars, including Formula 1. Arie Luyendyk and Al Unser won the Indy 500 in Lolas.

Now the famed English firm is in trouble and has made the following statement:

Lola Cars International Ltd was formed in 1958.  In recent years, significant investment has been made in technology and capability in the motorsports business as well as diversifying and creating Lola Composites Limited, serving the defense, aerospace, communications, renewable energy, automotive and motorsports markets.

The latest economic downturn and the decision of HMRC not to pay ongoing R&D tax credits has caused a serious cashflow problem for the businesses.  It is with enormous regret that a decision has been taken to issue Notices of intention to appoint an Administrator to Lola Cars International Limited and Lola Composites Limited.  This step allows the board to continue its discussions with possible investors and prospective purchasers with a view to securing the best outcome for the staff, creditors and customers of both businesses.

The Lola board have declined to make further comment until Monday May 21, 2012.

Click here to take an electronic trip down Lola’s memory lane.

No related posts.

See the original post:
Lola in Trouble?

tags: al unser automotive new car information eric broadley featured ford gt formula 1 indy 500 lola cars patrick dempsey

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Launch Control Spins Wheels

2013 Shelby Mustang GT500

Ford is bragging that the new 2013 Shelby Mustang GT500 has the most powerful engine ever in a North American production car. The aluminum 5.8-liter supercharged V-8 produces 662 bhp and 631 lb.-ft of torque. Let the puns begin –talk about torque, that’s enough to pull the stump of a giant oak tree. Of course the problem is maintaining traction. Enter traction control – it stops the rear wheels from spinning. But experienced drivers know traction control is a hindrance to getting the best times from a standing start.

Turn off traction control and turn on launch control. Now you can, as the 2013 Shelby GT500 comes with factory installed launch control for the first time. It’s more ready to race than ever.

As Ford’s Special Vehicles team engineers explain: “Launch control is essentially a special mode of the traction control system that integrates the brake and engine management systems to keep the tires balanced on the peak of the mu-slip curve in order to achieve maximum thrust,” says John Pfeiffer, senior engineer, SVT Vehicle Engineering. “With so much more power and torque on tap from the new 5.8-liter V-8, launch control makes it easier for drivers to take advantage of the performance.”

With launch control enabled the electronics automatically hold the engine steady at the desired speed and manage the rear brakes to allow the optimum amount of wheel slip for maximum traction.

“We recognize not every driver has the same style, and surface, tire and climate conditions vary,” said Eddie Khan, SVT Engineering supervisor. “Most of our competitors’ launch control systems have a fixed engine launch speed. We’ve given Shelby GT500 drivers the ability to adjust the engine speed to achieve best and most consistent performance, no matter where and when they drive.”

Ford says Shelby GT500 drivers can enable launch control in two ways – either through Track Apps on the LCD screen in the instrument cluster or simply by tapping a switch. When using the Track Apps screen, drivers can also adjust the desired engine speed for the launch in 100-rpm increments from 3000 to 4500 rpm. The engineers say a lower speed may be more appropriate when first getting accustomed to launch control or if the pavement is cooler. However, switching to racing tires or running in an autocross event on a warm Saturday morning may call for a launch speed closer to the upper end of the range.

Generally speaking racers and fast drivers don’t like some electronic controls such as ABS, stability control and traction control. Launch control, though, is one electronic aid that it seems even seasoned veteran racers can utilize to get consistently faster times. “For drivers who want to have some fun at their local drag strip with a stock machine, the 2013 Shelby GT500 is the ultimate bracket racer,” said Khan. “We’ve given our drivers the ability to exert control over all the power and torque this Mustang can produce.”

Related posts:

1. 2013 Shelby GT500 Up For Auction
2. Barrett-Jackson Selling a 2013 Shelby GT500
3. Watch the Reveal of Ford’s 2011 Shelby Mustang GT500!

See more here:
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Launch Control Spins Wheels

tags: auto news automotive car information featured ford ford launch control john pfeiffer mustang track apps

Driven: 2012 Ford Focus 1.0L EcoBoost

A 1-liter Ford Focus might look on paper to be not very appealing, but once you appreciate that it comes in 98 bhp guise with a 5-speed manual and 123 bhp with a 6-speed attached to it and that it’s red-lined at 6500 rpm, then the picture changes somewhat.

Learning that it’s also a three-potter might take the shine off it as well, especially since Ford hasn’t bothered to install a balancer shaft to iron out odd frequencies.

But you’d be wrong on all counts. This is a jewel of an engine that, thanks to cleverly tuned engine mounts and a flywheel and front pulley that are accurately out of balance to counteract those unwanted vibrations it runs as smooth as any, four- or six-cylinder unit. What’s more, once you get past 2000 rpm, it pulls strongly and willingly especially around the 3500 mark where the transient overboost delivers a 30-second overboost that sees torque climb from 125 to 148 lbs.-ft.

A further plus point is its long-legged motorway cruising with under 2500 rpm on the tacho in sixth gear. OK, so long climbs and, I suspect heavy loads might blunt its willingness to perform, but as the gearbox is a joy to use that’s no hardship.

The ride is as fluent as you’d expect any Focus to be and the steering, thanks to the engine taking 66 lbs. off the nose, is even sharper and more agile under enthusiastic cornering than before – also aided by electric power steering uniquely tuned for this application.

A short morning’s drive was too limited to ascertain its fuel sipping qualities, but I’d be disappointed if it didn’t average north of 40 mpg in real world, daily driving conditions.

Base price comes in at $28,260 (U.K.)

No related posts.

Visit site:
Driven: 2012 Ford Focus 1.0L EcoBoost

tags: car information car test driven ecoboost featured ford ford focus test drive

A Trailer Rig for Your Cayenne Courtesy of Lumma Design

Powersports fans might be tickled by this new trailer rig made for the Porsche Cayenne just announced by German tuning specialist LUMMA design.

The CLR 558 GT is Lumma’s hop-up job on the range-topping Turbo version of Porsche’s SUV, adding a body kit with side-skirts, wheel-arch extensions and a new grille, as well as a modified hood made from lacquered carbon fiber. Throw in a new set of wheels, a range of custom interior upgrades and a power kit adding 98 bhp and 104 lbs.-ft. of torque to the standard model’s 500 bhp and 516 lbs.-ft., and you pretty much get the picture. Yep, not un-ostentatious to say the least.

“Now,” says Lumma, “your vehicle can be complemented by a beautifully designed trailer manufactured in-house for hobby and leisure use.”

“The trailer is manufactured in lightweight aluminum with carbon fiber or plastic construction and can be used for different applications according to trailer type. This allows jet skis or quads and winter Ski-Doos to be transported easily,” they say. Options include integrated electric winches and retractable ramps.

As is often the case when so many bespoke options are involved, Lumma says the rig is “price on application”. For more information visit Lumma Design.

Related posts:

1. Lumma Design Tunes Porsche 911 Carrera S – 2012 Geneva Auto Show
2. 2011 Porsche Cayenne Revealed
3. Driven: 2011 Porsche Cayenne V-6

More:
A Trailer Rig for Your Cayenne Courtesy of Lumma Design

tags: car information clr 558 gt featured lumma design porsche suv porsche-cayenne sport utility vehicle suv

Andretti Breaks 223 mph – Trackside at Indy 2012

Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Marco Andretti turned a lap of 223.676 mph Tuesday, the first over 223 mph in the four days of practice for the 2012 Indianapolis 500. The first-year Dallara DW12 has changed how the game is played and it’s going to be a fast machine in the 500 on May 27, 2012.

Andretti’s DW12 is powered by a 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 built by Chevrolet that is thought (nobody is quoting official figures) to be producing horsepower in the 550 to 560 range. For comparison, let’s take Arie Luyendyk’s pole-winning speed from 1997 of 218.263 mph. That was the first year of a new chassis and engine formula, too, and Luyendyk’s normally aspirated 4-liter V-8 Olds produced about 650 horsepower. Both cars weighed about 1,500 pounds and had the same tire dimensions.

Marco Andretti talks to Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Luyendyk ran his four laps in qualifying on his own and Andretti had major help with a draft and that’s a major difference. The DW12 loves the draft, runs anywhere from five to eight mph faster in it. The draft helped in 1997, too, but not so much in practice or the race. Tony Stewart had the fastest race lap in 1997 at 215.626. We can expect race laps to be faster this year than in qualifying.

“It (DW12) obviously pokes a huge hole in the air and the leader is a sitting duck,” Andretti said. “These cars actually really tow-up. The last car wasn’t as good. This car seems a bit more lenient on the on the back-end. With last year’s car before you even turned the wheel into (Turn) One, you know that the rear is just not there. Something is telling you to back off even earlier where this one you can really drive it in.”

“We can stay flat really close to people. I think it is going to be a good race. I think is going to be good for the fans. There’s going to be a lot of action because what happens is it tows up decently, but once you get somewhat close, it really…that last third of the straightway, it really starts sucking up. So when it does, people are going to have to do those last minute moves. That’s what the race is going to consist of. It’s going to be good for the fans because I think there is going to be some passing. It will be interesting.”

The Andretti Autosport drivers.

There are challenges with the DW12 that are the same with every race car. They have to be balanced to run flat and they have to make it through a full fuel and tire segment. There will be differences in speed in the race just like there are in every 500.

Andretti’s DW12 was perfectly balanced for his 223.673. He was in a class of his own. Penske Racing’s Helio Castroneves, also with Chevrolet and the DW12 (which all drivers have) was second at 222.025 and James Hinchcliffe, also with Chevrolet, was third at 221.864, Tuesday. Graham Rahal had the fastest Honda, 221.855. “I’m pretty pleased with where we’re at,” Andretti said. “We worked in a pack and stayed flat in traffic. I’m confident we’d have the car to beat if the race started today.”

Knowing when to get into the lead will be the key to winning the race.

“The race is going to be hectic,” Andretti said. “You’re going to have to be in the right place at the right time. You’re going to have to stay out of trouble for the first two thirds of the race and then go for it. It’s still a race car, it still has four wheels and it’s still Indianapolis.”

Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Sebastian Saavedra hanging out in the pits.

Speeds will climb in Friday’s practice and for the two days of qualifications this weekend. IndyCar, worried the cars were too slow on their own for qualifying, has added boost estimated to produce 40 to 50 horsepower for those three days, which should put the fastest cars into the mid-220s in time trials.

Friday will be the best of both worlds for those who like to see lots of speed at Indy, a big draft with extra horsepower.

“Everybody is saving tires and miles (on engines) for Friday,” Rahal said. “This car is actually pretty slippery on its own and when they take downforce off, the speeds will be up significantly.”

The real work on the cars for the race will be done this week and that’s why Andretti’s 223-plus speed was significant. He’s got the best car in the draft and if he can keep it that way through the remaining days of practice, he’ll be one of the best bets to win the race.

Crew teams head back to the garages at the end of the day.

Related posts:

1. Chevrolet and Honda, Even Steven – Trackside at Indy 2012
2. Celebration of Automobiles-Trackside at Indy 2012
3. Chevrolet vs. Honda – Trackside at Indy 2012

See the article here:
Andretti Breaks 223 mph – Trackside at Indy 2012

tags: 2012 indy 500 automotive automotive new featured helio castroneves marco andretti racing ryan hunter-reay

Chevrolet and Honda, Even Steven – Trackside at Indy 2012

IndyCars did some 1600 laps during practice Tuesday and in the last 20 minutes it almost looked like the race. As many as 15 cars were out at one time, a number of them drafting. Of the 30 cars that practiced, 14 topped 200 mph, seven Chevys and seven Hondas. Chevrolet did take the top three spots, with Marco Andretti fastest of all at 223.676 mph. Two other Andretti drivers–James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay–were in the top five.

We should see still quicker speeds on “Fast Friday” and for qualifying on Saturday and Sunday. While the boost for practice is limited to 18.85 psi, it will be bumped to 20.30 for those three days. Boost will revert to 18.85 for the race. The three-day increase is expected to add 40-50 horsepower.

Related posts:

1. Chevrolet vs. Honda – Trackside at Indy 2012
2. Rookie Orientation: Trackside at Indy 2012
3. Celebration of Automobiles-Trackside at Indy 2012

Continued here:
Chevrolet and Honda, Even Steven – Trackside at Indy 2012

tags: auto news automotive featured indianapolist 500 indy 500 indycar james hinchcliffe marco andretti ryan hunter-reay

American Conor Daly Wins and Jean Alesi Finds the Speed

Lotus race cars seem to be popping up everywhere.

On the same weekend Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean finished 3-4 in the Spanish Grand Prix driving Lotus-Renaults, American Conor Daly – son of Grand Prix driver Derek Daly – won the GP3 race at the same circuit in a Lotus. That puts Daly second in the championship after two rounds.

Twenty-year-old Daly later said, “It’s really cool. I made a mistake yesterday in Race 1, I didn’t have the best start, and I didn’t put ourselves in a good position. I was lucky enough to redeem myself today at the start. It feels so nice to have my first podium and my first win. It feels really good to be in this form heading to Monaco. The car has been really good. The Lotus GP guys have been fantastic, the way we have worked together during testing has been awesome.”

Watch a video of the race below.

So we have Daly and Alexander Rossi successfully flying the flag in Europe…keep your fingers crossed, we’ll have another American Grand Prix driver yet.

While Lotus is at the back in Indy, Jean Alesi was able to pass his rookie test Monday and will now be able to race in the 500. That meant doing 15 laps above 210 mph, which he apparently was able to do thanks to some drafting.

Alesi told Crash.net, “Everything here is very much different from what I have experienced. I am enjoying my time here very much. I am enjoying being able to talk to the fans, to sign autographs and pictures of my race cars from quite a few years ago.”

Related posts:

1. Jean Alesi Confirmed for 2012 Indy 500 – IndyCar News
2. Conor Daly Confirms 2011 Plans
3. Jean Alesi to Race in the Indy 500

More here:
American Conor Daly Wins and Jean Alesi Finds the Speed

tags: alexander-rossi auto news derek daly featured jean alesi kimi räikkönen lotus lotus-renault racing video romain-grosjean

Factory Buick Team Returns to Nevada to Race in a GS

Last year two Buick engineers, Bill Rietow and John Townsend, took a break from testing cars within legal speed limits on regular highways to blast along a lone stretch of highway in Nevada at speeds approaching 140 mph in a stock Buick Regal GS.

They ventured out of their normal work environment to tackle the Silver State Classic Challenge – the famous annual “race” that takes place on Highway 318 near Ely, 250 miles north of Las Vegas.

It’s not quite an outright speed race – instead competitors have to accurately achieve a targeted average speed. Last September the Buick factory team competed in the 120-mph class and won with an ‘error’ of just 0.019 seconds after 45 minutes traversing the 90-mile stretch of two-lane highway. It also netted them a “Most Accurate Rookie” award.

This year they are entering the Nevada Open Road Challenge, which takes place this coming Sunday, May 20, using the same stretch of highway as the better-known Silver State Classic Challenge. It is an identical event, except the weather is usually cooler, which means the cars often run faster.

This time the engineers in their 2012 Buick Regal GS have upped the stakes by entering the more challenging 135-mph class. It’s doable as, believe it or not, the Regal GS is the fastest Buick ever made, according to GM.

They feel the Regal GS is up to the task. “We learned a lot about the intricacies of the course on our first time out,” said Rietow. “We now know that the segment known as ‘the Narrows’ can be safely negotiated at 90 mph. By planning the slow down into and the acceleration rate out of the Narrows, we can more accurately control our pace to the target average speed. At times, we’ll need to run at the GS’s top speed.”

It might not be quite as glamorous as lapping Nürburgring but it’s good to see engineers from Buick tackling the world’s fastest road race, as officially recognized by Guinness World Records, in a stock 2012 Regal GS.

Related posts:

1. Buick Wins Class in World’s Fastest Road Race
2. 2011 Buick Regal
3. Driven: Buick Regal GS

View article:
Factory Buick Team Returns to Nevada to Race in a GS

tags: 2012-buick-regal-gs automotive new buick car information featured guinness world record