Autoblog

Volvo to reveal V60 Racing in 850 BTC racer tribute livery at São Paulo Auto Show

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Wagon, Volvo, Misc. Auto Shows, South America, Design/Style, Racing

Though its reputation here in the States has been built almost solely on its reputation for safety, Volvo has so much racing heritage that it can realistically create tributes to some of the most historic racing vehicles in its 85-year history. The latest competition-ready Volvo will be on display at the São Paulo Auto Show in Brazil on October 23rd.

Based on the Volvo V60 wagon, the imaginatively named V60 Racing will show off new livery in tribute to the classic 850 models that competed in the British Touring Car Championship in the 1990s. Though it's only being teased at this point, we're expecting a predominately blue and white paint job with a few splashes of yellow.

As cool as it may be, we don't expect to see any road-going V60 models wearing BTCC-inspired livery here in the States. That said, feel free to click on the image above for an enlarged view.

Volvo to reveal V60 Racing in 850 BTC racer tribute livery at São Paulo Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Oct 2012 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Honda gets new Civic NGTC out on the track to defend BTCC title

Noah Joseph — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hatchback, Honda, UK, Racing

It's been five months since we first brought you word that Honda was developing a version of its new euro-spec Civic hatchback for competition in the highly competitive British Touring Car Championship. A month later, Matt Neal took home the title for the Japanese automaker behind the wheel of the outgoing Civic touring car. And just a couple of weeks ago, Honda released a quintet of renderings of the version it is preparing in parallel for the World Touring Car Championship.

By now, the Honda team has not only finished building the new Civic NGTC - shorthand for Next-Generation Touring Car - but it has completed initial systems testing, carried out its first on-track shakedown and released these images to tell the tale. With everything running smoothly so far, the team is gearing up for further testing before the 2012 championship kicks off at Brands Hatch on April 1. That's when Neal and Gordon "Flash" Shedden will campaign the new Civic NGTC against a vicious field of rivals driving Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Skoda, Seat, Audi, BMW, Toyota and Proton racers. Heck, there's even the new MG MG6 GT...but not Chevrolet.

We'll be watching keenly to see if Neal and Shedden can defend Honda's title, but for now, you can check out the high-res images in the gallery above and the press release after the jump to see how their new ride is shaping up.

Continue reading Honda gets new Civic NGTC out on the track to defend BTCC title

Honda gets new Civic NGTC out on the track to defend BTCC title originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chevrolet pulls out of British Touring Car Championship

Noah Joseph — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Chevrolet, UK, Racing

If you, like us, were wondering how MG managed to snag Jason Plato away from Chevrolet in the British Touring Car Championship, well you had good reason to wonder. The racecar driver and Fifth Gear co-host had, after all, driven the factory-backed team to both titles in 2010 and landed himself third and his team second just this past season. But you can wonder no more, as the latest news from the BTCC paddock is that Chevrolet has withdrawn from the popular saloon racing series.

The news arrives as a bit of a surprise coming from the front-running team, particularly at a time when the grid has expanded enormously in the past couple of seasons. The reason? According to Autosport, Chevrolet wants to focus its energies on the World Touring Car Championship, where the same outfit RML that ran the BTCC team fields similar Cruze touring cars - driven by Yvan Muller, Rob Huff and Alain Menu - with considerable success: The RML Chevrolet team has claimed both the drivers' and constructors' titles for the past two seasons running, making it something like the Red Bull Racing of touring cars.

A longtime competitor in the BTCC, RML reportedly hopes it won't be long before it is back on the grid in the British series, and given that most of the cars in the championship are fielded by privateer teams, we wouldn't be surprised to see them return as early as next year. In the meantime, General Motors will be well represented in the series by Vauxhall.

Chevrolet pulls out of British Touring Car Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

MG goes big with new BTCC entry

Noah Joseph — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, UK, Racing

The field of cars entered in the British Touring Car Championship has grown incredibly in the last year or two. But as quintessentially British as the series is, few of those automakers represented on the grid are actually, you know... British. But that's all about to change with the latest entry from MG.

Now you might look at MG's current line-up of ho-hum Chinese econo-boxes and lament at how far the brand has fallen since its heyday of building quirky yet iconic roadsters, but MG is pulling all the stops with its touring car effort. The cars - based on the MG6 GT five-door - are being prepared by Triple 8 Race Engineering, the outfit responsible for turning Vauxhall into a powerhouse that dominated the BTCC for years.

If that's not enough to get the job done, the Sino-English automaker has also retained one of the very best drivers in the series. You may know the name and face of Jason Plato from Fifth Gear, the British motoring show he co-presents. But he's also a two-time BTCC champion, winner of 68 races and holds the records for the most fastest laps, pole positions and podiums in the history of the series. Poached from Chevrolet, Plato will be driving alongside up-and-coming talent Andy Neate.

All in all, MG KX Momentum Racing is shaping up as a force to be reckoned with, so the other 22 drivers on the grid had better take notice as the series gears up for its 55th running. Details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading MG goes big with new BTCC entry

MG goes big with new BTCC entry originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lotus enlisted to regulate BTCC engine performance

Noah Joseph — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:41:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus

Of the many motorsport disciplines in which Lotus is competing these days and will be in the near future, the British Touring Car Championship isn't one of them. And of all the manufacturers taking part in the BTCC, Lotus isn't among them. Which could be why race organizers have solicited the services of the Norfolk, England-based engineering consultancy in regulating the performance between the various cars competing in the series.

The issue comes down to the variety of racing formulas employed in the touring car series: some are naturally aspirated, some are turbocharged. Some follow the S2000 rules, some the BTCC's own Next-Generation Touring Car regulations, while others are still on the old BTCC rule book. It's a heck of an act to juggle, particularly when as many as 30 cars from a dozen or so different manufacturers are all racing towards the same checkered flag.

After Lotus presents its findings to the BTCC's Engine Technical Review Panel, organizers will then be able to establish what amount of boost the turbocharged cars can run in order to make it a fair fight for those running without them. Details in the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Lotus enlisted to regulate BTCC engine performance

Lotus enlisted to regulate BTCC engine performance originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Matt Neal takes the British Touring Car Championship for Honda

Noah Joseph — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Honda, UK, Racing

After an epic five-way showdown for the crown and a record 30-car field, Matt Neal has won the British Touring Car Championship, becoming the first three-time champion in the series since the '80s. The battle came down to the final three races held this past weekend at Silverstone - the same iconic circuit that hosts the British Grand Prix in Formula One along with countless other top-tier automobile and motorcycle races.

After securing pole position, Neal drove his Honda Civic to victory in Race 1, his teammate Gordon Shedden beat him out for Race 2 and the pair came eighth and tenth (starting on a reverse grid) behind race winner Tom Chilton in the Ford Focus. The points accrued were enough for Neal to claim the title with 257 points to Shedden's 249, while Chevrolet's defending champion Jason Plato landed third in the standings with 236. Mat Jackson and James Nash, who were both also in contention for the title up until the end of the third race, tied for fourth with 191 points.

In a further victory for the Honda, the team won the manufacturers' championship as well as the teams' title, while James Nash's Vauxhall-fielding 888 Racing team won the drivers' and teams' titles in the independent category. It was surely a high note for Honda on which to finish as it continues preparing a new NGTC-spec touring car based on the new European-market Civic for next year's championship, when it will seek to defend its titles once again and make it a hat trick. Follow the jump for the pair of full press releases.

Continue reading Matt Neal takes the British Touring Car Championship for Honda

Matt Neal takes the British Touring Car Championship for Honda originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

British Touring Car Championship down to five-way title fight at Silverstone finale

Noah Joseph — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, UK

It's not often that the series crosses these pages, but there's no getting around the fact that UK racing fans have enjoyed an unprecedented level of competition in the British Touring Car Championship this year. No season in BTCC history has had a bigger or more varied field of entries, the lead in the standings has changed hands a head-spinning eleven times this season, and with one last stop on the calendar at England's storied Silverstone circuit, it's down to a whopping five-car showdown for the title.

Still in contention for the championship this late in the season are Jason Plato (the Fifth Gear host who drives the Chevrolet Cruze touring car), Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden (both in Honda Civics), Mat Jackson (Ford Focus) and James Nash (Vauxhall Vectra). Although Neal, Plato and Shedden are very much in the lead (with 225, 220 and 220 points, respectively), Jackson and Nash (189 and 181) are both still in the running as domination at Silverstone could still catapult either to the crown.

The contest was left open after an exciting stop at Brands Hatch, where Plato took the checkered flag in both the first two races. The Civics were relegated further behind in the record 29-car field in those first two, but returned for a 1-2 finish in the third and final race of the weekend. Follow the jump for more details and start crossing off squares on your calendar until the championship wraps up with three races at Silverstone two weeks from now.

Continue reading British Touring Car Championship down to five-way title fight at Silverstone finale

British Touring Car Championship down to five-way title fight at Silverstone finale originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Honda Racing UK already working on NGTC-spec Civic

Noah Joseph — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Honda, UK, Racing

Of all the new debuts scheduled for the Frankfurt Motor Show - now less than two weeks away - few will proliferate quite like the new European-market Honda Civic. The Old World version of the new Civic has so far only been teased, but the company's UK competition division has already started work on the racing version that will take on the most famous circuits Great Britain has to offer.

The competition version of the new Euro Civic is being built according to the new NGTC rules employed by the British Touring Car Championship, and is currently undergoing development in conjunction with Team Dynamics. The outfit fields the old Civic, which was introduced to the BTCC back in 2007, with considerable success: the team has collected a slew of titles in the series, including the teams' and manufacturers' championships last season, and is currently sitting second and third in the current standings.

Expect the new racer to be unveiled sometime after the road car makes its debut in Frankfurt. In the meantime, Honda has released the first of a four-part video series highlighting its BTCC effort. Check it out after the jump.

Continue reading Honda Racing UK already working on NGTC-spec Civic

Honda Racing UK already working on NGTC-spec Civic originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Skoda Octavia slated as latest entry to join British Touring Car Championship

Noah Joseph — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, UK, Skoda, Racing

The new entries just keep on lining up for the British Touring Car Championship, which is rapidly becoming the most varied racing series in the world. There are already 27 cars based on 13 different models from 10 different manufacturers, but now the touring car series is about to get a 28th, based on a 14th from an 11th, respectively.

The latest car set to join the BTCC grid this year is the Skoda Octavia vRS. The compact sedan from the Czech Volkswagen subsidiary is based on some very old technology, taking its underpinnings (and everything else) from the several-generatons-old VW Jetta. That doesn't seem to be deterring TH Motorsport from bringing it to the BTCC, though.

The independent team has been racing in the series since 2001, fielding everything from Mitsubishis and Hondas to Protons and Seats. It withdrew from the BTCC after last season and has been plotting its return ever since, finally settling on the Octavia which it will adapt to the new cost-effective NGTC regulations that have opened up the field to so many independents.

Matt Hamilton, who drove for the team the past two years running (and who, as far as we can tell, is of no relation to F1 champion Lewis Hamilton), will be taking the wheel of the Skoda when it's ready, but the team is considering the potential for a second car. Press release after the jump.

Continue reading Skoda Octavia slated as latest entry to join British Touring Car Championship

Skoda Octavia slated as latest entry to join British Touring Car Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 07:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BTCC season-opener ends in dramatic 0.055-second photo finish

Noah Joseph — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Honda, UK, Racing

Matt finish at BTCC Croft - Click above to watch the video after the jump

To the casual observer, it might appear that there's only a handful of racing series in the world. F1, NASCAR, maybe WRC. But the true racing fanatic knows there's a lot more than that. There are open-wheel series (such as Indy Car) at different levels in countries around the world. There's motorbike racing, ice racing, truck racing, and, of course, there's touring cars.

The European equivalent to stock cars, touring cars account for some of the most down-to-the-wire, wheel-to-wheel racing action known to man, from DTM in Germany to V8 Supercars in Australia. But this weekend's season-opener in the British Touring Car Championship was about as nail-biting as it comes.

The race at Croft Circuit in North Yorkshire this weekend was punctuated by intermittent rain as various drivers in the expanded field opted for different tire choices. Some went for rain tires, some went for slicks, but Mat Jackson, piloting a Ford Focus, put slicks on the driving wheels up front and wets on the rears. After a mid-race accident, the safety car was withdrawn as the track began to dry and Jackson's gambit paid off as he climbed up the field.

With just a few laps to go, Jackson climbed up to fourth behind Jason Plato (he of Fifth Gear fame) in the Chevy Cruze, Rob Collard in the BMW 3 Series and two-time series champion Matt Neal in the Honda Civic. Jackson picked his way past Plato and then past Collard, but coming down the front straight to the finish line it was as close as it gets: a photo finish of 0.055 seconds. So which Matt took the win? Follow the jump to find out, and in the process witness some of the closest racing action you'll ever see.

Continue reading BTCC season-opener ends in dramatic 0.055-second photo finish

BTCC season-opener ends in dramatic 0.055-second photo finish originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Honda teammates collide on last lap of British Touring Car race

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Videos, Honda, UK, Racing

Honda teammates collide on last lap of BTCC race - Click above to watch the video after the break

Uh oh, looks like someone just got Red Bulled. Don't know what that means? Remember back to the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix, in which the Red Bull racer driven by Mark Webber was leading the race with his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, right behind in second. It appeared to everyone watching that the famous energy drink's team would earn the first two spots on the podium, but it was not to be.

Vettel dove to the inside in a daring and dangerous maneuver and collided into his teammate. Vettel's day was done, Webber managed to finish the race in third. Stupid.

So memorable was the incident that it's now become a verb. The latest set of teammates to pull a Red Bull? Matt Neal and Gordon Shedden, who race matching Honda Civics in the British Touring Car Championship. On the last lap of the second race at Oulton Park on June 5th, Neal, who was in second place behind his 'mate, decided he deserved to take the win. His passing maneuver, though, ended in tears.

See for yourself in the video after the break.

Continue reading Honda teammates collide on last lap of British Touring Car race

Honda teammates collide on last lap of British Touring Car race originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Vauxhall Insignia to go racing in British Touring Car Championship

Noah Joseph — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:38:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Vauxhall, UK, Racing

You go ahead and try to find a racing series with as high a participation rate as the British Touring Car Championship. With 13 different models from 10 different manufacturers covering 27 entries, the BTCC field is at an all-time high this year. But there's always room for one more.

That one more is slated to come in the form of the Vauxhall Insignia - known on these shores as the Buick Regal. Of course as General Motors' British subsidiary, Vauxhall is already well-represented on the BTCC grid. In fact, the Griffin marque has claimed six drivers' titles, six teams' titles and eight manufacturers' titles just since the turn of the millennium. But while the Astra has dominated in years past and the Vectra appears on the grid this year - to say nothing of the Chevrolet Cruze - the new addition is reportedly going a decidedly larger route by converting the Insignia into a touring car.

The project is being undertaken by Thorney Motorsport, a British tuning and racing firm that specializes in BMWs and Vauxhalls, who are tempted by the latest cost-effective Next-Generation Touring Car (NGTC) regulations. The Insignia would be the fourth NGTC-spec car on the grid, joining the Toyota Avensis, Audi A4 and Proton Gen-2 along with the ten returning S2000 and BTC-T cars.

Thorney, which operates 60 performance garages across the UK, may opt to develop its own engine or else use the spec engine package offered by series organizers TOCA. The larger form of the Insignia, the team hopes, will be offset by its low aerodynamic drag coefficient. Thorney hopes to have the car on the grid by the end of the season.

[Sources: BTCC, Autosport]

Vauxhall Insignia to go racing in British Touring Car Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Podium finishes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Ford Focus BTCC at race debuts

Noah Joseph — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, UK, Racing

SLS AMG GT3 and Ford Focus touring car make their race debut - Click either image for high-res gallery

Teething pains are normal when developing a race car. Save for series like Formula One where every team is starting with a new car at the beginning of each season, it's to be expected that a new race car will face some difficulties when competing in its first race. That's what makes this past weekend's results so extraordinary.

Instead of being relegated to the garage with mechanical troubles, as you might expect from a new racing machine, both the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 and the Ford Focus touring car scored podium finishes on their race debuts this past weekend.

The race-prepped neo-gullwing finished third overall and first in the GT3 class at the opening round of the VLN Nürburgring Endurance Championship, fielded by the Black Falcon team. A second SLS followed in fourth place overall, with another two finishing 7th and 19th. The series consists of ten endurance races, all competed around a combination of the Nordschleife and Grand Prix circuits at the Nürburgring, and this race marked the first time that the SLS GT3, having completed its testing phase, was fielded entirely by privateers with no factory support. BMW claimed victory with a one-two finish in the M3 GT, while the Pininfarina P4/5 failed to complete the race.

The Ford triumph, meanwhile, came in the opening round of the British Touring Car Championship. As we reported recently, the BTCC is benefiting from a large field of competition that's unprecedented in size, but the new Focus surmounted the odds by cementing a third-place finish in the first of three races on the Indy configuration at Brands Hatch. Tom Chilton scored that podium finish in the "Global Ford Focus" racer while Andy Neate finished 11th in the second car, and while neither fared as well in the second or third races (finishing 11/12 and 8/15 respectively), that they finished each race at all was an accomplishment in and of itself for the new Focus and for Team AON which fielded them.

The checkered flags in the first two races went to Fifth Gear presenter and defending series champion Jason Plato in the Chevrolet Cruze, with two-time former BTCC champ Matt Neal taking the win in the third race behind the wheel of the Honda Civic. Press releases after the jump.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 race debut – VLN Nurburgring

Gallery: Ford Focus BTCC race debut – Brands Hatch

[Sources: Mercedes-Benz, Team AON]

Continue reading Podium finishes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Ford Focus BTCC at race debuts

Podium finishes for Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, Ford Focus BTCC at race debuts originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Toyota Avensis touring car debuts ahead of BTCC season opener

Noah Joseph — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:32:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Toyota, UK, Racing

Toyota Avensis BTCC - Click above for high-res image gallery

Touring car racing is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance as of late. DTM is growing from a German national series to a proper international championship, while the World Touring Car Championship is living up to its name by expanding outside Europe. V8 Supercars are as popular as ever Down Under, just as Super GT is in Japan. But arguably the most resurgent is the British Touring Car Championship.

Title-sponsored by Dunlop, this year's BTCC will feature no fewer than 27 competitors - and all-time high for the series - fielding 13 different models from 10 manufacturers, representing Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Proton, Seat, Toyota, Vauxhall and Volkswagen. That could very well be higher and more varied participation than any other major racing series in the world.

When the BTCC launched its Next Generation Touring Car formula, it was Toyota's British subsidiary that kicked it off with the new Avensis racer, which has finally made its public debut at Silverstone - a little behind schedule, but still a week before the series gets under way at Brands Hatch. The car will be campaigned by Dynojet Racing and Speedworks, with Frank Wrathall, Jr. and Tony Hughes behind the wheel of each, respectively. The cars are built atop frames rolling right off the assembly line at Toyota's Burnaston plant, and powered by a turbochagred 2.0-liter four with over 300 horsepower. Check out the full press blast after the jump for more.

Gallery: Toyota Avensis BTCC

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading Toyota Avensis touring car debuts ahead of BTCC season opener

Toyota Avensis touring car debuts ahead of BTCC season opener originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Audi returning to BTCC with privateer A4 touring car

Noah Joseph — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:38:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Europe, Audi, UK, Racing

While archrival BMW may be downscaling its racing program - in touring car series particularly - Audi looks to be going the other way. For evidence, we turn your attention to Exhibit A: a new entry into the British Touring Car Championship for 2011.

The two-car entry is being undertaken by Rob Austin Racing, a privateer British racing outfit taking a step up into the championship. The team has commissioned a pair of A4 touring cars to be built to by racing constructor GPR Motorsport to the BTCC's Next Generation Touring Car formula. The new regulations are aimed at reducing the cost of constructing and fielding an entry in the series, helping Audi - though entered independently from the manufacturer - become the ninth automaker represented on the grid for next season.

Testing of the new A4 NGTC is set to kick off in March, but the rendering above has been released in advance to give us an idea of what the car could look like. Follow the jump for the official announcement.

[Source: Rob Austin Racing via Autocar]

Continue reading Audi returning to BTCC with privateer A4 touring car

Audi returning to BTCC with privateer A4 touring car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ginetta releases official renderings of new G55

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, UK, Racing

Ginetta G55 - Click above for image gallery

The Ginetta G50 has so far been the star of the Ginetta GT Supercup, a one-make support series for the British Touring Car Championship. There's a brighter star on the way next year, though, when Ginetta introduces the G55. The new car will compete alongside the G50 in next year's races but in its own class and with separate a points system and podium ceremony.

To go along with its more aggressive looks and aero, the G55's Ford engine is 3.7 liters instead of the G50's 3.5, and it puts out 370 horsepower - 70 horses more than the G50. Other tweaks include beefier brakes front and back and a new exhaust. Current G50 owners can upgrade to the G55 for £25,000 ($39,219 U.S.), or privateers can buy the car new for £75,000 ($117,661 U.S.).

Ginetta's latest will be publicly unveiled at Autosport International on January 13 in Birmingham, England. Follow the jump for the press release, and get a couple of glimpses in the gallery of images below.

Gallery: Ginetta G55

[Source: Ginetta]

Continue reading Ginetta releases official renderings of new G55

Ginetta releases official renderings of new G55 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 28 Nov 2010 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ford announces Touring Car motorsport program for new Focus

Noah Joseph — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Ford, Racing

2012 Ford Focus ST touring car - Click above for high-res image gallery

Few automakers have the deep history in motor racing as Ford. But these days the Blue Oval isn't fielding much in the way of factory works racing teams, opting instead to support independent campaigns and privateers. Plenty of race-ready packages are available for the Mustang, the Fiesta just joined the fold with a new rally package and now the new Focus is jumping in on the action as well.

Ford is using the upcoming Focus ST as the basis for an adaptable touring car program, working with teams that will be campaigning it in series around the world. First up will be the British Touring Car Championship, with further forays planned to follow in the China Touring Car Championship and the Nürburgring 24-hour race. Although development will be carried out largely by the participating teams, they'll have access to Ford technology and expertise, while Ford inversely plans to use the program to benefit the development of the Focus production car.

The touring car is being developed in accordance with the FIA's Super 2000 regulations, a platform from which Ford figures the Focus could easily be adopted for use in other categories as well, including the BTCC's Next Generation Touring Car. Few details on the car's specifications have been revealed beyond that, but you can read the full announcement after the jump while scoping out the pair of images in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Focus ST touring car

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford announces Touring Car motorsport program for new Focus

Ford announces Touring Car motorsport program for new Focus originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Next-Generation Toyota Avensis Touring Car previewed in sketches

Noah Joseph — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Toyota, UK, Racing

Toyota Avensis Next Generation Touring Car - Click above for high-res sketches

You've seen NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow - now meet its British counterpart. Based on the Toyota Avensis, this Next Generation Touring Car is the first of a new breed of cars set to take over the British Touring Car Championship starting next season.

Although Toyota isn't competing in the series with a works team, it has supplied the donor car and body shell to GPR Motorsport to use as the basis for its new touring car, built to revised BTCC regulations. The Avensis is, after all, a British-built car - one that enjoys broad sales success in the UK and across Europe.

The Avensis NGTC will make its debut at the last round of this season's championship on October 9 at Brands Hatch, where two-time BTCC champion James Thompson will take the wheel. In the meantime, click below to view the first sketches of how the new contender will look, or follow the jump for the full press release.

Gallery: Toyota Avensis Next Generation Touring Car

[Source: GPR Motorsport]

Continue reading Next-Generation Toyota Avensis Touring Car previewed in sketches

Next-Generation Toyota Avensis Touring Car previewed in sketches originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chevrolet UK launches Cruze CS aero kit with contrasting wheels - Will it come here?

Zach Bowman — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM, UK

2011 Chevrolet Cruze CS - Click above for high-res image

Well, now - look who got themselves a set of fancy new dancing shoes. Chevrolet Cruze buyers in the UK can now outfit their thrifty little sedans with a trick lowered suspension, rear spoiler and contrasting wheels, straight from the factory. The look helps the car resemble the Silverline Cruze currently bashing around the British Touring Car Championship. We certainly dig on the white 18-inch multi-spoke alloys. They look right at home on the blue car in the high-res gallery shown here, especially given the more aggressive stance served up by the reworked suspension.

General Motors is calling the package the CS styling kit, and those wanting a little extra menace with their Cruze better get ready to shell out £1,595, or $2,410 at current exchange rates. As the Cruze starts at around $15,500, that's a not insignificant amount of dosh, but it also adds a good amount of presence to the visuals and hopefully improves handling.

Either way, we have a sneaking suspicion that we're not likely to see the CS package on our shores. Most Americans have no clue what the BTCC is all about, and while the add-ons certainly sharpens the appearance of the Cruze, we're more likely to get a mild body kit and not much else. Hit the jump for the press release.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze CS

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevrolet UK launches Cruze CS aero kit with contrasting wheels - Will it come here?

Chevrolet UK launches Cruze CS aero kit with contrasting wheels - Will it come here? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

AmD Milltek Racing brings the Volkswagen Golf back to the British Touring Car Championship

Noah Joseph — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Volkswagen, UK, Racing

AmD Milltek Racing Volkswagen Golf touring car - Click above for image gallery

Touring car racing is big business overseas. Think of it as European stock cars and you've got an idea of the fan base. And while there's a World Touring Car Championship, it's the individual national series that draw the most attention: series like DTM in Germany, Australia's V8 Supercars, Italy's Superstars series, and this, the British Touring Car Championship.

The UK series dates back for decades, and has attracted the participation of many of the world's biggest automakers. Now, for the first time in ten years, a Volkswagen will be competing in the series. Prepared by AmD Milltek Racing, this VW Golf will be dicing it with the likes of the BMW 320si, Vauxhall Vectra, Seat Leon and Honda Civic Type R for the glory as an independent entry. (In fact most - if not all - of the entries are now privateers since the major manufacturers packed up shop.)

The Golf touring car was brought over under the new S2000 rules from the Baltic Touring Car Championship - one of the more obscure series in the discipline - and modified by Milltek before recently undergoing a shakedown at Brands Hatch where the team is based. The car was driven, as it will be throughout the season, by the team's managing director Shaun Hollamby, whose past experience had him competing in the Volkswagen Cup and directing the television department for Formula One Management.

Gallery: AmD Milltek Racing Volkswagen Golf touring car

[Source: AmD Milltek Racing via JonSibal.com]

AmD Milltek Racing brings the Volkswagen Golf back to the British Touring Car Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments