Autoblog

Nissan backs DeltaWing racecar, headed for Le Mans [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Videos, Nissan, Design/Style, Racing

The DeltaWing project now has two major corporate backers and, more importantly, an engine. Nissan and Michelin have signed on with the innovative project of designer Ben Bowlby, Dan Gurney's All-American Racers and Don Panoz. Now called the Nissan DeltaWing, the Japanese firm will provide a turbocharged, direct-injected 1.6-liter, four-cylinder with an output of around 300 horsepower. Known as DIG-T, the powerplant shares the same roots as the engine in the Nissan Juke.

That's about 200 hp down on the 510 horsepower developed by the diesel V6 in the Audi R18 e-tron Quattro and about half the horsepower developed by other LMP1 racers. However, Nissan says the engine is half the weight of a typical LMP1 motor, and paired with the DeltaWing's minimal aerodynamic drag, the lap times are said to be somewhere between those of the LMP1 and LMP2 classes. Why does this matter? Because Nissan and Co. are taking this needle-nosed baby to Le Mans.

Of call cars and classes, Nissan says this strangest looking effort is one that will "showcase the pioneering technology that will show one potential direction for the future of motorsport and will feed into the research and development of future technologies, that filter down to Nissan's road car product range."

The Nissan DeltaWing will be allowed to run in the 24 Hours of Le Mans following a special dispensation for an experimental car that doesn't follow any technical guidelines offered by ACO, the organizer of Le Mans. It will use Garage 56, it will wear Number 0, and won't be classified in the results. Even so, we'll be watching closely. Follow the jump for a video of the racecar's development and a press release detailing Nissan's involvement.

Continue reading Nissan backs DeltaWing racecar, headed for Le Mans [w/video]

Nissan backs DeltaWing racecar, headed for Le Mans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford opens its archive of images to the world

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Ford

Ford opens up its image archive - Click above for high-res image gallery

The year 2011 marks Ford's 108th year in business. Over the course of its long history, the automaker has collected millions of images. Most of these images are stored in boxes, away from prying eyes... but that is about to change. Ford is launching a brand new site that will give users access to thousands of these archival images.

FordImages.com currently has over 5,000 images available to be licensed. The site adds hundreds more every week and is shooting to have 10,000 available by January of 2012. The seemingly endless galleries of images cover everything from key products and personnel to historic motorsports shots and all Ford vehicles through the ages.

The site offers more than just images, however, with a wide range of signs and artwork also offered. Limited-edition photos of cars like the Ford GT and Shelby GT500 are available and signed by Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby respectively.

If you're a Blue Oval fan, this may become your new favorite web site. There's enough material here to decorate your office, home and garage. All those boxes of stored photos mean there's plenty more where these came from. Check out the gallery below for a few examples of what Ford will offer and be sure to read the full press-release waiting after the jump.

Gallery: Ford opens up its image archive

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford opens its archive of images to the world

Ford opens its archive of images to the world originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monterey 2010: Dan Gurney honored at 2010 Motorsports Reunion

Frank Filipponio — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Celebrities

Dan Gurney Tribute at the 2010 Monterey Motorsports Reunion - Click above for high-res image gallery

Dan Gurney is one of America's most accomplished motorsports personalities. Drawn together for this year's Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion were a couple dozen examples of the cars that helped transforme Gurney into a living legend. Dan got behind the wheel of over 50 different types of cars during his 312-race driving career. His All American Racers (AAR) team was responsible for creating and campaigning some 157 more race cars piloted by 66 different drivers over a period of about 35 years. Gurney's touch was felt in Formula 1, sports cars, NASCAR, Indy, Trans Am, Can-Am, Formula Ford and Formula 5000.

Click through the gallery and you'll see cars like the dark blue Eagle Gurney-Weslake V-12, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful Grand Prix cars ever built. The Henry Ford Museum also shipped out the same red Ford GT40 Mk IV that Gurney and A.J. Foyt drove to victory in the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. That win marks only All-American victory in the legendary 24-hour enduro's storied history. When Gurney took to the winner's podium after the race, he spontaneously shook his congratulatory magnum of champagne and used it to spray everybody within range. That victory celebration has been copied by countless racers ever since.

Other highlights from the gallery include some of the Eagles that played major roles at Indianapolis in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the Toyota GTP Eagles that defined that era of IMSA Sports car racing. There's also his Formula 1 Porsche; his game-changing, rear-engined Indy 500 Lotus-Ford; the 1960 "Birdcage" Maserati that he and Stirling Moss drove to victory in a rainy and fog-shrouded Nürburgring 1000 km race; his 1963 NASCAR Riverside 500 winner; the Can-Am "McLeagle" and a 1970 Trans Am series AAR 'Cuda just to name a few. Click any image below to see the whole gallery, and be sure to check out the rest of our ongoing Monterey 2010 coverage.

Gallery: Dan Gurney Tribute at the 2010 Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Monterey 2010: Dan Gurney honored at 2010 Motorsports Reunion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The 1970 12 Hours of Sebring completely ruled

Alex Nunez — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:24:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Videos, Porsche, Ferrari

1970 12 Hours of Sebring film - Click above to watch video after the jump

If we had a time machine, we'd set it for 1970 and never look back. And once we landed, bought some new threads and scored one of the amazing cars in production at the time, we'd road trip it to Sebring so we could see that year's 12-hour enduro in person. Why? Because as good as modern sports car racing is, Sebring '70 is special. From the cars and drivers (a who's-who of legends including Mario Andretti, Jo Siffert, Pedro Rodriguez, Dan Gurney, Henri Pescarolo, and yes, Steve McQueen, who co-drove his Porsche 908 with Peter Revson despite having his broken left foot in a cast at the time), to the the overall atmosphere, Sebring, Florida on March 21, 1970 was very much the place to be.

Sadly, there's no time machine to take us back there, but there was a brilliant race documentary made of the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring. Follow the jump to see the story play out in five parts. Unfortunately, the embedded YouTube clips don't include the film's seven-minute intro section. But that's okay, because you can catch that part over at the State Library and Archives of Florida, which has the 22-minute movie posted in its entirety.

So, follow the jump and see the drama unfold as the Gulf-Porsche 917s battle the Ferrari 512S trio led by Andretti while McQueen and Revson try to pull off an unimaginable upset. Forty years after the checkered flag dropped, this is still an absurdly exciting and entertaining race to watch, even if you already know its storybook ending. Need a spotter's guide before you hit play? No worries, just click here. Thank you, 1970, for being so incomprehensibly awesome.

[Source: State Library and Archives of Florida, YouTube]

Continue reading Video: The 1970 12 Hours of Sebring completely ruled

Video: The 1970 12 Hours of Sebring completely ruled originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Ex-Gurney 1969 Shelby Trans Am Mustang Boss 302

Zach Bowman — Wed, 26 May 2010 11:29:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Auctions, Ford, Racing

Dan Gurney's 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am - Click above for image gallery

Here's your chance to lay your hands on a piece of muscle car history. One of Dan Gurney's 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 racecars is up for bid on eBay Motors with a chilly Buy it Now price of $1.1 million. The car campaigned in a number of race series, but the biggest feather in its cap is that it helped Ford secure the silver in the 1969 Trans-Am manufacturer championship. According to the listing, this particular example was the prototype for the rest of the Trans-Am Mustangs driven that year, and it was built for Caroll Shelby's team by Kar Kraft.

Gurney whipped the car around the track at Kent and used it for practice at Sears Point, but Peter Revson piloted the Boss to its best finish of the '69 season - fourth at Laguna Seca. After Shelby walked away from the Trans Am series, the Ford spent some time as a wind-tunnel test car and made its way around a variety of race circuits, nabbing an SCCA Championship along the way. In 2003, it was restored to its 1969 configuration in concourse condition, complete with a 527 horsepower 302 under the hood.

The auction includes a mountain of documentation, including signed letters of authenticity from Carroll Shelby himself, Kar Kraft engineering drawings and a stack of period photos of the car going fender to fender. Hit eBay Motors to check it out.

Gallery: Dan Gurney's 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Trans-Am

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Ex-Gurney 1969 Shelby Trans Am Mustang Boss 302 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 May 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dan Gurney to be honored at Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Drew Phillips — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:08:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Celebrities

Few people have had as great an impact on motorsports as Dan Gurney. He's been a driver, team owner, and manufacturer, and has won races doing all at the same time. Gurney has competed successfully at Daytona, Sebring, the Nürburgring, Indianapolis and Le Mans.

In August, Gurney's race exploits will be honored when he's featured as the first guest at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, known until last year as the Monterey Historic Automobile Races. Gurney's history with Laguna Seca dates back to the first professional race held at the track, and won there in 1962. The Reunion will host a display of Gurney-related vehicles from Formula 1, Indy, IMSA GTP, Can-Am and Trans-Am, and the man himself will be on hand for a public interview and an autograph session. Hit the jump for more details on Gurney and the event.

Gallery: 2009 Monterey Historic Automobile Races

[Source: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca]

Continue reading Dan Gurney to be honored at Monterey Motorsports Reunion

Dan Gurney to be honored at Monterey Motorsports Reunion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Rare '69 DeTomaso Mangusta packs pedigree, Gurney engine

Noah Joseph — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Ford

1969 De Tomaso Mangusta with Gurney Eagle engine - Click above for high-res image gallery

American muscle. Italian design. Cadillac Allanté notwithstanding, that right there is a recipe for success. And few were ever as capable of straddling that divide with one foot in each of the best of both worlds as De Tomaso. Like modern-day Pagani, De Tomaso was founded by an Argentinean based in Modena, and the small automaker created some of the most exotic machinery of its day. Chief among them was the Mangusta - its Italian name means 'mongoose,' which might not seem as ferocious an animal to name a sportscar after as, say, a jaguar, viper or stingray, until you realize that the little rodents are known for eating cobras. Then the Mangusta's mission statement becomes a little clearer.

Like the later revival (which was subsequently sold under Qvale and then MG badges), to say nothing of its prey, the original Mangusta packed Ford V8 power: From 1967 through 1971, 400 Mangustas rolled out of the De Tomaso factory with 289s or 302s installed, out of which fewer than 200 are believed to still be around.

So it's not every day that one goes up for sale. And what you see here is no ordinary Mangusta, either. Its Boss 302 engine was retrofitted with race-spec cylinder heads and intake manifold sourced from Dan Gurney's legendary Eagle racer. The body, which comes on an original chassis separate from the engine in this eBay auction lot, has a touch of rust despite a restoration by celebrity garage Pino's Auto Body and it's painted Ferrari red. The stunning rosso exterior is complimented by a tan leather interior that even has a sterling-silver nameplate. This particular Mangusta once belonged to cosmetics heir and noted car collector Jack Nethercutt before passing into the hands of Vector founder Gerard Wiegert, giving this exceptional exotic an even more interesting pedigree. Check out the enormous gallery of images below and the auction listing after the link for more.

Gallery: 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta w/Gurney Eagle engine

[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Rare '69 DeTomaso Mangusta packs pedigree, Gurney engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saleen Gurney Edition Mustang arrives at dealers

Drew Phillips — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Saleen, Specialty

Click above for high-res gallery of the Dan Gurney SS Mustang's arrival

It's been just a few months since Saleen announced its Dan Gurney Signature Series Mustang at the New York Auto Show in April, but the limited edition Mustang has already hit showroom floors. Apparently the car at the show was fairly production ready, although we heard that Gurney spent the last few months helping fine tune the suspension just the way he wanted it. According to Saleen, he still would be if they had let him. In addition to the specially tailored suspension settings, the Gurney Edition also features unique bodywork, graphics and interior as well as lightweight 19-inch wheels and Saleen's supercharged V8 pushing out 465 horsepower. We attended a kick-off party at Galpin Ford in Van Nuys, CA where Dan Gurney was on hand to show off the car and sign autographs. We were also able to take a closer look at the car so we could choose which of the three color schemes we like best, but we're still undecided. A high resolution gallery is below that should help you decide for yourself.

Gallery: Saleen Gurney Signature Edition Mustang at dealers

Saleen Gurney Edition Mustang arrives at dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2008: Gurney still battling Parnelli

Frank Filipponio — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:19:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, New York Auto Show, Classics, Performance, Saleen

Click image above for high-res gallery of the Saleen Gurney Mustang

We just reported on the Gurney Signature Edition Saleen Mustang, but now we've seen it in person and wanted to share some pics. Presented by company President Paul Wilbur and the man himself, the special 'Stang was rolled out in a deep blue that mimics Gurney's 1970 Trans-Am ride. Dan pointed out how his is faster and better handling, at a similar price to the Parnelli Jones Edition. Wilbur noted that they better get on with things so as not to reignite the flames of that old rivalry any further. Wilbur also noted that Saleen will sell just 300 of these special rides: 100 in red, 100 in white, and 100 in the roll-out blue. As we pointed out yesterday, this latest Mustang is powered by a Saleen-supercharged 4.6-liter V8 producing 465 horsepower, and handles curves better thanks to Saleen's Racecraft suspension and Pirelli Corsa tires. The interior features custom two-tone seats and Gurney's signature on the dash. No word on pricing yet, but whatever they ask they'll probably get. It just oozes retro muscle attitude when you are standing near it. Maybe we were just so pleased to be in Dan's presence. The legend even took the time to sign a stack of commemorative posters for anyone who wanted them. That ended up being everyone around.

Follow the jump for the press release from Saleen and check out more high-res pics in the gallery below.

Gallery: Saleen Gurney Signature Edition Mustang

Continue reading New York 2008: Gurney still battling Parnelli

New York 2008: Gurney still battling Parnelli originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame

Dan Roth — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:26:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Etc.

The Automotive Hall of Fame has added five new inductees to its ranks. A.J. Foyt, Dan Gurney, Charles B. King, Sergio Pininfarina, and Shoichiro Toyoda were honored with a formal induction ceremony on Tuesday, October 16th, having been named as inductees back in March at the New York International Auto Show. Foyt and Gurney are honored for their racing endeavors as teammates and owners. Charles B. King may be an obscure name to most, but he was a renaissance man who designed, built, and drove the first car Detroit's streets ever saw. Sergio Pininfarina's work speaks for itself; over fifty years of automotive haute couture. Pininfarina's son Paolo, vice chairman of the firm, accepted on his father's behalf, Sergio having a case of the flu. Toyoda, who has built an automotive giant, joked that halls of fame typically honor individuals in their twilight as he accepted the award. Toyoda, Pininfarina, Gurney, and Foyt are arguably not yet watching the sun set on their accomplishments yet.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Five inducted into Automotive Hall of Fame originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five more inductees for the Automotive Hall of Fame

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

Although the actual award ceremony and induction won't take place until October, the Automotive Hall of Fame announced its class of 2007. Five legendary names from all facets of the automotive world were revealed during the International Motor Press Association meeting at the New York International Auto Show yesterday. The full release follows the jump, but here are the five inductees in brief:

A.J. Foyt - One of the most versatile racers of all time. During his four decades behind the wheel he won in everything from Indy Car, to NASCAR, to Le Mans. Although Indy is where he is perhaps best known, his Le Mans win with co-inductee Dan Gurney in 1967 is one of the seminal moments in motorsports history.
Dan Gurney - As a driver, Gurney had a fairly remarkable career, driving and winning in NASCAR, Indy Car, Sports Car, Trans-Am, Can-Am and Formula 1. But after retiring in 1970, Gurney went on to manufacturer his own race cars and street vehicles as well.
Charles B. King - With a Mechanical Engineering degree in his pocket, King went to Detroit in 1891 and revolutionized the auto industry. Dozens of automotive patents still bear his name. He even was the first person to drive car on the streets of Detroit, a car he designed himself.
Sergio Pininfarina - Descendant of company founder, Pinin Farina, Sergio began running the Carrozzeria in 1960. For more than 50 years he has led Pininfarina, turning it into one of the largest and most successful design firms around. He also oversaw many of the company's most famous projects, especially the Ferraris they are best known for.
Shoichiro Toyoda - When Dr. Toyoda became managing director of Toyota in 1961, the automotive world began to change. With his focus on automotive technology, quality control and factory management he revolutionized Toyota, and with it the whole automotive world.

The big event will happen, on Tuesday, October 16, 2007 in Dearborn, Michigan.

[Source: Automotive Hall of Fame]

Continue reading Five more inductees for the Automotive Hall of Fame

Five more inductees for the Automotive Hall of Fame originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Apr 2007 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood

Alex Nunez — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 08:52:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Etc., Hatchback, Supercars, Ford

With less than a week to go before the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the announcements from participating marques continue to roll in. Ford will celebrate the 40th anniversary of its 1-2-3 finish at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans and its 4-year win streak at Circuit de la Sarthe by sending one of its original GT40 racing cars prepared for Goodwood in the 1966 winning livery.

Le Mans winners Dan Gurney (1967) and Jackie Oliver (1969) will drive the black #2 GT40 up the hill next weekend. To reiterate, attendees at Goodwood will get to see Dan Gurney, American motorsports icon of the first order, drive a GT40 up the Goodwood hill. Really, the only way it could be better is if he was driving a Mk IV from 1967, but that's probably being greedy.

While the GT40 is the star attraction from the Blue Oval, they're also sending a modern Ford GT for the hillclimb and a 2006 BP Ford Focus RS WRC (currently second in the WRC manufacturer standings). The Focus will be driven on both the hillclimb and the forest rally stage at Goodwood by its regular pilots, Marcus Gronholm and Mikko Hirvonen.

A number of privately-owned Fords and Ford-powered cars are also entered in the festival.

(Press releases, photos after the jump)

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood

Ford bringing Gurney, GT40 to Goodwood originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jul 2006 08:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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