McLaren has put up a job posting for a Senior Engineer for Powertrain Hybrid Technology on its official website, which may offer a few clues as to where the automaker may be heading in the near future for its road cars. As far as rumors go, this one seems pretty solid. According to an unnamed spokesperson quoted by Autocar:

It (hybrid technology) is something we want as a forward-thinking, technology-driven company. We have been considering it for future projects. All the advert means is that we are looking for a senior engineer in powertrain hybrid technology. Read into it what you will.

One possibility is that McLaren will attempt to adapt the KERS system from its Formula 1 race cars for street use. It's widely agreed upon that McLaren's KERS implementation is the best in F1 and both BMW and Ferrari are also thought to be working on KERS for future road cars.

Within the next few years, McLaren is expected to introduce a couple of new supercars, including a replacement for the current SLR, codenamed P11, and a successor to the famed F1 supercar from the mid '90s that's currently known as the P12.



[Source: McLaren via Autocar]

The next BMW M5 is due to arrive sometime in 2011 or 2012 and as the release date draws near, more details about BMW's newest 'Bahn-burner have begun to surface.

Two reports indicate that BMW may continue to use a V10 powerplant in the next M5, although there's still some evidence that the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 currently fitted to the X5M and X6M could be tweaked and fitted in its place. However, if BMW decides to stick with the bent-ten, a thoroughly revised version based off the 'utes' V8 would be employed, packing a duo of turbos to boost output up and over the 600 hp mark, and giving the Audi RS6 a run for its money.

But it won't be all about power. BMW is also expected to use an F1-style KERS system to increase performance and fuel economy, along with an engine start-stop setup and an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. If the rumors are to be believed, expect the next M5 to make its debut sometime in 2011, with sales beginning in early 2012.



[Sources: BMWBlog, AutoExpress]

After using its KERS hybrid system on and off through the first half of the 2009 Formula One season, the BMW-Sauber team has decided enough is enough. The team will shelve the system through the remainder of the year while it focuses on aerodynamic development. In spite of the utter lack of success using the kinetic energy recovery systems this year, team boss Mario Theissen said the development process has been useful for the company's production hybrids. Lessons learned in developing the electric hybrid system on the race cars has been transferred to engineers working on the upcoming 750h mild hybrid and X6 two-mode hybrid.

BMW isn't totally giving up on the system though, having voted to retain KERS for future seasons. Under the current rules, there are not enough performance benefits from KERS and Thiessen says that unless KERS is mandatory for all cars, it will likely be dropped by all teams.

[Source: F1-Live]

It's no secret that the FIA and the Formula One Teams' Association are jointly interested in reducing the cost required to compete in F1 racing, and the FOTA has taken a step in that direction by resolving to abandon the use of the controversial kinetic energy recovery systems (KERS) that are permissible but not mandatory for the 2009 season. According to reports, the vote to ban the hybrid powertrains was not unanimous, but a majority of teams have voted against the technology for 2010.

As it stands, only four of the ten teams taking part in the '09 season have actually used KERS in competition and only two, McLaren and Ferrari, used it last weekend at the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul. This vote raises questions as to how F1 will promote environmental awareness in the absence of KERS-equipped powertrains.

Says McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh:

"F1 has to demonstrate that it has some green credentials, but at the same time, in this economic climate everybody is looking to save costs. It has been a huge effort talking about new entrants and making sure the smaller teams stay in F1. McLaren's position is we would like to see KERS retained – but we also accept that we have to be responsible members of the F1 community, and if the majority don't want to have KERS, or can't afford KERS at the moment, then we have to be realistic."

[Source: Crash.net | Photo: FRED DUFOUR/AFP/Getty Images]

Back in September of 2008, Corsa Motorsports announced it would be shelving their Ferrari F430 in the GT2 category and instead campaign a new P1 Prototype fitted with a KERS system. While the planned debut at Petit Le Mans didn't happen in order to further develop the system, the Utah-based race team is still pushing ahead with the hybrid racecar that will introduce the kinetic energy recovery system to the ALMS. Today, Corsa Motorsports tested the Ginetta-Zytek GZ09SH laden with the 85kg KERS system for the first time at the Silverstone circuit, and Steve Pruitt, team owner, has announced that the car will make its competition debut at the Utah Grand Prix at Miller Motorsports Park on May 17. If all goes well, the appearance of the new racecar will bring some much needed competition to the P1 category which has been dominated by the Acura prototypes the last two races. Corsa Motorsports proved to be very quick last year in a Zytek 07S (pictured above), finishing third in class at the season finale at Laguna Seca.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

One of the stated reasons that automakers send prototype race cars around tracks at high rates of speed is to further the development of new technology for their road-going automobiles. There's no higher form of automotive motorsport than Formula 1, so it stands to reason that fuel-saving advancements like the kinetic energy recovery hybrid systems that F1 is currently in the midst of implementing will someday make it to production cars. According to Ferrari president Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the Italian automaker is already testing its KERS system in a prototype based on the 599 chassis.

There's some speculation that the Dale Earnhardt edition 599XX at the Geneva Motor Show may have some form of the KERS system installed, but that's not confirmed. With this technology, energy that would otherwise be lost to braking can be stored and reused the next time the vehicle accelerates, thereby boosting both performance and efficiency, and that's something we can all get behind.


[Source: Motor Authority]

Formula One racing has implemented sweeping changes to its vehicles for the 2009 racing season. All cars will drive on slick tires, front and rear wing specifications have changed dramatically, and noses have grown. Changes have taken place in the powertrain department as well, with each car only receiving eight engines for the year, and all powerplants will be limited to 18,000 rpm.

These are but a few of the changes, and going into more detail can get a bit boring. Luckily, Red Bull Racing created a bang-up virtual tour of all of the changes in F1 for 2009. Hit the jump to view the video. Not only is the animation fantastic, but the short rundown is also extremely informative. As an added bonus, the video also expertly explains how a Kinetic Energy Recovery System can give drivers six seconds of burst per lap. Good stuff.

[Source: Red Bull Racing]

Put a Ferrari and a Peugeot side-by-side and you'll struggle to find any similarities, but on the race track, the two share more in common than you might think. Before masterminding Ferrari's rejuvenation, former CEO Jean Todt was head of Peugeot's competition department, and brought with him some of PSA's top racing engineers. Peugeot's renewed Le Mans racing operation employs several F1 drivers, including Ferrari's own test pilot Marc Gene. Now reports are suggesting that the two outfits, both seeking top honors in their respective motorsport disciplines, may be cooperating on the joint development of their Kinetic Energy Recovery System.

KERS is nearing implementation in Formula One, and several teams are pursuing external expertise to get their systems ready. But joining with Peugeot would allow Ferrari, whose system is being developed with its technical partner and sister company Magneti-Marelli, to circumvent the tight restrictions on development and testing, restrictions which are only getting tighter each year. Peugeot, meanwhile, is preparing to implement a similar system on the Le Mans circuit in its new 908 HY prototype, which it hopes will edge out Audi at both the finish line and the green front.

[Sources: F1-Live and GrandPrix.com]

According to Team BMW Sauber, it has "concluded their investigations into the KERS incident at Jerez." Incident? You mean that time when one of your mechanics was literally thrown to the ground after doing nothing more than touching your car? Right, that one. If you are truly interested in reading all of the techno-babble regarding why the experimental KERS hybrid system reached out and touched someone, click past the break for the details. Here are the highlights: It was an accident. The KERS control unit malfunctioned. Nobody was seriously hurt and nobody was ever in any real danger (Dr Evil: Riiight...). Christian Klein, the driver, was insulated from any shocks due to his race suit and gloves.

BMW Sauber has apparently fixed the problem and feels confident that it will be ready to continue testing in the Autumn. Recently, the BMW team voted in favor of running the KERS hybrid system for next year's race season, so it'll have to be ready to go sooner rather than later.

[Source: BMW]

Despite some serious reservations regarding the safety and high cost of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System
(KERS), the hybrid system has received the green light for introduction into the 2009 Formula 1 season. After BMW and Renault had some, uh, issues with KERS, Renault called a meeting to discuss whether the new flywheel-based system should be postponed until 2010. BMW Sauber, Honda Racing and Williams are apparently feeling confident enough in their own systems to resist the delay. Because F1 rules dictate that a consensus must be reached to change the previous ruling, F1 cars in 2009 will run with the new drivetrain. The only thing which could still hold back the new technology would be if the teams were unable to guarantee the safety of their systems, and this seems unlikely given that Honda has already completed a successful track test last week.

[Source: autosport.com]