Autoblog

Porsche reveals new LMP1 racecar testing ahead of 2014 Le Mans debut [UPDATE]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Porsche, Racing

Getting ready for its triumphant return to the premier racing class of Le Mans, Porsche has released a handful of images showing its new LMP1 racecar testing. Porsche hasn't run a car in the Prototype class at 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2009, but this racecar - still veiled in secrecy - will be expected to battle against the Audi and Toyota LMP1 Prototypes to help bring Porsche its 17th Le Mans victory.

Aside from knowing that it will use a hybrid powertrain to meet LMP1 rules, there are no other details about the car... including its name or potential sponsors. In the meantime, Porsche has set up a microsite, called Mission 2014, to share its extensive history racing at Le Mans. Also, be sure to check out some of the past videos Porsche has released as it gears up for its reborn LMP1 program.

UPDATE: official press release added below

Continue reading Porsche reveals new LMP1 racecar testing ahead of 2014 Le Mans debut [UPDATE]

Porsche reveals new LMP1 racecar testing ahead of 2014 Le Mans debut [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DeltaWing coupe to debut at Sebring [UPDATE]

Zach Bowman — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:44:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Just when we thought the DeltaWing couldn't get any weirder, DeltaWing Racing Cars unveils a new enclosed version of the experimental racer. The coupe is set to bow at Sebring International Raceway this week, complete with an all-new tub to help it comply with 2014 LMP1 regulations. The new racer, to be campaigned without former sponsor Nissan, also features a new engine worked up by the minds at Elan Motorsports Technologies. The open-top machine will still get around the track thanks to a revised version of its old turbocharged 2.0-liter mill. So, why put a hardtop on the car?

Engineers say adding the roof offers up an obvious safety advantage, protecting the driver's head from debris, rollovers and the like. The design also moves the driving position to dead center instead of off to the left or right, also as a safety precaution. Drivers Andy Meyrick and Olivier Pla will helm the machine at its inaugural race ~~this weekend~~ which could be as soon as Laguna Seca.

UPDATE: A clarification - the DeltaWing coupe will not race at Sebring, it will merely be displayed. The open-top version of the car will be campaigned with a new, larger engine until the coupe is ready to race.

DeltaWing coupe to debut at Sebring [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ALMS, Grand-Am announce combined class structure, LMP1 is out

Jeffrey N. Ross — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

Other than the announcement back in September that the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and the American Le Mans Series were merging, there have been precious few details as to how the newly combined series would shake out. Today, both entities helped clear things up a bit by announcing some of the new classification changes that will go into effect for the 2014 Rolex 24, changes that are confirmed through the 2015 season.

The names for the new classes (or the new series as a whole) have yet to be released, but the breakdown goes like this:

The ALMS P1 prototype class (pictured above) has been eliminated
Grand-Am Daytona Prototype and ALMS P2 classes will be merged
Nissan Deltawing will compete in this merged class
ALMS Prototype Challenge will remain a separate class
Grand-Am and ALMS GT classes will continue to run separate cars and classes
The future of the Grand-Am's new GX class sounds unsure after this year, with it either becoming part of the ALMS GT class or becoming its own separate class

Right off the bat, this suggests we will no longer see LMP1 cars like the Audi R18 TDI or Lola racecars in the US, though we still don't know what sort of rule changes there will be for the Prototype and GT classes (and we wouldn't be surprised to see these competitors end up in a different class). Despite losing the LMP1 cars (which currently runs hybrid and diesel racecars), both organizations look to include more "green technologies." We already know the new ALMS GX class will feature 2014 Mazda6 with a Skyactiv-D diesel engine under the hood.

For more information about the newly combined road racing series, check out the press release by scrolling below.

Continue reading ALMS, Grand-Am announce combined class structure, LMP1 is out

ALMS, Grand-Am announce combined class structure, LMP1 is out originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Update on Porsche's upcoming LMP1 Le Mans entry: Weissach team hard at work [w/video]

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:44:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Porsche, Racing

Porsche still hasn't showed the LMP1 contender it is building for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014 - in fact, there won't be any public eyeballs on it until the middle of 2013. But the Stuttgart manufacturer sure wants to make sure everyone knows it is coming, giving us another update - after the initial announcement and a retrospective video - on the car's progress even if there is no actual car yet.

The Weissach Motorsport Center where the racer is being born has been expanded just for the purpose with a new office complex and workshop building. The entire program has been restructured and the initial program head has relinquished his duties to focus on all of Porsche's other motorsports activities, while the chief of BMW's former F1 program, Fritz Enziger, has been brought in.

When it does hit the track, there will be drivers with Porsche's works team behind the wheel and providing support. It will start racing in the 2014 World Endurance Championship, which will give it plenty of hardcore development laps before that showdown in the Arcadian Gallic countryside. Clearly, Porsche is serious. There's a press release with further details below, and an encore showing of Porsche's Le Mans history, brought to you by Steve McQueen.

Continue reading Update on Porsche's upcoming LMP1 Le Mans entry: Weissach team hard at work [w/video]

Update on Porsche's upcoming LMP1 Le Mans entry: Weissach team hard at work [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans

Drew Phillips — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 09:15:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

The American Le Mans Series headed to Braselton, GA this past weekend for the 15th annual Petit Le Mans and the conclusion of its 2012 season. While some of the championships had already been decided earlier in the season - the Corvette team had already captured the manufacturer, team and driver championships for the GT class prior to the race, for example - there were still several titles up for grabs. The Muscle Milk Pickett Racing team, having dominated much of the ALMS season in the fastest P1 class, needed to finish just 70 percent of the race distance to take home the crown, as did the Level 5 Motorsports team in P2.

While Petit Le Mans remains one of the most important events on the North American motorsports calendar, there were some big names absent from the field at Road Atlanta. Peugeot, having dropped funding for its Le Mans program, wouldn't be around to defend their overall wins from the past three years. Audi, with the World Endurance Championship dropping Petit Le Mans from their calendar and no Peugeot to battle, decided to forgo the trip across the Atlantic as well.

Even so, the field of cars for Petit Le Mans remained strong thanks to the European Le Mans series making the 1,000 mile endurance race their season finale as well. The Europeans proved to be quick, with the Rebellion Racing Lola-Toyota taking the overall pole position and the Morgan-Nissan of Oak Racing took the top qualifying spot in P2.

Adding some extra flair to this year's race was the addition of the Nissan DeltaWing, making its first competition appearance in North America. Despite having a scary crash on Wednesday and undergoing extensive repairs, the DeltaWing proved to have significant pace throughout practice and qualifying.

Scroll down for a full race report from the 2012 Petit Le Mans, and check out our exhaustive gallery of high-res images above.

Continue reading 2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans

2012 ALMS champions crowned at Petit Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Le Mans rule changes for 2014 announced, engine restrictions eased

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 19:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

The Automobile Club de l'Ouest, organizer of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has announced a number of rule changes for the 2014 race that open up the options for LMP1 racers and guide their technology closer to that of road cars, and that should also give fans even better racing than we're used to seeing. Probably biggest of all is loosening the restraints on engine design. Currently, gas engines are limited in size to 3.4 liters, while diesel displacement can be no more than 3.7 liters, with further turbocharger, supercharger and air restrictor regulation on top of that. Those are all gone - "The limitations of cylinders, restrictors and turbo pressures are removed."

Before you get ideas of this turning into a Group B for Le Mans, the cars will be limited to an "energy allotment" per lap. A fuel meter will allow a diesel-powered car 3.99 liters per lap, a gas-powered car would get 4.95 liters per lap, from tanks that are about 12 percent smaller.

All LMP1 cars will be required to have closed cockpits, within which the driver will sit a little further forward and slightly higher to provide more visibility and, it is hoped, cut down on accidents when lapping slower traffic. Weights have been reduced, from the current minimum weight of 900 kilograms to 830 kg for non-hybrids and 850 kg for hybrids, and according to the Speed TV report, "all factory entries will be required to compete with hybrid systems." The cars will also be thinnner. Another factory handicap (depending on how see it) is that "super-exotic materials" will be banned in order to force carmakers to use materials that apply to their mainstream vehicles and not just their supercars.

The ACO believes these new rules will "encourage the development of powerful and spectacular cars and also the development of technologies that have real meaning for the everyday motorist." Sounds good to us.

Le Mans rule changes for 2014 announced, engine restrictions eased originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Jun 2012 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota snags Davidson, Buemi to drive TS030 at Le Mans

Noah Joseph — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Toyota

F1 drivers typically have a shelf life shorter than what you otherwise might call a career. As the constant stream of new, young drivers usurps existing F1 seats, you're left with a wealth of talent available to contest other forms of motorsport. That's how you end up with former grand prix pilots in other series like IndyCar, DTM and even ice racing. Then there's Le Mans.

Every year the most famous of endurance races packs its grid with rejects from the Formula One circus, and 2012 is no exception, particularly with Toyota launching a works effort out of the German facility that used to house its F1 team. Toyota has already confirmed that the first of its TS030 Hybrid LMP1 racers will be driven by former F1 drivers Alex Wurz and Kazuki Nakajima (along with Nicolas Lapierre), and has now announced that Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi are on the roster for the second car.

Davidson is an established F1 test driver, having worked for the team known successively as BAR, Honda, Brawn and Mercedes. He's also driven a handful of grands prix for Super Aguri and Minardi, and contested Le Mans and related series for Aston Martin Racing and Peugeot Sport, including a win at Sebring.

Buemi drove the last three F1 seasons for Scuderia Toro Rosso until being cut this year. He'll combine his endurance racing debut with his test driver role at Red Bull Racing.

They'll be joined by Hiroaki Ishiura, who has driven for Toyota teams in Super GT and the Nürburgring 24 before helping roll out the new TS030. We'll be watching to see how they do against the returning champions at Audi, but for now you can follow the jump to dive into the full press release and check out the updated image gallery above.

Continue reading Toyota snags Davidson, Buemi to drive TS030 at Le Mans

Toyota snags Davidson, Buemi to drive TS030 at Le Mans originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota upgrades limited TS030 Hybrid racing program to full WEC entry

Noah Joseph — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Toyota, Racing

When Toyota announced its return to endurance sports car racing with the new TS030 Hybrid this season, the plan was to enter a handful of races, like Le Mans and Spa-Francorchamps, on an invitational basis.

Plans change, though, and Toyota has now upgraded the program to a full manufacturer entry, paving the way for it to compete in the entire FIA World Endurance Championship schedule. Now, with budget constraints, it's likely that Toyota will still pick and choose which races to contest, but it does open the door.

The change was apparently made in order to support endurance racing as a motorsport discipline. As part of its arrangement with the FIA, organizers at the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) need at least two manufacturers in the LMP1 category. With Peugeot's withdrawal, the series lacked the requisite level of participation, so Toyota stepped up to fill the void. Follow the jump for the full announcement.

Continue reading Toyota upgrades limited TS030 Hybrid racing program to full WEC entry

Toyota upgrades limited TS030 Hybrid racing program to full WEC entry originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota reveals TS030 Hybrid endurance prototype [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Toyota, Racing

The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. So, apparently, do the world's automakers. At least, that is, when it comes to Le Mans. Case in point: the new Toyota TS030 Hybrid, the Le Mans prototype that the Japanese automaker has just revealed, mere days after Peugeot announced its departure from the endurance racing scene.

Shorthand for the third Toyota Sport prototype - following the TS010 and TS020 that challenged Le Mans in the '90s - the TS030 is the first LMP1 to employ a hybrid drivetrain. (Peugeot was experimenting with a similar system before shutting down its program, and Audi is rumored to be testing one as well, but has yet to announce it to the public.)

Toyota Hybrid System - Racing (THS-R) couples a 3.4-liter V8 to one of two potential electric motor setups: a front-mounted system developed by Aisin AW or a rear-mounted one from Denso. According to regulations, the electric boost can only drive one set of wheels, and Toyota has yet to decide which, although the 500kJ capacitor supplied by Nisshinbo is already a lock.

The carbon fiber chassis, meanwhile, was developed in-house by Toyota Motorsport GmbH in Cologne, Germany - the same outfit that ran the company's F1 team and has been looking for a new project ever since. The facility will serve as the team's headquarters as well, from which it will field one car in its debut at the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps - the second round of the inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship - on May 5. Toyota is planning to field a second car at Le Mans in June, but while the first car's driver roster is already confirmed, the team has yet to decide on its second line-up.

Follow the jump for the full press release and spec sheet, and check out the first batch of official images in the high-res gallery above.

Continue reading Toyota reveals TS030 Hybrid endurance prototype [w/video]

Toyota reveals TS030 Hybrid endurance prototype [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota begins testing new hybrid LMP1

Noah Joseph — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:27:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Hybrid, Europe, Toyota, Racing

The sudden departure of Peugeot from the Le Mans racing scene came as quite a shock, we know. But don't count the inaugural FIA World Endurance Championship - or the famed 24-hour race at its center - out for the count before it's even started, because another powerhouse is already gearing up to take Peugeot's place. And that powerhouse is Toyota.

The Japanese auto giant announced its plans to build and campaign a new LMP1 racer at Le Mans and the WEC back in October. Toyota Motorsport GmbH (which ran the company's F1 team until its withdrawal in 2009) then set about designing the car, partnering with Team Oreca to help with the logistics of entering the pinnacle of endurance racing, and hired three top pilots to, you know, actually drive the thing.

With all those pieces in place, the Toyota team began testing their new prototype racer last week at the Paul Ricard test track in France. Toyota itself didn't release much in the way of details, but Alex Wurz was said to have led the shake-down, with his team-mates Nicolas Lapierre and Kazuki Nakajima on hand to share in the driving duties as well.

And while no "official" photos were "officially" released, Toyota PR rep Scott Brownlee tweeted a couple of snapshots to whet our appetites. The result looks, predictably enough, much like the latest LMP1 racers fielded by Audi and the departed Peugeot, but as with most things, it's what's underneath the surface that will count the most. In Toyota's sake, that would be a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain of some sort, but we'll have to wait a little while longer - as the next round of testing and the car's anticipated debut at Spa come May approach - to find out more.

Toyota begins testing new hybrid LMP1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche primes us for Le Mans return with look back

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Porsche

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is still eight months away, but that hasn't stopped Porsche from producing another video to get us excited about it. Or rather, Porsche is working to get us excited for the 2014 Le Mans race, when it will return to the 16.75-kilometer circuit with a new LMP1 car.

Porsche hasn't won Le Mans' top category since 1998, when the 911 GT1 was the overall winner. With Aston and Toyota entered in the LMP1 club, Jaguar and Bentley considering, and the years-long battle between Audi and Peugeot still going strong, even if it is 2.5 years before Porsche's return, the wait is looking very, very worthwhile. For now, you'll find the new video after the jump.

Continue reading Porsche primes us for Le Mans return with look back

Porsche primes us for Le Mans return with look back originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 11 Dec 2011 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota recruits top drivers for new Le Mans program

Noah Joseph — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:20:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Toyota

Toyota is dead serious about its new Le Mans effort. To that end, the Japanese auto giant is developing an all-new hybrid LMP1 racer, it has retained the considerable services of Team Oreca to help with trackside logistics, and it has now announced its driver lineup. And make no mistake about it, these are no rookies.

Headlining the roster is Alex Wurz, who holds the title as the youngest winner in the history of Le Mans. The Austrian driver won again for Peugeot two years ago, and he has also taken the checkered flag at the Petit Le Mans, the Spa 1,000km and the Sebring 12 Hours, to name just a few. And as if that weren't enough, he's also an accomplished former Formula One driver, having driven for and scored podium finishes for a variety of teams including Benetton, McLaren and Williams (though not Toyota).

Joining Wurz will be Nicolas Lapierre, a French driver with a distinguished record in both lower formula racing (like F3 and A1GP) and endurance racing, including a win at Sebring this year. Finally, Toyota has added Kazuki Nakajima (one of Japan's best F1 drivers of the modern era) to the team that will be developing and fielding the new LMP1 at La Sarthe and other FIA World Endurance Championship races next season. The car is expected to make its debut "early in the new year" at a yet-to-be-determined European venue.

Continue reading Toyota recruits top drivers for new Le Mans program

Toyota recruits top drivers for new Le Mans program originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Peugeot begins track-testing 908 diesel hybrid

Noah Joseph — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Peugeot, Diesel, Racing

Diesel propulsion isn't anything new in Le Mans-class endurance racing. Hybrids are still a rarity, but even when Toyota returns to Le Mans with a hybrid LMP1 next year, it won't be alone. That's because Peugeot is preparing to chart new territory with the 908 Hybrid4.

The latest evolution of the 908 prototype incorporates a competition version of PSA's Hybrid4 system, which uniquely pares a diesel engine with electric assist. We first saw the new racer in Geneva last March, but the 908 Hybrid4 has now undergone its first shake-down test at the Estoril track in Portugal that once hosted the Portuguese Grand Prix and continues to host the Six Hours of Estoril in the Le Mans Series.

Test-driving duties were performed by Nicolas Minassian, Stephane Sarrazin and Alex Wurz, who report that the added boost from the hybrid drivetrain was already evident in the 300 kilometers (186 miles) of testing at the circuit. Follow the jump for the full press blast and click on to the gallery for a pair of fresh images from the test added to the initial studio shots.

Continue reading Peugeot begins track-testing 908 diesel hybrid

Peugeot begins track-testing 908 diesel hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota returning to Le Mans with hybrid LMP1 car

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Toyota, Racing

Toyota has announced that it is returning to the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile's World Endurance Championship in 2012. The car it will be contesting the series with is a new prototype that will use a hybrid gasoline/electric powertrain. We can only hope the experience will equal more exciting future models under the Prius range...

The last time Toyota competed in Le Mans racing was in 1999, just before the Japanese automaker abandoned the GT-One program to focus on Formula One.

We don't expect Toyota's new LMP1 racer to have anything in common with the erstwhile GT-One, which was powered by a 600-horsepower 3.6-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. Though always fast, Toyota's last-gen endurance racer never quite put together a complete race. Here's hoping the effort produces more consistent results this time around. Check out the official announcement after the break.

Continue reading Toyota returning to Le Mans with hybrid LMP1 car

Toyota returning to Le Mans with hybrid LMP1 car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bentley considering new LMP1 race car

Drew Phillips — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Bentley, Racing

In 2001, Bentley returned to Le Mans after an absence of more than 70 years with a machine known as the Speed 8 (pictured above), eventually winning the 24-hour race in 2003. Bentley hasn't been involved in motorsports since, although a new report indicates that could change soon.

In a recent interview with Autocar, Bentley CEO Wolfgang Durheimer stated that a new LMP1 race car could be in the works to compete against Audi and the upcoming Porsche LMP1 racer. Interestingly, all three automakers are part of the VW Group. "There is nothing saying the same brands can't compete against each other - the only important thing is that the racing activity supports fully the brand identity," he said. "The three brands of Bentley, Porsche and Audi could race in different regions and come together five or six times a year for the world sportscar championship and then once per year in France. It's not decided, but it is possible."

In addition to the usual marketing benefits of a racing program, Durheimer indicated that the main motivation for getting Bentley back into motorsports would be to develop a connection with the race team and the company's production facility in Crewe. "I am also keen that people from the road car side sample the racing side - I saw at Porsche that one or two years with the race team can really change how people work."

Bentley considering new LMP1 race car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar returning to Le Mans with new LMP1

Noah Joseph — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Jaguar, Racing

A whole lot of stars need to be aligned in order to get a good slew of manufacturers fielding factory works teams in any major racing series. But those factors seem to be coming together at the pinnacle of endurance racing.

With the FIA and the ACO getting along with a new World Endurance Championship, more cost-effective regulations in place and an unsurpassed spectacle to showcase their metal and their mettle, more and more manufacturers are flocking to Le Mans. And not just for the GT classes, either.

With Audi and Peugeot dueling for top honors, Aston Martin also graduated from its dominance of the GT classes to the top-tier LM1 category as well. Porsche has announced its impending return for 2014, Toyota is reportedly preparing an assault of its own, and now word on the street circuit is that Jaguar is gearing up to take on the LMP1 class as well.

The program reportedly has the enthusiastic blessing of parent company Tata Motors, and if it comes to fruition, would mark the first time the marque has competed at Le Mans since 1991, the year after it won its seventh 24 Hours of Le Mans in the Silk Cut XJR-12.

Jaguar returning to Le Mans with new LMP1 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche gearing up for 2014 return to Le Mans [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Porsche

Porsche RS Spyder at Le Mans - Click above for high-res image gallery

No automaker has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans as many times as Porsche. Not Audi, with its ten wins to Porsche's sixteen, or Ferrari's nine. But those were all a long time ago. In fact, Porsche's most recent was with the 911 GT1 back in 1998.

Since then, Porsche has been pussyfooting around at the iconic round-the-clock race. The successor to the GT1 was aborted and turned into the Carrera GT road car. Sure, the RS Spyder (pictured above) has performed admirably in the LMP2 class, and 911s fielded by privateers have dominated the GT classes for years. But it's been over a decade since Porsche has competed for an overall win.

That's about to change, however, as Porsche has announced, through the video and press release after the jump, its intent to return to Le Mans to challenge for the win in 2014. To get there, Porsche plans a new LMP1 car, although it has released little in the way of details on what form that car will take.

If you're wondering where this leaves Audi, which falls under the same corporate umbrella as Porsche, the Ingolstadt-based automaker's team posted on Facebook that the decision was made independently by its Stuttgart-based sister company and that it looks forward to the competition. So we won't expect Audi to be dropping out any time soon for lack of anything to prove, even after ten victories out of twelve years, nor supporting the Porsche entry like it did with Bentley's in 2003.

Watching Porsche take on the likes of Audi, Peugeot, Aston Martin and the other automakers anticipated to be joining the field in the coming years ought to produce some nail-biting race action. But in the meantime, you can scope out the video and press release after the jump and the gallery of high-resolution images showcasing Porsche's rich Le Mans heritage.

Continue reading Porsche gearing up for 2014 return to Le Mans [w/video]

Porsche gearing up for 2014 return to Le Mans [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota to field all-new LMP1 at Le Mans next year?

Noah Joseph — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:12:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Toyota

1998 Toyota GT-One - Click above for high-res image gallery

This year's 24 Hours of Le Mans packed plenty of action, but there weren't as many automakers fielding their own entries in the top-tier LMP1 category as you might think.

There was Audi, of course, which has dominated the category for years, arch-rival Peugeot, with its diesel-powered challenger, and Aston Martin, which stepped up to the big leagues after dominating just about every GT category for years. Honda Performance Development had a couple of cars in the second-tier LMP2 category, and there were plenty of factory-supported GT cars. The rest of the LMP1 field was filled by privateers running mostly Lola, Zytek, Oreca or Judd chassis, powered by a variety of engines. But the coming years could see an influx of new automakers aiming to take on Audi for the top honors.

According to the latest rumors, race organizers ACO are in discussions with a number of car manufacturers interested in entering the LMP1 category. Chief among them is reportedly Toyota, which is said to have been working on its own prototype since last year. The Toyota LMP1 is reportedly being developed with Dome - a Japanese chassis constructor that's built such racing machinery as the competition-spec Honda NSX, an aborted F1 program and several Le Mans prototypes, as well as a handful of Toyota racers in the 1980s - and incorporates a hybrid powertrain.

The last time Toyota competed at Le Mans was with the GT-One (pictured above), which raced there in 1998 and 1999 but held the lap record at La Sarthe until 2006. The new entry, according to reports, could be ready for an assault on next year's 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Toyota to field all-new LMP1 at Le Mans next year? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Audi R18 racer testing at Sebring in high-def

Chris Shunk — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Audi

Audi R18 testing at Sebring - Click above to watch the video after the jump

The Audi R18 LMP1 enclosed prototype endured four days of rigorous testing at Sebring last week. Audi engineers used their time at the famed facility to test aerodynamics, fuel economy and reliability, using the R15 as a control.

You won't be able to see the R18 compete until the six-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps on May 7th, but luckily you won't have to wait that long to see the diesel-powered race car on the track.

Hit the jump to watch a two-minute clip of the R18 as it takes to Sebring like a duck takes to water. A second post-jump video is an interview with Audi Motorsport chief, Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. The good doctor gives tells us about the R18, including how the 3.7-liter V6 diesel is all-new - a necessary step taken by Audi to conform to the sport's ever-changing rules. Next, Ullrich Baretzky, Head of Engine Development at Audi Sport, tells us that if Darth Vader had a car, "this would be his." We don't know about that, but dark side is definitely strong with the R18. Hat tip to Earwole1!

Gallery: 2011 Audi R18

[Source: Quattro World]

Continue reading Video: Audi R18 racer testing at Sebring in high-def

Video: Audi R18 racer testing at Sebring in high-def originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Aston Martin LMP1 and V12 Vantage sing 12-cylinder love songs to each other

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Aston Martin, Racing

Aston Martin's V12 Vantage meets the Gulf LMP1 racecar - Click above to watch video after the jump

Aston Martin may offer a car with eight cylinders, but the automaker's heart truly lies within those machines powered by 12. The Vantage was recently given a full injection of awesome when the folks in Gaydon decided a power upgrade was in order. The V12 Vantage is loud and proud thanks to its 6.0-liter V12 that churns out 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. That same 6.0-liter unit can be found in the DB9, Rapide, DBS and even the ultra-exotic One-77, and it's also the mill that powers Lola-Aston Martin B09/60, better known as the Aston Martin DBR1-2 LMP1 racecar.

The 510 hp in the V12 Vantage is certainly impressive, but the DBR1-2's power output is raised to around 650 hp for racing duty. That 140-hp advantage is stretched much further when you factor in the weight difference between the two cars - the V12 Vantage weighs 3,700 pounds and the DBR1-2 tips the scales at just 2,000 pounds.

Still, these two Astons pump fuel through similar hearts, and the automaker put together a short video clip that shows the two coming together on a rain-slicked country road. Hop the jump to see the V12 Vantage meet the DBR1-2 LMP1 racecar.

[Source: Aston Martin via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Aston Martin LMP1 and V12 Vantage sing 12-cylinder love songs to each other

Video: Aston Martin LMP1 and V12 Vantage sing 12-cylinder love songs to each other originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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