Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Radical SR8LM sets new Nürburgring record at 6:48]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/20/radical-sr8lm-sets-new-nurburgring-record-at-6-48/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/20/radical-sr8lm-sets-new-nurburgring-record-at-6-48/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/20/radical-sr8lm-sets-new-nurburgring-record-at-6-48/#commentsFiled under:


Radical SR8LM at the 'Ring - Click above for image gallery

What's the best way to set the fastest lap time for a street legal car? Make it as close to a race car as possible. And that's exactly what British carmaker Radical does best. They've held the Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record since running their SR8 there in 2005, setting a 6:55 lap time that remains well out of reach for anything less, well...radical, including the Dodge Viper ACR's 7:22.1 and the Gumpert Apollo Speed's 7:11.5 from just a few days ago. But never content to let their record stand, Radical headed back to Eiffel to raise the bar even further.

Upgrading on the 360 horsepower SR8 that set the record four years ago, the SR8LM was introduced in 2007 with a 455 hp modified Suzuki Hayabusa engine mounted in a compact Le Mans Prototype-style body. But despite its racecar styling and tarmac-scraping ride height, the Radical is completely street legal. Somewhere. As proof, Michael Vergers drove it down from the factory in England all the way to the vaunted German circuit, and within 24 hours, he had set the new record. The 6:48 lap time, a full eight seconds quicker than Radical's previous record, was verified by Germany's Sport Auto and England's Evo magazines using Dunlop racing slicks. Check out the press release after the jump for more details and the photos in the gallery below.


Gallery: Radical SR8LM at the Nurburgring


[Source: Radical]

Continue reading Radical SR8LM sets new Nürburgring record at 6:48

Radical SR8LM sets new Nürburgring record at 6:48 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>michael vergersMichaelVergersnordschleifenurburgringnurburgring lap recordnurburgring lap timenurburgring nordschleifeNurburgringLapRecordNurburgringLapTimeNurburgringNordschleiferadicalradical carsradical rs8lmradical sr8RadicalCarsRadicalRs8lmRadicalSr8sr8sr8 lmSr8LmThu, 20 Aug 2009 17:20:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Ford Focus RS falls short of record with 8:26 Nürburgring lap time]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/10/video-ford-focus-rs-falls-short-of-record-with-8-26-nurburgring/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/10/video-ford-focus-rs-falls-short-of-record-with-8-26-nurburgring/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/10/video-ford-focus-rs-falls-short-of-record-with-8-26-nurburgring/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above to watch the video after the jump

Point to point, the Ford Focus RS is touted as the fastest vehicle the company has ever made. It reportedly lapped Ford's Lommel test track in Belgium, where we had the chance to sample the second-fiddle Focus ST, faster than the Ford GT supercar. But it's still wasn't fast enough to set a new Nurburgring lap record for its class.

As promised, Ford took its latest hot hatch around the 'Ring in pursuit of the front-drive record currently held by the track-focused Renaultsport Megane R26.R, which set a blistering time of 8 minutes, 17 seconds. Ford's time? 8 minutes, 26 seconds. The session, which you can watch in the pair of videos after the jump, was held in conjunction with German car mag Sport-Auto, whose editor-in-chief Horst von Saurma-Jeltsch, a noted master of the Nordschleife, performed the driving duties. And while the Focus RS may have come up some nine seconds slower than the Renault, you can bet Ford will give it another shot or two before claiming defeat.


Gallery: 2009 Ford Focus RS (green)


[Source: CarScoop]

Continue reading VIDEO: Ford Focus RS falls short of record with 8:26 Nürburgring lap time

VIDEO: Ford Focus RS falls short of record with 8:26 Nürburgring lap time originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>focusfocus rsFocusRsfordford focusford focus rsford focus rs nurburgringFordFocusFordFocusRsFordFocusRsNurburgringNrburgringnurburgringnurburgring lap recordnurburgring lap timeNurburgringLapRecordNurburgringLapTimeringMon, 10 Aug 2009 14:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Bertone Mantide owner eyeing Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring record run?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/08/bertone-mantide-owner-eyeing-corvette-zr1s-nurburgring-record-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/08/bertone-mantide-owner-eyeing-corvette-zr1s-nurburgring-record-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/08/bertone-mantide-owner-eyeing-corvette-zr1s-nurburgring-record-r/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Bertone Mantide - Click above for high-res image gallery

Some coachbuilt custom supercars are all show. But the owner of a Bertone Mantide is eager to prove that his has got the go to back up his show. Dan Watkins, the British gentleman-racer who bought the first Mantide, is so eager, in fact, that he's pondering personally financing a run at the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's Nürburgring lap record. And there's every reason to believe his car could reach that goal.

At 7 minutes, 26.4 seconds, the 2009 ZR1 holds the current lap record for a stock, street-legal, series production automobiles (excluding such track-focused machinery as the Viper ACR and Radical SR8). Nissan has its eyes on the ZR1 and is closing in fast, but as delicate and fragile as it may look, the Mantide arguably stands the best chance of besting the supercharged Vette's time - mostly because it's based on the ZR1. Only it's 80kg (176 pounds) lighter and 30% more aerodynamic, thanks to the improvements made to the body by Jason Castriota and his team at Stile Bertone.

To test the theory, Watkins is mulling renting out the 'Ring for three days, hiring an expert Nordschleife driver, and of course, donating the use of his $2 million supercar. All in pursuit of the ultimate bragging rights. If it happens, well, be watching.


Gallery: Bertone Mantide


[Source: PistonHeads]

Bertone Mantide owner eyeing Corvette ZR1 Nürburgring record run? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2010 Nissan GT-R at the Nurburgring - Click above for a hi-res gallery

Enough is never enough. Not when you're talking supercars and Nürburgring lap times. As if enough jaws weren't dropped when Nissan posted their fantastic initial time of 7:29 around the vaunted Nordschleife (besting Porsche's best), the automaker's engineers went back to the garage looking for a little extra for 2010. They came back with a slightly updated version, with five extra horsepower and revised dual-clutch transmission with updated launch control, plus a bigger fuel tank, new tires and a retuned suspension. So what effect would these modifications have on the GT-R's 'Ring run? About a second and a half off the record, which now stands for the Japanese supercar at an awe-inspiring 7:27.56.

According to Nissan, the time was posted using a 2010 GT-R with the optional V-Spec wheels and tires, driven by former F1 tester Toshio Suzuki. Fantastic as that time is, it's still another second short of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's 7:26.4 (to say nothing of the Dodge Viper ACR's 7:22.1), so Nissan will be back at it. And without the dirt and dust which the Japanese team says was coating the track to impede its lap time, they figure they just might find enough extra speed to claim the record. Details in the press release after the jump.


Gallery: 2010 Nissan GT-R sets 7:27.56 Ring lap time


[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Revised Nissan GT-R clocks 7:27.56 lap time at the Nürburgring

Revised Nissan GT-R clocks 7:27.56 lap time at the Nürburgring originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gt-rgtrnissannissan gt-rnissan gt-r nurburgringnissan gt-r nurburgring lap timenissan gt-r nurburgring recordnissan gtrNissanGt-rNissanGt-rNurburgringNissanGt-rNurburgringLapTimeNissanGt-rNurburgringRecordNissanGtrnordschleifenurburgringnurburgring lap timenurburgring nordschleifenurburgring recordNurburgringLapTimeNurburgringNordschleifeNurburgringRecordSkylineThu, 16 Apr 2009 12:59:00 EST