Autoblog

FerrariChat: P4/5 Competizione still aiming for Nürburgring 24

Frank Filipponio — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Ferrari, Specialty

Pininfarina Ferrari P4/5 Competizione - Click above for high-res image gallery

A few months ago, the internet started to rumble with rumors of a race car being built out of the incredible Pininfarina Ferrari 612 P4/5 that James Glickenhaus had commissioned at a staggering (but understandable) $4 million. A thread on Ferrari superforum FerrariChat.com put those rumors to rest -- Glickenhaus wasn't going to turn his P3/4 homage into a race car, he was going to build another car that he would take racing.

While the final product hasn't been revealed in full, the thread includes over 20 pages of Q&A between James and the rest of the F-Chat community giving several hints at what's to come. There are even several photo renderings depicting what the car might look like. What we do know is that this new P4/5 Competizione will not be Enzo/FXX/MC based -- it will be based on a Ferrari chassis and feature a Ferrari V8, with Glickenhaus saying that a V12 isn't practical because of fuel consumption.

Engineering has already begun on this dedicated racecar, which will hopefully get its maiden run at the Nürburgring 24 hour race next year. It will run in an open class that allows one-offs, as there are apparently no plans to homologate this retro-inspired racer. It's just Glick being Glick, building something for fun and bringing his teen memories of Ford vs. Ferrari back to life in endurance racing.

It could also be seen as a great opportunity for sponsors to get a ton of exposure. If the Competizione is anything like the road-going P4/5 in the publicity department, we'd say it's a safe bet you'll get a lot for your advertising dollars. We'll keep you posted as the car comes along, and we're already petitioning the higher-ups to include the Nürburgring 24 into our travel budget next year.

Gallery: Pininfarina P4/5 Competizione

[Source: FerrariChat]

FerrariChat: P4/5 Competizione still aiming for Nürburgring 24 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan reportedly preparing Nürburgring edition 370Z for the European market

Noah Joseph — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:56:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Europe, Nissan, Specialty

Nissan 370Z - Click above for a high-res image gallery

While Nissan has been trying to master the Nürburgring in its flagship GT-R supercar, it was the one-rung-down 370Z which the Japanese automaker fielded at the track's 24-hour race last month. To commemorate the occasion, Nissan is reportedly preparing to drop a special commemorative edition of its 370Z on the European market.

Although photos are still unavailable at this time, the Nissan 370Z Nürburgring edition is apparently set to be differentiated by a set of 19-inch OZ Racing alloys wrapped in Dunlop rubber, a sport exhaust system and the requisite batch of special badges. Only 80 examples will be made, each individually numbered, and the model will apparently only be available in yellow. And just to sweeten the deal, Nissan is throwing in a gift card good for over $200 of track time on the Nordschleife.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Nissan 370Z

[Source: CarScoop ]

Nissan reportedly preparing Nürburgring edition 370Z for the European market originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Lexus LF-A supercar burns it up at the Nürburgring 24

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 29 May 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Supercars, Lexus

Click above to video of the Lexus LF-A burning down the house Nurburgring after the jump

There were two Lexus LF-As entered into last week's Nurburgring 24 Hour race prepared by the Gazoo Racing Team. This is what happened to one of them, car #15, about two hours from the end of the enduro. Just one of a jumble of cars that didn't finish the race, Gazoo hasn't explained what happened to the car, but a rather toasty ~~engine~~ fire took the car out of the running. The other car, #14, finished in 14th in its class (SP8) and 87th overall. Whenever the LF-A does show up as a customer proposition, buyers will know it has been through the ringer and thoroughly vetted. Follow the jump to see the vid.

Continue reading VIDEO: Lexus LF-A supercar burns it up at the Nürburgring 24

VIDEO: Lexus LF-A supercar burns it up at the Nürburgring 24 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 May 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Event Alert: Nürburgring 24 is now streaming live

Alex Nunez — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:21:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Event Alert

The Nürburgring 24 kicked off a short time ago, and as was the case last year, you can watch it streaming live (in German) at the official Nürburgring 24 site. RadioLeMans.com is providing live audio in English. Just head over there and click the "Listen Live" button in the upper left corner. Then, if you're us, you'll turn off the volume on the German video stream and listen to the RadioLeMans.com audio, since they're calling it off the same video feed. Good stuff.

[Sources: Nürburgring 24, Radio Le Mans]

Event Alert: Nürburgring 24 is now streaming live originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 May 2009 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aston to field half-dozen V12 Vantage racers at Nürburgring 24

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 23 May 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Aston Martin

Click above for a high-res gallery of the V12 Vantage preparing for the Nürburgring 24-hour race

It started with one lone V8 Vantage, dubbed the N24, that ran the Nürburgring 24-hour race in 2006. Last year, that first racer, a yellow car dubbed "Rose," won class honors in the race. This year, it will be joined by five more Vantages, one of them being the 510 horsepower V12 Vantage introduced in Geneva earlier this year.

Only three of the six cars will be factory efforts. The slightly modified V12 Vantage will be piloted by Aston CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez and three co-drivers, and "Rose" will be driven by another team of three. Privateer entrants will be headed by Richard Kramer, an Austrian Aston dealer whose Vantage N24 is being supported by the factory.

You can read the full press release after the jump, and check out live action from the weekend's qualifying and race at the ADAC site.

Gallery: Aston Martin V12 Vantage at the Ring

[Source: Aston Martin]

Continue reading Aston to field half-dozen V12 Vantage racers at Nürburgring 24

Aston to field half-dozen V12 Vantage racers at Nürburgring 24 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus LF-A dons new livery ahead of Nürburgring 24-hour race

Alex Nunez — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Supercars, Lexus

Click above for a hi-res gallery of the Lexus LF-A Nürburgring 24 racer

This time last year, the Lexus LF-A that competed in the ADAC Nürburgring 24 wore a decidedly un-glamorous "test-mule matte black" finish. This year, Toyota's entering two of its ten-cylinder supercars in the race, and as we inch closer to the Lexus LF-A's eventual production debut, it would seem that the automaker is looking to give the race-trimmed version a more formalized livery -- white up front, with a brush-stroke transition to satin black in the rear. Probably a good idea, seeing as Toyota's new head honcho, Akio Toyoda, is on one of the driver teams. Can't have the big boss rolling like every other test engineer who laps the 'Ring with this monster.

The production headlamp shape is cleverly hidden, though if you look closely, you can see the familial, knife-shaped panels that outline the spots where the production lenses will reside. And while there's a lower intake above the racer's front splitter, there's no grillework to speak of on the actual nose itself -- just a mail-slot-sized opening above the bumper.

It'll be interesting to see how hard Toyota pushes the LF-As this weekend. Given that the new corporate chieftan is one of the wheelmen, and that Toyota's obviously going for a much more "official" presence at this year's race, one wonders whether they're actually going to try and win it outright. A lot can happen during these 24-hour events, so there are no guarantees, but we have a feeling the web stream's going to be a worthwhile watch. And lord knows the fans in attendance are in for an aural delight as the Lexus supercoupes storm down the track.

Gallery: 2009 Lexus LF-A Nurburgring 24 Livery

Lexus LF-A dons new livery ahead of Nürburgring 24-hour race originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 May 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Toyota chief to race in Nürburgring 24

Alex Nunez — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:09:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Japan, Supercars, Lexus

Click above for a larger view of the Lexus LF-A's 2009 Nürburgring 24 livery

Toyota scion (pun intended) and new company president Akio Toyoda will don a helmet and Nomex late next month as his company returns to Germany to compete in the annual Nurburgring 24-hour endurance race. Toyoda will be part of the four-driver lineup taking the wheel of the Lexus LF-A (hey, remember that?) as part of its ongoing (and seemingly endless) development. Unlike last year, when the LF-A showed up to race in plain 'ol development-mule matte black, Toyota's got a more proper race livery planned for this year's event (see above). After all, we can't have the boss rolling like every other test engineer, can we? Thanks, Dom!

Gallery: 2009 Lexus LF-A Nurburgring 24 Livery

[Source: AP via The Japan Times]

New Toyota chief to race in Nürburgring 24 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quartet of Audi R8 LMS racecars to compete in Nürburgring 24-hour race

Drew Phillips — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Supercars, Audi

Audi R8 LMS - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Audi's new R8 LMS racecar is set to face its first serious test of motorsports endurance next month. Abt Sportline and Phoenix Racing will each field two cars at the Nürburgring 24 Hour race with factory support from Audi. In preparation, the R8 LMS has already completed two races at the Green Monster as part of the BFGoodrich Endurance Championship, including one podium finish, and it will complete in one more event before the 24 hour race scheduled for May 23-24.

According to Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, head of Audi's motorsport programs, the race will also be used to reveal any potential problems with the racecar before delivering the R8 LMS to customers this fall. With a driver lineup full of experienced road racers like Lucas Luhr, Mike Rockenfeller, Frank Biela, Emanuele Pirro, and Marco Werner, we expect the R8 LMS to be fairly competitive. Plus, if there is anything we've learned from Audi's motorsport program, it's that both teams will be well prepared almost any problems that might arise. Follow the jump for more details in Audi's press release.

Gallery: Audi R8 LMS

Continue reading Quartet of Audi R8 LMS racecars to compete in Nürburgring 24-hour race

Quartet of Audi R8 LMS racecars to compete in Nürburgring 24-hour race originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Lexus LF-A engine spied

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 26 May 2008 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Supercars, Lexus

After countless spy photos and appearances at auto shows for the past several years in two different styling forms, the Lexus LF-A made its first official appearance on the road this weekend at the Nürburgring 24 hour race. At some point during the weekends festivities, Automobile managed to snag a shot of the engine lurking under the race-prepped Lexus' hood. We can't derive a lot of details from this single shot, but we can get a few tidbits.

Looking at the area behind the intake plenum near the firewall on the driver's side, the engine looks long enough to likely be a V10 as has been previously postulated. The bank angle appears to be 90 degrees for a lower center of gravity than would be available from the normal 72-degree bank angle for a V10. The intake plenum is apparently made up of a composite material, again, likely for both overall weight reduction and and lowering the CG. Under that however, the intake runners appear to be metal. Finally the engine is set well back in the chassis for a front mid-engine layout, almost entirely behind the front axle line. Now that the LF-A has hit the track in anger, maybe we'll see it in production form soon, perhaps even at the Paris this October or Geneva next year.

Gallery: Lexus LF-A Concept

Gallery: Lexus LF-A Roadster

Gallery: Lexus LF-A Racecar at the Nurburgring

[Source: Automobile]

Spy Shots: Lexus LF-A engine spied originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 May 2008 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia, Continental running diesel pro_cee'd on street rubber in 'Ring 24h

Alex Nunez — Sat, 24 May 2008 13:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hatchback, Kia

Click image to enlarge

If you've been looking in on the live stream of the Nürburgring 24h race, you might spot the car above crossing your video window. It's basically a production-spec Kia pro_ceed (fitted with whatever safety features are required for race participation) powered by the stock 138 hp/225 lb-ft 2.0L diesel. The skinny on this one is that it was entered by Continental Tires' Italian division and will run the entire race on ContiSportContact 3 street tires. The team's goal is to complete the race while making as few tire changes as possible, after which Continental will likely talk about how awesome its tires are in advertising that points back to this particular effort. We'll try to remember to drop the Kia Europe people a line post-race to get the final tally on the number of tire changes they wind up going through.

[Source: Kia/Continental]

Kia, Continental running diesel pro_cee'd on street rubber in 'Ring 24h originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 May 2008 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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N�rburgring 24 hours streaming live on the web

Alex Nunez — Sat, 24 May 2008 08:43:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports

Many thanks to reader Dougall, who just emailed in to let us know that the Nürburgring 24 hour race is being streamed live on the web. Coverage appears to have just started a short time ago (as of 8:41 Eastern, the racers have just pulled out on the circuit behind the pace car). The full 24 hours of racing will be streamed. To watch, visit http://adac.24h-rennen.de/live/live-streaming.html. After sitting through a few commercials, it drops you right into the stream. Enjoy.

UPDATE: RadioLeMans.com is also streaming live video with English commentary. It's got a bigger video window, and you have on-track audio, so you can hear the cars' engines on the circuit. The commentators are also funny, as the Lexus LF-A had pitted and was having its rearview mirror adjusted while other work was done on the car. Next thing you know, it's being pushed into the pit garage. One of the announcers deadpans, "They're obviously having a lot of problems with the mirror there." RadioLemans.com wins.

UPDATE 2: Live standings (all classes) can be seen here (there's a slight delay, but it's useful). For a kick, keep an eye open for the #114 car. It's an Opel Manta with a fox tail hanging off the roof antenna. Great stuff. As LS2/LS7 points out in the comments, the Nürburgring 24h is not a "big" race compared to others, but it's definitely fun to look in on.

UPDATE 3: The race is over (podium ceremony taking place as I type at 9:25 AM Eastern). The Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RSR driven by the veritable all-star team of Timo Bernhard, Romain Dumas, Marc Lieb, and Marcel Tiemann is the overall winner. Full results can be found here. Commenter "Philthy" also reports that tragically, the #114 Opel Manta lost its foxtail somewhere along the way. The Manta, in case you're curious, finished 46th overall and 4th in the SP3 class.

[Source: ADAC Zurich Nürburgring 24h]

N�rburgring 24 hours streaming live on the web originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 May 2008 08:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gumpert Apollo Hybrid begins testing at Nurburgring

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Performance, Supercars

Gumpert is entering a hybrid version of its supercar, the Apollo, in the Nurburgring 24-Hour race. Instead of the normal car's Audi 4.2-liter twin-turbo with 650 HP, the racer gets a 3.3-liter V8 with something like 630-HP, in addition to a 100kW electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. The 190 kilos of batteries will be recharged by application of the brakes, but it isn't clear exactly how the electric motor will be applied -- slow speed (aka pit lane) use only, or to provide an extra boost during the race.

The car will be driven by Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Dirk Muller. The hybrid Apollo will test its fortunes against the Audi R8 and Lexus LF-A, both of which are in the same class. If the car does well, it could mean good things for the introduction of hybrid technologies into other race series like Formula 1.

[Source: BridgeToGantry]

Gumpert Apollo Hybrid begins testing at Nurburgring originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 May 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi R8 race car to tackle N�rburgring 24 hrs

Alex Nunez — Sat, 17 May 2008 09:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Audi

Click above for photo gallery

This year's Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race will feature perhaps the most wicked Audi R8 yet: a lightweight, custom-built racer that makes the road car look tame by comparison. To comply with the requirements for participation in the race, the stock 4.2L V8 donates its block and is rebuilt from there. The race-spec motor's displacement drops to 4.0 liters but it delivers a hefty 530 horsepower and 353 lb-ft of torque. The R8's stock front and rear bodywork is replaced by new, widebody carbon kevlar panels. Those outboard intakes in the nose are replaced by blanks, and out back, the custom exhaust's dual outlets poke through the spot where the license plate would reside on the production car. Other obvious additions are the front splitter, large rear wing, rear diffuser, and multiple cutouts in the aft bodywork to help with engine cooling. The entire package weighs in at just 2,755 pounds -- this thing should absolutely haul. German magazine Sport-Auto has been covering the car's development. We'll see how the car fares in competition next week.

Gallery: Audi R8 Nurburgring 24 Racer

[Sources: Sport-Auto, German Car Scene]

Audi R8 race car to tackle N�rburgring 24 hrs originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 May 2008 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Green Hell: Gumpert to campaign hybrid Apollo at Nurburgring 24

Noah Joseph — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Hybrid, Green, Supercars

Click to view more of the Gumpert Apollo in hi-res

Gumpert intends to give new meaning to the term "the green hell", the nickname given by race drivers to the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife. The German supercar-maker has announced that it will be racing at the 24-hour endurance race there next month with a race-prepped hybrid version of its Apollo supercar.

To supplement the 630-hp Audi-sourced twin-turbo V8, Gumpert will employ a 100kW electric motor recharged by captured brake energy. The system is similar to the KERS mechanism being phased into Formula One, and to highlight the F1 connection (and hopefully score some points in the process), Gumpert has solicited the services of former F1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who will share driving duties with veteran endurance sportscar racer Dirk Müller.

Check out the images in the high-resolution gallery below and the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Gumpert Apollo

[Source: Gumpert]

Continue reading Green Hell: Gumpert to campaign hybrid Apollo at Nurburgring 24

Green Hell: Gumpert to campaign hybrid Apollo at Nurburgring 24 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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