Thanks to media outlets like YouTube and Autoblog, a good lap time in on the Nurburgring will get you plenty of positive press. The grueling track has become the yardstick by which any performance vehicle is measured, and if you can post a record time, people want to know about it. The engineering geniuses at Porsche have designed a special moving dyno to test g-loads in a virtual 'Ring. The system was used to test the upgraded dry sump oil system for the new 3.6- and 3.8-liter boxer engines powering the 2009 911 Carrera and Carrera S. The dry sump system now has a variable-flow pressure pump that needed to be tested extensively at the 'Ring, but the new system can perform the same task whenever engineers want, and at a fraction of the cost.
Engineers were able to get a near perfect reproduction of a lap on the 'Ring by recording the g-force and engine load during a live lap of the Nordschleife, and then feeding the data into the contorting contraption. Hit the jump to view video of the moving dyno in action. It's pretty radical, and it gives you a better idea of how crazy the 'Ring really is.
By now we've all seen the spy shots showing Acura's NSX revival bombing around the Nürburgring in Germany. There's a reason those drivers are pushing their prototype hard enough to get air through the turns. Inside Line is reporting the Honda CEO Takeo Fukui wants his NSX to toast both the Nissan GT-R and the Lexus LF-A around the Green Hell. Considering that the GT-R has posted lap times on the 'Ring that utterly defy what it should be able to do on paper, and that the LF-A is still a moving target that's trying to best the GT-R too, Honda engineers have some serious work to do developing the NSX over the next two years. IL suspects the next NSX will get a 5.5L V10 producing 550 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque that's derived from a V8 that's slated for the next-gen, rear-wheel-drive Acura RL. They also surmise that it will use an 8-speed auto with paddle shifters, feature an advanced version of Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system and use lots of aluminum in its construction to keep weight down. Unfortunately, by the time the NSX arrives, the GT-R V-Spec will have moved the bar again.
Drivers can fly through the Nürburgring Nordshcleife at tremendous rates of speed, risking life and limb to shave a second or two off a lap time. But apparently if you let the rear wheels slip a bit while coming into a turn, you're a drifter just begging for a pink slip. Bridge to Gantry blogger Dale Lomas was banned from the 'Ring for what he says is nothing more than some oversteer, but the heavy-handed Germans didn't see it that way. Officials wrote Lomas, who prides himself as a paid racing instructor, a ban slip with an offense that translates to "Drifting while Overtaking."
The Green Hell isn't just some lawless speed haven, which makes sense considering the dangers inherent in the famous circuit's myriad twists and turns. Still, while getting banned from the 'Ring is a real bummer, at least the pink slip looks good hanging on the office wall.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Cadillac CTS-V at the 'Ring.
GM is pretty pleased with the Cadillac CTS-V's 7:59.32 run around the Nurburgring, and the crew on the ground had the foresight to strap a few video cameras to the supercharged sedan to capture every second of John Heinricy's sub-eight-minute lap. The General is quick to point out that no modifications were made to the CTS-V to aid in its domination of the Green Hell. The tires were stock and the only bits not available on the options list through Caddy are the fire-suppression system, harness bar and six-point seatbelt . While the additional equipment added a few more pounds, it's obvious that it didn't hinder performance. Hit the jump for proof.
Watson, the mystery's been solved. After Chris spied a sinuous silver shape on his iPhone and a couple of readers sent us shots from the Nurburgring web cam, we now have video of the Veritas RS3 sitting at the starting gate, ready to do... something on the infamous Nordschleife. The blokes from the Bridge to Gantry have put the matter to rest with a video walk-around of the Veritas taken by one of the dozens of people surrounding the concept before it made its way onto the Green Hell.
Just as a refresher, the Veritas RS3 was a showcar displayed in 2001 packing a BMW-sourced V12 putting out 670 hp and 560 lb.-ft. of torque. With a tubular chassis and a total weight of just over a ton, we can only imagine the fun the race-ready driver was having after speeding off from the entry gate at the 'Ring.
Picture this – you're screaming around the Nurburgring in a not-insubstantial Rolls Royce Phantom, hammer down, stereo on, trying to complete a circuit of the 14-mile course before the woofers go still. Driving on the 'Ring certainly requires concentration, but for a drummer, sometimes you've just got to find the beat. So, when the drums come in, you're going to be compelled to tap along on the rim of the steering wheel, no matter what. Nick Mason impressed his passenger, a reporter from the Times of London, with his ability to multitask like this. Mason, the man on traps for Pink Floyd and noted car nut, had taken to the German racetrack to test himself. The challenge was to complete a single lap of the Nurburgring in the time it takes for half of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" to play. While he didn't quite make it, a good time was likely had by all. We would like to know, however, if the accelerator pedal in his V12 Phantom has been replaced with a Speed King.
The details surrounding the Audi RS6 are out, but that doesn't mean that testing has ended. The RS6 has been sighted donning heavy camo all over the free world, and after the jump we have video of a virtually undisguised RS6 Avant doing a powerslide at a bend of the famed Nürburgring Nordshcleife. The video is almost as quick as the RS6, but if you like screaming engines and squealing tires, it's worth a watch. Heck, part of the reason we're flying all the way over to the Frankfurt Motor Show is to see Audi's fastest ever sedan and wagon.
From its 530 hp, low curb weight of 3,179lbs, and 204 mph top speed, the 2008 Porsche GT2 is a supercar in every sense of the word. Heck, even its €189,496 sticker places Porsche's most potent 911 in the land of the F430 and the Gallardo. Where the Ferrari and the Lamborghini can't match up against the GT2 is where it matters most, on the track. Not just any track, either. We're talking about the track by which all great sports cars are judged... the vaunted 'Ring. Porsche claims the new GT2 can lap the legendary 14-mile course in a mere 7:32, which is 10 seconds better than even the 599 GTB. That ridiculous lap time puts the GT2's average speed at over 110mph, which is just sick. Must be the Titanium exhaust. The 2008 Porsche GT2 is scheduled to appear in Frankfurt in September, and the newest 997 will hit European streets in November.
Before the folks over at Mitsubishi drop their crown jewel Evo X on an eager public, many road-hours of testing have to be logged in the souped-up Lancer. Besides the fact that the Evo X is arguably Mitsubishi's most recognizable car, there is plenty of new technology that needs to be perfected before buyers can purchase this rocketship. Edmunds Inside Line has video of the Evo X taking it to the 'Ring, and Mitsubishi's 4WD, 300+hp beast looks ready to be unleashed. A new paddle-shift twin-clutch supersport automatic joins the more traditional six-speed manual, and more powerful means of forced induction are rumored to lie under the hood. From its aggressive stance and sharp looks, to the increased performance potential, Mitsubishi looks like a lock to continue the Evo tradition. Hit the jump to view the Evo X in action from Germany's most famous car playground.
The 2008 Cadillac CTS is in the home-stretch right now, as it's only a few months away from production. Anticipation for what could be one of the best Cadillacs ever has been steadily rising since its unveiling last January in Detroit, and the forthcoming CTS-V has made its way onto Autoblog quite a few times.
To keep anticipation high, GM has released video of the 2008 CTS running the 'Ring from inside the cockpit. While the video isn't of the greatest quality, it's worth viewing if only for the sexy sound of the new direct injection 3.6L engine. Hit the jump to check it out.
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