Autoblog

Click for a hi-res gallery of Alfa Romeo Kyalami Day

The Alfisti in South Africa turned out in droves for Alfa Romeo Kyalami Day, setting a new world record for the most Alfas on the track at once. The record – which mirrors the one set by Ferrari at Silverstone last year – required 200 vehicles, but the organizers got no fewer than 240 Alfas to hit the Kyalami circuit (former host of the South African Grand Prix) at once. Nearly 7000 visitors (excluding staff) were in attendance, while the parking lots filled up with over 2300 cars.

The day also marked the first occasion, believe it or not, when the new 8C Spider was shown in public since its unveiling back in March at the Geneva show. Unfortunately, that's likely to also be the last time the 8C Spider is in the country, as the 500 examples being produced won't be offered there. However, Fiat Auto South Africa – the country's Alfa Romeo importer – also brought out the full array of current models, along with a display of 18 classic Alfas, including one driven by JFK. Check out the images in the gallery below and the press release after the jump for more.

[Source: Alfa Romeo]

After a three-way jump-off between Robbie Maddison, Ryan Capes and Seth Enslow at Calder Park on March 28 in Melbourne, Australia, a new world record for the longest distance jump from ramp to ramp on a motorcycle was set at over 351 feet by Robbie Maddison. In fact, the record was beaten twice that night, with Ryan Capes briefly holding the record at 324 feet, which was two feet more than Maddison's previous record.

In other news, five other world records were set that same night:

• Longest backflip ramp to ramp: Cameron Sinclair, existing record: 125-feet; new world record: 129 feet and 7 inches
• Longest mini bike distance jump: Brent Brady broke the world record with a jump of 104 feet and 7 inches
• Longest distance jump ramp to ramp by a quad motorcycle: John Guetter, existing record: 148.9 feet; the new record: 176 feet 11 inches
• Most swords swallowed: Chayne Hultgren, existing record: 14; new world record: 17
• Heaviest weight lifted while swallowing a sword: Cheyne Hultgren, existing record: 20.1kg; new world record: 22.4kg

Judging by the records that were broken in one night, we think the world is begging for a new category. How about longest distance jump on a motorcycle while swallowing a sword. Any takers?

Watch a video of both long distance motorcycle record jumps after the break!

[Source: Crusty.com]

click above image to view new pics of the SSC Ultimate Aero TT's record run

It was made (almost) official last week that Shelby Supercars' Ultimate Aero TT has been crowned the fastest production car in the world by the kind folks at Guinness – after they file the appropriate paperwork. Until now, all we've had are pictures of the 1183 HP, six-liter V8-powered beast looking menacing at speed, but thankfully SSC posted video of the record-breaking run on its site.

It's pure aural bliss, and although the camera work isn't the most compelling, the sound is enough to make you weak in the knees. Click on and enjoy.

Last month at Nardo, German car mag Auto Bild and tire manufacturer Continental sponsored a high-speed showdown, during which big-time tuners from all over -- Sportec, Brabus, 9ff, and TechArt just to name a few -- descended upon the circular track in Italy to see what they could wring out of their high-horsepower hardware. You already know that Brabus broke its own world record for sedans with the CLS-based Rocket. Another car we touched on was Hohenester's HS650 Nardo, a 650-horsepower Audi A4 that hit 216 mph on its go-around.

9ff ruled the day, however. Its 780-horsepower Porsche 997 Cabrio (with a removable hard top in place, shown at right) became the fastest car of its type when it clocked in at 380.5 km/h (236.43 mph). 9ff's owner and lead engineer, Jan Fatthauer, was the man behind the wheel for the feat. According to the release from 9ff, he simply got into the car, drove three laps, and parked it, and went for coffee with the new record in hand. Afterward, he had a great line, saying, "We wanted to do justice to our reputation as tuners who resist physics, an aim we have accomplished."

Indeed. If you want to catch up on the rest of the goings on at the Nardo event, you can read Auto Bild's coverage here. They've also got an extensive gallery of the cars that were on hand, including the actual record-breaking 9ff Porsche.

(Press release, photos after the jump)

[Sources: Auto Bild, 9ff]

Back in June, we told you about the Brabus Rocket and the tuner's goal of creating the world's fastest sedan. Then, earlier this week, we reported that the Rocket beat it's own record while hooning around the Nardo test track.

Since mere words can't do such a vehicle justice, we've procured a few videos of the ultimate saloon in action. The interviews and voiceovers are in German, but it's irrelevant since the really important noises are coming from the engine bay and exhaust.

The vids are posted after the jump.

[Source: Motorpasion]

Last Wednesday, during an event to promote his new book "Chasing the Wind," Steve Fossett announced his plans to break the world speed record of 763 MPH.

The record attempt will take place sometime next year in the flatlands of Nevada, with Fossett behind the wheel of a 47-foot-long, 9,000-pound, jet-powered vehicle that produces over 45,000 HP. The engine will be sourced from an F-4 Phantom fighter, used by the U.S. Air Force.

Mr. Fossett is best known for his 116 world record-breaking feats, of which 76 stand to this day. Past forms of motivation include airplanes, balloons, gliders, sailboats and dog sleds.

[Source: International Herald Tribune]

This came as a bit of a shock to us, but the Bugatti Veyron is not actually the fastest production car in the world according to that authoritative tome of useless and wonderful knowledge, the Guinness Book of World of Records. It seem Bugatti just never got around to scheduling an official high-speed run that could be officially considered by Guinness. In late October, Bugatti plans to rectify that and make an official top speed run at the Ehra Lessien test track near VW's headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany. The track has an unbroken straight of 9 km (5.6 miles), which should offer ample room to reach the Veyron's "unofficial" top speed of at least 253 mph. Currently the Veyron only holds the record for the Most Powerful Production Car.

If the official fastest production vehicle isn't the Veyron, then what is? The answer is the Koenigsegg CCR, the 806-hp super Swede that has been officially clocked at 245 mph. The Veyron may not be king of the hill for long, however, as the CCX that Autoblogger Frank Filipponio got to pilot can theoretically reach 258 mph.

[Source: Motor Authority]

If we've learned anything from the JCB Dieselmax team, it's that records are meant to be broken, and why should our four-wheeled friends have all the fun? Last weekend the International Motorcycle Speed Trials began at the Bonneville Salt Flats with a record breaking two-wheel run by Team TOP 1 ACK Attack. The team's two-wheeled streamliner owned and designed by Mike Akatiff and piloted by Rocky Robinson achieved a combined two-way average of speed of 342.797 mph, demolishing the old record of 322.149 mph by over 20 mph. Within the first two hours of the event's kick off, "the Ack" recorded its first pass of 344 mph and a second at around 340 mph. Everything went smoothly reports Cycle News, except for the part when the parachute was supposed to deploy. It took Robinson five yanks on the lever to make it actuate. Yikes.

Many other teams are waiting in the wings to break the new record this week, but Team Attack claims it was only using 75 percent of its two-wheeler's potential. Before the week is over we should expect a standing two-wheel speed record of at least 350 mph from someone out in the flats.

Tip: Curt

[Source: CycleNews]

Achieves new world land speed record with record two-way run of 328.767 mph



Today driver Andy Green drove the JCB Dieselmax to a new world land speed record for diesel-powered cars by achieving an average speed of 328.767 mph on two runs. The JCB Dieselmax team spent the last two days replacing the car's 600-bhp practice engines with 750-bhp "record" versions. Driver Andy Green piloted the car for both runs reaching 324 mph on the first run and 333 mph on the second. The new record, which is still subject to official confirmation, breaks the previous record of 236 mph set in 1973 by nearly, but not quite, 100 mph. Green believes there's still more left in the Dieselmax and the team will be tinkering with the car before making additional runs later in the week.

[Source: JCBDieselmax and 4Car]

A team of 21 students from a college in Kuala Lumpur took four minutes to stuff themselves into a lime green 1999 MINI Cooper, waited the 20 seconds it would take, and made it into the Guiness Book of World Records, so they say. What's more is that the team repeated the feat for a TV crew that showed up too late to catch the first time around.

The students said that it was hot and stuffy in there for those agonizing 20 seconds, but that the organizing crew that helped them in their mission was largely to thank for the good communication and efficient stuffing.

The students claimed that they met the Guinness Book requirements that said those participating must be over 4' 11". They have yet to send video footage to Guinness for official proof, but they say that they beat the previous record, set by 18 women in 2000.

[Source: IOL]