Year: 2011

Subaru

Will the Subaru BRZ really drop its top?

Post author By Liam
Post date 6 December, 2011
6 Comments on Will the Subaru BRZ really drop its top?

Subaru BRZ convertible rendering

While we approve of the supercharged Toyota 86 rumour, this one we’re not so sure about. There has been talk of a convertible Subaru BRZ for a few weeks now and that suggestion was enough for self-tiled ‘automotive manipulator’ Theophilus Chin to get creative and produce this rendering of a topless BRZ.

Okay, we get that Subaru, and probably Toyota as well, will want to milk the Toybaru collaboration as much as possible to recoup development costs. But a heavier, less functional and poorer handling addition to the model range doesn’t really fit with the mission statement of the BRZ/86.

[Source: Theophilus Chin]

Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes adds AMG to F1 team name

Post author By Liam
Post date 6 December, 2011
2 Comments on Mercedes adds AMG to F1 team name

In a win for the AMG marketing department the factory-backed F1 team will now be known as the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team.

Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, is proud to build on AMG’s rich competition hertiage. â€œOur new team name fuses the proud traditions of AMG and the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows at the pinnacle of motorsport. These three letters are synonymous with high technology, sporting performance and excitement and this step is a further strong sign of the strategic commitment Mercedes-Benz has made to Formula One.” said Haug.

“16 of the 24 drivers on the grid at the seasonâ€™s final Grand Prix in Brazil have, or have had, a connection to Mercedes-Benz. In addition to the role of a works team, our commitment to Formula One comprises the customer engine programme and supply of the official Safety and Medical Cars.â€

Meanwhile Ross Brawn has confirmed the team will miss the first pre-season test, preferring to hold off on the debut of the F1 W03 until the second test in Barcelona which starts on 21 February.

[Source: Mercedes AMG F1]

Toyota

TRD supercharger rumoured for Toyota 86

Post author By Liam
Post date 5 December, 2011
6 Comments on TRD supercharger rumoured for Toyota 86

The Toybaru project has been applauded for its back to basics approach. However, that won’t stop anyone applauding the suggestion from Chief engineer Tetsuo Tada that Toyota Racing Developments (TRD) is planning to give the 86 a boost by whacking on a supercharger to the 2.0 litre boxer engine.

Rumours say power could be increased by around 40kW, with the possibility of more to come. TRD favours supercharging over turbocharging for its crisper throttle response. The fact they’ve been supercharging cars for almost 25 years probably has a bit to do with the decision as well.

[Source: Autocar]

Koenigsegg

How fast is ‘bloody fast’?

Post author By Liam
Post date 5 December, 2011
3 Comments on How fast is ‘bloody fast’?

21.19 seconds.

Back in early September the spectacular 830kW/1418kg Koenigsegg Agera R grabbed headlines around the world for claiming a total of six world records. The claims centred around brutal acceleration as well as braking performance.

The record for the fastest two-seat production car to go from 0â€“300â€“0km/h has now been ratified by Guinness World Records. For those keeping score at home the time was 21.19 seconds. It’s not immediately clear if Guinness has rubber stamped the other five claims.

Video footage of the Agera R doing its thing can be seen after the break.

Motorsports Volkswagen

VIDEO: Highlights from 2011 Race of Champions

Post author By Liam
Post date 5 December, 2011

The annual Race of Champions event took place in DÃ¼sseldorf in Germany on the weekend. There was local television coverage, we understand, but we still managed to miss it. Thanks to the magic of YouTube we’ve been able to catch up on the action and you can too.

As the photo above indicates new Volkswagen WRC driver Sebastien Ogier won the solo event, defeating eight-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen. While Team Germany (Sebastien Vettel and Michael Schumacher) had the better of Team Nordic (Tom Kristensen and Juho HÃ¤nninen) to win the Nations Cup.

Video highlights can be seen after the break, along with a brag sheet from Volkswagen Motorsport who are chuffed to have their star driver winning trophies already.

Ferrari Oh the humanity

That’s not gone well

A Sunday drive has ended in tears for a group of supercars in Japan. Consisting mostly of Ferraris, the convoy came to grief on the Chugoku Expressway when the lead car hit a barrier after attempting to overtake another car. That set off a chain of events resulting in the carnage you see here.

It’s been reported no drivers or passengers from the 14 cars involved, including eight Ferraris, were seriously injured. However, bank balances and pride have taken a big hit. Other marques caught up in the mess include Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota (it was a Prius, apparently).

A brief Japanese-language news clip can be seen after the break.

[Source: The Telegraph]

Motorsports Subaru

VIDEO: Subaru BRZ GT300

The Toybaru project has been all about bringing passion and fun back to motoring. Relatively lightweight, rear-wheel drive and at an affordable price. What’s not to like?

We suspect both Subaru and Toyota have deliberately under-engineered these cars to a degree, which will allow aftermarket tuners to tailor cars to specific customer requirements. Naturally, the manufacturers will want on in this aftermarket action, too.

What better way to promote one’s abilities than through the wheel-to-wheel action of high level motorsport. As such, here is Subaru’s first effort at reeling the aftermarket dollars in with this promo clip for the BRZ GT300. As its name suggests it will race in the Japanese Super GT category.

Visually, at least, we think the BRZ has made the transition from road car to racecar with spectacular success. Check out the video after the break and see if you agree.

BMW Honda Mazda Mercedes-Benz Motor Shows Nissan Porsche Subaru Suzuki Toyota Volkswagen

2011 Tokyo Motor Show photo gallery

Post author By Liam
Post date 5 December, 2011
6 Comments on 2011 Tokyo Motor Show photo gallery

Like us you couldn’t make it to the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show either? Fear not as we’ve assembled a variety of images from the show featuring the usual suspects, such as the Toyota 86 and it’s close relative the Subaru BRZ. There’s also the weird and wonderful, too, in the form of the Daihatsu FC Case, the Nissan TOWNPOD, the Suzuki Q-Concept (pictured) and more.

Motor Shows Subaru

Tokyo 2011: Subaru Impreza WRX STI S206

Post author By Liam
Post date 4 December, 2011
8 Comments on Tokyo 2011: Subaru Impreza WRX STI S206

Subaru has given a public debut to two special Impreza WRX STI models at the Tokyo Motor Showâ€”the S206 and S206 NBR Challenge Package (pictured above).

Only available for sale in Japan, and in strictly limited numbers, the S206 duo have been tuned to offer 235kW/431Nm. There will be just 300 S206 models built, which includes a maximum of 100 NBR models. As it happens the NBR Challenge Packageâ€”built to honour the company’s success at the NÃ¼rburgring 24 hour raceâ€”has already reached its maximum, with 100 pre-orders already confirmed by Subaru.

In addition to the engine, suspension and cosmetic mods already introduced to the S206, the NBR adds a carbon fibre roof, adjustable rear spoiler and lightweight 19″ BBS cast aluminium wheels.

It’s a shame these are JDM models only and no surprise the NBR package has already sold out.

Tags WRX STi

Audi Motor Shows

Tokyo 2011: Audi ‘A1 Samurai Blue’

Post author By Liam
Post date 4 December, 2011
2 Comments on Tokyo 2011: Audi ‘A1 Samurai Blue’

For reasons best known to themselves Audi has rocked up to the Tokyo Motor Show with an A1 dedicated to the Japanese football team. Called the ‘A1 Samurai Blue’ the one-off concept model will be sold with a portion of the proceeds going to charity.

Audi say they plan to release a special limited edition A1 based on the Samurai Blue. Which is just as well, because the concept model features “sports suspension with 225 millimeter wide, 18-inch wheels give the car the agility of a top league soccer star.” And we’d hate an opportunity like that to go to waste.

Ferrari Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

Ferrari and Red Bull quit FOTA

Post author By Liam
Post date 4 December, 2011

Ferrari and Red Bull Racing have lodged notice to quit the Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) amid concerns over the Resource Restriction Agreement.

The news emerged after a meeting at the recent Brazilian Grand Prix and was confirmed by a FOTA spokesperson. “FOTA confirms it has received the resignation of two teams,” the spokesperson told Autosport. “Whilst considering its next steps, FOTA will continue to work on behalf of its members to achieve the aims of the organisation.”

At the Korean Grand Prix in mid-October both Stefano Domenicali (Ferrari) and Christian Horner (Red Bull) cast doubt on the relevance of FOTA.

Horner stated, “I think that FOTA has reached the crossroads where it needs to deal with some of the key issues moving forward or we’ll stop. It’s as simple as that.

“The principal issues are obviously the Concorde Agreement, the direction that goes in, and fundamentally the RRA (Resource Restriction Agreement). If we can’t find agreement within FOTA on that, then what is the purpose of FOTA?”

Mercedes-Benz

Bugger, did you miss out too?

Post author By Liam
Post date 2 December, 2011
12 Comments on Bugger, did you miss out too?

Mercedes-Benz Australia informs us their limited run of 32 C63 AMG CoupÃ© Black Series models have now sold out, with a queue quickly forming ready to pounce on any possible increase in allocation. By the time you add in taxes and on-road costs that’s around $8 million in pre-sold vehicles. Nice going for all concerned you’d have to say.

Richard Emery, General Manager Sales, Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars is already looking forward to spending his Christmas bonus, â€œI canâ€™t say Iâ€™m surprised but weâ€™re certainly overwhelmed by the quick response. Weâ€™ll continue to work with AMG to secure more vehicles as not only have we sold out of our C 63 AMG Coupe Black Series allocation, but we now have a wait list.

“At this stage we donâ€™t know how many more we can secure, but I know the number of additional vehicles wonâ€™t be high due to global demandâ€, concluded Emery.

Local pricing was only announced last month. It seems the only GFC in Australia is the one winning AFL grand finals.