Project Binky is back and that means AUSmotive awakens from its slumber. Back to Binky; after 11 episodes, spread across two and a half years, Nik comes out with this pearler: “It’s at this point that things start to get a bit tricky.”
This episode covers a lot of material, mostly to do with the underside of the car. As always it’s a masterclass in how to build a project car.
Nik and Richard send us into the Christmas break with the eleventh instalment of their epic Project Binky crusade. This time we see the lads working on the steering geometry and transmission setup. As ever it’s an episode filled with pitfalls and problem solving leading to complicated and clever engineering solutions.
As for AUSmotive, well it’s no shock to anyone here that things have slowed down a little. This is partly a result of my new job, which has had more of an impact on my available time and motivation than I thought. That said, after eight years of having a pretty serious and often time consuming crack at this gig for basically no monetary gain perhaps a change in perspective hasn’t been a bad thing for your resident editor.
For now, the site will still plug along. Let’s just hope we’re not going two months between posts. Yikes!
If nothing else, thank you to Bad Obsession Motorsport and Project Binky for relighting the AUSmotive candle.
Nik, Richard and the world’s coolest and most over engineered car are back with Episode 10 of Project Binky. Working the Bad Obsession Motorsport lads into a lather this episode were the problems of installing the pedal box and the steering assembly.
While Nissan is busy peddling the fantasy of suggesting its understandably difficult Le Mans debut was a success, Toyota is dealing only in humility and reality.
The two TS040s spent the majority of the race circulating alone in seventh and eighth places. Late race issues for the #9 Audi elevated the #2 TS040 into P6, but it was still a mammoth eight laps behind the winning Porsche. The #1 crossed the line in P8 nine laps off the pace.
There’s no confused management speak from Toyota, just an open display of disappointment and, thankfully, a firm promise to comeback in 2016 to try and put things right.
Toyota says it is “determined to improve in all areas after a result which was far away from the team’s pre-season expectation.”
After offering its congratulations to Porsche, the Toyota team added it aims to “improve and be back at Le Mans stronger and more competitive in 2016.”
6th (-8 laps) #2 – Wurz (AUT), Sarrazin (FRA), Conway (GB)
8th (-9 laps) #1 – Davidson (GB), Buemi (SUI), Nakajima (JAP)
Straight from the race’s official YouTube channel here’s a collection of videos bringing you the highlights from yesterday’s 24 Hours of Le Mans won by the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid.
The first clip, a 20 minute special, includes podium celebrations from all four classes as well. Everyone’s a winner!
The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans is now into its second 12 hours and the #19 Porsche 919 Hybrid enjoys a reasonably comfortable lead (live timing).
Keeping the lead Porsche honest is a pair of Audi R18s, with the #17 Porsche 919 fighting to stay on the lead lap.
In the early stages of the race the #17 919 held the lead before dicing with the #7 R18. The red liveried Porsche suffered a minor setback after Mark Webber was given a one minute stop-go penalty for overtaking during a yellow flag.
Porsche also enjoyed seeing the #18 919 on the lead or fighting very hard for it, but it lost time after going off track at the Mulsanne Corner and is now 1–2 laps behind the leader, although still showing very strong overall pace.
The #9 Audi R18 has led this race as well and has the honour of setting a new outright lap record when Filipe Albuquerque lapped La Sarthe in 3:17.647. And thereby finally beating the old record set way back in 1971 by the Porsche 917 LH. Remember, too, that 1971 record was before the Mulsanne Straight had its two chicanes to help slow the cars down.
Going into the final 12 hours then, the first six cars remain a constantly revolving combination of Porsche 919s and Audi R18s. It will take a miracle for anyone other than Porsche or Audi to win this race; the closest Toyota is four laps off the pace.
Of course, we’d love to see the Mark Webber #17 car take the win, but the lads have some work to do after Mark’s mistake late in his first stint.
Toyota had great momentum throughout the latter stages of the 2014 WEC season, winning three of the last four races. Anthony Davidson and Sebastien Buemi were crowned world champions.
Unfortunately for Toyota that momentum has not carried through into the 2015 season. The team finished fifth and eighth at the season opener in Silverstone, although improved to finish third and fourth at Spa. But the TS040s were off the pace in the recent Le Mans official test session. Foxing? We don’t think so.
However, the great thing about Le Mans this year is that any of the four factory-backed LMP1 teams would make a wonderful winning story. And Toyota is clearly no exception there, it would be a well deserved win if Toyota can rise to the top step of the podium after the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015. It’s the only step on the Le Mans podium Toyota is yet to conquer.
We wish them well.
#1 – Anthony Davidson (GB), Sébastien Buemi (SUI), Kazuki Nakajima (JAP)
#2 – Alex Wurz (AUT), Stéphane Sarrazin (FRA), Mike Conway (GB)
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Toyota’s first appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Back in 1985 its hopes were pinned on the 85C-L, the two-car effort managing a respectable 12th place for the #36 car, while the #38 entry did not finish.
Today, Toyota will fight for the ultimate Le Mans success with the TS040. Again the team will have two cars, carrying the numbers #1 and #2. And with four second place finishes at the Circuit de la Sarthe (1992, 1994, 1999 and 2013) you could say Toyota is due for a win on Sunday afternoon.
You can relive Toyota’s Le Mans history with a very slick short film after the break.
The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans will be held this weekend and as always the talented Andy Blackmore has made his legendary spotter guide available as a free download.
[Source: spotterguides]
Earlier this month the annual Brandz Top 100 most valuable brands 2015 report was released. Topping the list, and by some margin, was technology giant Apple with a brand value of US$247b. Valued at US$29b Toyota is rated the most valuable car maker in the world, coming a relatively lowly 30th in the top 100 listing.
Surprisingly, only six auto makers made it into the top 100: Toyota (30), BMW (34), Mercedes-Benz (43), Honda (78), Ford (80) and Nissan (93).
Rounding out the list of top 10 automotive brands are Audi, Volkswagen, Land Rover and Lexus (see more detail in table below).
The Brandz listing has been published 10 times now, with Toyota ranking first for automotive brands eight times and second two times.
For our Australian readers, four of our local brands to make it into the top 100: Commonwealth Bank (48), ANZ (59), Telstra (82) and Woolworths (88).
The full report can be accessed from the WPP website.
The official FIA WEC website brings us a quick reference guide to the class of 2015 LMP1 cars. This year we have representation from Audi, Nissan, Porsche and Toyota. And the best thing about LMP1 is that the cars are all different.
Front-engined, mid-engined; rear wheel drive, front wheel drive, all wheel drive; petrol, diesel and all with varying types of energy recovery systems. It really is a technological masterclass, which will eventually heavily influence the cars we drive on the roads.
In order to try and equalise performance the cars have strict fuel flow limitations they must adhere to. That is, each car has a capped amount of fuel it can use on a single lap, using the 13.6km Circuit de la Sarthe as the basis.
You can download a full season PDF guide (54mb) from the WEC website, which goes into greater detail. After the break a quick reference guide is all yours.
The 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans will take place on the weekend of 13–14 June, with an official test session to be held this Sunday.
[Source: FIA WEC]
You eagerly wait months for an update on the extremely cool Project Binky, then go away for a few weeks and miss the latest episode. Don’t you hate that. Fear not, because here is Episode 9 now. Yes, nine episodes are behind us and we’re still looking at an empty shell!
But, as you’ll see in this update, the level of thought and effort put into this build is truly mind boggling. For example, did they really need to make that already very nifty flip front end automated? No, probably not, but it’s pretty flipping cool that they did!
Then there’s the custom made cooling vents produced with a custom made punch. Damn these guys are awesome.