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Audi Motorsports

Audi R18 e-tron quattro revealed

Audi R18 e-tron quattro

Early last month Audi revealed they would be racing four R18s at Le Mans this year, two of which would be using a hybrid drivetrain. Overnight the R18 e-tron quattro was announced. It will be joined by a development of the R18 Ultra which won the Le Mans 24 hour race last year.

As the name suggests the new R18 uses an e-tron hybrid system and brings a return of Audi’s famed all-wheel drive quattro system to top level motorsport. However, the quattro system will be unlike any we’ve seen on an Audi road car. For now at least.

The rear wheels will be powered by the latest incarnation of the V6 TDI, producing 375kW, which has brought Audi so much success. The front wheels will be where the e-tron fun happens. They will get their power from a flywheel accumulator which is charged by capturing braking energy from the front wheels at speeds over 120km/h.

Audi say the production applications underpinning the R18 e-tron quattro are their inspiration. “Audi has always consciously selected championships and categories in racing that have a close relationship to production and therefore have technical relevance for the Audi customers,” explains Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. “quattro, TFSI and TDI are three excellent examples of how motorsport has stimulated production development. A similar tendency is apparent with the e-tron quattro: we test a completely new technology on the race track before it’s introduced to the Audi production line.”

The R18 ultra has been further developed as well. Apart from the hybrid components it is idential to the R18 e-tron quattro. Both models now feature a new gearbox with a carbon-fiber composite housing.

Audi Sport Team Joest will compete in the 2012 World Endurance Championship which starts with the 12 hours of Sebring on 12 March. The R18 ultra TDI will race at Sebring before the R18 e-tron quattro joins the program for the 6 hour of Spa and the remaining races on the calendar. Including, of course, the 24 hours of Le Mans (16–17 June).

You can read more from Audi after the break.

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Ferrari

VIDEO: Ferrari F12 berlinetta

Ferrari brings us two promo videos of its stunning new F12 berlinetta. The first is a digital flyover showing the car from all angles. After the break you can see Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa driving a development model around Fiorano.

Oh yeah, the F12 berlinetta can lap Fiorano in 1 minute 23 seconds. Apparently that’s the fastest road Ferrari lap ever recorded.

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Ferrari

Ferrari F12 berlinetta revealed

Ferrari F12berlinetta

Wow!

This is the Ferrari F12berlinetta. We thought it was going to be called the F620, but we were wrong. We thought it was going to be a bit, well, ugly. We were wrong.

The 599 replacement is powered by a new 6262cc V12 engine which is good for 740CV (544kW) at 8500rpm and 690Nm of torque at 6000rpm. The F12berlinetta is the most powerful production Ferrari ever.

It tips the scales at a portly 1525kg, albeit 70kg lighter than the 599, but can accelerate to 100km/h in just 3.1 seconds; 200km/h in a mere 8.5 seconds. Its top speed is bloody fast, Ferrari say it’s north of 340km/h.

A 46:54 front to rear weight distribution ensures there’s just a bit more weight over the rear axle, which is just how you want it in a car like this. Downforce has been helped with the ‘Aero Bridge’ in the bonnet which pushes air towards the flanks of the impressive bodywork.

An F1-style transmission, new-generation carbon ceramic brakes and technological marvels like E-Diff and F1-Trac ensure there’s plenty of toys for the rich boys lucky enough to afford this masterpiece.

The sculptural qualities and dramatic form of the exterior look fantastic in the supplied pics. But will it look as good in everyday conditions? We certainly hope so. Check it out for yourself after the break.

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Ferrari

Ferrari F620 GT to be revealed tonight

Ferrari F620 GT web teaser

The Ferrari website reminds their new F620 GT will debut today. For our Australian readers based on the eastern seaboard you’ll need to be paying attention from 11pm.

Categories
Jaguar

Jaguar XF Sportbrake revealed

Jaguar XF Sportbrake

Following yesterday’s leak Jaguar has come up trumps with a series of images showing off its brand new XF Sportbrake, that’s station wagon to you and me. From the B-pillar back it’s all new metalwork. We like it. A lot.

The only drawback we can see from an aesthetic point of view are the ghastly Dame Edna Everage-like LED day time running lights. They’re part of the recent XF facelift. It’s true the pics supplied are all about showing the back of the car, but maybe Jaguar regrets the styling update too. Only one of the 14 pics supplied shows the front of the car.

Compared to the XF saloon Jaguar say the Sportbrake is 5mm longer and 70kg heavier. That’s not too bad really and they’re also at pains to point out the handling characteristics from the sedan have not been lost in translation to practical load lugger.

Maybe we’ve got this wrong, but looking at how steeply raked the rear boot lid is when open, we suspect there’ll be a few XF Sportbrake owners who quickly discover their garage isn’t tall enough to fully open the boot.

With the rear seats up there’s 550 litres of cargo space. Press the easy access remote button to lower the rear seats and the load area expands to 1675 litres.  The Mercedes E Class has the XF Sportbrake comfortably covered with 1950 litres of space when the seats are down, but take one look at the E Class and you’ll quickly see there’s a market for the new Jag, even with its nasty LED eye liner.

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Categories
Formula 1 Red Bull Racing

All or nothing in 2013 for Mark Webber

F1 Jerez pre-season testing, February 2012

Mark Webber says he will only continue his Formula One career next year if he has a competitive car. He will enter the 2012 F1 season as the only Red Bull-aligned driver without a contract for 2013. Sebastien Vettel, Jean-Eric Vergne and compatriot Daniel Ricciardo are as safe as a driver can be in the cut-throat world of F1.

Speaking about his future in an interview with AAP, Webber said, “I’d need something competitive. It’s pretty clear that I’ve earned my stripes on the way through so I won’t be doing that on the other side—going the other way.

“Being competitive, being at the front, is certainly a big, big factor of me staying very hungry and motivated.”

The accepted wisdom for the 2012 season says Toro Rosso drivers Vergne and Ricciardo are effectively in a season-long job interview for Webber’s coveted Red Bull Racing seat.

Of course, Mark could have a strong year in 2012 and that could pave the way for a simple contract extension with Red Bull. Although, Red Bull showed last year, when they cut both Sebastian Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari from Toro Rosso, that they can be brutal when it comes to their driver roster. A good run of results in 2012 may not be enough for Webber.

For his part Mark says his season-ending win in Brazil has renewed his confidence.

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Categories
MINI

MINI Countryman JCW revealed

MINI Countryman John Cooper Works

MINI has today revealed pictures and basic specs on the new Countryman John Cooper Works. A full debut will take place in Geneva next week.

This model is significant for a couple of reasons. First, it shows how quickly the Countryman has matured as part of the MINI range that a JCW version is already on the books. Second the 1.6 litre turbocharged engine has been revised and these improvements will soon filter down to all other JCW models.

The introduction of BMW’s Valvetronic technology will help the new JCW engine breath and respond better. A side benefit is a small increase in peak power from 155kW to 160kW. Of greater note is the boost in torque, which has gone from 260Nm to 280Nm (up to 300Nm with overboost).

Of lesser note, for pure drivers at least, the Countryman JCW will be the first JCW model to offer a 6-speed automatic transmission. In the Countryman maybe this does make some sense. However, you can expect the transmission to find its way into the JCW hatch and other variants as well. In our opinion, that doesn’t make sense. C’est la vie.

Here at AUSmotive we think the Countryman is no bad thing, it’s not our favourite MINI by any means, but generally speaking we quite like it. The new bodykit and 18″wheels you see here in these pics, standard with the Countryman JCW, make us like the Countryman a little bit more.

When it gets to Australia we’re not so sure we’ll like the price.

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BMW

BMW explains how witchcraft works

BMW tri-turbo diesel engine

Jeremy Clarkson once explained turbocharging by saying: “Exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.”

BMW has taken a slightly more technical approach to explain how their soon-to-be-universally-acknowledged-as-awesome tri-turbo diesel engine works. That’s the donk from the M550d/X5 M50d and so on.

In typical teutonic fashion the explanation is all fancy animation and clinical; there’s not even any sound. Just words and pictures. Come to think of it, and going back to Clarkson’s original theory, maybe the video below makes more sense in the second half. See what you think.

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Categories
McLaren

Monaco GP reveal planned for McLaren P12

McLaren MP4-P12 rendering

Latest gossip on the McLaren MP4-P12 suggests it will be revealed or announced at the Monaco Grand Prix in late May.

The rendering above is not official, but is probably around the mark. The P12 is far more extreme than the 12C and has been designed by Frank Stephenson. Oddly enough he’s the bloke that gave us the new MINI a bit over a decade ago. Stephenson was also involved in the creation of the 12C, of course.

It’s expected McLaren will use the 3.8 litre V8 from the 12C and find another 200hp to bring peak power to around 800hp. Factor in the target weight of around 1140kg and you get a power to weight ratio of “holy crap!”

You’ll need silly amounts of money, naturally, but you’ll have plenty of time to save. An exact date on the production launch of the P12 is yet to be announced and could be as early as next year or as late as 2014.

[Source: GTspirit | Pic: Car]

Categories
Audi Bathurst 12 Hour

Onboard with the Audi R8 LMS at Bathurst

Christopher Mies driving the Audi R8 LMS around Mount Panorama

Audi Australia has teamed up with Team Phoenix Racing to bring us this in-car footage from Saturday morning qualifying with Christopher Mies driving a few laps around Mount Panorama in Bathurst. The first lap is a slow warm-up, thankfully, as Mies gets a close look at a couple of our national wildlife icons. After that enjoy the ride as the V10 powered R8 LMS carves up the mountain.

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Categories
Ferrari

Ferrari F620 GT to be revealed tomorrow

Ferrari F620 GT teaser

Ferrari has published another teaser video for its upcoming F620 GT. The official launch date is tomorrow and we expect that to mean we’ll have details on the car in the late evening Australian time.

Of course, we got an unofficial preview of the 700hp F620 on the weekend, where it was revealed that Chris Bangle-inspired flame surfacing is yet to flicker out.

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Categories
Jaguar

Jaguar XF Sportbrake pics leaked

Jaguar XF Sportbrake

When we drove the Jaguar XF a while back we liked it. Quite a lot actually. Now that the promised Estate version, or Sportbrake as it may be known, is not too far away, we’re quite keen to see more.

Yep, it’s coming to Geneva, so we won’t have long to wait.

[Source: Autocar]

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