Tag: British

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Fenix

Order of the Fenix

Fenix Automotive teaser

Imagine a 640hp V8 coupled to a chassis weighing some 200kg less than your average mid size hatchback. Reckon you might be interested? Thought so.

Welcome to Fenix Automotive, the latest motoring incarnation of Lee Noble. Yes, that knockabout Brit who loves strapping big motors to lightweight bodies. Having sold off his Noble Automotive outfit, Lee has embarked on a new challenge.

To begin that challenge Fenix have released these two renderings of their new supercar-with-no-name. Like previous Noble cars Fenix will build their bodies in South Africa, where testing is currently underway.

Lee Noble is excited, and looking forward to driving the car on familiar roads, “Our first prototype is now in build and development will start in around one month’s time,” said Lee. “We’ll be hot-weather testing the first prototype on the mountain roads around Port Elizabeth, South Africa, where the car will be manufactured. But I’m itching to get the car back to the UK where I can set it up on roads I know well.”

That 640hp, well 638hp to be precise, will be delivered courtesy of the 6.2-litre supercharged LS9 V8 found inside a Corvette ZR1. If that all sounds a bit too much to handle, then you can also opt for a 480hp version from the LS3 V8.

With a target kerb weight of 1200kg Lee Noble says his latest weapon should reach 0-160km/h in less than seven seconds. Blimey, that’s quick!

While there’s just these two images and some big horsepower claims to go on right now, I have to say, this is one very tasty looking supercar. Let’s just hope the invitation to view the company website which, at the time of writing, does not work isn’t a sign of things to come.

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Formula 1

Donington Park revival gets the rubber stamp

Donington Park

You may remember news from last July that Silverstone is to be stripped of its Formula One rights after the 2009 British Grand Prix. From 2010 the race is set to be held at Donington Park, after a new 10-year deal was struck with Bernie Ecclestone. However, the North West Leicestershire complex needs a radical revamp to bring it up to modern day requirements. The last Grand Prix held at the circuit was in 1993, won on a rain soaked afternoon by Brazilian legend Ayrton Senna in a McLaren.

The rubber stamp for the new works has just been granted and the £100M (AU$215M) project is about to begin. There are just 17 months to go until the 2010 British Grand Prix.

Owner of Donington Park, Simon Gillett, is raring to go, “It starts in earnest now, and time to start focusing on 2010 and delivering the best grand prix in the world. That is what I’ve always said we would deliver, and that is what we are going to do.”

Interestingly, part of the deal with Gillett and his local district council is to create a sucessful traffic management plan to allow for easy access for fans. The current site is not well served by public transport and this is something that will need to be resolved. If Gillett fails to appease the council they have the power to impose an injunction thereby stopping the race.

Gillett plans to implement various park’n’ride initiatives in the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas to bring racegoers to Donington Park. He will also limit the amount of on site parking available.

As with most decisions made in F1 these days there seems to be a fair amount of backroom politics going on, so it will be interesting to see how smoothly this development runs over the next 17 months.

Source: TimesOnline

Categories
Formula 1

Donington Park to host British Grand Prix from 2010

Donington Park

The British Grand Prix will be held at Donington Park from 2010. Donington last held a Formula One race in 1993—the European Grand Prix—won by the late Ayrton Senna. Formula One Management President Bernie Ecclestone said, “Finally the uncertainty is over. A contract has been signed with Donington Park and the future of the British Grand Prix is now secure. We wanted a world class venue for Formula One in Britain, something that the teams and British F1 fans could be proud of. The major development plans for Donington will give us exactly that. A venue that will put British motor sport back on the map.”

Simon Gillett, Donington Park CEO, was interviewed on ITV1 before today’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone and said plans for the redevelopment of the track and facilities would be announced soon. He assured viewers the section from Redgate to McLean’s (see circuit map below) would remain untouched, although a new loop section was likely to be added to the infield of the track.

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