Tag: video

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Green Machines MINI

MINI E goes green around Green Hell

MINI E Race

A specially prepared 150kW electric powered MINI has just lapped the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under 10 minutes. The MINI E Race is based on the MINI E road car which was first announced in October 2008.

Modifications to the standard MINI E include the addition of a roll cage, KW Variant 3 suspension, MINI Challenge inspired front spoiler and rear valance, along with an optimised ECU program and race tuned ABS. As well as the add-on bits MINI was able to reduce the overall weight of the car by more than 200kg.

At the hands of racing driver Thomas Jäger the MINI E Race lapped the Ring in 9:51.45 achieving a top speed of 187km/h.

Jäger, the 2006 MINI Challenge champion said, “The power of the electric motor has an incredible effect, as you can access its full reserves of torque at all times. Another element of this fascinating experience is the lack of noise from the drivetrain. All in all, that was certainly the cleanest and quietest race lap I’ve ever driven.”

With the MINI E Race being a full electric vehicle this is the first car to complete a lap of the 20.8km Nordschleife circuit in race-like conditions with zero emissions. This is a great first from BMW, although there are currently no plans to enter the electric MINI in any competitive races just yet.

More pics and further detail after the break, including a brief promo video.

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Audi

Flaming heck

Audi TTRS v R8 V10

The Audi TT RS and the R8 V10. Two very, very nice cars. Most readers would pick the R8, right? But what if you could only muster the cash for the slighty oddball five cylinder powered TT RS, would you really be missing out on that much?

In rough UK numbers the R8 V10 is £100K, the TT RS around £50K. So, there is, obviously, a huge discrepancy in price. In Aussie dollars the numbers look even more insane, the R8 V10 starts at $350K, that’s heading towards triple the asking price of the $135K TT RS. Does the mighty R8 have the performance to justify its massive gap in asking price compared to the TT RS? That’s a question Steve Sutcliffe from Autocar asked. You can watch his answer in video form after the jump.

[Thanks to Timbo for the tip]

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Lamborghini

Sweet dreams are made of this

Lamborghini Gallardo 550-2 Balboni

Oh yes! Is there a better way to start your Sunday morning than with this clip of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Balboni being driven along empty winding mountain roads? The clip is all yours after the jump. There’s a few short words at the start of the video, then you’re safe to turn the volume up to 11 and enjoy the sounds of the Lamborghini orchestra.

[Source: Motor Trend]

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Motorsports Video

Top guns

Old skool rally compilation

If you were a fan of the video ‘This is rallying’, then you will love this clip as well. There’s eight minutes of thrills, spills and non-stop action. All your favourites are featured including Audi, Datsun, Ford, Lancia, Porshe, Toyota, many more. The video is all yours after the break.

[Thanks to Tom for the tip]

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Motorsports Video

Titan Movie – The beginning

Titan Movie teaser

Clash Production make some damn nice post-production videos of motorsport scenes. One such production is their Titan Movie project, which has been orbiting the blogosphere for a while now. So far, there’s been only been a couple of preview clips released, and a lot of the footage features racing from the Nürburgring.

However, until recently, most of the footage released had only featured action from the Grand Prix track at the Ring. Having a racing film showcasing the Nürburgring without having any action from the Nordschleife makes about as much sense as the Aston Martin Cygnet. It’d be little more than trading off the name for cynical and ulterior motives. It’s a good thing, then, that Clash have put things right with their latest teaser of Titan Movie which includes snippets of footage from the 2009 Nürburgring 24 hour race. There’s still not a lot from the Nordschleife, but we now have hope that there will be more to come.

You can see that, and the other clips after the jump. Enjoy!

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Pagani

More track focused

Pagani Zonda R

The Pagani Zonda R isn’t new, but this clip by Runimation Studios is. And it’s very, very good. To see how this epic farewell Zonda makes the most of its 551kW/709Nm 6.0 litre V12 make sure you take the jump below and turn your sound up to eleven.

[Thanks to Tiaan for the tip]

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Ferrari Green Machines Motor Shows

Geneva: Ferrari ‘Vettura Laboratorio’ HY-KERS

Ferrari HY-KERS

It would appear that hybrid technology is the new black at the Geneva Motor Show this year, with even Ferrari getting in on the act with their HY-KERS model. Based on the 599 GTB Fiorano the ‘vettura laboratorio’ (experimental vehicle) has an electric engine coupled the a 7-speed F1 style transmission providing over 100hp to complement the car’s familiar V12.

As the name suggests the HY-KERS also employs brake regeneration technologies developed from Ferrari’s Formula One program. This helps to charge the batteries for the electric motor. Emissions for the HY-KERS have been cut by 35% over the regular 599’s urban cycle.

Ferrari are also pushing the greening of their Maranello production facilities and there’s very impressive photos of huge meccano sets included with the press guff.

Pics and video available after the jump.

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Audi

VIDEO: Audi RS5 teaser

Audi RS5 video teaser

Another brief video teaser from Audi now, this time featuring the new RS5 coupé. The sound of the 4.2 V8 FSI being driven around an empty racetrack is one well worth listening to. There’s also a cameo appearance from an original Ur Quattro. But more on that later.

Check out the clip after the break.

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Audi

VIDEO: Audi A1 teaser

Audi A1 video teaser

Audi have released some video footage of their new compact-class A1 (with S-line body trimmings) driving around the streets of Rome. Interesting to see what appear to be obvious signs of comparing the A1 to other cars of a similar ilk, such as the MINI and Smart. See how many other quasi-premium hatchbacks you can see in the clip. There’s quite a few!

The short video is available after the break.

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Green Machines Porsche

VIDEO: Porsche hybrid drive promo

Porsche Hybrid promo

Following today’s earlier news about the 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid comes this 12 minute promo on Porsche’s hybrid technologies. Shown below, in two parts, the videos give a great introduction to the way Porsche is utilising a number of different theories to add hybrid systems to their cars via their Porsche Intelligent Performance initiative.

Also shown in the clip is the 911 GT3 R Hybrid and the Cayenne S Hybrid. Not sure about anyone else, but I am already counting down the days until the GT3 R Hybrid makes its race debut at the Nürburgring 24 hour race. Oh, there’s 74 sleeps to go, by the way.

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Lamborghini Video

Valentino Balboni talks about “his” Lamborghini

Lamborghini Gallardo Balboni video

After 40 years service for the one company the traditional gift at retirement, supposedly, is a gold watch. Lamborghini, though, do things a little bit differently. Valentino Blaboni, the company’s chief test driver for a total of four decades, was presented with his own Gallardo.

Cool, imagine getting a supercar given to you when you retire. Nice, huh. But, Lamborghini actually went one step further by making a special limited edition run of the Gallardo adorned with Balboni’s name. Just 250 have been made—its full title, Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.

Taking the honour further the Italian manufacturer did away with the Gallardo’s all-wheel drive system and decided to send every one of the car’s 550 horsepower to the rear wheels. Now, that is some retirement present!

The above still is taken from a brief YouTube clip produced by Danish car mag Bil Magasinet. You can see that after the jump, along with more images of Balboni and his car.

In the clip Balboni talks of trying to capture the spirit of the Miura and Countach in “his” Gallardo. He seems like a great guy, as well. The video is available in 1080p, so I suggest watching in full screen with the volume turned up to eleven.

[Thanks to Paul for the tip]

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BMW

This is what 14,200rpm looks like

BMW S1000RR video

You’re looking at the insides of the BMW S1000RR engine. That’s the bike BMW runs in the Superbike World Championship. At the time that still was captured the engine was running at maximum revs, which happens to be 14,200rpm.

If you’d like to see what that looks and sounds like, check out the clip after the jump. While you’re watching the clip contemplate for a moment what it would be like to have 144kW powering a 204kg bike. Brutal?

[via Jalopnik | Thanks to Adam for the tip]

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