TopSpeed Daily Update |  |
- Dacia Duster Pikes Peak Racer
- Nissan 370Z GT
- Honda CR-Z by Mugen
- Season 17 of Top Gear returns on June 12, 2011
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Maserati will expand line-up to five models
- Hennessey Venom GT
- Think We Pay a lot for Gas? It's Nothing Compared to Shampoo
- McLaren "Mega Mac"
- Porsche 997 GT2 by McChip
| Posted: 18 May 2011 09:00 AM PDT
When Renault said that it was going to take a stab at running Pikes Peak in 2011 AND use a Dacia Duster to run the competition, a lot of people, shall we say, scoffed at that idea. As it turns out, Renault was actually serious about the whole thing because the first photos of the Dacia Duster Pikes Peak have gone live. It seems a little ambitious for Renault to try to compete in one of the most famous - or infamous - hill climbing competitions in the world, especially considering when they’re using their low-cost, Romanian-based brand for the whole competition. But this isn’t your ordinary Dacia Duster. While details are still limited, there are whispers going around that this particular Duster will carry a Nissan GT-R-sourced V8 engine that produces a staggering 850 horsepower. Last we checked, that’s a load of power, especially for a car that’s been stripped down to weigh just a little less than 900 kg (1,984 lbs). The car is set to compete on June 26, 2011 at Pikes Peak, Colorado and will be piloted by Jean-Philippe Dayraut. We don’t know how competitive it’s going to be against the Imprezas of the competition, but there’s plenty of power under this Duster’s hood. And if you’ve got that covered, you stand a very good chance of being competitive. Dacia Duster Pikes Peak Racer originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 May 2011 16:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 18 May 2011 08:00 AM PDT
While everyone’s attention at Nissan’s stand in Geneva was aimed at their new Esflow concept, the 370Z GT Edition sitting idly by almost passed by unnoticed. It’s a little unnerving, but it’s a good thing it didn’t escape altogether because it is a very cool car. The model was created as a special celebration of Nissan’s huge success in GT racing all over the world and as part of the celebration the special edition gets subtle suspension revisions, special racing strips, new wheels, and three special body color choices. The V6 engine remains unchanged. "The 370Z is an iconic sports car and the GT Edition underlines its appeal to enthusiasts everywhere," said Pierre Loing, Vice President Product Planning, Nissan International SA. "The combination of outstanding performance and the dramatic looks of this very special 370Z more than lives up to the heritage of its illustrious forebear while its strong links to the race track shows its true pedigree." UPDATE 05/18/2011: The Nissan 370Z GT will be going on sale in the UK on June 1, 2011, for a starting price of £35,000 - or about $57,000 at the current exchange rates. The model will be distinguished by three special body color choices, side stripes, and darkened 19" alloy wheels. Hit the jump to read more about the 2011 Nissan 370Z GT. Nissan 370Z GT originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 May 2011 15:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 18 May 2011 06:00 AM PDT
The hybrid craze has gone to new levels and everyone wants in on the action. Unlucky for those that are late in joining the game, Mugen has come around with yet another version of the Honda CRZ, promising to transform the vehicle into one "hot hybrid hatch." Their newest package comes with a killer supercharger that takes the CRZ to a greater level of performance, and possibly a better fuel economy as well. The Honda CRZ Mugen will still come with its standard 1.5L four cylinder engine, but will get the boost in power from a new supercharger. Standard outputs for the CRZ come in at 113 HP and 107 lb-ft of torque for just the engine, while adding the standard hybrid package will get those outputs up to 122 HP and 128 lb-ft of torque. Mugen has taken their upgrade a step further by developing their own electronic package that, together with the supercharged engine, will deliver a total of 197 HP and 181 lb-ft of torque. Just like there’s no sex in the champagne room, there’s no slacking over at Mugen’s place either. Mugen takes their package a step further by adding induction and exhaust upgrades that they hope will improve the hatch’s current stats of 38mpg and 117g/km CO2. They have also added front and rear five-stage adjustable dampers, bigger brakes, and lightweight 17in forged Mugen GP alloys. Aesthetically, the CRZ will get Mugen-spec front and rear bumpers, a large rear wing, and side skirts. The company has also promised a "large reduction in overall weight." The Honda CRZ Mugen will make its first grand appearance at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed in July. As of right now, it is just a one-off prototype, but Mugen says they are willing to offer it in a limited number production if there is enough interest. At the very least, we should be able to order some of the parts used as aftermarket supplies. UPDATE 05/18/2011: Mugen has unveiled the first official images of the CR-Z Mugen before the car’s official debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. While the tuner has yet to say anything about the official specifications, Colin Whittamore from MUGEN Euro said: "We’ve retained the three driving modes from the standard car and economyranges from 50+mpg in ’eco’ mode to mid-30 mpg when tapping into the supercharged power in a special ’MUGEN’ mode." Honda CR-Z by Mugen originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 May 2011 13:00 EST.
|
| Season 17 of Top Gear returns on June 12, 2011 Posted: 18 May 2011 05:00 AM PDT
We've been hearing a lot of news from the world of Top Gear recently and arguably the biggest news of all is about to be laid out to all of you. Yes, dear folks, the 17th season – has it been that many? – of Top Gear is headed back to the tubes beginning on June 12, 2011. The news was first reported by FinalGear.com - as good a source as any Top Gear-related website out there – which bared Top Gear's return after it was first divulged in the May issue of the Dutch edition of Top Gear magazine. Us here in America will get a double dose of the fun too as the first season of Top Gear USA will start to be sold in DVD form on July 19. As far as what's in store for us with season 17 of Top Gear, well, your guess is good as ours. But we've seen Clarkson and May push a Nissan Leaf and there have been reports that the McLaren MP4-12C posted the fastest lap on the Top Gear track. Yep, its looking like just a regular season of Top Gear; one full of laughs, surprises, and controversies. Season 17 of Top Gear returns on June 12, 2011 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 May 2011 12:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 18 May 2011 03:00 AM PDT
The Chevrolet Camaro came back from an eight year hiatus in its fifth generation with something to prove. No longer willing to let the Ford Mustang reign the muscle car kingdom, the Camaro was designed as "a heritage-inspired sports car for the 21st century, combining great looks and performance; advanced technology and surprising efficiency." These new goals set for the Camaro were instantly illustrated in the overall shape of the vehicle and the advanced, 3.6L direct-injected V-6 engine available in the two lower trim levels: the LS and LT versions. The higher end Camaro was given the SS designation and carries with it a 6.2L V-8 engine with fuel-saving Active Fuel Management on automatic-equipped combinations. All three trims are available in 10 different exterior colors. The Camaro was well received when it made its comeback in 2010, even pulling off the title of World Car Design of the Year at the World Car of the Year Awards. Chevrolet made sure that title stays true with subtle changes to both the 2011 and 2012 model years. Full specifications of the 2010-2012 Chevrolet Camaro after the jump. Chevrolet Camaro originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 May 2011 10:00 EST.
|
| Maserati will expand line-up to five models Posted: 18 May 2011 02:00 AM PDT
The current Maserati line-up includes the Quattroporte, the GranTurismo, and the GranCabrio, but things are about to get a little more populated with addition of a new sedan and a new SUV. The company has already begun developing these models and we should start see the fruits of their labor sometime in 2012, with the last model - the SUV - arriving in 2014. Before that, a new generation Quattroporte will be coming off of the production block, followed by a smaller model that will take on the likes of the BMW 5-Series. Both sedans are being designed by Pininfarina and the Fiat Auto Centro Stile as we speak and they will be offered with either a 400-hp MultiAir-equipped, turbocharged version of the Pentastar V-6 or a 300 HP V6 turbo-diesel. The engines will be mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox that will help improve fuel consumption. The new SUV arriving in 2014 - earlier said to be 2012 - will be the first one landing on the Maserati lineup and will be based on the Grand Cherokee platform. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler Group and Fiat, has already confirmed that the new model will be fitted with a "rock and roll engine" from Ferrari, possibly in both V8 and V12 variants. The company has already invested $750 million for its production. Maserati will expand line-up to five models originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 18 May 2011 09:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 17 May 2011 12:00 PM PDT
Hennessey Performance have revealed the official details on the Venom GT supercar. Based on a Lotus Elise, their kit will be limited to only five units, four of which have already being spoken for. The Venom GT is powered by a supercharged 6.2 liter LS9 V8 engine, same used in the Corvette ZR1, that delivers a total of 725 bhp. And if this is not enough, the tuner will also be offering 1000 bhp and 1200 bhp twin turbo V8 engine variants. With a curb weight of 2,685 lbs, the 1200 HP Venom GT will hit a top speed of 275 mph. The supercar features lightweight carbon fiber bodywork and carbon fiber wheels, a programmable traction control system, CFD (computational fluid dynamic) tested bodywork, an active aero system with adjustable rear wing, and an adjustable suspension system. Prices start at $725,000 for the 725 HP variant, and go up to $950,000 for the 1200 HP Big Daddy model. UPDATE 05/17/2011: The review has been updated with more information on the Venom GT, including the fact that the limited run of 10 units has been taken down to only five units. The Venom GT will be making its European show debut at Salon Prive’ London from June 22 - 24, 2011 and its first track appearance will be in the Supercar Run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 1 - 3, 2011. More details on the Hennessey Venom GT after the jump. Hennessey Venom GT originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 17 May 2011 19:00 EST.
|
| Think We Pay a lot for Gas? It's Nothing Compared to Shampoo Posted: 17 May 2011 11:00 AM PDT
In our efforts to gather some cool graphics for our Car Infographics series, we’ve come across an interesting little tidbit about how much we pay for gas in comparison to the many other things we use on a daily basis. Yes, we may use a heckuva lot more gas than we do, say, nail polish, but the price tags associated with many of these items are a bit astronomical when looked at on a per gallon basis. Let’s take shampoo, for instance. Americans pay about $28.60 per gallon of the stuff and that’s nothing compared to the $32 per gallon we pay for that delicious Starbucks Grande Latte. Even Fiji Water is emptying our pockets of $10.24 per gallon and that energy kick from Red Bull costs us $28.16 per gallon. The most expensive price per gallon on the list? Try justifying $1,024 per gallon of nail polish. There’s plenty more comparisons in the image, including gallon prices for milk, orange juice, and even some alcoholic beverages. Make sure you check them out right before you go fill up your car’s gas tank. The prices may not be comparable to the usage of the product, but it may make us feel a bit better about paying $4 per gallon to get us from point A to point B. Also, check back with us to find more interesting tidbits as part of our Car Infographics series. Think We Pay a lot for Gas? It's Nothing Compared to Shampoo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 17 May 2011 18:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 17 May 2011 09:00 AM PDT
In today’s world of ungodly-powered supercars, an old hat that has been lost in the shuffle is looking to re-enter the conversation, determined to remind everyone that while their name hasn’t been mentioned in talks of ’fastest supercar on the planet’, it was a matter of choice rather than cause. Rumors are coming out of Woking, England that McLaren is finally in the process of developing the long-awaited successor to the iconic McLaren F1. This is the very same car that ushered in a new generation of supercars when it made its debut back in the mid 90s, setting the standard on how supercars are built these days. While official details are still being withheld, Autocar managed to get some juicy information on what’s in store for this new supercar, including the nickname it’s been given: ’Mega Mac’. It sounds like it doesn’t inspire a lot of fear and trepidation from its competitors, but nonetheless, we’re confident that ’Mega Mac’ won’t be the final name of the car. Somewhere along the lines, McLaren will have something more suitable for their new flagship supercar. For now, immerse yourselves in the first details of the car after the jump. Note: Photo is of the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 McLaren "Mega Mac" originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 17 May 2011 16:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 17 May 2011 08:00 AM PDT
The last time we heard from Mcchip dkr, they were working on a speedier version of the Volkswagen Golf R. Not a bad gig, but they’ve come a long way since then, baby. Their latest tuning project was hooking up the most powerful Porsche 911 in the line-up: the Porsche 997 GT2. The upgrade package starts off with the addition of modified turbochargers and high-performance charge air coolers. These coolers include a silicone Tube Set, Cargraphic 200-cell sport catalysts, and manifolds. These extras build up the 3.6L engine to deliver 657 HP and 615 lb-ft of torque, up from the standard 523 HP and 502 lb-ft of torque. Mcchip dkr could have pumped even more torque out of the GT2 - over 664 lb-ft, in fact -, but since the car already has an uncontrollable amount of power, they thought it best to keep it dialed down so the vehicle could still be controlled on the race track. Anyone interested in putting a little more grunt into their Porsche 997 GT2 need to shell out 23,000 euro, or about $33,000 at the current exchange rates. Porsche 997 GT2 by McChip originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 17 May 2011 15:00 EST.
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Top Speed To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 komentar:
Tulis komentar anda untuk artikel TopSpeed Daily Update di atas!