Just a quick note that 7Tune.com has some nice coverage up of the recent 2008 Tsukuba Super Battle.
The Super Battle, started here by RevSpeed magazine in 1989, is a well anticipated annual event for tuning shops, their respective teams and the spectators who come out to see what these super machines can do. They could well be classed as the F18’s of the automotive and tuning world but since the inception of the event, each year the lap times around the course have gradually slipped lower and lower. It seems that the faster the teams here go the more attractive the event has become and second by second, to the current lap record, many a competitor and challenger has come. The current fastest time stands at 53.589 seconds which is held by the HKS all carbon fiber CT230R Lancer Evolution.
Read the full article for more coverage and a great photo gallery.
Subaru has unveiled their 2008 WRC car ahead of next week’s Acropolis Rally in Greece where it will compete for the first time. David Richards, the head of Prodrive (the company responsible for Subaru’s rally program), is quoted as saying that this 2008 model is “the most radically different Subaru World Rally Car in 15 years.” Click images for full resolution.
Information on Season 11 of Top Gear has just hit the web, thanks to Top Gear themselves. Apparently Season 11 will feature a whole host of new changes, mostly in an effort to get back to their basic formula for success: lots of fast cars and lots of good laughs.
Things we have to look forward to? An epic “mega car” battle filmed in Japan (and they do really mean epic); the new Mitsubishi EVO X battling the new Subaru WRX STI; Jeremy Clarkson’s much beloved Mercedes CLK Black getting a spin around the track (see latest issue of Top Gear Magazine), and “hopefully” a review of the Mazda Furai.
Most exciting for me is that we’ve finally come up with another big race - you know, car versus something or other. The last time we did one was a couple of years ago, with the plane against the Veyron, and in hindsight we lost the plot in that one - too pompous, too overblown and preposterous, too much work on the scripting to make it funny. This one is back to basics, more hardcore, mega car, mega opponent, with a solid premise. And a clue for the geeks: we did it in Japan.
Have you ever fancied the idea of owning a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti? What about a 612 Scaglietti fresh from a 72 day, 7,000 mill trek across India? Well, apparently someone did, because they just paid $311,820 for it on Ebay. The car in question was used in Ferrari’s promotional tour of India to help promote Ferrari Awareness, or something.
I’m sure that 7,000 miles worth of sand and dirt might help conceal the car’s awful paint job.
Is this photo from the set of the new American Top Gear? A lot of people are saying yes. The photo was taken at the El Toro airfield, and in the background you can see a red Ferrari F430 and a blue Audi RS4. You may also notice the far left Porsche’s license plate that reads “BBC TV.”
If this really is from the set of America’s Top Gear series, then I’m pretty impressed. I was expecting a bunch of Dodge Challengers and Ford Mustangs to be running around spinning out of control.
UPDATE: Some people are claiming that the satellite image you see to the right is of Top Gear America’s test track on the El Toro airfield. However, this seems pretty unlikely considering that this image is undated, and most Google Earth images are at least a few months old. Not to mention the tire tracks are mostly from previous car events including numerous SCCA races. But, it still nevertheless gives some idea of what to expect.
CAR Magazine has got their fortunate little hands on a new Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4.
The first baby Lambo to crack 200mph is far from all-new, but the Gallardo LP560-4 has more to offer over the old car than simply a front bumper that looks like it was pinched from a Ferrari Enzo. More powerful than even the now-dead Superleggera, it’s also significantly more economical and less polluting too.
Consider me jealous. Just throwing this out there… If anyone needs me to test drive the new LP560, I’d be more than happy to.
The video from the Cadillac CTS-V’s record setting 7:59.32 lap of the Nurburgring is now online. GM reminds us that this car is 100% stock down to the tires, and the only thing different from a production car is the added safety equipment.
From GM:
To clarify, the car had no performance or operational modifications outside of what we intend to offer in production. We did have a couple of customary safety precautions, as the first goal of our testing is always to keep drivers like John safe. The car had a harness bar upon which a 6-way racing safety belt system was mounted. We also had a fire supression unit on board. These things add a little bit of weight to the car, certainly not helping performance any. Stock tires, too.
