Lamborghini Launches Gallardo LP570-4 Blancpain Limited Edition

Lamborghini has teamed up with Swiss luxury watchmaker Blancpain to create a limited edition version of its Gallardo supercar that pays homage to the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo racing cars. As you may have guessed, Blancpain is the title sponsor of the one-make racing series.

Finished in a black paintwork, the road-legal Gallardo LP 570-4 Blancpain Edition adopts the racing model's Countach-sized rear-wing and unique engine cover which is said to offer improved ventilation.

The car also gets Skorpius alloy wheels with yellow-painted brake calipers and discs made from carbon-ceramic composite, while several external components, such as the diffuser and mirror casings are made from carbon-fiber.

The racing atmosphere continues in the interior which is finished in black Alcantara with yellow accents and visible carbon-fiber.

As with the Super Trofeo race car, propulsion for the all-wheel drive model comes from the 5.2-liter V10 with 570-horsepower found in the series production Gallardo Superleggera.

Lamborghini says the Blancpain Edition tips the scales (dry) at 1340 kilograms (2954 lb) making it "the lightest road-going model in Lamborghini's range." Not to nitpick, but that's not entirely true as the Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera has the same exact weight. So to be precise, it shares the title with the Superleggera.

Power-to-weight ratio of the vehicle stands at 2.35 kilograms (5.18 lb) per hp with the Blancpain completing the standard zero to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint in 3.4 seconds and reaches the 200 km/h (124 mph) mark only 6.8 seconds later (10.2''). Top speed exceeds 320 km/h (199 mph).

There is no word on pricing or availability of the Gallardo LP 570-4 Blancpain Edition as of this time.

Citroen’s Survolt EV Takes on Agni Z2 Electric Motorcycle in Friendly Race [with Video]

Following its appearance at the Prince of Wales' Start Eco Car Spectacular, Citroen's conceptual Survolt electric racer has gone head-to-head (battery-to-battery?) with the Agni Z2 electric motorcycle at a friendly race held at Thruxton Race Circuit recently.

In the red corner, and behind the wheel of the Citroen Survolt is Le Mans / Touring Car racer Vanina Ickx, daughter of six times Le Mans winner and F1 driver Jacky Ickx.

The carbon fibre bodied Survolt features a tubular chasis and twin electric motors. With 220 kw (30o-horsepower) from 0 to 5,000 rpm, the Lotus Elise-sized Survolt can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in under five seconds. It has a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph) and an estimated range of 200 km (124 miles) from its twin 31kw lithium ion batteries.

In the blue corner, and piloting the Agni Z2 is the fastest woman around the Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) course and championship leader in the 2010 TTXGP clean emissions motorcycle race, Jenny Tinmouth.

The Agni Z2 comes with eighty small battery packs and a 50 kw (65-horsepower) electric motor offering a 0 - 100 km/h (0 - 62 mph) sprint time of just 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 209 km/h (130 mph).

Below are pictures and video of the friendly race, as the two racy women took their electric vehicles around the Thruxton Circuit as part of a joint publicity showing.

By Tristan Hankins

___________________________________________________________________

First Videos of MINI's Countryman WRC Testing in Portugal!

Thanks to a tip from Carscoop reader Rafael, we can now share with you the first video footage of MINI's new Countryman WRC prototype, which was caught testing earlier today (Tuesday) at Ponte de Lima in Portugal.

The Prodrive developed and built World Rallying Championship version of the Mini Countryman is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-charged engine from BMW Motorsport to comply with the new Super2000 regulations. Like the road-going model, it also gets four-wheel drive.

According to MINI, the Countryman WRC will be ready to compete at selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) before completing the full series in 2012.

Hat tip to Rafael!

Aston Martin's New Le Mans 24 Hour Race Contender

Meet Aston Martin's new LMP1 racer with which the British firm plans to compete in the 2011 edition of the famed Le Mans 24 Hour race. Pictured here in a teaser sketch dressed in Gulf Oil livery, the new race car is being designed from the ground up with an Aston Martin open cockpit monocoque chassis and a new purpose-built race gasoline engine.

The automaker said work on the new chassis and powerplant has been progressing for several months at Aston Martin Racing's headquarters in Banbury, UK and the first of a limited number of six cars will hit the tarmac in early 2011.

Aston Martin Chairman, David Richards said:

"Having won the GT category twice at Le Mans in 2007 and 2008 and the Le Mans Series outright in 2009, we still want to achieve our ultimate goal of winning the 24 Hour race overall to bring the title back to Britain."

"In recent years, it has been impossible for petrol cars to compete on equal terms with the diesels. However, we now have assurances from the ACO [Automobile Club De L'Oues] that, with the adoption of the 2011 regulations, they will properly balance the performance of these new cars. Under these circumstances we have been prepared to develop Aston Martin's first purpose-built racing chassis and engine for more than 50 years."

"Even with this new car, it will still be a 'David and Goliath' fight against the massive resources of our competitors, but we have become accustomed to this and relish the challenge."

The first and only time Aston Martin won the Le Mans was in 1959 with the DBR1 of Roy Salvadori and Carroll Shelby. However, the British firm has had two GT1 class victories at Le Mans in 2007 and 2008, and an overall Le Mans series win in 2009.

Nuevo Citroen DS3 Racing: ¡Reservalo!

Llega el nuevo Citroen DS3 Racing! Una edición limitada que convierte el Citroen DS3 en un deportivo de alta gama. Reservalo ya! Se agota!

¿Desde cuando se puede reservar?

- Ya! Se ha abierto la reserva para adquirirlo el dia 1 de Septiembre de 2010. Se estima que se empezará a verlo circular para finales de 2010.

¿Qué modificaciones tiene?

- Una puesta a punto que hace que su motor 1.6 l desarrolle 202 CV de fuerza.

- Terminaciones con elementos de fibra de carbono y partes del mundo de las carreras.

- Unas grandes llantas de 18 pulgadas high tech de diseño inédito.

Saludos Tuners!La gente de Tuning Extremo, Pasión por las 4 ruedas.

Ferrari F1 Drivers Alonso and Massa get their own Abarth 695 Tributo

One of the perks of being an F1 driver for an automaker is that you get a lot of free stuff, including cars - not because white collar execs love you, but because they want to milk every single ounce of fame out of you. In the case of human billboards Ferrari team drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, aside from those lovely gas station employee-like hats and polos, they also get their pick of cars from the Fiat Group.

This time, Alonso and Massa were handed over the keys of two Fiat 500-based Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari special edition models finished in Scuderia red with Racing grey details.

The limited special series Abarth model is powered a 1.4-liter force-fed four-cylinder engine tuned to develop 180HP, and comes with a bevy of goodies including carbon fibre parts, body hugging bucket seats from Sabelt, four-pot Brembo discs and unique 17-inch Corsa Grey alloy wheels.

On sale in Europe since July, Abarth has already notched up more than 600 orders, more than half of which are for export to countries like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and that despite its inexcusably high price (£29,600 / US$45,500 in the UK, €46,339 / US$59,000 in Spain).

Fauxmula 1: Ferrari Virtual Academy gives you the chance to Race F1 Online

Ferrari has announced a virtual simulator to give fans of its Scuderia F1 team something to do between races. Using input from its F1 drivers (Fernando Alonso, Felipe Massa, Giancarlo Fisichella) and engineers, the Ferrari Virtual Academy will be revealed live at Monza in Ferrari's paddock at the upcoming Italian Grand Prix.

The game will evolve and be released in stages, allowing people to race each other online on a variety of tracks. At launch, races will be held at the Fiorano track, followed by Mugello and the Nürburgring at a later date.

According to Ferrari, this is the only simulator to faithfully reproduce the F10 in all its glory. It is derived from Ferrari's own driver simulator, provides gamers with a realistic portrayal of the F10's cockpit, as well as realistic "aerodynamic effects, tire characteristics and behaviour of the chassis-suspension system and engine".

For fans willing to get seriously involved, there will be an online tournament that will track the simulator's top performers and reward them with weekly Ferrari goodies. Not only that, but Ferrari will bring the top five fastest tournament drivers to Maranello to do the Ferrari Driver Academy.

The Fiorano simulator will be released online at a price of €14.90, with Mugello and the Nürburgring set to follow at €9.90.

By Phil Alex

(Link: Ferrari Simulator download)

__________________________________________________________________

MINI Countryman Rally Car Passes First Round of WRC Tests

As previously reported, MINI is eager to get itself into the World Rally Car Championships with its Countryman crossover and reclaim some of the rallying glory its predecessor / inspiration had in the 1960s. And today, the British automaker released the first official picture of the Countryman WRC, which partner Prodrive has been busy testing at their Warwickshire proving grounds in rural England.

The Countryman-derived WRC prototype - which still wears MINI's signature psychedelic camouflage and a temporary body kit - has just successfully completed its first round of testing on tarmac and low grip surfaces at the Prodrive facility. The real test, however, will come when the car is sent to Portugal for a week of on-gravel testing. This phase will either make or break MINI's WRC bid.

Prodrive technical director David Lapworth isn't taking any chances: "As with any totally new car, it is vital to take time to ensure all the systems are working as intended before embarking on a weeklong gravel test,"

MINI and Prodrive are still finalizing the "look" of the car, with special focus on getting the WRC bodykit right for optimum aerodynamic performance and ground clearance.

By Tristan Hankins

First Images of GPR Motorsport's Toyota Avensis BTCC Racer

While Toyota has no plans to re-enter the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) with an official works team, the Japanese automaker has lent its support to GPR Motorsport that is building a new racing concept based on the European market and British-built Avensis sedan.

Toyota supplied GPR Motorsport with an Avensis donor car and bodyshell to build to the new specifications, which teams will be able to adopt from the 2011 racing season.

The Avensis NGTC (Next Generation Touring Car) car will make its track debut in the final round of this year's Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch on 9 – 10 October, driven by BTCC double champion, James Thompson.

VIDEO: Badass Rally Driver Overtakes with Avian Style and Grace

If you've never heard of the Courses de Bazous Autoquad in St. Ferdinand, Quebec, then you're like me and definitely wouldn't mind checking it out. Clearly, insanity is the name of the game.

This is a home-made video of a guy committing some airborne overtaking off-road rally style. Check it out and think about some wacky possibilities (see here...) the next time you're crossing some raised train tracks.

By Phil Alex

Via: Autoblog.com

Wallpaper de TC 2000: ¡Pato Silva!

Hola Tuners! Para todos los fanáticos del TC 2000 vamos a estar subiendo distintos Wallpapers de los idolos de esta competencia y los autos de TC 2000 que pilotean. En el dia de hoy Juan Manuel "Pato" Silva con su Honda.

Haciendo Click en la imagen podrán ampliarla y bajarla en una mejor resolución.

Saludos Tuners!

La gente de Tuning Extremo, Pasión por las 4 ruedas.