2011 Mazda MX-5 ice racing

Mazda held an MX-5 race on ice recently with teams from around the world comprising journalists, TV fans and readers competing in Sweden.

The four-hour race featured 20 of the roadsters, all fitted with studded tires, battling it out on a three-mile circuit composed of snow and ice. The competitors not only battled each other, but chilly temperatures as low as -24 degrees Fahrenheit. The Australian team was the favorite going into race day and they held the lead most of the race until a late spin allowed the Russian team to take the win, having completed the most number of laps.

The drivers’ roster was made up of automotive journalists and Mazda fans who won contests to participate. As not all had racing experience, Mazda provided two days of instruction beforehand. Ice racing is dear to our hearts; we’ve raced cheap winter beaters on a frozen lake, and competed in a sanctioned event with our long-term Subaru WRX STI. See Mazda’s short video below for hot Miata-on-ice action.



Press Release

Mazda MX-5 on Ice

• 4 hour race for journalists, TV fans and readers

• 20 modified racing MX-5s set to start

• Extensive programme with training sessions, qualifying and the race

Åre, Sweden, 21 February 2011. Mazda opens the 2011 motorsport season on Swedish ice. After the successful MX-5 Open Race last year, Mazda is inviting racing enthusiasts to Sweden for the MX-5 Ice Race from 21 to 24 February 2011. A total of 20 modified MX-5s, tuned for driving on ice and wearing spike tyres, will participate in the four-hour race on the ca. 5 km grid.

The MX-5s will be piloted by teams from 26 participating nations, among them motor journalists with racing experience, and TV fans and readers who won tickets to the event in special contests. The four-day event in Åre, Sweden will include two extensive training sessions, a qualifying session to determine pole and starting positions, along with the race itself which is divided into two sessions. When the snow settles, the team that drives the most laps during the four hour race will win.

Mazda MX-5 Ice Race provides exciting Finish

Lake Kallsjön, Sweden, 24 February 2011. Mazda's MX-5 roadster proved again yesterday its pure sports cars genes, this time on ice in Sweden at the Mazda Ice Race 2011. Clear blue skies and polar temperatures provided the right conditions for an exhilarating festival of drift and control as drivers from 26 nations competed in specially modified roadsters for a podium finish.

Day 1 – the Aussie's make it look easy
After Tuesday's practice sessions and qualifying, a clear favourite emerged with the Australian team, which dominated Day 1 and took pole position. They also won the hearts of everyone by wearing swimming trucks over their racing overalls – in honour of summer down under – and driving with a tiny kangaroo mascot fastened to the top of their car's safety cage. They made it look easy on Day 1 with their only real challenge coming from the Russian team, which took second on the grid.

Day 2 – Russian Heroics and Belgium Consistency
Race day featured beautiful blue skies, glistening snow and a morning temperature
of -31º C. This ensured ideal conditions on the ice of Lake Kallsjön, which is located in the Östersund region of west-central Sweden. The race itself was conducted in two sessions, each two hours long, with the car completing the most laps the winner. Like last year's MX-5 Open Race in Italy, it was drifting control and not pure speed that proved the decisive factor in the race. The Australians continued to dominate as they had on Day 1 and led for nearly the entire race. But then a small mistake, a spin-out, and Russia overtook them at the end, holding on for the chequered flag; with Australia second.

Russia's win followed some amazing heroics from the team. They began the race in second place but spun-out early, fell back to 14th, only to battle their way back to second by the end of the first session. They then patiently held this spot, hoping for a miracle, and were able to capitalise on Australia's misfortune at the end of the final session for a truly exciting win. The Belgium team displayed the consistently good driving you would expect from last year's MX-5 Open Race winners, coming from far back in the pack to take third. The unforgettable day out on the ice culminated with a Champagne spray on the podium from the three winning teams.

The Mazda Ice Race 2011 was crowned later that evening at a gala dinner and show for pilots, teams and invited guests who had won a Mazda competition in their home countries for a place at the event. Jeff Guyton, Mazda Motor Europe's President and CEO, gave a short speech and presented trophies to the tired but happy winners. This was followed by dinner and a celebration of MX-5 Ice Race memories lasting late into the night.

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Racing Coupe Revealed

Cadillac will be unveiling its new CTS-V Coupe race car – which is set to take part in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge GT racing series this season – in Detroit at the 2010 North American International Auto Show next Monday.

The CTS-V Coupe will have to undergo plenty of modifications to meet up to the SCCA standards, but Cadillac has yet to announce what the changes for the future race car will include. Of course, the fact that the standard coupe gets a 556 HP V8 engine is reason enough for some teams to be shaking in their performance tires.

The sports car got some decent changes to its setup, like a carbon fiber body work, a ventilated hood, an aggressive diffuser, and a massive rear wing.





Press Release

CTS-V Coupe Race Car Photography

Cadillac announced today it will return to racing in 2011 with a race-prepared version of its CTS-V Coupe competing in the Sports Car Club of America World Challenge, North America’s top production-based racecar series.

The move returns Cadillac to a series where it competed from 2004 to 2007. Competing in the GT Class with the CTS-V Sport Sedan, Cadillac captured the Manufacturer’s Championship in 2005 and 2007 and the Driver’s Championship in 2005.

Cadillac will field two teams in the upcoming SCCA World Challenge GT Class with a racecar based on the CTS-V Coupe. The CTS-V line, which also includes the CTS-V Sedan and CTS-V Wagon, was recently named to Car and Driver magazine’s 10 Best list for 2011.

“Returning to racing in the SCCA World Challenge is a great way to demonstrate the performance and capability of the CTS-V Coupe,” said Don Butler, vice president for Cadillac marketing. “The racecars in this series are production based, which allows us to validate our performance against the best of our competitors on the track, and not just the showroom.”

Cadillac is working with Pratt & Miller, a New Hudson, Mich., engineering firm which specializes in motorsports, to develop the CTS-V Coupe racecar. While some of the production CTS-V components will be modified due to the unique demands of racing or to meet the SCCA series’ technical rules, every effort is taken to maintain as much production content as possible.

“The SCCA World Challenge lends itself well to a natural transfer of knowledge,” said Jim Campbell, GM vice president for Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The series will become a key test-bed for Cadillac. We anticipate using what we learn on the racetrack to ensure the V-Series stays on the cutting-edge of performance.”

The first event in the SCCA World Challenge is March 25-27 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Johnny O’Connell, a three-time GT1 champion in the America Le Mans Series, and Andy Pilgrim, who won the 2005 SCCA World Challenge GT class in a Cadillac, will be behind the wheel of the CTS-V racecars.

Introduced for the 2003 model year, the CTS-V has quickly earned a reputation among luxury sports car buyers. For the 2011 model year, Cadillac added the CTS-V Coupe and the CTS-V Sport Wagon to the CTS-V Sport Sedan, creating an impressive family of performance vehicles. The CTS-Vs feature Brembo brakes, a supercharged 6.2L V8 delivering 556 horsepower and a Magnetic Ride Control suspension system that can read and react to the road 1,000 times a second.

Started in 1944, the SCCA organizes and supports racing at all levels from amateur to professional. The World Challenge series is designed to provide teams, manufacturers and aftermarket suppliers a competitive production-based race series in which to prove their products. The races follow a 50-minute maximum time limit, with the number of laps and total distance determined by track configuration, lap times and race conditions.

Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0

Porsche has announced that they will be entering an improved version of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid into the upcoming Nürburgring 24 hour race on June 25, 2011. Priority of the new car’s development was given to the improvement of efficiency through the targeted optimization of hybrid components, which also resulted in a 20 percent weight reduction. Version 2.0 of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid is intended to achieve the same lap times as its predecessor but with even less fuel consumption.

The Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0 is powered by a hybrid system that combines a 480 HP 4.0 Liter flat six engine placed in the rear with two electric motors that drive the front wheels. The two motors will add an extra 200 HP (100 hp each) as opposed to the 150 HP offered on the first model. This power is automatically activated through the throttle pedal and can be quickly called upon when zipping around a competitor. Other than situations where the extra power can be used to overtake the competition for a few seconds, the Porsche will rely on the 4.0L engine for its stamina.

The other main difference with the new hybrid system is that the flywheel accumulator and other hybrid system components will be housed in a new carbon fibre safety cell positioned in the passenger-side area of the interior. This means these components, previously exposed to heat, won’t need to be cooled by aerodynamic-hindering large vents in the rear haunches. This means Version 2.0 will more slippery through the air.

Overall, the new 911 GT3 R Hybrid Version 2.0 now weighs 1300kg, a 50kg reduction from the previous car's weight of 1350kg. The interior has also been updated, with the displays and controls moved to the steering wheel. According to Porsche, drivers can operate the rest of the functions via backlit buttons now situated on the centre console.





Press Release

Nürburgring 24 hour race

Porsche lines up with an even more efficient 911 GT3 R Hybrid

Stuttgart. Porsche takes up the Nürburgring 24 hour race on 25 June with a further developed version of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid. Priority of the development was given to the improvement of efficiency through the targeted optimisation of hybrid components, which also resulted in a 20 percent weight reduction. Version 2.0 of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid is intended to achieve the same lap times as its predecessor but with less fuel consumption.

The general layout of the hybrid was adopted from the 2010 model. A portal axle with two electric motors drives the front wheels and supplements the four-litre, depending on the balance of performance classification approximately 470 hp, six-cylinder boxer engine at the rear. The output of both electric motors has increased from 60 to 75 kilowatts each. For seconds at a time, pilots now have almost an additional 200 hp at their disposal with the 911 GT3 R Hybrid 2.0. Depending on the programming, this power is automatically activated through use of the throttle pedal. Moreover, pilots can manually call up this extra power, for instance when overtaking.

The electric flywheel accumulator, with its rotor spinning up to 40,000 rpm and stor-ing energy mechanically as rotational energy, is now housed with the other hybrid components in a carbon fibre safety cell on the passenger's side.

At first glance, the new GT3 R Hybrid is clearly distinguishable from the 2010 model. Thanks to the optimisation of the hybrid system's high voltage components, the large louvres in front of the rear fenders were no longer necessary. This reduces drag and also lowers fuel consumption. All in all, the weight of the vehicle decreased from 1,350 to 1,300 kilograms.

"We've collected a great deal of information from our races on the Nürburgring, at the ALMS race at Road Atlanta in the USA, as well as from the ILMC race on China's Zhuhai circuit, which was an invaluable help for the further development of our racing laboratory," says Hartmut Kristen, head of Porsche motorsport. "The emphasis of our work was on improving efficiency. That means we want to keep the lap times consis-tent with 2010 but use less energy, hence less fuel. In this way, we support future developments of road-going, sporting hybrid vehicles."

The cockpit of the 911 GT3 R Hybrid has also been completely revised. Most of the displays and controls have moved to the steering wheel. Drivers can operate the rest of the functions via backlit buttons now situated on the centre console. Priority was placed on the ergonomics and the clear layout for pilots - particularly in darkness.

The new 911 GT3 R Hybrid is a perfect example of the ‘Porsche Intelligent Perform-ance' philosophy, a principle found in every Porsche: More power on less fuel, more efficiency and lower CO2 emissions - on the race track and on the road.

Lotus Evora Enduro GT Concept

Lotus has unveiled the new Lotus Evora Enduro GT race car at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. The Evora Enduro GT Concept is the base car for the new Lotus GT2/GTE car that will be racing in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup this season and is an evolved version of the Lotus GT4 Endurance. Lotus Motorsport, under the supervision of lead designer Nicola Scimeca developed the new car.

The vehicle rides on 18 inch forged alloys wrapped in 24/64-18 - 27/65-18 tires front and rear, while providing the necessary stopping power is a performance brake system with 22 mm race pads, two piece aluminium belled discs and 6 piston callipers at the front and 4-piston calliper at the rear.

Powered by a mid-mounted 4-litre DOCH V6 VVT-i engine, naturally aspirated and tuned by Cosworth, the Lotus Evora Enduro GT Concept develops 440 bhp @ 7,000 rpm and 460 Nm of torque @ 5,500 rpm.

The rear wheels get their power from the engine through an XTRAC 426 six-speed sequential gearbox. An optional pneumatic paddle-shift system can be fitted. Handling comes down to a forged double wishbone layout, four-way adjustable Ohlins TTX36 dampers, coaxial coil springs, increased camber, and adjustable anti-roll bars. Mated with racing slicks, it should prove formidable, especially with its mid-engine layout.




Press Release

Evora Enduro - GT Concept

The Evolving Evora

The Evora Enduro - GT concept car is an evolved version of the podium placing Evora GT4 Endurance. The Enduro has been developed by Lotus Motorsport under the expert eye of Lead Designer Nicola Scimeca.

The Enduro will be the base point from which the GT2/GTE homologated cars for FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile) and ACO (l'Automobile Club de l'Ouest) endurance racing will be built.

Lotus Motorsport intend to contend the following endurance events this year:

• 23 – 26 June 2011 Nürburgring ADAC 24 Hour Race (GER)
• 28 – 31 July 2011 Spa 24 Hour Race (BEL)
• 8 & 9 October 2011 Silverstone 24 Hour Race (GB)

The 24 hour races in Dubai and Daytona are on the list for 2012.

The Evora Enduro can be bought by private individuals and adapted for racing.

2011 Aston Martin AMR-One

Aston Martin Racing has announced its plans for the new season including the unveiling of a new ground-up developed LMP1 race car, the AMR-One, as well as confirming the driver line-up and planned race programme.

The AMR-One is powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected inline-six gas engine resting in a carbon fiber monocoque open-top chassis. The Aston’s tiny 2.0-liter mill was developed with LeMans Cup’s new efficiency regulations in mind.

The six-cylinder engine setup is an interesting one as we just reported last week that Aston Martin was looking at reintroducing a new six-cylinder engine, also with direct injection and turbocharging technology but with a displacement of 2.5-liters in its production cars. So perhaps some variation of this racing engine will eventually turn up in one of Aston Martin’s bespoke road cars.

The suspension is double wishbones all round with pushrod Koni dampers, the carbon brakes are by Brembo (six-pot calipers all round, with 380mm front and 355mm rear discs), and the 18in Michelin tyres wrap forged magnesium wheels. All in, the AMR-One tips the scales at the ACO-mandated minimum of 900kg.

The driver lineup which will take on this year's 24 Hours of LeMans includes Darren Turner (GB) and Stefan Mücke (D) in car 007 and Adrian Fernandez (MX), Andy Meyrick (GB) and Harold Primat (CH) in charge of 009.




Press Release

Aston Martin Racing launches new AMR-One Race Car

• New Aston Martin LMP1 race-car developed from ground up named AMR-One
• Bespoke, in-line six cylinder, direct injection, intercooled, turbocharged petrol engine
• Carbon fibre monocoque open top chassis
• Driver line up:
• 007 Darren Turner (GB), Stefan Mücke (D) , TBC
• 009 Adrian Fernandez (MX), Andy Meyrick (GB) and Harold Primat (CH)

Aston Martin Racing announces today its plans for the new season including the unveiling of a new ground-up developed LMP1 race car, the AMR-One, as well as confirming the driver line-up and planned race programme.

The Gulf Oil International sponsored and liveried Aston Martin AMR-One is a new open-top LMP1 race car featuring a 2.0 litre turbocharged six cylinder direct injection petrol engine which has been developed for a new bespoke carbon fibre chassis designed and manufactured by Aston Martin Racing.

Based on the new regulations for 2011 instigated by the Le Mans governing body; the ACO, Aston Martin Racing has chosen to change tack this year in designing an open cockpit car. In line with the new 2011 rules, the AMR-One features the new blade-fin and has a significantly down-sized engine in keeping with the championship's efficiency focused regulations. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a six-speed transverse semi automatic pneumatic shift, Xtrac racing gearbox.

A total of six AMR-Ones will be built, with the factory team running one car in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) which includes the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans and two cars at selected events. The AMR-One is linked to Aston Martin's ultimate design and engineering showcase; the road going One-77; both of which share similar philosophies featuring carbon fibre monocoques. Aston Martin's in-house design team worked closely with the engineers at Aston Martin Racing to find the optimum balance between aesthetics and aerodynamics.

Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr. Ulrich Bez said: "Aston Martin's heritage is deeply rooted in endurance sports car racing, so in 2011, we take the next step demonstrating that a small team using advanced design and engineering intelligence will be agile and competitive."

The driver line up for 2011 will consist of Darren Turner (GB) Stefan Mücke (D) and another driver yet to be announced, who will join the team piloting the 007 car. Adrian Fernandez (MX), Andy Meyrick (GB) and Harold Primat (CH) will be teaming up to drive the 009 car.

Aston Martin Racing Chairman, David Richards said: "George and the team have been extremely busy over the winter months and they have been working day and night to produce what is not only a stunningly beautiful race car but one which will use the new ACO regulations to best effect.
"Just like the road cars, the AMR-One has been elegantly engineered where simplicity runs throughout to produce what we expect to be a competitive and reliable endurance racer."

Team Principal George Howard-Chappell said: "We have chosen to run with a six cylinder turbocharged engine because we believe this offers the best potential within the petrol engine regulations. With the ACO's commitment to effectively balance the performance of petrol and diesel Le Mans entrants - our hopes are high that we'll see the closest racing yet in the premiere LMP1 category.

It is expected that Aston Martin Racing will contend selected races in the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup with rounds in the United States (Petit Le Mans), Belgium (Spa), France (Le Mans), Italy (Imola), England (Silverstone) and China (TBC) and make its debut at Paul Ricard on the 1-3 April 2011.

The AMR-One is expected to test for the first time in early March.