Amidst all the hubbub surrounding this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, race organizers ACO have announced that the current GT1 class would be integrated into a new GT2 category for next year.
After having effectively scrapped its own GT1 class last year, the ACO welcomed in the new generation of sports-racers built for the FIA GT1 World Championship into the iconic 24-hour race. As it turns out, however, 2010 will be the only time these entries will have been allowed into the race, as the ACO moves to eliminate the category once and for all, replacing it with a two-tier category based on the current GT2 regulations.
The move reportedly enjoys the support of winning drivers in both categories, including the team’s four-time class winner Oliver Gavin and ’s Tomas Enge, who see the excitement shifting to GT2 in recent years.
Our camera-happy spy photographers were quick enough to grab a batch of shots of one very distinctive as it underwent mountain testing. From what we can tell, it’s the next iteration of the German manufacturer’s successful Race Touareg 2 – the same diesel rally raid beast that has gone toe-to-toe with other competitors in the . From what we can tell, the next-gen racer will look nearly identical to the car that competed in the 2009 series, with a few subtle changes.
The prototype our photographers spotted sports a for high-water crossings and a new brush guard – presumably for pushing obstacles from the Touareg’s path and protecting its lightweight bodywork. Who knows what’s under the hood, but considering the success the company has had with hits twin-turbo diesel I5, we wouldn’t expect too much to change in terms of power delivery unless rule changes warrant it. VW has managed to increase the engine’s power output by about 10-15 ponies each year, though, so it wouldn’t surprise us to see the oil-burner top 300 horsepower for the first time.
If you use standard tap water in your windshield washer fluid reservoir instead of a cleaner, you may have effectively turned your vehicle into a biological weapon. Sure, that sounds cool and all, but according to BBC News, the only person you’re going to be hurting is yourself. As it turns out, using plain water can cause the washer fluid system to become a breeding ground for Legionella bacterium – the same nastiness that causes Legionaires’ Disease and pneumonia. Spray your and the bacteria becomes airborne, allowing it to easily enter your lungs and wreak havoc with your immune system.
Researchers discovered the hive of scum and villainy lurking under the hood by attempting to discern why professional drivers were five times more likely to become ill than their amateur counterparts. After a little scientific sleuthing, the lab coats unearthed the bacteria. So do the world a favor and top off your windshield washer fluid reservoir with some sort of purpose-built cleaner. The stuff will kill the infection-causing bacteria and will keep the fluid from freezing in the winter. Not bad for 99 cents a gallon. Thanks for the tip, Kris!
They say it’s best to quit while you’re ahead. But then, Jacques Villeneuve hasn’t been ahead in quite some time. The former World Champion hasn’t been on the grid – at least, not the Formula One grid – in four years. But even when he was, his performance had slipped drastically since winning it all in 1997 and the Indy title in ‘95. Still, he’s the most successful North American driver on the world stage, and he’s prepared to give it one more shot.
Speaking with journalists during on the circuit named after his father, JV pledged that he’d give it one last try to get on the grid for next season, but after failing that, he’d give up any aspirations on returning to F1. The French Canadian driver, now 39 years old, was hoping to grab a seat with one of the new teams joining the grid for this season, having been linked to both USF1 and Stefan GP, but neither team ultimately made it onto the grid.
Having come in second place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2008, Jacques came within spitting distance of scoring the Triple Crown of Motorsports (together with his F1 and Indy titles), but hasn’t competed at the event since, focusing his energies alternately on NASCAR and an F1 comeback. Onetime rival Michael Schumacher, who returned to F1 this season at the ripe old age of 41, reportedly supports Villeneuve’s return, but will that be enough to put JV back in the race seat? Only time will tell.
[Source: Image: Ryan Remiorz/AP/The Canadian Press]
2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD – Click above for high-res image gallery
As you may have noticed, automobile sales are picking back up after their seemingly perpetual nosedive of the last two years or so. The same holds true for fullsize pickup trucks, and we’re hoping that this resurgence will bring back some of the more interesting developments that had to be shelved due to monetary constraints. Chief amongst these wishes are the unfortunately abandoned light-duty diesel engines from , and .
With that in mind, our interest is piqued by a report from our friends at PickupTrucks.com suggesting that the previously shelved 4.5-liter Duramax diesel V8 engine from GM may be back on the table, except with an interesting twist. While the oil-burning powerplant was originally intended just for half ton trucks, GM is reportedly now considering offering the mill in all of its fullsize trucks, including the Heavy Duty models.
General Motors indicates that its 4.5-liter diesel V8 engine is “fully developed and ready” to launch with power ratings of over 310 horsepower and 520 pound-feet of torque. Those figures would just about match what the larger Duramax diesels were putting out about a decade ago and seemingly be plenty for the 2500 class of trucks. What’s more, The General told our own Sam Abuelsamid that the still-running fleet of 4.5 diesels is .
NASCAR Hall of Fame – Click above for high-res image gallery
All things considered, it seems odd that it took until 2010 for NASCAR to open up a hall of fame. Now that NASCAR’s best days may well be behind it, one might expect that fans would be thronging to a new museum dedicated to the drivers, crews and cars that spend every Sunday afternoon driving in circles and banging fenders.
However, now that the is finally open to the public, the crowds haven’t been as big as originally projected. Supporters had hoped to lure 800,000 people to the facility in Charlotte, North Carolina during its first year of operation. However, based on the first month’s attendance, the projections have now been ratcheted down to 600,000 or less.
Granted, most museums would kill to have 600,000 people come through in a year, but this is NASCAR where they do everything in a big way. The museum is still expected to to run a surplus of nearly $800,000 this year but waning interest in NASCAR and a continued weak economy could make things tough going forward.
As much as we enjoy Jeremy Clarkson and Top Gear, we do occasionally marvel at how thoroughly the man seems to have gripped the attention of Brits. When 1,182 residents of the Sceptered Isle were polled about who they’d like to have most as a celebrity housesitter, Clarkson was the top choice. Jeremy Clarkson, the host of a car show, beat BBC presenter Christine Bleakley, home improvement guru Sarah Beeny and singer Cheryl Cole in the top four, then a Lord at number five and some unknown soccer player named Rooney at number six.
The fact that a notoriously fiery soccerfootball superstar and tabloid staple made the list at all as someone you’d want tending your valuables while you’re out of town does put respondents’ mindsets into a new perspective. But still, Jeremy Clarkson? Full details in the press release after the jump.
Audi R8 V10 vs. Honda Civic Type R Mugen – Click above to
There are certain debates that will rage on until the end of time: Coke or Pepsi, Zeppelin or the Stones, real or fake. But few take the cake in our little corner of the writing world quite like the infamous “fast cars slow or slow cars fast” dispute. On the one hand, what’s the point of having a gazillion dollar capable of cracking off triple-digit speeds at the drop of an eyelash if you’re stuck on public roads? On the flip side, fans of mighty metal will politely ask you, why waste your life behind the wheel of anything with less than 400 horsepower?
Autocar has recently taken it upon itself to try to answer the unanswerable by pitting an 5.2 FSI with 518 horsepower against the more common 239 horse Honda Civic Type R Mugen over a typical European country road. There are no solid performance figures or dyno pulls, just whether the pint-size hatch can keep up with the big mid-engine monster through the twists and down the straights. What do they find? Well, we won’t spoil it for you. You’ll just have to to find out for yourself.
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Audi R8 photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: ]
: Autocar pits Audi R8 V10 versus… Honda Civic Type R Mugen?
Let’s just say, hypothetically, that you wanted to maintain a ridiculously high rate of speed over open terrain for extended periods of time. What would your vehicle of choice be? A ? Not bad, but where’s the exclusivity? If you really wanted a road-legal vehicle that was built specifically for dominating any terrain you come across, the Qt Services (formerly Bowler Offroad) should be your go to ride. In 300STR trim, the tube-frame terror packs a 4.0-liter V8, tough four-wheel drive bits and civilized traits like air-conditioning and an dock. Hey, just because you’re surviving the zombie apocalypse doesn’t mean you have to suffer.
Of course, buyers looking to take on various forms of cross country motorsport can step up to either the 400NSR or the 500DKR – both designed to take on either hill climb races or all-out rally raids depending on your preferences (and budget). If all of this sounds tasty, you’re in luck. The first Wildcat 300STR just rolled off of the Qt Services assembly line. to check out the full press blast.
After putting some miles on the new Heavy Duty trucks from GM, we found they offer superior ride quality, engine refinement and features like smart exhaust braking over its rivals.
If there’s one thing the auto world loves, it’s a good tease. BMW has been happy to oblige this afternoon by dropping three photos of a new model fit just for U.S. consumption.
Thanks to a leak from the boys at Auto Express in the UK, we can show you these few shots of the 2011Volkswagen Jetta, along with a couple of salient details.
Next-gen BMW 6 Series Convertible spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery
As moves forward with the development of the next-generation , more of the swirly camouflage is stripped away, revealing that the next Sixer will be significantly more rakish than the model currently on sale. In this latest batch of spy photos, we can clearly see the revised front fascia with the larger interpretation of BMW’s twin kidney grilles and the stretched headlamp cluster encompassing a set of LED turn signals. Around back, it appears that the convertible top won’t change too much from the current car, featuring the same upright rear window with flying buttress sides.
Under the hood, expect to see the turbocharged six- and eight-cylinder engines from the . A more potent isn’t necessarily out of the cards, but with BMW reportedly working on a high-output version of the , we’re not sure if an M-badged 6 Series will have much place within BMW’s lineup (not that that’s ever stopped the automaker before). What’s more, rumors continue to swirl about the possibility of a four-door 6 Series to compete with the and upcoming .
For now, though, we’ll just watch as BMW peels more camo off of the coupe and convertible models, and we certainly won’t rule out the possibility of a debut later this year. See the latest set of spy shots for yourself in the gallery below.
has taken its dealer network in for service in a big way, and the company is hoping that consumers will be able to tell the difference soon. While the products in GM’s luxury portfolio have come a long way in just a few short years, customers lured in by slick ads and slicker sheetmetal have been turned off by a dealer experience that has remained largely unchanged over the decades. To fix that problem, The General recently brought together 300 salespeople for a training seminar in Chicago.
So how do you go about training workers to give customers a more gratifying sales experience? GM decided to turn to a group that knows a thing or two about hospitality – Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. – for some help. The hotel gurus suggested that dealership owners free up some cash to help rectify bad service issues. Some dealers have given sales people up to $500 in cash to help wow customers. The money can be used to provide free maintenance or extend subscriptions to or satellite radio in the event that a customer has a problem at the dealership.
The Chicago seminar is part of a nationwide training tour that GM hopes will stamp out the brand’s reputation for hit-or-miss service.
[Source: ] Photo copyright (C)2009 Chris Shunk / Weblogs, Inc.
The United Auto Workers are gathering in Detroit this week through Thursday to elect new leadership, and delegates from around the country are filing into Cobo Hall – home of the Detroit Auto Show – to have their votes counted. And even though union membership has been cut in half over the past decade and automakers have won many concessions, many UAW Representatives feel that leadership did the best they could under difficult circumstances.
That sentiment hasn’t been shared by all, though, as The Detroit News is reporting that about 50 active and retired UAW workers are picketing across the street from the Motown convention center. Many protesters picketed to show support for government-run single payer health care, while some were reportedly also critical of UAW leadership. The protesting even lead to one detention, as UAW retiree Al Benchich was put in handcuffs for handing out pamphlets at the main entrance of Cobo. Benchich was let go with a warning.
The delegates will elect new national, regional and local UAW leaders during the convention, including a successor to long-time President Ron Gettelfinger.
is recalling 46,549 2006 model year (shown) and 2005-2006 SUVs for a potentially defective hydraulic power assist steering pump. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that the defect involves a plastic tension adjuster pulley for the drive belt that operates the steering pump and A/C compressor. Heat stress can apparently cause said plastic to deteriorate over time, which could lead to pieces of the pulley breaking off. The broken pieces can get lodged between the pulley and drive belt, possibly dislodging the belt and making it more difficult to steer.
Owners of affected vehicles can take their XL-7 or Grand Vitara to the nearest Suzuki dealer for a free repair, where the steering pump drive belt tension adjuster pulley will be replaced. Hit the jump to read over the official NHTSA press release.
To quote Neil Finn’s Crowded House on the subject of USF1, “Hey now, hey now, don’t dream it’s over.” There’s no need to dream, see – it really is all over. The aspiring racing outfit got rid of everything down to toasters and power strips in an auction held last week.
The pictured tub went for just under $8,000, which seems more than reasonable, but tales were told of souvenir hunters pushing up the prices of just about everything else – one talked of a $400 printer going for $700. Hopefully the team principals made enough to reclaim their pride from the pawn shop.
There are certain vehicles that were born to be convertible. The is not among them. The plucky, inexpensive little transporter is somewhat lovable in hardtop guise with its round overall shape and ladybug proportions. The cheapest of cheap cars is just too cute to hate, but make the mistake of pulling back the top sheetmetal, and you’ve got a sight that can’t be unseen. A photo of a drophead Nano has hit the web courtesy of Wheelosphere – a site dedicated to India’s blooming automotive world.
Fortunately, for the moment at least, the world won’t have to deal with these things in the wild. The cars are apparently kept to the grounds of Tata’s Sanand plant and used to ferry visitors from one portion of the complex to the other. That’s just as well, really, because the car’s semi-monocoque construction probably doesn’t take too well to having its roof cut off, and we suspect that structural rigidity is now something of an open question (*rimshot*). If you can peel your eyes away from the missing roof long enough to check out the rest of the Nano , you’ll likely spot some sporty step bars and classy side graphics, too. Excellent.
BMW teaser photos – Click above for high-res image gallery
If there’s one thing the auto world loves, it’s a good tease. has been happy to oblige this afternoon by dropping three photos of a new model fit just for U.S. consumption. Details are fittingly scarce, though the company does say that it will drop full details on the world come Thursday. Since we’ve been left to our own devices, how about a little rampant speculation to get the ball rolling? Judging from the front fascia, we’re guessing the new car is gussied up . The smattering of M logos throughout the cabin leads us to believe that the new kid on the block will likely boast a more sporting pedigree than its brethren, and since the America-only is already down the pike, another pepped up 3 Series wouldn’t make much sense.
From the looks of things, there’s definitely a dual-clutch cog box at play, though it’s unclear if that will be the only option. Now the only question is whether the company will tweak the V8 found in the M3 or whether it will leave it alone and instead make other upgrades, and there’s also the question of which bodystyle(s) the car will be available with, as the M3 is currently available in coupe, sedan, and convertible form. Keep your ears pinned back for more information later in the week. Until then, let your imagination run wild.
As investigations into how handled in the company’s pickup trucks and SUVs continue, critics suggest that it’s quickly becoming clear that the company has mishandled repair and recall efforts. According to a USA Today article, Toyota had repaired vehicles with the defect for over 11 years in the U.S. before deciding to initiate a in Japan, and a recall for the 977,000 affected American vehicles didn’t occur until one year later.
To compound the issue, not all owners were contacted about the recall once it went into effect, leaving plenty of potentialy defective vehicles in the hands of the public. Some owners were even made to pay for the repair out of their own pockets without reimbursement from the automaker, especially after the vehicle was out of warranty. In some cases, Toyota made what it calls goodwill repairs for free.
The investigation into the defective steering relay rods comes after the federal government fined Toyota the maximum allowable earlier this year for failing to notify the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration of unintended acceleration issues in a timely manner. The automaker is currently the plaintiff in a class action lawsuit in California concerning the faulty steering relay rods.
Thanks to a leak from the boys at Auto Express in the UK, we can show you these few shots of the , along with a couple of salient details. Unlike all previous versions of the compact sedan, didn’t just graft a trunk to the hatchback to create the Jetta; instead the platform was stretched between the wheels to create a roomier package and more real estate for distinctive styling.
Our European friends will reportedly be getting their choice of a 104-horsepower 1.2-liter TSI, a slightly larger 1.4 TSI with 121 horses or a 200-horsepower 2.0-liter TSI, all burning gasoline. On the diesel front, a 104-horsepower 1.6 TDI kicks things off, followed by a 2.0-liter TDI with 138 ponies.
Stay tuned for more information as VW officially releases the rest of the details on its next-generation Jetta, and in the meantime check out the three leaked images in our gallery below.
