has a longer history of racing – and winning – at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca than perhaps any other car company. At the legendary track’s very first race in October of 1957, a Porsche 550 RS Spyder took the overall win of the SCCA National Laguna Seca Championship. Since then, dozens of Porsches have competed in and won races at the track, piloted by some of the most famous drivers in the world.
Porsche’s racing history at Laguna Seca is perhaps why the fourth edition of the Rennsport Reunion is the best yet. The five historic racing classes are packed with legendary race cars and drivers. Watching a trio of 935s spiral through the corkscrew makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time to the 1970s, or watching a 962 blast down the front straight transports you directly to the 1980s.
There were plenty of examples of Porsche’s modern race car on track at Rennsport, as well. Dozens of cars competed in the Cayman Interseries, 911 Invitational, 911 Cup and PCA races, and Porsche’s recently retired racing prototype, the RS Spyder, was also on track. The RS Spyder has a history at Laguna Seca as well, winning the LMP2 class in its debut at the track in 2005.
Whether it’s the vintage racers of the 1950s or ’60s, the flamboyant 935s and prototypes of the 1970s and ’80s, or the modern race cars, there was something for every Porsche fan at Rennsport IV. Click through our gallery above to see a sample of what was on track at Laguna Seca this past weekend.
and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced an investigation into certain models after reports of engine fires on at least 12 vehicles, five of which resulted in a total loss. Interestingly enough, Bloomberg reports that in eight of those cases, the fires occurred while the vehicles were parked and turned off.
At this point, the investigation covers around 36,000 2007 and 2008 model year Mini Cooper S models. A spokesperson with NHTSA said that the complaints indicate a growing trend and that most of the reports have occurred within the last year.
Neither Mini nor the automaker’s parent company, , have commented on the investigation at this time.
If there was anything Bijan Pakzad loved more than clothing A-list celebrities and heads of state, it was creating the most luxurious automobiles around. The Persian fashion designer (commonly known by his first name alone) owned a one-of-a-kind custom yellow , and before he died, he in his trademark color.
He was also for a limited run of special , but while he may have passed before his time, his successors are evidently keen to keep his legacy alive with this special-edition .
Decked out in Bijan yellow from the body (including hood, window frame, mirrors and wheels) to the interior, the special DHC has Bijan signature touches all around, including a diamond-pavé watch embedded in the dashboard and a picnic set (complete with crystal stemware) in the trunk.
A limited quantity of these unique and extroverted convertibles will be made available at a price reported as high as $1.6 million, and are sure to be snapped up by the same Middle Eastern sheikhs who draped themselves in Bijan’s luxurious suits.
Nearly 7,000 vehicles are being recalled for potentially leaky fuel filters. Included under the recall are diesel (read: Bluetec) versions of the 2011 , , , and , as well as the 2012 .
The 2011 model year vehicles being recalled were built between January 2010 and April 2011. NHTSA says fuel filters on affected vehicles “may develop leaks from the area around the heating component.”
Mercedes-Benz USA will be contacting owners for free inspection and replacement, beginning in November. Full release .
Remember the from 2007? A has been given a similar treatment courtesy of Maryland-based professional pinstriper . Stepping away from his cans of paint and fine brushes, Dunlop has created two magnificently detailed Sharpie tapestries where the original pinstripes would have been.
According to LSX TV, Dunlop says this Camaro is the fourth car he’s decorated like this, and others have followed. Ten pens gave their lives to the cause of art, as well as a few layers of clearcoat to make sure the ink remains permanent. If you happen to think you could do this at home to your own ride, have a look at the detail shots in the gallery – a Sharpie isn’t just a marker in Dunlop’s hands.
At last September’s , we were thrilled to see this very concept car, the . The crisp lines of its carbon composite exterior, its tapering side windows, its airflow vents cut in the hood, its almost impossibly clean and sleek interior treatment… all of it spoke strongly without trying too hard.
After the September 2009 debut of the , we then got the surprise of seeing – also called “e-tron” (perhaps to confuse and/or not give too much away regarding the design’s important future) at last January’s . This second electric car, a hardtop, carried two electric motors pushing the rear wheels (versus the four motors of the R8 e-tron’s all-wheel drive, an ongoing programming challenge referred to within Audi as e-Quattro).
The e-tron Spyder, however, is not just a roofless version of that stunning Detroit e-tron coupe, as the model we’re driving here comes with an all-new plug-in diesel hybrid-electric drivetrain, and it’s 5.1 inches longer with more wheelbase, along with being 1.2 inches wider. On the other hand, the current is 4.7 inches longer than the e-tron Spyder, so we’re still operating on a very small scale here.
Our time in the driver’s seat of the e-tron Spyder was originally set for right after June’s 24-Hours of Le Mans, where the car successfully completed a parade lap for the almighty marketing department’s sake. Sadly, right as they were loading the car onto a transporter to get it on a plane and out here to SoCal, an incident occurred that left one of the rocker panels of the Spyder pretty beat up. Now that the summer holiday and big Frankfurt show push is done, we’ve been given another go.
Given the car’s iconic classic/futuristic status, it’s no surprise that the DeLorean DMC-12 is for . That an honest-to-goodness is coming from Humble, Texas’ reborn DeLorean Motor Company itself, though? That we did not see coming. It makes sense, though. If you’re gonna build a time machineelectric car, why not do it with some style?
Announced Friday night at the DMC Texas Open House, DMC said it plans to work with electric car startup Epic EV to get an all-electric DMC-12 into production by 2013. Epic is the company started by co-founder Chris Anthony that is working on (and some rather ). Early reports say the Electric DeLorean will have a maximum speed of 125 miles per hour and offer 260 horsepower for something like $90,000-100,000. The gullwing doors should remain, but we’re not sure where the motor will go (the original DeLorean used a rear-mounted engine), let alone the battery pack. This isn’t the first time a DeLorean with an alternative powertrain has been talked about. Before his death in 2005, John DeLorean hinted that a . That never happened, of course.
Specific technical details on the upcoming DeLorean Electric are sparse, but we’re pretty sure it will be able to recharge its 1.21 gigawatt-hour battery instantly when connected to the right power source. You know, until the inevitable Mr. Fusion model gets the green light.
Get out your lightning rods and Sony Walkmans, this is going to be fun to watch.
Ah, the Cheetah – the American sportscar that never was to be. Looking like the voluptuous result of a one-night stand between a and a Seven, the Cheetah was conceived as a -backed answer to the Shelby Cobra. Unfortunately, the factory suffered a devastating fire back in 1965, pulled its support and the dream faded away.
Fast-forward to 2007 when an outfit in Arizona called BTM got authorization from the Cheetah’s original father, Bill Thomas (who passed away the following year), to build a series of “continuation cars.” That is, officially sanctioned replicas of a small volume car long since out of production. The faithful were elated, but now it seems the Cheetah has died again as BTM has closed up shop.
According to Hemmings, tooling and licenses are now up for grabs, but an online auction that included everything a new investor would need to begin production anew reportedly failed to attract a single bid after starting at $120,000. Cats may have nine lives, but whether the Cheetah will get a third remains to be seen.
UPDATE: The eBay Motors Cheetah auction has been relisted with a lowered reserve sitting at $100,000 and no bids. Check it out .
is hoping to snag buyers who’d otherwise be driving an , or when it launches the new Cadillac XTS next year. That may prove a tall order, but the General is going about it in an interesting way.
Rather than (or in addition to) marketing the new XTS directly to its prospective buyers, is reportedly planning on selling its new flagship sedan (potentially stretched by approved third-party coachbuilders) to what are commonly known as drivers – known in the industry as Black Cars. We’re not talking about the retiree down the street who refuses to drive anything but a full-size – we’re talking about car service operators who shuttle those with the means around cities like New York. Like taxis, only booked in advance and slightly more upscale; the preferred mode of transportation for affluent professionals and executives in Manhattan.
It’s a market dominated by (and commonly borrowing its name from) the Lincoln Town Car, a vehicle that is finally out of production despite accounting for the lion’s share of this niche market after extending its lifespan for years. Lincoln aims to retain its domination of the Black Car market with , while Cadillac (whose never made as big an impact on these fleets as the Town Car did) is pitching the new XTS. In doing so, GM hopes the wealthy fares riding in the back of these shuttles will take note and maybe place orders of their own.
Citroën has done a lot with the DS lineup over the past couple of years. From a long-dormant nameplate it has built a range of three models – DS3, DS4 and DS5 – but according to the latest reports, has no plans of slowing down any time soon.
Among the most interesting plans involve the DS3 Racing. The extroverted hot hatch, with its 200-horsepower turbo four and anything-but-subtle color scheme, was initially planned as a limited edition of 1,000 vehicles. Popular demand across Europe saw that increase more than twofold to around 2,400, but sources suggest that with even those almost all sold out, a new version could be in the works.
Demand in China – which is rapidly becoming the largest market for many automakers, Citroën included – for larger vehicles could also see the range expand with a bigger version of the DS5 and maybe even a flagship production version of the Metropolis concept pictured above.
Beyond that, we’re told to expect – or at least for our overseas readers to expect – a wide range of new options and special editions in the years to come. Looks like we haven’t seen the last of the DS line.
Autoblog has been walking the paddock of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca taking in Rennsport Reunion IV for the past two days… but that’s just a small part of the action. Today, we took a long stroll through the various corrals where the privately owned cars park during the event. While we’re suckers for race machinery, some of the automaker’s street cars are equally spectacular, even in standard trim.
Take a look through our massive gallery of cars, including those from members of the Porsche Club of America (PCA) and Porsche Owners Club (POC). Both organizations are loaded with very enthusiastic owners who take meticulous care of their mid- and rear-engined sports cars. Look carefully and you’ll spot everything from early cars all the way to the latest – even a rare (on a 993 platform).
Our personal favorites include the , , and the early 911-based . How about you?
Tragedy struck this weekend’s Las Vegas Indy 300, as driver Dan Wheldon, 33, died from injuries sustained in a gruesome 15-car wreck just 13 laps into the race. Wheldon’s car sailed through the air outside turn two and smashed into a wall.
Yahoo! reports that the other drivers were told of Wheldon’s death at a meeting held two hours after the wreck. Some drivers reportedly called the crash the worst they’ve ever seen. The crash comes after some drivers voiced concerns about the high speeds reached at the Las Vegas circuit, as cars were traveling at up to 225 miles per hour during practice.
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard issued a statement after the race saying that IndyCar “is very sad to announce that Dan Wheldon has passed away from unsurvivable injuries.” Bernard went on to announce that the race had been stopped, but drivers chose to salute the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner with a five-lap run in his honor.
Wheldon, a 16-time IndyCar race winner, 2003 rookie of the year and two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, , was among the most skilled drivers in motorsports. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Wheldon and his family.
Rennsport Reunion IV at Laguna Seca is 5,825 miles from the , Germany, but that didn’t stop the automaker from shipping some of its most prized possessions all the way to California to show thousands of its loyal enthusiasts. Tucked safely in a permanent garage at the track, with special lighting and placards to help tell the story, we found more than a dozen historically significant models displayed chronologically from 1964 to present day.
While each is worthy of an hour walk-around by itself, we really liked the in Martini livery, the that won Le Mans outright in 1998, the that was driven by Jeff Zwart up Pikes Peak in 2010 (and set the 2WD Time Attack class record) and the new , which is still covered with the rubber marks from its last ALMS race at this circuit.
Special thanks to Autoblog’s esteemed photographer, Drew Phillips, who set his alarm early to be able to capture each of the cars before the crowds enveloped them. Enjoy.
The year was 1978, and Norbert Singer was tasked with building the ultimate Group 5 935. His sole objective was to deliver a win at Le Mans. Singer went immediately to work and pushed the FIA’s rules to deliver a lower, wider and more aerodynamic 935 than anyone expected. With a white body and a characteristic long swooping tail, it was dubbed “Moby Dick,” after Herman Melville’s great white whale.
But don’t get the impression that Moby Dick was just an aero kit on a 935, as there were other less visible changes to the race car.
The turbocharged flat six was bumped up to displace 3.2 liters and fitted with water-cooled heads. When it was time to race, the four-valve engine developed 750 horsepower. Since the Le Mans circuit runs clockwise, the driver’s seat was moved to the right to optimize weight distribution. On the Mulsanne Straight, it could hit a blistering 235 mph.
Moby Dick qualified third at Le Mans in 1978, behind two Group 6 prototypes (RenaultAlpine and a Porsche 936). While it was the fastest on the straights, it finished in eighth place after an oil leak became an issue. It ran in two more races that year before Porsche retired it to the museum. Three clones were eventually built, and they raced well into the 1980s.
The 2011 Formula One World Championship was decided last week in Japan. Or was it? That’s where Sebastian Vettel was re-crowned world champion, propelling himself into the history books as the youngest multiple champ in F1 history. But the series has more than one title in contention each year. So while Vettel won the drivers’ championship for the second year running, the constructors’ championship – the title awarded to the winning team, determined by the combined scores of their two drivers – still remained up for grabs.
With four races to go, Red Bull seemed a sure thing to defend its constructors’ championship. The question came down to a matter of when. In order to seize it in South Korea this weekend, RBR would need to outscore its main rivals at McLaren. In other words, Vettel and his wingman Mark Webber would need to finish the Korean Grand Prix in better average position than Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton. Would that prove too tall an order, or would the defending champs rise to the occasion and shut their rivals out of the championship? Follow the jump to find out.
There’s nothing worse than a bored law enforcement officer, as a few Beverly, Massachusetts residents learned firsthand when the local police went around checking vehicles for unlocked doors and open windows. Owners received warnings for failing to protect their property and officers proceeded to lock every door they could, including vehicles with their keys still inside.
Petty thieves had been swiping iPods, GPS devices and prescription drugs from unlocked vehicles, and the police felt that a few hard lessons would change residents’ perceptions on securing their belongings.
Now, we understand that being careless about leaving windows down and doors unlocked makes your car easy prey when thieves start prowling. That said, we have trouble believing that police officers’ time couldn’t have been better spent, say, searching for offenders instead of trying door handles and punishing otherwise innocent vehicle owners all day. But that’s just us.
Take one , hand it over to Germany’s TuningWerk, ask for the second-stage tune that the company characterizes as “a little revitalization,” and the sedan you get back will top out at 720 horsepower, 803 pound-feet and 217 miles per hour.
The super stormer gets bigger, lighter brakes, a new sound system, a sport exhaust, and a weight-loss totaling 264 pounds, The eight-speed transmission is swapped for a beefier unit with either five or six speeds. It all makes getting from zero to 62 mph a minor inconvenience, taking but 3.5 seconds.
If all that’s too much – and at €198,000 ($274,982 U.S.) it may be – you can hold steady at the Stage One tune that raises the game to “just” 530 hp and 546 lb-ft. There’s more info in the presser after the jump.
pulled form-fitting covers off two of its all-new models today at Rennsport Reunion IV, marking the first official unveiling of the vehicle in North America. While we were at the in mid-September for the , it was an excellent opportunity to check out a few static examples up close and watch some of Porsche’s famed drivers take hot laps around the Laguna Seca race circuit in two similar models circling the track.
On display were two of the upgraded 911 S models, fitted with 3.8-liter flat-six engines that produce 400 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque (standard Carrera models have a 3.4-liter flat-six rated at 350 horsepower and 287 pound-feet of torque). A six-speed manual is standard in both rear-wheel drive models, with Porsche’s seven-speed PDK automated gearbox optional.
Bigger, better and lighter than its equivalent Type 997 predecessor, the new two-door promises impressive performance. According to Porsche, the 3,075-pound Carrera S will hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds with the PDK (with Sport Chrono option), while the 3,042-pound Carrera will need 4.2 seconds to hit the same benchmark. Our first opportunity to drive is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to tell you about it.
Check out the photo gallery of the 2012 Porsche 911 above, and look for more coverage from Rennsport Reunion IV over the next few days.
has announced that it is returning to the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile’s World Endurance Championship in 2012. The car it will be contesting the series with is a new prototype that will use a hybrid gasoline/electric powertrain. We can only hope the experience will equal more exciting future models under the range…
The last time Toyota competed in Le Mans racing was in 1999, just before the Japanese automaker abandoned the GT-One program to focus on Formula One.
We don’t expect Toyota’s new LMP1 racer to have anything in common with the erstwhile GT-One, which was powered by a 600-horsepower 3.6-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. Though always fast, Toyota’s last-gen endurance racer never quite put together a complete race. Here’s hoping the effort produces more consistent results this time around. Check out the official announcement .
Thanks to a snafu on BMW’s media website this morning, we weren’t able to show you all of the official images released of the redesigned . The problem has since been corrected, and one frustrating afternoon of downloading, resizing and uploading later, we finally have ready the official 112-image-strong high-res gallery to share with you.
Click away to see the new 3 Series from every angle imaginable. There are also two official videos available to view , and you can read all about the new 3 Series by .
