Aero
Ten Steps to a Successful Pass
Some drivers are super fast, but not the best wheel-to-wheel racers. Some are not as fast, but they have an ability to out-race others. They’re great racers. And then there are some who are fast *and* great racers. This week’s contributor is one of those fast racers: Colin Braun. He’s competed in the NASCAR Truck and Xfinity (then, the Nationwide) series, where he would pass as many cars in one race as most road racers pass in a season. This week Colin is sharing some of his thoughts about how to set up and complete a pass.
Track Driven: Wolf GB08 Sports Racer
Perhaps you think you want a Radical. But really, you want this car.
We’ve talked to many racers who drive production-based cars, like cars in SM or T2/3/4 or GTS, and almost to a person, they say “I’d love to drive a Radical,” or “When I can afford it, I want to get a Radical”.
They are so right and they are so wrong. We know, because we race a Radical and now we’ve driven the Wolf GB08.
Update: 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Official HP Number Doesn’t Start With a “6”
Dodge caused quite a stir among muscle car enthusiasts when they took the wraps off the Challenger SRT Hellcat, the new top-spec offering of the brawny coupe. While the Hellcat boasts massive six-piston Brembo brakes, uprated suspension, a new optional 8-speed gearbox (a six speed manual is standard), and a host of aero tweaks to go along with its refreshed styling, the centerpiece of the model is the all-new, 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine. But they remained vague about horsepower specifics, only offering “over 600 horsepower” as any indicator of what to expect. Turns out Dodge was being rather coy.
Racecar Profile: Caterham SP/300.R
A joint project between Caterham and Lola, the SP/300.R is a track day car designed for racers who’re ready to move beyond street cars like the Porsche 911 GT3 and into something that is truly built from the ground up to attack road courses at maximum velocity.
Rumor: Jaguar Working on a Track Focused “Club Sport” F-Type
According to a report from Motor Trend, senior managers at Jaguar have hinted at a new variant of the F-Type Coupe that’s currently under consideration. This new hardcore variant would cut nearly 450 pounds from the F-Type’s curb weight, bringing it down to the 3200 pound range.
Preview: Koenigsegg One:1
When Koenigsegg announced their intention to build the One:1, many scoffed at the idea. One horsepower per kilogram. At 1341kg, that equates to 1341 metric horsepower, or one megawatt of thrust, promoting Koenigsegg to dub it “the world’s first megacar.”
Overview: Chevrolet Corvette C7 R
Rolling into the COBO Center alongside the new road-going Corvette Z06 was its racecar counterpart, the Chevrolet Corvette C7 R. Developed alongside the production car, the C7 R is set to compete in the United Sports Car Championship alongside rivals like the SRT Viper GTS-R next month.
Chevrolet Profiles Camaro Z/28 Aerodynamics
Chevrolet has detailed the aerodynamic program for the Camaro Z/28, along with some interesting photos showing the way the car plays with the air around it.
Preview: SRT Viper TA
There are a rare few people out there that like things more extreme. The people that order their Thai food extra spicy, or that prefer 100-proof liquor over the “limp-wristed” stuff, or when it comes to cars, find a standard SRT Viper is just too docile.
Driven: 2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE
So, really, we’d accepted the fact that we wouldn’t get to drive Chevy’s black-hooded 1LE. That is, until our schedule went completely haywire, and we were offered a 1LE, complete with a massive set of Pirelli Sottozero snow tires, as a last-minute replacement for a canceled loan. So, our Victory Red Camaro arrived, sporting the aforementioned tires and hood, and with that, a special dose of attitude.
BMW 3-Series GT Leaked Ahead Of Geneva Debut
BMW will be showing this, the 3-Series GT, at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. Despite not being slated for an unveiling until next month, though, images have leaked out well ahead of time. To be fair, the 3-Series GT is not as big of a travesty as the 5-Series GT, a vehicle that’s failed to win over buyers, in part because of the awkward proportions of its fastback rear end.
Driven: 2013 Ram 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4X4 3.6
On the road, the 2013 Ram 1500 was nothing less than the smoothest-riding pickup we’ve ever tested. Secondary motion, notably that obnoxious shuddering sound that you hear and feel when you hit a big bump in a regular truck, was precisely controlled. It’s this quality that gives the Ram a feeling of real solidity. What pass for potholes in Tennessee just couldn’t disrupt the smooth ride, with little in the way of impact noises or other disruptions. There was some vertical motion over undulating roads, but by and large the Ram feels nicely planted and composed.
Review: 2013 Ram 1500
This is the master landing page for the Ram 1500. From now on, as we further review this car, we will be updating this page with whatever fresh content we create. Future drive reviews, updated specifications, videos, and other relevant information will all be found right here, in one convenient spot.
LA 2011: Volkswagen Beetle R Concept
Volkswagen brought a Beetle R Concept to the LA Auto show. You know, like the Golf R, only a Beetle, and just a concept.
First Look: 2012 Porsche Panamera GTS
Porsche has added yet another member to the Panamera range, in the form of the GTS. Based off of the Panamera 4S, the GTS features a modified version of the S/4S’s 4.8-liter V-8, which produces an extra 30 horsepower (430 horsepower compared to 400 in the Panamera S/4S). Torque is up 15 pound-feet as well. Power is delivered to all four wheels by way of Porsche’s seven-speed PDK (or Doppelkupplungsgetriebe if you sprechen Deutsch). 0-60 miles per hour happens in a brisk 4.3 seconds, while the top speed sits at a lofty 178 miles per hour.
Base Versus Loaded: 2011 Mini Cooper S
We love the Mini Cooper S as a budget driver’s car. It’s quick, communicative, eager to rotate, and economical. But the budget goes out the window when we start playing with the manufacturer’s configuration tool. With the oodles of packages and accessories, we managed to make our Cooper S more costly in options alone than the price of the base car. Have a look.
Geneva 2011: Toyota Previews Three-Row Prius+ For European Market
At the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota has unveiled a new member of the Prius family of hybrids to be sold in Europe. The Toyota Prius+ is a three-row, seven-passenger vehicle, and is Toyota’s first non-plug-in hybrid to use lithium-ion batteries.
First Look: 2012 Saab 9-5 SportCombi
This week, Saab will debut its freshest wagon, the new 9-5 SportCombi, at the Geneva Motor Show.
Driven: 2011 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS
Between the civilian $90,500/$101,500, 380-horsepower Porsche 911 Carrera 2S coupe/cabriolet, and the $131,400, less-civil, 435-horsepower, track-oriented 911 GT3 there is apparently a chasm, nay, a lacuna in the so far 19-model 997 911 range that needed filling desperately by another 911 offering.
First Look: 2012 Saab 9-4X
Saab has pulled back the curtain on its current offering into the world of crossover vehicles with the announcement of the new 9-4X. The mid-sized crossover had faced an uncertain future while General Motors was negotiating the sale of the Swedish brand, but now that Spyker Cars has taken Saab into its stables, we can expect the 9-4X to see the light of day.
First Look: 2012 Morgan EvaGT
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is one of the most prestigious automotive events of the year, and is drawing the attention of more and more high-end manufacturers. Count Morgan among them, as the company has just debuted the stunning EvaGT 2+2.
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