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2008-07-31: The BMW M1 30th anniversary celebrations ...
Anniversaries are always used by manufacturers to take a trip down memory lane and place a legendary victory or model in the limelight. At BMW Mobile Tradition all eyes on the M1 this year. Originally launched at the 1978 Paris Motorshow, the M1 was intended as a homologation special for a brand new racing car. Mid engined supercars were hardly BMW's expertise so they called in the help of Italian experts like Giugiaro and Lamborghini. While the former penned the M1's exquisite lines, the latter caused major delays and even threatened the future of the project altogether. Due to the production delays the M1 could not be fully homologated for the 1979 season, so pragmatic as ever, BMW created their own series to run the cars in. Dubbed Procar, the races were held before each F1 Grand Prix and provided BMW with plenty of publicity. Eventually the M1 was homologated and the racing version was moderately successful both in Europe and in North America. The M1 was certainly not a financial success for BMW, but the car itself remains as a master piece that has aged remarkably well.
Today we join BMW in celebrating the M1 with an indepth article and a 12-shot gallery. Even though the M1 is well known, we have come across some interesting facts while researching. Did you for example know that BMW originally had a 3-litre V10 engine on drawing boards to power the M1, or that Giugiaro not only designed the exterior, but also helped save the project? All is explained here. |
2008-07-28: British Motor Show highlights and the latest news ...
While all eyes were on the Nissan GT-R and Corvette ZR1 Nurburgring lap times, Renault broke the front-wheel-drive record on the legendary German track. Their limited edition Megane Sport R26.R lapped the Nordschleiffe in 8m 17s late in June. Based on the Sport R26, the super quick R26.R has been lightened considerably by taking out all non essential bits and by using carbon fibre for some of the other bits. Less than a month after its record braking run, it was officially introduced last week at the British Motor Show in London. It shared the limelight with several other high performance machines like the all-new Lotus Evora and the funky Ford Fiesta Zetec S. One of the most interesting new cars unveiled in London was the Lightning GTS. Powered by four 120kw electric motors, it combines zero-emissions with neck-snapping performance. It is not just a showcase of the latest technology; customers can pre-order a production car now.
The annual Oshkosh air-show is one of the most popular of its kind and Ford have taken up that opportunity to launch a one-off Mustang that will be auctioned at the event for charity. Dubbed the AV8R, it features a supercharged engine and a host of unique and quite attractive cosmetic features. Porsche today completed the roll-out of the latest generation of the naturally aspirated 911, sporting direct injection engines. The final addition to line-up is the Targa 4S, which combines the comfort of a closed car with the thrills of a convertible. One of the most striking cars to hit the road and track this year is most certainly the Ginetta G50. Celebrating the company's 50th anniversary, it offers stunning performance for an affordable price. And the best is yet to come; a limited edition street model powered by a 520 bhp version of Zytek's Le Mans class winning V8 racing engine. |
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2008-07-24: Two of Goodwood's finest: Toyota TS010 and Talbot Darracq Grand Prix ...
Last week's Goodwood Festival of Speed attracted over 300 fabulous competition and super cars, so it is hard to pick a favourite. Nevertheless we selected two of the machines that made the most impression on us for today's update. Both superb designs, they were overshadowed by their equally impressive peers and their top-level careers were cut-short before they could really shine.
The first is the Toyota TS010, one of the last Group C cars and among the fastest sports racers ever built. Debuted late in 1991, the TS010 took Toyota's first major sports car win at the 1992 Monza round of the World Sportscar Championship. In the following races, the fabulous V10 engined racer found the Peugeot 905 impossible to beat. It was raced at Le Mans twice with a second in 1992 as the best result. The howling V10 and the Tony Southgate penned lines, make the TS010 a superb sound and sight to behold. Designed for the new 1.5 litre Grand Prix regulations of 1926, the Talbot Darracq Grand Prix broke new ground. Much lower than its predecessors, it was the first single seater racer to use an off-set engine. This layout was used for all following front-engined Grand Prix cars and was also adopted on the Talbot Darracq's nemesis; the Delage S8 15. From the first race, the French Grand Prix car showed great potential, but financial problems prevented it from ever living up to its potential. After serving as a Works car, the featured example was raced by privateers until 1949 when it campaigned in the Swiss Grand Prix. For our loyal premium subscribers we have added five new wallpapers from the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed to our exclusive wallpaper section. |
2008-07-22: 2010 Camaro, Jaguar XF-R, 2010 Mustang, British Motor Show and more news ...
After showing both coupe and convertible concept versions in recent, Chevrolet have finally taken the wraps off the production version of the 2010 model Camaro. The most potent version will have a 422 bhp LS3 V8 engine. Production will commence early in 2009.
Instead of attempting to hide their camouflaged future models, manufacturers now use them as marketing tools. Both Jaguar and Ford showed upcoming models in thinly disguised fashion at major events in the last weekend. At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the British manufacturer introduced the XF-R. Reported to pack a 500 bhp engine, it is aimed directly at the German super-saloons. Ford used the annual historic race meeting at Road America to give Mustang fans the first opportunity to get a taste of the 2010 Mustang. A more conventional way of introducing new model is at a Motor Show and this week all eyes are on London where the British International Motor Show will open its doors. Quintessentially British, Lotus will take centre stage with the unveiling of the highly anticipated Project Eagle. The 2+2 Coupe will come equipped with a potent 3.5 litre V6 engine. It will be shown alongside the environmentally friendly Eco Elise. Honda will also be spreading the green-message with the Open Study Model, which could very well be the S2000 replacement. One of the more unusual machines on display in London is the Mexican Mastretta MXT. Last week AMG further expanded their 'Black Series' line-up with this very extreme SL 65 AMG. Extreme is also a word that applies to the Ariel Atom 500. Powered by a 500 bhp V8 engine, it promises a power to weight ratio of 1000 bhp per ton. Mitsubishi have revealed their Rally Raid plans for 2009, which for the first time in many years will not centre around the highly successful Pajero. Instead they will campaign this brand new Racing Lancer, which is built to the very latest regulations. |
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2008-07-18: 2008 Le Mans Classic report and slideshow ...
It is hard to imagine that last weekend's Le Mans Classic was only the fourth edition of this great event. Quite understandably the bi-annual event is a set fixture on the agenda for both participants and spectators. The combination of the legendary circuit with the many fabulous machines of the 24 Hours race's rich past certainly make this a must-visit event. This was underlined this year by the large number of visitors from the British isles, who preferred the Le Mans Classic over the Goodwood Festival of Speed. They were treated to a colourful mix of vehicles ranging in age from 1924 through to 1979 that took to the track for 24 hours in six groups. Among them were the 1956 Le Mans winning Jaguar D-Type, the 1959 winning Aston Martin and several Ford GT40s, Porsche 917s and some rare Ferrari prototypes. Adding to the spectacle was the presence of many great drivers of the past and the present, ranging from Le Mans legends Henri Pescarolo, Gerard Larousse and Gijs van Lennep to the likes of Jan Lammers and Stephane Ortelli, who took to the track for the first time since his horrendous Monza accident earlier this year. There was also plenty of off-track action with many car clubs attracting thousands of classics into their corrals.
Having never missed an edition, Ultimatecarpage.com was represented at the Le Mans Classic by Pieter Melissen and guest photographer Sander van Dijk. Their thoughts and pictures have been compressed in a full report and a 140-shot slideshow. |
2008-07-15: 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed report and slideshow ...
This weekend 150,000 enthusiasts flocked to the South of England for the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The sixteenth edition of the annual event once again saw some of the greatest cars, bikes, drivers and riders from the past and present gather on Lord March's fabulous estate. As always the punters could get closer than anywhere else to their favourite men and machines. For many the absolute highlight was the appearance of Britain's new hero Lewis Hamilton. For others fabulous racing cars like Fangio's 1957 Nurburgring winning Maserati 250F, the 1908 Mercedes Grand Prix, a Gulf liveried Porsche 917K or the more recent Toyota TS010 to name but a few were the reason to travel to Goodwood. The main ingredient of the weekend is the hillclimb on the 1.16 mile road past the Goodwood House. Among the many other activities are a concours d'elegance as well as the traditional supercar run, which each year boasts a couple of world debuts. Also grabbing headlines was the Bonhams auction by setting a new world record for a Jaguar. Any of these ingredients separately would make the Festival of Speed worth a visit, the combination makes it a must-visit event.
Our photographer was at the Goodwood estate from the creek of dawn until he was booted off in the evening for three days to capture the Festival of Speed in its entirety. His findings can be found in an in-depth report and a spectacular 250-shot slideshow. Many of the great cars present at the FoS will be looked at in greater detail in future updates. |
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2008-07-09: Goodwood Festival of Speed and Le Mans Classic preview ...
This weekend two of the summer's finest events are held. In England all eyes will be on the Goodwood Festival of Speed, while in France the bi-annual Le Mans Classic will grab headlines. Both are must visit events, which makes choosing between them very difficult. The good news is that we will have photographers at Le Mans and in Goodwood to capture all the action. This way you can visit one and then experience the other a few days later, or read up on both here on Ultimatecarpage.com.
The theme for the Goodwood FoS is "Hawthorn to Hamilton", celebrating the British achievements in Formula 1. No doubt to the delight of many, the latest F1 star will once again make an appearance. He'll get the chance to get up close with cars like the Mercedes Benz SSK Trossi Roadster and the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, which will be part of the concours d'elegance. Among the many new and upcoming supercars, we particularly look forward to the Volkswagen W12 Syncro. Celebrating the anniversary of their great victories the 1908 French Grand Prix winning Mercedes 140 hp Grand Prix and 1988 Le Mans winning Jaguar XJR-9 will be driven up the hill. At the Bonhams auction all eyes will be on the ERA R1A, which is the first of the legendary racing cars and will be offered without reserve. There are also plenty of Le Mans winning cars that will return to the legendary track. Highlight is no doubt the actual 1959 Le Mans winner; the Aston Martin DBR1. Absolute fan favourites include the Ferrari 330 P3, Ford GT40 Mk II and the Porsche 917 K. Another interesting machine to take to the track is the unique Ferrari 250 GT 'Breadvan'. If you are going to either one of these events, or the ALMS race at Lime Rock, have fun! If not, you can find out here what you missed in the following days. |
2008-07-07: Focus RS revealed, new BMW 7-series, two hot-hatches and two successful racing cars ...
Ford have made sure that the launch of the new Focus RS would not go by unnoticed. Many months ago they already released a first teaser picture and more recently 'leaked' additional information. Now they have finally taken the wraps off completely. Visitors of the British Motor Show will have no trouble spotting the 300 bhp ST as the pre-production prototype is painted a very bright green. BMW's brand new 'F01' 7-Series is an altogether more subtle affair. The luxurious sedan has been overhauled both inside and out and replaces the successful, but also controversial 'E65' model.
After many successful years with the original model, Renault finally replaced the Twingo recently. This week they announced the most exciting version to date; the 133 bhp Twingo Sport. It will face strong competition from the Alfa Romeo Mi.To. The Italian manufacturer has released the full specification and the top version packs a 155 bhp turbocharged straight four engine. It should make the car an absolute joy to drive, but we can imagine owners taking even more pleasure out of looking at the beautiful car than driving it. Still very much at the top of their game, Ferrari and McLaren were already dominant forces in racing over four decades ago. In the early 1950s the Italian company had to build customer versions of their racing cars to make ends meet. These not only helped Ferrari expand their business, but also scored many a victory. This is underlined by the featured 225 S Vignale Spyder, which won the 1952 Monaco Grand Prix in the hands of Vittorio Marzotto. The popular Can-Am Challenge was better known for several seasons as the 'Bruce and Denny Show' after the total dominance of Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme in their papaya-orange McLarens. The 'Show' kicked off in 1967 when the two New Zealand drivers won all but one race in their V8-engined McLaren M6A. |
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2008-07-03: Two legendary American road racers ...
It might come as a surprise to some of you that the first proper sports car was not built in Stuttgart, Coventry or Modena, but in Trenton, New Jersey. Named after a local county, the Mercer Type 35J Raceabout was the first machine to combine a relatively powerful engine with a drivable chassis. Even by today's standards the Mercer is still a fine handling machine, which can not be said for most high performance cars built in that era. Although it was intended as a road car, Raceabouts scored hundreds of victory across the United States. A factory entered example came very close to winning the Indy 500 against much more powerful, purpose built racing cars. Eventually it came second to a 4-valve per cylinder Peugeot Grand Prix car. Today only seventeen examples are known to exist, which in combination with its fine handling and racing record makes the Type 35J one of the most desirable brass-era cars.
Nearly fifty years later there was little that reminded of America's pioneering role. Road racing was dominated by European sourced racing cars, which had completely taken over from the backyard specials. In 1958 a very young and wealthy American by the name of Lance Reventlow decided it was time to take on the European invasion with an all-American racing car. Built by a dream-team of designers and fabricators, his Scarabs quickly grew out to be the cars to beat in the SCCA sanctioned events. In the hands of the likes of Reventlow himself, Chuck Daigh, Carroll Shelby and Augie Pabst these beautiful V8-engined machines remained competitive for many seasons. Generally considered as the finest front-engined racing cars, the Scarabs not only beat the best front-engined European cars, but were also able to fight off the 'superior' mid-engined machines. The featured example is the prototype, which was used by Reventlow and later converted into a road car. |
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