Reviews for the driving game are generally quite positive, though none fail to mention the lower diversity and the fact that the game’s career mode can feel a bit like “grinding” in an online roleplaying game – it’s repetitive and only the Top Gear commenters’ amusing interventions keep it from becoming a chore;
Naturally, most of the reviewers’ attention is drawn to the new graphics that are a noticeable improvement, though some models are carried over and merely updated from the previous title. Still, it’s not as bad as Gran Turismo’s Premium and non-Premium cars distinction, but it’s reportedly noticeable for those familiar with Forza 4.
What it all comes down to is its driving physics which are said to be better than before, the graphics which we can see are better and the experience as a whole; this is where Forza 5 delivers, despite not being as complex a title as it could have been, leaving a big gap for later downloadable packs (DLCs) to correct it, like the developers have been saying a long time ahead of the actual launch.
It just feels like a game held back in order to be improved at a later date and at extra cost.
By Andrei Nedelea
The R3T is a successor to the Clio Renaultsport R3 launched in 2006, built to comply with FIA R3 regulations that include cars with performance comparable to Super 1600 cars at half the price. Renault Sport Technologies sold 373 kits of the Clio Renaultsport R3, which was based on the previous Clio generation.
Now with a new Clio model on the street, Renault is developing a new R3 car, which will be called Clio Renaultsport R3T because of the turbo engine. Just like the Clio Cup racer, the Clio R3T is based on the road-going Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC, featuring the 1.6-liter turbocharged unit adapted to racing by Renault Sport’s engineers.
The kit also includes a six-speed sequential gearbox with optional steering-wheel paddle shifts in the asphalt version. The R3T features specialized equipment from suppliers such as Sadev for gearboxes, Sachs for shock absorbers, PFC for brakes and Cosworth for electronics.
“With the Clio Renaultsport R3T, our aim has been to come up with a high-performance, reliable vehicle adaptable to every type of surface, all for an operating cost below that of the product it replaces,” said Renault Sport Technologies Motorsports Director Arnaud Boulanger. He added that initial tests have been promising and the car will now start the development phase.
“Put through its paces by several drivers, the Clio Renaultsport R3T will be tested for more than ten weeks on dirt and tarmac with a view to identifying the best options,” Boulanger said. The car is expected to receive approval in the second half of 2014.
By Dan Mihalascu
It's too early for Ferrari to divulge details on such plans, but German magazine Autobild approached local super- and luxury car tuner DMC to imagine what a hardcore yet still street-legal version of the Ferrari in the spirit of the Enzo FXX and 599 XX would look like.
The result is the LaFerrari FXXR, which in digital form, has adopted all sorts of aero enhancements, from carbon fiber lip spoilers and canards, to a rear wing and roof scoop, plus a racing livery and track-style wheels.
DMC didn't miss the opportunity to offer something of the sort to interested customers, stating the following in a press release it sent over our way:
"Who knows…it sure wouldn’t hurt getting in touch with DMC for more details … sometimes dreams can come true you know, all it takes is an avid enthusiast that wants to own a masterpiece like no other."
While created for the track, we can't help ourselves but think that, the wide-body M235i Racer featured in the official illustration above would make for a very, very interesting addition to the carmaker's regular lineup as an M2 coupe, as it reminds us of the bloated 320i Turbo racers from the late 1970s and early 1980s, as well as of the original M3 E30.
The racer itself will carry a base price of €59,500 (excluding VAT / tax) or about $80,100, and will come with an 88mm (3.5 inches) wider body thanks to the flared front and rear fenders, a full aero kit, a FIA-certified safety cell and fuel-tank, mechanical limited-slip differential, and motorsport-specific driving aids such as ABS, DSC and traction control.
The 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine is slightly boosted to 329hp (333PS).
BMW said the plan is for the M235i to to be used in series and events such as the VLN Endurance Championship and the Nürburgring 24 Hours on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife (DE), and in the future, on international stages for BMW Sports Trophy drivers as well.
“The basis our engineers had to start with when developing the racing version of the BMW M235i Racing was exceptionally good,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt.
“The production models from the BMW M Performance Automobiles range are already incredibly sporty. Because of this, we did not have to make many modifications in order to get the BMW M235i Coupé up and running as a racing car. BMW Motorsport can look back on a long tradition of allowing ambitious teams and drivers an affordable way into motor racing – and of offering them an absolutely competitive car."
The event itself is amusingly dubbed “Molte Miglia,” basically meaning many miles, and its passing through the usually deserted central town square is cause for great joy.
However, one of the drivers, who also seemed to be lagging behind the pack somewhat crashes right into said monument, totaling his car. He’s an American driver, but of Italian descent who discovers that his ancestors were originally from the village. It’s excellently executed, funny and well thought out, and it’s well worth the seven minutes you are asked to dedicate to watching it.
Moreover, as is the often the trend with these short cinematographic productions, the ending is very open, leaving each viewer’s imagination to fill in the blanks it intentionally leaves uncovered.
Scroll down and check it out, and if you do feel inclined comment, try not to spoil any of the good parts for those who haven’t yet seen it.
By Andrei Nedelea
Story References: Prada via WindingRoad
The managing director of the company and racing team boss Hans-Jürgen Abt expressed his feelings on the matter, an interesting turn in the company’s history:
“We’re proud to have the opportunity to take part in the debut of this new racing series. Participating in the new FIA Formula E Championship marks a completely new chapter in our more than 60-year motorsport history… As a company that has been active in the field of regenerative powertrains and electric mobility we’re convinced of the series’ concept. It’s innovative, delivers motorsport at the highest level and a great show for fans around the world – all of which are a perfect fit for ABT Sportsline.”
The full competition name for the team will mirror that of the outfit’s DTM racing effort, called 'Audi Sport ABT Formula-E Team'. They will be taking part in all of the ten races, the first of which is set to take place in Beijing, China, on September 20, 2014, according to the official calednar.
Check out the two trailers for the series below!
By Andrei Nedelea
Now, after having done the much more famous Indianapolis Speedway, the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is the last great addition to their list of panoramically captured circuits.
However, since it is a much newer track and most likely not that well known, this new digital perspective will definitely make the job of learning it much easier for both those who just want to know the layout purely as extra information, but also for drivers who will actually get to try out its curbs and curves.
To save you the trouble of having to search for it, you can have the COTA experience by scrolling down past the virtual jump.
You only need to watch and compare a review of the standard car and one of the Black to see just how different they are, or just scroll down and watch the very fast lap it put down around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, from a dash-cam perspective.
Making 622 hp at the crank, with exactly zero turbo- or superchargers bolted onto its V8 engine, and all the suspension and aero tweaks it takes advantage of, it’s reportedly much better adapted to track driving than the basic SLS.
All of that shows in the time of 7:25.67 it manages to put down, which puts it on par with the likes of the Ferrari Enzo and makes it faster than a Pagani Zonda F Clubsport.
This will definitely be a memorable car for Mercedes for a good few years to come – it’s going out of production around the middle of next year.
By Andrei Nedelea
Sporty European models have always been highly sought-after in the United States, right from the very earliest days of motoring, and this trend has maintained over the years, creating a very unique yet strong take on that particular corner of car culture.
The US Euro tuning scene is very strong too, with lots of home-grown shops taking already fast motors and turning the performance dial way further than the manufacturer originally intended.
Many cool highly-customized motors turned up, but for me the most enticing definitely had to be the black and red Mercedes C63 AMG coupe, which looked borderline racecar-esque, with its low stance, light wheels and sizable wing on the back. To my knowledge, not that many people modify their C63 AMGs like that, so it’s refreshing to see one taken as far as this one is.
By Andrei Nedelea
Now, Mazda has officially confirmed its participation, in the Prototype class, where it plans to use two SKYACTIV diesel-powered racers whose engines will be very closely related to those used in their road cars.
“The SKYACTIV-D Smart Diesel race engine is a true production-based engine and a carry-over from the development work done with the Mazda6 GX-class racing cars," says the Japanese company."The engine is 51 percent stock by parts count, and 63 percent stock by weight. Mazda chose this path as it is the most honest way to demonstrate the performance, quality, durability, and reliability of Mazda powerplants.”
The cars are expected to make their public debut, at the “Roar before the 24” testing session between January 3-5.
However, the Japanese manufacturer is also officially looking into modifying its successful (and nice looking) 6 sedan diesel racer into a GT Daytona class car, though that ambition was not fully detailed in the supplied press release.
By Andrei Nedelea
Still, it’s a notable vehicle, according to its official figures, and as if to prove it to the rest of the world, drag races were staged and recorded on video, showing the Qin battling it out against a wide array of fast motors.
Its powertrain is comprised of two electric motors working in conjunction with a 1.5-liter turbo petrol engine to deliver a combined total of 298 hp (223 kW) / 440 Nm (324 lb-ft), as well as an EV range of 31 miles (50 km) and a claimed efficiency rating equivalent to 118 MPGe. Off the mark performance is said to be very good, as the car is touted to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in around 6 seconds and on to a limited top speed of 185 km/h (115 mph).
Now scroll down and check out the two videos posted below. The first is short and shows the Qin winning easily, while the second lengthier one shows it on the losing side, as well, and is more balanced.
By Andrei Nedelea
Story References: Green.autoblog
In order to put those figures into perspective, one needs an i3, an E92 M3 with a V8 under the bonnet and a slightly damp track surface on which to stage a drag race. This is what Business Car Manager did, and the fruit of their labor lies after the virtual jump, in video form.
As you’ll see, the i3 has no trouble sprinting off the line ahead of the M3, and even with its bike-skinny tires, it stays ahead up until around 30 mph or 48 km/h, when the bigger car gains traction and starts pulling ahead.
In fact, the quoted source states that one day prior to the video being shot, they tried out the drag race on a much wetter Brands Hatch track, and “the i3 gripped better and beat the M3 all the way to the chequered flag.”
By Andrei Nedelea
Story References: BMWBlog
All that said, it comes to no surprise that car enthusiasts are racing the two models against each other, in this case, the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51 and the 2014 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, both in bone stock form.
Before we let you go and see how the race went, allow us to refresh your memory on the cars' specifications:
- The Corvette C7 Z51 is priced from $54,795 and sports a new 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 pumping out 455HP (339 kW or 461PS) and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) of torque.
- The Mustang Shelby GT500 starts from $54,800 and is powered by a 5.8-liter supercharged V8 producing 662hp (494 kW or 671PS) 631 lb-ft (855 Nm) of torque.
Furthermore, as if he hadn't enough reasons to celebrate, Marc Marquez’s show-stopping performances also landed him the BMW M Award, which goes at the end of each season to the top qualifier of the year. Each year, the award is an exclusive and customized BMW M car, presented by MotoGP partner BMW M GmbH.
The award this year was really special, as BMW M GmbH is celebrating a double anniversary in 2013 - the company’s 15th season as “Official Car of MotoGP” and the 10th edition of the BMW M Award. This is why Marquez received an exclusive BMW M6 Coupé, as the carmaker promised earlier this year.
The prize car is not an ordinary M6 Coupé, as it features an exclusive “Frozen Black Metallic” paintjob and matt-black, double-spoke 20-inch M light alloy wheels. No technical modifications have been implemented, with the TwinPower Turbo V8 engine developing 560 PS (552 hp), for a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint of 4.2 seconds.
The car is equipped with carbon ceramic brakes and features interior features such as M multifunctional front seats, “Merino / Sakhir Orange” leather upholstery, Professional navigation system, a head-up display and carbon fiber trims.
By Dan Mihalascu
The video is full of awesome driving stunts, like drifting around two moving Lamborghini Aventadors and two moving Segways ridden by videogame-themed Redview County cops, as well as avoiding a moving wrecking ball, among others.
Block used a 2013 Ford Fiesta ST RX43 racecar for the job, an all-wheel drive little monster with 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft (880 Nm) of torque.
So, without further ado, scroll down to watch as he executes multiple jumps and drifts on the Gymkhana Grid course - and remember that, even though he makes all the stunts look easy, it doesn’t mean you can do it too with your 60hp Fiesta…
By Dan Mihalascu
