EuroWheelz

Ruf inspired Porsche 911 993 video

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 16:46:00 +0000

RUF inspired 993 Porsche 911

Luigi picked up a 1995 Porsche 911 last year, but kept it in storage for while anxiously waiting to drive it this summer. A bunch of modifications have been done on the 993, with more are still waiting to be installed. Since most have been RUF parts installed, Luigi decided to visit the facilities in Pfaffenhausen, Germany.
He was fortunate enough to meet the man himself, Alois Ruf, and get a personal full tour of the shop. As described by Luigi, the place was incredible and left him speechless. They do everything from selling spare parts, to restoring classics, to making cars from scratch. A CTR3 and a Porsche 901 were spotted there, but Luigi was not permitted to share those images online with us.
Before departing, Alois Ruf asked if there was anything else he could do for Luigi. Politely, he replied asking to get a photo with him, and if Alois could sign the RUF door sills he just bought there. Both wishes were granted. “Best. Day. Ever.”
Here is a small picture of items bought at the RUF headquarters in Pfaffenhausen. CTR2 rear bumper to complete the look, Ruf stainless door sills, a set of BBS LM wheels as a second set to switch up with the Ruf wheels, and finally some souvenirs from their gift shop.

Ruf upgrades:
• Ruf Chrome Exhaust tips
• Ruf CTR2 Front Bumper cover
• Ruf Pedals
• Ruf Foot Rest
• Ruf 19" Wheel Set
• Ruf Short Shift
• Ruf Shift Knob/Boot
• Ruf Steering Wheel in Leather
• Bilstein Euro coilover suspension
• Ruf stainless door sills

Some additional options/upgrades:
• 993 Turbo S Fog Lights & Brake ducts
• Porsche Hi-Fi door panels
• JL Audio sound system
• DACH X-Pipe
• Motor Sound Package
• RS motor mounts
• RS front strut brace
• OEM Litronic headlights

Additional parts not yet installed:
• White tach/speedo gauge faces
• Shaved trunk w/o basket handle/badge
• Carbon fiber 993RS wing
• 3.8 Bridge wing (this will probably never be installed)
• 18x9/18x11 BBS LM w/custom red centers
• Ruf CTR2 rear bumper cover

Porsche 911 (993) from JHDproductions | Jordan Hamelin on Vimeo.

The new Lancia Stratos

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:25:00 +0000

Still no firm production plans, the car in the images is based on a 430 Scuderia.

Beautiful Porsche 993 C2 widebody RSR clone For Sale

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:12:00 +0000

Found this while surfing 6speedonline. Beautiful execution of an RSR clone.

Year: 1995
Make: Porsche
Model: 911
Price: $45000
Mileage: 104000
Color: Polar Silver
Private or Dealer Listing: Private Listing
Location (State): WA
Transmission: Manual
Drivetrain: Rear Wheel Drive
I am putting my 993 up for sale. Reason being, I'm back on the East coast and I don't have the space or the need for it out here; I already have too many cars as it is. It will be missed. My only regret was not driving it more; I put less than a thousand miles on it after finishing the car. No expense was spared for this project, everything was done the right way. The car is pretty much immaculate, inside and out. I just hope that whoever buys the car takes great care of it.

- 1995 C2, Polar silver with black interior
- 6 speed manual
- 104k miles

- Located in Seattle, WA but can be delivered, picked up, or shipped anywhere
- Two owner car (I am the second owner), clean title.
- The car runs and drives perfectly, but there are a couple little things that I never got around to addressing. Flasher needs to be swapped out for the turn signals to work, and the speedometer isn't working, probably just a loose connection under the dash.
- The car is an absolute beast on the street and the track and it turns heads everywhere. It's only seen one track day.

Body:

- Kevlar / Carbon roof
- RSR flares
- RSCS front splitter
- Euro bumpers (deleted bumperettes, front and rear)
- RSCS front air ducts
- Ducktail
- Shaved windshield washer squirters
- Shaved headlight washer squirters
- Euro front turn signals
- Red tails
- All new seals (windshield seal, rear window seal, door seals, door handle seals, etc etc)
- New windscreen (windshield)

Interior:

- Full cage painted Polar Silver
- Kevlar / Carbon roof
- Custom carbon dash trim kit
- Custom leather Recaro Pole Positions with silver stitching and black Alcantara inserts
- Schroth harnesses (6 pt. drivers side, 5 pt. passenger side)
- Leather RS door cards
- German RS carpet kit
- B-quiet ultimate sound deadening
- Personal grey / black leather steering wheel

Suspension:

- KW V3 coilovers
- TRG sway bars (front and rear)
- Tarett adjustable front drop links
- Custom Tarett adjustable rear drop links
- Tarett adjustable toe control arms
- Walrod bushings

Motor:

- Brad Penn synthetic oil
- PPI done by Meaney Racing this past winter (2k miles ago)
- Fabspeed Supercup Mufflers

Wheels / Tires:

- Custom Hartmann 3 piece Twists 18x9.5 18x11, Polar Silver painted centers
- Continental SportContact2 Tires - 245/40 front and 295/30 rear

BMW M1, Ferrari P540 and Alfa Romeo TZ3

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 03:19:00 +0000

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes & ArtRotondo.com

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 21:37:00 +0000

The Australian GP marked another benchmark for Montreal based company ArtRotondo.com, where Vodafone McLaren Mercedes reserve driver Gary Paffett sported his ArtRotondo designed and painted helmet.

Props to them for covering drivers from karting to F1, and everything in between!

The return of Hispano-Suiza

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:40:00 +0000

After a hiatus of nearly 70 years, the carmaker is back with this beast that boasts a twin supercharged Audi v10, good for 750hp, 3,2sec 0-60 and a 210mph top speed.
All this for only 700 000EU.

RUF CTR3 - One of the rarest cars around.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Found this post on teamspeed.com... what an amazing machine with some truly impressive specs!

About the RUF CTR3

Body
Body build in steel, aluminium and kevlar-carbon. Rollover protection in A-pillar and in birdcage. The birdcage forms a torsion resistant unit with the front chassis by joining to the sill beam and the A pillar.

Front structure steel, zinc dipped
Safety passenger compartment steel, zinc dipped
Engine and transmission frame space frame and birdcage
Front bonnet and doors aluminium
Body shell Kevlar-Carbon composite

Engine
Type turbocharged boxer
Cylinders 6
Displacement 3,746 cc / 228.6 in3
Bore 102 mm / 4.01 in
Stroke 76.4 mm / 3.01 in
Output 515 kW (700 hp) at 7,000 rpm
Max. torque 890 Nm / 656.5 lb-ft
Compression ratio 9.2 : 1
Engine control unit Bosch Motronic with OBD-2
Turbo charger two KKK turbo chargers
Intercooler two air-air-intercoolers

Transmission
Power delivery rear wheel drive
Transmission sequential 6-speed-manual transmission,
transversal, angle drive, shift indicator in the instrument panel
Limited slip differential multi-disc locking differential
Locking value load / deceleration 40 % / 60 %

Chassis
Front axle McPherson struts, anti-roll bar
Rear axle multilink rear axle, anti-roll bar
horizontal coil over shock absorbers
Steering Power assisted rack and pinion

Brakes
Brake callipers front/rear 6 piston fixed light alloy callipers
Brake discs front/rear ventilated and cross drilled
ceramic composite discs
Brake disc diameter front/rear 380 mm / 15 in / 380 mm / 15 in
Anti-lock braking system Bosch ABS 8.0

Wheels and tyres
Wheels front/rear 8.5 x 19 / 12.5 x 20
Tyres front/ rear 255/35 ZR 19 / 335/30 ZR 20

Size and weights
Length 4,445 mm / 175.0 in
Width 1,944 mm / 76.5 in
Height 1,200 mm / 47.2 in
Wheelbase 2,625 mm / 103.3 in
Front track 1,506 mm / 59.3 in
Rear track 1,585 mm / 62.4 in

Empty weight with 6 speed manual transmission
According to DIN 1,400 kg / 3,086.4 lbs
According to EG-standards 1,475 kg / 3,251.8 lbs

Performance
Top speed 375 kph / 235 mph
0-100 kph / 0 62 mph 3.2 sec

Price
Euro 380,000.00 (plus VAT)

Rover SD1 27-litre V12

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 02:05:00 +0000

One day back in the 1990s a middle-aged man from a sleepy village in Lincolnshire decided that he’d start a new project saloon car.

Over a decade and two marriages later PPC’s own Charlie Broomfield had a road legal matt black Rover SD1 powered by a 27-litre V12 Merlin tank engine.

What possessed Charlie to decide to build a car with an engine that also powered World War Twos greatest fighter plane is anyones guess, but what Charlie claims is that he wanted to do 200mph.

However, while the rest of us would just go and buy a motorbike Charlie went on and fulfilled his dream of the ultimate Rover.

With 1550lb/ft of torque at 1600rpm, the SD1 should have ample muscle to break the magic 200 mark.

Not that it stopped Charlie from rebuilding the huge engine, and adding his own home made throttle bodies to get a smoother power delivery and release yet more horses from the Meteor lump.

With a Jaguar V12 TH 400 autobox handling the transmission side of things, the SD1 is actually surprisingly docile. However, even at its 400rpm idling speed the engine produces more torque than the cars original engine at redline.

Charlie also fitted an LPG kit to the Rover to attempt to keep fuelling costs at a slightly less ridiculous level.

To allow the engine to run smoothly with the throttle bodies Charlie has wired in an Emerald ECU set up which keeps the Rovers savage abilities under wraps until chosen to be unleashed.

Charlie is an engineer and thus basically everything you can see on the car has been fabricated, or adapted by the man himself to fit. The back axle is from a Ford F150 pick-up truck, the drivetrain has parts from a Leyland Leopard bus, and a set of Jag XJR wheels attempt to keep the tyres from spinning up under the strain of all that torque. There is a slight issue in space with the Rover. Granted, the SD1 has a pretty cavernous engine bay, but this is a tank engine we’re talking about. Half of the 27-litre lump fits sweetly inside the bay, but the rest of it juts rather disconcertingly into the cars cabin itself.

Not that it bothers Charlie. At least he doesn’t have to worry about fitting a heater. Another problem with the colossal engine is that it’s so big it comes up further than the windscreen frame. That’s no problem for Charlie though. No screen and a set of sunglasses solve this problem.

Despite the Merlin engines aeronautical heritage Charlie is keen to keep the Rover on the ground during his 200mph attempt. As a result he has taken steps to make the Rover more aerodynamic, making consultations in NASCAR circles and fitting a front spoiler, making the underside as close to flat as possible, and attaching a rear splitter. With any luck that should keep Charlie’s feet on the ground.

source: ppcmag

VW's new Concept Coupe.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:41:00 +0000

VW will be debuting the New Concept Coupe (NCC) at the Detroit auto show today.

The New Concept Coupe is a full hybrid car, which in European media has been referred to as a Golf Coupe prototype. The car is likely based on the same platform as the Golf/Jetta and, although still in the concept stage, it will most probably come to be called the Jetta Coupe if it ever goes to market in North America.

The vaguely named New Compact Coupe comes with VW's 1.4 liter TSI engine, a turbocharged 4-cylinder dialed up to 150 hp and 220 Nm of torque (177 lb-ft), coupled to a 7-speed DSG gearbox (a dual-clutch sequential transmission), as well as an electric motor with 20 kW/27 hp. Powered by a lithium-ion battery pack, the electric motor is able to propel the car on its own, which allows the vehicle to be classified as a full-hybrid. When the TSI engine is shut down, it is also disengaged to reduce any drag effect.

Performance numbers on the coupe are impressive - with only 98 g/km in CO2 emissions, the NCC does the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 8.6 seconds and has a top speed of 227 km/h (141 mph), all the while delivering 4.2 liters/100 km (45 mpg) in fuel economy.

The NCC comes in "Tungsten Silver Metallic" with bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights, turn signals and tail lights. The NCC is 4.54 m (178.5 inches) long, 1.78 m (70.1 inches) wide and 1.41 m tall. Fitted with 19-inch "Lugano" alloy wheels, the NCC comes finished with a Grigio Quartz (grey quartz) and Berry White leather interior.

Styling on the coupe seems perfectly aligned with the rest of the VW lineup. Despite no confirmation yet, reports put the NCC already approved for production with sales starting within the next two years.

source: worldcarfans

BMW M5 (2011): new F10 super saloon scooped

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 18:52:00 +0000

More details are emerging...

• 4.4-litre V8 bi-turbo
• 578bhp, 530lb ft
• 155mph limited top speed
• 0-62mph 4.4sec
• Unlimited top speed 188mph

That direct-injection 4.4 lump is the same engine you'll find under the hood of the X5 M and X6 M, but further tweaked by M Division to liberate more power. Forced induction makes it the first M saloon to be turbocharged.

Will there be a new BMW M5 Touring?

Not this time. Dog owners in a rush will have to shop at the neighbouring Audi or Mercedes showrooms for RS and AMG variants.

source: carmagazine.co.uk

BMW E92 Coupe takes a tumble...

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 19:17:00 +0000

I wonder what would have happened if this was a Chinese designed/made car...

A member of the dedicated BMW forum 1Addicts has posted these photos of the aftermath of a creepy accident that occurred somewhere on the Angeles Crest Highway in California.

According to forum member and driver of the 3-Series Coupe "M3KILL3R", the incident happened when in order to avoid some animals on the road, he panicked, swerved, hit the brakes and eventually lost control of the car which went flying straight off the edge of a cliff tumbling down the mountain.

Amazingly, he and his female passenger made it out alive with some minor injuries. Here's how "M3KILL3R" described the incident:

"Was bout 2 am on a saturday night jan.2nd, picked up a female friend who lives on angeles crest street and we headed up angeles crest mountain... Was taking her to a view spot for, u know...neways.

At mile marker 30.65, no speeding no nothing, max i went was 35mph.came up to a pretty bad ass turn...the second i turned i saw 3 animals of some sort kicking it on the road. I panicked, swirved, hit the brakes, hit dirt road which didnt help me from stopping.

Flew straight off the ledge... Flips+turns+tree+flips+turns+flips and landed on 3 rocks 426 feet down the mountain...both of us are okay...walked out clean...i just have a fractured collar bone and my whole left side is killing me like crazy. The female is perfectly fine, just a few cuts n bruises."

Source: carscoop.blogspot

FS: RARE OZ Mito 18x8 5x120

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:46:00 +0000

O.Z. Mito 2 piece wheels
18x8 et40
These just got straightened at a cost of nearly $500
All that is left to do is remove the clear on the lips and polish them
They have no curb rash and are 100% straight
Very hard wheels to come by
Price: 1300USD + shipping

Interested? Contact boxcarracerll [at] hotmail.com

A visit to the BMW Museum in München.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:49:00 +0000

Back from the dead with a bang - Pics & Vids from the legendary NURBURGRING!

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:28:00 +0000

With so much going on right now this blog has unfortunately been the last item on the priority list.
In order to make up for lost time, here's a long picture/video post from my recent trip to the Nurburgring.
No words can describe how I felt that day. Being in car heaven would be an understatement, with the average car putsing around being Porsches, and being metres away from 'untouchables' like the Koenigsegg CCX-R.
Anyways, enough talking...

Entrance to the F1 Circuit, gas station and a Backstage Tour

The Castle

GTJunior

Roller Coaster running along the stretch

The Nordschleife

My rental car

And now for some videos!

GT Junior

Sud

Sickness! Hear the lip scrape on the 599

GTJ at the gas station

Carrera GT backstage

Beautiful track 155

E30 M3 Monster in Canada.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:11:00 +0000

Found this monster here on Kijiji located in the west coast of Canada.
It can be purchased for a reasonable 20kCAD. Although we'd prefer a fully original E30 M3 (with the exception of the beautiful Style5 wheels), the price tag seems very reasonable given all the goodies and over double the original power!

Here's what the ad reads:

1988 E30 M3. Alpine white. Car had 103k miles on the odometer when I purchased it and I have driven the car only 16tkms (10,000miles). Originally titled in Montana so it can easily return to the USA. The car has an extensive list of modifications. The car is amazing to drive and to look at. On the track the car is very fast, almost un-drivable at the high boost setting (15psi) so I would suggest the lower boost setting (10psi). At 18psi the M3 made over 422bhp @5300rpm and 445ftlbs @4250rpm. At 15psi the car makes 401bhp with 428ftlbs (with over 300ftlbs of torque right from 3000rpm to redline). All the dyno runs were made in Calgary, Alberta, Canada (4000ft above sea level). The car is very easy to drive and quite tame with surprising traction, except first gear.

The engine is an M30 3.5l motor from a 1991 735i (all stock internals) with VAC Motorsports 0.141” MLS head gasket and an adjustable camshaft gear. All custom engine mounts and transmission mount. The engine management is done with Autronic SM4 with larger 60lb injectors, custom coil pack, plugs, and wires. There is also a Porsche 944 turbo fuel pump. The turbocharger is from Turbonetics. A ceramic ball bearing T55/68 unit is mounted to a turbocharger dynamics exhaust manifold. There is also a Racegate wastegate which exits to atmosphere. The exhaust system consists of a custom 3” down pipe joined to a factory race exhaust taken directly from a 1992 factory DTM race car. Custom front mount intercooler with all stainless plumbing and samco silicone sleeves with heavy duty clamps and a turbosmart blow-off valve.

E34 M5 lightened flywheel with stock M5 Sachs clutch. Dog-leg close ratio 5 speed gearbox from Eurospec M6. Custom shortened M3 driveshaft. 2.79 LSD rear diff. The engine has just recently been taken out and all the gaskets and seals have been replaced so there are no leaks.

The suspension is all modified including Ksport fully adjustable coil-overs, adjustable upper camber plates, 1997 M3 front control arms with offset control arm bushings. The rear suspension has also been modified by means of slotting the subframe for the control arms to adjust toe and camber. The rear bushings are all delrin and the rear differential mount is an adjustable aluminum one from DTM. There is also a Hartge front upper strut brace installed.

The interior is quite original except for the addition of Schroth 4-point harnesses, a Heigo roll-bar, and a Pioneer CD player. The boost is controlled with a Greddy Profec-B boost controller. Outside there are additions like the front Evo splitter, rear Evo wing with the carbon fiber ‘Monza’ trim spoiler. Also, there are Kamei eyebrow spoilers. The fenders were all rolled when the car was repainted a couple years ago.

The wheels are from a 1995 750il. They are factory BBS RS wheels 8.5” and 9.5” wide and 18” in diameter. The front tires are almost new Marangoni 225/35’s and the rear tires are about 50% used up and are Continental sport contacts originally from a Porsche carrera.

I have not had any major problems with the car and have built it and owned for almost 3 years now. The car does have some road noise from the rear solid suspension bushings as would be expected. The car has been repainted before and has a few minor chips in the paint as would be expected for being 20 years old. This car is not a concourse show car but a really good daily driver and shows well but most cars have faults when you look at them really close.

Lamborghini Murcielago LP-670-4 SuperVeloce

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:01:00 +0000

Lamborghini on Monday took the wraps off its LP 670-4 SuperVeloce — the fastest and most powerful model the company has ever made, and lightest Murcielago to date. Power comes from a 6.5 liter V12 delivering a whopping 670 horsepower. With a weight reduction of 220 lbs over the standard car, the LP 670-4 has a weight-to-power ratio of 5.1 pounds per horsepower. All of this means a zero to 62 mph time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 212 mph.

Lambo says it had to rework virtually every component of the car — from chassis to interior — in order to achieve the substantial weight savings. The increase in engine output from 640 to 670 hp is the result of optimized valve timing and a reworked intake system. The significantly modified aerodynamics with substantially increased downforce brings considerable improvement.

The Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is “more extreme and uncompromising than virtually any other automobile,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “As the new top model of the highly successful Murciélago range, the SuperVeloce displays not only outstanding driving dynamics, it is also further evidence of our company’s technological expertise. Customers can look forward to an utterly unparalleled driving experience.”

When prototypes of the car were first spied, it was rumored Lamborghini would ditch the Murcielago’s all-wheel-drive system for a lighter rear-wheel-drive setup. As it turns out, that is not the case. Equipped with permanent AWD, the LP 670-4 can send up to 35 percent of driving force to the front wheels. The front and rear limited-slip differentials are set at 25 and 45 percent. This provides the car with the necessary traction for its massive output.

Engineers recalculated the framework and selected a new high-strength sectional steel for much of the structure. This achieves reduced weight (44 lbs) and improved torsional stiffness. The front fenders, rear fenders are made from carbon fiber. Lastly, the deployable spoiler has been replaced with a stationary wing. This brings a further weight reduction of 29 lbs.

The SuperVeloce is equipped with exclusive “Ares” alloy-forged wheels, bearing the exclusive five twin-spoke design. The front wheels are clad in 245/35 ZR 18 rubber, while the rears sport 335/30 ZR 18. High-grip Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires come as standard.

The Carbon Ceramic (CCB) brakes are fanned by air channeled through enlarged intakes in the bodyshell, while openings in the front fenders provide additional ventilation for the SuperVeloce. The ceramic discs are lightweight and fade-free, according to the automaker.

The car has a relatively extreme front-to-rear weight distribution. The rear axle bears 58 percent of its overall weight — a distribution ratio that Lamborghini says is highly beneficial to traction.

The interior has been simplified in order to save weight — 75 lbs to be exact. The dominating materials are Alcantara and carbon fiber. Not only the seats are upholstered in black Alcantara micro-fiber material, the cockpit and the roof lining are also finished in this lightweight material. If the bare-bones seats aren’t your thing, the Murciélago’s standard seats are also available on the SuperVeloce as an option free of charge.

Source: leftlanenews

2009 Arrow X1 Kart Chassis

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 13:54:00 +0000

With Arrow being officially sold here in Canada this article would be of some interest for enthusiasts...

Arrow Karts are based in Victoria, Australia, and are easily the country’s premier kart manufacturer. With a workforce of about 45 employees Arrow has achieved numerous National titles all over the World, and in 2001 when the Rotax Grand Finals were run on drivers’ own karts (not on manufacturer provided karts as is done now) they took the Senior championship in Langkawi, Malaysia. They have yet to put up a proper effort on the European karting scene (European & World Championships etc), but are looking forward to when that happens.

The X1 is Arrow’s only CIK homologated kart for 2009-2014, and Arrow are confident that they have a winning kart on their hands. We asked Adam Klunyk of Arrow Racing Karts about the new X1:

Question: The Arrow X1 kart is your latest to hit the market and has already posted some impressive results, what went on in the development of the kart?

Adam Klunyk: This kart took about a year and 11 prototypes to finally get the final design. It is a complete new model not an evolution of the Bmax which was our last kart for these caterogies.

Q: Are there any specific new and interesting features on the kart that are different to most of the competition?

AK: Yes lots of them:

Arrow’s full-height one-piece machined billet alloy bearing flanges.
Unique Arrow cam-adjusting rear axle ride height system.
Ultra-light quick-change 3-bolt type machined billet alloy sprocket hub.
18mm wide grooved and vented rear brake disc.
Floating machined billet alloy hub with inbuilt self-loosening system for quick axle changes.
Forged alloy and machined billet alloy 2-piece pedals.
Carbon fibre laminate floortray.
Arrow’s unique self-centering seat washers
Forged high grade aluminium two piece stub axles with 17mm machined high tensile steel stub shafts (25mm hollow shafts also available)
Arrow embroidered ‘F1 style’ black-spoked blue suede steering wheel with flat top and bottom
Arrow’s unique steering bush with clamp for simple front end alignment
2-piece slide-type engine mount
All new CIK homologated bodywork with dynamic graphics kit.

Q: How do you approach the design of a new kart? Do you keep a very close eye on what the competition has been doing and try some of their solutions or do you prefer to focus only on your own kart and develop the kart by how if performs on track?

AK: We do all our own testing and designing. We do alot of testing mid week at the track against our old model kart and make sure it is consistently faster. Then the final test is racing the prototypes at major events so we can get good comparison against the other leading brands like CRG, Tony Kart, Intrepid etc.. I.e.: Our Australian Rotax Nationals, X1 Prototypes 1st 2nd 3rd. Remember to get to this stage it took many many months of testing designs and failures.

Q: How important is a good driver to develop a kart? Who was the main driver(s) responsible for the direction the x1 kart has taken?

AK: Very important !! You can always look at data loggers but to produce a good go kart you need good feedback. We used a number of different drivers to develop a kart because remember this is a product kart and many different types of drivers will be driving it. The main test drivers which did the every day testing were Bart Price, David Sera, Matthew Wall (all 3 are factory Arrow drivers and have represented Australia at the Rotax Finals).

Q: What will the factory racing effort focus on in 2009, which series’?

AK:In Australia we will compete in most of the major event including the Australian Titles and State titles, also various series events, our calendar of what we plan to do is not complete yet.

Q: Are most of the components on Arrow karts built in-house? What is made elsewhere?

AK: 95% of Arrow componentry is made in house. E.g., Wheels from Douglas and Edwards, Bodywork from KG, Brakes from Dent Engineering, the rest here !

Q: What is Arrow Racing Karts’ most valued result in kart racing?

AK: Winning the Rotax World championships in 2001, Oceania Championships - 1st Junior International, 1st Formula A. Also numerous National titles across the world. One area we haven’t targeted seriously yet is Europe. We look forward to that one day as it will be a challenge ! But we are getting there bit by bit.

Pictures:

Full List of Features:

CIK homologated chassis
30mm diameter stress relieved chrome moly tubing chassis structure with 32mm fixed front cross-beam
104cm wheelbase
50mm diameter hollow axle supported by three bearings
Arrow’s full-height one-piece machined billet alloy bearing flanges
Arrow’s unique cam-adjusting rear axle ride height system
90mm long machined billet alloy rear wheel hubs
Ultra-light quick-change 3-bolt type machined billet alloy sprocket hub
18mm wide grooved and vented rear brake disc.
Floating machined billet alloy hub with inbuilt self-loosening system for quick axle changes
Black anodised machined billet alloy four-spot brake caliper incorporating air-cooled pistons, mounted directly to rear axle full-height bearing flange
Black anodised machined billet alloy brake master cylinder
Braided stainless steel brake lines
Forged alloy and machined billet alloy 2-piece pedals
Carbon fibre laminate floortray
Arrow’s unique self-centering seat washers
Forged high-grade aluminium two-piece stub axles with 17mm machined high tensile steel stub shafts (25mm hollow shafts also available)
65mm long machined billet alloy front wheel hubs
10mm precision ground king-pin bolts
Adjustable camber/caster and front ride height
Adjustable Ackerman
Machined billet alloy steering tie rods
All aluminium components anodised gunmetal
Left and right hand seat stays
9-litre quick-release removable fuel tank
Arrow embroidered ‘F1 style’ black-spoked blue suede steering wheel with flat top and bottom
Arrow’s unique steering bush with clamp for simple front end alignment
2-piece slide-type engine mount
All new CIK homologated bodywork with dynamic ‘Captain Arrow’ graphics kit
Douglas M-Series black powder-coated magnesium wheels: Front bolt-on type 130mm (5.1″) wide x 5″ diam

For more info and pics see the original article

VW Polo coming to N.A.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Volkswagen plans to sell its Polo smaller car in the U.S.

VW development chief Ulrich Hackenberg said the automaker plans to sell the car in the U.S. to take advantage of American buyers' increasing enthusiasm for smaller, fuel-efficient cars.

"The small-car segment is the fastest growing segment in the U.S.,"

Hackenberg told Automotive News Europe at the Detroit auto show. "Oil prices will rise again and that will drive small car sales up further."

VW has never competed in the subcompact segment in the United States. The smallest car it sells here is the Golf, also known as the Rabbit. The Polo would be larger than the Toyota Yaris, but smaller than the Honda Fit, says Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby.

Jacoby says the Polo would be a "further alternative" to help VW meet its goal of more than tripling U.S. sales to 800,000 vehicles annually over the next decade. Once the economy begins to recover, oil prices will be more expensive than before the recession, Jacoby says, and VW has the "right products for that."

"With our European heritage, we are used to compact and subcompact cars. We are working right now to upgrade these cars for the American market," Jacoby said.

Volkswagen of America spokesman Jim Gill says he is not aware of a definite date for the Polo's U.S. launch. VW might test American reaction to the car at upcoming auto shows, he said.

"We are definitely looking at it and what would need to be done for it to be successful," Gill said.

Hackenberg said that U.S.-market Polos could be produced in VW's assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico. He did not say when U.S. sales of the Polo would start.

VW will debut its latest-generation Polo at the Geneva auto show in March.

Source: Autonews

Euro Wheels.... literally.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Happy new year to all.

These 100% custom CNC centers were found posted on e46fanatics and show us that custom wheels don't always consist of taken-apart-and-reassembled-with-new-parts BBS RS!

We'll let the pictures do the talking....

Bike powered Fiat 500

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 16:17:00 +0000

I've been searching for a nice build with specs for a motorcycle powered Fiat 500.
Although there are no 'bolt-in' kits available like for the Mini, this seems to be a very nice job.

Specs:

The engine is a 913cc Honda Fireblade (super bike) standard form about 120 to 130 bhp. I have done some mods and believe I have about 150 bhp now

The engine is turned around and the sprocket has been removed and a special adaptor bolts to the engine (I just could not bring myself to use a chain in a car )a tiny prop shaft meets up to a sierra 4x4 LSD diff all of this sits in a very light weight sub frame which incorporates the double wishbone suspension and coil over gas shocks, this all bolts up to the car on mountings points so the body can be raised up for any major work.

The brakes are disc all round front suspension is now double wishbone and coil over gas shocks all mounted on a small sub frame which also holds the 126 steering rack in place.

I have tried to retain as much of the fiat 500 as I could I did not want wings and spoilers every where I have had to modify the wheel arches to get some decent rubber for the huge power increase but its turned out just as I wanted it .

Performance is breath taking as I have built the car I have tried to keep the weight down to a minimum, the car is much lighter than std.
0 -60 mph is under 4 secs top speed tops out about 110mph but that’s fast enough for a 500 at 11000 rpm. But the diff can be changed for different use.
Here are some more pictures , its hard to show the mechanical bits now that it is built so there are some pics mid build.

Source: fiat500club.org

Porsche Panamera - Official pics

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:20:00 +0000

Full Carbon R8 - PPI Razor GTR

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:30:00 +0000

The GTR takes the R8 to yet another level, with more power, reduced weight, and improved aerodynamics.

PPI has fitted a supercharger to the 4.2L V8 which now puts out 580 horsepower and 443 lb-ft torque, good for a 3.7-second sprint to 100 km/h and a top speed of 206 mph. The widebody kit is constructed completely of carbon fiber and feeds cool air to the brakes and radiators, while the engine cover, also constructed of the lightweight material, includes integrated ram air inlets. The wider body also allows for wider rims and tires -- lightweight MAG11 forged wheels wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport 2 rubber. Other performance upgrades include a KW coilover suspension, and larger brakes: 15-inch discs with six-piston calipers in the front, and 14-inch discs in the rear. Carbon fiber also coats the interior, alongside custom leather seats and a PPI steering wheel.

Performance

Following the introduction of the wildly successful PPI R8 RAZOR at last year's Essen Motor Show, PPI Automotive Design GmbH have used all its knowledge from the past year in competition, closed road races, open road races, and research and development in the wind channel, autobahn and track testing, to create a truly inspired production car. The Audi specialist turned its focus on optimizing the power-to-weight ratio of the Audi R8 while simultaneously strengthening the motor, increasing performance, improving handling dynamics, and managing to reduce the weight of the Audi R8.

The essential part of the motor alteration is the incorporation of a specially engineered supercharger. In addition, a ram-charged sport air filter system and a high performance exhaust system made of stainless steel have been designed and added specifically to work in conjunction with the supercharger system. These components are precisely adjusted to each other with the help of a new ignition map for motor electronics.

The result, after this extensive modification, is a car with 580 hp / 427 kW at 7,400 rpm, a maximum torque of 600 Nm at 6,200 rpm at its disposal, and a weight decrease of 250 kg over its serial counterpart (serial curb weight 1,580 kg). Providing the PPI RAZOR GTR with the ability to achieve speeds from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3.7 seconds with a maximum top speed of 332 km/h. This insures the proper performance to easily meet the demands of its motorsports and enthusiast clientele.

Aerodynamics

In addition to the excellent driving performance, this PPI Supercar also has a striking widebody appearance with elaborate, wind tunnel tested aerodynamics. Special attention was paid to the reduction of the vehicle's weight, which was achieved by PPI's extensive use of the extremely light and high-strength formula 1 and aerospace-proven Carbon Fiber. All parts are made of this high-tech material, reducing weight and adding strength in the process.

The PPI RAZOR GTR front bumper replaces the serial bumper and the new design in conjunction with a specially engineered front diffuser, reduces lifting forces at the front axle. Larger air inlets in connection with a new full LED-headlight unit present the two-seater with an even more athletic face. More importantly, these air inlets feed the radiators with additional fresh air and channels through the new front hood to provide optimal cooling to the brake system. PPI sideskirts highlight the sporty profile of the GTR and also diffuses the airflow around the sides of the car for improved aerodynamic stability.

In order to perfectly balance out the down-force behaviour of the front-axle with the rear axle, PPI equips the RAZOR GTR with a special rear wing with an adjustable Gurney-flap. The motor cover, made of the light high-tech polycarbonate material Makrolon, also has specially designed Carbon Fiber ram-charged air inlets that replace the heavy OEM Engine cover and aid in cooling, ensuring the consistent performance of the RAZOR GTR. Aiding in the engine cooling, are the newly designed side blades, rear fenders and rear bumper allow for additional motor bay and exhaust cooling that, in conjunction with the Carbon Fiber rear diffuser, optimizes the airflow over and through the rear portion of this sharp performance car.

Handling

The overall appearance of the car is further enhanced by a new widebody skin to allow the PPI RAZOR GTR the proper structure to accommodate all the performance enhancements and wider wheels. The RAZOR GTR utilizes specially designed lightweight MAG11 forged PPI wheels. At the front, 10Jx19 MAG11 wheels with 255/35 ZR 19 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires are fitted and an impressive 11.5J x 20 MAG11 wheels with 325/25 ZR 20 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires are used at the rear. This wheel and tire-combination proves to be the optimal balance between comfort and control while maintaining proper road feedback for the driver.

PPI also developed a special high-performance braking system available only for the RAZOR GTR that can be identified by its metallic orange-colored brake callipers. The optimal deceleration and perfect pedal pressure control is now achieved by enlarged 6-piston callipers in connection with extra-large discs measuring 380 x 36 millimeters at the front and 356 x 32 mm discs at the rear axle providing greater pad surface contact area and heat dissipation.

Nothing has been left untouched, as is evidenced by the new coil over kit developed in conjunction with technology partner KW Automotive GmbH. This system has been specially adjusted to the needs of the PPI RAZOR GTR. And comes equipped with a Hydraulic Lift System, which can increase ground clearance by up to 45 millimeters if needed and therefore enables the driver to enter underground car parks or drive over speed bumps.

Source: worldcarfans

Aggressive Stances.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:05:00 +0000

Aston Martin One-77 leaked.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 23:09:00 +0000

Maserati GT-S on 21" Hamann rollers.

noreply@blogger.com (boxcarracer) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:11:00 +0000